Finals week is this week, so it is a possibility that updates will not be every other day. I haven't forgotten about this story, I just need to study.
The next morning, bright and early, Glinda awoke and went through all of her usual morning procedures as usual, but sped up as much as she could. Her morning shower only took twenty minutes, and doing her hair only thirty. After choosing a gown on the more simple side of her wide range of outfits, she slipped on a pair of heels and exited her room.
Breakfast could wait, it was Elphie time.
Once she reached the room, Glinda knocked gently on the door. No answer. Glinda frowned, and glanced impatiently over at a grandfather clock down the hallway. Noon. Damn, not so bright and early. But Elphaba woke up with the sun, always had. So why wasn't she answering?
Glinda knocked again. And again. And again, with a steadily increasing crescendo, before she decided to risk Elphaba's anger and opened the door herself, flinching when it bounced against the wall and moved back to hit her.
She pushed it away, scanning the room.
The bed. There was no green figure on the bed. She was always on the bed. Always.
Glinda scanned the room thoroughly without moving, rotating in a complete circle. No Elphaba whatsoever.
A slight panic hit Glinda as she ran to the bed. If Fiyero had died there was no telling what Elphaba would do. Revenge, suicide, returning to the Underground. Anything was an option, Glinda knew. Fiyero was the only thing keeping Elphaba together at this point.
Reaching Fiyero, Glinda gently leaned over him, grabbing his wrist gently with two fingers. A pulse. Stronger than it had been, too. Good, good. She pecked him on the forehead and pushed his hair back from his forehead before straightening and scanning the room again. He wasn't dead, Elphaba would still be there, worried as always.
Scan scan scan.
Oz, the balcony!
Glinda rushed out, immediately spotting the dark form of Elphaba on the side of the balcony. She was curled up in a ball, as if for heat , eyes closed, motionless.
Fuck.
Glinda moved to Elphaba, kneeling at her side and rolling her over so she was on her back. She placed two fingers underneath Elphaba's jaw, smiling in relief as she felt a pulse. But Elphaba's lips were red. The opposite of green. She was frozen.
"Elphie... Time to wake uppy..." Glinda gently shook Elphaba, who was stiff, but still moved where Glinda pushed her. Fighting back the bile that threatened to rise in her throat, Glinda gently slapped Elphaba across the face, something that always woke her up while at Shiz.
Still nothing.
FUCK.
Gently pulling Elphaba's torso up off of the ground and holding her, Glinda gave her a bear hug in an attempt to warm her. She pulled away when she felt Elphaba tense up further, smiling slightly. This was what Elphaba did when waking up. But Glinda was still worried as hell.
"Elphie, Elphie, time to wake up. No more sleeping, rise and shine—" Glinda was cut short by Elphaba suddenly reaching up and shoving her face away. The rest of Glinda's small body quickly followed, but she instantly moved back.
"OW! Now look what you've done, Elphieba! Come on, wake up, I'm warming you up if it kills me."
Elphaba rubbed her eyes, looking up confusedly at Glinda for a moment before snapping back into reality and looking off into the distance.
Glinda frowned, getting to her feet. "Come on Elphaba, get up, you're going inside, now."
"I'm fine Glinda."
"What in Oz name were you doing sleeping outside Elphie? It's the middle of winter, you cannot risk your life like that!"
"I was waiting for Dahl to come back. I must have dozed off." Elphaba got to her feet, genuinely apologetic now that she saw how upset Glinda was. "I wasn't bothered by the cold."
"The hell you weren't! You might have frostbite for all I know! INSIDE. NOW." And Glinda herded her inside.
Sitting the green woman down in a chair, she quickly moved to the walk in closet that was in every one of her rooms in her house, and grabbed several blankets. Glinda moved quickly back to Elphaba, beginning to wrap them around her. "Oz, your hands are like ice, Elphaba. What were you thinking? This is the second time you've fallen asleep outside." She took Elphaba's hands in her own, rubbing them in an attempt to warm them up.
Elphaba didn't look at Glinda; her eyes were going from their hands to the window, back and forth.
"Well Elphie? What is it?"
Elphaba shook her head. "I was waiting for Dahl to come back. He should have been here by now."
"Give him time, Elphaba. His little Sparrow wings can only fly so fast."
"Yea." Elphaba got to her feet and moved back to Fiyero's still form. Hesitantly perching on the side of the bed, she stroked the side of his face, noticing it was warmer than usual. Fuck. She didn't let Glinda know, however.
"What time did you fall asleep, Elphaba?"
She didn't look up from Fiyero. "Four in the morning? Five? Six? The sky was just beginning to lighten, I think." She yawned fakely. "Can I sleep Glinda? We'll talk more tonight."
Glinda frowned. "Alright, Elphie. I guess you can sleep... Just not outside, okay?" Elphaba nodded. "I'll come back later." Not knowing what else to say, she simply walked to the door and slipped quietly out.
As soon as she was gone Elphaba got to her feet and moved into the connecting bathroom. Now, how to treat a fever.