Title: "Choices", part 2/?

Rating: PG-13 & rising... Galinda/Elphaba

Subject: MUSICAL, but has hints at the book (but nothing that would spoil it)

Summery: Galinda is a changed woman after the 'death' of Elphaba, and on her road to redemption, she hits a slight bump - the Wicked Witch of The West herself...

Warning: UnBeta'd!

Author: VixenRaign - AngelicSinner

Previously:

"I want this." she stated firmly, taking a green cheek in her hand again, "I've wanted it since before I knew what it really was - when it was easy. The circumstances don't change anything about that. Just changes how." She leaned in close, her breath warm on Elphaba's lips, liking the way they were becoming a darker shade of green and fading into almost brown as the blood rushed to them in anticipation.

The first kiss was soft, subtle, almost friendly in it's near-chaste manner. Galinda was nervous, she knew it showed, but she just hoped that it didn't show a lack of meaning in her earlier words; she did want this; want Elphaba; she just wasn't sure how to go about it. It was all new to her.

But as simple and short as the first kiss was, it felt wonderful. the feeling of such soft lips against her own, so malleable and warm, giving and willing. It was the sort of feeling she'd always dreamed of and yet had no idea was exactly what she'd always wanted... and here it had been right in front of her this whole time. In those short seconds, she knew more than ever this was the right choice, even if it wasn't the easiest one.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As they pulled back, Galinda could feel the green girl's lips curl into that knowing smirk she was famous for. Leaning her forehead against Elphaba's she looked and saw that the smile reached her eyes, and was just as playful in those emerald stones as it was on her full, dark lips.

"What's so funny?" Galinda asked, a little nervously.

"Now kiss me like you mean it." This made the girl's cheeks incredibly pink with excitement, but also a little defensive.

"I did!" she insisted, but that just made the smirk spread across the other half of Elphaba's face as well.

"Alright," She said, grinning widely and leaning in close again, "I'll do it"

The grip Elphaba had around her waist made itself known more prominently as she pulled Galinda more tightly to her, but it was still gentle; just a little more firm. The surprisingly smooth palm with their rough fingertips ran over her cheek until they were guiding her chin that little bit higher.

The second kiss was in a similar spirit of the first, but little else was the same. This one was not timid or 'friendly' in any sense - and it was certainly not Chaste. The full lips of the taller woman were almost determined in their slow and fluid assault of the blonde's mouth. Exploring and grasping Galinda's smooth and glossy lips, enjoying the small surprised noises that were strangled from her throat in an effort to escape. In was one of the most sensual things Elphaba had ever heard.

As though something that'd been simmering inside her had started to boil over, the shorter girl was almost shocked at her reaction to these gentle caresses at her mouth. Raising her arms, she wrapped them tightly around Elphaba's neck, pulling her close, yearning for as much contact between them as she could get. The satisfied sigh that came from the green girl in answer was all the encouragement she needed; she wanted more.

Rather liking the way this usually refined woman seemed to be losing her sense of propriety, she decided not to call her on it, though it did make her smile to see that she could knock the girl from her shell so easily. Becoming bolder, Elphaba grasped the girl's upper lip between her own and sucked on it languidly.

The strong strawberry flavor from all her years of make-up making this kiss taste like candy. But what was even sweeter was the pure essence of Galinda beneath it. She tasted like homely spices, like nutmeg and cinnamon, smells that reminded you of fresh breads, but still had a kick to them. She tasted sweet and lovely, and the only word running through the girl's mind as her breath became uneven was 'More'.

Elphaba though, tasted like a lot of things. She tasted a little like sea-salt, but just at the start. she had the smooth taste and tang of an old red-wine, and her breath smelled like spring flowers... All this was much more pleasant that Galinda had expected them to be, and it seemed to be almost sending her into a trance. Opening her mouth, wanting to know the feel of this girls tongue against her own, she was disheartened when she pulled away suddenly.

"I'm sorry," Elphaba stated quickly, panting a little, but her hands still set on their captive so as to not let Galinda go entirely. Closing her eyes and taking in a deep breath through her nose to calm herself. When she felt the blonde's hands loosen their grip and almost fall back to her sides, she opened them again.

"I didn't know," the shorter woman said, the look of remorse on her face almost painful to look at, "I didn't mean to..." she trailed off.

"Didn't mean to what?" Elphaba asked, her breath calm now, gently caressing that impossibly pale cheek, the apples redder than she'd ever seen them. The girl raised a few fingertips to her own lips, as though to chew on her nails, but they stopped at her lips, touching their swollen fullness... but her eyes never left Elphaba's mouth.

"I thought..." the blonde trailed off again. She understood. Smiling playfully, Elphaba kissed her temple, and pulled back again.

"Didn't mean to what? 'Kiss my breath away'?" She asked, obviously hating to use such a line, but hating even more that she meant it. The blush on the blonde's face spread from her cheeks over the bridge of her nose and to the tips of her cute little ears. "You won't hurt me..." She whispered, leaning in close and smiling widely.

"You're sure?" she asked timidly, "Because my tears - " she never got to finish. The next kiss was even slower, experimental, exploring. And Galinda finally got to know the feeling of that loving pink tongue against her own. Both rough and smooth, it let her discover the sweet warm mouth of this mysterious woman in black.

When the blonde felt something press against the small of her back, low, almost at her butt, she was compelled to turn around and see what it was. But Elphaba's hands at her hips didn't allow such movement, at least, not without letting go of the kiss. And she wasn't that interest in knowing what it was. But as the pressure from her companion increased, and she was sandwiched between Elphaba and a hard place, she realized it was the sill.

The green girl had pushed her back, almost to the wall, but she didn't even remember walking, or being moved... But then again, the warm mouth on hers, and the way it was gently teasing and tempting her tongue, was more than a small distraction. Slowly easing out of the kiss, Galinda was shocked to find that she couldn't get her lips to uncurl from the large smile plastered on her face. She was happy. In fact she couldn't remember the last time she was this...Joyified.

"See? No harm." Elphaba grinned right back, leaning in to kiss Galinda's chin lightly, along her jaw, down her neck. As she did this, it allowed the blonde to turn her head to look -- it was indeed the sill, but that wasn't the first thing that caught her attention. It was the boarded windows, or more specifically, the lighting slowly seeping in through the slats of the windows.

"Oh God!" Galinda almost shrieked, shocking the girl still tending to her affectionately, "It's nearly morning! I have a coach to meet!" at that Elphaba's head pulled until she was once again taller.

"What?"

"I have to go!" she realized, "I have a carriage to catch, and it's nearly two hours walk from here! Oh no... I'm going to be terribly late... I can't miss it!" and with that she tried to break free of Elphaba's hold to dash back down the large winding stairs and out the door, but she barely got further than a few paces.

"You're just leaving? Now?!" The taller woman asked, quickly grabbing Galinda's wrist, pulling her back to face her, "Just like that?" she sounded offended. She probably felt used, Galinda realized.

"Elphaba," She whispered, making it sound like a term of endearment, "I can't even tell you how much happiness it brings me just to know that you're alive." She placed a hand on either of the forrest cheeks, still slightly flushed from the long minutes before, "The peace-of-mind this trip has brought me so far exceeds what I was expecting to gain I half expect to wake up in bed sometime this week, convinced it was a dream... too good to be true."

"I promise you, that won't happen to me." she said, touching her neck gently with two fingers, to indicate her burns. This brought back the guilt to Galinda's eyes, but it only seemed to make Elphaba smile. "A small sentiment and reminder, if nothing else." she said quietly, leaning their foreheads together, "So I know this was no dream... that you missed me... That at least one person, in all of Oz, would indeed cry if I left this existence."

This made Galinda's eyes fill with tears again, but she quickly wiped them away. Leaning up the littlest bit, she placed what felt like a hundred little kisses on the smooth brown lips of the older girl, her eyes closed in hopes of holding back more tears.

"Oh, Unnamed God, I thought losing you once was hard enough, but losing you again -- after this -- ohh... it would be too painful." She let out a wet chuckled and paused her kissing to look the girl in her eyes, "It's my turn to die next, then it's your turn again... I don't think I'd live through a second time."

Elphaba reached up, and unhooked the small wooden toggle that held the long gray cloak together. As it fell to the ground at Galinda's feet, she suddenly felt incredibly naked.

"You don't have to lose me again so soon," The black-haired girl whispered, leaning in again for a proper kiss, "You could stay here with me a while longer...?"

"Elphaba." Galinda said with surprising firmness, turning her head at the last second, making the girl's lips connect with her cheek rather than her mouth, "It is a two-day journey from here back to the Emerald City, and I have been gone for three days already. As it is, five days gone may be too much and people may start asking questions. If I miss this coach -- there could be trouble... for both of us."

The taller girl sighed, resignedly. Wrapping her arms firmly around the slim waist of the girl she wracked her brain for a solution. The fact that Galinda didn't seem to be fighting tooth and nail to escape this embrace was enough to bring a small grin to the corner of her mouth.

"Your people can't find me here, and if someone should coming looking for me, no-one should fine you here..." Galinda sighed. "I have to go, and you have to stay. That's just the way our worlds are right now."

"WAIT!" Elphaba yelled excitedly, "The broom!"

"What about the broom?" Galinda asked skeptically.

"I could fly you back to the Emerald City." Elphaba offered excitedly, "You could stay until tonight, and I could fly you back once it starts getting dark. No one will see, and you would be back, safely tucked into your apartment's bed my morning. Flying only takes a couple hours."

"Does the broom hold two?" she asked, half hoping it wouldn't; she wasn't sure she wanted to fly. It sounded kind of... risky, to say the least.

"It's held Fiyero and I more than a couple times, and you probably weigh half as much as he does." she offered, almost nervous. "Well... I guess it's up to you... Would you rather go now and take the coach, or leave tonight on the broom with me?"

Oh, Galinda had never heard such a loaded question in her life! Did she wish to stay - of course! Did she want to fly? Were Monkeys born with wings - gosh no! So, it was a matter of what she was more afraid of; falling off a broom, miles down to earth, or running out that door, and possibly never seeing Elphaba again...

"I've never flown before." she stated, voice wavering, "Is it hard?" she whispered, almost stammering.

"Not the way I fly!" she laughed. Holding the girl tightly to her, their stomachs pressed intimately, she felt her tremble. "Cold?" she asked, assuming the shorter woman was shivering at having her coat removed.

"A little..." she mumbled, not looking at the green girl.

"Come down-stairs, I'll get you warmed up." Her voice was even and serious, but she smile was far too sly for it not to be hiding a second meaning to it.

"Down there?" Galinda asked, skeptically as she picked up her cloak. The other girl nodded.

"Yeah, this is pretty much where I live. I've fixed it up so it's almost livable." she joked, heading down a little step-ladder that must have been balanced somewhere in the dark below the opening. As the blonde peered down after her, she realized she couldn't see a thing. Grabbing the ledge, and reaching blindly with her feet until she found the rungs, she slowly made her way down deeply into the pit in the floor.

"Elphie?" she whispered urgently into the dark. What little light was in the room above their heads didn't seem to penetrate the the trap-door's opening. As she felt around only to encounter nothing, she blinked furiously, wanting her eyes to adjust more quickly. When she didn't hear a sound besides her own shuffled footsteps she became suddenly panicked in the dark and crashed twice.

The first thing smashed right into her shin, causing the girl to yelp in pain and go tumbling right into Elphaba. They both tumbled onto something soft, which she could only assume was the girl's bed. Furiously reach down to rub her injured leg, it took her a minute that she was half on top of the green girl.

"Sorry." she squeaked, halting all movement. She could feel the body below her shake with laughter before she heard it... it was a strange feeling, but oddly arousing.

"It's no problem." Elphaba said between slight giggles, easing out from under the girl and walking away into the dark again. Galinda still couldn't see her own hand in front of her face.

"Don't tell me you have night-vision too!" she griped nervously, still sort of jarred from their unexpected moment. There was a short chuckled, followed by the cracking of a lit match.

"Nope." she stated simply as she lit a candle and placed it on the night-stand. "Just live down here... I know my way around even without my eyes." Reaching into one of the drawers, she pulled out and lit a few more. Looking around, Galinda took in her surroundings as Elphaba placed the small orbs of light throughout the room.

The bed she still sat on was large, and lumpy, but almost impossibly soft. It had a huge comforter, also a little disproportional, but almost 'cozy'. This didn't seem Elphaba's style; she seemed more set on practicality rather than appearance; that much was reflected in her clothes and her attitude; but it certainly made the bed seem more inviting. And although she couldn't quite bring her self to look at it, no ready for all the thoughts that came to mind, she couldn't escape the thought that it certainly felt alluring under her bare legs and fingers.

Besides the bed, which was pressed against the wall by the head-board and almost hit the ladder at it's foot, there were a lot of little things. A portable desk, for writing on and holding pens and papers - it was practically overflowing. There were no shelves, but there had to be twice as many books in here than the older girl had brought with her to Shiz, if not more. There was a night stand, and a stove, and there seemed to be the odd stone missing from the wall, allowing for make-shift windows.

"Better?" Elphaba asked, standing back up after lighting a fire in a small iron oven. Galinda felt little change, but then again... she hadn't been all that cold in the first place.

"Yes. Muchly." She said quickly, feeling terribly out of her element as the taller girl sat next to her on the bed again. "Thank you." She wasn't used to this; being timid, being shy; being inexperienced and withdrawn. True, she knew she didn't know everything, but they seemed to be quickly heading into territory she knew nothing about.

"Get under the covers." It wasn't a question, and it wasn't an offer. That alone made Galinda want to argue, though mostly because (a) it was Elphaba, which meant that (b) it was habit, and (c) that had always seemed like a strange form of flirting between them. But she just did as she was told.

"You'll get warm in no time." Elphaba assured her, pulling the covers up to the blonde's shoulders and smiling as she almost tucked her in. "Try and get some rest; we'll be flying most of the night, remember?" Galinda nodded.

"I know..." she whispered, "But if I fall off and die, I'm coming back as a ghost to haunt you." The part that made Elphaba smile the most was that she sounded serious; like an innocent child that doesn't know better.

"Well, I'll be glad for the company... I'd be awfully lonely if you went and left me, forever." there was quiet for a while, the unspoken thoughts about how much it must have hurt Galinda when the green-girl was 'away', and how much Elphaba hoped she'd never have to know that same powerful ache. "You must be awfully tired!" she added suddenly. "Walking here in the dark, traveling for three days... up all night with me... Get some rest."

"What if I can't sleep?" she meant it as an honest question, but her cheeks colored as she realized too little - too late - that it had a significant other meaning. Elphaba settle next to her, on top of the covers, leaning back against the head-board as picking a book up off the night-stand.

"Then just rest. I'll be reading if you need anything." With that she leaned over lightly, and kissed the soft curls atop the head on the pillows next to her. "Sweet dreams, Glin." The grin that spread across her face at that was impossible to wipe away, and Elphaba couldn't help but think how adorable the woman looked, sleeping there next to her, with a happy little smirk on her lips...

"I could get used to that." She warned herself in a whisper, once she could tear her eyes away, "Just hope it doesn't happen too soon..."

To Be Continued...

VixenRaign

AngelicSinner

-