I saw the Greg Awards and I just want to say thank you so much for nominating me!! I started writing fan fiction because I really (like, obsessively) love Wicked, but I never thought anything like this would happen. So thank you!!!
A/N: Apparently I can't write happy stories, or anything that isn't angst. So here's another angsty, kind of weird story that I thought of. My characterization of Glinda here is a bit different to some interpretations I've seen, but honestly it's what I imagine she would do in this situation.
Disclaimer: Wicked is not mine and it's never going to be, unfortunately.
They were too close. Far too close. All it would take is one wrong step and everything would be over. All her attempts in vain.
The shouts of the Gale Force soldiers barely even registered as Elphaba ran. She could hear them, yes, and she was painfully aware of what they meant, however her oncoming headache was too strong to take in anything but the pounding in her ears. It was too loud, too hard, too fast.
It was wrong. This was all wrong. It wasn't meant to be like this; Oz, how could she be so stupid! Elphaba internally cursed herself over and over and over as she stumbled blindly, frantically through the forest, unsure where the sudden darkness had come from. Had her life really slipped this far out of her grasp?
It was pointless. Why should she carry on running now, when she knew she was going to die anyway? The Gale Force would find her, whether it was today, or tomorrow, or three weeks from now, they would find her, and they would kill her. There was no use resisting anymore.
And it was with these thoughts racing through her mind, her head about to explode, the dark void of her surroundings consuming her, that she stopped. And she fell.
Had she tripped? Had the weight finally become too much to carry? It was impossible to say, but all the green witch knew in that moment was that she was lying on the cold forest floor, her face buried deep in what felt like a bed of thorns. She couldn't remember seeing any rose bushes nearby.
She wanted it to end. She wanted to black out completely, and at last leave this agonising consciousness behind, but all her efforts came to nothing. Despite her desperate pleas for what she knew was her last hope for solace, or perhaps just quiet nothingness, she could not let go.
Where had the Gale Force gone? She couldn't hear them anymore. Maybe her hearing had blacked out too. Maybe she was actually going to die.
But no, she could still hear the sounds of the forest. Various forest creatures scurrying away from her, the wind blowing leaves softly to the ground, a faint shuffling in the distance.
For Oz' sake, can't it just be over already!
The shuffling was growing louder. It didn't sound like the Gale Force, they were far too clumsy, and surely they would be running to her in celebration of their victory. Although maybe they had decided to try a new tactic...
Good. They would put her out of her misery.
The noise abruptly stopped, just as she was certain it was next to her. Was this it? Was this the way her life ended? Had it all truly amounted to nothing? She lay motionless, in silent anticipation of her defeat.
To her surprise, the sharp impact she was expecting never came. Instead, she felt a surprisingly gentle touch on her arm.
"Elphie."
No. This was wrong. Everything was wrong; she had messed up and-
"Elphaba," the voice persisted.
She knew she should get up. Turn around and face her failures, try and fix things, as far as that was possible, but she was drained. Completely empty, beyond hopeless.
"Elphie! Please! Are you okay?"
"No..." It took energy that Elphaba didn't know she had, and yet it felt natural. Almost familiar, like returning home.
Her only response was an audible whimper, and the owner of the voice gently pulled her up until she was in a sitting position, stabilised by hands that the green girl knew all too well.
"What do you want?" She stared at the blonde as a wave of nostalgia and unwanted hope flooded back to her.
"I'm helping you Elphie," she looked, to some extent, offended by the question, "of course I am."
"Well don't." Elphaba tried to turn away, but her companion's grip was too strong.
"Elphie!"
"I'm sorry, okay?" she snapped suddenly, and immediately her face contorted into a look of regret. "Sorry."
"Why are you sorry, you're the injured one, you were left all alone-"
"That's the point. I messed up, Glinda." The witch's voice was laced with false strength, "it's my fault I ended up here in the first place."
"Elphie, no. Not now."
"When else? I gave myself a death sentence. I should see it through."
Her eyes glimmered with an unreadable expression. Pain far worse than anything Glinda had ever experienced, that was for sure. It made her heart ache in a new way; a torturous, indescribable new way.
"You have every right to hate me." This time Elphaba's voice was clearer, but at the same time it seemed to carry more hurt.
"But I don't, Elphaba, I don't hate you. If I'm honest, yes, I have scars. Yes, I have moments that haunt me night after night, but I could never hate you." Her voice trembled, "just please let me help you. I need you to be safe."
Elphaba sighed and closed her eyes. This wasn't part of her plan. Not that she had a plan, it's just that she had never expected this to happen; someone to care. Someone who mattered, at least.
It was something she hadn't felt in years, being here with Glinda, and even in spite of the current situation, it was intoxicating. Elphaba found that as hard as she tried, she just couldn't find it in her to resist.
"Whatever. Just don't expect much enthusiasm," she mumbled weakly. "And remember I'm a wanted criminal."
"That doesn't matter, I have enough power to make them help you," Glinda laughed quietly. "Thank you. This means a lot to me."
And as she gently lifted her off the ground and conjured her bubble, she whispered softly, "I love you, Elphie."
A/N: Thank you for reading, I hope it's not too out of character. Reviews and constructive criticism are welcome!