So I had time to post another chapter this week! YAY.

Last chapter didn't get too many reviews... I hope you guys like this one better.

Chapter 3

I have to do it tonight. Elphaba repeated it like it was a chant. It has to be tonight.

Galinda had warned her again, that same morning, that tickets for the tour were running out fast. If you don't buy them soon, she had said, you won't be able to go on the trip even if your father says yes.

So Elphaba had decided that tonight had to be the night she would ask him. This was her only chance, she decided, and she was not about to back out... no matter how frightening the thought of his anger was.

She looked anxiously at the dinner table; It was set up perfectly, with three beautiful place settings. She had taken out the good plates and cutlery from inside an almost never opened closet in their kitchen, and had done up the table with flowers. The whole house smelled of lavender scented candles and the Vegetable Pot Pie she had baking in the oven. Everything looked fantastic. But the more she looked at the outcome of her hard work, the more she hated it. There was something wrong with it, she knew, and though she couldn't tell what it was, her father certainly would. He had a talent for finding mistakes in things... particularly things that Elphaba did.

She paced nervously around the room, thinking about all the other things she could possibly do to in anticipation of her father's arrival. Apart from preparing the dinner, she had set all his mail in a neat pile on his desk in the sitting room, she had made sure his robe was washed and ironed and she had purposefully avoided using hot water during her bath so that there would be enough for him when he got home. She knew she was going a little overboard with the preparations for his arrival. Based on books, and things that Galinda had told her about her family, she knew that it normally shouldn't have taken this much effort to convince a parent to let one go on a trip, but she also realized that her family wasn't 'normal' - she was green, her sister was crippled and her father hated her. Not to mention that she had killed her own mother when she was three years old. Elphaba pushed the thought out of her mind before it began eating away at her conscience again. No, she was willing to go that extra mile if it meant that Frex would even consider letting her go.

The door opened with a loud slam and she took a deep breath, preparing herself.

"Hello father..." She began, but Frex stormed past her, dumping his bag on the floor furiously.

Oh no.

His flared nostrils and narrowed eyes filled her with distress.

No no no. Don't be angry. Not tonight.

"Is everything ok?" She asked, feigning concern,"Was the business meeting alright?"

"The meeting was fine."

His reply was curt. Nothing out of the ordinary there.

"And the trip back? I know it's a long journey from the Vinkus to here..."

"The trip was fine," he growled, "It was what happened before the trip."

The dread in the pit of Elphaba's stomach grew even stronger.

"What happened?" She asked, reluctant to know the answer.

"It was these two idiotic boys," He said furiously, standing beside the table, staring at his shoes as though they were the offenders. "I was getting into a carriage, on my way to the train station, when they came up to me sniveling, and asked me for money... claiming it was to buy medicine for a sick brother. And then when I gave it to them, they went and bought beer with it! Can you imagine that?!" He threw his arms in the air, "Can you imagine the mindset of these youngsters to lie that their sibling is sick to get money off a poor, unsuspecting citizen?"

He shook his head. "I've been in that train for a whole day and the thought of them still riles me up. You know what the problem with these children are? Their parents don't set any rules for them."

He looked pointedly at Elphaba. "You girls should consider yourself lucky that I've been so firm with you, otherwise you might have ended up like those banshees. Taking advantage of other people's kindnesses to get drunk. Where do they get the nerve?"

He was about to march angrily out of the room, when he noticed the decorated table.

"What is this?" He demanded.

"Nothing," Elphaba said, meekly, "Just a welcome home dinner."

He gave her a hard look, regarding her with distaste before finally saying, "Good. I'm starving. Where's Nessa?"

"She's in her room."

"I'm going to go say hi to her."

He walked towards the door, then paused and turned back to look at her.

"You used the lavender candles. How many times do I have to tell you I hate the lavender candles? Can't you do anything right?"

He then proceeded to stalk out of the room in search of her sister.

His parting words had no effect on Elphaba, however, as she suddenly had bigger things on her mind than the fact that Lavender scented candles made Frex sneeze.

I can't believe this, she thought, tears stinging her eyes, Why does this have to happen on the one night I need to ask him something?

There was no way Frex would give her permission to go on the trip... not when he was in a mood like this. She tried to convince herself that she didn't care - that she probably wouldn't have gotten permission anyway - but the despair in her heart didn't allow her to believe it.

I hope that beer was worth it. She thought aggressively. Those assholes have no idea that they just singlehandedly ruined my life.

"Father?" Elphaba asked quietly, peeking into the living room.

She had just finished seeing Nessa to bed, and was about to go to sleep herself when she thought again about asking Frex about the trip. She had promised herself she would do it tonight... and Frex had calmed down after the dinner. After all, Vegetable Pot Pie and Nessa had always been his two favourite things, and they seemed to help get his mind off the incident with the two boys. He was now reading his mail and drinking coffee in the sitting room, exhausted but seemingly content.

This was the her moment.

"Yes, Elphaba," he said wearily, "Come in."

His tone didn't bother her... she was used to it. It was no surprise that Frex didn't enjoy spending one-on-one time with his green-skinned, wife-killing child. She walked into the room and stood awkwardly beside the couch as he finished reading his letter.

As she waited - just for a moment - the thought of not getting permission and just going for the trip in secret crossed her mind. She imagined just sneaking off without telling him anything. She could hide her bag in the coffee shop... surely Anna would hide it for her... and then at night when Frex and Nessa were asleep, she could sneak down there, grab it and run to the hotel room Galinda had been staying in since graduation. Then, the next morning they would get on the train and soon be chugging far away from Munchkinland. She felt a surge of exhilaration picturing it, but it went away as soon as she realized that it wouldn't work. It would hardly take Frex a day to figure out that a large sum of money was missing, and with his power and contacts finding out that his green-skinned daughter was on the tour train would be a breeze. As governor all he'd need to do would be to send a telegram to the first station on the route and they'd throw her off the train as soon as possible. He'd then bring her back to their house and never let her step foot in the sun again for as long as she lived.

"What do you want?" He asked, finishing his letter and looking up at her.

"I... wanted to ask you something."

"Yes, that's obvious."

She shifted uneasily, unsure of how to begin and he sighed irritably.

"Out with it, girl. I've had a long day."

She tugged nervously at the sleeve of her pajama top. This is it.

"There's uh... this trip... and it's for a month. There's this company... Southland Tours, they're called... and they go all around Oz and sightsee and stuff. My friends are going and I sort of... uh... wanted to go too."

Frex raised his eyebrows.

"A month?"

"Yes... but please father," she said, hastily, "I've never asked you for anything in the past. This is something I really want to do. Please let me do this. I just want one month to say goodbye to my friend Galinda and explore Oz, that's all. And I promise when I come back I'll do everything you need me to do. I'll do extra work around the house, I'll drop Nessa to college every morning..." she trailed off, nervously, suddenly noticing her father's strange expression.

He looked almost amused, she realized, like she had reminded him of a funny joke someone had told him. But he remained silent, his small, dark eyes hovering over her face as he contemplated her words. He finally coughed softly.

"If I allow you to go on this trip," he began slowly.

Her heart jumped.

"You will agree to everything I have planned for you when you come back?"

Oh my Oz. Is he actually agreeing to this?

"Yes father," she said, trying not to sound too eager, "I promise."

"Whatever it may be... whatever I tell you to do, you will do it without complaint?" He asked.

Elphaba nodded vigorously.

"Alright then," he gave her a forced smile, "I guess you're going on a trip."

Elphaba's head was swimming.

"Thank you so much! Thank you!" The words were falling out of her mouth with sheer joy. "You have no idea..."

"But before you leave, you must make preparations," he said, cutting her off, "Nanny must know Nessa's schedule and you have to train her in the duties she must perform while you are away. You have to tell her when to iron my shirts and how to brew proper coffee and when to water the plants. You can't just waltz out of here without making the proper arrangements, understood?"

"Yes, of course. I'll sit with her tomorrow and go over everything."

He nodded and turned back to his letters. "See that you do."

Elphaba was practically floating by the time she got back to her room.

He's really allowing me to go!

She replayed the scene in her mind, unable to believe that it had actually happened.

I'm really getting out of here for a whole month!

For a whole entire month she was allowed to do whatever she wanted. She could spend time with Galinda without worrying about doing chores and taking care of Nessa and getting home by eight. She could eat whatever she wanted without making sure that it was something her father and Nessa wanted to eat too. She could read for hours and not be disturbed by someone telling her to go out and buy more toothpaste.

For a whole entire month, she would not have to bother about taking care of anyone else and could just think of herself for a change.

Elphaba felt like her heart was going to burst. Finally, for once in her twenty-two miserable years of existence, Frex had made her feel truly happy.

Next chapter is gonna be a big one. *hint hint*