Elphaba stared at the rain as it rhythmically drummed against the window. She raced raindrops, her lips twitching into a smile when the droplet she was following won the race to the bottom. Despite her aversion to water, she found it quite calming to watch the rain from the safety of inside. It only caused a problem when it touched her skin.

She had finished work early, and Morrible had given a progress report of the setup for 'Li Huteoa'. Everything was going according to plan, and she enjoyed a few moments of peaceful serenity.

"Elphie!"

Elphaba jumped and almost fell off her window seat. Once her breathing returned to normal, she looked up to see Glinda hurrying into her office, the door still swinging from bouncing off the wall. She was starting to regret this open invitation she encouraged by not discouraging it.

"Guess what?"

"What?" she groaned through gritted teeth.

"I met the Governor of Munchkinland last night! She complimented my second variation performance!"

Elphaba frowned, forgetting that she should've pretended to be happy for Glinda's benefit.

"Elphie?" She reached for her hand, but Elphaba pulled it away. "Elphie, what is it?"

"You can't just barge in here like this!" she snapped, glaring at the shocked blonde. "This is my personal space that I didn't give you unrestricted access to!"

Glinda stilled, staring wide-eyed at the green girl. "Oh. Right. I apologize." Her lower lip quivered as she turned on her heels and ran out, closing the door behind her.

It took a moment for Elphaba to realize that her outburst might've been a bit too dramatic, and she pushed herself up, hurrying after her friend. "Glinda, wait!" She didn't see her, and hurried towards the stairs. "Glinda!"

She heard footsteps and raced downstairs, forgetting to lift her long skirt until she tripped and almost landed on her face. She gripped the handrail as she flew down the rest of the steps. "Glinda!"

Glinda had just reached the landing of the third floor and turned, looking up at Elphaba with tears streaming down her face. Once Elphaba saw the damage she'd caused, her guilt flared up and she pulled her friend into a hug.

"I'm so sorry, Glinda. I shouldn't have snapped at you like that," she apologized softly.

Glinda allowed the hug, but didn't return it. After a moment, she gently wiggled out. "Did you even see my performance?"

"I said I would, didn't I?"

"Answer my Ozdamned question, Elphaba!"

She took a step back, startled by the venom in her voice. "Yes, I did see your performance. You were perfect."

She didn't thank her. "Are you related to the Governor of Munchkinland?" She hadn't planned on her question sounding that accusatory, but that's the way it slipped out.

Elphaba's breath hitched at the question, but she knew she owed her friend an answer to a previously unanswerable question. "Yes. She is my younger sister."

Glinda took a deep breath. "Okay."

"I'm sorry. I know that it was a big deal for everyone to meet her."

"You knew she was here yesterday?"

"Yes."

"Then why –"

"I will answer your questions. All your questions. I promise. Just… not here." She took Glinda's hand and led her back up the stairs. Once they were back in her office, she settled Glinda on the sofa and sat next to her, her hands folded tightly in her lap. "Yes, Nessarose is my younger sister. I never wanted the Eminency, and she did. When our great-grandfather died, Nessa was constitutionally old enough to govern, so I immediately abdicated. She got Munchkinland, I got an opera house."

"You weren't with her and Morrible after the show."

"No. I wasn't." She took a breath. "My sister is a lot of things. Not all of them are good, but she is very loyal and keeps her promises. I made it very clear to her that I didn't want anyone to know who I was, and while she fussed and scolded me, she never told anyone. Plus, having me there would've pulled attention away from her, whether people knew who I was or not, and she always needs to be the center of attention."

"So Morrible doesn't know she's your sister?"

"If she does, it isn't because either of us told her."

Elphaba's explanations calmed her down enough to where she no longer wanted to break in a new pair of pointe shoes against her skull, and she wiped her face with the back of her hand. "I'm sorry I barged in without knocking."

"It's alright. I flew off the handle with my reaction."

"But you're right; this is your private space that you invited me into, and I've been taking advantage of that."

"I… don't mind. You're the only friend I've ever had, and I enjoy your company. It was just… Nessa coming here unannounced and demanding things of me threw me off."

"Oh. I'm sorry."

"Don't be. It's not your fault. I handled it, and I don't want you to stop your visits. Besides, Nessa's leaving in two days, and then everything will return to normal."

Glinda had shifted her position and was now leaning against Elphaba's arm as she played with her fingers. "You could also come downstairs."

The green woman gently pulled her closer. "And risk losing my air of mystery? I could never. And I thought you liked having me as your little secret."

She craned her neck to smirk at her. "Perhaps you're right."

The opening night of 'Li Huteoa' was filled with excitement. The entire opera house was abuzz with fresh energy. The ballet girls loved their new costumes, and Glinda had modeled it several times for Elphaba. The main set was a beautiful, grand staircase, and the cast couldn't stop standing near the top whenever they could.

"I keep falling out of my arabesque and Greyling looks like she wants to break my kneecaps," Glinda reported to Elphaba. She was supposed to be warming up, but instead, she was helping herself to the little fruit candies in Elphaba's glass candy dish. She had warmed up beforehand, and would make sure she would be downstairs with time to spare.

"I'm sure you'll be perfect tonight," Elphaba reassured her, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. "Go downstairs. I'll see you soon."

Glinda stole one more strawberry candy before standing, smoothing out the tulle skirt of her costume. "Bye, Elphie."

As planned, the blonde made it downstairs with time to spare. She joined a small warm-up circle with her friends before Morrible glided in.

"Attention, everyone. I have a note." She produced an envelope from her large sleeve with a dramatic flourish.

Everyone knew who it was from, but Glinda knew who it was from.

"'Greetings, everyone. I wish you all the best of luck on your opening night performance and the run to come. Signed, 'E'," Morrible read as if she were reading a royal proclamation from the Wizard.

Everyone erupted into side chatter about the note from the owner. Glinda smiled to herself, enjoying being in on the special secret.

"Glinda?"

She blinked and turned to her friends. "Yes?"

"We've been wondering… where do you disappear off to? You'll be gone for hours, then reappear like you never left the opera house," Pfannee said.

"We were looking for you, and then you just magically showed up at the last possible moment," Milla said.

"Oh. I… found a new napping sofa," the blonde half-lied.

"Where?"

"I can't tell you. Then you'd steal it."

The lights flickered, signaling the start of the show. Everyone scurried to their places. Glinda could feel her friends' eyes on her, but she ignored them, going to her spot in the wings.

…

Elphaba waited until the lights went out before slipping into her private box. She fiddled with the pages of her program as the curtain rose. The conductor gave the downbeat, and the orchestra began the opening sequence. Dancers filled the stage one by one, and Elphaba waited patiently for Glinda. She came out last, looking radiant in her white, tulle dress with a thick, purple ribbon belt.

Glinda's acting was immaculate, her lines were crisp, and her form was clean. Elphaba was sure she had never seen a more beautiful creature, a porcelain doll, in all her life.

She made her decision right then and there. While she hated having to change any part of her instructions to Morrible, she no longer wished to cast the lead role in the winter ballet from auditions.

She never had a say in casting, for fear of stepping on sensitive toes, but she was the owner, and her decision was final. Glinda would get her well-deserved promotion and would dance the lead in 'Cypila'.

Elphaba was obligated to see her sister one more time before she returned to Munchkinland. Thankfully, this planned visit was more amiable for the two sisters. Elphaba didn't pretend to be overtired from opening night, and Nessa wasn't as petulant as Elphaba expected her to be.

"I will see you in a few months, Elphaba," Nessa said, bidding her sister farewell in front of her apartment that afternoon.

"Yes, Nessa."

"Promise me, Elphaba. Promise me you'll remember and you'll come without me having to send for you."

She swallowed the urge to roll her eyes exasperatedly. "I'll remember, Nessa. I promise. And I'll come without being summoned, even if I come against my own volition."

"That's good enough for me." She gave her sister's hand a quick, yet affectionate, squeeze. "Goodbye, Fabala."

Elphaba kissed her hair. "Goodbye, Nessie." She watched her go, waiting until the carriage was out of sight, and began her walk to the opera house.

The whole building was still alive from the opening night excitement, and Elphaba snuck up to her office as she always did. She contemplated attending the performance again to see Glinda, but when she saw the multiple contracts on her desk, she knew she'd be in for a long, lonely, Glinda-less night. But she always preferred to be alone. Being alone meant that no one could stare, whisper, or reprimand. It meant she could have quiet time to herself. She could hear her thoughts.

However, for her current alone time, instead of being cooped up in her office, she slipped into a small, empty practice studio. Everyone had gone home for the night, but she wasn't 'everyone' for some reason. She had pulled all-nighters at the opera house before, usually when she got caught up in her work, or an unexpected rain left her trapped without her protective gear. But neither was the case this time. This time, she was drawn to the darkened practice room. She sat on the piano bench, her fingers hovering over the black and white keys before she began to play a soft tune.

The music reverberated off the walls, filling the small space with the melody. Elphaba smiled as she played. It had been much too long since she felt this at ease and free. It was moments like this that made her realize just how much stress and tension she was carrying around. She finished the song with a deep sigh, and was about to start again when soft claps pulled her away.

"That was beautiful."

She whipped around. "Glinda! What are you doing here? No one is supposed to be here."

Glinda blinked. "Sorry." She closed the door and knocked.

"… Come in."

She opened the door, but remained in the doorway. "Hi."

"Hi. You didn't have to knock."

"I did. Though this isn't your office, you were clearly having a personal moment. I didn't mean to interrupt you by startling you."

"I thought everyone had gone home."

"My carriage is delayed. Broken axel. I figured it would be safer to wait inside than on the streets," the blonde said, remaining in the doorway. "What are you doing here?"

"I… lost track of time."

"You often lose track of time."

"An astute observation."

Glinda chuckled. "You play very well. You told me you played 'only a bit'."

"I'm far from a professional level."

"But you're proficient enough."

"I –"

"Accept the compliment, Elphie."

Her lips twitched. "Thank you, Glinda."

She came in and sat next to her. The bench wasn't that long, so it was a tight squeeze, but they made it work. "Play something for me."

"You wish to dance to my playing?"

"I wish to properly watch you play."

"This piano is due for a tuning." She played a slightly off-key note. But one look at Glinda's pleading face got her to forgo her complaints and she played a different song.

Glinda watched, mesmerized, as Elphaba's fingers danced across the keys, weaving the intricate pattern into a grand design. She rocked to the driving tempo, closing her eyes as she felt the music.

When she opened her eyes, she looked over at Elphaba, who also had her eyes closed, her fingers continuing to dance over the keys. Her lips were locked in a soft smile, her shoulders relaxed, and her body flowed with the music. Glinda had never seen Elphaba look this happy. She realized she was experiencing Elphaba's freeing passion for music, the way Elphaba experienced her freeing passion for dancing.

The blonde was tired from the performance, but she stood up and danced. She didn't have someone else's choreography to restrict her, so she was allowed to be completely free in her movements for the first time since she arrived at the opera house. She leaped, spun, and kicked, giggling at her made-up movements.

Elphaba opened her eyes to Glinda's giggles. Her fingers kept playing, but her focus tuned in on Glinda, mesmerized. Her graceful ballerina was now more of a whirling dervish, yet still just as elegant. For a moment, the girls shared the freeing moment. She played a few wrong notes due to her distraction, but she ignored it, and Glinda didn't seem to notice.

As she ended the song, Glinda came back over to her. She scooted over just as Glinda flopped next to her.

"That was beautiful," the blonde breathed.

"I… rarely get to play like that." She subconsciously brushed her hair behind her ear. "It's… not very good, but…"

"How long have you been playing?"

"Not long. This isn't a skill I was able to develop in childhood. But I'd say around nine or ten years. I taught myself by listening to others, which became admittingly easier when I moved here."

"You play… beautifully."

"You dance…" She was about to say 'beautifully', too, but her actions took over for her words. They stared into each other's eyes, both trying to catch their breaths from their separate activities. Time slowed as Elphaba leaned over and her lips met Glinda's. Glinda immediately reciprocated without a single trace of shock at the sudden affectionate display. The jolt they felt when they held hands turned into fireworks.

Elphaba had shifted so she was straddling the bench, and Glinda scooted closer, almost sitting on her lap. The blonde's hand steadily crept up Elphaba's arm. She felt her blood pounding in her ears.

"Elphie…" she whispered when they pulled away.

Elphaba, ever the panicker, thought she had upset Glinda, but before she had a chance to apologize and backtrack, Glinda pulled her back into another kiss, tilting her head to the side, and pressed Elphaba's palm to her cheek.

"Don't apologize. Don't stop," she whispered. "Please."

Elphaba could not breathe. Her hands nervously groped for something to touch – to hold – and quickly found Glinda's hand, still resting against her face. They were both breathing hard, flustered, but smiling. She rested her forehead against Glinda's, breathing in her sweet scent. "Glinda, I –"

A loud horn from outside pulled them apart, and Glinda almost tripped as she jumped up in shock. "That must be my coach." She went back to Elphaba and took her hands, their jolt not losing its intensity despite the fireworks. "Beautiful," she whispered, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek.

Elphaba didn't know if she meant her, the kiss, or the music, but figured it was most likely all of the above. "Goodnight," she whispered, rooted to her spot as she watched Glinda leave.

She didn't vacate the dark studio for the rest of the night.