"Love is friendship that has caught fire." Ann Landers

"That's all you're bringing?" Fiyero lounged against the side of the carriage as Elphaba approached. "You know it's not my birthday, right?"

She smacked his arm. "Your lewdness is not appreciated."

"Why, Fae!" He mimed a shocked expression. "I had no idea you had such a dirty mind! I meant you didn't have to leave room for my presents."

She rolled her eyes. "Right, you're well known for your naïveté."

Bags loaded, they settled into the cab for a long, dusty trip. "Day one of three." Luckily they were headed to Kiamo Ko, on the Eastern edge of the Vinkus just past Kumbricia's Pass. "However will we pass the time?"

She snapped her book open and suppressed a grin at his expression.

"Fine." He settled in opposite her, eyes tracing her face. She could read, but he could watch her. Her beautiful face flitted with emotion from the prose she read, and he leaned back in the seat. "Anything interesting?"

She paused every so often to talk with him, about the book, about Shiz, about anything. Oz, he loved to hear her talk. She was incredible.

The sun dipped, then set. She shut the book as the light failed to reach the pages. "Are we driving all night?"

"No, we'll stop in a bit. Should be a town in another half-dozen leagues or so."

She curled up against his side, "Good. I could use an actual bed."

He hummed his agreement even as he reveled in the feel of her against him. The lull of the wheels on the road made his eyelids heavy, but he fought it to indulge in her presence, so warm and soft against him. They'd stop soon, and he'd lose her to her own bed. But until then, he could bury himself in the smell of her hair.

So it continued, this long, mindless trip that normally exhausted him. She made the time speed past, the miles meaningless. He'd embrace this purgatory for eternity if it kept her so close to him.

She stirred, have dozed the morning away on his shoulder. "Where are we?"

"The border," he supplied, his own voice husky with sleep.

She nuzzled closer, a brush of lips against his cheek. "Glad to be home?"

"That depends," he dipped to kiss her softly. "Do we get to keep doing this?"

She blushed and pulled away. "In your parents' house?"

"Mine, too."

She crossed her arms. "Perhaps."

Foolish as he was, he'd learned the hard way not to push her, so he acquiesced. "Then I am decidedly glad to be in this carriage instead."

Her laughter bright, she burrowed back against him. "I never said I'd kiss you now either."

"Oh, I don't care if you say it." He winked at her, but before she could respond, he kissed her fingers softly. "Go back to sleep if you want. I'll wake you before we reach the city."

She sat up, shaking back her long hair to stretch her neck. "That's alright, I'm up."

She finished her book just as they moved into the outskirts of the city. She looked up in surprise. "I didn't think I'd read so long."

"Nah. It comes out of nowhere."

The buildings grew denser as they reached the city proper, and she stared out the dusty window at the flat tile roofs and mahogany-framed windows so evident against the sandstone exteriors.

"You can see the palace if you look this way."

She leaned across him, and he wrapped a steadying arm around her. "It's so…"

"Gaudy?"

She eyed the decorative domes atop the many towers, their spires drawing them into a teardrop of gold, jade and marble. "Different."

"Well, I am quite a fan of different."

He, too, lapsed into watching the palace draw nearer.

He hadn't warned his family that he brought a guest, let alone her gender, temperament or color. Now that the moment approached, he regretted it. He hadn't brought a girl home since…ever. And while he found her skin to be intoxicating now, he knew the first view could be a bit jarring.

"Ready to meet my family?"

She shrugged. "If not, will you turn us around?"

"For you?"

Her laugh felt bright, airy. "I suppose I'm ready. Younger brother, sister, and parents," she ticked off on her fingers, "right? Let's just hope none of them share your peculiar brand of humor."

"We don't share all that much, I'd imagine."

She lifted an eyebrow.

"Suffice it to say, I didn't get my 'Dancing Through Life' attitude from my family."

"Thank Oz for that."

He pressed his lips together, fighting the hope that she would like his family. Of course, he took the return for granted. Elphaba might be caustic at times, sure, but she was responsible, brilliant, and sincere. His parents could certainly appreciate that in his girlfriend.

That brought a broad smile to his face, and she tilted her head in question. "Thinking about you." He leaned forward with a quick kiss to her forehead. "My girlfriend."

She scrunched up her nose. "Must you call me that? It feels so…"

"Galinda-ish?"

"Galinda, period."

He fought back a wince. "I could call you my harem, but I doubt that would be received with more enthusiasm."

He deflected her glare with another fleeting kiss, and she let the subject drop. To be fair, he could call her his love, but that would likely be the worst choice of all. She would run, as she had with his first kiss. And out here, if she ran, he'd never catch her.

Her attention fell back on the window. "So you said the Vinkus has two main exports, right? Silk and…"

"Spices. Though many are combined to make medicines, salves, and the like."

He couldn't believe how calm she was, but he relished the role of teacher again. While they'd kept their runs, he did miss having something of value to offer her.

They'd fallen into a discussion of the effect of various exports on the future economic stability of the region when a loud bang on the side of the carriage made them both jump.

"What in Oz?"

They expected the driver to slow, ascertain the situation, but the horses picked up speed. Another thud hit, and this time, Elphaba pointed out the culprit.

"Someone threw a rock."

"No, is that, produce?" His forehead wrinkled in confusion. "Why would someone throw produce?"

"A dissenter, perhaps? Does your family have any critics? Rebels?"

He shook his head. "Besides, how would they know it's us?"

She shrugged, also stumped, but as no more thuds or answers came, they fell into staring intently out at the countryside. Neither said anything, but Fiyero let out a breath as they passed the inner walls.

"I can see why you miss it. I expected all sand dunes and tumbleweeds, but the Vinkus is surprisingly beautiful."

"It's the mountains. Most remember the deserts but forget that we have the largest peaks in Oz."

"Do they actually get snow?"

"The highest few do, though it's pathetically easy to melt." He lounged back, glad to share his pride at his homeland. "It's the people I really miss."

She nodded in understanding, and he took her in his arms.

"And I'm incredibly glad I don't have to miss you. I can't imagine two weeks without seeing your face."

She laughed. "You'd survive fine."

"I wouldn't." He pressed a kiss to her temple. "Thank you for coming."

The carriage finally rattled to a halt by the rear entrance. Finally, in the face of his childhood home, she showed the first signs of nerves.

"Am I…should I curtsy when I meet your parents?"

He pressed his lips to the top of her head. "For the next few weeks, you're family."

"To you, perhaps."

His lips migrated to her ear. "No, not to me. That would be very confusing and downright disturbing."

She pushed him off and straightened her sleeves. With chin held high, she reached to open the door, surprised when it didn't give automatically.

"It's a castle, Fae. Can't just let anyone in."

He knocked, and the doors swung open. "Fiyero! I thought that might be you." His sister glided out past the stewards to greet him. "I saw the carriage from the window and thought, who would be so inconsiderate as to drop in without writing?"

Elphaba snapped a look at him, but he avoided her eyes. "Nice to see you, too, Ramoina."

She threw her arms around him, laughing. "Likewise. A surprise, but pleasant nonetheless. And…you brought…?"

"Ramoina, this is Elphaba. Elphaba, my sister, Ramoina."

She dipped in a shallow move not quite a curtsy, bow or nod, but some awkward combination of the three. "Your majesty."

"Um, right. Come in." His sister stepped aside to lead them into the parlor, its rich upholstery in reds and golds this year.

He flopped onto a sofa, pulling Elphaba to sit beside him. "How are you, sis?"

Ramina threw a pillow at him, aimed left to miss the girl beside him.

"That good, huh?"

"You'd know if you spared a bother to write."

He shot her an apologetic grin. "Our parents are well, I trust. And Tyrius?"

Her eyes fell. "Around."

He sighed. "Same Tyrius, eh?" She avoided his eyes to settle primly against a large cushion, its long tassels twirled in her fingers. Was that…hesitance?

They fell into conversation about their travels, Shiz, life at home, and so on until Ramoina mentioned the drought and its effects on the crops.

"Oh, that reminds me. We had the oddest encounter on the way here." He told her about the incidence, and she fell silent. No chance he imagined her hesitance this time. She stared at her hands, until he called her back, her pale face glancing up. "What is it?"

"So you're here." Tyrius stormed down the stairs. "I figured you'd be too busy playing the fancy college boy to bother with us."

"It's not you, it's the trip." He sat up. "How are you, brother?"

"Fine. Surprised. Would it have killed you to send a note?"

"Yeah." Elphaba elbowed his ribs. "Or to at least warn someone that you hadn't bothered to write."

Tyrius swung to face her as if just now aware of her presence. "Who are you?"

"Elphaba," Ramoina supplied as if that should explain everything. Her sarcasm wasn't lost on him.

"Elphaba…"

"Thropp." She opted for an extended hand this time, her curtsy bob failing as it had.

Tyrius took it, but frowned. "And you came with Fiyero?"

She nodded. "Though now I am questioning why."

Fiyero laughed. "Look, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to surprise everyone. I thought I was allowed to have guests in my own home. Silly me."

"Oh, posh. This hasn't been your home in ages. You're here maybe a fortnight out of the year."

"Exaggerating."

"Only a little." Tyrius took over. "So where are you from, Elphaba?"

"Munchkinland, though your brother and I met at Shiz."

Tyrius lost his smile, his jaw hard. "And do you share your provinces short-sighted views on the need for skilled Animal workers?"

"Certainly not." His brother's shoulders relaxed, until she added, "Animals should be paid equally for their work, not treated as second-class citizens."

"You mean-"

"Let's go see Mother and Father," Fiyero intervened before his hotheaded brother could work up Elphaba's temper and get them into some real trouble.

It worked, but not how he'd suspected. Both his siblings shared a sudden fascination with their hands, a quiet weight landing on their shoulders.

"What is it?" Fiyero narrowed his eyes. "What aren't you telling me?"

"Oh, you're one to talk," Ramoina gestured to Elphaba. "Bringing your girlfriend here without-"

"Girlfriend?" Tyrius swung back to stare.

"Yes, you lummox, what did you think?" But Fiyero stopped his sister before she started them up again.

"Please don't call her that." He waited a beat, and with all the sincerity he could muster, said, "She prefers harem."

Elphaba's jaw dropped, eyes wide, and she spun to stare at him. He'd pay for that later, but he'd always found the most efficient diffusion for any situation to be a joke.

"Funny, that's exactly the word that sprung to mind."

His face paled at that voice behind him. Oz. He'd need more than a joke to get himself out of trouble this time.

"What are you doing here?"

Sarima sashayed closer. "Now, now, Fiyero. Is that any way to address your wife?"


AN: So I've learned my lesson from the previous story, and this time I have the full rough draft already written (which I hope explains the delay). Please let me know what you think, and as always, thanks for reading.