I want to thank everyone who has read, reviewed, subscribed, and favorited this story so far; thanks so much! Also, I've received some concern that this story won't end up being Gelphie, and to that I say: oh readers, have faith in me. I only support one pairing ;)
I've got to go home - Oh, baby, you'll freeze out there
Say, lend me your coat - It's up to your knees out there
You've really been grand - Your eyes are like starlight now
But don't you see - How can you do this thing to me?
There's bound to be talk tomorrow - Think of my life long sorrow
At least there will be plenty implied - If you caught pneumonia and died
I really can't stay - Get over that hold out
Ah, but it's cold outside
Oh, baby it's cold outside
Oh, baby it's cold outside
-Baby, It's Cold Outside by She & Him
Winter covered Shiz in a blanket of white, and students often found themselves being pelted with snowballs in between classes. Midterms were approaching quickly, promising the excitement of Lurlinemas upon completion. While the other students were preparing for the holiday season, Elphaba holed herself up in room twenty-two, spending every free minute studying. She had no intention of failing her midterms, and even though she despised Morrible, she couldn't risk a failing grade in that class. No doubt the headmistress had some awful exam planned, and it would take every once of self-control she had to keep her magic (and emotions) under control.
"Are you still studying?"
The voice of her roommate broke her concentration, and the green woman turned to look at her. "My sweet, midterms are important. I cannot risk failing any class."
"Elphaba, you're the smartest person on campus. I don't think failing is something you have to worry about."
"And how do you think I became so smart, Galinda?"
"Luck."
Elphaba chuckled. "You've proven my point." The green woman started to turn back to her books, but Galinda wasn't about to allow that.
"Oh no you don't. You've been holed up in this room for days. You are coming with me to pick out a Lurlinemas tree."
Elphaba groaned. "A tree? Galinda, we don't need a tree."
"Oh yes we do. It's a Lurlinemas tradition, and this year, you are going to be a part of it."
"I decline."
"You cannot."
"Galinda—"
"Please Elphie?"
"Noooo, you only call me that when you want something!" The Munchkin sighed, knowing she had already lost. Galinda was the only person she couldn't refuse. "Fine. Let's make this quick."
"Snow… I hate snow," Elphaba muttered as she trudged through the packed powder, an axe slung over her shoulder. Purr ran beside the two roommates, jumping in and out of snow piles happily.
Galinda giggled. "Come on, Elphie, lighten up. Lurelinemas is a season of joy and thanks."
"I'm thankful for my warm, dry room."
The two had reached the lake, which had frozen over. Trees lined the shoreline, and Galinda approached to inspect them. She couldn't make the wrong decision, after all.
"Remember, it has to fit in our room," Elphaba called when she saw Galinda examining some rather tall trees.
"I know." The blonde's eyes soon fell on a medium sized tree, and she knew it was perfect. "This one."
Elphaba approached, her breath making small clouds in the chilly air. "Are you sure?"
"Mm-hm."
"All right, stand back." The Munchkin took her axe with both hands and swung, hitting the tree with a solid thwack. The process continued and the tree was soon felled. Elphaba tied rope to the trunk and began the tiring process of dragging the tree back to their room.
"Wait, I want to slide on the ice before we go," Galinda said, walking out onto the frozen lake.
"Galinda—" The green woman sighed. "Just hurry up. And be careful! Bodies of water hardly ever freeze completely solid."
"I'll be fine." Galinda took a few hesitant steps, her arms windmilling to keep her balance.
Elphaba laughed at the sight. "So graceful."
Galinda turned around, sticking her tongue out. "Meanie."
"All right, you've had your fun, now come back."
"Fine, worrywart." Galinda started back for the green woman, but the sudden sound of cracking ice stopped her.
"Elphaba…"
The green woman dropped the axe, approaching the edge of the lake. "Just walk nice and slow, Glin."
"Okay…" The blonde took another delicate step, but the ice refused to hold, and shattered beneath her. The Frottican would have screamed, but the icy water took her breath away, and all she could do was cling to the ice.
"Galinda!" Elphaba could feel how cold the water was; it was as though she was being poked with a thousand tiny knives. "Hold on!" Taking a deep breath, Elphaba lay down on the ice, sliding out to where the blonde was. Galinda was close to hyperventilating, and the Munchkin knew she didn't have much time to pull her friend out. "Take my hand," the green woman said, taking Galinda's hands and holding them tightly. "All right, now kick your feet."
"I-I-I c-c-can't-t-t-t…"
"Yes you can."
"T-t-t co-o-o-old… E-E-Elphie…"
"I know it's cold, but you have to try."
The blonde began kicking her feet, which was slow and clumsy at first, but eventually it got faster, until she was more or less horizontal on the water. Elphaba began pulling the blonde towards her, but the going was slow. Another cracking noise soon reached her ears, and the green woman looked down to see that cracks were starting to spread underneath her.
"Oh no…" If she went under, she'd be killed for sure. And what would happen to Galinda? If hypothermia or drowning didn't kill her, the spell most likely would. Elphaba suddenly felt something pulling on the back of her coat, and the two girls started to move. Eventually, they reached the safety of the shore, and Elphaba pulled the blonde close, feeling her tremble violently against her.
"We've got to get you inside." Knowing she couldn't walk in her condition, the Third Thropp Descending lifted her roommate into her arms, looking down to see that Purr had taken the rope into his jaws. She realized then that it had been Purr who had pulled them to safety. "Good boy."
Galinda sat in front of the fire, only slightly trembling now. Multiple blankets had been wrapped around her, and all the pillows from the beds had been placed on the floor for her comfort. Purr lay in the blonde's lap, now exhausted from dragging the tree back to their room. Elphaba had set it up, and all that remained was decorating it (Galinda's favorite part).
"Hey."
Galinda looked up to see her roommate entering the room, two steaming mugs in her hands.
"How are you feeling?" the green woman asked, handing the blonde of the mugs as she sat beside her.
"Better," Galinda replied, smiling at the warmth the mug provided. It was cute, really, having Elphaba dote on her this much. "You know, we still need to decorate the tree."
"I need to make sure you don't die from hypothermia first."
"Elphaba, I'm fine. You pulled me out of the ice fairly quickly, and now I'm warming up."
"Well, I want to be sure."
"You're very sweet," Galinda said with a giggle, leaning over to give her roommate a quick peck on the cheek. Elphaba twitched slightly at that, and looked away, her face a slightly darker shade of green.
"Next time you want a tree, you're buying it. Much safer."
Galinda giggled, scooting as close to the green woman as she could and laying her head on her shoulder. "Okay Elphie."
It was the first morning of midterm week when Elphaba received a letter from the Wizard, telling her that he was requesting her presence for Lurlinemas. The green woman's response was to crumple the letter up and promptly drop it into her wastebasket.
"Elphaba," her roommate said scoldingly before going in after the letter.
"The last time you went through my wastebasket, it turned out unpleasantly for us both. I would have thought you'd learned your lesson."
"Lurlinemas is a time for forgiveness, and being with your family."
"I already have a family, and they live in the Colwen Grounds. That is where I will spend my winter vacation." The green woman picked up her bag, which overflowed with parchment, quill, and books. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a history final to take." The Munchkin left the room, and Galinda shook her head with a smile. She'd realize soon enough…
The door to room twenty-two opened again, and Elphaba reentered.
"Forget something Elphie?"
"Just my shoes."
While Galinda didn't possess her roommate's brilliant mind, her midterms didn't go as horribly as she had expected. She reckoned that had she not become friends with Elphaba, they would have gone much worse. Soon, it was the end of the week, and many students had already left for home, leaving the campus rather empty.
That morning, Galinda was woken by the sound of her roommate flipping through the Grimmerie, her dark brow furrowed behind her glasses.
"Elphie…"
"Did I wake you? I apologize."
Galinda yawned, shaking her head. "No… what are you doing?"
"Preparing for Morrible's midterm. I can't give her a reason to fail me… I won't."
"You won't fail."
"This isn't like writing an essay, Glin. I have to be in total control."
The blonde sat up, walking over to the green woman. "Elphaba, you don't need to study." The blonde pushed the book away, looking up at her roommate. "You just need to trust yourself… because I do." The blonde picked up the Vinkan shawl off the Munchkin's desk, wrapping it gently around her neck. "Now go show Morrible what you can do."
"Good afternoon Miss Elphaba. I'm sure you're quite eager to go home, but first, you must pass my midterm. Now, I admit, you have not been the most… cooperative student. I daresay you have been one the most difficult, but even the strongest will can broken… it's all a matter of applying the right pressure." Morrible turned to look at her green pupil, who looked decidedly unimpressed.
"Are we going to get started soon, because I'd like to leave sometime today," Elphaba said.
"Very well." The headmistress snapped her fingers, and the china tea set sitting on her desk flew into the air. Elphaba quickly threw her hands out, catching and suspending the pieces in midair before gently bringing them back down to sit on the table. Before she could recover, Morrible sent the desk rocketing at her with a wave of her hand. Elphaba caught the desk and pushed it back to its original position slowly before looking at her head mistress.
"I thought this midterm was supposed to be difficult."
"Don't worry, this is only the warm up." With a flick of her wrist, Morrible took control of Elphaba's left wrist, raising it and summoning a fireball. Elphaba struggled against her hold, and with a yell, she tore her arm free and threw the fireball at the headmistress. Morrible deflected it with a wave of her hand, and it smashed into the window. The older woman threw her other arm out, catching the glass shards before they could hit the ground and sent them flying at her pupil.
Elphaba took her stance, watching as the shards came closer. She'd send them back at Morrible's stupid face, and cut up those foul robes. She'd—
"I knew you'd see reason."
"Elphaba!"
The flashback hit Elphaba like a brick wall, and that split second delay broke her focus, leaving her unable to defend herself. The shards cut into her skin and clothes, and the green woman raised her arms in an effort to protect her face. The barrage soon stopped, and Elphaba lowered her arms slowly, blood running from multiple cuts.
Morrible was looking at her, her face bearing the tiniest of smirks. "Miss Elphaba, that was rather disappointing. I will have to deduct points for that."
The headmistress turned away, and Elphaba could feel her temper flaring. The glass shards picked themselves up off the floor and hovered near the green woman, who thrust her arm out, sending them flying back at the older woman. Just before they reached Morrible, the older woman turned back around, deflecting them with a wave of her hand.
"Fight back!" Elphaba yelled, keeping the barrage coming at her headmistress.
"Enough!" A pulse of energy traveled through the room, dropping the shards to the floor and knocking the Third Thropp Descending clear off her feet. Her back hit the floor hard, painfully knocking the wind out of her. She heard footsteps and soon, Morrible was standing over her. "Miss Elphaba, the exam has concluded. You will receive your results upon your return to Shiz after winter vacation."
The green woman groaned as she rolled onto her side, pushing herself up weakly. She lifted her arm weakly, and shards on the floor near her began to tremble.
"Miss Elphaba." With a wave of her hand, Morrible forced Elphaba onto her back again. "You are dismissed."
"What happened? Are you all ri— OH SWEET LURLINE!"
The green woman cringed at the outburst. "Well I was fine, until you blew out my eardrums."
"Sorry, but your arms! Your face!"
"I was born with this face."
Galinda scowled at her before disappearing into the bathroom, returning with a rag and Elphaba's bottle of oil. "I knew something had happened because I felt it, but I don't understand." She poured some oil onto the rag and pressed it onto the first of the cuts on Elphaba's arm, causing the green woman to jump with a wince.
"I was supposed to deflect the glass shards from the window, but a flashback suddenly hit me, and I… I just… froze up."
"A flashback from what?"
Elphaba looked away, not wanting to answer.
Galinda understood then, and she moved the rag to another series of cuts. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize that still affected you."
"How could it not?"
The Frottican didn't reply, instead letting out a sigh and moving the rag to the cuts on Elphaba's face. "You will come visit me during the vacation… won't you?"
Elphaba looked at her. "You want me… to come to Frottica?"
Galinda giggled. "That's what I just said, silly."
"You want your family to see… me?"
"I admit, the green might surprise them, but I've written about you in my letters and—"
"I didn't realize I was such a fascinating topic of discussion."
"Will you come or not?"
Elphaba sighed. While she was reluctant to say yes and get Galinda's hopes up, she couldn't deny that she wanted to visit the blonde. After all, it would be a nice escape from her family, and she had grown rather fond of the Frottican, surprising as it was. "If I can make it out to Frottica… then I will come."
Galinda hugged the green woman. "Thank you Elphie."
"Well, this is where we part ways," Elphaba said, turning to the blonde. She held Purr in one arm, not wanting to leave him alone over the vacation. Her family's carriage stood waiting for her, while Galinda and Ama Clutch were bound for the Shiz train station.
"I'll miss you Elphie," the blonde said, hugging her tightly and causing Purr to let out a yawp at being caught between the two bodies. "Sorry, Purr."
"Don't be a stranger, my duckie," Ama Clutch said.
"Ladies."
"Hello, headmistress," Ama Clutch said loud enough to give Elphaba the hint. The green woman quickly stuffed Purr into her carpetbag (despite his growls of protest) before turning around.
"I was hoping to catch you two before you left. There is one additional thing I forgot to mention about the binding spell. When off campus, you cannot be more than a mile apart."
Both girls could only stare. "Are you joking?" Elphaba finally said.
"I am quite serious, Miss Thropp."
"This isn't fair! You can't do this to us!"
"It has already been done. Now, enjoy your winter vacation." And with that, she left.
"Enjoy this, you old hag," Elphaba growled, summoning a fireball, but Galinda placed a hand on her arm. The green woman extinguished the flame, lowering her arm.
"What are we going to do? My parents are expecting me," Galinda said.
"And my family doesn't much appreciate uninvited guests." Elphaba ran a hand through her hair, and her moving carpetbag caught her attention. She opened it and pulled Purr out, holding him in her arm again, and ignoring the annoyed look her was giving her. "You'll have to come with me."
"Wha—you just said your family doesn't like uninvited guests!"
"I know, but this is the only way."
"Why can't you come to Frottica?"
"Because that won't work."
"Well why do I have to give up my plans?"
"Because I'm more important than you!"
Galinda was taken aback by that, and she looked down, tears forming in her eyes.
"Galinda, I'm sorry. That didn't come out right."
"No, it came out just as you intended… and you're right."
"Galinda, no—"
"Ama Clutch, please tell my parents I can't join them this year."
"I'm sorry, my duckie, but I'm sure they'll understand." And with that, Ama Clutch left, leaving the two girls alone.
"Let's go," Galinda said, turning towards the carriage.
"Galinda, stop." The green woman dropped her bag as she grabbed Galinda's arm, turning her back to face her. "You know I didn't mean it like that. Going to the Emerald City will just be easier; it's a larger venue, and the Wizard is planning this ball and—"
"The Emerald City?"
"Yes… the Emerald City. The Wizard is getting his Lurlinemas wish this year."
"Elphaba! I thought you were heading to the Colwen Grounds."
"Change of plans," the green woman said.
The Wizard approached, but paused upon seeing the lion cub in her arms. "And, uh… who is this?"
"This is Purr. It won't be a problem if he stays, will it?"
"Of course not." The Wizard gave her a smile. His gaze fell on Galinda. "Miss Upland, what a surprise to see you again."
"Yes, I was surprised myself…"
"Elphaba, there is something we need to discuss."
"Is it about the ball, because I wish to have no part in that."
"Yes, it is about the ball, and you have no say in the matter. You are my daughter, and you must attend."
Elphaba let out a sigh, handing Purr over to the blonde. "I'll just be a moment." She followed the Wizard into his study, where he sat at his desk, which was covered in a mess of papers.
"Now, Elphaba, as I said in my letter, this ball will be the first I've held here in the palace. You will be present, along with many powerful families in Oz. Now, I've invited—"
"If I may interject," Elphaba said, placing her hand on his papers. "This ball is meant to be a celebration of Lurlinemas, correct?"
"Yes."
"Then you've already made your first mistake." With a sweep of her hand, the green woman knocked all the papers off the desk. "By only inviting nobility, you're sending the people of Oz the message that you don't care about them. You only care about forming political alliances."
"What do you suggest?"
"I suggest you allow anyone to come who wants. Invite those families if you wish, but don't exclude the public. These are all your people… and they want to know you're watching out for their best interests."
The Wizard stared at his daughter before smiling. "You always were bright. Very well, I will heed your suggestion. Also, if you have anyone you'd like to invite, they are free to come."
An idea suddenly struck the green woman, and she said, "Actually, there are a few people…"
Galinda sat in her appointed bedroom, watching as Purr chased a string that she held around the carpet. She smiled, though her heart longed to be home with her own family.
"I'm brilliant."
Galinda looked up to see Elphaba standing in the doorway.
"No, really. A monument should be erected in my honor."
"That hardly sounds like the Elphaba I know."
"You're right, I don't want a monument. They wouldn't be able to get my skin color right. But I am a genius." The Munchkin entered the room, scooping Purr up off the floor and sitting on the bed.
"Are you going to tell me why?"
"I found a way to solve our problem."
"You can remove the binding spell?"
"No, but a certain someone's family has been extended a special invitation to attend the Wizard's Lurlinemas Ball."
The Frottican's eyes widened. "Elphaba… do you mean?"
"Yes, my family is coming."
Galinda punched her arm, causing Elphaba to laugh.
"And yours is too."
"Really? Oh, Elphie!" The blonde hugged her roommate. "Wait… did you say that your family was coming too?"
"I suppose I did."
"You mean… the Thropps?"
"That would be my family. They're arriving early so I can spend time with them."
"You say that like it's a bad thing."
"While I love my family, they're… how shall I put this? Dysfunctional."
"You don't mean that."
"Galinda, you haven't met my family."
"I will soon."
"And you'll wish you hadn't."
"Then tell me about them. Give me fair warning."
Elphaba sighed, running a hand through her hair. Purr had settled on her lap, his eyes closed. "Well, I suppose we could start with my father, the one that raised me. His name is Frexspar, and he's a preacher. He loves lost causes. My mother is Melena, and she comes from a very high society, as you can see by our last name. She married my father in hopes of escaping the pressures of being Eminence, but her elder sister went over the deep end… and she had me."
"I don't understand then how the Wizard is your father."
Elphaba gave the blonde a look. "Galinda, just because a woman is married does not mean she is faithful."
"Oh… OH. I see."
"Anyway, I'm the eldest. You already know I have a sister, Nessarose. She's self-righteous and has inherited our father's taste for religion. However, she's an invalid, and I spent most of my childhood taking care of her."
"You don't sound very fond of her."
"Miss Galinda, don't you know love when you see it? She's a downright pain in the ass, and I'm devoted to her."
"I see. Any other siblings?"
"One more: Shell, my brother. He's named after a Quadling who was a family friend… Turtle Heart."
"Is he dead?"
"Yes… he is. Anyway, that's my family. Oh, and there is Nanny too. She's been tending to the Thropp family since before my mother was born, and she helped raise me. Nessa needs constant care now that I've left, you see."
Galinda nodded. "They don't sound so bad."
"You think that now, but just wait until you meet them. Don't say I didn't warn you."
