Disclaimer: Still don't own it…
Somewhere In Between-
-A Tale in Two: Part Two
Elphaba's mind was a blur; she couldn't decipher one thought from the next. She wasn't exactly sure where she was going, all she knew was that she was looking. Looking for anything that could hint at where Galinda had gone. Galinda. The blonde's words echoed in Elphaba's ears, like the ring of church bells. Her stomach did a flip.
She still wasn't certain if she had heard correctly or not, but she must have, or Galinda wouldn't have fled from the room so unceremoniously. It was the only logical way to explain her sudden departure.
Elphaba didn't necessarily like the idea of confronting Galinda about what she had said. After all there as a huge possibility that she hadn't meant it. That it had just been a slip of the tongue. And if that was the case, then they would have to mend what ever glitch in their relationship that had just occurred. But on the other hand, if it where true…Elphaba's heart rate sped up as her stomach did another flip. The possibilities were, quite frankly, endless. Possibilities that Elphaba thought she would never experience, but longed to feel.
It was exhilarating…it was terrifying.
Elphaba roamed Shiz, searching for her roommate. She checked every nook and cranny of the campus, even checking Galinda's favorite places twice. But try as she might, the petite woman was no where to be found. Elphaba's morale began to drop as her search became more and more fruitless. She knew Galinda was small, but her ability to hide was quite ridiculous.
The wind picked up once again and Elphaba immediately wished she had grabbed her jacket before she run from their room. Sighing she turned and began to make her way back towards the dorm, dreading the long walk across the campus in the cold dusk.
Elphaba hadn't realized how late it had gotten or how long she had been searching, but was surprised to see that it was dark before she could get half way back to the safety of her room; the temperature dropped a few more degrees. And though she was cold, none of it seemed to matter, Elphaba's mind was solely on Galinda.
Where was she? Was she alright? Was she cold? Elphaba was certain Galinda had forgotten her coat was well. Had she already gone back to the dorm? Would she ever speak to Elphaba again? Would she even look at her? Or would embarrassment cause her to shut Elphaba out for good? But once again, and most importantly of all, had she meant what she said?
Suddenly, a sharp pain pierced Elphaba's face and exposed arms. She wrapped her arms tightly around herself as she hissed in pain. She felt disoriented. The pain was increasing, little by little but she had no idea where it was coming from or why it was happening. She had never felt anything like it before.
A flash of light and thunder.
Elphaba looked to the sky, horror struck. It was raining. It was raining and she didn't have her coat or gloves or umbrella or any other protection. She felt sick. The rain fell harder and she ran for cover, her only solace: a small awning with a picnic table underneath. Elphaba quickly sat in the middle of the table, getting as far away from the water as she could.
She had always hated water, but had never known why. As long as she could remember she avoided it at all costs, doing what ever she could to stay away from it. She even went as far as bathing is special oils, she had never quite understood her weird fear. But now, it all seemed to make sense. It was as if her body had been giving her a subconscious warning, a relief from the pain she was now experiencing.
She sat in a stupor. How could someone have an aversion to water? If her green skin wasn't enough to make her a freak, let's add a sensitivity to the one thing that all humans needed. She sighed and brought her knees to her chest, trying to quell the pain ripping through her body.
There was no way she would be able to get back to her room without getting soaked, something she didn't wish to experience. With another sigh she rested her head on her knees and closed her eyes and waited. Waited for the rain and pain to stop.
Galinda carefully opened the door to the room she shared with Elphaba, peaking inside before she entered. When she was certain that it was safe she timidly entered, softly closing the door behind her. She turned and took in the room, everything was just as it had been when she ran from it earlier, save for the fact that her green skinned companion was no where to be seen.
"Elphie?" she asked nervously, taking a step further into the room.
No answer.
Galinda walked over to the closed bathroom door and knocked. "Elphie?"
No answer.
Galinda went back to her bed and sat. Where had Elphaba gone? Surely not to look for her? Galinda felt her stomach flip in joy at the thought. It wasn't that she hadn't meant what she said to Elphaba, she really had. Her feelings for the girl had slowly gone from friendly to romantic over the course of their friendship, something she never thought she would tell anyone. And then to have the words slip from her mouth so carelessly. It was just so horribly embarrassing. They were having a nice conversation and the words just fell from her mouth. What had she been thinking? Obviously, she hadn't.
Suddenly, there was a flash of lighting and a loud clash of thunder that caused Galinda to jump. Heart racing, Galinda ran to the window and watched as it began to rain; hard. Worry filled her, flowing through her entire being as Elphaba's voice immediately spoke from the quiet room...
"I don't like water," she had said one night in the early days of their friendship. "I don't know why…I just don't."
Galinda placed her hand against the misty glass, and watched in horror as it began to pour. "Oh Elphie…"
Galinda paced back and forth, the floor beginning to thin under her feet. It was twelve thirty in the morning and Elphaba had yet to return to their room. The storm had gone on for hours, only ending minutes before. Galinda hadn't been able to sit still for the last hour, worry taking over her in a way she had never known her mind on nothing else but Elphaba. Her hair was a mass a frizz and her face was flushed red. She didn't feel like she would be able to function properly unless she knew that Elphaba was here and safe.
Finally, at twelve thirty-five the door to their room creaked open and the green woman stepped inside. Galinda was at her side in a flash and before Elphaba could register what happened the blonde punched her squarely in the shoulder.
"Where have you been!!!!" Galinda nearly screamed.
"Shit Galinda!" Elphaba winced, clutching her arm as her back rammed into the door from Galinda's blow. The pain from the punch only adding to what she was already feeling.
Galinda gasped and smacked Elphaba again, "Watch your tongue. Do you know what time it is? Do you know how worried I've been?!"
Elphaba didn't answer; her mind was still reeling from pain. The warm room, though comforting, was making her dizzy. Slowly, she slid to the floor, arms wrapped tightly around her.
"Elphie?" Galinda asked, worry seeping back through her as she knelt before her friends. "Elphie, what's wrong?" It took all her strength to untangle Elphaba from herself.
When she was finally able to get a look at Elphaba, Galinda gasped in horror and shock. There were, what looked like, purple crevices all over her face and arms. Some were deeper than others, most in the shape of little dots, the size of rain drops. From the look on her roommates face it was quite apparent to Galinda that she was in great pain.
"Sweet Oz, Elphie, what happened?" She asked, running her hand over the marks on Elphaba's forearm.
Elphaba winced and recoiled from the touch. Though Galinda's hands were soft, and the initial contact made a wave of desire shoot through Elphaba's spine. But even the slightest touch was too much for the wounds and pain quickly dwelled the desire.
"Elphie," Galinda whispered, her voice laced with concern. The blonde felt slow tears and she let them fall. She let them fall for the ones Elphaba was unable to muster. She placed her hand on Elphaba's shoulder and rubbed it comfortingly, Elphaba groaned. "Elphaba please, what happened?"
"The rain…"
Galinda gasped. "The rain did this?" I don't like water…I never have… "Water did this to you?" Elphaba nodded. "Then we have to get you out of these wet clothes!" Galinda exclaimed, wrapping Elphaba's arm around her shoulder and grabbing hold of the bony woman's waist; with a heave she pulled them into a standing position and led the way to Elphaba's bed. "Why didn't you tell me this would happen if you got wet?"
Galinda couldn't believe that someone could have an allergy to water, and she wouldn't have believed it if she wasn't standing before Elphaba right at this moment. It was so very strange, but that didn't matter at the moment. Galinda only had one thought at the moment, making Elphaba heal; and she would do whatever it took.
"I didn't know this would happen if I got wet. I've never come into contact with water before," Elphaba said through gritted teeth.
Galinda nodded and went to sit behind Elphaba on the bed. "I'm…uh…going to unzip your dress so you can take it off," a blush rose on both their faces. "I'm going to assume that if you stay wet it's only going to get worse…"
Elphaba nodded, "Just, please be careful."
Galinda nodded, though Elphaba couldn't see her. Slowly she pulled the zipper down, but to Galinda's horror, it wasn't smooth green flesh she was met with. It was the same dark purple wounds that covered Elphaba's face and arms; but they were deeper and wider, covering almost her entire shoulders, leaving little to no green at all.
Galinda swallowed and willed the taste of bile to go away, how could simple water do this to a person? Tears slowly fell from her blue eyes as she pulled Elphaba's dress off of her, letting it rest at her waist. The lacerations ended in the middle part of her upper back, the only part she had really gotten wet.
Galinda stood and walked around to stand in front of Elphaba and pulled the sleeves of the dress off of her arms. "Can you stand?" she asked.
Elphaba nodded and stood slightly; leaning against Galinda and allowed the dress to fall to her ankles before collapsing back onto the bed. She was breathing heavily and she wasn't sure if it was from the pain or the fact that, despite the reasons for it, Galinda was undressing her. Though she had to admit, with out the pressure of her dress, the pain lessened quite a lot.
Galinda turned away when she caught sight of Elphaba's entire chest; it was just like her back. She closed her eyes and shook her head, as an unexplainable feeling worked its way up her body. She was torn between desire and a sickness she couldn't explain. It was as if some of the pain Elphaba was feeling was somehow working its way into her own body. She shuddered, took a steadying breath and faced Elphaba once more.
"We should get up cleaned up, we don't want those wounds to get infected," she said, trying to focus on Elphaba's chocolate brown eyes and not her purple sores.
Elphaba smirked through clenched teeth. "And how do you suppose we do that, my pretty? With water and soap? Incase you forgot—"
"I know what you got you into this state in the first place, Elphaba," Galinda snapped, feeling this was not a time for Elphaba's ever present sarcasm. "I was merely stating what needs to be done. What do you usually use when this happens?"
Elphaba, slightly taken aback by Galinda's outburst sighed. "I don't know, I've told you before, I've never touched water before." She paused, seemingly out of breath. The pain was beginning to increase, the warm air in the room burning her open wounds. "I suppose my oils might help," she said quickly in one breath.
Galinda noted the change immediately and was at her side, "Are you alright?"
Elphaba moved her head in a half nod, half shake. "It's getting worse again."
Galinda nodded in understanding and ran to the bathroom grabbing the familiar bottles that Elphaba kept by the sink and a rag; within a flash she was back at the green girl's side. "Which one?" she asked, holding up the pink and blue bottles she had grabbed.
Elphaba held a shaky finger to the pink bottle. Galinda smiled and opened the bottle, pouring some of its content onto the rag. "Why Elphie, just think what would happen if the world found out you owned something pink," Galinda whispered, trying to lighten the mood.
Elphaba smirked again, "Galinda, had you said that at any other moment in time I would hit you."
Galinda smiled, her first smile in hours, "I don't doubt that Elphie. Now, I don't know, but I'm guessing this may sting a little," she said, as she stationed herself behind Elphaba, ready to clean up her back.
Elphaba nodded. "Ok."
The minute the cloth made contact with Elphaba's a pain worse than anything she had yet to experience screamed from the point of contact. She convulsed slightly, digging her nails into the sheets of the bed and bit her lip to keep from screaming.
Galinda withdrew her hand and the rag in an instant. "Elphie are you alright?"
Elphaba didn't respond, choosing to calm down. She took in a long steadying breath.
"I can stop if you want."
Elphaba shook her head. "No, you're right, they need to be cleaned."
Galinda sighed, knowing it had to be done, but hating the fact that she was going to cause Elphaba more pain than she needed. "You can hold my hand if you like," she said tentatively, trying to think of anything that could help her friend.
Elphaba didn't respond, but merely reached behind herself, searching for Galinda's porcelain hand. Galinda met her hand half way, once Elphaba had a hold she laced their fingers together, and wrapped her free hand around their entwined ones.
"Just breath Elphie, it will be ok," Galinda coaxed as she reapplied the rag.
It was a slowly and tedious task. Galinda had to stop every so often when Elphaba's shaking become too much. She would whisper words of sweet nothings to calm the green woman down. After fifteen minutes, Galinda was satisfied with her work enough, and she moved to stand in front of Elphaba; never once breaking their hands.
Elphaba watched in amazement as Galinda worked to clean her wounds. Her touch was light and sensitive, full of care. Her eyes held nothing but concern and her brown was knit in concentration. Every so often she would bite her bottom lip.
It took all of Elphaba's strength of keep her eyes trained on the woman before her and her mind focused on only the feeling of Galinda's hand in her own. Her hand was so soft and petite, but if fit perfectly with Elphaba's bony one. It was as if Elphaba's hands had been made to hold Galinda's.
Every so often Galinda would wince and Elphaba knew it was because she was squeezing her hand too hard. But the blonde never said a word about it, only focusing on what she was doing and allowing Elphaba to take her pain out somehow. Elphaba was certain that her love for Galinda grew even more.
It made the pain more bearable.
The last part of Elphaba's body Galinda cleaned was her face. As she slowly dabbed the skin on her green cheek Elphaba's eyes shut tight and she bit her lip. Tentatively Galinda worked her way down her jaw, touching as lightly as she could. Elphaba's lip began to quiver and she shook slightly.
"Elphie," Galinda whispered when she was done as she threw the rag on the ground. "It's ok to cry," she finished, brushing a strand of hair out of Elphaba's face.
Elphaba shook her head "Crying shows weakness."
Galinda began to stroke Elphaba's dark raven hair. "Crying is what makes us human, Elphie."
Elphaba scoffed. "I'm not human Galinda. I'm green and I have some freak aversion to water."
Galinda felt tears sting her eyes at Elphaba's harsh words. "Elphie you are human. You are the most humane person I've ever met. You'll see," she said, "You'll see if you just allow yourself to cry."
And she did. Elphaba cried. She cried because the pain was too much, she cried because it had hurt for so long, and she cried because Galinda was the first person to make her feel so loved.
Galinda carefully wrapped her arms around Elphaba and pulled her to her chest, allowing Elphaba to cry into her shoulder. She rocked them back and forth, stroking Elphaba's hair, and whispering reassurances to her.
Elphaba clung as tightly to Galinda as she could. She let it all out, not caring if Galinda saw, because in the end, she knew, that Galinda would make it alright.
After a while, when Elphaba's sobs subsided, the two sat together; not breaking their contact. The pain from Elphaba's wounds was slowly fading into nothingness. She basked in the warmth that radiated from the blonde's body; finding comfort in the soft strokes of her hand in Elphaba's hair.
"You should get a nightgown on," Galinda whispered, not wanting to break the silence that had engulfed them. Elphaba nodded, reluctant to break their embrace, as Galinda stood and retrieved a night gown for her.
Galinda helped Elphaba stand and assisted her in maneuvering the night gown on, trying to avoid hitting the sores at all costs. Once Elphaba was dress she sat back down and Galinda fixed her raven locks about her shoulders. "There," Galinda said, satisfied, unable to resist running her fingers through Elphaba's hair once more.
"Galinda?" Elphaba asked, unable to take her eyes off of the woman.
"Hm?" Galinda replied, absentmindedly making eye contact with Elphaba.
Time froze as their eyes locked and both of the hearts soared.
"Did you mean it?" Elphaba asked quietly.
"Mean what?"
"What you said earlier."
Galinda blushed and looked away, taking sudden interest in the blank wall. "I---I'm sorry I said that Elphie, it slipped. I didn't mean to say it out loud."
Elphaba frowned. "But did you mean it?"
Galinda sighed and looked back to Elphaba, their eyes meeting once again. "Yes," she said, sheepishly. "I understand if you don't to ever speak to me again," she began to ramble, slowly turning away.
Before Galinda could get out of reach Elphaba grabbed her hand, "Galinda, wait," she said, lacing their fingers together.
Galinda was certain her heart stopped as Elphaba slowly pulled her closer and moved so she could sit on the bed. Galinda sat and both girls stared at their entwined hands. It was odd really, how beautiful their skin tones looked together. Green and white. White and green. The oddly perfect match.
"I—I'm very glad you said that Galinda," Elphaba started again, once again making eye contact with Galinda. She would never know how those amazing blue eyes were able to captivate her so. "Because I feel the same way about you," when she finished, Elphaba was speaking barely above a whisper, but Galinda heard every word and her heart felt as if it would burst.
It was in that moment, on that day, Elphaba and Galinda shared their first kiss. It had been nothing short of sweet and innocent, but filled with a passion that surpassed any kiss given by either girl before. It was in that kiss that each girl felt a wonderful pull of the stomach, a flip of the heart, and a lightness of the head. And though they never did finish their discussion on want and need, each was certain that what they had experienced was a combination of both.
Somewhere in between the met at desire, and though Elphaba would never admit it, in that moment, she knew Galinda was right.
Author's Note: Well there you have it! I hope you enjoyed reading! Please let me know what you think!
THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO REVIEWED!!!!
Until next time,
\Your humble author,
The Lonely Goatherd