Chapter 20. Homesick
Rifiuto: Non Miniera
Later that night, silently, Fae climbed into Elphaba's bed, and snuggled into her, like she'd do as a little girl. Elphaba stirred.
"Fabla? What's wrong?"
"Can't sleep. Just….being in a new place." Fae said. "Can I….sleep with you?"
Elphaba nodded.
"Sure."
They settled down, back to back, before Fae turned, and tapped Elphaba's shoulder.
"Elphaba?"
The girl turned to look at her.
"Yes?"
"I….I'm sorry. I know you probably don't want me around but…."
"It's okay. The same thing happened to me a year ago." The twenty-year-old said.
"Really?" She nodded.
"Wait. What do you mean, 'the same thing.'?"
"I met myself."
"What--?"
"I was sent into the future and met my future self."
"Oh." Fae let herself digest this bit of information. "What was she like?"
"Bitter. Lonesome. A fugitive. Her name was Fae."
"Mama named me afer a friend she knew." Fae said.
"Really?"
"Yeah. I miss her. And, I'm sorry, for, calling you--"
"It's okay."
"No it......it's just that.....that you remind me so much of her. And I don't know where I am. I think I'm in the past, but I'm not sure, and.....i just want to get back to my parents. Mama, and Daddy, and Liir. I miss them." Fae said, tears welling in her eyes.
Elphaba wrapped her in her arms and rubbed her back. Fae buried her face in Elphaba's hair, as Elphaba softly began humming the tune she'd heard a year earlier. It calmed the girl, until she fell asleep, Elphaba continuing to hug her.
She had loved travel when she was a child, and had never been homesick before. But that was because she usually knew where she was. Here, well, she didn't know where here was even.
Shiz, but that was it.
And not her Shiz.
Her parents' Shiz.
Fae hated to admit it.
She was homesick.