A/N: 4. 3. 2. 1. Grade ten year is finally done! My collection of knowledge increased by none! If teachers get paid not to teach, then I should get good grades for not studying. But I guess society just hasn't sorted itself out yet. Anyway, I'm kicking off this summer with the second last chapter de cette histoire.

Glinda folded her hands neatly in her lap and crossed her ankles. She stared at Elphaba intently. "I must say I had quite the shock this morning when Fiyero told me you were in the guestroom." She turned her head slightly and scanned the room. "I hope you understand that I withheld the information from Rose."

Elphaba's eyes were hard and she wasn't looking at Glinda. She leaned over and fiddled with the laces on her boot, feeling no more grown up then she had been at Shiz. All of her career she had yearned to see Glinda again, but not under these circumstances.

"It certainly took you long enough to come around," Glinda said coldly, but still warm. She had the effect of anger and sweetness all at once.

The green woman sucked in a breath and sat up straight, composing herself. "Glinda, I'm going to explain everything."

"Ah yes," Glinda said simply, "I was hoping someone would."

By her tone, Elphaba could tell that Glinda would have preferred Fiyero doing the explaining. Maybe she felt threatened by her old friend? That gave Elphaba some hope in regard to her lovelife. And that was exactly the problem. She was still hoping for nothing. "Glinda, I'm going to be blunt." Glinda nodded as she picked up a tea cup off the table and took a dainty sip. Elphaba continued, "I'm in love with Fiyero."

At first Glinda looked like she was going to spit out the tea she had taken in, but she managed to swallow it and then set the cup on the table. She crossed her legs and uncrossed them, fiddling with her dress until every invisible wrinkle was smoothed. "I don't know what you want me to say to that. It's not something I'm pleased to hear." She paused for a moment, struggling to form her words in a kinder way then what she had planned originally. "And I'm not comfortable with you feeling that way, Elphie. Fiyero is my husband."

"Rose is my daughter," Elphaba retorted angrily.

"But this isn't about either of them," Glinda rushed, eager to prevent an argument. "You're telling me the story, remember?"

Elphaba settled herself down and began as she had promised. She told Glinda everything she could, even the things that didn't pertain to Rose or Fiyero. She told her about the Rebellion, Nessa, and the way she was living of late. Glinda listened patiently; not judging her, or at least not showing any judgement. It encouraged Elphaba so much that she was able to tell Glinda about what she had done after Fiyero brought her to Kiamo Ko. Glinda didn't look pleased, but she waited. She listened to the account of Rose's capture and how Elphaba had been searching all over Oz.

Finally Elphaba finished and Glinda sat still, mystified. She knew she should be furious at Elphaba, but she wasn't. Part of her wanted to start a whole bunch of drama and chew out her friend for depriving her daughter of so much and staying adamantly in love with her husband, but she couldn't. One of the things that made Glinda such a suitable friend for Elphaba was that she had the capacity to see how much suffering Elphaba already did on a daily basis. Not many others could do that. Maybe Fiyero, to a point. But he continuously glorified Elphaba, just as Nessa continuously belittled her.

The only clear solution Glinda could see was for Elphaba to leave. However, that would mean a dreaded custody battle. Glinda wasn't ready to give up Rose.

"Forgive me, Glinda," Elphaba murmured, it was barely audible, but stood out in the silence. "I can't live with this anymore."

Glinda forgave her, not for the satisfaction, but for the consolation her friend clearly needed.

Now words seemed cheap. They'd discuss all of that when Fiyero joined them. For now, Glinda just reached across the arm of the chair and took one of Elphaba's cold, bony hands in her own. Elphaba gripped Glinda's hand willingly and they sat there feeding off the presence of their most beloved friend.

Case one: Glinda Upland, the adoptive mother who would do anything to keep a little girl in her grip. She was too invested in the game of dress up to ever go without.

Case two: Elphaba Thropp who was somewhat desperate (although not letting on) for her daughter back. Why? Fiyero couldn't even say.

What he could say was that he had been sitting at the table with Elphaba and Glinda, who were calmly debating the outcome of Rose's life. The only reason he had endured it this long was that he couldn't decide for himself what he thought.

He hadn't seen Elphaba with Rose, but needless to say the things Rose had told him were enough. And Elphaba hadn't bothered to approach Rose at all, even though she had been at the palace for a day and a half. Glinda on the other hand was generous by nature and exceedingly loving, but a little overboard. So it came down to it. Did he want his daughter obedient or spoiled? And did he want her close or out of his life forever?

Then the dreaded words left Elphaba's mouth as she turned away from Glinda to face him. "Fiyero, you share as much responsibility in this as we do. It would be nice if you joined in our discussion."

Oh, crap. "Well, I was occupied with my responsible adult thoughts." As if.

"Please share them," Glinda responded, gesturing with a sweep of her forearm.

"I think..." I never think. "That my say in this is...well...I'd be sorry to see her go, but if she has to then I'll find a way to get through it." It sounded flat even to him.

Neither Glinda nor Elphaba was impressed.

"That's it?" Elphaba said irritably, her voice was low and menacing, even as she was resting her elbows on the table and her head in her hands; completely unprofessionally.

"Fiyero, dear, we're going to need more of an opinion than that," Glinda prompted gently. Her eyes were soft and inviting. If ever there were two more different people...

Fiyero risked the wrath. "I don't have one."

"Then make one up and get this over with!" Elphaba snapped.

Fiyero sighed. Here went nothing. "Okay, fine. Since Elphaba wants me to invent a solution, regardless of how ridiculous and damaging it is, I'm going to do the exact opposite. I'm going to tell you exactly what I think." He was speaking mostly to Elphaba. "I don't think that either of you are very capable mothers. But who can really say they are? If Rose has a chance anywhere it is with Glinda because Glinda has shown more will to be a mother than you have in seven years. She's willing to try and change and flux to the needs of the child. Elphaba, you're too rooted in your own ways and your own emotions to open up to anyone else's. As for me, I just want the chance to be a father."

"No you don't," Elphaba said quietly. "You've never been open to any responsibility."

"Why not start now?"

Glinda was satisfied with the answer. After all it gave her exactly what she wanted. "I think we've had enough of this today, we'll continue it for tomorrow. For now, let's just get washed up for dinner and enjoy the rest of the night."

Elphaba was already at the door. "I'll take dinner in my room and tomorrow we settle this. I have to be going as soon as possible." On her way out she met Fiyero's eyes with an empty glare.

For the rest of the evening, Elphaba didn't bother coming out of her room. She couldn't deny herself the tears anymore and wept uncontrollably. The chances of ever coming to a decision that would please herself, Glinda and Fiyero were impossible. And she knew that she would be the one who got the raw end of the deal...again. There was no way to sugar coat the situation. She hadn't allowed herself to see Rose, but she heard her chattering with Glinda. The girl was blossoming. She was talking more, playing more, she knew other children, she explored.

It was also clear that letting Elphaba stay in the palace was a huge risk. If the Wizard got wind of this, Glinda, Fiyero and even Rose would be carted off to Southstairs. Elphaba knew better than anyone that the Wizard wasn't above doing something so horrendous.

Her decision now would take the confidence she didn't have, but would have to fake. It was time to go. She knew Glinda was in bed and she didn't know where Fiyero was. That would make it easier.

Creaking open the door, careful not to make a sound, Elphaba stepped out and snuck down the corridor, keeping close to the walls. She passed the first door and then paused at the second, hearing the rustling of sheets inside.

Unable to help herself, Elphaba cracked open the door and slid inside. Rose seemed to be asleep and comfortable. The room was double the size of Elphaba's Rebellion room, triple that of Rose's. In the corner there was a doll house surrounded by discarded dolls. Everywhere there were piles of books and even a little desk in the corner where Rose had practiced writing her name in a messy hand. The example above it, Elphaba recognized as Fiyero's writing.

Elphaba welcomed the arms that slid around her from behind. She rubbed Fiyero's forearms and leaned back into him.

His voice was low and soothing, even as he broke her heart. "She really is beautiful." He motioned towards the sleeping girl on the bed.

They could've had everything, Elphaba realized. Everything anyone could ever hope for in life and she hadn't been happy with it. For the millionth time in her life she wished she was just like everyone else.

"I think you're doing the right thing," Fiyero reassured her.

Elphaba turned around and pressed her forehead into his shoulder. "I need you to promise me one thing."

Fiyero nodded. "Anything."

"As your daughter, Rose has the rights to the Vinkun throne, which you so foolishly abdicated-"

"This isn't about politics." And he was right, in some aloof way he was telling her that she'd always be tied to this family despite her reluctance.

"Everything's about politics," Elphaba shot back.

Fiyero reached up and stroked her hair, his hand slid down to her lower back. He gently pressed her into him and their lips met tenderly.

Pulling away, Elphaba whispered, "I love you."

"I love you too."

Elphaba looked at Rose one last time and pulled her cloak around her tightly. Ducking her head, Elphaba slipped out of the room quickly and was gone before Fiyero's eyes.

Still, Fiyero drew the drapes of the window at the far end of the bedroom and glanced towards the ground. A small change in the light told him that the door had been opened and then a figure slipped into the night. His eyes hadn't adjusted enough for him to follow her form any further from the window. One last sigh and Fiyero fought the distinctive feeling in his gut that the meeting had been one of ugly finality. He crossed the room, careful not to trip over any of the dolls and kissed Rose's cheek before closing the door behind him.

In the darkness, Rose peeked around her room; her eyelids remaining the slits they had been as her parents watched her and didn't notice. She didn't comprehend everything that had just gone on and continued to view adults as hopeless, confusing creatures, but she had seen Elphaba one last time and that eased her young mind greatly.