Wonderful | wicked | book 2/3

Elphie

I quickly wipe away my tears and grab my crutches, getting ready to chase after my sister.
"Elphie wait!" Glinda says hurriedly, "I'll go, you stay here, don't hurt yourself."
I sigh briefly but don't protest, watching Glinda dash away into the hallway I turn back to Albert, who joins me on the sofa.
"I really should have gone to her," I say defeatedly, "it's not Glindas responsibility,"
Albert scratches at his head, he looks worried.
"Elphaba," he says anxiously "if I'm the reason your green, am I the reason she's..." his voice fades away.
"No, don't think about it like that." I say defensively, "I spent years with that mentality, it doesn't get you anywhere."
My words seem to have no affect on Alberts opinion of himself.

The snow outside has begun to settle, o can hear children playing around in it, squealing with delight.
Suddenly there's a scream, a Glinda scream.
It rattles the walls.
I hear loud, frantic footsteps charging downstairs, I wince thinking about how careless I was to trip down them.
"What's wrong?" Albert asks, as if I can see something he can't.
I want to get up and find out, but it's so much effort that I don't have.
I hear Boc and Fiyeros voices trying to console an obviously startled Glinda.
Which leads me to one thought, somethings wrong with Nessa.
"Albert, I need to go and see what's wrong," I say suddenly,
Albert looks dismissive of that idea.

The lounge door suddenly opens and a parade of people all walk in at once.
Fiyero steps in first and holds the door do that Boc can push a frightfully pale Nessa in.
Glinda is walking alongside her, holding onto her hand.
Nessa doesn't seem to be noticing anything, she has her head leaned on to one of her hands and doesn't looks well at all.
My first instinct is to jump to her aid but my stupid foot is prohibiting that.
"Nessa?" I whisper, she doesn't look my way.
Glinda suddenly tilts her head towards me and bolts over, tears spilling out of her eyes.
"I went out to check on her!" She panics "she was shaking and crying, saying her head hurt, now she won't talk, she won't talk to me Elphaba!"
Glinda delicately runs a finger under each eye, to try and stop herself from crying.
Fiyero lets go off the door and comes over to us.
Boc tries to speak to Nessa with no avail.

Albert gets up suddenly and walks over to Nessa, we all watch hoping that he doesn't say something out of line to her.
He crouches down in front of her chair and cups one of her hands in his.
"Nessarose, can you hear me?" He asks calmly, Nessa nods her head violently, though she still doesn't seem fully aware of what's around her.
"Nessa do you feel unwell?" He asks, his voice slightly more firm.
"What is he doing?" Glinda hisses, Fiyero slides a hand onto her shoulder to stop her from being too loud.
"Nessa, is something upsetting you?"
Yet again Nessa nods and slightly tilts her head in Alberts direction.
I can't watch anymore of this, I practically jump up and throw myself at Nessas feet, Albert lurches out the way.
I sit up, resting on my knees and wrap my arms around Nessas waist.
"It's okay Ness I'm here!" I cry, suddenly I feel two gentle hands holding me back.
"Elphie," Nessas frail voice whimpers, "I shouldn't have come home, I'm such a wreck."
I grasp Nessas hands and hold them out in front of me.
"Nessa what are you scared off, you can tell me, I won't get mad."
Nessa blinks softly and two large tears roll down her cheeks.
"Elphie I've stolen so much of your life, I've waisted so much of mine longing to be independent instead of just finding a way to do so."
I nod, staring up at my sisters sad eyes.
"I've finally found something I can rely on and I'm so scared that if I stop doing it I won't go back."

Glinda put Nessa to bed, per her request.
We've all been sat in silence in the lounge for a while, I'm starting to worry that no one is ever going to talk again.
Every so often I grow restless and I crutch my way out of the lounge and down the hallway to check on Nessa.
I think I'm addicted to the routine of looking after her, that constant knowledge that I'm helping someone who appreciates it.
I just want her to be happy, I want everyone to be happy.
Albert has started to get on Glindas nerves, he stood outside the door when Glinda was putting Ness to bed.
It probably annoyed Nessa to, since I know she hates people watching her get help with things.
I think Albert is going to try and parent Nessa, which isn't going to go his way.
She doesn't like feeling that she's being controlled, which is partly the reason I feel that she's wanting to go back to an Empty Shiz, so that she feels that she's living her rules.
Goodness my foot hurts, it's supposed to get better in about a week and a half, I can't stand all this toppling about, it's so tiresome.

"Elphaba!"
A sudden cry from the hallway makes me jolt out of the thoughts.
Glinda glances at me as if to say,
'You can't go.'
But I ignore her and shove my crutches under my shoulders and march out into the hallway.
I open the door to the room that Nessa is inside, she's lying on the bed bawling her eyes out.
"Ness?" I splutter, practically diving to her side, "what's wrong?"
Nessa looks frantically around the room.
"I had a bad dream," she mumbles, her voice cracking "I'm so sorry, I'm such a terrible sister."
I shake my head,
"Ness what do you mean,"
"I'm so stubborn!" She cries.