A/N: You wonderful people had been amazing. Your benevolent reviews had raised my soul from a depressing state of paranoia. Well this was my first story in FanFiction, and I thought it was a dull one. You all convinced me otherwise. I love and thank you all XD.

Actually, I'm panicking a bit. I'm starting college next week, and I'm trying to upload like crazy here. Carpe diem!

P.S. : Elphie and her mouth here are.. well… See for yourself…

Chapter Three: Between Rage and Serenity

The Emerald City shrank underneath them as Elphaba steered the broom into the South.

Glinda subconsciously pressed her back against Elphaba's chest, wishing that she had put on something to fight off the raging winds whipping her bare flesh. She still had her yellow sundress on, albeit it was now torn and slightly bloodied around the hem. She wore it in thinking that things would end up… well, normally. If she had known what could've happened, she would've worn her best winter clothing.

All the same, she couldn't help but breathe in and out easy. She was safe, as what Elphaba had wanted her to be… Not the way she intended, but safe nonetheless. Glinda felt a strange calmness and security in the arms of her best friend. She couldn't even express herself when the green girl came to save her. It was as if she had been dug out from her grave.

The shrill howling sounds of wind rushing to her ears were filling up the tense silence. Elphaba hadn't uttered a word since their take off. The rigidness of her body didn't suggest cold either. The hand pressed on Glinda's stomach was stiff and unmoving.

Below them, the city shone its myriads of lights. Glinda could've appreciated it more if it weren't for the freezing numbness taking over her unprotected body. Not to mention the sting the wind was making on her fresh wounds.

"Um…" Glinda uttered uncertainly, trying her voice out in the rush of air. She adjusted her volume and continued, "It truly is wonderful. The Emerald City, I mean."

No response.

Okay, thought Glinda, Not looking good here.

"Nice night," she tried again, instantaneously wanting to rip out her own tongue. You idiot. Nice night? That's the best you've got? Why is it so hard to talk to Elphie right now?

Again, Elphaba refused to release a single word. Glinda was ever so tempted to turn her head to get a glimpse of her, but she had the feeling that she might not like what she'll see. Disappointment? Annoyance, perhaps? What else would keep her silent?

"So, um, we're up pretty high- "

"I couldn't leave you for fifteen minutes on your own, could I?" Elphaba snapped all of the sudden. Glinda's heart balked for a second. She wished Elphie would tone her voice down so that it wouldn't sound as if she's bellowing directly at her left ear.

"Well how clever of you to estimate that amount of time—"

"Glinda, what exactly did you say to them?" Elphaba inquired, her voice dangerous low, sounding more like a ferocious growl. The blonde could practically feel her brown eyes tracing the ugly bruises across her bare arms.

Glinda would rather throw herself from the broom to certain death than recount the story of her epic failure in verbatim. After all, Elphaba did ask her to lie to them and save herself. The green girl had known all attempts of helping her will end in damnation. Glinda had not foreseen that one.

But Elphaba was growing impatient with her hesitations; she could feel the hand on her stomach automatically pressing down, making it difficult for the blonde to think and breathe properly. Well she has strong hands, I say, she thought, before severely retorting to her own brain, Shut the Lurline up, you idiot! Her hands? Seriously? What does her hands have to do with anything? Say something!

These frequent "mind wars" made her doubt her sanity. Dejectedly, without much enthusiasm, she yelled her story to be heard over the raging winds. She chopped off many parts, leaving the key concepts such as the unintelligent words she uttered that had ruined her life forever.

It didn't take Elphaba too long to finally explode.

"Why in Lurline's ass would you say such a thing!" she practically screeched, making Glinda cringe and inch a little farther to save whatever that was left of her eardrums. Elphaba must be really furious then. She didn't even know her roommate could say such words. It would've been something they'd laugh about where it another situation.

"Well I just thought—"

"Did it ever came to that head of yours what could've happened to you?" Elphaba continued, completely dismissing all of Glinda's attempts to justify herself, "I tried to save you, Galinda, for Oz's sake!"

Galinda. With the GA, not Glinda.

Disappointed with herself, Galinda tuned out of the talk as Elphaba ranted viciously behind her. It was easy for her to do so. She could make her thoughts float even in the most interesting classes at Shiz.

This whole day was not turning out well. In fact, it was becoming a nightmare. They went into the city for a meaningful cause, and by the end of the day, the two of them became part of Oz's Most Wanted List. Both of their dreams… gone. She never get to be a famous sorceress, and Elphaba never managed to voice out the rights of the Animals.

And to top it all, Elphaba was mad at her. No, not mad. Infuriated with her. The only ally she had left, the only person whom she can share the rest of her fleeting life with.

As Elphaba screamed her lungs off, Glinda couldn't stop a fresh batch of tears flow from her eyes, which were slightly sore and tired of releasing her internal struggles for the last hour. How could she not cry?

She readily gave her honor in Elphaba's name. She suffered more physical and mental lacerations than Elphaba had. And the girl in question was in absolute rage because of all that sacrifice. It was taking a heavy toll on Glinda.

Now she truly felt alone, more so than in those moments when she pondered miserably what was waiting for her in the Wizard's throne room. She believed she and Elphaba were on the same side then.

"… couldn't had been more stupid! You will get killed! Why didn't you think of that?! Do you ever think? You… you…"

Elphaba faltered, her blind anger ebbing away ever so slowly. They were several miles away from the Emerald City now. They were bathed in the pale blue light of the night. Through the serene rays of the moon, Elphaba saw that Glinda's cheeks were glistening with streams of tears. Her shoulders were also unnaturally stiff, but she trembled slightly, making Elphaba realize that she was attempting to steady herself.

Instantaneously, regret- a horrible and cold sensation of regret- washed over her chest, seemingly freezing her lungs and her heart.

Her eyes fell on the ugly wounds marring the blonde's perfection…

She suffered so much already, Elphaba thought, biting her lip, I shouldn't have…Oh Oz… What have I done…

Sighing as she released the breath she had been holding, she positioned the arm holding Glinda on the stomach around the blonde's petite shoulders. Wordlessly, she pulled Glinda into a hug, closing the minuscule space Glinda had made between them. She was willing to make their interaction as sincere as she could with only one arm since the other was keeping the broom on its course. She then buried her face onto the blonde's curls.

"I'm sorry…" she breathed, feeling really horrible.

At this, Glinda shamelessly and openly sobbed, leaning with all her might to the girl behind her.

"No, I'm s-sorry, Elph-Elphie…" Glinda choked, feeling her nose and throat getting clogged up. This was the worst sensation of crying she'd had in years. Breathing was becoming impossible for her. Add the fact of the cold all around her. Her bawling and shivering were hindering her from getting her lips to work out coherent words together. "I didn't… didn't m-mean to ge-get you angry… I'm so, so s-s-sorry…"

"Shh," Elphaba cooed, pressing gentle kisses behind the blonde's hair, "There's blame to share, my sweet. None of it matters anymore…"

Glinda sniffled. It was silly to ask, but she had to anyway. She wanted Elphaba to confirm it herself.

"You w-won't leave me… Right?..."

Elphaba paused for a second. She then brought her lips next to Glinda's ear. She gently kissed it before whispering with profound sincerity.

"I'm here. I'm always here. I will never leave you, my sweet… I promise."

A/N: Well... I wanted to make it longer... But it's too much angst for one chapter XD. I had fun writing this. What do you think?
I wanted Elphaba to mold into Idina Menzel's awesome portrayal of the character... but then there's Eden Espinosa XD Both of them angst Elphie in whole new levels, so I guess I'm getting traits from both.

Those who watched "X-Men: First Class" might get where the Chapter Title came from. :D Because Michael Fassbender!