Chapter 6
"Fiyero really, this isn't necessary" Elphaba protested as Fiyero carried her into the safe house.
Glinda was getting a kick out of seeing Elphaba react to being babied this way.
"You don't really have a say in this" Fiyero replied carrying Elphaba into the house and down the hall to her room. "No strenuous activities, remember?
"How strenuous can walking be?" Elphaba snapped.
Glinda hobbled along with them, and opened the bedroom door for Fiyero. Fiyero took Elphaba to the bed and gently laid her down on it.
"There, was that so difficult?"
"It was mortifying." Elphaba replied.
Glinda and Fiyero laughed while Elphaba huffed.
"Alright you two," Fiyero said. "I have to get back. We have some good information from our inside source about where the Grimmerie can be located. I'll be back when I know more." He kissed Elphaba on the forehead, then turned to Glinda, hugged her and kissed her cheek before leaving the room.
Elphaba sat up in the bed. "You know I'm going to go stir crazy if I can't do anything."
Glinda sat on the edge of the bed next to Elphaba. "I'm sorry, but you're just going to have to do what you're told. Is there anything you need right now?" She put her hand on Elphaba's thigh.
Elphaba enjoyed the momentary touch. "Just having you here right now is all I need. Thank you for being there for me."
"I'll always be there for you." Glinda replied. "I love you Elphie."
Elphaba felt her heart melt at those simple words. Glinda got up and turned to the bureau to get out their bed wear. Elphaba just watched her fumble through the drawers looking for something to wear. Although she knew Glinda wouldn't find what she was looking for in the bureau, she didn't immediately speak up, choosing instead to watch this fantastic woman for a just a moment. She felt such a deep and abiding love for the beautiful blonde. Just being in her presence felt warm and comforting. Before the unfortunate events of the day, Elphaba just might have been content to be in Glinda's presence, never revealing how she felt about her. But that all changed in her infirm condition.
Elphaba wasn't sure, but she thought she heard Glinda admit that she was in love with her while she was at the hospital. A part of her heard much of what Glinda was saying, or thought she did. It was those words that helped her to fight her way back. They gave her strength. She wasn't sure if she really heard those words or if they were just the manifestation of her own desires working themselves out in semi-lucid dreams. She wanted to know.
"Hey you, your pink night shirt is hanging up in the bathroom." Elphaba stated.
"Oh, I forgot." Glinda replied. She headed for the bathroom to retrieve the night shirt.
"Get my stuff while you're in there." Elphaba called after her.
Elphaba watched Glinda disappear into the bathroom. She'd made a decision. It wasn't an easy decision, but the time had come. She almost lost Glinda today. That sobering fact made her realize that she couldn't put this off the way she did at Shiz. The mission they were embarking on was dangerous. There was a very real possibility that one or more of them might not survive, as the day's events had taught her. She couldn't take the chance that Glinda might slip away from her without ever knowing how she felt. If Glinda really did admit to loving her, then she had to let her know the feelings were mutual. The proposition scared her immensely, but it was a chance she had to take.
Glinda emerged from the bathroom dressed in the pink night shirt. She brought Elphaba's garments with her as well.
"Come on, I'll help you." Glinda said. She sat down next to Elphaba and gently helped her get her shirt off over her head. She wrapped her arms around Elphaba and helped her to stand so that she could get the rest of her clothes off. Glinda held onto Elphaba to help her keep her balance. The sensation of being next to the naked green woman was overwhelming. Glinda closed her eyes, trying not to react yet relishing being this close to her Elphie. After a few moments, Elphaba was dressed for bed, and Glinda gently eased her back down so that Elphaba could sit up at the edge of the bed.
Glinda felt flushed at the contact. She didn't expect to be overcome by such strong emotions. "I'll go make us some coffee." Glinda stated almost breathlessly. She was blushing and needed an excuse to get away. Leaving her cane behind, Glinda hobbled towards the door.
For Elphaba, it was now or never. "Glinda." She called just as Glinda had opened the door. "I don't need any coffee. I need to talk to you."
Glinda felt her face flush again. She left the door open a crack in case she needed a quick getaway. She took a deep breath and returned to the bed, sitting next to Elphaba.
"You sound serious." Glinda said sheepishly.
"This is serious. But before we begin, I need you to promise me that you'll be completely honest with me."
Glinda didn't like how this conversation was starting out. She felt a lump in her throat and swallowed hard as her heart started to pick up the pace. She agreed to Elphaba's request.
Elphaba's heart was racing too. She wondered how she should approach the subject. If she didn't hear what she thought she heard, she didn't want to embarrass her friend or herself for that matter. But if she did hear the words correctly, she needed to know. She took a deep breath and looked directly into Glinda's eyes.
"When I was in the hospital, I was in a dark place. There was no conscious thought. I just existed in a void."
Glinda was listening intently.
"I can't explain it, but even though I was in that dark place, I could hear you speaking to me."
Glinda's heart was pounding. Fear began to creep in as she realized where this conversation was going.
"Glinda, I have to know." Elphaba paused. She looked away, then looked back again. "Did you tell me you loved me? That you were IN love with me?"
This was it. It was Glinda's moment of truth. She could deny it, trying to preserve their friendship, but she had promised to be honest with Elphaba. She felt disconcerted. Looking down at her hands which she was busy wringing together nervously, Glinda spoke up. "I did." She said in an almost inaudible whisper. She was devastated. She just knew that Elphaba was going to ask her to leave.
Elphaba was elated. She couldn't believe the woman she loved felt the same way about her.
"Glinda, this changes everything." Elphaba said.
"It doesn't have to" Glinda replied frantically. "Just forget I ever said it. Please, let's just go back to the way we were before. Pretend you never heard it."
Elphaba was stunned. "Glinda, you really just expect me to forget about this? I can't go back. We can't go back. It's too late for that."
Glinda didn't want to face the rejection. She stood up and put her hands up in front of her. "Ok, ok! I know what you're going to say, and I don't want to hear it." Tears were starting to develope in Glinda's eyes.
Elphaba was at a loss. This wasn't going at all the way she'd expected.
"I'll get dressed, and I'll be out of here as soon as possible. It's enough for me to know that you're alive, and that you're going to be alright." Glinda said with exasperation as she fought back the tears.
Glinda turned towards the bathroom where she left her clothes. Elphaba's eyes widened as she realized that Glinda thought she was rebuffing her.
"Glinda, that's not what I'm saying" Elphaba held. She jumped up from the bed wanting to go after Glinda, but she jumped up too quickly. The vertigo was immediate.
"Well what are you saying because….." Glinda turned around at that moment and saw Elphaba struggling to reach the bureau in an attempt to balance herself.
It didn't work. Elphaba fell to one knee placing her hands on the floor to steady herself. Her head was spinning.
"Elphie!" Glinda cried out. She hurried to Elphaba's side, forgetting her sore knee altogether.
Glinda wrapped her arms around Elphaba's waist and gently helped her back onto the bed. Elphaba was breathing heavily as she tried to recover from the dizziness that momentarily overtook her.
"Elphie talk to me. Are you ok?" Glinda asked with concern as she brushed Elphaba's hair behind her ear.
Elphaba took one last deep breath and opened her eyes. The dizziness had subsided. She looked over at Glinda which made Glinda ease off of the contact and self-consciously drop her hands into her own lap.
"Glinda, please hear me. I don't want you to leave." Elphaba said softly. Glinda was looking down towards the ground, not wanting to meet Elphaba's eyes. "All I was trying to tell you……" Elphaba's heart began to pound furiously. She looked down at the floor, then put her fingers under Glinda's chin and lifted her head up so that she could look into the blonde woman's eyes. "Glinda, I love you too."
Glinda couldn't believe what she just heard. "Wh what?" she stuttered.
Elphaba took a deep breath and straightened her posture. "I love you Glinda. I'm in love with you, and I have been for a long time." Elphaba echoed Glinda's sentiments.
Glinda just stared for a moment, still unwilling to believer her own ears. "Elphie, don't say it if you don't mean it."
"I meant every word. I love you, and there's only one way I know how to prove it to you."
Elphaba reached her hand up to Glinda's face. Glinda leaned into the offered hand, briefly closing her eyes. As Elphaba leaned in, Glinda could feel her breathing stop. This was the moment she had been waiting for. The moment she'd dreamed about for years.
Elphaba leaned in towards Glinda and gently put her lips on the golden girl's. The kiss was slow and soft at first. As their mouths opened, their tongues found one another, giving tacit approval to forever alter their relationship. A tear streamed down Glinda's cheek as the long, soft, deep kiss continued. It was everything she'd ever dreamed of and more. For both women there were butterflies, sparks and fireworks. It was everything love was supposed to be, and it was far better either woman ever imagined it could be.
Elphaba wrapped her arms around Glinda while Glinda ran her fingers through Elphaba's hair. The two continued the kiss until at long last, they reluctantly parted.
Elphaba opened her eyes and was met with the most beautiful smile she'd ever seen. Elphaba smiled back and slowly stood up, holding Glinda's hands in hers.
"Elphie, be careful."
"It's ok. I'm moving slowly this time."
Elphaba gently pulled Glinda up to her. The two locked in an embrace and began their passionate kissing all over again.
Fiyero was walking down the hall and noticed Elphaba's door was ajar. He walked over quietly and opened the door catching a glimpse of the two women kissing one another. The kiss broke off and the women just held each other. Elphaba looked up and spotted Fiyero at the door. Fiyero just smiled and winked. Holding his finger up to his lips hushing Elphaba, he silently closed the door, leaving the women to their privacy.
Fiyero smiled to himself. His two girls had found their way to one another. The moment he saw Glinda at Baraq's castle, he knew they would. Their love for one another radiated from each of them. It was unmistakable. He was happy, especially for Elphaba. Now that they were together, he vowed to help it stay that way, and to protect both of them. Fiyero walked back towards his room, still smiling.
Elphaba and Glinda began kissing each other again. Every move was deliberate and slow. Glinda helped Elphaba remove her tank top, and Elphaba relieved Glinda of her night shirt. The two pressed themselves together, and soaked in the sensation of being immersed in one another. Glinda leaned her head back as Elphaba continued planting soft kisses on her jaw, neck and collarbone. She tucked her head forward onto Elphaba's shoulder and returned the affections.
Elphaba pulled back to look into her love's eyes. The women held their gaze as they ran their hands slowly over one another. Elphaba caressed Glinda's cheek, then ran her hand down her neck to her shoulder. Leaning down, she placed a soft kiss on the supple shoulder. Glinda let her hands wash over Elphaba's back. The green woman's skin felt velvety to the touch. As Elphaba kissed her shoulder, sending shivers up her spine, she curled her fingers up and lightly scratched Elphaba's back, moving her hands upwards until she was able to wrap her arms around the green woman's neck. The women found each other's mouths again and began another deep, explorative kiss. After a long moment there was a reluctant separation. Still continuing to caress one another, Glinda and Elphaba silently regarded one another's eyes. There was so much love, so much adoration, and so much fire inside each of them. Without a word, they intuitively allowed themselves to take the next step.
The two women finished undressing. Elphaba reached out and turned the knob of the oil lamp, effectively dousing the light before the lovers fell softly onto the bed.
The night was filled with soft, deep, passionate kisses and fiery love making. The women delighted in exploring each other, and after hours of fervent, adoring love, they were exhausted. Still intertwined with one another, they fell asleep in each other's arms. Years of bottled up feelings, secret longing and emotions were expressed that night. It was the most perfect night either could imagine. It was a fantastically magic night, and it was only the first.