I'm Not Sad Anymore

One-Shot 7: Promise Me

AN: Okay, so before we get to the story, I have some questions.

1. Are any of you interested in my If/Then story? If not, I'll stop writing that (at least for now) and focus on this. Please let me know what I should do.

2. This is currently rated T. Do you think the content so far is appropriate for that rating? Would anyone want me to write M rated content? I've never done it before, but I'd be open to trying. I'm still taking requests. And nothing is off limits; if I like your idea, I'll write it and I'll change the rating if I have to.

I got a request to write Glinda confessing about Elphie to Chuffrey. This is this one-shot (with some mother-daughter cuteness) . It takes place a little later in the evening than my first one-shot—the tenth anniversary of Elphaba's "death" (They're connected but not in order which is why I'm calling them one-shots). If you don't remember Glinda's part of the first one-shot, it will help to re-read it before this.

Watching Melena sleep was always the highlight of Glinda's day. The look of sheer innocence upon her daughter's face was enough to melt Glinda's heart even on cold days. And this day had been the coldest day in a while. The tenth anniversary of Elphie's death. She had the change the speech every year and every year it made her more and more nauseous to write.

"Today is a reminder that wickedness will not prevail. Goodness will always win."

The irony was almost comical. For Glinda, this day was a reminder that evil can and does beat what is good. It's not that Glinda really thought the little girl was evil, but she represented the ignorance of the Ozian population and on that fateful day, Glinda learned that ignorance may as well be wickedness, for they similarly affect the world.

"The wicked witch is dead! The wicked witch is dead! The wicked witch is…"

And as she began the chant, tears running down her porcelain cheeks (of course, they were wrongly taken for tears of happiness and joy), she-for the tenth time-considered telling the truth. She had always had regrets when it came to making that promise to Elphie, but because it was the only thing she had left of her best friend, she would be hard-pressed to break it.

Melena coming home from school that evening brightened up her day like no one else could. Magnus was always a comfort and knew Glinda deeply, but Melena was different. Glinda truly saw herself in Melena—well, all the positive qualities. And if she squinted, she saw Elphie. Well, at least Glinda saw the elements of Elphaba's goodness she purposefully instilled in her child. Melena was the kindest child in all of Oz, and Glinda knew it. After all, the "aunt" and guardian angel she didn't knew she had was good. And Melena saw that. She understood it in ways Glinda didn't even as an adult. As Glinda watched her beautiful daughter rest from the doorway, she remembered the recent conversation.

"I don't think the witch was evil. I think she was just sad."

Sad. Elphie was sad. It made so much sense to Glinda so suddenly, she could barely muster up a reply to her daughter. She told Melena she agreed (which was the honest truth) and then sent her to clean up for supper while Glinda collected herself. As the family ate and Melena chatted with her father happily, Glinda played with her food in silence. After the little girl was finished eating, Chuffrey lifted her out of her seat and set her down, motioning her towards her bedroom.

"I'm going to get her ready for bed, darling. I'll be in our room when you're ready. Take all the time you need." This is what Magnus had whispered to his wife along with a quick kiss before he left Glinda alone in the kitchen.

One of the servants of Chuffrey Manor stepped to the table. "Would you like me to clear the table, Lady Glinda?" Glinda nodded gratefully and went to stand near her window for the umpteenth time that day. Usually, Glinda did most of the chores around the house. It made her uncomfortable to have people working for her. But tonight, she didn't trust herself to not put the dishes in the refrigerator and the leftovers in the dish washer.

She stood by the window for an unusual amount of time before realizing what she needed to feel better. She quietly walked past her own bedroom where Magnus was already reading, and walked to her daughter's bedroom. She was also awake, sitting up in bed. Glinda slowly walked inside. "What are you still doing up, sweet girl?"

"I was waiting for you, momma."

"Oh, I didn't know you were waiting," Glinda said apologetically as she quickly walked to Melena's bed. She sat down, bouncing, and the little girl giggled which in turn, made Glinda giggle as well. Both stopped laughing eventually, and Melena climbed into her mother's lap, resting her forehead against Glinda's. Both were silent for several minutes. Glinda looked into her daughter's eyes and saw such wisdom. It didn't make sense; Melena was five and she had never faced a hard day in her life, but she was observant and empathetic and intuitive beyond all but one adult she had ever known.

Melena broke the silence. "What are you thinking about, mommy?"

"I just love you, my darling daughter. You amaze me."

Melena smiled and began to play with her mother's hair. "I'm a good girl because you're a good girl."

Glinda laughed. "I suppose that's true." The woman paused for a moment. "You have a question in your eyes, my love. What is it?"

"It's not a question." This confused Glinda, but before she could speak, Melena continued. "You were her friend. The witch. "

"What makes you think that?" Glinda asked, trying to play off her shock.

"I don't know. But you knew she was sad. And they say you went to college together, but you never talk about it. So, I'm right?"

Glinda nodded and wiped tears away. "Yes, Melena. I was her friend. But no one knows, so you can't tell anyone. Promise me you won't."

"Okay, I won't. But she wasn't evil?"

"Not at all. I'll explain more when you're older, but it has to stay between us."

Melena was confused. "People need to know she wasn't evil though. I don't understand."

"That's because I've done a good job shielding you from the world, sweetheart. I promise you'll understand one day."

"Mom, do you want to tell people?"

Glinda nodded. "I wish I could. More than almost anything in the world."

Melena, ever the observant one, noticed Glinda's words. "What do you wish more than that?"

Glinda didn't need to think about it for even a second. "I wish you didn't need to grow up and understand. You're so good, and so was Elphaba, but this world changes people. It changed me for the better, but it doesn't work that way for most people. I hope you stay as stubborn and as good as you are now, my love. You'll always have me and Daddy, okay? No matter what."

Melena nodded and yawned, her innocent mind not fulling comprehending Glinda's speech. Whose parents' wouldn't be there for them? Who wouldn't fight for what's right? Who would be evil? Not Elphaba evil, but the kind of evil that caused Elphaba to appear wicked to those who didn't know her. Melena's five-year-old brain couldn't wrap itself around the concept. "I'm tired, mommy. Can I go to sleep now?"

Glinda smiled and stood up, relieved that her daughter was satisfied for now. "Good night, baby." She kissed her daughter's head and walked to the doorframe. "You're named after her, you know."

Melena was situating herself in bed and smiled. "She's a good person to be named after, and it's our little secret."

"It won't always be," Glinda muttered to herself as she walked towards her own bedroom.

Magnus looked up when he heard his wife enter their room. "Were you talking to Melena?"

"Yes. She was, uh, asking about today," Glinda replied, getting into the bed next to her husband.

"She was asking me too. Did she tell you about her theory?"

Glinda laughed humorlessly. "I wouldn't exactly call it a theory. Or maybe I would. Theories are usually true, correct?"

"Glinda, are you saying what I think you're saying?"

The woman sighed. "Magnus, I just had this conversation with Melena—well, a slightly different version, but that's neither here nor there. I feel like after ten years, you deserve to know the truth. You know how I was her friend?"

"You mean the witch?" Noticing his wife wince at the word, Magnus corrected himself.
"Elphaba, I mean. Sorry. Yes, everyone knows that. You told the story right after…." He trailed off.

"I told a very abridged version of the story. Are you up to hearing the whole one?"

"Of course. You're obviously suffering, holding it all in."

Glinda sat up, grounding herself. "You'll never look at the world in the same way."

Magnus smiled at the woman he loved. "That tends to happen when I'm with you."

"Well, I guess it's time to talk."

Glinda launched herself into the whole story-the version she knew and the version she loved (only Elphie, Fiyero, and the Oxen knew the whole truth) – starting with Shiz and ending with when she had met Magnus, including the Wizard, Nessa, Fiyero, and the promise. By the end, Lord Chuffrey's mouth was wide open, and so were his eyes.

"Please say something," Glinda rambled nervously.

"Wow," was his eventual reply.

Glinda began to cry. "I understand if you can't handle this, handle me, anymore. But please don't leave Melena. She needs you."

"Glinda, darling, I'm not going anywhere."

The blonde woman sniffled. "You're not?"

Magnus pulled a still crying Glinda into his arms. "Of course not, silly girl. Glinda, I've always had an inkling about this. The stories—they just seemed unrealistic. Of course, hearing it aloud was shocking, but I'm not going to leave you because of it. I know sometimes you feel insecure with me because technically, our marriage was arranged, but I don't see it that way anymore. We didn't make any move towards marriage until our relationship was real. I wouldn't be here if I didn't want to be."

Glinda pulled away from her husband. "No one can know about this, ever."

Magnus nodded and smiled. "It'll be a Chuffrey family secret. I'm sure Melena will enjoy that."

"She doesn't understand why people can't know."

"Of course she doesn't, Glinda. She's you." Glinda laughed, agreeing. "But you're incredibly loyal and stubborn, which are the qualities that caused me to fall in love with you in the first place." Glinda slowly lied back down in the bed as Magnus continued. "I know you're having a hard time today. This day is hard for you every year. But you're not alone with it anymore. Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Promise me something?"

"Anything," Magnus vowed.

"Promise me that Elphaba's truth won't die with us. Someone has to know, always, so that when Oz is ready…"

"Of course. We'll figure it out. And I think you know what'll end up happening. I mean, you named our daughter after her for a reason."

"Well, if she's anything like me-"

Magnus interrupted, "she'll be brilliant. Just like her mother."

Glinda couldn't reply with the amount of emotion she was feeling, so instead of forming words, she pulled herself to Magnus and kissed him. She poured all her love, fears, and thanks into the kiss and Magnus did the same. The two connected and reconnected all night, now sharing one of the most special and intimate things in existence: the truth.

In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act.

-George Orwell

AN: What did you think? Do you like the idea of the quotes at the end of chapters? I wanted to show Glinda's insecurities because I think she's been affected by all that's happened at least as much as Elphaba has. Let me know what you think and answer the questions at the beginning of the chapter! (I wanted to get this up fast so I haven't proofread—sorry!)