Disclaimer: Don't own Wicked….woe is me….

Author's Note: I should most definitely be writing my English paper right now, but I'm not…because inspiration struck and I haven't written anything for Wicked in a while and I've wanted to for quite a bit…so read on and enjoy!

Summary: Glinda and Elphaba have a chance encounter one night. Pre-Thank Goodness. An intermission piece, if you will. Galinda/Elphaba Friendship…

"You never wear your glasses any more," Glinda spoke quietly into the night. Elphaba immediately adjusted her hair so her face was hidden.

It was odd really that they were meeting here like this.

Galinda had come to Shiz for the day, making some pronouncement or another. The public speeches had become so frequent these days that she felt like she was on autopilot. Her own words echoed in her head, though they were indistinguishable; blah, blah, blah happiness, blah, blah, blah, don't fear, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.

After the speech she had snuck away. Away from Morrible, and Fiyero, and the Gale Force. She wasn't sure she could take it any more. The lying, the fake smiles. It was all too much. She couldn't get away from it. It was like she couldn't breathe. She wanted to run, to go away for ever. But she couldn't. People needed her, they always had, but now more than ever. So she had crept away when no one was looking, to the one spot they would never find her, if only for a minute, so she could finally be herself. Galinda. Well, Glinda…now.

And it was here, that she found Elphaba.

"Is that a problem?" Elphaba asked, her voice a little more harsh than Glinda remembered.

Glinda shrugged, "It's just…you used to wear them all the time."

Elphaba smirked. "If my memory proves correct you made sure I didn't wear them when you gave me that make over." In the moonlight Elphaba could tell her companion blushed.

"Since when have you ever listened to what someone tried to tell you?"

The green woman laughed softly. "Never, but why do you care whether I wear them or not?"

"I suppose I never realized how much I would miss them," Glinda whispered, her blush deepening. Elphaba shifted uncomfortably but didn't respond. "So why don't you wear them anymore?"

Elphaba paused, opening her mouth to respond, changed her mind and closed it. She shrugged again.

The two companions fell into an uncomfortable silence.

"How have you been?" Elphaba finally whispered, looking at the ground.

"I've been…..good," Glinda chuckled. "As good as good can be, that is." The blonde wondered when her once strong-friendship had been reduced to nothing more than small talk and pleasantries. "What about you?"

"I'm still alive."

The comment was meant to be sarcastic, but it hardly came across as such. The color quickly drained from Glinda's face, making Elphaba mentally kick herself.

"Um…so, how's Fiyero?" Elphaba, asked mentally kicking herself again. She wondered if it would be better to just stick her whole foot in her mouth.

"You know him, always happy." They both smiled. "We're publicly announcing our engagement in two days."

"So, he finally asked you," Elphaba said, the amusement in her voice masking the hurt and jealousy.

"Oh no, he--" Glinda paushed. "He…he doesn't know yet," she finished quietly, somehow ashamed of her antics.

Despite herself Elphaba let out a loud cackle. "Still haven't changed a bit have you Glinda?"

The blonde turned her back on her friend to hide her frown. She had hadn't she? Changed? She was Glinda the Good now. But then again, she had always been good. But she felt changed, so what was it? And how come Elphaba couldn't tell. "I don't suppose I have," she spoke instead, to tired to dissect her thoughts at the moment.

There was silence. And it was awkward. Had the years since she had last seen Elphaba really created that much of a void in their friendship? Glinda felt, almost, uncomfortable. Was she spending so much time with the mindless denizens of Oz that she, too, was slowly beginning to believe the rumors flying about her best friend?

The green woman must have sensed Glinda's discomfort, for when she spoke again, her voice held the same naïve nature it used to. "Do you remember when we used to come here?" she asked.

Glinda smiled fondly and wistfully, taking in a deep breath and sighing. "Yes I do." She really did.

During their shared time at Shiz, after their friendship had been established, Glinda and Elphaba would often retreat to the spot they presently stood at. It was a small clearing along the banks of the small stream that ran on the outskirts of the University. The clearing was hidden, and for all the two friends knew, they were the only two people in all the world that knew about it.

When times were hard, their school work too much and over bearing, or if they just wanted a place to relax and spend time together they would here. Elphaba would sit under the comfort of the willow tree that stood near by, either reading or simply sitting. Glinda would more often than not walk the bank of the stream, treading her toes in the water. In the one winter they had shared as roommates, the two had had a rather vicious snow ball fight, collapsing to the ground in fits of laughter when it as over.

And it was in this spot that Elphaba had shared her news with Glinda that she was going to the Emerald City to meet the Wizard. The blonde had been so excited. Squealing in delight, then tripping and falling into the stream. They had quickly left the place to go pack Elphaba's suitcase.

It was the last time Glinda ever visited the spot.

She had been tempted when she returned to Shiz after Elphaba had left her. She had gotten as far as the natural entry way between the brush and the willow tree, but had turned back. She couldn't face that part of her life without the one person she only wanted to share it with. She had promised herself never to return again. Save for if Elphaba was with her.

And now it seemed, that her wish had come true.

Slowly, Glinda turned back to Elphaba. The lanky woman was inspecting the bark of the willow tree, running her slender fingers along the bark. Her bony featured contorted in a look of the past.

"Hey, Glinda look," she spoke, keeping her face to the tree.

"What is it?" Glinda asked, hurriedly making her way to Elphaba's side.

"I think there's a piece of ham imbedded into the bark from when you made your sandwich explode."

Glinda huffed, and hit Elphaba's arm, making Elphaba laugh wildly. Simultaneously they turned, looking to the stream and the woods beyond it. Finally, they fell into a comfortable silence.

"Why are you here, Glinda?"

"Hm? Oh, I was, giving a speech up on campus…"

Elphaba shook her head. "No, why are you here," she emphasized the last word by waving her free hand, that wasn't clutching her broom, around the vast space.

Glinda paused. Why was she here? Yes, she had wanted to get away. But she had once promised herself never to come to this spot again without Elphaba. And she hadn't known Elphaba would be here. So why was she standing in their clearing?

The blonde was quiet for a while, obviously thinking. When she spoke, her voice was quiet and meek. "Because I…I…I suppose a part of me wanted to remember what it was like when you were still with me."

Elphaba swallowed hard, scared of how timid Glinda's voice sounded. Never in her time knowing the other had Elphaba ever heard her sound so weak…and alone. Carefully, she did the only thing she could think of, gently placing her hand on Glinda's shoulder. The porcelain like woman was tense at first touch, but Elphaba quickly felt her relax. Slowly, Elphaba pulled Glinda closer until they were hugging. The two clutched each other as if they hadn't seen the other in years. After all, it was the reality.

Glinda had forgotten what it was like to have Elphaba touch her. It had been so long. Too long. To the point where Glinda was beginning to wonder if the Elphaba she knew had been a dream. But here, now, with Elphaba gently consoling her, Glinda suddenly remembered to breathe.

"And why are you here?" Glinda asked after a moment of silence, her voice muffled by Elphaba's shoulder.

Elphaba paused before answering, closing her eyes as she did so. "Because I wanted to make sure you were never a dream," she whispered quietly.

Glinda sniffed and clutched Elphaba tighter. How did they come to this?

"But, Elphie," Glinda spoke again, pulling back. Elphaba subconsciously held tighter. It was the first time anyone had called her by a name…her name. She had almost forgotten she had it. That she existed as a person, and not just some thing to be feared. Trust Glinda to remind her. "Why are you here?"

Elphaba rose and eyebrow, "Didn't I just--"

"No," Glinda responded, shaking her head. "Here, Shiz. Someone could catch you."

"Doctor Dillamond left some papers behind when he was fired. I came to get them."

"And did you?"

Elphaba's smirked, and patted her chest, just above her heart; indicating where the papers now rested. "And then I came here. And here we are. Together."

Glinda smiled, and pulled Elphaba into a rather bone crushing embrace. "I've missed you so much Elphie."

"I've missed you too Glinda."

"Two years is too long."

"Far too long."

The two friends stood in silence, clinging to each other, trying to imbed the other in their memory.

"I changed my mind," Glinda spoke after a while.

"Hm?" Elphaba asked, neither moving from their embrace.

"Now, if I had known this is what would happen, I would have gone with you…I would have gotten on the broom with you."

Elphaba froze then slowly pulled out of Glinda's arms, keeping the petite blonde at arms length. Gently, she rubbed her shoulders. "No you wouldn't."

Glinda nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, yes I would."

Elphaba smiled softly, the first smile Glinda had seen on her face in…she couldn't remember when. "No, Glinda, you wouldn't have. Because this is where you belong. How can anyone resist the life you live now? You've finally become Glinda the Good. People are counting on you to raise their spirits. You've finally gotten what you wanted."

"Be that as it may, if I had gone with you, maybe people wouldn't be calling you wicked."

Elphaba chuckled. "Glinda, I've always been called wicked. People just say it load enough for me to hear, now."

The two faced one another, Elphaba's arms on Glinda's shoulders, her verdigris head tilted to the side and a kind, regretful smile on her face. Her counter part, however, stared at the taller woman with reserve, looking straight into her arms. Almost as if she could see the trees through her.

"But it doesn't have to be that way, Elphie." Elphaba's head tilted further to the side, in question, reminding Glinda of a dog. "Not if you come with me, right now."

Immediately, Elphaba's smile faded and she removed her hands from Glinda's shoulders, dropping her arms to her side. "Don't Glinda. Please, not now."

"Please, Elphie, just come with me."

Elphaba began to furiously shake her head, taking a step back from her imploring friend.

"Just the other day the Wizard was telling me that if you came back to him now there's a possibility he would clear your name."

"And why should I go back?" Elphaba snapped, going into protection mode. "Why should I believe that? A possibility? And what of that sliver of doubt? Why should I trust him."

Glinda huffed, something snapping inside of her; she knew it was her heart. She had just said that if she could she would go back and change it all. Hadn't she showed that she cared for Elphaba that much? And this is how the green woman was repaying her? Refusing her help?

"Elphaba," the green woman flinched, Glinda never used her full name unless she was serious or angry…or both. "Why can't you be rational for once!"

"Sweet Oz, Glinda. I thought you understood why I'm doing this?" Elphaba's voice was sad as her face fell. "You were the only one to ever understand…"

Glinda's resolve fell at the look of vulnerability Elphaba was displaying at the moment. Elphaba was the strong one. The brave one. The unbreakable one. And yet here she was, slowly falling apart before Glinda's eyes.

"I—I'm sorry Elphie," Glinda sniffed, trying to hold her tears at bay. "But I can't do it anymore," she finished, before breaking down.

Elphaba was at her side without a moment of hesitation. "You can't do what, Glinda?"

"I can't go up there another day and talk about you like your scum off the bottom of my show. I can't call you wicked anymore. I can't stand to hear those awful things people say about you. I can't…I can't…I won't…"

Elphaba pulled Glinda to her once again, stroking her blonde curls. "I'm sorry, Glinda," she said, knowing it wasn't enough. It never would be.

Somewhere in the near distance they heard a rumble of voices calling Glinda's name. Glinda sighed. Why did they have to finally realize she was missing, now of all times? Elphaba had to leave and she had to get as far away from her as possible. It was only a matter of minutes before they were found, and Glinda refused to be found in this clearing. No one else expect Elphaba would step foot here.

"Promise me it won't be another two years before I see you again."

"I---I can't promise that, Glinda. You know that."

Glinda sighed and pulled out of Elphaba's protective arms. "I know, I just….I miss having my best friend."

Elphaba smiled and gently touched one of Glinda's curls. "I miss having a best friend, too."

The voices were growing louder.

"You better go," Glinda sniffed again.

Elphaba nodded, "You know," she spoke, walking away but keeping her focus on Glinda. "You'll never get rid of me that easily," she said, touching her heart. Glinda smiled sadly and rested her hand over her own heart. "Keep an eye on the western sky," Elphaba said, finally turning her back on Glinda.

"Elphaba," Glinda called, just before Elphaba was out of eye sight.

"Yes, Glinda?"

"You never answered my question."

"And what question would that be, my sweet?"

"Why don't you ever wear your glasses anymore?"

From the distance, Glinda could see Elphaba's body tense, as she bowed her head. Keeping her back to Glinda, Elphaba spoke quietly:

"Because," she said the air so still her whispered voice sounding like a bell. "I can't stand to see the look of disappointment on your face, and know that I'm the one who caused it."

Before Glinda could open her mouth to respond, Elphaba had disappeared into the night.

Fin