My buddy "Denpa Wave Chick Saki" co-wrote this with me. Enjoy!

Galinda sat down across the table from Fiyero with a smile, setting down her food. "So, Yero, what do you think we should do this weekend?"

The prince thought for a short moment. "I was thinking we could just stay in..." He winked at her.

Galinda sighed, knowing exactly what he meant by that. "But we have been doing that almost every other day and last weekend. I'm tired of staying on campus, Fiyero. I want to go into town on a date with my boyfriend..."

Elphaba came running through the door, scolding herself for not leaving earlier. She came up behind the blonde, trying to speak through her panting. "Galinda...I'm sorry...I didn't...I lost...track of...time..."

Galinda smiled up at her. "It's fine, Elphaba. No need to fret. I'm alive and safe, as you can see. Would you like to join us for dinner?" Elphaba nodded and started to sit, but Madame Morrible came up at that moment. Out of respect, Elphaba started to jump back up, only to catch the foot of her cast on the seat and come crashing to the floor. "Oh my goodness! Elphaba, are you all right?" The blonde was looking down at her worriedly.

"Just fine," Elphaba replied, getting to her feet.

"Good evening," Madame Morrible said, not casting a glance at the green woman. "Miss Galinda, surely you know of our annual benefit dinner and concert. It's coming up at the end of this week."

Galinda nodded. "Yes, I have heard a few things about it. May I ask why you're telling me about it? Surely you know Father is the one to attend such events."

"Yes of course. I am asking because it would be an honor for us if you would perform at the concert."

"Really? You want me to...perform? But what should I do?"

"Well, I have heard a great deal about your singing, so perhaps a song or two? We will find you a suitable pianist."

"Actually, if it's possible, may I have Elphaba as my pianist?" The green woman's face darkened.

"Miss Elphaba? Well...if that's what you wish. So you agree to it then? Provided your...escort plays?"

"Well, I don't see any reason that either of us can't make it. So yes, we will perform at the benefit dinner." She smiled politely up at the headmistress.

"Wonderful! Now I just need to make sure Miss Sarima can make it as well."

Galinda had to force her smile to stay on her face. "Miss Sarima is going to be performing as well? May I ask who else besides her?"

"Why, just you of course!" And she was gone in a flurry of colorful robes.

Elphaba looked at the blonde. "You look like you're about to murder someone."

"And you are making something out of nothing, Elphaba. I do not want to kill anybody. In fact, I'm not upset at all...I may, however, have lost my appetite..." She slid her plate of food a little bit away from her.

Elphaba raised an eyebrow. "I've known you long enough to know when you are lying." A pause. "If I let you play with my hair later, will you tell me what's wrong?"

The blonde shook her head. "No, because nothing is wrong."

The green woman sighed. "I thought you trusted me...what happened to being friends?"

Galinda softened at that. "Oh Elphi- Elphaba. We are friends, and I do trust you."

The green woman fought back tears. No one would see her cry! "Why won't you tell me anything then?" she asked, her voice shaking. "You won't even call me 'Elphie' anymore...is it something I did?"

"N-no! Of course you didn't. I...let's go back to the room." The blonde stood up and looked over at Fiyero. "I'm sorry, Yero. I'll talk to you later?"

The prince beckoned her over so he could give her a lingering kiss and whisper in her ear, "Think about this weekend, babe?"

Galinda sighed. "I'll think about it, all right? See you later, Yero." She gave him a quick kiss before turning and heading for the trashcan.

"Galinda, you don't have to leave because of me," Elphaba said, grabbing Galinda's hand to stop her. Her face immediately turned dark green.

Galinda gripped her hand with a small smile. "It's fine. I wasn't exactly looking forward to finishing the conversation I was having with him anyway. Come on." She pulled Elphaba from the cafeteria, never letting go of her hand.

The green woman looked down at their hands. "G-Galinda...are you sure this doesn't always imply intimacy?"

"Yup! I'm positive. Do I really need to show you the specifics?"

"I...I just don't...understand."

"Alright, here," she giggled, holding up their hands. She held up their hands so that they simply folded over each other. "This is fine. This," she intertwined her own fingers with green ones, "shows intimacy. Do you get it now?"

Elphaba stared at their hands, unaware that her breathing had quickened. When Galinda started to pull away, Elphaba gripped her hand, refusing to let their fingers separate. "Please...don't..."

Galinda blushed a little, but gave her an understanding smile. "Come on. We still haven't managed to make it back to our room," she giggled. Elphaba nodded and though her hand shook, her grip never loosened, even when they did reach their room. The blonde tried to free her hand, but after a few failed attempts, she stopped. "Um...Elphaba? Can I have my hand back? I can't...feel my fingers anymore..."

"S-sorry..." Elphaba released her and turned away, looking down. "So...are you going to tell me what's upsetting you now?"

Galinda groaned. "Fiyero's just being...well, being himself I suppose. His typical, sex-obsessed self..." She sighed and went over to collapse on her bed.

Elphaba moved to sit beside her. "Galinda, I...you shouldn't always do what he wants. I know you love him and don't want to let go, but...you can't keep living like this. I...it kills me...to see you unhappy."

"It's not that I'm unhappy...I love having sex...I do...it's just that...it's not the only thing that I want to do, you know? I want to be able to go out...to do things."

"Well, perhaps...you and I could...go shopping...this weekend?" Elphaba's face immediately darkened. "Unless you just want to be with Fiyero, w-which I understand!"

Galinda's eyes brightened. "I would love to go shopping! But...are you sure you want to do that?"

Elphaba nodded slowly. "I am trying...to move outside my 'minute comfort space'...and I want to...spendmoretimewithyou."

"Oh Elphaba, that is a fantastical idea! We can have some girl bonding time!" She grinned at her. "You and me, just two friends, going shopping."

"Yes, but I do have one condition: tell me why you stopped calling me 'Elphie'."

The blonde stiffened at the question. "No reason. I just...stopped."

"Tell me now, or we're not going shopping."

"I don't...it's just...I feel like I'm being...replaced..." she sighed.

And then it made sense. "By Sarima..." Elphaba took the blonde's hands. "Galinda...I could never and would never replace you...it's impossible."

"Well, that's what it looks like is happening. You spend more time with her...you even let her take the name I gave you..."

"I didn't 'let' her take it...she just did...and I try to spend time with you, but you keep pushing me away. Galinda...I can stop...being friends with Sarima...if it's doing this to you."

"No. Don't do that. You deserve to have more friends than only me, Elphaba. You shouldn't have to alienate everybody else just because I'm selfish."

Elphaba smiled slightly. "I'm a little selfish too...I only want to hear you call me 'Elphie'. I'll talk to Sarima, okay? But please...don't ever think I would replace you. You're my...best friend...and nothing will change that."

"R-really? Do you mean it, Elphie?"

"Y-yes...I do..." Elphaba looked down, her face dark.

Galinda threw her arms around Elphaba, hugging her close. "Thank you...you're my best friend too..." For once, Elphaba didn't stiffen at the contact, but embraced the blonde back, her heart rate beginning to pick up. She hoped Galinda couldn't hear or feel it. Galinda pulled back with a smile. "Go get your brush."

Elphaba stood and retrieved the item, bringing it back to the blonde. "I thought you said you didn't want to play with my hair..."

"No. I said nothing was wrong. Not that I didn't want to play with your hair." She sat down behind the green woman, taking her hair out of its braid. "I happen to love your hair. It's so pretty..."

"The one beauty trait I possess..."

"That is not true, Elphie. There are more beautiful things about you than just your hair."

"Like what? My hawk-like face? My unusually sharp teeth? How I'm made of only angles and not curves? Or is it the green?"

"You are only seeing the bad side of everything. Angles are just as appealing as curves. Your smile is beautiful when it's genuine. Your shade of green is gorgeous, unlike anything I have ever seen before. And your eyes are like the most yummy hot cocoa. You. Are. Pretty." She gave her a light rap on the head with her brush.

Elphaba rubbed the top of her head. "Hey...and that's very kind of you to say, but I...I just can't see..." The green woman didn't finish, but took Galinda's free hand. "Thank you..."

"You are very welcome." The blonde smiled down at her, giving her a light hug.

The next night found the two in their room, with Elphaba in the corner reading, as usual. "Hey, Galinda...do you still have my history notes?" Galinda was sitting at her desk, staring out the window as she doodled in her notebook. She didn't answer. When she didn't get a reply, Elphaba looked up. "Galinda? Did you hear me?"

The blonde snapped out of her reverie and looked over at the green woman. "Huh? What did you say, Elphie?"

Elphaba set down her book. "Galinda, are you all right? You've been acting odd all day."

"I'm fine. Can...can I get you to help me with something?"

"Sure." Elphaba stood and approached her. "Is your homework giving you problems again?"

"It's not homework. It's...Fiyero related."

Elphaba's brow furrowed as she looked at the blonde. "Um...unexpected, but okay...what do you want me to do? Did he do something to you? Do I need to teach him a lesson?"

"I need you to help me sneak into his room."

"Wha-" Elphaba stared at her in slight disbelief. "Why in Oz's name do you need to sneak into his room at this time of ni-" And then it hit her. "Galinda...really?"

"Because I'm desperate. I can't lose him, Elphaba." She sighed. "So if it's sex he so craves, then it's sex he is going to get."

Elphaba sighed, thinking about how Galinda deserved so much better, but she knew nothing she said would change the blonde's mind. "Alright," she said softly before she went to retrieve her cloak, coming back and wrapping it around the blonde's shoulders. She pulled the hood up and said, "Ready?"

Galinda gave a determined nod of her head. "Mhmm. I'm ready."

Elphaba led the blonde from the room, trekking across campus to Briscoe Hall. She stopped at the tree she had climbed before. "All right. Here we are. I'll give you a boost." She laced her fingers together and stooped down, looking up at Galinda. "Come on." The blonde looked back at her, taking a deep breath before she placed her foot in Elphaba's hands. The green woman lifted her up easily, making sure she had ahold of the branch. "You got it?"

Galinda reached up, grabbing onto the branch. "Yeah. I got it."

Elphaba lowered her hands. "Please be careful. I'll be right here, waiting, so call me if you need anything."

Galinda slowly made her way up the tree, doing her best to ignore her fear. She kept muttering to herself, "Don't look down, Galinda. Do not look down."

Elphaba watched the blonde uncertainly. Galinda had never been the best with heights, and though the green woman did not approve of what she was doing, she hoped for Galinda's sake that the blonde made it. When she was a little more than halfway up the tree, Galinda's foot slipped. She quickly managed to catch herself, clutching tightly on to the tree trunk, but the slip made her look down. At seeing the ground so far below, the blonde went straight into a panic attack. She stood on the branch, clutching herself to the tree tighter, as she began hyperventilating. Elphaba saw the misstep and knew that the blonde had reached her limit. This was not good. "Galinda! You have to climb back down!" Elphaba hissed up at her. "Nice and easy, come on!" The blonde didn't move, only shaking her head vehemently as she looked at Elphaba with wide eyes. "Galinda! Damn it...I knew I should not have let you do this." Elphaba jumped, grabbing the lower branch and hoisting herself up. "Alright, stay still. I'm coming up to get you."

"E-elphie..." Galinda whimpered as she watched the green woman making her way up to her.

"Just don't move, all right? I'm coming." Elphaba continued to climb, moving through the branches fluidly. "I won't let anything happen to you." Galinda simply nodded her head, shaking where she was standing. Elphaba pulled herself up beside the blonde. "All right. Now listen to me: I am going to get you down, but you have got to do what I say and trust me." She offered the blonde her hand. "Now, take my hand, and we'll climb down together, nice and slow."

She shook her head. "I...c-can't..."

"Yes, you can. Take my hand...and just look at me, only me. We'll get down...I promise. I won't let you go." The blonde hesitantly took Elphaba's hand. When she looked up into her brown eyes, she felt herself instantly calming. Elphaba gripped Galinda's hand with a smile before she pulled the blonde onto her back. "Now hold on tight, and I'm going to climb down okay? Don't let go." Galinda tightly wrapped her arms around Elphaba's shoulders, squeezing her eyes shut. The green woman started climbing back down, which was more difficult than climbing up, what with her cast and all. Near the bottom, the foot of her cast caught a branch, causing Elphaba to slip and fall to the ground with a shower of twigs and dead leaves. She let out a groan before looking around for the blonde. "Galinda?"

"E-elphie..." Galinda could do nothing but whimper as she clung on to a branch as if her life depended on it. Her whimpering was silenced, though, when she heard the sound of wood cracking.

Elphaba's head jerked up at the sound. "Galinda!" She scrambled to her feet and ran underneath the blonde. "I'm right here, I've got you! Let go!" Before she could think too much about it, Galinda let go of the branch, hoping dearly that Elphaba would catch her. The green woman put her arms out just as Galinda fell, catching the blonde and pulling her close as she fell to her knees. Elphaba looked down at her. "Galinda, are you all right?"

Galinda threw her arms around Elphaba's shoulders. "Thank you so much..."

Elphaba was surprised to find that she herself was trembling. "Don't you ever do that to me again..." she whispered, holding Galinda closer. "I thought..."

"I'm sorry. I never should have...it was a stupid idea..."

"Yes, it was! Do you realize what could have happened? Oz, Galinda, why don't you ever think before you do things?"

"I'm sorry!" She pulled away just enough to look up into Elphaba's eyes. "I'm so sorry..."

Elphaba was about to continue berating her, but her eyes met Galinda's right at that moment...and her heart skipped a beat. The green witch found herself unable to look away from the blonde's sapphire eyes, and it occurred to her that it would be exceedingly easy to just lean down and kiss the blo- How could she think such a thing? Elphaba quickly tried to shake that thought from her mind. It wouldn't be right! How could she even...the green woman felt somewhat ashamed with herself. "You...you're safe...now..."

"Yes...thanks to you..." Little did Elphaba know, but the blonde's thoughts were along the same lines as her own. 'I wonder what it would be like...to kiss...a girl...' Her gaze wandered down to linger on the green lips inches away from her. "I...thank you." She blushed and looked away from her.

Elphaba herself was studying the blonde's face, trying to slow her racing heart. She cleared her throat. "Um...we should...get back to the room..." she said, unaware that her face was moving closer to Galinda's. Before she could do anything rash, the green woman caught herself and quickly pulled away, setting the blonde down gently.

"Yes...we should...I am sorry for this. It was such a bad idea...I don't even know why I tried..."

"You're in love with him..." Elphaba said as she turned away from the blonde, crossing her arms. "But if he loved you..." Elphaba didn't finish.

Galinda sighed. "I know...please don't..." She started walking back to the room, pulling Elphaba's cloak tighter around her.

Elphaba sighed and started after her. "Galinda, maybe...it's time...to let him go...for your own sake."

"I can't..."

"Why not? He's a shallow, self-centered womanizer!" Elphaba grabbed the blonde, forcing her to look into her dark eyes. "You deserve so much better than him! Stop torturing yourself!"

"Because I love him!" Tears started to flow down her face. "He might be able to throw someone aside like they're nothing, but I cant."

"Galinda..." Elphaba sighed, pulling the blonde into a tight embrace. "I'm sorry...that you have to go through this...but please listen to me. If you don't end it now, it will only hurt more later. What if he asks you to marry him? Are you going to commit to a man who will never be faithful? Is that what you want?"

Galinda held on to Elphaba, crying harder. "I don't know...I just...why me? Why him?"

"I don't know, Galinda. I wish I did...I wish I could take your pain as my own...I wish I could do something to change all this...but I can't. You need to come to terms with yourself and decide if this is really what you want."

"Can we...go back to the room now?" She wiped away some of her tears.

"Yes..." The green woman released the blonde before taking her hand hesitantly and leading her back to their room, closing the door behind them.

The rest of the week passed without further incident and soon enough, it was Friday morning, which found Elphaba returning to the room with two cups of coffee. She set one down on the bedside table of her still sleeping roommate. "Galinda? Time to wake up." The blonde moaned and rolled over in the bed, covering her head with her pillow. Elphaba smiled slightly before she set down her own cup and moved to sit beside the blonde. "Galinda..." she almost sang, "You need to get up. It's almost ten o' clock." Galinda mumbled something incoherent, holding her pillow tighter against her head.

The green woman pulled the pillow away. "Galinda, don't make me resort to force." The blonde pulled the covers up over her head. Elphaba sighed. "You brought this upon yourself." She stood and yanked the covers back before grabbing the blonde and picking her up out of her bed. "Wake up!"

Galinda gave out a shriek in shock, quickly clutching onto Elphaba. "Putmedownputmedownputmedown!"

Elphaba set the blonde back down on the bed. "Good morning, sunshine."

"You meaniehead," she stuck her tongue out at the green woman before looking over at the clock. "Ugh! It's only 10 o'clock! Why are you waking me up?"

"Only ten? Ten rounds up to 12, and that rounds up to half a day!" Elphaba moved to pick up her coffee again. "Besides, you need to be prepared for the benefit concert tonight. You and Sarima will each be singing one or two solos, and then one duet. Do you have your songs prepared? I need to know what I'm playing."

"I think I decided on singing 'Don't Rain on My Parade.' Does that sound alright to you?" The blonde reached over to pick up her own coffee cup, giving a sigh of happiness when she tasted the concoction that was milk and sugar, consisting of little actual coffee.

Elphaba shrugged. "If that's what you want to sing, I have no objections. Sarima is going to sing 'Rolling in the Deep,' I believe...or something along those lines."

"Hooray. Then we are all set. Can I go back to sleep now?"

The green woman gave her a look. "Go ahead, but just know that if you do, I will be throwing a bucket of ice water on you."

"What? Why would you do that?" She collapsed back with a sigh.

"Because you need to prepare. You can't just sleep the day away, especially not one as important as today. Besides, I need you to try something on for me."

Galinda raised an eyebrow. "What do you need me to try on?"

Elphaba turned dark green and looked down. "AdressthatImadeforyou..."

"What? You made a dress for me?"

The green woman nodded. "B-but you don't have to wear it! I just...you were so...I only wanted to..."

"Can i see it, Elphie?"

Elphaba went to her closet and pulled the dress out. It was a midnight blue that seemed to shimmer as it moved. "I tried to make it Shiz colors...and it might be a little long for you, but I can...fix that..."

"Oh, Elphie..." The blonde gasped. "It's gorgeous..."

"Really? Because you can be honest with me...I won't be offended."

"No, no. I really do love it." Galinda gently ran her hand over the fabric.

The green woman blushed again. "So...will you try it on? I need to know if it needs fixing..."

"Of course I will." Galinda took the dress with a grin and skipped into the bathroom to change. Moments later, she came twirling out again. Elphaba had been looking down at her measurements, and didn't notice when Galinda came out. "This dress is splendiferous, Elphie. I love it." She smiled, giving a little twirl in front of the green woman. "So, how does it look?"

"Hmm?" Elphaba finally looked up. The pencil fell from her hand and she had to stop her mouth from gaping open. "Uhhh..." In all honesty, the blonde was breath-taking, and Elphaba wanted nothing more than to just kis- NO! The green woman forced that thought from her mind. "You..."

Galinda blushed under her scrutiny. She could have sworn that Elphaba was giving her the same look she always got from young men. But that was impossible. They were just best friends. Elphaba would never think of her like that, especially with Sarima in her life. And the blonde had Fiyero...so why was she even thinking about this? "Do I look that bad?" she chuckled.

Elphaba realized she was staring in an unsettling way, so she shook her head. "N-no! You look...stunning."

"Really, Elphie? Oh, does it fit like you thought it would?"

"Um..." Elphaba stood and approached the blonde with a measuring tape, going on her knees before Galinda. "It might be a tad long...how does it feel?"

"It feels fine, but I just want it to look like you envisioned it." She smiled down at her.

Elphaba looked up at the blonde, but quickly looked back down. "I...it appears to suit you." She got to her feet. "That's all I needed...y-you can take it off now..."

Galinda pulled Elphaba into a hug. "Thank you, Elphie. It's beautiful."

The green woman stiffened and her blush grew darker. "I-it was nothing...really..."

"It was not nothing. You didn't have to make this for me. You're so thoughtful."

"Well, I thought you deserved something special...for the occasion...and I am trying to...change."

"It's just a benefit concert, Elphie. Nothing special really..." She thought for a moment, realizing what she had said. "Change? You don't need to change."

"Yes I do...you even told me yourself...I'm nothing but sarcastic to you...when you've done nothing wrong..."

"Oh, it's not just you. I was just upset when I said that. It's also my fault for being so oversensitive about everything."

"I suppose we both are changing then...for the better..." Elphaba gave her a small smile. "Now take that off so I can finish it up...then you can sleep I suppose..."

"I suppose we are." She returned her smile before going into the bathroom to change out of the dress, calling out to her from behind the cracked door, "Though I don't think I'll go back to sleep now. A bath and then some drawing sounds quite appealing right now."

"Whatever you'd prefer," Elphaba replied. "Just let me know when I can come get the dress."

Galinda opened the door a little further, just enough to hold the dress out and hide her naked body. "Here you go. I'm going to hop in the bath now. Do you need anything in here?"

Elphaba approached and took the dress from her, her gaze down. "N-no..."

Galinda gave her a smile. "Alrighty then. I'll be in the bath."

"Don't drown," Elphaba called back as she hung the dress back up.

The blonde giggled. "I'll try not to." She stepped into the tub. Elphaba picked up her brush and moved in front of Galinda's mirror as she began to run the brush through her hair. Soon enough, she began singing softly to herself. Galinda soon finished with her bath, drying off with a towel and wrapping it around herself. She opened the door and, seeing Elphaba, leaned against the doorway with a smile. "Awwwww. Look at you, Elphie. You're so pretty..."

Elphaba jumped at the sudden voice and fumbled with her brush, hitting it around a few times before she managed to catch it. "G-Galinda! I didn't...see you there..."

The blonde giggled from where she was standing before walking forward. "Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. You do look pretty though." She softly stroked a strand of Elphaba's hair, smiling up at her.

The green woman looked down at the blonde, her face darkening at the fact that Galinda was wearing only a towel and Elphaba could see right down her...well... "I...thank you...you are beautiful...too..."

"Thanks, Elphie." Galinda gave her another smile before heading into the closet. "So how much time do we have before the benefit, anyway?" She began rifling through her dresses to find something to wear until then.

"Um...seven hours, ten minutes, and fifty-two seconds." Elphaba came to stand in the closet doorway. "Um, Galinda? Can...can I..."

The blonde looked over her shoulder at the green woman. "Can you what?"

"I was just wondering...if I...couldbrushyourhair," Elphaba said quickly, looking down.

"If you could...what? I couldn't hear what you said."

"If I could...brush your hair..."

"You want to...?" The blonde was a little shocked, seeing as Elphaba had never asked something like that. "Ummm...sure. Let me just throw on a dress."

"I...you always do it for me...and your hair is quite lovely...not that I'd want to be blonde..."

"It's alright. Actually, having my hair brushed sounds fantabulous at the moment." She pulled out a simple dress and went into the bathroom to quickly pull it on. "Okay, I'm ready. Where do you want me to sit?" Elphaba was sitting on the bed, looking down at the brush. She tried to speak, but no words came out, so she gestured to the spot in front of her. The blonde skipped over to sit down in front of Elphaba.

The green woman took a few strands of Galinda's hair in her hand, allowing it to slide through and fall before she began brushing. "Is...is this all right?"

Galinda gave a soft moan. "Yes...it feels...amazing..."

Elphaba hesitantly pulled Galinda back to lean against her as she continued to brush. "Good...wouldn't want to ruin your beautiful hair..."

The blonde sighed in satisfaction. "Elphie...thank you..."

"It's...nothing. Really...just...doing a favor for my...friend."

"Well, it's nice anyway."

"As long as it pleases you..." Elphaba paused as her forehead came down to rest on Galinda's shoulder with a sigh.

The blonde broke out of her reverie for a moment, turning her head so she could see Elphaba out of the corner of her eye. "Elphie? Are you ok?"

"I...I'm not sure..." Elphaba sat back up and resumed brushing. "I'm sorry...I know I've been acting odd..."

"Yes, you have been acting a little odd lately...what's wrong, Elphie?"

"I...I don't really want to talk about it..." Elphaba continued brushing.

Galinda grabbed Elphaba's hand, stopping the brush and turning around to face her. "Elphaba, you know you can talk to me, right? You can tell me anything, and I'll be there for you."

Elphaba shook her head. "I can't tell you what I don't know..." she said.

The blonde sighed, giving her hand another squeeze before turning back around. "Alright, Elphie."

The green woman resumed her brushing, her hands shaking slightly. "I...I think I'm done." She set the brush down and stood.