Three mornings and one night that tried to change the ending

[jeminisoul]

Title: Three mornings and one night that tried to change the ending
Fandom: Wicked - bookverse
Pairing: Gelphie
Rating: The first is G, the second R and the last NC-17.
Summary: This is a bit of an odd little fic, it is comprised of three ficlets. It is meant to be a look at three of the most representative mornings in our girl's lives and how they changed them.
Notes: I wanted to challenge myself with this fic and write the characters as truthfully to the book as possible. I suppose I wanted this to be a more realistic version of Gelphie while staying as true to the original story line. This is bizarrely written mainly from Glinda's POV despite me being far more like Elphaba in personality. I really wanted to show the depth and the tragedy of their love rather then just the happy times. Also I worked on more fic less dialogue XD. Unbeated due to the fact that my beta is my dueling rival. A little break from BGA - enjoy.

The first light of innocence

All of the dorm rooms at Shiz University were fitted with the same furnishings. Same beds, same wardrobes, same desks. It was of course acceptable for the students to personalise them slightly, however there was one student who managed to take that to heart. Instead of the normal drab detailing, this room was veritably blossoming with life. The beds had been pushed together and were sporting two new covers, the wardrobe covered with fabrics and the curtains - well they were the things that Elphaba had most objected to.

“Miss Galinda, I quite insist that you take those disgusting things down immediately.”
“They add character, besides that wall is on my side of the room - thereby I may do as I like with it!”

That had been well over four months ago and now, sure enough, in the place of the generic dark brown hangings there now sat silken floral print. It had the strange effect of allowing sunlight through the light cream of the main body of the pattern, but each flower cast their unique shadow across the room. This meant that that the light now dappled, falling over the bed sheets in complex patterns whenever the curtains were drawn.

Currently it alighted on the two occupants of the makeshift double bed. The softened morning beams speckled over the bodies making for a rather glorious image. Wind blew the fabric, sending them billowing gently and causing the light patterns to alter. A shadow fell across an elegant, long fingered hand as it twitched in sleep. As the sun rose further the light became brighter, revealing more of the two dormmates as they lay curled around each other beneath the blankets, their breathing matched and steady.

The hand twitched again, this time more deliberately as its owner awoke. She blinked open her eyes, allowing them to adjust to the world. Beyond this minuet movement she lay still, her breathing still managed as she tried not to disturb the smaller girl. She watched as the light bounced off of the golden curls in front of her, and even allowed herself a small smile as she watched her bed mate sniff gently, wrinkling her nose. She seemed so childlike, so fragile, lying there like that. So vulnerable.  A distant call from outside brought her back to the present and she began to stroke along the other’s naked back, tracing her spin with a green finger.

“Wake up little thing, time for the day,” she cooed softly, the only time she allowed herself to be so. Blue eyes opened blearily before clearing as the day invaded the blonde’s senses. She sighed, stretching upwards and enjoying the light clicks as her body straightened out.

“Mmm,” she murmured, turning around so that her nose was almost touching that of her bedmate, “can I not just stay here?” She asked lazily, almost inaudible. She moved her bare legs between that of her companion’s, tangling them closer together.

“No,” Elphaba replied swiftly, pulling her legs away and raising her shield once more, “there is much to be done,” She said simply, before moving to the edge of the bed and rising to find her clothing. Glinda sighed again, watching as her green lover pulled on her undergarments and brushed out her hair.

After five minutes she shook her head, resigning herself to the day. She rose, stretching once again, almost as a cat would, and moved over to where Elphaba was now fully clothed. She pressed herself against the lanky back, wrapping her arms around the girl’s middle, ignoring the sense of rough fabric against her bare skin. Elphaba shut her eyes, consenting to the hug as she felt Glinda bury her head against her upper back, before placing a kiss on one of the few bits of exposed skin at her neck. They paused, holding onto the moment for as long as fate would allow, standing there in the dappled morning light. But no moment, however perfect, may last forever, especially when destiny has other ideas. It broke. Elphaba moved to pick up her textbooks and Glinda began the long task of dressing for the day.

The second dawn of remembrance

“Fine! Then I shall just have to walk myself then shan’t I?” She replied haughtily, throwing the remark over her shoulder, despite the protests of her driver. “Just get it fixed and up to the stables by this evening, I shall be absolutely fine on my own thank you. I am a sorceress!”

Fifteen minutes later and she was already regretting her words. Cursing her own pigheaded pride she moved through the silent Emerald streets, as the chilly morning air coursed through her bones. Market stall owners had begun to set up and more than one glanced a curious eye over the noble woman as she stumbled towards the end of the street. Truly the journey felt a lot faster by carriage.

Pausing she tried to gain her bearings, she was somewhere on the eastern part of the city, that was sure - but where? Frowning she rounded another corner, looking up and out across the misty streets. This was hopeless. She was lost. Cold, alone, tired and lost. Just bloody brilliant.

A cool wind had begun to pick up and she shifted into an alley, trying to get out of the icy air. Her dress had been designed with fashion in mind rather than practicality and bare fore arms and floaty underskirts were not the best for this kind of weather. She was about to move on when she heard voices from further within the alley.

“You really think that you can take this on?”

She avoided gasping, instead choosing to bit her glossy lower lip in fright. She had heard about the kind of thing that went on in alleys. Best to leave now and brave the breeze than to face whatever demons lurked further in the shadowed path.

“Of course I can, I managed the last one didn’t I?”

That voice stopped her cold.

“Yes Fae, but she is an important figure, she will be heavily guarded. Frankly you are not up to the job,”

A voice she hadn’t heard in well over five years.

“Not up to the job? With all due respect I am more than capable of taking out this… this monster!”

A voice that had muttered a swift goodbye and not a word since.

“With no due respect both my superiors and myself hold the opinion that you are too much of a liability to… noticeable,”

A voice that had broken her heart.

“Well then what would you have me do?”

Glinda blinked out of her daze, well aware that she was still standing, fully exposed in the alley. She turned, meaning to leave when her dress knocked over one of the discarded rubbish sacks that lay around the area. She winced, willing herself not to make another move.

“What was that? Fae - go and check it out,”

Her breathing had become heavier now and she knew that running would be hopeless. Oh please just let them want her money…

A figure swathed in black cloth emerged from the darkness, so heavily covered that it was almost impossible to tell the gender of the person. But Glinda knew, knew as soon as she saw the brown eyes, who the person was. She opened her moth to speak, to scream, to cry, when the figure shook her head, holding a finger to her lips.

She moved away, back into the alley. Glinda almost followed.

“It was nothing - a rat probably,”

Glinda felt her pounding heart calm a little as the attention was diverted from her and she slumped against the wall behind her. Despite her body calming itself, her mind was reeling. What was she doing here? In an alley of all places? Hadn’t she even left the city? Who was she working for? Would she still feel the same…?

She was so busy with her musing that she failed to she the person reappear from the darkness, failed to react as a hand was brought up over her mouth to stop the scream. Glinda went to bite down but stopped. She relaxed, the scream silent in her throat. The hand holding her was green.

They stood like that for what felt like hours, the harsh black of Elphaba’s cloaked body pressing into the silken curves of her friend. Their breathing reached a similar rhythm, until finally Elphaba moved away. Glinda reacted faster than she had thought possible, grabbing her friend’s arm and yanking her back.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

Elphaba stayed silent, trying to tug out of Glinda’s grip. Glinda however had other ideas. “It has taken me this long to find you, and if you think that you are going to get away that easily…”

“I need to leave,” she hissed, rounding on Glinda and yanking her hand away.

“Elphie… it’s me,” She said slowly, reaching out to stroke green cheeks. Elphaba pulled away, turning once again to go. Glinda growled, calling out.

“Fine! What right do you have to be mad! What right do you have to talk to me - you left!” She called after Elphaba’s retreating back. She smirked as the other woman stopped.

“I did only what was best for you,” she said slowly, not turning around. How could she explain? She was a freedom fighter, a terrorist. To have someone that you care about, anyone at all they were a tear in your armour. And Elphaba already had one tear too many.

“What was…” Glinda gaped, unbelieving.  “You think that by abandoning me, by leaving me by breaking my heart you were doing what was best for me!” She advanced, yanking Elphaba round to face her.

“If I hadn’t then you would be dead by now,” Elphaba replied, looking down her hooked nose at the younger girl.

“I can take care of myself,” Glinda huffed, matching the other’s piercing stare.

“If I had not been here then they would have killed you two minutes ago,” Elphaba replied without a pause

“You are impossible,” Glinda muttered, “I see now how much you cared,” This time it was the blond who turned to the awakening city street.

“Glinda you know that I cared,” Elphaba called not bothering to stop her, knowing she would not get far. Sure enough the blond wheeled around, now seething with rage.

“Then you have a bloody strange way of showing it,” she practically screamed, her normally perfectly styled hair coming loose and her cheeks red with anger.

“I left you because I care you little idiot, you were practically the only thing in my life worth caring for! But this,” She gestured to the walls around her, “this is bigger than me and my pathetic feelings, this is about more than what I want,”

“So this is more important to you?” Glinda asked, her voice now cooled to a temperature lower than the wind that still whipped around outside. Elphaba stayed silent, her arms now wrapped around her upper body.

“I don’t feel I need to answer that.”

“No. You don’t.” There were tears in the young woman’s eyes now.

Elphaba gritted her teeth, before looking down to Glinda’s left hand. “You have another now anyway,”

“This?” Glinda said, letting out a hysterical little laugh. “You think that this means anything?” She lifted her hand up, the ring glittering in the morning light.

“It is generally assumed to mean that you have a significant other,” Elphaba shrugged, looking now at Glinda between dark strands of hair that had scattered across her face.

“Oh I have one, doesn’t mean that he means anything,” Glinda replied darkly.

“Clearly not, not if he allows you to wander around this area of city on your own,” she retorted, anger blossoming toward the unknown man.

“Oh he doesn’t know,” Glinda replied wearily, “we were on our way back from my mothers - she’s ill you see and Chuffery had to leave on business when we got to the city then the carriage…”

“What kind of business?” Elphaba cut in sharply, raising an eyebrow. After all, what business would be more important to him than the safety of his wife?

“Oh something dreadfully drab and boring, but as I was saying…”

“What type of business Glinda?” Elphaba asked levelly, locking their eye contact and closing the gap between their bodies. Glinda went to reply again until she caught sight of Elphab’s face and she stopped. Elphaba had always been able to read her like any of their school textbooks, there was no point hiding this from her.

“Busy,” She composed herself,  “with some rather dim young men with less clothing then is really good for them,”

Elphaba nodded, the answer was neither expected nor unexpected. Just an answer. “So he is with you for other reasons?” She asked, with as much tact as could normally be expected of her.

“Yes, we both are,” Glinda replied shortly, looking away from Elphaba. What could she say? That she had never quite managed to get the other woman out of her head? That no matter how many people or things she surrounded herself with she could never feel as whole as she had when the emerald-skinned woman had been in her life? That right now she wanted nothing better than to throw herself into Elphaba arms and never let her leave again?

She said none of these things, instead stood there, strong and proud. She was not a little schoolgirl anymore and she would not act as such. Elphaba moved to her once again, reaching out to tilt Glinda’s chin upward to face her. Still neither said anything.

Within her mind Elphaba was doing battle with two conflicting urges. One wanted to leave, to go and forget about this woman and once again immerse herself in her cause. The other wanted to apologise, to squeeze her tight within her arms and kiss her until their lips were puffy and sore.

“What were we Elphie?” Glinda breathed against the woman’s mouth, not daring to look up.

“Impossible,” Elphaba replied before Glinda pushed their mouths together. Elphaba froze, for a moment tempted to push away, but gave in, allowing Glinda to open her mouth as her tongue demanded entry. Elphaba was unaware that she was pushing back until Glinda hit the wall behind them, their mouths still locked. There they stayed, the soot of the wall rubbing off onto the silky mass of Glinda’s back. Glinda moaned as Elphaba lifted her thigh upwards, pushing into Glinda’s already burning centre.

For once the noble woman didn’t care that she was in public, or that this place was dirty and beneath them. All she wanted was to feel Elphaba inside her once more, to feel whole again. She lifted her leg, locking it around Elphaba’s lower back and pulling their bodies together. Elphaba reached down, hands remembering the soft route down the other’s body.

Glinda threw her head back, longing to feel Emerald fingers stroking her core. But she was denied. From just outside the alley someone was calling. Elphaba retreated hurriedly, adjusting her skirts and hair. Glinda almost howled in frustration as Elphaba beckoned her onto the street.

“Continue following this street, turn left at the next junction and that will take you into the Merchant district, now I must leave,” she whispered, that beautiful voice now barely audible.

“No Elphie, you can’t - not again!” She pleaded, grabbing hold of Elphaba’s hand. “I can’t let you.” There were tears in her eyes now, tears of frustration and of a pain too deep to express. “Please don’t leave me,”

Elphaba turned, clutching Glinda to her tightly. “Don’t you see?” She said softly, and Glinda was convinced she felt a tear drop onto her head. “You are my humanity Glinda, you are my feelings, my heart and my weakness.” She pulled back. “And in my job, humanity is not an option.” With that she left, no parting kiss this time.

Glinda was tempted to follow, to run and to catch and to hold. But she knew that she couldn’t, that they couldn’t. Elphaba may have a heart, but it was locked tighter than the most secure vault and Glinda would always hold the key. Even, Glinda told herself, if she had smelt an odour on her love that she knew not to be that of a woman, but to be that of the after shave favoured by an old school friend of theirs whenever he was in town.

The final goodbye of the dusk

In the middle of the bedroom Glinda sat, her mind reeling with worry. She worried about the future, not only hers but of this whole dammed place. Nessarose was dead, Elphaba had long since given up the title and Shell… she hadn’t heard from the youngest of the siblings for quite some time. There were cheers from outside and Glinda rose to look to her window. Leaning out of the balcony she watched as  Munchkins made their way out into the street, punching each other of the back with drunken snigger. They were still celebrating the death of the Governor.

Her fists clenched tight against the window ledge as their haphazard singing echoed around the room. Eventually she could stand it no longer and slammed the window shut. She returned to the bed, her head in her hands. There was of course the immediate future to think about as well.

“My room number is 9, second floor. Please, I miss you,” she whispered, holding onto Elphaba’s hand as she ran to catch up to her friend’s retreating form. Elphaba didn’t turn around, simply paused, her head bowed. “I never had a chance to say goodbye properly,” Glinda continued desperately, “please.”

That had been well over three hours ago and the sun had already began to set over the hills of Munchkinland. Would she be here? Glinda asked herself for what felt like the thousandth time. She would wait for ten more minutes then give up.

Ten minutes past.

With a sigh she picked herself up off of the bedclothes and began to undress for bed. She carefully unlaced the bodice of the ridiculous dress before slipping it off entirely. The night was a cool one and she changed into her undershirt quickly. She moved over to the basin when she heard a knock on the door. It could be the maid, she reasoned, or some dignitary or other. She paused, not daring to believe that it could be Elphaba on the other side of the wooden frame.

“Come in,” she called, her hands still grasping the edge of the basin. The door opened and from within the mirror reflection Glinda caught sight of the unmistakable green skin.

“Elphaba,” she said, turning around as fast as she could and practically dragging the other woman inside.

“Glinda,” Elphaba replied stoically, allowing herself to be pulled into the room.

“I didn’t think that you would come,” Glinda said honestly.

“Neither did I,” Elphaba replied, her eyes seemed to be looking beyond Glinda and her expression was thoughtful.

“Well I’m glad you did,” Glinda told her, forgetting pretence and pulling Elphaba into a fierce hug. “I thought I would never see you again,” she whispered into soft black hair.

“You won’t,” Elphaba told her, the certainty frightening both of them. Glinda supposed that she should be angry but right now she could not even muster annoyed. She had Elphaba here, in her arms and she wasn’t about to let that go any time soon. Whatever had happened, whatever would happen was inconsequential as long as they had this moment.

She felt Elphaba lift a tentative hand to her hair, stroking the bleached curls and twining them between her fingers.

“I fear I have made rather a mess at my chance in this world,” Elphaba murmured, placing a kiss on Glinda’s forehead as the smaller woman held her tightly. Glinda let out a small laugh against Elphaba’s shoulder.

“I fear we both have.”

Elphaba nodded in agreement, however this was not the time for regrets. There would be plenty chance for that after. For now she raised Glinda’s face up between her hands and kissed her firmly, moaning as she felt Glinda’s eager response. From then on no words were said as Glinda reached round to remove her final piece of clothing and Elphaba began on her dress. It did not take long for Glinda to stand there, her body exposed.

Elphaba paused, turning to Glinda and taking in her form, she had aged, Elphaba noticed, but the lack of children had meant that her breasts were still firm and her stomach still taut. She stroked an elegant finger over Glinda’s bare skin, causing Goosebumps to form and Glinda to shudder. Taking a hold of Elphaba’s hand Glinda carefully placed two fingers to her lips before sucking on them, her tongue massaging the digits. Elphaba’s breath caught as she watched, desire stirring deep within her.

She removed her clothes quickly, discarding them to the floor as she moved over to Glinda’s bed. It felt almost like a gross echo of happier days, when the two of them would lay together after day classes, not saying anything but letting their bodies speak for them.

Time had dimmed the memory of sensations for both of them but as soon as Elphaba’s nimble hands found their way between Glinda’s thighs all time was forgotten. Glinda kissed harder then ever, leaving bruises along an emerald neckline as fingers worked their way in and out of her shuddering body. When her lover ducked down, her tongue added to the finger’s effort, Glinda’s conscious mind exploded into a whirl of heat and passion. She grasped hold of the pillows behind her, her lips parting as she panted one name over and over. Her eyes shut as her chest heaved and her body threaten to shatter, leaving only her soul there, screaming Elphaba’s name into the night. A final rush and it was over. She felt the hand withdraw and her body began to relax, a satisfied smile creeped across her face causing the lines in her skin to become more pronounced.

Elphaba lay next to her, no hint of desire on her face, however Glinda knew that she was aching. She reached over, kissing along Elphaba’s hairline. There were grey hairs there, streaked in with the black but Glinda didn’t care. She just kissed and touched and tried to savour every moment, every part of her lover. She let her hands move lower, teasing green nipples into tightness as they worked their way over pert breasts. She heard a hiss from the woman beneath her as she inhaled sharply. Glinda smiled with childlike glee, she had forgotten how sensitive her friend was and she mercilessly worked on exploiting this fact, making Elphaba writhe beneath her, moaning as Glinda worked her way across soft flesh.

Eventually Glinda relented, moving her head between thin thighs and inhaling deeply, taking in the musky scent that was completely Elphaba. Only she was allowed to do this, that much she knew, no others would touch here. That was what Elphaba had promised, this was her pleasure and hers alone. With that knowledge she began to suck gently, licking and working her way into the other woman. Elphaba sighed, never having been a very vocal person she allowed Glinda to continue with her work.

After a while Glinda felt Elphaba’s body tense before finally releasing against her. Glinda tried to hold onto every second, to savour every taste, smell, sound that Elphaba could give her. But it was all over too fast.

They lay there, Elphaba curled protectively around Glinda, their bodies pressed as tightly as they could manage. It had just past midnight, Glinda noted, this would be their last morning together. The thought was to much as she gave in.

“Please don’t leave again,” Glinda pleaded, her voice sounding so small. Elphaba did not reply. “My husband is gone, the house is empty. No one would know! We could live together, we could make things better, we could change things. Once that girl leaves…” She trailed off, hoping for some kind of reply. “Oh say something will you?” Glinda demanded, turning to face Elphaba.

Elphaba looked to her with such pathos Glinda almost found tears in her own eyes. “Just come with me,” Glinda whispered, stroking a hand to Elphaba’s cheek. And Elphaba…

Agreed and they slept the night through in each other’s arms. The next day the arrangements were made and Nanny and Liir were sent for. Elphaba joined Glinda in her stately home, Dorothy and the ridiculous shoes forgotten. The Grimmierie was Elphaba’s main point of study and she grew stronger by the day. Nor and her family were found and eventually forgave Elphaba for what she had done. The Wizard was toppled and the people of Oz gave thanks to the two sorceresses. And the two women grew old together, still in love and still strong. Liir was doted upon by Glinda like a son and Elphaba grew to accept him as her own. They lived that way until finally they died, happy and content.

…shook her head. The two of them were not made for a happy ending. The story was written and the paths were set, they were mearly characters bound by fate to enact the same story for all eternity. Wicked witches did not have a happy ending. They died. And the benevolent sorceress? She was destined to die as that, a widow and childless. There was no matter of choice in it.

Glinda felt the tears sting in her eyes but she refused to let them fall. She would not give in that much. She nodded, turning her back to Elphaba and feeling the other woman’s grip tighten. They had this moment and this moment only. “Will you still be here when I wake up?” Glinda asked, her voice almost inaudible as she grasped at this last strand of hope.

“No,” Elphaba replied, her tone as cold as her heart had become.

“Then I wish never to wake,” Glinda said to herself, holding onto Elphaba’s hand and willing the sleep out of her mind.

But she did wake. The bed was empty and the story continued. The Wicked Witch of the West died at the hands of a plucky young farm girl who was returned home thanks to the kindly old Wizard and the great Glinda the Good.

Somewhere, in the epilogue that was never quite written, a broken woman sat at an unmarked grave in dim morning light, weeping for the loss of her friend and wishing that things could have been different.