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…...
Tick.
The blond knew she had been waiting there for a while when the burning flames of the candle began to dwindle.
Tock.
She knew she had been sitting there a while when she could no longer see the steam rising from the food that was placed in front of her, and the absence of the juicy smell became even more pronounced.
Tick.
What she didn't know was when she would start accepting the fact that she was alone.
Tock.
She was not coming.
…...
"Well, that could have gone better." Elphaba stated as she stepped out of the carriage followed closely by Izzy.
"You had to push her, you had to find out if she really did know." Izzy tried to reason with the stressed out witch. It was nearly three in the morning, the two women had been working non stop for the past twenty four hours.
"Yeah, but I didn't think she was going to break down like that…I guess the stress is getting to her as much as it is getting to me." Elphaba was now at the front door where a guard eagerly let them in.
"We are close, I know we are." Izzy confidently said as Elphaba handed off her coat to the waiting guard as did Izzy.
"I hope you're right, because I don't think me, or my family can handle much more of this." Elphaba stated the raw truth.
Izzy took the few steps towards the green woman, and gently placed her small hand on her shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze and smiled sweetly. "Are you sure Glinda has no idea what we are doing?"
Elphaba shook her adamantly, "No, of course not, she would kill me…and you." Elphaba chuckled. She quickly pulled Izzy into a tight embrace, "Thank you, for being there for me, I'm sure this is just as hard on you as it me." Elphaba said truthfully as Izzy hugged the green woman back.
"Who else would put up with your such high demands." Izzy joked, pulling back from the hug. "You're doing the right thing."
"Am I?" Elphaba asked timidly, "because I don't know anymore."
"You saved her life, gave her a second chance…sounds pretty noble to me."
"I hope you're right." Elphaba said quietly. Izzy leaned forward and pressed her lips to the side of Elphaba's cheek.
"Tomorrow's another day." Izzy stated as she walked towards the stairs on her way to her room. "And who knows, maybe tomorrow will be your lucky day, November 24." Izzy said with a smile.
"Yeah maybe-" Elphaba suddenly stopped, "Wait, did you say the 24th?"
"Yeah, today is the 23rd, 24 usually comes after the 23." Izzy said jokingly. The blood in Elphaba's face suddenly seemed to evaporate into thin air, her skin felt as though you could see right through it. "Oh my god!" She nearly yelled as she ran up the stairs two at a time and threw open her bedroom door only to find it empty.
"Elphaba, what's going on?" Izzy asked following the panicky woman back down the stairs. Elphaba didn't answer, but literally ran down the hallway, pushing every door open and quickly looking inside. She was no on the verge of a full on panic attack, she looked frantically around until she noticed a dim light coming out from under the kitchen door. Glinda.
Elphaba rushed towards the door, and pushed it open, what she saw nearly tore her heart in two. Glinda was seated at next to what Elphaba assumed was once a beautiful set table, but now the candles were completely burned out, the food was still seated there but had lost it appetizing appeal. And Glinda just sat there starring at her wife.
"Glinda, honey I am so, so -"
But Glinda just held up her hand to silence her apologizing wife.
"But I-" Elphaba tried again but stopped when Glinda stood up.
Both women just looked at each other, one with fire in her eyes, and the other who looked like she had just been hit by a train. "W-why?" Was the simple question Glinda muttered trying desperately to keep her composure.
Just then, the kitchen door swung open once again, "Elphaba what's going…on…oh." Izzy quickly figured out what had gotten Elphaba so freaked…their anniversary.
"Glinda-" Elphaba said in desperately trying to get a word in before this got any worse. "I can explain."
Glinda put her hand up, and walked right passed Elphaba towards the door where Izzy stood just off to the side. Elphaba raced after her and grabbed her wife's arm, "Glinda please-" The fact that Glinda was not yelling at her, not threatening her with any kind of violence, scared the hell out of Elphaba.
But the blond was not having any of it, she violently ripped her arm from Elphaba's grasp. "Please…please what Elphaba?"
"I can explain if you just give me a chance."
"Really? You can explain how come you have been gone for the last 24 hours without so much as word from you, or the fact that you spent all that time with her…on our ANNIVERSARY!" Glinda had never been so angry before in her whole life, she was on the verge of hitting something, anything, and for the usually bubbly blond that scared her to death.
"I-I, well…" She was at a loss of words, she couldn't tell Glinda where she was, what she was doing, or who she was with…it's too dangerous for her to know.
Glinda then stepped very close to Elphaba, "Well if you can't answer those questions, then I suppose you explaining why there is make-up on your shirt is just out of the question." Elphaba quickly looked over at her shoulder and notice there was in fact make-up smears. Shit, the only time I wear white. Glinda just shook her head and laughed, sending a cold chill down the green woman's spine.
"Where are you going?" Elphaba asked as Glinda once again made her way towards the exit.
"I'm going to stay with my parents for a while, until"…until what?… "Until I can figure this out."
"Glinda please don't go." Elphaba pleaded and begged. But Glinda refused to turn back, refused to acknowledge that her wife was nearly on her knees in defeat, and she walked out.
…...
"You sure do like it out here don't you?" Sidney said, walking up the few steps of the back porch looking out over the garden.
"I do. My grandmother has a garden back home, and when I was little we would spend hours just taking care of it together." Jessie said with a soft smile. The sun was just peaking up over the horizon, welcoming yet another day.
"Your grandmother raised you?"
"Um, yeah she did." Jessie said, looking away from Sidney, not wanting to dive into anymore detail, and Sidney could see that.
"So, I'm sure you are getting anxious to get back home." Sidney said, as more of a question than a statement.
Jessie shrugged, "Yeah I suppose." Sidney nodded, confused by the sudden sadness she felt at the thought of Jessie leaving.
"Well then, I believe this belongs to you." Sidney said as she pulled a small clear veil from within her shirt that was attached to a chain that hung around her neck. Sidney unhooked the chain and took the veil off and slowly handing it to Jessie.
Jessie looked up at Sidney before taking the bottle. "You seem very hesitant on giving this up…why?" Sidney looked down at the half full bottle of blue liquid and smiled.
"It was Emily's." Sidney explained. "This potion saved my ma's life last year…but a promise is a promise right?"
Jessie could see that it hurt Sidney a lot to give this small trinket up…she's not ready to give it up just yet. Jessie placed the veil back into Sidney's hand. "Look, if you don't mind I want to help with this whole…mess… you have got going on here, so why don't you hold onto this until I really do leave." Jessie said.
A blind man could have seen the shock look on Sidney's face after hearing this. "I-I , look, you don't have to stay, my ma has got this under control…I mean it could get really dangerous."
"I'm no stranger to danger, believe me." Jessie said with a sarcastic laugh. "And I want to help. Who knows, maybe you could use an empath?"
Sidney shook her head, as much as she wanted to keep Jessie away from any danger she had no claim to her, she didn't even really know if she would call her, her friend. But she did know that she didn't want this woman to leave.
"Alright." Sidney agreed taking the veil back. "Let's go see how far ma's come on this whole mess shall we?"
…...
"No, no, trust me when I say ma's bark his worse than her bite, she is really quite the big old…teddy bear…ma?" What Sidney saw stopped her in her tracks. Her and Jessie had just walked into the new kitchen to grab some breakfast and there leaning up against the counter, with empty bottles of vodka spread around the her, was non other than Elphaba herself.
Sidney rushed over to her mother. "Ma, can you hear me?" She said while shaking her shoulder in attempt to get her to wake up.
"Ugh." Elphaba groaned after a moment, squinting in agony at the light.
"Ma, what are you doing, where's mom?" Sidney asked.
Elphaba laughed bitterly while reaching for a near by bottle. "Your mother is most likely sitting with your grandmother discussing how much of an ass I can truly be."
"My grandmother?"
"Yup." Elphaba quickly took a generous swing of the remaining alcohol. "She stayed at your grandparent's last night."
"Wait, last night was supposed to be your anniversary, what-"
"I FUCKED UP OK!" Elphaba shouted causing Jessie to jump at the unexpected noise. "I forgot about our anniversary."
Sidney looked a little confused, "But I don't understand, mom shouldn't have gotten mad enough to leave just because-"
"I was with Izzy." Elphaba said so quietly that Sidney wasn't quite sure if she heard her mother right.
Oh shit. "What were you doing with Izzy?" Elphaba didn't answer. "More secretes." Sidney stated bitterly. Sidney was scared for her mother, but she had just gotten back on normal speaking terms with her, and really didn't want to push that. "Alright ma, lets get you cleaned up, what do you say?" Sidney grabbed her mothers arm and hoisted her into a semi standing position with most of her weight on Sidney.
…...
An hour and exactly twenty two minutes later Sidney had gotten her mother into the shower, and out, and into clean clothes. Oh boy. Sidney pushed open the kitchen door prepared to clean up the rest of her mothers mess.
"What's going on?" Sidney asked with a confused look on her face. The floor was empty of any bottles, the dishes from the night before were washed and put away and a delicious smell was making Sidney's mouth water uncontrollably.
"I thought you might be hungry." Jessie said almost shyly, as she took something out of the frying pan and onto a clean plate.
"You, cleaned up the kitchen, and made me food?" Sidney asked.
"Well it wasn't just me."
"Jessie the garbage is now officially taken out." Dexter said as he came bounding in the back door. "Hi-ya Sidney!" The big cat said happily.
"Hey Dex."
"Is Elphaba feeling any better?" Dexter asked sounding generally concerned for his friend. Sidney gave her friend a reassuring smile.
"Yeah Dex, she is feeling much better, she is just laying down for a little bit." At least until she can stand up without throwing up.
"Oh that's good. Is lunch ready?" Jessie couldn't help but laugh.
"Yes it is, your plate is over on the table." The Lion didn't need to be told twice, he quickly bounded over to the table and began to fill his stomach.
"And this is for you." Jessie said handing Sidney a full plate.
"Grilled cheese?"
"Yup, and fresh fruit."
"You know, you didn't have to do all of this, clean up and everything. I would have done it or gotten someone else to do it."
"I knew you didn't want someone else to come clean this up, you didn't want anyone to make assumptions of her." Sidney grinned and gave Jessie a questioning look. "Ok, so I may have let my guard slip and used my power, but still."
Sidney didn't respond, and simply took a generous bite of her grilled cheese. "Wow. This is really good!"
"You sound surprised." Jessie commented jokingly. Sidney gave the woman a big toothy smile. God she's gorgeous. That was when the young woman quickly realized how quickly she was beginning to develop feelings for Sidney. Too bad she is in love with a dead woman.
"So, where do we go from here?" Jessie asked taking a bite of her own sandwich.
"Finding out who is responsible for the Animals disappearances." A new voice rang out. Elphaba stood in the doorway dressed in black pants, black shirt and her signature hat. When no one responded right away the green woman spoke again. "So, where's my plate, I'm starving." Jessie quickly shook her head and handed her plate over. Elphaba took the plate with a small smile and went over to sit by Dexter.
"Hi Miss Elphaba!" Dexter said enthusiastically.
"Hello Dexter."
"Are you feeling better?"
"Much, thank you." Elphaba took a bite and then another, enjoying the warm feeling of actual food making it's way into her empty stomach. Damn, the girl can cook…Sidney you're screwed.
"Ma, are you sure your up for this now?" Sidney asked giving her mother a knowing look.
"Do you want to get to the bottom of this or not?" Elphaba said somewhat rudely. Sidney looked at her mother, and knew she was just trying to hold it together.
"Fine. What's this about Animals disappearing?"
Elphaba shook her head. "Mostly Animals in authority, governor's, mayors, judges, all of them just vanishing into thin air."
"Are you thinking kidnapping?" Sidney asked leaning up against the counter next to Jessie.
"That is what I am leaning towards, yes." Elphaba confirmed as she scooped the last bit of food into her mouth. "And it has to be some sort of professional job, it's all too clean to be just an amateur job…kind of like Morrible and the Wizard. " Sidney saw something in her mothers gaze, something that made her extremely uncomfortable.
"You think someone is trying to finish the Wizards work?" Sidney asked.
"Of course it's the perfect way to get back at you." Jessie spoke up for the first time since Elphaba walked into the room. She noticed the strange looks that everyone was giving her. "Well I just meant someone who didn't believe that the former Wit…"
"Witch…it's ok to say you know." Elphaba reassured the young woman.
"Right, ok, well, someone who disagrees with the former Witch coming into power. I mean what better way to make their point then to finish your mortal enemies work."
Not to mention my fathers work. "I agree."
"Wait, when did the first kidnapping occur?" Sidney asked.
"Um…a little over a year ago I believe." Elphaba thought back.
"So before or after you became ruler?"
"Just before, why?" Elphaba was trying to see where her daughter was going with this.
"Fiyero."
"Fiyero, what does Fiyero have to do with any of this?" Jessie asked also completely lost.
Sidney pushed herself off the counter with her hips. "Hear me out." She began, "After you brought Fiyero back from hiding," Sidney said looking at her mother. "How did he become the ruler of Oz? You and I both know that Fiyero was never and will never be Einstein." Elphaba agreed with this fact. "So how in the hell did he suddenly come into power, come up with the idea that you and mom were still alive, or even come up with the idea that I somehow was linked to you?"
Sidney could see the realization come across her mothers face. "Fiyero knows who's behind all of this."
"Bingo."
"I hate that guy." Dexter said while literally licking his plate clean. "Anymore food?"
…...
Do you really think she could do that to you? She loves you, she has proven that time and time again, hasn't she?
But she forgot our anniversary…she didn't even bother to get a hold of you for over a day…and what the hell was with the make-up on her shirt?
After everything you and she have been through you are just going to automatically think the worse?
But you have been suspecting that she has been keeping something from you…and she was with Izzy…
"Glinda, honey are you awake?" Her mothers voice rang out interrupting Glinda's internal debate with herself.
"No." Came the simple reply. Mrs. Upland opened the door to her daughter's old room anyway.
"Glinda, sweetheart it's nearly three in the afternoon." Mrs. Upland said walking next to her daughters bed and drawing back the curtains allowing the sun light to illuminate the dark bedroom. The petite blond had showed up at her parents door steps early that morning begging them to let her stay there for the night.
Glinda threw her heavy blanket over her head to block out the annoying light. She had spent the remainder of the night crying, and now she was just plain exhausted.
She felt the mattress dip low with her mother's weight and then felt a hand grasp the heavy, wool blanket and pull it off the blonds head. "Glinda I know you are hurting darling but staying cooped up in this room is no way to handle this."
Leave it to my mother to be so understanding.
"I'm serious Glinda." Her mother said, and then soften her voice, "Look I know what your going through, 50 years of marriage has come with a few road-bumps, but you want to know what I did?" Glinda lifted her head up at met her mother's gaze. "Well, I didn't waste my day sitting in bed all day I'll tell you that. Now up, up, up. I Have lunch ready for you." Her mother said right before leaving the room.
Ugh! Right before Glinda was about ready to fall back in bed a knock at the door hindered her movements. "I'm getting up mother just give me like freaking 2 minutes!" Impatient woman.
"I think I should take offence at the fact that you just called me your mother." A familiar voice said through the closed door. Glinda flew out of bed, rushed over to the door and threw it opened.
"Hey baby, how are-"
"Ana!" The blond said exasperated as she lunged herself into her friends warm embrace.
"Well I hope you are this excited to see me all the time." Ana said not hesitating wrapping her arms around her friend. Something was wrong though, Glinda did not respond to Ana's joke, and small sobs could be heard coming from the petite blond as she broke down in her friends arms.
"Shh, it's ok, it'll be ok."
…...
She had been to some creepy, places, places that would make the most courageous person shudder in fear, but this place made her skin crawl. Southstairs was everything she had heard it was, the smell, the sounds, the sight.
"I don't like this place." Zeke said as he made his way down a winding staircase with Sidney, Jessie and Elphaba leading the way.
"No one said you had to come." Jessie piped in. Sidney smiled, those two were something else. Actually, the green eyed witch was surprised Jessie volunteered to come along. At first Sidney wasn't too sure it was the best idea but when the copper haired woman argued that she could tell is Fiyero was telling the truth or not, Sidney was unable to come up with a credible argument.
"What and let you guys have all the fun seeing this SOB behind bars."
The group had made it to the bottom of the stairs where there was a guard post, one of the guards was leaning up against the desk talking to the girl just behind it.
Walking up to the light Elphaba cleared her throat. "Not now buddy I'm busy." The male guard said without taking his eyes off the low cut top the woman was wearing.
"Oh, but I'm sure you can make time for me." Elphaba said calmly. The guard, recognizing the voice, quickly turned around and was met with two deep brown eyes.
"Your Majesty, I-I'm sorry, I was just-"
"Save it." Elphaba said, she was in no mood for games. The quicker this is solved the quicker I can get back to Glinda. "Take me to Fiyero's cell now."
"Y-yes ma'am, please follow me." The flustered guard said as he grabbed his hat and gun and quickly led the group down the hall. The hall was dark and damp, at a quick glance you couldn't see into the individual cells but you could feel eyes following with each passing step.
Jessie was having more of a problem than anyone, she had previously let her guard down and was feeling every emotion, of every single person that was down here; pain, fear, anger…and most of it was she could tell was aimed at the green woman with the pointy hat.
The young guard led them into a different part of the prison and stopped to dig for his keys to unlock the steel door that was blocking the way. Once opened he turned to Elphaba, "Straight ahead ma'am, I'll be here if you need me." Elphaba nodded a thank you to the guard and walked forward. There was just once cell in the bricked up room, and very little light. Elphaba walked up to the cell and peered in.
"I want to know who you were working for." She said with a flat tone in her voice.
"Well, well, well, Elphaba Thropp…or should I say your Hines." A deep bitter voice said in the darkness.
"Who were you looking for?" Elphaba repeated her previous question.
"I wasn't working for anyone, I was in charge, I was the one who held the power."
"I find that hard to believe, I mean you aren't exactly…the brightest crayon in the box." Sidney spat.
This time a figure of a man stepped into the light. The man had a thick, scruffy looking beard, dirt around his face, he looked like he had aged years. "Sidney! My you look great." Fiyero spat giving the young woman a toothy grin.
"Wish I could say the same about you."
Fiyero didn't reply at first but shot his gaze over at Jessie. "Looks like you are doing well for yourself and in such a short amount of time. I mean I figured with Emily being you know the one, you would wait a while before jumping back in the saddle again." Before he knew what had happened a strong green hand had reached through the bars grabbed the collar of his shirt and smashed his face up to the bars of the cell.
"Listen to me you piece of shit, I am going to give you one chance, and one chance only, who were you working for?"
"Hahaha! Do you really think I am scared of you anymore?" Fiyero asked rather sincerely. "You put me in hell, what else could you possibly do to me?"
Elphaba locked eyes with the inmate, raised her hand slightly. At first nothing happened, but then Fiyero began to cough, his hands flew to neck, it was if someone had their hands around his neck, blocking his airway.
"Don't think there is nothing I can do to still." Elphaba said deathly calm. It was like she was in a trance, everything was this man's fault, the reason why she had to lie to the people she loved most, the reason why she and Glinda…
"Ma." Her daughters voice broke into her trance.
She brought her hand down breaking the spell. Fiyero fell back gasping for every precious breath. "Who were you working for?"
"You have no idea what you are getting yourself into." Fiyero roughly said looking up at Elphaba.
"Tell me!" Elphaba screamed at man behind the bars, her temper flaring.
"He's right under your nose, and you just can't see it." Fiyero stated, "That was always the problem with you Thropp, you always wanted to see the good in people…look how well that has worked out for you…what do you think daddy thinks of that?"
Elphaba couldn't hide her the shock look that spread across her face. "How did you-"
"You want to know who is behind all of this, I would start looking at the bigger picture."
…...
She didn't know why she was here…why she comes here whenever she feels uneasy, or unsure…there is just a calm feeling here, and lately, she craved it.
Sidney pushed aside a few bushes, and her green eyes set their sights on the cool, clear, lake, and immediately waves of memories came flooding back to her.
Emily's mouth on hers, giving her the sweetest kiss she had ever experienced. Her hands roaming up the strong calve of the woman she loved, a sweet, sensual voice begging her for more…
Sidney shook her head and slowly made her way down towards the water. She could see the tiny ripples in the water and suddenly had the overwhelming urge just to jump into the water. She sat down on the bank and just stared out.
"God, I miss you…I miss you so much." She said to silent air, wishing for some sort of response. "I love you, I do, but Jessie she…"
"Sidney?" Sidney's head spun around towards the new voice.
"Jessie, what are you doing here?" She asked surprised.
"I followed you. I wanted to make sure you were alright, I mean after everything with Fiyero." Sidney gently smiled, and was rather surprised that she wasn't totally pissed at the fact that Jessie had followed her…to this spot.
"I'm fine, really." Sidney reassured the worried woman. The interview with Fiyero really did not go as well as anyone had hopped. They were no closer to finding out who it was giving orders, and they were getting desperate, the fact that Fiyero knew that the Wizard was her mother's father, meant someone was still feeding him information. Not to mention her mother's were not talking to each other…what a life huh?
"No your not, your thinking about a million things at once." Jessie simply stated, and Sidney gave her a look. "What, sometimes I let my guard slip." Jessie grinned. "This is a nice place, far away from everything, how did you find it?"
Sidney immediately dropped her smile. "Just lucky I guess." She may be somewhat attracted to this woman, but there were just some things that she didn't want to share. Jessie caught the stiffness in her friends body language and changed the subject.
"We'll find who is behind this your majesty, I know we will." Jessie said confidently.
"You know that you have called me your majesty, your Hines, but never my name." Sidney said turning her head back towards the woman sitting next to her. Sidney reached her hand out. "I'm Sidney Thropp."
Jessie let out a full belly laugh before grasping her hand and shaking it. "Nice to meet you Sidney."
"Can I ask you something?" Sidney said after a few minutes of silence.
"Sure."
"Why did you want to stay, you could have gone home the minute I offered you the potion, why stay?" Jessie avoided the piercing green eyes she felt studying her.
"I j-just wanted to help, I-I mean I felt like I owed you after helping you kil-stop Mike."
What the hell Jessie, you sound like a blubbering idiot. "You know I may not be an empath, but I can read people pretty well…what you said all may be true but there is something you are not telling me." Sidney said gently nudging Jessie with her shoulder. Jessie made the mistake of looking up, looking into Sidney's bright green eyes, and she quickly got lost in the intense gaze, and her heart started to pound.
"I guess you are just starting to grow on me." Jessie said honestly. It was if an unknown force was driving Jessie to do what she did. The soft brunette slowly leaned forward, inches away from the gorgeous woman who made no move to pull away. Mere inches away, Jessie could feel the warm breath tickle her face, the smell of peppermint filled her nose. And before she knew it she closed the remaining gap and pressed her lips to soft ones in front of her. The kiss was gentle, almost exploratory, until Jessie pulled away.
"Oh god Sidney I'm so sorr-" But before she could finish her apology Sidney grabbed the back of the brunettes head and brought their lips back down, but this time the kiss was anything but gentle. Sidney thrust her tongue into Jessie's sweet tasting mouth, enjoying the moan that came from her. Only when air was a necessity did the two woman pull apart. "Wow." Jessie said exasperated.
Sidney could say the same thing. Something inside of the young witch lit up, something she thought was dead long ago. Sidney smiled, "I want to continue this but it's getting kind of chilly out here, what do you sat we head back huh?" Sidney may want to give into her desires, but not here…
"Ok." Jessie smiled she got up and offered her hand to Sidney who took it gratefully.
"Go ahead, I'll be up there in just a minute." Sidney said giving Jessie another small kiss.
"Don't be too long." Jessie said seductively as she made her way back up the hill. Sidney let out a long breath, and looked back towards the water.
She loved Emily, but she knew this woman was something special, and she didn't want to just walk away from that. Her mother was right, Emily would want her to be happy.
She was just about to turn and head back up the hill when a small rustle in the bushes caught her attention. Quickly forming an energy ball Sidney aimed it at the bushes. "Whose there?" The young witch demanded to know. "Come out now."
"Don't shoot." A feminine voice spoke up. And within seconds a woman stepped out of the bushes, Sidney could barley make out the face, but once the stranger stepped into the moonlight and she caught a glimpse of the sparkling blue eyes she nearly collapsed.
"Emily?"
…...
Don't worry everybody I will won't leave you hanging for long! Let me know what you think!
