You didn't think it would be that easy, did you? How silly of you.

Frex looked from Elphaba, to Galinda, then back.

"You… you love…HAVE YOU COMPLETELY LOST YOUR MIND?!!" Elphaba winced as her father exploded at her. "First the green skin, and now you're going off with some… Elphaba, what would your mother think?"

"She wouldn't care. She never cared about me. And neither did you." Elphaba said, hoping she sounded braver than she felt. Galinda could tell her friend was scared because she could feel her trembling. She grabbed onto Elphaba's arm and held on tightly, trying to give her friend what courage she could, however small.

"Elphaba, do you realize what this could do our family? You're bringing us all to shame!"

"What does it matter? You disowned me when I was born anyway. Why should it matter what I do now?" This was obviously not the answer that Frex wanted to hear.

"Elphaba, if you choose this path, you can never come back." Elphaba felt her heart skip a beat.

"Come back? You mean… home to Munchkinland?" Frex nodded. Elphaba looked down and Galinda's grip on Elphaba's arm tightened. She knew that Elphaba loved her, but that she was also a loyal daughter. She wouldn't just give up on her family like that… would she?

"Then I guess I'll have to find a new place to live." Galinda couldn't help it as her mouth fell open in surprise. Frex looked like a fish, with his mouth gaping open, trying to form words. Elphaba knew he wanted to say something to make her feel bad, but what else could he say?

"Fine. If that's what you've decided… so be it." And with that, he turned and left.

"Elphaba, no! You just gave up everything!" Galinda said, whipping around to face her friend.

"So I have. But if my family can't accept me for who I am, then there is no reason for me to be associated with them any longer. They never loved me anyway."

"But, Elphie-" Elphaba placed a green finger on Galinda's lips.

"Hush, my sweet. Let us speak of it no more. What's done is done." Elphaba sighed, leaned back against the headboard, and closed her eyes. Galinda laid her head on Elphaba's chest and snuggled closer to the green girl.

"I love you, Elphie." she whispered.

"I love you too."

After a few more days passed, the two girls were allowed to leave the infirmary. As they walked out, Galinda slipped her hand into Elphaba's and interlaced their fingers before the green girl could pull away. Elphaba looked at their hands, then at Galinda. The blonde smiled and Elphaba just shook her head, but surprisingly, she didn't try to get away. For Galinda, that was a good sign. Maybe Elphaba was finally ready to commit to a relationship.

"Elphie." Galinda said, rocking back and forth as Elphaba scanned the library shelves for something to read.

"Yes?" Galinda didn't know how to ask her what she wanted to ask. Elphaba turned to look at her. "What is it?" Galinda started to speak, but closed her mouth and shook her head.

"It's nothing." she said, kissing Elphaba. She couldn't ask Elphaba. Not yet. It was too soon. Although she wouldn't show it, Galinda knew that Elphaba was still coping with the loss of the life she had formally known. Even Nessa, who had relied on Elphaba her whole life, was ignoring her sister, as if all those years of care Elphaba had put into her meant nothing. And even Elphaba wasn't impervious to that kind of pain.

"What are you looking for?" Galinda asked as Elphaba walked down another row.

"I don't know. Anything, really." Galinda, who was still holding Elphaba's hand, started to swing her arms, causing Elphaba's arm to also swing. She looked at the blonde. "Do you really need my attention that badly?" Galinda smiled before leaning in and kissing Elphaba again.

"Galinda… not now. There are a lot of people here and I don't need to give them something else to tease me about." Elphaba said, pulling away from the smaller girl. Galinda pouted, but let herself be dragged down another row of shelved books.

"Elphie… who will be the next Eminent Thropp?" Galinda asked. Elphaba looked at her, but could detect no hint of mockery, just curiosity.

"Nessa, I suppose. Unless she decides to stray from the path of society or go against our father, which I can guarantee you is never going to happen."

"So that's it? You're just going to be… tossed aside like that?" Galinda said, still horrified that any family could do that to the child.

"You obviously have no knowledge of how this kind of family works. You don't get attached to anyone, even your own kin. You do what's best for the whole family, not just for one person. If it was in their best interest to, say, brutally murder me, then oh well, sucks for me."

"They're not going to actually murder you, are they?!" Galinda asked, her eyes wide with fear. Elphaba looked at Galinda's face and smiled before running a hand through her blonde curls.

"No, my sweet. It was just an example. I'm not worth killing. So don't worry yourself." Galinda clung to Elphaba's arm and the green girl felt her shiver. "Cold?"

"Scared. For you. What if you're right?"

"I told you. I'm worthless. There is no point in killing me. It would accomplish nothing." Elphaba did not mention that she was the one who should be scared: for Galinda. Now that Frex knew about her, he might do something drastic. And if he believed that getting rid of Galinda would teach Elphaba a lesson, then he wouldn't hesitate to do it.

"Come on. Let's go back to our room. We have to study for that exam that's coming up." Elphaba said, leading her friend out of the library.

Oh, Galinda, if only you knew the danger you're in now… you wouldn't still be here. Holding my hand condemns you to an almost certain, absolute death.

End of chapter 9. Hope you all enjoyed it. Thanks so much to all those who have reviewed and are still reading! Please, please review! It keeps me going… I'll update as soon as I can!