Chapter Title: Georgia
~o0o~
It had been a long time since she'd woken up so comfortable. Elphaba breathed in deeply and nuzzled her pillow. An arm moved around her and pulled her closer.
Mm… Yero. Elphaba smiled and moved her head so she could listen to his heartbeat. She opened her eyes and glanced around. She and Fiyero had fallen asleep on the couch. He was reclined at an angle, his feet resting on the coffee table, while she had curled up into his side.
Her neck was stiff and sore, particularly where the bullet had grazed her and she still felt cold and thirsty, but she was warm where she and Fiyero met.
She could happily fall back to sleep here and now and just stay in this moment forever.
The clock chimed for the quarter hour. Elphaba fixed her glasses and found the clock against the wall.
10:15
Much later than she usually slept, but maybe she could get away with an hour more. Elphaba settled deeper into Fiyero's side before it hit her. She gasped and shot up. Pain stabbed through her neck.
Oz, that hurt!
She got up and hurried to the clock to make sure she wasn't imagining it. 10:15.
It was 10:15. Now 10:16.
Elphaba exhaled sharply and rested a hand on her chest. She did it. She was free. She saved the Animals.
Tears welled up in her eyes. She slowly sank to her knees. She knew it. She knew this was why she was put in this time loop and she did it.
There was a stab of fear, too. No more chances if she made a mistake, but she wasn't going to be alone anymore.
A knock came at the door.
Elphaba scrubbed her cheeks and minded not to move her neck too much as she hurried to answer it. The little woman adjusted her glasses and looked up at her.
"Good morning," she said. "I'm Dr. Snowmas, I'm glad to see you up and moving around. Would you mind terribly if I checked you over and changed your bandages?"
"No, it's fine," she said.
Fiyero snorted and lifted his head, looking around in amazement.
"Huh, so it wasn't a dream," he murmured.
"Good morning, Your Highness." said Dr. Snowmas. "How are you feeling?"
"Peachy-keen," he said.
Elphaba smiled and sat down. She didn't know what the rest of her life was going to look like, but she figured she could just take it one day at a time.
"You seem happy," Fiyero commented as they tucked into their breakfast.
"I am," she said. "For so long, I felt helpless and now it feels like I have a little bit more say in my life. I don't know what tomorrow will bring, but at least there is a tomorrow to look forward to."
He chewed thoughtfully and nodded.
"Yeah, I guess there is!"
"I think I might do breakfast for lunch every day from now on," she said. "Just because I can."
She looked at the clock, which read 11:03.
"Though, I suppose eleven does count for brunch," she mused.
A maid had entered with an armful of clothes for the both of them and had heard what she said.
"Oh, that clock runs over an hour fast," she said. "So you're well within the time frame for breakfast."
"It what?!" Elphaba squawked and stepped back from the carriage careening towards her.
She stared at it dumb-founded.
No. No, no, no. She had done it, hadn't she? She saved the Animals, they were all alive, they had made it to a safe place in the Vinkus. It wasn't perfect, but it was done!
Elphaba staggered back, staring wide-eyed at Fiyero.
"Yero, we're here."
"Already?" he yawned and stretched, lifting his head. "Av, don't buy the absinthe again, I'm still seeing the green fairy."
Elphaba didn't know if she wanted to scream, curse, cry or do all three at once. Emptiness set in instead and she just felt numb. She approached Fiyero.
He clicked his tongue and she knew behind those dark lenses he was winking.
"Hi there," he said. "Are you the welcome committee?"
She pulled his sunglasses off his face and stuck her own glasses lopsided onto his nose. She reached into his boot for his flask and took his radio out of his satchel before walking towards the canal. Upon reaching it, she sat down directly in the water. The canal was overflowing onto the glade, which created a very pretty effect when the sun caught the grass waving beneath the water, but more importantly it created a shelf for her to sit on.
The water was cold and soothed the deep ache in her muscles.
She put on Fiyero's sunglasses and switched on his radio, setting it on dry land.
"Hey."
A shadow appeared over her.
"Hey!"
"Yeah?" she said.
"Those are my sunglasses, that's my radio, and that's my—"
"Yeah?"
Fiyero stopped and shrugged. "Alright."
He knelt down.
"Are you okay?"
"Peachy-keen." She took a large swig of the bourbon and let her head rest on the bank. "Every action I try to take is meaningless, my entire existence is pointless, everyone hates me, my sister is ashamed to be seen with me, and the one person I feel like I can talk to is kept away from me. I'm The Girl With the Rough Face."
"Oh, so you admit it," said Galinda.
Elphaba groaned loudly, almost screamed, and took another sip.
"She's referring to a story," said Fiyero. "The Little Cinder Girl?"
"It's not a completely apt description," Elphaba said. "I'm not the only servant, but I am the head servant. Father is persnickety about how things are done, so I usually do certain tasks myself. Plus, there's no bird to carry messages to my secret lover."
"But there is a secret lover?" Fiyero asked.
"Suuuper secret."
"You don't have a lover," scoffed Galinda.
"How would you know?" Elphaba snipped. "When you aren't insulting me to my face you're treating me like some walking disease! Is it so hard to believe that in the entire world one person actually thinks I'm pretty groovy?"
"Yes!" said Pfannee. "All you do is make people miserable!"
"She makes you miserable," said Fiyero incredulously.
"Well, the green is contagious I hear," said Milla.
Elphaba stared up at the clouds and made them change shapes while she was insulted and gossiped about.
Fiyero didn't seem to know what to say and she no longer blamed him. It was difficult to stand up against something when you were too stunned to speak.
She didn't really care, she'd heard it thousands of times over, so she just started to make the trees bloom and rain flower petals.
"Slow dance with you, I just wanna slow dance with you. I know all the other boys are tough and smooth and I got the blues, I wanna slow dance with you," she sang along to the radio.
She made the petals dance around each other and they landed delicately in the water.
"What are you doing tonight?" Fiyero asked her. He adjusted so he was lying on his stomach so he could be closer to eye-level.
"Grappling with my self-loathing. Why?"
"Well, I don't normally do this—"
"What? Talk to strange green women lying around in canals?"
He laughed. "I was going to say not throw a party. Slow dancing sounds like a pretty groovy time. Or is your secret lover the jealous type?"
"I don't think they'd mind," Elphaba said.
"Oh, Oz, is the Artichoke seriously flirting?"
"I can't believe Fiyero Tiggular would flirt with her."
"He must be bewitched."
"If that makes you feel better," Elphaba said, barely sparing them a glance. "What'd you have in mind?"
"I know a few restaurants in town with dinner and dancing," said Fiyero. "Never really been myself, but my parents have."
"Elphaba?" Nessa looked over the railing of the bridge. "Why are you sitting in the canal?"
"What are you, a cop?" Elphaba retorted and the petals all dropped at once to be carried away by the current.
"You're embarrassing yourself!"
"I'm not embarrassed," Elphaba said. "Oz, can't a girl sit in a canal without everyone getting on her dick about it?"
"I'd hop in with you, but given the fact I'm wearing white, I think it'd be a bad idea," said Fiyero.
She thought about it a moment, then flicked her eyes over him. "I disagree."
He grinned, biting his lower lip slightly. "So… I'll pick you up around eight?"
"It's a date," she said. "I'm in Crage Hall, room three-oh-eight."
"Won't be late."
"That's just great."
He snickered and thought for a moment.
"You know… I think this is… fate!"
"If that's true I won't… debate," she replied.
"Ugh, stop rhyming! I mean it!" Pfannee demanded.
Fiyero glanced up with a shit-eating grin.
"Anybody want a peanut?" he asked.
Elphaba threw her head back and cackled. Nothing mattered! She could act as ridiculous and insane as she wanted and it wouldn't matter in the end.
She and Fiyero stared at each other for a long moment and Elphaba leaned in a little. Fiyero raised an eyebrow and didn't back away, closing the distance by half as if to see what she was going to do.
Elphaba halved the distance again, he did the same. She then transformed her face into that of a crocodile, smushing their noses together.
"Boop!" she said in a high voice and transformed the rest of the way, diving into the water. Once she had crawled out of the water, she turned back into a human.
"I knew you were secretly a crocodile!" Shen-Shen gasped.
Elphaba had learned a spell to mimic other people in an attempt to wander around the palace as Oscar. Unfortunately, she couldn't change her shape, clothes, and her coloring, so she took the shape of Shen-Shen, but maintained her green skin and raven hair.
"I knew you were secretly a crocodile!" she mocked in a stupid voice.
"I didn't know you could do that!" Galinda gasped.
Elphaba turned into her next.
"Toss-toss!" she said, flipping her hair.
"Oh! Oh!" Fiyero scrambled to his feet and raised his hand. "Do me next!"
She obliged. Fiyero circled her, checking himself out.
"I must say that is one good-looking man," he said with a wide grin.
Elphaba raspberried and made his butt comically huge. He yelped, backing up into the water, and fell into a fit of laughter.
"Elphaba!" Nessa maneuvered her chair onto the grass. "Is that what you're learning to do with your magic?!"
"You mean to be really cool?" said Elphaba, reverting to her normal self.
She turned into Nessa and ran towards her. Nessa tried to back up, but her wheels didn't have much traction on grass.
"Ohhh, I forgot you're sooo sensitive about magic," she cooed, twirling her hair.
"That's not funny!" said Nessa, turning pink.
"Well, I think it is," Elphaba said, dropping the façade. She tossed Fiyero his flask. "Later."
He caught it easily and winked at her.
Elphaba moved Nessa's chair back onto the pavement and walked away.
"Elphaba! Elphaba!"
Elphaba stopped and faced her sister.
"Why are you acting like this?" Nessa demanded. "Do you enjoy making a spectacle of yourself?"
"I was born a spectacle, Nessa, I might as well have fun with it."
Elphaba was tired, she hurt, she didn't know what else to do with herself, and if this could be a cycle where she could drown herself in a hot cup of 'Fiyero Tiggular', then she damn well would!
"You never think about how this affects me, Elphaba," Nessa whined. "I'm finally making friends and they're not going to stick around if my sister is jumping into canals and acting foolish around scandalacious Winkie princes!"
Elphaba stared down at her sister. She loved her, but she didn't think she liked her very much.
"Why do you worry so much?" Elphaba asked. "You're tragically beautiful and people just eat up victimization. You can be a martyr like poor, unfortunate Galinda Upland! Why don't you join the Unionist Group on campus? I bet you could be their president within the week! Just tell everyone I'm adopted and it's your Unionist duty to care for the poor, rejected sinners. Or tell them the truth! I don't care!"
Nessa's eyes were wide.
"You don't care you killed Momma?"
Elphaba's gaze hardened.
"It wasn't my fault, Nessa. No matter how much Father wants it to be. They're the ones who made that decision."
As much as she wanted to blame their father only for it, their mother still chose to chew them day and night.
"You're here for my sake!"
"You seem to be doing alright without me," said Elphaba. "You're not the victim Father has you convinced you are. I'm not going to stay where I'm not wanted, Nessarose."
She transformed into a raven and flew to her dorm. She got a sick feeling in her stomach and huffed angrily.
Why should she regret speaking her mind? It didn't matter anyway. It wasn't like Nessa was going to remember.
She felt gross after sitting in the canal and stepped into the bathroom to bathe.
After her shower, she put on her slip and curled up on her bed wondering if she should just try seducing Fiyero when he walked in. Relieve some of that anger and tension and frustration she felt.
When she woke up, her hair was half-dry and someone was rummaging around the room.
She lifted her head to see Galinda going through her closet.
"I don't think my things will fit you," said Elphaba.
Galinda jumped and looked at her.
"You're going out with Fiyero Tiggular," she said. "You need an outfit."
Elphaba tipped her head and took out the yellow dress.
"There, now I have one," she said. "Why the sudden interest in helping me get ready? Where are the three stooges?"
"I think your little act freaked them out," said Galinda.
"And you?"
"Well, it was a completely indecent display of magic," she said. "But I'd also never seen anything like it. I wish I was taking Sorcery. How long did it take you to learn to do that?"
"Years."
Galinda hummed in disappointment and distracted herself by examining the dress.
"This is pretty," she said. "I didn't take you for a yellow fan."
"I actually feel more comfortable in darker colors," Elphaba admitted. "But I won't disagree that my palette isn't as limited as I initially thought it was."
Galinda laced up the back of the dress for her and did her makeup and hair.
"There's so much of it!" she marveled as she took out the curlers.
Elphaba hadn't seen the point of using curlers when her hair was already curly, until they were removed and she saw they controlled the way her curls fell. More defined, less frizz.
"Have you considered cutting your hair?" Galinda asked, gathering it back so it looked like Elphaba only had a little bit of hair. "You'd look sexy with a bob."
"I think my hair is cursed," Elphaba sighed. "If I cut it, a death occurs."
Galinda paused and dropped her hair.
"Every time?"
"Three times is too much of a coincidence…" Elphaba looked in the mirror and scowled. "Know what? No, It doesn't matter." She snatched up the scissors and started hacking away. "It doesn't. Fucking. Matter!"
"Miss Elphaba! Stop!"
Elphaba froze and looked at what she did. Galinda gently pried the scissors out of her hand.
"Oh, look at that," she sighed. "Don't worry, I am very good at cutting hair in a pinch."
Thanks to her wild hacking, Galinda had to give Elphaba the bob she claimed would be so sexy. Elphaba had a lot of hair so it just fluffed and curled around her head and into her eyes until Galinda gave her some fringe.
"Hmm…" she studied her critically and mussed with it a bit. "Well, I think you should see a real stylist sooner rather than later… but I'm good, aren't I?"
Elphaba looked at herself in the mirror and shook her head side to side, ignoring the twinge in her neck. Her head had never felt so light.
"So much for the curlers," Galinda sighed, fluffing her hair. "Ooh! I know!"
She opened a drawer filled with hair clips and brought out a pretty barrette, which she used to pull Elphaba's hair to one side.
"Why, Miss Elphaba, look at you," she said. "You're beautiful."
Elphaba smiled slightly. "Thank you."
She moved to the couch to sit and wait for Fiyero.
A knock came at the door. It seemed different, harsher than how Fiyero usually knocked. Fiyero tended to knock in rhythm to "Shave and a Haircut."
"Fiyero is really early," said Galinda, going to answer.
"Wait!"
Too late, Galinda opened the door. She froze and tried closing it, but Frex forced his way in, white with rage.
Elphaba jumped to her feet.
"Father," she said.
She hadn't seen him in years and years. So long she had almost forgotten what he looked like. She had forgotten that look of pure hatred that forced her to turn away. To cower.
"Have you lost your mind, Elphaba?!" he spat. "Nessarose called me in tears and told me what you've said and done. Is this what I'm paying for?! For you to act like some delinquent, jumping into canals, indecent displays of magic, running around with Winkies, and even announcing you don't care you killed your own mother?! Give me one good reason why I shouldn't pull you from school and take you back to Munchkinland!"
Elphaba set her jaw and drew herself up to look him in the eye. It didn't matter. Nothing mattered. She could stand up for herself.
"First," she said. "I am twenty-one and am on partial scholarship, so I do not need your permission to stay. Second, for you and Nessa any display of magic is indecent. Third, he is a Vinkun and a perfectly wonderful man."
"What would your mother say if she were alive right now?"
"Get me out of this box."
Frex's nostrils flared.
"And lastly," said Elphaba, drawing herself up, "You need to stop blaming me for Momma's death. It was not my fault!"
Frex's anger exploded. It was a long-time coming. It was no secret he hated his freak of a daughter. Blamed her for his wife's untimely death and his favorite daughter's disability. He didn't have to feel the effects of the time loop to be driven to the brink. He snapped and wrapped his hands around Elphaba's throat.
"Selfish brat!" he snarled. "I raise you and this is the thanks you give me?!"
"Let go of her!" Galinda shrieked, hitting Frex with a hairbrush.
He shoved her away and Elphaba slashed her nails across his face, forcing him to let go. She backed up towards the window, coughing hard. She could fly away, go to Fiyero's dorm and hide.
"You bitch!" He hovered a hand over the scratch marks. "Where would you go? No one is going to hire a freak!"
"I'll figure it out," Elphaba wheezed, bracing her hand against the window sill. She could use magic to move the couch between them. "My options aren't as limited as I thought."
Frex growled.
"I should have let Omega drown you, but your mother was too soft-hearted! You spit on her grave with your disobedience!"
"Momma's death was NOT MY FAULT!" Elphaba flexed her fingers, wondering which spell to use on him. "I didn't make her chew milkflowers, nor was I the one who got her pregnant! She didn't have to die if the both of you could have accepted that I was green! From now on, I wash my hands of you. I wash my hands of Nessa! I would rather die than go back to Munchkinland!"
Frex's nostrils flared and he charged. An act that must have been restrained numerous times, yet now was done.
A simple shove and less than two seconds in the air.
Galinda ran to the window and looked down to see the green girl lying, sprawled on the ground. She was still… so very still.
She dove for her phone and hit the 0.
"Operator, how may I direct your call?" a woman asked.
"I need an ambulance! I'm in room three-zero-eight Crage Hall at Shiz University," Galinda cried shakily. "My roommate's father shoved her out the window! She's not moving, what do I do?"
"Deep breath, honey, I'll get emergency services dispatched to you right away."
Frex snapped his head towards her.
"Don't hurt me!" Glinda screamed and threw up a hand.
The Governor was thrown back and froze stiff on the floor, his eyes darting around in alarm.
"I-I stopped him!" she gasped. "With magic! I stopped him!"
"Deep breaths, honey," the operator repeated. "An ambulance and the police are on their way. Can you get somewhere safe?"
"Miss Elphaba. I need to go to her. What do I do?"
"Go to your friend so you can hail down the ambulance."
"Okay, thank you! Thank you!" Galinda dropped the phone and ran down the four flights of stairs to get to Elphaba. Her steps stuttered once as she wondered if she should make sure the Governor stayed put.
No, she needed to be able to direct the paramedics. He was a government official, he couldn't easily hide.
People were gathered around the green girl in a wide circle, muttering to each other.
"She jumped."
"No, she was pushed!"
Galinda fell to Elphaba's side, barely registering her cry of relief when the green girl opened her eyes.
"Oh, Miss Elphaba!" she gasped. "I thought you were dead!"
Elphaba released a long, low whine, her brow twisting in pain.
"Don't worry, help is on the way," Galinda said. "I can hear the sirens now!"
Elphaba's throat twitched as she tried to speak.
"Shh, it's going to be okay," Galinda soothed, taking her hand.
"Oh, Galinda, you're so good," someone said.
The words that normally made her glow with praise just set her on edge. Why were they all just standing around? Someone was hurt.
"Move! Make a hole!"
The paramedics pushed through the crowds.
"Over here!" Galinda cried, raising a hand.
The crowds parted for a human and a Bear. They hurried over and knelt down beside Elphaba.
"What happened?" the Bear asked.
"Sh-she was pushed out… he's up there! Top floor. I stopped him with magic, but I was too late to help her…"
The police diverged to go up to her dorm while the paramedics worked on Elphaba. The Bear paramedic shone a light in her eyes.
"Okay, hon, can you squeeze my hand for me?" she asked.
Elphaba's hand twitched and Galinda felt a surge of relief.
"Alright, we're going to put this brace around your neck and give you a little shot for the pain before we move you," the human paramedic said, reaching into her pack for a needle.
"What hospital is she going to?" Galinda asked.
"Shiz General," said the human. "One, two, three, lift."
Elphaba was moved onto the gurney and strapped down, then carried away. Galinda watched the ambulance leave and staggered back up to her dorm where the Governor was being arrested.
Someone would have to tell Nessarose.
"I'm innocent! I didn't do anything!" Frex bellowed. "Do you know who I am?"
Galinda flinched as he was dragged by and she felt a boiling ball of guilt in her stomach. That was Elphaba's father. He was so horrendible. No wonder she was just so… angry all the time. She got enough hatred and venom at home, she didn't need it from her peers.
Elphaba's behavior earlier was weird beyond definition, but did it really warrant such an attack?
The image of Elphaba flying out the window replayed over and over in her mind. One moment there, the next gone. Too fast for her magic to react. That moment of defiance, the next of surprise, then her body was broken on the ground.
The fact she could make some movement was a good sign, right?
And she would be in the hospital all alone.
"Miss, I'll need to take your statement," said an officer.
"Right." Galinda told him what had happened and he soon left.
She hurried and closed the windows tightly, then looked around the room. If Elphaba was staying in the hospital, she would need some things.
As she was packing one of her bags to take to Elphaba, a gentle, rhythmic knock came at the door. She hurried to answer it and found Fiyero standing there, dressed nicely in slacks and an embroidered button down. He had a beautiful bouquet of flowers in his hand and his smile was dazzling.
"Hi," he said. "I'm here to pick up Elphaba."
He hadn't heard. Of course he hadn't, he was new, he wouldn't be in any gossip loops.
Galinda looked down at the floor, trying to figure out how she was going to tell him.
"She… she's not here," she said quietly.
"Do I have the wrong room or something?" he asked lightly.
"No, no, she…" Galinda's lower lip trembled. "She's in the hospital!"
The bouquet dropped to the floor.
"What?" he whispered, stunned.
Galinda didn't want to tell it again, but maybe if she told it enough times she would stop seeing Elphaba lying there all broken. She invited Fiyero inside and told him everything while she continued packing a bag for Elphaba. She spotted some strands of hair around her vanity.
"She was right," she murmured.
"About what?" Fiyero asked.
"Well… she said if she cut her hair someone would—" Galinda stopped short. Elphaba wasn't going to die. She couldn't. Not like this. "Get hurt. That something bad always happens. I'm going to bring some things to her."
Galinda was shocked at the sting of dread she felt at the idea of Elphaba dying. She couldn't understand it. They loathed each other. Death would be cause for a parade, wouldn't it? Instead, she felt queasy at the idea of Elphaba's things being cleared out. That big empty space in her suite.
"I'll walk you there," Fiyero said, scooping up the flowers. "But would you give her these and tell her I'll stop by tomorrow? She's real groovy. Maybe she won't be jumping in canals anytime soon, but I think a real zest for life is pretty tough to find these days."
There was a part of Galinda that wanted to announce that she had zest and liked to have fun, but Fiyero seemed to prefer Elphaba's style. Someone who would make him laugh. Fiyero had never smiled like that in any photos taken of him.
"Of course," she said softly.
Galinda went to Elphaba's bedside and grabbed the book off her nightstand. She moved her pillow out of the way and stared at the little green bottle underneath. She picked it up, running her fingers along the bumps.
What sort of person blames their child for murdering a parent?
"Do you know what milkflowers do?" she asked.
Fiyero frowned and rubbed his temple.
"Milkflowers," he murmured. "They're… a blood thinner, I think. Toxic in large doses. Not to be confused with the white flowers from mint."
There was a connection with those. Why Elphaba's mother would take them, it was on the tip of Galinda's tongue, but she couldn't find the reason.
She sighed and placed the bottle in the bag along with a change of clothes.
"Let's go," she said.
They took the trolley to the hospital since Fiyero's driver had left already. Galinda thought about what she was going to say and hoped Elphaba was in okay enough shape for visitors.
A large sign gave notice that visiting hours were over and would start again at 8 a.m. Galinda sized up the nurse at the desk and walked over with Fiyero, clearing her throat softly.
He looked up and instantly his eyes landed on Fiyero.
"What can I do with you— for you!" he amended quickly, blushing slightly.
Fiyero smiled charmingly and leaned against the desk.
"Hi there," he said. "Can you help us? A friend of ours was brought in a couple hours ago and we want to see if she's going to be okay."
"I… well, visiting hours are over. Family only."
"We're as good as," said Fiyero. "Please, just this once? Just so my good friend here can bring her a few things to make her stay a little more comfortable?"
"I don't know…"
"Tell you what, I'll stay right here while I wait for her to get back. Just a quick visit."
The nurse grinned shyly. "Well, alright. Who are you here for?"
"Elphaba Thropp," said Galinda.
He got up and left to check, quickly coming back.
"She's in I.C.U.," he said. "Room four." He glanced at Fiyero. "Take your time."
Fiyero nodded at Galinda and she smiled gratefully, hurrying through the double doors. She found room four and knocked lightly to announce her presence before walking in. The lights were dimmed, but Galinda still wasn't prepared to see Elphaba.
Her neck was immobilized, her right leg was in a cast, her left arm was in a sling, and her head was bandaged. She looked so frail and exhausted. Her bed seemed to be situated in a way to keep her weight off her lower back. Her heart beat looked strong, though Galinda never could remember what all those numbers meant.
"Hello, Miss Elphaba," she said. "How are you feeling?"
Elphaba furrowed her brow slightly, her lips moved but no words came out. She sighed and signed with her right hand.
"Why?"
Galinda was never so grateful her teacher was cute for her OSL course she took in middle school. She couldn't make any sort of conversation, but she did remember enough to be able to verbally respond.
"Well, I brought you some things," said Galinda. "I was in and out of the hospital a lot when I was little. That's how I know what's needed."
Elphaba blinked slowly, then tapped her finger tips to her chin.
"Of course," said Galinda. "Oh, Fiyero brought you these. He said he'll stop by tomorrow during visiting hours."
She held the flowers up so Elphaba could smell them. She was almost amazed to see her expression soften and a small smile tug at the corner of her mouth.
Elphaba was in love with the prince. That was surprising. Being heirs to their respective countries perhaps they had met long ago. Oh, how romantic!
Galinda had the sense to bring a vase and set the flowers up where Elphaba could admire them.
"I'll have to tell Madame Morrible where you are," she said. "And Nessa… I don't think she knows. Erm… Your— The Governor was taken away by the police. I gave my statement. I don't know what will happen but you don't have to go back to him. You can stay with me. My house in Frottica is so huge, even if we loathe each other we can avoid each other easily."
"I… don't… loathe… you." Elphaba's voice was weak and every syllable sounded like it caused her pain. Her words were so sincere.
Galinda felt tears well up in her eyes. She squeezed Elphaba's hand and set the bag down in the chair by her bed.
"I'll see you tomorrow," she promised and hurried out to collect Fiyero.
"See you around," Fiyero said, winking at the nurse.
"Later."
"Is she okay?" Fiyero asked.
"You can see for yourself tomorrow," Galinda said. "I better tell her sister and Madame Morrible."
He walked her back to campus, but diverged to go to his dorm. Galinda hoped she wouldn't wake Morrible up. It wasn't terribly late, but she wasn't aware of the woman's schedule.
She tried to think of what she was going to say and knocked on Morrible's door. A tiktok machine answered the door. It was odd looking with a big round body that puffed steam and had seven spider-like legs that whirred and clanked as it moved, two of which could be utilized as arms. Grommetik was engraved on the forward facing side where a shiny piece of glass mimicked an eye. It gave someone a place to look at anyway.
"I need to speak to Madame Morrible," Galinda said. "It's urgent."
Grommetik backed up, allowing her entry.
The compartment was as lavishly decorated as the Headmistress herself. Morrible and Nessa both sat in the parlor drinking tea.
"Miss Upland," said Morrible. "What brings you to my quarters? I thought I made it quite clear that I am taking no other Sorcery students."
"I'm not here about that," Galinda said. "This concerns both of you. It's about Miss Elphaba."
"Oz, what has she done now?" Nessarose sighed, pressing her fingers to her forehead.
Galinda narrowed her eyes.
"She's in the hospital," she said. "See, someone called your father and told him of Elphaba's peculiar but rather harmless behavior earlier today. He came on the next train here to confront her about it and they argued. She told him she refused to return to Munchkinland, so he responded by throwing her out the window."
Nessa stiffened and sat up.
"You lie!" she spat. "Father would never do that! Maybe you pushed her out! Everyone knows you two hate each other!"
"The Governor was taken by the police," said Galinda. "Of course he denies what he did, but I was there I saw it! Elphaba will tell the truth to the police when they take her statement."
"She… she wouldn't blame Father," said Nessa.
"You saw her to the hospital?" Morrible asked, her expression unreadable.
"Yes," said Galinda. "She was awake when I saw her. She's lucky to be alive."
Nessa was quiet while Morrible asked a few follow up questions.
"If… if Father is in jail and Elphaba is in the hospital… who's going to take care of me?" Nessa asked.
It was a perfectly reasonable worry. One Galinda herself would have made if she were in Nessa's jeweled shoes, but it irked her all the same. All that and she wasn't remorseful that she tattled? No expression of relief that her sister had survived? No insistence on going to see for herself that she was okay?
Galinda said nothing, not trusting what words would fall out of her mouth next.
"Not to worry Miss Nessarose," said Morrible. "You have a home here through the next semester, I promise. It seems not much else can be done tonight, so why don't we get some rest and tomorrow I will personally find out more."
Nessa sniffled and nodded.
"Grommetik will show you out, Miss Upland."
"I remember the way," Galinda said and couldn't get back to her dorm fast enough.