Warning: This chapter is a bit choppy as I didn't know where to go with it. Feel free to hunt me down with fire torches and pitch forks. Or, to save on time and money, just review and tell me your thoughts. One person's thoughts are another person's fire.
Author's note: If you haven't already, be sure to read stories by bobthetree123. This woman is amazing. I cannot say that I am particularly happy with this chapter, but I wanted to get it written because it was killing me wondering what was going to happen!
-xo-
Elphaba was left a mess on the ground of the courtyard. She hadn't been seen crying in front of many people in her life, but at that moment, she was a complete mess. She had fallen to her knees, and now her head rested in her hands as the tears streamed. Pain from tears be damned! Her worst nightmare had come true, and she didn't know how to cope. Her world had been destroyed, and she wasn't sure she could rebuild it.
-xo-
Galinda could feel the tears streaming down her face as she pushed through the night towards her dorm room. She wasn't expecting Elphaba back there any time soon, and was torn about what to think of that. She wasn't sure she would be able to face the girl after what she had just done to her. She had humiliated her, broken her trust, hurt her, and broken her promise to her. She promised to love her forever, and that their relationship wasn't based on a hoax. Technically she didn't break either promise, but Elphaba had to see it as if she did. She made it to the dorm room, and although she could hear the footsteps behind her, she didn't turn around. Reaching the door, she realized that she had the only key to the door that they took out that night, so even if Elphaba wanted to get in, she couldn't. Without hesitation, Galinda opened the door, slipped in, then slammed the door shut and locked it behind her. She didn't want to see anyone, and least of all the person that just singlehandedly ruined two people's lives.
-xo-
"Miss Elphaba?" Boq prodded gently from a safe distance. He had stayed with the green girl because he had taken quite a liking to her, and disliked Fiyero so wasn't going to follow him following Galinda. Although he was a little shocked to hear about the relationship between the two girls, as was the taught response in Munchkinland, he was actually happy for them. He could tell that over the past few weeks both of the girls had seemed happier than ever before. Even when they entered the ballroom they were radiating happiness. "Please, Miss Elphaba" he tried again, not sure what else to do. Elphaba could hear her name being said faintly, but other than that, everything was a blur. She wasn't sure what was real, and what felt to be hell. All sense of rationality had deserted the girl as she saw the love of her life stalk off with the Prince that assaulted her not long ago. She was positive that her world was crumbling around her, and she was forced to watch it as punishment for her sinful skin and wicked ways. "Galinda" she whispered, lifting her head in hopes of the woman being in eyesight, but to no avail.
Boq stayed a safe distance away, just watching for any change in behaviour. He had known the green girl many years beforehand, but she was completely different now and he didn't know the appropriate way to handle her. Not to mention that she was the Heir Apparent and he didn't want to risk being thrown in the dungeons or something similar. "Please, Elphaba" he tried once more, dropping the honorific to seem more personal. Getting no response, he decided that the girl just needed to be left alone, and he was going to grant her that. "I'm sorry" he exhaled, giving one last sympathetic look before scurrying off towards the ballroom.
-xo-
"Galinda, let us in!" Fiyero yelled yet again, pounding on the door for the fifth time. He needed to see the blonde; he needed to feel the blonde. Galinda had done her part of his plan, now he wanted to do his part in the plan. "If you don't open the door, I will break it down!" he threatened. He was not being quiet in the slightest, so had gained quite the audience. Suddenly he heard his name and swung around.
"Master Fiyero! What in Oz do you think you are doing in the girl's dormitory?" Madame Morrible asked in an irritated tone as she hobbled her way down the corridor. She had been informed of the commotion and had to come see what was going on. Seeing Fiyero in the girls dormitory was the first strike, pounding on the door of Miss Galinda was the second strike, and yelling was the third and final strike. She would not stand for this behaviour; especially when it was directed at Lord and Lady Upland's only daughter.
"I was seeing if Miss Galinda was alright after some horrible words exchanged between her and her roommate sent the young Miss off in a hurry" he lied, "honestly, I was just seeing if she was unharmed". He knew that he would be in serious trouble if he didn't have a good enough reason for being in the girls dormitory, but was pretty confident that he could get his way out of anything the headmistress would throw at him.
Madame Morrible raised her eyebrows sceptically. By the sounds of the pounding and shouting, it didn't seem like a very likely story. She did despise Elphaba, it was true, but she also wasn't Fiyero's biggest fan either. She had learnt that he was sly and could lie his was out of anything, and she was almost certain that he was lying now. "I am sorry, Master Fiyero, but you're just going to have to come with me. I am sure that Misses Shenshen, Pfannee, and Milla can look after Miss Galinda, and I will come back to her later" she ordered, shooting a glance to the three Misses that were standing close by.
Fiyero looked from the headmistress, to Galinda's door, then back to the headmistress. He knew that he was trying her patience, so with a sigh, he abandoned his pounding on the door and followed her. I guess it isn't wise to be getting myself expelled at this moment. The Winkie Prince followed Madame Morrible out of the girl's dormitory and to her office, preparing himself for what was to come and preparing to get himself out of whatever it was.
-xo-
Hearing the banging on the door finally subside, Galinda let out a sigh. She had made her way to her true love's bed and was now sobbing quietly in to the pillow. She had done what Fiyero had said, and now the words of her friends was started to get to her. She was crumbling under the pressure of society, and she just didn't believe that she was strong enough to fight that. What's the point now, anyway? Galinda could hear hushed whispers outside the door and knew that it was her three friends. Hesitantly, she got up and opened the door for them. She assumed that Fiyero had gone, so believed that opening the door now was a safe option.
The three misses piled in to the room and quietly sat down on Galinda's bed as they watched the worn out blonde retreat back to the drab brown bed. They were surprised to see Galinda on Elphaba's bed, but put it down to temporary confusion on the blonde's behalf.
"Are you alright, Galinda?" Milla asked quietly, although she already knew the answer. She could see the pain in her friends eyes, but was not about to go against her other two friends and side with something that was seen as wrong in the eyes of society. She just couldn't, no matter how much she felt for Galinda.
Galinda just glared at her friends. She was not in the mood to answer their ridiculous questions. It was partly their fault that she was in the situation that she was. If they had of supported her from the moment she told them, then maybe she would have had the strength to stand up to Fiyero and say no. Maybe she would have been able to walk off and tell Elphaba what had happened. Instead, she let the social butterfly within herself win, and conform to the thoughts of others.
"What were you thinking?" Shenshen asked, "I mean, thinking you're in love with that green woman. Did you stop to think just once about your reputation in all this? What would your parents have thought had they found out? What about the future that they had planned out for you; the husband, the wealth, the children? Everything you had always dreamed of". She was completely against Galinda loving another woman, especially 'that' woman, and she wasn't ashamed to admit it either.
The distraught blonde had stopped her tears by this point. Now she was too angry to cry. She was angry, frustrated, disgusted, defeated, ashamed, and so many other things that she could decipher. All along Elphaba had been telling her that the three girls Galinda claimed were her friends were just shallow excuses for friends, and for just as long Galinda had been telling the girl that she was wrong. Now, here she was with those three girls with her and having just hurt Elphaba, wasn't expecting to ever be able to talk to her again.
-xo-
Finally realizing that she was alone, Elphaba lifted her head to see that it was rather dark and no one was in sight. She could hear the music from inside the ballroom, but that was about all. Gently, she lifted herself from the ground. She was cold and lonely and had no idea where she was to go or what she was to do. Galinda wanted nothing to do with her, and she loved her enough to let her have that wish. Sadly, the green girl made her way towards the front gates of the school, planning on just walking until she could walk no more. She knew some Animals in town, but really didn't want to disturb them at the hour of the night that it was. She was going to face this alone, just like she should. She was destined to be alone in every sense of the word. How could I have been so stupid? With her arms crossed across her torso so she was hugging herself, Elphaba strolled down the street kicking a rock with her as she went.
-xo-
"Get out!" Galinda yelled at the three other occupants of her dorm room. She couldn't stand having them in there any longer if all they were going to do was tell her that she made the right decision in leaving Elphaba and that in a week no one would remember that unfortunate night. Galinda was going to remember that night, and so was the girl that she hurt. All Galinda wanted to do was go out and find the love of her life and tell her that it was all a mistake and that she did love her with all that she was. But she was second guessing herself. Did she really love Elphaba? Did she really want to spend the rest of her life defying society and watching her reputation diminish before her? She had a bright future full of a husband, of wealth, and a family. None of which she could have if she stayed with the green girl.
The three Misses looked at Galinda for a few moments before realizing that she was serious. Without another word, they scrambled to their feet and out the door. It had been a long night and they just assumed that the blonde needed some space to clear her head and work out a way to clear up the whole mess.
With the three girls gone, Galinda got up off of the bed and stormed over to the door, opening and slamming the door shut for added emphasis on her frustration. With the whole world on the other side of the door, Galinda locked it again, turned around, then slid down it. Tears had started rolling down her cheeks again, but she just couldn't actually cry anymore. Instead, she just sat there and let the tears roll down her cheeks and land on her chest. What have I done? Her whole world was starting to become a blur and she wasn't sure what was real and what fiction was anymore.
-xo-
Four hours had passed with Elphaba walking aimlessly around the streets, and Galinda's tears flowing freely as she sat with her back against their dorm room door. Neither girl was feeling like they were in reality anymore, just as neither girl thought that life was really worth living anymore. There were occasional knocks on the dorm room door that Galinda ignored, and there were the occasional drunken whistles from homeless people on the street that Elphaba ignored.
-xo-
"Miss Thropp?" a voice called from the doorway of a small house.
Elphaba whirled around to see a small Lion Cub standing in the doorway of a small house, with a larger Lion standing just behind. It took a few moments due to her dazed state, but she finally worked out who was speaking to her. It was the family of Lions that she had encountered in Munchkinland when she was younger, before they moved to Shiz, and they had kept in contact occasionally. Suddenly Elphaba felt another wave of sadness cover her. She remembered taking Galinda to their house one time, and how excited the blonde was to be meeting some Animals up close. "Hey there" the green girl tried to smile, backing up a few steps so she was at the gate leading in to the front yard, "shouldn't you be in bed, little one?"
The small Lion Cub beamed as Elphaba spoke to him. He loved Elphaba the moment they came across each other, and looked forward to seeing her every chance he got. "I should, but someone walking past my window for the third time kicking a rock woke me up. I came to see what was going on, and saw you walking past" he explained, "and then momma got up because I was up". He looked behind him at his momma, as if he was looking for verification or something.
Despite herself, Elphaba couldn't help but smile at the innocence of the Cub. "I'm sorry about that, Kirik" Elphaba apologized, hugging herself tighter. I really can't do anything right, can I? She watched as momma Lion patted Kirik on the head, and gently moved him out of the way. From what Elphaba had learned, they were a picture perfect family. Now if only they had the rights that the rest of Oz had, then things really would have been perfect for them.
"Elphaba, dearest, why don't you come inside? It's late and cold" momma suggested, seeing the pain and worry in the green girls features which were highlighted by the moonlight. She could see the girl hesitate, so added, "Please, I insist". She had known Elphaba for a while, and knew when something wasn't right with her. Right now, 'wasn't right' was emanating off of her in waves.
It took the green girl a few moments, but finally she just nodded and entered through the front gate. She gathered that it was a better idea than any plan that she had at that point... which was actually non-existent. "Thank you" she said quietly, keeping her head down low as she neared the two Lions. The world was starting to materialize around Elphaba once again, and everything was starting to hit her. Galinda had left her, hurt her and broke her, and now she was wandering around aimlessly. Well, she was until she obviously stumbled past a house that she knew well.
-xo-
Galinda had managed to crawl herself back over to her roommates bed and fall lifelessly on to it. Within moments, she was asleep and still fully clothed. It didn't take long for the blonde to start stirring and murmuring in her sleep as if she was having a nightmare.
"Where is your green protector now?"Galinda struggled in her sleep, as if trying to get away from something, or someone.
"Now, listen here, bitch. I want you back, and now you have something to lose; I am going to make sure it happens as payment for dumping me. Here is what you're going to do; you're going to tell that artichoke that you don't love her, that you love me, and that she will never mean anything to you. Then, you are going to comply with anything else I want afterwards. Now, if you don't, here is what is going to happen; I am going to make your life, and 'it's' life hell. I will make sure that all of Oz knows of you two and that they're ashamed of you. I will make sure that Elphaba is disgraced by her family by having her innocence taken and never becomes the Eminent Thropp. I will get her kicked out of school, and make sure she can never attend another school in all of Oz. Is this really what you want, Galinda?"By now, the blonde was thrashing all over the place still in her sleep.
"No... I can't".Then everything went blank and Galinda calmed down. She was now still on Elphaba's bed, lost in a dreamless sleep. Recounting the moment that her whole life crumbled around her because she gave in without a fight was the last straw for the blonde, and now she just needed to block everything out for a while.
-xo-
Elphaba was given some food and a warm bed for the night. No questions were asked, and for that the green girl was grateful. She knew that she wouldn't have been able to answer anything coherently. Not until morning, at least. Galinda slept dreamlessly for the rest of the night, occasionally tossing and turning and whimpering Elphaba's name. They hadn't been apart for the night since the morning Elphaba went back to the dorm and found that Galinda had developed a rash from the Poison Sumac.
-xo-
"Ah, Miss Elphaba, you're up" Momma Lion said, seeing the green girl walk down the hallway, "come, take a seat by me, my dear". She was now going to work out what was going on with the girl, because it was just too obvious that something wasn't right. She knew that Elphaba barely let anything get to her, so this must have been something huge.
Elphaba complied, slumping down in the chair that was next to the Lion. "Sorry, and thank you for last night" she murmured, not in the mood to talk to anyone, letalone hear her own voice. "I wasn't sure where I was going" she admitted, looking down to her feet which were brought up on to the chair so her legs were against her chest.
"Tell me what has gotten you so beat" Momma suggested, placing a paw gently on Elphaba's slumped shoulder.
"It doesn't matter" she lied, before mumbling, "nothing matters anymore". She wasn't used to caring this much about another person, so it was positively draining for the girl. Elphaba chanced a glance towards the Lion, and realized that she wasn't going anywhere until she really talked. Momma lion was one of the few people, well, Animals that Elphaba fully trusted. With a sigh, she continued. "Last night, the person that means the world to me told me that they didn't love me and that it was all a lie..." she said quietly, "I thought she loved me".
Momma Lion's ears pricked up at the mention of someone meaning the world to the Heir Apparent. She recalled Nessarose and Shell meaning a lot to her, but it was clear that this wasn't her younger siblings that she was talking about. "Did she give you a reason, or explanation as to why she told you she loved you?" she asked carefully.
Elphaba was a little surprised that Momma Lion didn't enquire in to the girl part of the equation, but overall she was grateful. All she could do was shake her head. Galinda may have said something that resembled an excuse, but she couldn't remember clearly. The night before was still a bit of a haze for the hurt green girl.
Silence fell over the pair for a while whilst Momma Lion was thinking about what she could do to help. She was eternally grateful for the help that her family had received from the green girl all those years ago, and now it was her turn to help. "Do you want her back even though she has hurt you? Are you willing to fight till the ends of the earth to have her? Or are you going to love her enough to let her go?" she asked in succession, hoping that Elphaba would answer her truthfully.
The green girl was a little startled at the rapid firing of questions, but it did get her thinking. "I don't know if I could take her back if the situation arose. She hurt me, and what's to say that she wouldn't again? I would fight till the end of the earth if I knew that she really loved me, but if what she said was true, then I guess I am just going to have to love her enough to let her go... But, how do I decide whether to fight for her or love her enough to let her go? Either way I love her so much..." Elphaba answered just as quickly as the questions were given to her. She was at a loss with what to do. She wanted the blonde that she was so in love with, but at the same time she wanted to respect the girl's wishes and give her the space that she desired.
-xo-
Galinda woke up feeling exhausted and angry. She had hoped that everything that happened was a dream, but she still felt full of guilt when she awoke. Oh Elphie... I am so sorry! Before she could start weeping in to Elphaba's pillow again, Galinda struggled but succeeded in arising and getting to her feet. Before she could come up with some resemblance of a plan, there was a knock on the door. It was too early to be her three 'friends', and it was too quiet to be Fiyero. With a moan of displeasure, she headed to the door and opened it. To her surprise, she came face to face with Boq.
"Goodmorning, Miss Galinda" Boq smiled shyly, holding out a cup of tea for the girl. He was looking nervously down the halls since he had heard about what happened to Fiyero only the night before. After seeing how broken Elphaba was after the incident, Boq wanted to try and do something to help, so when he left the green girl he got to coming up with a plan to get the girls back together. He loved Galinda, it was true, but he had seen how happy she was with Elphaba. Unless what she said was true and it was all a lie, and she was only pretending that she was happy.
"Come in" Galinda said dryly, taking the cup of tea from the boy. She had heard everyone else's opinion, so she thought that she may as well hear the Munchkin boy's thoughts too. She pointed towards her own bed and watched as Boq followed her unspoke orders. With a sigh, she headed back towards Elphaba's bed; a gesture that didn't go unnoticed.
Seeing Galinda retreat to Elphaba's bed was what Boq needed to be sure that the girls were in love, and that Galinda was feeling guilty and unsettled about what happened the night before on her behalf. The 'why', however, still baffled him. "How are you this morning?" he broached carefully, not wanting to push his boundaries anymore than he already planned to.
Galinda glared at him for a moment, wishing that he would just get on with what he really wanted to say. "I've had better days" she admitted, hoping that if she answered him somewhat, he would hurry up. "Now, what is it exactly that you want, Master Boq? Did Fiyero send you here? Are you here to give me a piece of your mind just like everyone else?" she interrogated, her patience running thin.
Boq had to blink a few times in order to wake up to what was happening. Galinda was interrogating him, and he was slightly intimidated. "Fiyero has nothing to do with me being here" he assured, finding it a little suspicious that she expected Fiyero's involvement. "But, technically I am here to give you a piece of my mind... but it isn't what you think" he admitted, feeling the need to flee arising from within. He could see that the blonde was becoming impatient, so instead of waiting for a reply, he continued. "I've seen you with Miss Elphaba over the past few weeks, and it has been the happiest that I have seen you. Although to the world you were presenting as friends, I could tell that there was something else there. You love her, Miss Galinda, why throw that away?" he explained, "you... you didn't want to, did you?"
Listening to Boq's words, Galinda held it together until he asked the last question. She thought that she was stuck being the only one knowing that Fiyero was blackmailing her, but apparently she wasn't. She was unaware of just how much this boy knew, however. With tears streaming down her face and Elphaba's pillow clenched to her chest, all Galinda could do was shake her head. She had no idea what to do anymore. She loved Elphaba more than anything, she was sure of it, but she couldn't allow Fiyero to ruin the girl's life. She vowed to protect her no matter the cost, but in trying to do that, she hurt her. "I-I can't" she hiccupped, "I can't talk a-about it". She wanted desperately to tell Boq everything, to tell someone everything, but she was afraid. She was afraid of Fiyero, of what he would do to her, and mostly of what he would do to her Elphie.
Boq sighed with disappointment, but he wasn't giving up so easily. He wanted the blonde to be happy, and if it wasn't with him, he was going to make sure that it was with the person she wanted to be with. "Miss Galinda" he said quietly, "Talk to me. I want to help you, and help Elphaba. Speaking of Elphaba, have you seen her since... since last night?" He had just remembered that she was spotted heading off of campus last night, and hadn't been seen since.
Hearing if she had seen Elphaba made Galinda lift her head and consider the small boy for a moment. "No I haven't" she finally replied, "she never came home". Worry suddenly etched itself all over the blonde's perfect features. "Where could she be? What if she was hurt? What if she did something rash?" Galinda started shooting off, before collecting herself and adding, "Not that I care..." She needed to keep up the appearance that she wanted nothing to do with her green roommate if she was to comply with Fiyero's terms.
"You're not fooling me" Boq assured, giving a small smile. He squirmed a little on the bed before settling down again. He still couldn't believe that he was in Miss Galinda's room, on her bed... although; it was on different terms than he had dreamt about night after night. "You love her, Miss Galinda. Please just stop fooling yourself because you're not fooling anyone else..." All the Munchkin boy had was the power of his words, and he hoped to the Unnamed God that words were enough.
Galinda tried to keep up the appearance that she hoped she was giving, but her resolve was quickly fading. Before she met Elphaba she was able to keep up appearances in order to fit in to society and remain popular. Now, however, she learnt that if people didn't like her for who she was, they weren't worth it. It was because of Elphaba that she was having trouble trying to appear as something she wasn't. "Boq..." she whispered, keeping her head in her hands, "If I tell you, I'm afraid that something will happen. Something out of my control". She was getting closer to admitting what was going on, but she felt that if she said it straight out, that something would happen before she had the chance to fix it.
"Please, Miss Galinda, you have to let me help you" he pushed, "you have to tell me what is going on". He was getting desperate now, and was considering getting down on his hands and knees to beg the teenager to let him in. It wouldn't be far off before he started thinking that it was easier talking to Elphaba, even though she refused to acknowledge his existence.
The blonde looked up from her hands to the boy sitting on her bed. All he wanted to do was to help her, but she just couldn't accept that she deserved it. She had done the worst thing that anyone could have done to her roommate, and now she deserved to live in her own guilt whilst Elphaba eventually moved on and forgot. How can anyone forget how horrible I was to her? "I just can't, Boq" Galinda replied resolutely, "it is out of our control. Besides, it is what I wanted. I want nothing to do with that green bean anymore! How am I supposed to have the life I deserve being tied to her? I am destined to be married, wealthy, and a mother to several children. And maybe even become as well know as my parents in my home. How can I have all that if I give in to the fantasy that Elphaba clearly has for the two of us?" To say all of that was tearing the blonde up inside, but she couldn't let Boq see her defeated. She couldn't allow herself to give in and allow anything to happen to the girl that she loved. She had to let Fiyero win this round; it was for the greater good.
-xo-
"You can stay here as long as you need, Elphaba" Momma confirmed with a small chuckle, walking past the hurt teenager for the fourth time that day and seeing that she hadn't moved, "since I see you're in no hurry to go back to school. Good thing it's a Sunday then".
Elphaba was momentarily brought out of her gaze. "Huh? Oh, thank you" she shied sheepishly. She hadn't realized how much time had passed, although she really didn't have a plan anyway. She was mulling over in her head whether she was going to fight for the girl that she loved, or let her go. She couldn't make the decision until she was sure that Galinda didn't love her, and until she knew why she did what she did. Until she wasn't hurting as much so she could face Galinda, she planned to stay hidden in the confines of the Lion's home and try to fade away.
-xo-
After hours of not getting through to Galinda, Boq had finally given up. He had tried, but she was just too stubborn. Maybe she did mean what she said to Elphaba, and she just doesn't really love her. "I guess I tried my hardest" he informed the blonde, getting up from her bed, "If you want to give in to society's expectations, who am I to stand in the way. If you want to hide your inner strength, who am I to judge. If you want to give up the woman that would give you the world, who am I to argue. Let's hope you've made the right decision, Miss Galinda". With a last look behind him, the small Munchkin boy left Galinda's room, leaving her alone to hopefully think over what he had just said.
All Galinda could do was stare at the closed door. The words that she just heard were sinking in, but she couldn't quite comprehend them yet. After a few minutes, the blonde broke down again. He's right! Although she had lied to Boq and said that it was because of her future that she left Elphaba, what he said still applied to her and made her realize that she needed to fight. She needed to show the world her inner strength, her diversity, and her willpower. She needed people to know that she was her own person, and that she didn't want to live a life that was governed by the stereotypes of society. Even though it was Fiyero's doing that broke Galinda and Elphaba up, she had herself believing that is really was because of her future and all that she was destined to have. Now she had realized that it wasn't right, and that without Elphaba, she didn't want her future. She hadn't broken the expectations of society just to chicken out and go back to conforming. She was going to fight Fiyero with this every step of the way, with or without the woman she loved by her side.
-xo-
Elphaba was still in the same chair that she had planted herself in hours beforehand. She had no intentions of moving, and no one had any intentions of moving her. That was until Kirik got home from his friend's house. "Miss Elphaba" he said quietly, shifting from foot to foot next to the chair, "are you alright?" He had noticed that she didn't seem her usual self and he wanted to try and help. "I made you something today" he grinned once gaining her attention.
Elphaba couldn't help but give the small Lion Cub a smile. He was one of the few that Elphaba actually had a soft spot for, and she knew that he knew it. "What is it?" she queried, ignoring the question that he pointed at her. She watched as Kirik bounded off towards his bedroom then return with something dangling from his mouth. Upon closer inspection, Elphaba found that it was a piece of paper with some painting on it. There was Kirik and Elphaba playing outside like they used to in Munchkinland many years before. Elphaba could feel tears starting to well in her eyes, but she blinked them back. "Thank you" she whispered, not taking her eyes off the painting.
Kirik beamed at being thanked, taking it that it meant that his friend liked the picture. He wanted something that would make her happy again, and to him, he succeeded. Realizing that Elphaba had tears in her eyes, his smile dampened. "What is it, Elphaha?" he questioned, dropping the honorific like she used to tell him to do many times.
Elphaba finally looked up and gave a small smile. "I'm alright" she partially lied, "I'm just a little upset about something else". She placed the painting on the table and pulled the Lion Cub in to a gentle hug. "But this is helping" she smiled in to his fur.
"You can tell me" Kirik whispered once he was let go, "I just want to help". And he did. He hated seeing Elphaba upset.
The green girl couldn't help but smile at the Cub's innocence. He had much to learn, and she couldn't wait to help him and watch him along the way. "It was just... Well... Someone I love said some very mean and hurtful things" she explained, trying to keep it simple.
"Was it someone you loved like you love me, or someone you loved like Momma loves Papa?" he question innocently, trying to be attentive and keep up. "And if you loved them, why were they mean?"
Elphaba gave a sad smile before answering. "Someone I love like your Momma and Papa love each other. And sometimes people just say mean things for no reason. You can't control it, and you just have to learn to accept it and deal with it" she explained, hoping that his parents didn't mind.
"But you loved him. Did he love you? Do you still love him? Can it be fixed? How can anyone hurt you?" Kirik asked in rapid succession, trying to grasp what was going on.
Elphaba sighed, not sure if she should continue or not. She had come this far though, and he was going to learn at some point. "I do love them, Kirik, but the person I love is a girl, not a boy" she replied slowly, waiting for a reaction.
"But you said that you loved them like Momma and Papa love each other?" he affirmed, clearly confused.
"I do" Elphaba confirmed, "it is possible for girls to love girls, and boys love boys. It isn't common, by any means, but it does happen. Galinda, the girl I love, is amazing, and treated me better than any boy ever would..."
Kirik just started at Elphaba for a few beats, figuring out whether she was telling the truth or just joking with him. After a while he figured that it was true, and figured that loving your own gender was hard work. "Well, I guess it's the person you love, not the gender..." he finally admitted, "although, I'm not sure everyone should do it..."
Elphaba let out a small cackle, "believe me, not everyone is going to love their own gender. It is rare, but it is just as special as loving someone of the opposite gender" she explained, glad that she got a positive reaction.
"Well, regardless of the gender, if you love her, you should fight to have her back" the Lion said resolutely. He was going to see Elphaba happy again, no matter what had to happen.
"It isn't that easy" Elphaba sighed, "she said some pretty hurtful things. Besides, from what she said, I am not so sure that she loves me... But anyway, let's talk about something not so upsetting".
Kirik could see that his friend was becoming more upset, and agreed that a change of subject was needed. He quickly started talking about his day and his friends, happy that he could help with keeping Elphaba's mind off what was making her sad.
-xo-
Galinda spent many hours going over what she could say to Elphaba, if she could say anything, when she found her. She figured that sorry just wasn't going to do, and hoped that Elphaba would listen to her long enough to hear about Fiyero. The blonde also found it a bit strange that Fiyero hadn't come looking for her since he was taken away by Madame Morrible. Finally giving up on a pre-made speech, Galinda hoped that she would be able to come up with something genuine on the spot. Checking herself in the mirror once more, the girl grabbed her purse and headed out in search of her missing roommate.
-xo-
Finally haven eaten something, and moved from her spot, Elphaba was sitting on the bed that was provided for her when she felt sick in her lower stomach and heard a knock on the door. She didn't pay any mind to who it could be because it wasn't her business, but the illness in her stomach had her wondering. She heard one of the Lions get up and answered it, then heard an eerily familiar voice. The green girl stiffened immediately when she heard footsteps approaching her room.
"Elphaba" Momma Lion said quietly from the door, "you have a visitor. She has been out all night looking for you, and is a little worse for wear..." She wasn't sure if Elphaba would even want to see the girl at the door, and she was sure to inform the blonde of that when she asked for Elphaba.
Elphaba couldn't move. She wasn't ready to see the person that ripped her heart out. She was still healing, and didn't want to open the wounds that were left behind. She opened her mouth to tell the Lion to tell Galinda to go away, but what came out instead was, "I'll be there in a minute" in a whisper. Elphaba watched as Momma nodded her head and left. It took a few minutes, and some encouraging words, but Elphaba finally got up off of the bed and walked slowly towards the front door. As soon as Galinda came in to sight, she stopped dead in her tracks. The girl still managed to make Elphaba's heart beat faster and now just wasn't an appropriate time for that.
"Elphie" Galinda exhaled quietly, seeing the girl that she loved approach slowly. She was just happy that the girl was safe. She was worried since no one actually knew where she was, and no one seemed to care, either. "Can... can we talk?" she asked tentatively, fully prepared to be turned down. She was surprised, however, when she saw Elphaba faintly nod her head and motion outside.
-xo-
Both girls sat outside the Lions' house for quite a while in complete silence. Neither one knew what to say, so waited for the other to say something, but that just failed. Occasionally someone would walk past and stare at them, but for the most part, they were alone.
-xo-
"How did you find me?" Elphaba finally asked, finding it to becoming almost unbearable to sit there with the girl that hurt her any longer. To her knowledge, no one knew where she was, and she wanted it to stay that way. No one but Galinda even knew that she was associated with these Animals.
"You weren't anywhere else, and this was my last hope" Galinda replied silently, not looking to Elphaba at all. She was ashamed of her behaviour, and couldn't bring herself to look at the green girl. "You never came back to our room, and no one had seen you since last night..." she admitted, "I was worried".
"Why are you really here?" the teenager asked icily, wanting to cut this meeting short, but at the same time wanting to stay in Galinda's presence for as long as possible. "To hurt me some more? To tell me how insignificant my life is? To humiliate me in front of the only beings that care about me?" she shot, glaring at the blonde. Galinda froze at the interrogation. She knew that the girl was hurt and angry, but she thought those questions were uncalled for. Although, that is practically what I did to her last night... "No! I came to apologize, Elphie" she admitted, "I came to set things straight".
Elphaba didn't know if she wanted to laugh, cry, scream, shout or scoff. She couldn't believe that the girl who shattered her world was there to ask for forgiveness. To set things back to the way they were. "I'm sorry, Miss Galinda, but I do believe that I have nothing to say to you" she finally said with no emotion.
The blonde felt like she had been stabbed with a knife hearing her honorific from the girl that she used to share a bed with when she was scared or lonely. She had no idea what to say, but she had to say something. She had to make things right and let her roommate know that she did love her. "Elphie, please, there is something that I have to tell you. You need to know why I did what I did... please" Galinda pleaded.
The green girl was torn between listening to what she had wanted to hear all day, or getting up and walking away. It took all her might, but finally she got up, gave her love one last sad smile, and walked inside the Lions' house without looking back again or giving in to Galinda's pleads. She couldn't trust the girl that she loved, so she just couldn't sit there and listen to more painful words. She could sit through being told that it was all a joke or experiment. She had to move on, but she wasn't ready, so until then she was going to hide out and pretend that the rest of the world didn't exist.
-xo-
Author's note two: Sorry it took so long to write, but I was having trouble! Although it is twice the length of part one, it still isn't finished. There will be a part three with resolutions, then we will have another one-shot. But the question is, will our favourite girls make up, or is this the end of their run?