I'm Not Sad Anymore
Chapter 2
AN: Hey guys! I hope you're all having a great holiday season. I just published an essay on fanfiction about my experience with Wicked and how it changed my life, if anyone is interested in reading it. I think that's it, so on with the chapter.
Disclaimer: I do not own Wicked. I only own Unna. (Pronounced OOH-nuh)
The next few weeks found Unna becoming somewhat comfortable in her temporary home. Neither spoke it aloud but both Fiyero and Elphaba were dreading the day the little girl would return home. And neither dared think it too hard, but both the scarecrow and the emerald woman wished deeply that it would end up that Unna stayed with them. Elphaba never thought she could be a mother, and she never wanted to be, but now…the former Ozian found meaning in her life that she had only ever dreamed of discovering.
It started with small smiles in return for a chore well done or a pat on the back before Fiyero left for the day. Small smiles and pats turned into exuberant laughter and the type of hugs that Unna had only read about in books. Though the three had bonded greatly in the weeks Unna had been living in the Tigelaar's cottage (it had been long enough that the snow had melted, and the sun was shining every day; it was warm as well) , there was an air of hesitation around the idea of truly allowing themselves to love each other floating in the atmosphere of the small domicile.
On one particular morning, Fiyero decided it was time to show Unna the most special place on their property, a small creek about one hundred paces behind the cottage that he and Elphaba shared with the Oxen, whom Unna had befriended almost instantly upon her arrival.
The scarecrow knocked gently on the door to the small room he had built into the living room for Unna, so as not to scare her. "Unna?" he called softly, waiting for an answer before opening the door. "Good morning, little one. I thought you and Elphaba and I could go on a little walk. How does that sound?"
A smile spread on the Munchkin's face instantaneously. "All of us together?" she asked in her bright, bell-tone voice.
"Yes, all three of us. Would you like some breakfast first?" he inquired, following the little girl as she passed him and bounded out of the room and darted to the front door.
"Can we take something to go?" Unna questioned hopefully, wanting to get to their family outing as quickly as possible. She made a note of the fact she referred to the trio as a family in her head and reminded herself that this arrangement was only temporary. She knew her parents would find her eventually and she'd have to go back. She stifled a tear at the thought because she knew, for now, she was safe.
Elphaba, who had witnessed this exchange, lifted up a picnic basket from the kitchen to show her husband and small charge. Fiyero laughed. "My Fae, always prepared," he praised, walking to his wife and pressed a good morning kiss to her lips.
"Can we go?" an impatient Unna asked, shaking the locked door knob as she did.
Both adults laughed. "You got it," Elphaba said, walking to the door and unlocking it, since Unna was too short to reach the locks. The emerald skinned woman reached out for Unna's hand. "Stay close. The woods are big and we don't want you to get lost." It occurred to Elphaba how natural this felt, holding her daughter's hand and being protective as they took their first family outing. The woman scolded herself for the use of the word's "daughter" and "family" in her mind. She couldn't get too attached to Unna. It would only cause her pain in the end.
"Yes, Miss," Unna replied dutifully. It was a reminder to all three of the ticking clock of their arrangement.
Both Fiyero and Elphaba wanted to tell Unna that the formality wasn't necessary, but the truth was if they were going to keep themselves appropriately unattached, the formality was more necessary than much else. So neither adult spoke, and the three made their way silently to the creek. Elphaba and Unna walked ahead of Fiyero, hand-in-hand, the little girl almost skipping in delight. Fiyero walked behind them, wearing a smile on his face he would have been ashamed to let the two girls see.
After a few minutes, the trio arrived at the small fresh-water creek that ran behind the cottages on the property. Elphaba and Fiyero had spent much time there in the past decade or so that they had lived in the Badlands. It was the place they went to when they needed a reminder of the amazing life they had built for themselves out of Oz, and the Oxen rarely used it, so it was basically their vacation spot.
Unna looked up to Elphaba, silently asking permission to let go of her hand. With a light laugh, the green girl nodded to her, and without any other words, took off into the water.
Fiyero caught up with his wife and, wrapping an arm around her, whispered, "Does she know how to swim?"
The question scared Elphaba for a moment because it occurred to her that many Munchkin children never learned how to swim. She hadn't. She had to teach herself in a desperate attempt to escape the Emerald City guards across a river. Within a few moments, however, Elphaba's fears were quelled, as Unna began swimming like a fish. She couldn't shake the feeling that the little girl had, like her, only learned to swim because of necessity.
"Are you two going to come in with me?" the girl called happily.
Knowing they were going to end up in the water, the couple packed swimming outfits for themselves and a change of clothes for Unna, who they knew wouldn't pause long enough to change before darting to the creek. Jamena, one of their Oxen friends, sewed as a hobby and had made many articles of clothing for her new young friend. Fiyero basically wrapped himself in plastic in order to protect his body of straw.
Elphaba and Fiyero quickly changed and then slowly walked to the water's edge. Fiyero jumped in, making a huge splash, soaking both Unna and Elphaba. The younger girl thought this was hilarious, which was apparent by her instant splash war with Fiyero. Shaking her head at her twelve-year-old husband, Elphaba gracefully slid into the water, with minimal disturbance or waves.
The three outcasts spent all morning in the creek, splashing and laughing and playing. Fiyero and Elphaba appreciated Unna's youthful energy, as neither of them got to enjoy a real childhood as kids. Unna never tired, but her adult counterparts did, so eventually, they beckoned her out of the water for a late brunch. When they were done, they re-entered the water, where they stood for hours. Eventually, it was time to walk home and get supper started.
After supper, it was time for them all to retire for the evening. Unna went into her makeshift bedroom and Elphaba and Fiyero went into their bedroom to get some much needed sleep.
About an hour after they had gone their separate ways, there was a small knock on the master bedroom door. Both adults awoke, but it was Elphaba who sat up first and recognized the knock as belonging to Unna. "Unna?" she questioned in the dark, addressing the little girl.
"Is it okay if I come in?" the girl asked quietly, nervously.
"Of course," Elphaba replied as Fiyero sat up to receive their little visitor.
Unna padded softly into the room, as if she were attempting not to wake a sleeping person, when in reality, her quietness was due to insecurity. If she wasn't noticeable, no one would notice her. She was beginning to feel comfortable with her temporary parents, but she couldn't turn off her instinctual desire to blend in. Her awkwardness did not go unnoticed by Elphaba.
"Did you have a nightmare?" the woman asked softly as Unna arrived at the foot of their bed. She nodded softly, sheepishly, in reply before Elphaba beckoned to her. "Come over here, sweetheart." Elphaba didn't often use pet names for Unna. This was something she normally reserved for Fiyero, but once in a while, when Unna was feeling afraid, she used loving words (as Fiyero did with her) in order to remind her that she was safe.
"Do you have nightmares a lot?" Elphaba asked as Unna slowly walked around the bed and met Elphaba on her side of the bed, and then barely nodded. Wordlessly, the so-called "wicked witch" lifted up the little girl into her arms and placed her on the bed in between herself and her husband, who was observing proudly. "You want to know a secret, Unna?
The little girl looked at Elphaba expectantly and nodded a little more convincingly.
"I have nightmares too."
"Really?" Unna asked in surprise.
Elphaba nodded with a sad smile. "I've had them since I was your age, Unna." In a rare (but becoming more common) show of physical affection, the green woman brushed a sweaty strand of Unna's hair behind her ear. "Do you want to know how I get them to go away?"
Completely blown away by the fact that it was actually possible to stop her nightmares, Unna nodded vigorously.
"I go to someone who loves me a lot, usually Fiyero, but Jamena has been known to comfort me on occasion, and I give them a great big hug. Do you want to try it?"
Unna smiled broadly. "Yes, please!" And with that, Unna launched herself into Elphaba's arms. Both girls lost sense of time within the hug, and after a little while, Fiyero joined in, wrapping his arms around both of them. And in that moment, the scarecrow realized that these two girls were his entire life. Unna was his daughter now and no matter what happened, he was prepared to fight for her.
Once the three released each other, a look of wonder appeared on Unna's face.
"What is it, little Munchkin?" Fiyero was much more eager to use pet names for the little girl and Unna was very appreciative of the loving attention she was receiving.
"I just realized…you said you love me." She was speaking to Elphaba.
The woman thought and she realized that yes, indirectly, she had revealed to Unna that she loved her. "I guess I did," she admitted, ushering Unna into the bed, so they could all sleep together that night—it was clear the little girl needed long-term comfort and reassurance because of her nightmares.
As they drifted off together, Elphaba not only realized that she had voiced her love for Unna, she also realized that under no circumstances did she want to take it back.
AN: Let me know what you think and what you want to see happen! Please drop me a review, guys. Thanks so much!