DISCLAIMER: in the first chapter...

A/N: Thank you to all who reviews. Elphie-the-wicked, shivers are alway good!! It makes me so happy that you guys are enjoying my story. I certainly had a wonderful time writing it. So, this chap was not in the original draft, but I felt it was needed before we started on the problems of changing the past. Please tell me what you think!

TIME TO TALK

The day had been long and Elphaba was returning to her room to crash. She had no more interest in studying all the things she had already seen more than once. But it wasn't the academics which drove her to exhaustion. It was Fiyero. If she didn't know any better, she would believe him incapable of taking a hint.

She couldn't avoid him any more than she already did.

The green woman sighed, shifted the heavy books from one arm to the other and reached to open the door to room 21, relieved. The first sight which greeted her was Galinda sitting on her bed, hands neatly folded on her lap and a somber expression on her delicate features.

"Lynn?"

For a moment, the blonde hesitated, almost unsure of what to do. Then, she offered her roommate a wide smile and bounced off her pink bed.

"Elphie!! I had the greatest idea! We must have a sleepover."

"We must? Why must we and who are we, anyway?" Elphaba didn't mean to snap at her friend, but her mood wasn't the greatest; she was too tired to be nice. Besides, Galinda's suggestion was suspicious at best and she couldn't help but feel the girl had a ulterior motive for suggesting it.

"Oh, just you and me, of course. Please, Elphie?" Galinda had, apparently, discovered the green girl's weakness for that puppy dog look and perfected her pleading face. Elphaba couldn't say no. Regardless of her intention to do so.

How bad could it be anyway?

"Okay."

Galinda screeched, no other way to describe it. The sound was very unpleasant to the ears, but she refrained from commenting. Not that the blonde allowed her time to do so. She had relieved Elphaba of her heavy books and bag and proceeded to drag the green girl to her pink ruffled bed.

"Before we put our pajamas, can I brush your hair?" Elphaba shrugged, seeing no harm. "Okay, let me get my brush."

Long minutes were spent in silence as Galinda smoothed the rebellious black locks out. After she finished, her fingers ran up and down her friend's beautiful hair. The prolonged lack of conversation was a bit out of character for the usually talkative girl, so when it stretched too long, without any indication of an end, Elphaba twisted her body around to face Galinda.

"Lynn?" Hesitation was clear on her friend's delicate features. Galinda bit her bottom lip and averted her eyes. It was at times like these that Elphaba remembered how young she really was. "C'mon... you know you can tell me anything, right?"

"Elphie?" Elphaba urged her on. "Can we talk about my break up with Fiyero now?" Realization dawned. For long days, Galinda had avoided the subject, brushing it all off as inconsequential. Knowing what she did, though, Elphaba had realized that the girl simply hadn't been ready to talk about such a painful subject. It's not like the green witch was particularly eager to talk about it either.

Nod.

"Okay..." Galinda straightened her legs and sat down next to the Munchkinlander, her face turned away. Elphaba mirrored her posture. Another few tick-tocks passed by in silence, before words were finally spoken.

"I decided to remain friends with Fiyero, as you know. It's not his fault really." Elphaba nodded but dared not say anything. "That night when we broke up, I..." Pause. Long jaded fingers reached out to slender creamy ones. Deep breath. "I asked him if he wanted us to be together. He said that maybe we..." Tears could be heard in her voice; both chose to ignore it. "We weren't meant to be."

Elphaba parted her lips to speak, but she simply didn't know what to say to comfort her friend. So she closed her mouth and said nothing. Galinda squeezed Elphaba's hand and released a long sigh.

"I really, really like him, Elphie…" Another stab of pain through Elphaba's already tattered heart. Me too. "But, I… hum… I think its better we stayed only as friends." Galinda then raised her eyes to meet Elphaba's, like a child asking for their parents approval.

"Why?" The question escaped without thought.

"Because I don't think he was happy with me and I want him to be happy." Pride swelled in the emerald witch's heart at her friend's maturity; Nessa hadn't been as kind to the man she had claimed to love.

Elphaba brushed a blond lock out of Galinda's cheek and offered her a smile, which Galinda returned.

"That's sooo good of you!" The sarcasm Elphaba imprinted on the words was quickly lost when she smiled and giggled. Galinda's mood was instantly lifted.

"Did you just giggle, Miss Elphaba?"

"I did no such thing."

"Yes, you did!!" Galinda clapped, grinning widely. A grateful smile replaced it, though, and the blonde reached for Elphaba, hugging her dearly. "Thank you, Elphie."

Elphaba hugged her back, all the while feeling undeserving of her friend's gratitude. Who was more to blame for Galinda's pain than Elphaba herself? But that was a truth she never intended to share. Her and Fiyero would never be; could never be. Not if he was to remain safe.

So, she held onto Galinda tightly before pulling away.

"So, what does one do in a sleepover?"

"Well, first, we have to get into pajamas. You go first."

"Okay."

When the door to the bathroom clicked shut, the smile Galinda wore melted away. She did not frown; she merely looked pensive. The petite girl brought forward the memory of Elphaba and Fiyero near the fountain and tried to make sense of it.

It wasn't long before Elphaba emerged from the restroom clad in a long, grayish nightgown. When the green girl caught a glimpse of Galinda's distant gaze, she stopped short.

"Lynn? Is everything okay?"

"Why do you avoid Fiyero so much, Elphie?" Galinda wasn't looking at Elphaba, but she could see her friend from the corner of her eye. Her roommate shift her feet and looked away. "In your dream… what happens to him?"

"Lynn, I can't…"

"Please, Elphie, just tell me. Does he die?"

"No, but…"

The rest of the answer is swallowed by silence. Elphaba simply could not bring herself to say it. Sensing this, Galinda chose to postpone the subject, as she had already done in the past.

"Okay." She rose. "My turn to get changed!"

Galinda soon disappears in the bathroom, a pink nightgown in her hands. Elphaba doesn't turn to watch her go. Eyes sliding close, she rested a hand upon her heart.

Fiyero…

The somber atmosphere was quickly left behind once Galinda emerged into the room once again. That night, Elphaba remembered what it felt like to be young and carefree. That wonderful feeling of freedom and potential, lost in a spacious room where a large metal head rested, what seemed like forever ago, made all the sacrifices worth it.

Even the painful ones.