Title: "Choices", part 5/?

Rating: PG-13, leading up to R, & possibly still rising after that... Galinda/Elphaba

Subject: MUSICAL, but has hints at the book (but nothing that would spoil it)

Summery: Galinda is a changed woman after the 'death' of Elphaba, and on her road to redemption, she hits a slight bump - the Wicked Witch of The West herself...

Warning: UnBeta'd!

Author: VixenRaign - AngelicSinner

Previously:

She knew that if anything truly serious had happened, Chistery would come and find her, like last time, but that didn't worry her any less. Why hadn't Elphaba at least sent her a message? Was Elphaba just that accommodating? UnNamed God knows she let plenty of people walk all over her when she was younger, but she'd liked how the green-skinned girl out-grew that with the discovery of her own internal power. She wouldn't have been that kind to her just to make her happy and shut her up... would she?

"AHHHHHHH!" she shrieked at the top of her lungs. She'd been scared nearly to death! Just as she'd opened her eyes to look over the sky-line of Emerald City, they'd been found level with a familiar green. She'd never been more frightened in her life! And all Elphaba could do, as she watched her through the window, was laugh slightly at her own little joke. Scowling, Galinda threw open the door to the terrace, ready to tantrum,

How dare she scare her! How dare she not warn her! How dare she show up almost 4 days late and laugh at her! How dare she burst in through the window and kiss her before even trying to explain or -- well... actually..... she didn't mind that last part so much.

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Her lips were warm and wet from their kisses, but her cheeks cold from flying and her fingers like ice slowly melting as the ran down her arms. Elphaba was wonderful. She was quick and needy but nervous and shy; something she didn't seem to be all-that-much when they'd been at the castle. It felt incredible to Galinda, like maybe she wasn't the only one with doubts.

"I'm sorry," Elphaba said with a wavering steadiness, "I had a plan... but it seems to have backfired on me." she said, tucking the blonde's head right under her chin, kissing her curls and smelling their perfumed, fruity scent.

Galinda, for her part, was nuzzling the woman's neck like some kind of kitten, a large watery smile on her face, just glad to know that the green girl was okay. Fighting the tears in her eyes, she would not let them fall, even if they were happy in nature. Oh God, she wanted to kill her!

"I'm sorry, I know I made you worry on purpose but..." She pulled back, "I thought that maybe if I stayed away a bit longer you'd give some more serious thought as to what you wanted -- but more than that!" she insisted, pulling herself out of the short woman's grip, and sounding almost upset, "I needed you to make sure that this was something you could do; lord knows it won't be easy." she gripped the corners of the desk in her hands, scowling down at it's surface.

"This is wrong... everything about this - it's not right!" she insisted, still not looking at the blonde. "All week, that's the only logical conclusion I could come to. Do you realize that - even if one of us was a man - we still couldn't be together?" she insisted, tone sour. "A Munchkinlander and an Upland Lady... Boq's annoying, clinging nature and unrequited love wasn't the only reason you never gave him a second glance - class was a part of it no matter how you try and deny it." she sighed and sank into a chair, resting her chin on her steepled fingers, eyes closed.

"Elphie," Galinda started slowly, not going to deny it, but wanting to hold her some more, not wanting to over-think all this too soon.

"I was going to come in here, and ask you slowly and seriously if this was something you still wanted," Elphaba said carefully, an odd croakiness to her voice. She sighed, and finally looked up at the blonde, standing a few short paces from her, looking far more patient than she usually was. Her dark lips broke into a small smile.

"I landed, ready to be the steady one in all of this and then you - you..." she trailed off again, looking at the floor, "You just looked so... hopeless." she said, a note of surprised to her voice. "I just saw you, eyes shut tight, pouting, tossing and turning your head slowly against the glass... I dunno. You looked-" she suddenly giggled. "You looked cute."

"I did?" Galinda asked, hopeful. Elphaba looked up and held out a hand, Galinda took it.

"Yeah. Really." she smiled again. "I just looked at you and it was like you'd never left Kiamo Ko; there were no second thoughts, or even any serious first thoughts, and I just... wanted to kiss you again." Galinda carefully moved to sit on the green girls lap. Wrapping an arm around her shoulders, the blonde sighed.

"I know it won't be easy, but maybe that's not what I want right now. Maybe you're worth a little extra work to me." Galinda said it seriously, but the large smile it brought to the Elphaba's lips made her think the other woman thought she was kidding.

"Elphie, you're good to me, and you're probably the best thing that's happened to me - lover or not. I'm not about to cut you out of my life, so stop trying to do it for me." Even sitting on her lap, they were barely level when Elphaba looked her right in the eyes. Pushing some loose curls back behind the girl's ears, she seemed to be deep in thought again.

"There will be times I may not be able to see you for weeks and weeks, maybe even months..." she said almost as though it was more for herself to hear, "The visits will all be short and in the dead of night... I'll never get to see you in the daylight..." she sighed, a slight frown to her features. "What could be worth this?" she asked, seriously.

"You tell me." Galinda asked in a terrified whisper. Oh God, she hoped Elphaba thought she was. Please, please please, this was the first thing she wanted to work to have, to really fight for to have her way; and possibly to end up losing. She knew it wasn't just a chance, it was more probable than not - but she didn't care. She'd do her best to earn it.

"Glin," She said gently, her voice unsure, "I don't know... and that terrifies me." she admitted in a whisper. "Whatever this is, whatever we're doing, it's the most illogical thing I've ever done, and I don't know why!" she groaned slightly.

"Galinda, you make me happy, and just being near you is like being young again, and in the emerald city - before we met the wizard... like I was in the place I was supposed to be... But I know this isn't -- it couldn't be!" She insisted.

"Why?" Galinda asked finally, getting a little tempered herself, "Why isn't this it? Why couldn't it possibly be?"

"Because it doesn't make any sense!" she seemed almost desperate, "You, a wellborn Upland woman; Me, the Thropp third descending and abdicated would-be-Governess of Munchkinland... Both women, barely a thing in common --"

"And the bestest of friends!" Galinda insisted, taking the girls slowly warming cheeks in her palms again. "That didn't stop us years ago when we were kids, and it obviously isn't stopping us now... you seem to be the only one that wants to."

"I don't!" she insisted suddenly, and before Galinda even registered that she plowed on, heatedly.

"Besides! You're supposed to be the smart one, the one who reads all the time -- Love isn't Logical! Even I know that and the only books I've read weren't nearly as thick as the head of yours!" she rampaged onwards, ignoring the look on Elphaba's face of utter shock, "I certainly didn't have a choice in this! You're what my heart wants, and seeing as how I don't want it to stop beating anytime soon; I'm not going to ignore it's demands."

"Glin..." Elphaba said slowly, a tiny smile melting through her opened-mouthed shock, "Do you love me?" she asked, sounding a bit taken aback, but almost pleased. Galinda gulped and blushed deeply.

"No." she said simply, and lying in a fleeting whisper. She was a little surprised to see no changed in Elphaba's expression. "But... I think I could." She continued, "I wouldn't be that hard." she added with a tentative smile. Elphaba leaned forward and kissed her temple.

"Elphie, I don't want to ignore this... Please, just give it a chance?" there was a long silence between them. Galinda's head was resting against Elphaba's left temple, her nose in her ear as she whispered to her, tickling her like a lover's caress. The taller girl's hands were slowly running up and down the blonde's bare arms, no longer cold, but warm and comforting as she'd remembered them.

"I don't think I really have a choice," She sighed simply, pulling back, looking a little defeated in Galinda's eyes, "I think this a decision that was made for me." She smiled finally, and it was genuine. "Lord knows I wouldn't have picked you if I had a say in this." She said in that playful, highly reminiscent way they used to joke.

"Hey!" Galinda whined, indignant, "I'm not that terrible, am I?" Elphaba just shook her head and smiled.

"I find absolutely no redeeming qualities in you." She shot back, just as playful. Galinda smiled, trying to hold back a blush... I guess I had that coming, she thought. "You're a sweet girl, Glin, and a lot smarter than people give you credit for... I'm just glad all this time you and I are going to spending together is going to be alone... I don't like this persona you push on yourself when you're in a crowd."

"Is that the only reason?" she asked playfully, nuzzling the soft emerald neck again. Elphaba was glad she was sitting because she would have swooned. Whoa, she thought, what happened to the shy Galinda from before? Chuckling to herself, she kissed the top of the blonde head as she felt a blush rush to her cheeks. Probably hiding in that same place as all my confidence from before.

"One of many reasons, I'm sure." She held the shorter woman to her for a few long minutes, then turned to look at her fully. "Glin, I'm sorry but... I'm going to have to leave soon." Those soft blue eyes shot open in surprise.

"But - but!" she sputtered slightly, "You just got here!"

"Look outside," she said, nodding to the patio behind her, "Dawn can't be more than two hours off when I arrived... If I want to get back safely, I'll have to leave within the hour... I have to make it to the desert before light really breaks; I can't be seen." She ran her thumbs over the corners of Galinda's frown, "This is what I mean... It's not going to be simple with us; not that it ever really was." she added, smiling a bit glumly to herself.

"Why can't you just stay the night with me?" she pleaded, looking a little desperate herself, "Is anyone expecting you tomorrow?"

"I can't fly off tomorrow morning, Glin, It has to be dark."

"I know that!" she said hotly, "I meant stay the night with me, then leave again tomorrow night, with plenty of time to spare to get you back." she offered.

"Who isn't expecting you tomorrow?" Elphaba asked suspiciously.

"I have tomorrow off... Had today off too, actually. Doctor has me on bed-rest."

"Doctor?" Elphaba asked worriedly, "Are you sick?" Galinda shook her head quickly.

"No, just haven't been sleeping well. I was getting circles under my eyes... and we all know how useless I am if I'm not in peak form."

"Why haven't you been sleeping?" she asked, wrapping her arm a little tighter around the girl's waist, but Galinda just glared at her.

"Well, you did say you were making me worry on purpose, so I guess its your fault." A brown blush rose in Elphaba's cheeks. A mumbled 'Sorry' came from her lips. "Stay?" Galinda offered, trying to sound serious.

"I can't." Elphaba stated, shaking her head. "I really can't. It wouldn't be right. Even if you are on bed-rest, it's too great a risk."

"But no one will find you!" Galinda insisted, "There are guards at the elevator, which is the only way in -- they never thought the Terrace would be an issue as I'm on the 12th floor." she chuckled, "But then again they never anticipated you, I guess." Elphaba smiled, but still looked doubting.

"Please? It's your fault the doctor has me on house arrest; the least you could do would be to keep me company for a day." Elphaba opened her mouth, obviously to say no again, so Galinda put a finger to her lips. "Shhh! No! You're staying, and that's final." The taller girl gave her a look as though to say 'you are acting very childishly', but Galinda didn't care.

"Take off all that bulky fabric you're wearing and I'll find you something to sleep in." With that she got up and headed to her wardrobe.

"Glin..." She started, sounding exasperated,

"NO!" she said, snapping back around, "Change! Now!" Meanwhile Galinda tried to find something that wouldn't make the other woman want to leave even more. This proved highly difficult, as almost everything she owned was a light shade of pink, blue, or yellow. Trying to find something in a simple white, she dug deeper into her drawers... Why didn't she own anything not-pastille?

"Sssss!" Elphaba hissed in pain as she tried to pull her cloak off. Quickly doing an about-face, a bright magenta night-dress still in her hands Galinda looked over and saw the girl struggling to pull the garment from her arms.

"What happened?" she asked quickly, dashing over to help.

"It's the storm season in the Vinkus." she groaned. "That's why I was so late. When I made it out to the entrance of Kiamo Ko I saw that it had started raining. When it didn't almost immediately let up I realized it was the start of the rain-season... I would have been here hours ago, but I tried to wait if out for a few hours."

"So you flew in the rain?!" Galinda almost squeaked. "WHY?!" Sighing angrily, Elphaba ripped the coat off her arms and groaned suddenly in pain.

"I didn't want to worry you more than I already had... I had to see you." She said, looking down at her arms. Galinda was looking at them fixedly too. They were swollen looking, and deep green in splotches along the length of them from the elbow down.

"Thank goodness for my hat and gloves... without them I'd be the sorrier." she said, throwing her slightly bulging bag down. In it the blonde saw wads of fabric that she could only assume held more clothes that she'd use to arm herself against the wet. Dropping the nightgown on the desk, Galinda took the girls hands into hers so she could get a better look at her arms.

"These don't look happy." she said quietly, turing them over, "Is there any way to treat them?" she asked.

"Not here." Elphaba sighed, groaning slightly. "And there is no way I'm wearing that." she said, indicating the brightly colored gown with her eyes. "I clash with everything, but that is just ridiculous."

"Oh come on, it's not that terrible." Galinda said, chastising her in a motherly way, "Besides, they're all that bad. So either grin and bare it or find a new solution." at that the blonde reached up and started unbuttoning her dress down the front.

At first Elphaba didn't know what to say... it was just kind of shocking. Galinda didn't seem to think anything of it. The old, almost Ozmatorian-style dress was binding and conservative, and the loads of tiny buttons that ran down the left part of the front of the dress just seemed to go on forever. By the time her quick-working little fingers had made it to the last ten shining little beads, she felt Elphaba's fingers wrap around her wrist.

"What?" she asked innocently. "What's wrong?"

"Maybe I should just sleep in this?" she offered. Galinda huffed.

"Now you tell me... And no; I'm surprised you can ride a broom in this thing, let alone sleep in it. Now come on, you can sleep in your slip-"

"I'm not wearing one." she said pointedly. She watched as Galinda's light eyes widened suddenly, and her fingers curled back into her hand. "But... maybe..." she started, not knowing what she wanted to say or how to finish.

"Yes?" the blonde asked breathlessly, surprised at what she'd just done, but -- somehow -- not quite regretting it. Elphaba just shook her head, and kept looking down at her. The air around them seemed to crackle with some kind of heat or magic, like it became thicker suddenly and they were swimming in it.

As though it had be thrust back into her from some unknown place, the hidden confidence that Elphaba'd thought she'd left in Kiamo Ko made it's self known. Slowly pulling the wrist until the curled fingers of her counterpart once again brushed the buttons, Elphaba smiled almost predatorily down at the blonde. Her other hand wrapping firmly around the shorter girl's waist...

Elphaba didn't say anything as the blonde popped the last few buttons open, they both just watched as the bodice hung limply on her shoulders. Reaching to undo the clasp that held the skirt to the green girl's waist, she was stopped, and her hand redirected into the open dress.

The first thing Galinda's nervous and trembling fingers encountered was a thin sheet of more fabric. Under it she could feel the smooth, flat torso of this long and lean woman. The ropey muscles of her stomach twitched, as though being tickled, which only encouraged Galinda even more. Gently bowing her fingers, she lifted the flap of the dress a little to see inside...

It was the white tank-top from before. Looking up into those pretty dark green eyes she smiled. They smiled back.

"You look nice in white." Galinda whispered.

"Glad you think so..."

"But you look better in green." She added slowly, her smile changing into a naughty smirk. Elphaba's head tilted slightly as her eyes slipped closed. She tried really hard not to blush to the tips of her ears... she really did. It didn't work, she realized, as she opened them again.

"You've never seen me in green." She said quietly. Galinda just pinched her tongue between her teeth again and smiled, a girly little giggle slipping out for good measure. Ooooh, she was good! "Glin," she started, but never finished.

The blonde slipped her hand under the little tank-top and slid it along her stomach, over the smooth, tight curve of her hip, until her hot little fingers were tickling the older woman's lower back in the tight confines of the dress. Pulling her closer, Galinda took in a deep breath through her noes, enjoying the now familiar scent of that lovely green skin. Like earthy oils, and wood-smoke, and just a hint of wool (that never seemed to come off). She liked it -- it wasn't flowery.

"You can sleep in that." She said simply, obviously referring to the tank-top. "The heats been on all day, so it is rather stuffy in here." Elphaba's confidence took a small dip. She didn't want to, and it showed quite clearly on her face. "Come on... It's just me." she said smiling brightly, kindly.

"Exactly." She said, a little grumpily, "I don't want you to see me and suddenly realize what a huge mistake you're making; least of all now." She looked down at the thin, girly bicep poking out of her dress.

"That not going to happen!" The blonde insisted, now becoming a little exasperated, splaying her fingers along the girls spine, "Now come on... Give me a chance before you accuse me of a crime I don't plan to commit." Elphaba sighed deeply, raising a hand to her forehead in defeat.

"Alright... turn out the lights."

( To Be Continued... )

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VixenRaign