To those that asked/may be wondering, no, they're not lesbian. I believe that friendships can be strong, solid, and passionate without being romantic, and I wanted to demonstrate that in my fanfiction. :)

Nearing the end! I hope you all have enjoyed it, despite my ineptitude at posting in a timely fashion (and I hope you don't hate me TOO much for it).

A quiet buzzing sliced through Elphaba's consciousness and she opened her eyes.

She had always hated Galinda's alarm; it felt like grating on her brain. Galinda knew that, and intentionally left it that way so she didn't have to get up to turn it off. Or at least, that was how Elphaba thought of it. Luckily, it wasn't far away. Elphaba rolled over and reached for it lazily with one hand, silencing it in one effective slap.

Galinda rolled closer at the noise, practically burying her face in Elphaba's shoulder and muttering something along the lines of "I don't wanna get up". Elphaba could do nothing but chuckle.

Galinda looked so peaceful after last night. The only evidence that anything went wrong was the old blanket from her closet curled up at the foot of her bed. Anything else - the bags under her eyes, the hollow look if she wasn't talking - Elphaba couldn't see from here, only the golden curls that somehow managed to remain pretty, even through a restless night.

Elphaba sighed and stared at the ceiling. This couldn't go on. It's no longer affecting her; it's deteriorating Galinda's mental health as well. Her problems were poison, bleeding into Galinda's life, and seemingly there was nothing she could do to stop it, as the blonde welcomed said problems in with open arms.

There was only one solution.

Elphaba swallowed hard. She had to win. She had to face him and conquer when he came in three days.

Three days.

Just the thought sent a shiver down Elphaba's spine, but she knew it was time. She couldn't run anymore; she was sick of it. Sick of running, sick of fear, sick of him. She had to fight, or at the very least, try.

Carefully, Elphaba slid her arm out from under Galinda and stood. Galinda mumbled in protest but didn't move as Elphaba reached for her glasses and set to work getting her clothes, checking the clock as she did so. She still had plenty of time before class.

"Glin," Elphaba admonished, having come out of the bathroom ten minutes later to find that she had not moved, "Glin, get up. You have to curl your hair and do your makeup or something like that."

"Mmph."

"Come on, you'll hate me if I don't get you up."

Galinda didn't react. Elphaba rolled her eyes and strode over, kneeling next to the bed and flicking a curl out of her face. "I think your hair looks fine, but you probably won't. Come on. Get up."

Galinda groaned dramatically, but her eyes did open. "What time is it?"

Elphaba glanced at the clock. "9:45, roughly."

"Ugh." Galinda made to burrow into the blankets again, but Elphaba quickly interrupted, tugging them out from under her. "No, you don't. I know you had a rough night, but you do have to get up. Sleeping the day away won't help."

Galinda blinked blearily, pushing herself up and blowing her golden hair out of her face. "Did last night really happen?"

Elphaba sighed, flattening the blankets she held and organizing them somewhat neatly at the foot of the bed. "Unfortunately, yes. I'm sorry you had to go through that."

Galinda shook her head, yawning. "It's not your fault."

Elphaba deigned not to reply.

The girls got ready in silence (or, rather, Galinda got ready and Elphaba read) until a quiet voice spoke from behind her book.

"It'll all be over in a couple days."

Galinda paused, her mascara brush hovering an inch above her eyelashes. "What do you mean?"

"This." Elphaba glanced over the top of her hardback, feet dangling off the bed. "The nightmares, the stress, the waiting, the tension. Just a couple more days."

Galinda smiled gently. "I'm proud of you, Elphie. It seems that you've really come to terms with it. Are you ready?"

"No." Elphaba chuckled flatly. "But I could prepare for years and not be ready. I'm more done. I want it over with."

"Mmm." Galinda returned to her makeup, setting aside mascara for lipstick. "What does your sister think about all this?"

Elphaba's face darkened and her knuckles tightened around the worn edges of her book. "Frankly, I haven't bothered to ask, but what she has so helpfully volunteered to tell me was that Father is right no matter what he says or does and how excited she is to see him and I don't let her finish, usually."

Galinda's nose wrinkled. "I don't understand how she can be so blind."

"That's a fantastic question," said Elphaba drily, "one that I don't care to find the answer to. Not unless I want to get violently angry."

"Fair enough." Galinda set down her makeup and stood, stretching. "Frankly, I'm not against you getting violently angry - not at your sister, but at him." She looked seriously at her green friend. "You're freaking powerful, Elphie."

Elphaba smirked. "Freaking?"

Galinda blushed. "Cursing is not ladylike, Elphaba."

"Well, then I'd say it's a great thing that I don't give a -"

"Anyway," Galinda cleared her throat, giving Elphaba a glare through reddened cheeks, "I think it's time you give him a taste of his own medicine. Show him what you can do and make him regret ever touching you."

"I didn't know you had a sadistic side," said Elphaba with a smile, but she agreed. Her insides twisted with glee at the thought of seeing her father bleed, scream, beg for mercy -

But whether she'd be capable of doing that, she didn't know.

"In the Quadling Civil War, the Munchkins were dragged into the bloodshed by North Quadling," Professor Kent droned on. "North Quadling threatened to retreat through Munchkinland, burning the country as they went, if the Munchkins didn't assist them. Does anyone remember what the governor of Munchkinland at the time replied? This is incredibly important, class, come on now!"

Elphaba raised her hand lazily.

"Anyone other than Miss Elphaba?"

The door opened suddenly and the class stirred, lifting their heads off unopened textbooks and glancing up from pages more full of doodles than notes. They were greeted with the sight of Madam Morrible, looking stiff and supremely unconcerned that she just interrupted a classroom. "I'm here for Miss Elphaba, Professor Kent, if you wouldn't mind me taking her."

Elphaba's breath hitched. She couldn't imagine what Morrible would want from her, but this was the Headmistress herself.

"I would suggest bringing your things," said Morrible. "It might take a while."

Wordlessly, Elphaba packed up her stuff and followed the Headmistress out, her mind spinning. Was something wrong with her sister? That was the only logical explanation for this.

"My apologies for pulling you from class," said Morrible crisply, marching briskly down the hall, leaving Elphaba to jog at first to catch up. "I certainly hope you won't be missing much."

"Probably not, Professor Kent is mostly reviewing his lesson from yesterday to those who didn't pay attention, which is mostly everyone," Elphaba replied somewhat breathlessly.

"I see," Morrible remarked with a slight smirk. She opened the door and stepped outside, the air as chilly as her tone of conversation.

"Madame," said Elphaba carefully, "if you don't mind me asking, what's going on? Is something wrong?"

"Oh, not at all," said Morrible, rounding the corner and approaching the nearest building, its walls almost brushing the ones of its neighbor. An alley hid between the two, barely big enough for two people to move around comfortably. There always seemed to be a passionately kissing couple occupying the small space, but for once, the alley was empty.

Morrible swung the door open, holding it for Elphaba as she entered. "Then what did you want to talk to me about, Madame?" Elphaba inquired.

"It's not me that needs to talk to you, dear," said Morrible, walking past her and beckoning around the corner. "It's -"

"My dear girl!"

A mallet struck Elphaba in the chest and she became a gong, vibrating from her chest to her fingernails. She couldn't speak, she couldn't move, she couldn't breathe.

Frexspar strode over to her, his face alight with joy, his eyes glowing like a streetlight under a sheet of ice. "I've missed you so much! I was devastated to hear about your stint in the hospital. How are you feeling?"

Elphaba couldn't help herself. She scampered backward, her face rigid as stone. "Three days," she croaked. "You said I had three more days."

Frex halted, hurt flashing on his face. "What do you mean?" Was it her imagination, or did the corners of his mouth twitch? "You're not happy to see me?"

Morrible looked between the two in pristine confusion, her eyebrow quirked slightly. "Miss Elphaba, whatever is the matter?"

Elphaba swallowed, lacing her fingers behind her back to keep them from trembling. "Nothing, Madame," she said automatically. "I was just surprised to see him. He came sooner than I anticipated."

Frex smiled. The sight made her bones quake.

"She's never really been one for surprises," he laughed gently. "Elphaba, will you come with me? I'd like to speak with you about how your education is going and also about your health." He started walking towards the door. "If you would excuse us, Madame?"

"Of course, Governor Thropp," said Morrible, nodding. "My office is down this hallway to your right. If you need to speak to me, please feel free to do so."

"Thank you so much." He held the door open for his daughter. "Elphaba?"

Elphaba didn't move. She could feel the anger, the terror, the horrible choking rising from the pit of her stomach to her eyes. He had played it too well. Of course he had. She had no choice.

Did she breathe? Did she blink? Did time pass at all?

She followed him out, letting him close the door behind them as the cold air swirled around her wrists and left her to fend for herself.