DISCLAIMER: in the first chapter...

A/N: Thank you my reviewers!! And, as promised, a little Galinda, a little Fiyero and a sunject that needs to be dealt with. Can you guess why? xP ...Chap 4 has only two minor correction. Inore that e-mail alert.

CHANGES DON'T COME EASY

Elphaba sat huddled on her bed, knees bent and back hunched into a fetal position. For the moment, she had put aside her drawing gear and the stack of sketches, her constant companions this past month, in favor of a book. Long strands of lustrous black hair fell down on either side of her face, hiding her sharp features in shadows. Her deep concentration was surprisingly easily broken by the rustle of fabric coming from the other side of the room.

"What?" the irritating sound stopped. When the silence stretched and no answer came, Elphaba straightened her back, slammed the thick book shut and turned her whole body sideways. "Galinda?"

The blond girl had her back to her questioning roommate, facing her own pink bed. On the bright comforter lay a bunch of party dresses in a state of complete disarray. Galinda stayed still, as if waiting for her friend to get bored and forget her earlier disturbance. But Elphaba had already been overtaken by curiosity.

"Galinda, stop playing statue and come talk to me…" The girl released a long suffering sigh and finally turned around. Elphaba felt her heart constrict.

Oh, my pretty.

Tear tracks stained her delicate porcelain skin; red rimmed her pale blue eyes. Resigned, Galinda dragged herself towards her friend's more subdued side of the room and plopped down next to the green girl. Throughout it all, she refused to meet the other girl's searching gaze. Elphaba encircled her right arm around the blonde's drooped shoulders.

"Okay. I promise not to laugh… much. And, I'll try my very best to contain any sarcastic comments." She then cut the humor and turned serious. "Tell me what's wrong, Lynn."

And she waited, with a somewhat new developed patience, for her friend to gather her thoughts and muster some courage. After long breaths of silence, Galinda leaned heavily against Elphaba.

"I think I love him, Elphie."

Elphaba fought the pain in her own heart and stayed silent.

"But… he's been so distant lately." Sigh. "He's off brooding all the time, thinking. Or so he says." Pause. "I don't think he wants to be with me anymore…" Strangled sob.

Tears made a reappearance, following in the paths of others before; shoulders shook. And, through it all, with eyes brimming and chest in pain, Elphaba held the distraught girl gently. What else could she do? Sighing, she wiped the wetness away and forced Galinda to face her.

"You have to talk to him, Lynn. You have to get him to talk to you. No matter what happens, it's better to know, isn't it?" Galinda nodded slowly and offered a small smile in gratitude.

"I have a party to go to today. Will…" She cleared her throat. "Will you come with me, Elphie?" She saw hesitation and her friend opening her mouth to refuse. "Please, Elphie? I need you there to, to… to give me support. Please?"

Gazing into Galinda's deep and pleading eyes, she just couldn't say no. In the azure depth of those eyes, Elphaba saw all the pain she had caused in the past… In the future… Before. And she simply could not bring herself to be responsible for any more disappointment. Specially considering Fiyero's most likely reason for acting distant and her own feelings, which had been suppressed, but not erased.

A small nod, a bright smile and a contained sigh.

Soon, Galinda chose a lavender dress for herself and turned to Elphaba, questioning her about the green girl's choice for evening wear. When the only reply turned out to be a shrug, Galinda disappeared inside her spacious closet and soon emerged from it with a big box in her arms.

A present, she said.

Please, don't refuse.

Again the pleading eyes and Elphaba consented.

--

Galinda felt reassured with Elphie by her side, like a solid presence she knew she could lean on, if needed. They entered the party together, producing many whispers and stares. Following Elphaba's lead, Galinda ignored them all.

"Boq, Nessa!" The pair, no longer a couple, if that had ever really been the case, stood together, exchanging friendly chat. Crope and Tibbett completed the circle.

Pleasantries were exchanged and soon they fell into easy conversation. Galinda felt herself relax. With her inner turmoil subdued, she started paying attention to those around her. Friends. Real friends. She smiled. They were all joking around, being generally loud and happy.

All, except for Elphaba.

Though a smile graced her lips, there was a sad quality to the way the girl gazed upon the rest of the group. Her reminiscent behavior wasn't new, of course. It had started after that horrible dream she had had. Terrible things, Elphaba had said. Terrible things. She would never expand on that, though.

Now, Galinda wondered.

If Elphaba's dream turned out to be a real vision, then could their future be changed? If it was their destinies to die, however young they were or how horribly it happened, Galinda doubted that anything Elphaba attempted would make a difference. Her friend was determined to try, though, and for that Galinda simply could not fault her hope.

If Elphaba only told her the whole dream…

In the end, she had been so consumed with her own thoughts of Elphaba, that she missed Fiyero's entrance. Her friend saw him, though. Her lips lost their slight curve and her eyes grew bigger, a sheen of tears covering them almost instantly. Regret swam in those brown orbs so clearly, Galinda could not miss it.

And something else, too.

Elphaba looked away and the blonde girl allowed her gaze to search the source of this strong reaction. That's when she saw Fiyero, standing a few feet away from their circle and staring intently at her roommate.

Galinda frowned.

She must have been imagining it.

Her tardy boyfriend approached and dropped a quick kiss on her cheek. He smiled and talked to everyone. It was clear, however, to Galinda's persistent gaze, that his attention lay somewhere else.

And Elphaba?

Elphaba seemed to retreat further into her deep sadness. Her bare arms hugged her thin shoulders and her eyes focused onto something so far off, no one else could see it. There, but completely absent.

Could it be?

Elphaba and Fiyero?

But, no matter how much she searched, Galinda could not find in her friend the guilt she would expect to find there, had her theory been true. She found only sorrow and resignation.

Her dream…

But that only explained Elphaba. What about the Winkie Prince? Was that longing Galinda detected in his eyes, she wondered. He sighed. She tucked his sleeve, making him turn to face her. With a serious face, that told him nothing, the petit woman excused them both and dragged him off to a quieter corner.

"Fiyero?" Her unexpected change in behavior managed to catch his undivided attention.

Good.

"Fiyero, I need you to be absolutely honest with me. Can you promise that?" He looked uncertain, but granted her wish. "Do you want to end this relationship?" Her direct approach startled him and an answer was sluggish in coming.

Honestly, he didn't know what to say.

"Galinda, I…" No words came out. He sighed. "I… Maybe we aren't meant to be." The explosion he expected never came. Instead, she gazed upon him with piercing blue eyes.

"Why?"

"I…" How to explain, without hurting her. How to explain at all, when he failed to truly understand it himself? Fiyero didn't know.

"Is it someone else?" His averted look was all the answer she needed. And, though she longed to question him further, Galinda could simply not bring herself to form the words. Regardless of her suspicions, she didn't want to know.

Not ready for that.

Not yet…

So she offered him a sad smile of her own, declined his explanations and attempts at comfort and returned to the company of her friends. Elphaba, seeing her return, shot her a hopeful look.

Everything okay?

Galinda smiled, moved by her friend's concern for her, though still confused by it all. Biting her lip, she excused herself, making vague excuses to leave. They all protested, but the blonde remained firm, tears barely held at bay.

As she was leaving, slow motion steps carrying her away, Galinda felt a cold hand entwine with hers. Surprised, she glanced sideways, only to be met by a pair of understanding warm eyes. Elphie. Another small smile, truer this time. She didn't refuse the gesture and together they left the party.

No words were spoken.

No words were needed.

Not yet.

But, that night, Elphaba and the stars witnessed perfect Galinda Upland crying her heart out; unstoppable sobs shaking her body.

The lonely bluish, purple bottom to your bottom left is calling out to you. What could he possible want, you may wonder? Click on GO and find out!