Just for This Moment

by grilledcheeseandguavajelly

"Fiyero?" She asked softly, not wanting to believe what she was seeing. "Silence, witch!" He yelled, shoving his gun towards her. Her heart rose into her throat and then dropped into her stomach. "Oh, Fiyero… Not you too-" "I said SILENCE!"

"GUARDS! GUARDS!"

The metal jaw of the giant Oz head clanged loudly, snapping together a few times before dropping open, lifeless. The Wizard appeared once more from behind his throne, his eyes wild, a smug smile spreading over his face.

"Oh, Elphaba," he said, his voice dripping with false pity, "It's really too bad this didn't work out. The deal is off, and unfortunately, I'm going to need that back now."

He lunged for the Grimmerie, grabbing wildly at the strap of her satchel.

"No!" Elphaba cried. She shoved his hand away and lurched backward, the heel of her shoe catching on the hem of her dress. She heard the seam tear as she fell to the ground, arms flailing behind her in an effort to break her fall. Her hand opened and her broom rolled away from her just as her head hit the ground with a teeth-rattling thud. Shaking, she propped her elbows underneath her and tried to push herself away from the Wizard, but he matched her step for step. He loomed over her, his eyes running hungrily over her bag. As he reached for it he paused, his eyes flicking to the broom rolling across the floor. His face turned ashen for a moment, fear clouding his eyes. Elphaba took the opportunity and grabbed for her broom desperately, the magic object responding and flying into her hand before she could touch it. She pushed her legs up underneath her and sprang to her feet, thrusting her broom toward the Wizard.

"You…monster!" She screamed. "I'm not the Wicked one, you are! You-"

Suddenly, two guards barged into the room, their guns drawn. Elphaba dug her broom into the Wizard's chest and snarled, allowing only her eyes to break away and glance at the intruders. She froze, her gaze locked on one of the guards. Her hands went numb as an icy dread clawed its way up her throat.

"Fiyero?" She asked softly, not wanting to believe what she was seeing.

"Silence, witch!" He yelled, shoving his gun towards her.

Her heart rose into her throat and then dropped into her stomach. "Oh, Fiyero… Not you too-"

"I said SILENCE!"

He used his gun to violently push her away from the Wizard, then turned to the other guard.

"You are dismissed, I can handle it from here."

A quick salute, and the other guard was gone, leaving Fiyero, Elphaba, and the Wizard alone in the throne room.

Fiyero aimed his gun at Elphaba, then spun around and pointed it at the Wizard. The Wizard threw his hands up in surrender, and Fiyero glared at him as he slowly pushed him back towards the throne. It wasn't until the Wizard had sat down at the foot of the chair that Fiyero lowered the gun and placed it on the floor. He turned back to Elphaba and glanced nervously at her broom. She could feel her heart swelling as she let out the breath she had been holding.

"Fiyero, you frightened me," Elphaba said. "I thought you might have changed."

"I have changed," he replied, hesitating slightly.

What? NO. She glanced at his uniform and saw the gold tassels that sat in stark contrast with his emerald jacket. Captain of the guard. Her chest tightened and suddenly she couldn't breathe. It was one thing to work for the Wizard. But to stand as head of his military? She never thought he would sink so low. Before she could respond, though, a shout came from outside the doors -

"What's going on?!"

Glinda burst through the doors in an obscenely brilliant ball gown, but stopped short a few feet through the doorway. Elphaba stared at her, waiting, wary of what would happen next. But then Glinda was running toward her, pulling her into a suffocating embrace.

"Oh, Elphie!" She exclaimed. "Oh! I thought you were dead! Thank Oz you're alive!"

Glinda held her out at arms length and studied her. "Only, you shouldn't have come. If anyone discoveries you-"

She started to pull Elphaba across the room toward the exit, but Fiyero blocked her path.

"Glinda, you'd better go," he said, a bit of regret in his voice.

"Fiyero," Glinda blinked, a confused expression slowly creeping over her features. "What are you doing?"

"Please, just go back to the ball!" he said, more forcefully this time.

But rather than leaving, Glinda snapped on a brilliant smile and turned to the Wizard. "Your Ozness, I apologize, he means no disrespectation. Please understand..." She glanced from Fiyero to Elphaba and back to the Wizard. "We all went to school together-"

"Elphaba."

Fiyero's voice broke Elphaba out of her dazed confusion. She looked up and found him staring intently at her, as if there was something urgent he needed to tell her. She could see something else, too, buried deep within him, trying to fight its way out. Something sensitive. Almost intimate. Before she could figure out what it was, though, Glinda was ranting back at him.

"Fiyero, have you misplaced your mind? What are you doing?!"

Fiyero hesitated, then replied, "I'm going with her."

Glinda's mouth fell open as she slowly turned on Elphaba.

"What?" she asked, her voice making it sound more like an accusation than a question.

Elphaba stared at Fiyero in disbelief. "What?"

"What are you saying, Fiyero?" Glinda looked back at him, her voice sounding strained and broken.

Fiyero didn't move his gaze from Elphaba. Glinda wheeled around to face her. The hurt in her eyes had turned to a fiery anger. "You mean to tell me… all this time…. the two of you… Behind my back?!"

Elphaba rushed to Glinda's side, clutching her arm and trying not to tear the sleeve of her beautiful dress.

"No, Glinda, you don't understand. It wasn't like that!"

"Actually, it was." Fiyero replied.

Elphaba glared at him, then turned back to Glinda.

"But it wasn't! I-It's just that-"

Fiyero broke into her apology. "Elphaba, let's go."

Elphaba hesitated long enough to see Glinda's face contort from rage to betrayal.

"Let's go!"

With great effort, Elphaba broke her gaze away from Glinda's crumpling face and rushed forward to meet Fiyero. He took her hand and dragged her away just as the tears started to fall onto Glinda's perfectly shaped cheekbones. Elphaba tried to put all of her apology into her eyes, but barely had time to look back before she was being pulled through a set of elaborate doors and out of the throne room by Fiyero. Glinda's wails echoed behind them. "Fine! Go! You deserve each other!"

They sprinted through the endless maze of identical emerald hallways, Fiyero taking sharp and sudden turns at random points. But something was off.

"Fiyero, where are all the guards?" Elphaba panted, trying to keep up.

"I did what had to be done to get you out. Plus, most everyone is at the ball." He replied.

Fiyero stopped abruptly in the middle of one of the larger hallways and let go of Elphaba's hand. She skidded to a stop a few feet away, and walked quickly back to him. As she did, she saw him pull a small key from his pocket. He walked over to what seemed like a normal, gaudy, emerald tapestry, but when he pulled it aside, there was a large black door behind it. He unlocked the door and pushed her hastily inside. In the dim lighting, Elphaba could see only the top of a cramped, steep, spiral staircase. Fiyero took her hand again and led her quickly down to the bottom, where he signaled for her to stop.

"I need to get rid of the guards outside" He whispered.

"But I thought you said that you took care of-"

"Right, but if you get rid of everyone it raises some suspicions. Plus, these guards rotate through the grounds, so they're easier to get past. So, just, umm…" He placed his hands on her shoulders. "Just stay here until I come back and get you."

"Okay…" She nodded reluctantly.

Fiyero turned and, quietly opening the door, snuck out, letting it shut gently behind him. Elphaba rested her broom against the wall and sat down at the foot of the stairs, trying to steady her breathing. Her head was reeling. How could she be doing this? Was she really running away with a boy? She was supposed to be dealing with the Wizard. How could she abandon her plans just to be with Fiyero? But…. it was Fiyero.

Letting out a frustrated groan, she dropped her head into her hands. She had hurt Glinda, but how was she supposed to know that Fiyero would take her side? As far as she knew- as far as everyone knew- he was in love with Glinda. He always had been. Elphaba had known that he would never love her, could never love her, no matter how much she longed for him.

Stupid, she thought, shaking her head as she tried to push the wish away. But it begged attention.

Because now he was with her. He had come with her, even helped her escape. She knew exactly how Glinda must be feeling right now, and she was horrified. She would never have wished that feeling upon anyone. Elphaba never imagined that Fiyero would leave his fiancé to be with her. Why should he? She wasn't as pretty or as bubbly as Glinda, and she never could be. Fiyero and Glinda were perfect for each other. Everyone knew it.

So why would he come with her? She didn't want to let herself think it, but it crept into her mind on its own accord. Maybe, just maybe… In that moment under the bridge, maybe he hadn't just seen her as green. Maybe he had thought of her as-

The door flew open with a bang. Elphaba jumped up, her hands defensively in front of her, ready to cast whatever spell would get her out of there.

A man barged through the door, then paused and grinned.

"Please don't go all witchy on me, it'll just make it harder for me to get you out."

Elphaba let out the breath she had been holding as she glared at Fiyero standing in the doorway. She grabbed her broom and took a step toward him. He took her hand and led her gently out of the room, then suddenly broke out into a sprint and dragged her behind him as he raced across the perfectly cut gardens.

"After everything I went through to get you out, and you were ready to spell me just like that… Geez, Elphie," Fiyero called back at her.

"I didn't know it was you! And don't call me Elphie," She snapped.

Fiyero glanced back at her, rolling his eyes.

She felt the need to explain herself. "I just… It's just that, well, I've been hiding for two years now. I'm used to the sound of the woods, but when something startles me, I just… I defend myself. Especially when that something is wearing a palace guard uniform."

Elphaba could almost feel Fiyero smiling, and she attempted one, too, but it faltered when she glanced up and saw the towering green wall that bordered the palace just a few hundred yards away. "Fiyero, how are we supposed to get past that wall?!"

"Don't worry!" he yelled.

They were moving rather quickly, and reached the wall just as Elphaba was starting to lose her breath. Fiyero stopped abruptly.

"Okay, you wait here, and I'll be back just as soon as I find the brick," he said, a bit breathless himself. He patted her hand and started to walk away, but then turned around and called "Oh, and you should probably crouch or something!" He grinned and walked off.

Elphaba started to yell after him, wondering what brick he needed to find and why, but he was already out of earshot. She took a deep breath and slowly crouched down against the wall, hands pulling and twisting at the handle of the broom she clutched to her chest. She figured there were probably guards who monitored the wall, or maybe Fiyero just didn't want her to be seen from afar. Either way, she didn't like him leaving her alone. On the one hand, she felt so useless being left to just sit while he executed his seemingly well thought out secret plan. On the other hand, as much as she didn't like to admit it, she didn't like being apart from him. Not after he had been holding her hand for so long.

No. She bit down on her smile and forced the thought away. Shuddering from the cold, she pulled the sleeves of her dress down around her wrists. She could feel the beginnings of a headache forming at the bridge of her nose and she pinched at it, waiting for it to dissipate.

What was she doing here? Why had she trusted Fiyero? He had no reason to help her escape. Had he just lied to her to make her follow him? This was probably all a huge trap that she had walked straight into. After all, he was engaged to Glinda. And he was captain of the palace guard. Oz, she had been so stupid to trust him! He had already had so many opportunities to have her arrested, and it was bound to happen at some point. It was just a matter of time, of how long she would let her childish crush blind her to the truth. She needed to get out, and now.

Elphaba stood abruptly and mounted her broom, then hesitated. If there were guards patrolling the wall they would see her. No, flying would be too risky. She changed her mind and began chanting an apparation spell instead. She could see a vague form that looked like Fiyero coming back from afar. He appeared to be walking alone, but she couldn't be sure. She started chanting louder and faster, willing herself away from him, from this place, from all of the hurt that was sure to follow. She could feel herself being pulled away, as if a breeze was blowing her molecules apart.

Then suddenly Fiyero was there, calling her name, telling her to stop. Her concentration broke and she was rooted to the spot, her surroundings immediately coming back into crisp focus. Her head swam and she looked up at Fiyero with tears in her eyes. He looked intensely back.

"Elphaba, what are you doing?" He asked incredulously.

She sniffed. "I was just…going. I was going back home. I don't need this right now." She glanced over his shoulder and realized with a shock that he actually was alone. She willed the tears to disappear. They burned so badly when they fell.

"Elphaba. Why were you- Why would you- I just-" Fiyero looked at her earnestly as if his unfinished sentences were the clearest question in the world.

"I'm sorry, Fiyero, but I don't know what you're asking." She half laughed and gave him a smug smile as she leaned her broom against the towering emerald wall.

He smiled gently and took her hands in his. She tried to ignore their warmth against her frozen skin.

"Elphie, why are you running away? And more importantly, why didn't you tell me you knew how to apparate? That would have made everything a lot easier." He laughed softly and looked into her eyes.

"I just….I didn't know if I could trust you, Fiyero." She looked down, embarrassed. "And I don't know how to apparate multiple people. Just myself."

"Elphie, you can trust-"

"And don't call me Elphie!" She cut in.

"Sorry. Elphaba. You can trust me, I promise." He continued smiling.

"How do I know that?"

"Here…" He grabbed her broom, handed it to her, and then gently began to lead her over the roots of the bushes growing against the wall. It was dark, and there were no real lights to see by, but for the faint glow cast from the ballroom's distant windows.

Fiyero led her along the wall for what felt like forever, the silence leaving them an uncomfortable distance apart. Finally, they stopped in front of what looked like just another random part of the wall, but when Fiyero dropped her hand and placed both of his on a brick that was misshapen, the section of wall in front of them turned almost translucent.

"Here, walk through," he said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Elphaba just stood there, gaping at this magic she had never seen before.

As if getting impatient, Fiyero gestured for her to walk through and gave her a gentle push. Elphaba stepped forward and then immediately retreated back.

"How do I know it's not a trap?" She asked.

"Because we're friends, right?"

"I think you kind of ruined that when you started working for the Wizard." She looked back at the palace, glowing green in the night.

"I think we both know that was just for show." He chuckled softly. When she didn't respond he grew more serious. "Elphaba, look at me."

She turned back to him reluctantly.

"You know it's not a trap because I would never trap you. I mean, I could never do that. Because…. Because, well…."

She blinked.

"Because I love you, Elphaba."

Elphaba's jaw dropped open in disbelief. She was sure he was lying, or that she had misheard him, and yet she wanted nothing more than to wrap her arms around him, to tell him that she loved him too, that she had always loved him, from the moment that he almost ran her over coming to school.

But she didn't. She just pulled herself up a bit straighter, tried to conceal the enormous smile growing within her, and stepped through the wall. Fiyero followed, placing his hands on the other side of the same brick and closing the gap.

He turned around and looked at her, took a deep breath, and smiled.

"Oz, do I feel better that I finally told you that! Ok, come on. Into the woods we go." And he started walking away before she could process what had just happened.

Elphaba stood and gaped after him, but then walked quickly to catch up, trying not to look too eager. She glanced up at him, but he was too busy watching where he was stepping to notice. Looking down at his hand swinging by his side, she realized suddenly how empty she felt not touching him. She took a shaky breath and placed her hand in his.

This time he did look over at her, a smile spreading across his face.

"Where are we going?" Elphaba asked.

"Where do you want to go?" He countered.

The words rushed out before she could stop them."I don't care, as long as I'm with you."

At this he stopped, lifted her hand to his lips, and kissed it softly. Her breath caught in her throat, heart fluttering against her ribcage. He glanced up at her and smiled, but then his gaze shifted past her. Fiyero looked uncertainly into the wall of darkness ahead and frowned. Letting go of her hand, he reached down for his belt. He fumbled with it for a moment and then produced a small lamp and a match. He struck the match and lit the lamp, and taking her hand again, they plunged into the darkness of the woods.

They had been walking for what seemed like hours, Fiyero constantly helping her over roots and shrubs. Elphaba didn't need the help. After hiding in the woods for two years, she knew them by heart. But she liked the way it felt when he helped her, the way it felt to have someone worry that she might trip or snag her dress on something.

She longed to say something to him, anything, but she didn't trust herself to speak. Her head was spinning, and she was using all of her energy to focus on shoving down an aching feeling blooming in her chest, telling her that something was wrong, that this was too good to be true. She knew she wasn't good enough for him, but for some reason she couldn't accept the fact that maybe he thought she was. It seemed impossible that he could love her, and maybe he just said it so she would trust him. But he had still said it. Fiyero had said that he loved her. And deep down she knew that he wouldn't say it if he didn't mean it. He wouldn't sacrifice everything for some green girl if he didn't mean it. She wished they could talk about it, rather than him just blurting it out and then avoiding the subject. But the silence that had formed between them had grown too large, too deafening, and she couldn't think of anything to say that would break through that wall. Soon, though, he broke the silence himself.

"Here should be a good place to stop," Fiyero said, dropping her hand as he knelt down in a bare patch on the ground, carefully placing the lantern next to him. Elphaba stood a little distance away, unsure of what exactly they were doing in the woods. He extended his arms to her, as if inviting her to come closer. She hesitated, uncertain, but was pulled towards him against her own will, as if by a magnet. When he glanced down at the ground in front of him, she removed her satchel, dropped her broom, and knelt there. She could feel her pulse quickening. This was all happening so fast, too fast. She almost couldn't process what they were doing, could focus only on the empty space that kept her body from his.

Fiyero reached out and brushed his hand over her cheek, catching a piece of hair and tucking it behind her ear. Elphaba sucked in a breath as her eyes fluttered shut, and it took everything she had to open them again. She longed to close the gap between them, to tell him how much she loved him, how much she loved how she felt when she was with him. How everything seemed so simple, as if he was the only thing that mattered. But she couldn't bring herself to form the words, any words. In this moment, she felt so loved, so treasured, so wanted, and it was all she had ever dreamed of.

"I love you, Elphie," he said again, his voice thick.

"Please don't call me Elphie…" A deflated sigh fell out of her as she shook her head lightly.

"Then what shall I call you?" He mused, putting his arms around her back and pulling her toward him.

A small gasp escaped her lips and she splayed her hands on his chest to steady herself.

"Why can't you just call me Elphaba?" She let out a nervous laugh, but leaned into him subconsciously.

"Because everyone calls you Elphaba. And I don't want to be an 'everyone'." He leaned in closer, his fingers ghosting down her spine, and whispered, "So, what shall I call you?"

Her breath hitched and she swallowed hard. He was getting dangerously close now, their noses almost touching. Elphaba could feel her heart pounding in her chest, her blood pulsing out through her fingers and rushing back to her head. She was unnaturally aware of how his hand pressed into the small of her back, forcing her closer. She wanted nothing more than to lean into him, to put her forehead against his and forget about the world. But she couldn't. Not now, with everything that was going on.

She pushed herself away from him suddenly, aware of the cold that pressed into her when she did.

"What's wrong?" he asked, worry in his eyes. "Did I do something to hurt you? I didn't mean to… Elphaba, I'm so sorry…"

"No, Fiyero, it's not that. I just- I can't do this right now. There is too much that needs to be finished. The Animals… I…."

He moved closer to her then, placing his hands on her shoulders and slowly sliding them down her arms until he laced his fingers with hers. "Elphaba- I don't know when, or how, exactly, but… I've fallen under your spell. And I… I feel like I'm flying. And I can't bear the thought of being apart from you. Please. Just for this moment."

Elphaba looked into his eyes, and she realized with a pang that he could be doing all of this as a ploy, that she should be searching for the sarcasm, waiting for him to push her away with mocking eyes. She held his gaze, bracing herself, but to her surprise she saw nothing in him but raw honesty. She broke down and leaned into him again, unable to resist. She touched her forehead to his, and though her throat felt suddenly dry and coarse, she forced the words out anyway.

"I love you too, Fiyero," she said softly. "I've always loved you."

Before she could think, he was kissing her. It was a sweet and gentle kind of kiss, delicate, as if she would break. When she leaned into him, though, he grew almost desperate, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her closer. She had never been kissed before, but she knew that what was happening between them now was special. It was almost like she was learning a new kind of magic. Something fierce and fiery broke out from where it had been buried deep within her, and her body knew exactly what to do, immediately mimicking Fiyero's movements. She felt so alive, her skin tingling where he touched her, burning as he placed soft kisses down her jaw and throat. The passion and fire and warmth spread from her core out through her in a way that made her feel so…. so….

She broke away, unable to breathe. She put her hand on the ground to steady herself and let out a shaky laugh.

"What is it?" Fiyero asked, immediately inspecting her, making sure he hadn't hurt her. "What's wrong?" Concern flooded over his features as he grasped her hands.

"Nothing," she replied. "It's just, for the first time… I feel…" She looked into his eyes and smiled. "Wicked."

She closed what was left of the gap between them in an instant, wrapping her arms around his neck and pushing her hands up into his hair. He was kissing her again, more fiercely this time, his fingers slipping behind her ears and pulling her impossibly closer. She pressed herself against him as one of his hands buried itself into her hair, the other dropping down to her waist. He loved her. She was sure of it now. But-

"I just wish," she breathed against his lips, "I wish I could be beautiful for you."

Fiyero froze and leaned back, frowning. Elphaba avoided his gaze, almost embarrassed at what she had admitted. She placed her hands on his chest again and fiddled with the collar of his uniform, focusing instead on his heartbeat, on the fierce rise and fall of his ribcage that matched both of their ragged breathing. She swallowed hard, forcing herself back to the truth. "I know I'm not beautiful. You don't have to act like I am."

He cradled her face in his hand and brushed his thumb over her cheekbone. She refused to let herself feel the slight shiver that spread from where he touched her. "You are beautiful."

"Don't lie to me, Fiyero," she said, casting her gaze to the ground.

He lifted her chin and forced her to look him in the eyes. "It's not lying. It's just… looking at things a different way." He smiled and kissed her gently, and then in a barely audible whisper, "I love you, Fae."

"Fae?" She asked, trying to conceal her grin. It was the most beautiful name she had ever heard.

"What do you think? It's not 'Elphie'," he teased.

Instead of responding, she pulled him close and kissed him harder. Laughing, he fell backward, pulling her to the ground with him. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her tightly against him, almost as if willing them to become one. And in that moment, everything was perfect.