Chapter 14

Glinda was married. Perhaps knowing this Elphaba felt more comfortable the first night she and Fiyero had slipped beneath the covers together. It had been five long years since she had come this close to anyone. She hadn't allowed anyone in, and though she was now allowing Fiyero to pleasure her in a way she had never been pleasured before, she still had her hesitations, her limitations. Fiyero's hands could not wonder below her midsection. If they did then this little affair would become real. No one had touched her below the waist, other than Glinda, and she wanted to keep it that way.

It wasn't that she didn't like Fiyero, for she had many years ago. She had liked him from the first day he had stumbled in to their classroom that one day. Oh, he was such a timid, young boy. Elphaba had adored him, but in a completely different way than she had adored Glinda. That was the difference. She liked Fiyero, but she was in love with Glinda.

And so Elphaba allowed Fiyero to believe he was in love with her, though she shouldn't have. For she did not love him, not in that way. Her heart, her nonexistent soul, belonged to Glinda. Yes, though she had denied having a soul, she liked to believe that Glinda had taken it with her when they had parted. Conceivably not having a soul made this little affair with Fiyero okay.

So she allowed him to press in to her and she felt something completely new. It was definitely different from what she had shared with Glinda. He was less careful, less attentive, almost a careless lover. But Elphaba made him believe he was doing fine, faking when she had to. Though she didn't know why she did it. Maybe it was because she wanted to feel that pleasure, maybe she needed the contact. Certainly Glinda was experiencing the same sort of enjoyment with her husband.

Elphaba closed her eyes and tried to envision Glinda in her mind, to get her through that first night. It had worked, but it made her lose her sense of what Glinda had actually been like.

Oh, how she missed Glinda.

Fiyero returned often after that first night. Sometimes they would just talk, other times they would share a sex filled night with one another. Though after nights like that Elphaba would be in a rage the next time they saw one another. Fiyero didn't understand what was going on. He didn't realize she felt guilty, for after all she was cheating on Glinda. He didn't know about her though, nor would he ever know. It was ironic that both were cheating on their wives. Though in Fiyero's case, he sure didn't care. That was what infuriated Elphaba about men. They never seemed to care about what others felt, they weren't as conscientious as women. Elphaba often had this discussion with Fiyero who played it down and never seemed to listen. He believed it was just playful banter.

One night while they were talking about Fiyero's wife offering for him to sleep with her sister, Elphaba let something slip. She had inquired if being on the bad side of one's wife was such a bad thing, for she had never really experienced this marital repartee, and Fiyero had responded, "You're not married, you don't know: Yes, a bad thing."

"I am married," she had said defiantly, "just not to a man." She had let is slip, unconsciously. She covered her mouth quickly, surprised by her own words. She could have just left it had 'I am married' and it would have been elusive, okay. But no, she had gone on and let it slide right out. Luckily Fiyero had not asked questions, but had embraced her as the burning tears stung down her cheeks.

And so to make up for her momentary lapse in emotion, Elphaba showed a rare display of love that night.

Glinda stepped off the train, the bright sunlight hitting her golden curls. Everyone seemed to be watching as she was helped off the train and then stood, poised, waiting for her husband to claim their luggage and hand it over to a station boy. She glanced around, half expecting Elphaba to be standing there, but she knew that was highly unlikely.

Moments later she felt a hand slip in to her own and she looked over to see her husband smiling at all the onlookers as he paraded his beautiful wife through the crowd. Glinda smiled at the people but inside she frowned. She hated being a possession, something Chuffrey could just show off whenever he wanted.

He helped her in to the carriage that waited for them and then off they went to the Florinthwaite Club, where they would be staying for the next few days. Glinda stared, fixedly, out at the passing people in the street. It was as if she were delusional, for she swore she saw Elphaba about eight times on the way to the club. She had to pinch herself to remind herself that Elphaba would be nowhere near the centre of the city.

When they arrived at the club, they were swept up to a suite on the top floor. Glinda removed her shawl as they walked through the doors of the suite, glancing admirably around. The design of the room was immaculate, and she quite enjoyed the awkward walls which seemed to melt together at different angles. The room itself was very colorful and bright. Glinda immediately went to the window, throwing the blinds open to reveal a beautiful overlook of the Emerald City. An arm wrapped around her middle and she half expected to turn and find herself in Elphaba's arms, for this was exactly the way it had been that first day when they had arrived in the Emerald City, but instead she found Chuffrey.

She allowed him to kiss her, his lips careless against her own.

"I have to go attend to some business. I should be back in time for dinner. Feel free to go shopping, just charge it to my account." He moved away from her as he talked, changing into some business like clothes.

Glinda turned and watched him, smiling when he looked up. The smile masked the disgust she felt every time she saw him. Though the marriage had seemed like a good idea in the beginning, she was beginning to get bored with it, and everyday she longed for Elphie more.

Oh, how close she felt to Elphaba, yet she was so far away, for she had no idea where to begin looking for the beautiful thing.

Once Chuffrey had gone, Glinda pulled her shawl back on, and headed back out to the street. She paused right outside the club's front doors, pondering where exactly it was she wanted to go. She could tell that if she turned left she would walk right in to the city's centre and there would lay all the shops, but she wondered what would happen if she turned right. To the right everything seemed grim, but knowing Elphie that was exactly where she was.

Unsure about the city thus far, Glinda decided to turn left and head towards the centre. Perhaps while she shopped she could pick up hints as to what was happening with the Animal movements and where she could possibly locate Elphaba. Possibly the next day she could venture into the muck and grim of the city in search of her wife.

That morning Elphaba awoke, feeling Fiyero still lying beside her. She pushed him away, knowing she had to get up to go receive her next mission. She allowed him to sleep while she got dressed and then left without waking him. She didn't feel bad leaving him, she never did. And if she had awoken him, he would have kept her from getting to her meeting spot on time.

Elphaba raced through the alleys, knowing she was going to be a bit late. Though the group she was in would wait, she was too much of a valuable player for them to give up on her. She had pulled off many tasks and had quite impressed the elders of the group. So if she were a few minutes late, she would still receive the note. The note that would determine the next week or so of her life. She wondered if they would make her go away for a few months, they often did. Fiyero hated it, but it was a welcome break from him.

As Elphaba headed towards the little shop located near the infamous Florinthwaite Club that stood just on the outside of the busiest part of the Emerald City, she could have sworn she saw someone very familiar.

Could it be?

Elphaba hid behind a building, glancing carefully around the corner, needing a second glance to confirm who she believed she had just seen.

Tears danced in her eyes.

How could anyone mistake those golden curls? That figure? Those lips? That yellow ring that gleamed on her right hand ring finger?

Elphaba's legs nearly gave out on her and she had to lean against the side of the building for support.

"Glinda!" She whispered, clasping a hand over her beating heart.

Glinda still loved her.

More questions arose. How long had she been in the Emerald City? Was she happy with her husband? Why was she in the Emerald City? How old was she now? Did she still think about Elphaba as much as Elphaba thought about her? How long would she be here?

No, no. She couldn't approach her; she could only glance at her from afar. She was in too much danger as it was, for she was late on picking up her assignment. She couldn't just go up to Glinda and drag her in to the mess Elphaba's life had become. No, it wouldn't be possible, for she knew that if Glinda saw her she would never leave Elphie's side again. Elphaba could sense it.

A sad, distraught, though glad feeling passed through Elphaba as she watched Glinda walk towards the centre of the Emerald City. She would probably spend the day shopping. Why couldn't Elphaba just go up to her? Would it be possible?

No. No she wouldn't do it. She was in no position in her life to claim Glinda again.

But she wanted her so badly. The scar Glinda had left on the inside of Elphaba's thigh began to throb as if a sign for Elphaba to go to Glinda.

She just couldn't.

Elphaba hurried to the little shop, collected her assignment, after a firm warning that the next time she was late she would be kicked out of the group, and then hurried back to her little warehouse loft, finding Fiyero had left.

Good, she thought. She needed to be alone.

What had she just done? The person she had been longing for for the past five years was here, in the Emerald City, and she was avoiding her? It didn't make sense.

Elphaba let the note she had received fall to the floor. It was unimportant.

Elphaba placed her hands on the stone that was still linked around her neck. She held it up to the afternoon sun and watched as the sun changed the stone from pink to green.

Oh, what had she done? What if tomorrow Glinda was gone? What if the had been her chance?

Frustrated, Elphaba fell face down in to her pillow and cried.

TBC...thanks for all the reviews guys! I promise the next chapter is going to be so amazing...but only if I get fun reviews! Lol. JK, it will be awesome anyway. Okay hope you enjoyed!