A Request or Happy Birthday Elphaba

by Viviane Ravenheart

"Thank you. I shall never forget this night." And until her last days Elphaba Thropp never forgot the day when a birthday, a persistent prince and a simple request made her life start anew. Rated T just because

Hey! So... first things first.

1 - This is my first Wicked Fanfic so feedback will most certainly be welcome (Guys Review please);

2 - Phantom readers who might be following my work: I have all intentions in continuing New Beginnings, as soon as I my school work becomes less and inspiration returns to me. I'm presently in the process of re-reading my work so I can deliver my best to you.

3 - I own nothing but the creative spirit to right this LONG one shot.

4 - Enjoy and PLEASE let me know what you think.

As always, your obidient servent.

V.R.

Wearing a deep blue coat to keep herself warm, Elphaba was reading by one of the fountains in Shiz's main square. As she rad she tried, hopelessly so, to relax with the sound of falling water, yet she was only too aware the glaring gazes darting in her general direction. After two years at Shiz, she would have imagine that her skin colour would eventually become less of an oddity, but with all the new students coming and old ones leaving every years, it seemed that she would only be left alone and not stared at once she left that place and returned home, or something down those lines.

After turning another page, Elphaba removed her glasses, sighing as she looked up. The day had started beautiful and warm, with the sun shining high in the sky. She, however, had been avoiding her friends and boyfriend since dawn, yearning to be left alone and not be reminded of what this day meant. As time went by the weather seemed to remind itself of what happened this same day twenty two years ago, and so the sun decided to hide its glory.

"Elphie!" Before she could return to her book, she heard Glinda's voice call out to her. Elphaba raised her book, her eyes peering above it, looking for her bubbly blonde friend, and hoping this was just her paranoid head playing tricks on her. Not such chance. On the other side of the square Glinda was looking directly at her, from beneath the History building's classic arch. Seeing no way out, Elphaba closed her book, got up and quickly made her way to her friend's side, just in time to escape the first drops of rain too. She still had a few minutes to cut before class, though.

"Happy Birthday!" Glinda squealed and hugged the green girl tightly. "I know you don't like to celebrate your Birthday, and that you have been avoiding us like the plague, but twenty two is an important mark."

"Thank you Glin, but that doesn't mean I'm going to agree to one of your parties." Elphaba warned, hugging her book to her chest. "People here continue to despise me, and I hate to be glared at, so I really do hope you haven't put inside your little blonde head the brilliant idea of a party for me."

"But Elphie…" Glinda muttered, having her bubbliness cut to half.

"No buts, Glinda Upland! I'm serious!" Elphaba insisted pointing a very sharp and straight finger at her.

"Even if I arrange a date for us?" A male voice asked coming from behind the two girls as they were about to enter. Elphaba felt a large hand touch her back and turned around, almost smacking her boyfriend with her book.

"Fiyero Tiggular, what in Oz name! What is it with you and appearing behind me?" She asked raising her hand to her heart and taking a deep breath. "Really! I could have hurt you!"

"I'm sorry bright eyes. I had no intention to frighten you, my love." He told her with all honesty, cupping her cheek and bringing her close by her waist. "So Fae… about that date…"

"Yero, really… you don't need to take me on a date or do anything especial for my birthday." Elphaba told him, brushing the tips of her fingers against the fabric of his jacket. "Just the two of us in your room, cuddling, perhaps some tea and sandwiches…" Fiyero smiled, caressed her cheek and pressed a quick kiss against her lips.

"I agree to disagree." He said looking into her eyes.

"Here we go." Elphaba muttered, bracing herself.

"It's your birthday, and tea and sandwiches may be enough for you, but you are my girlfriend and you deserve better than that." He continued ignoring what clearly was not for him to hear. "You deserved better from everyone all your life, and this should be a day that you are proud of, instead of dreading it. Let me take you out to dinner at a nice place. I promise that cuddling in my room afterwards is a given."

"Does it mean so much to you?" She asked with a bashful smile, winding her arms around his neck.

"Bright eyes, there isn't much more I can do than show you who much I love you every moment of every day." Fiyero said kissing her once again. Elphaba rolled her eyes, but the smile on her face completely defeated the purpose of pretending she hadn't learn to enjoy her boyfriend's cheesiness.

"You should go Elphie!" Glinda advised with a smile on her face. "You have been studying far too much, even for you. You two deserve some alone time."

"You know what? Glinda is right. Since the beginning of exams, whenever I want to be with you I'm forced to see you through an invisible wall." Fiyero complained with a slight pout on his lips. "The exams are over and you are completely off the hook, so please, pretty please Fae…"

As she look into his eyes he offered her that puppy dog eyes that always made her melt, making her groan with frustration.

"You are making this harder for me than it needs to be." She whined leaning her forehead on his chest. "You know I have troubles saying no when you give me that look."

"He's not so brainless after all." Glinda said in a singing voice with a sneaky smile on her face.

"Okay, okay, okay! I will think about it." Elphaba said composing herself and standing straight. "I promise I will think very deeply and dearly about this idea of yours of having a date. I assume you haven't finish your paper yet, so I'll meet you at the library after class."

"I'd rather steal you away from class and persuade you." Fiyero answered, making his girlfriend blush deep green, for she knew exactly what he meant by that. She just went on her tip-toes, pecked his lips, stepping away completely.

"I'll see you at the library, Yero." Elphaba said waking away backwards. Fiyero sighed as Glinda got close with a knowing smile.

"You finished that work last week. You're going out to get Elphaba a birthday present." She chippered once Elphaba had made her way around the corner.

"I just might, but if you open your mouth I'll have Elphaba hexing your behind all the way back to Gilliken" He threatened squinting his eyes as he looked at the bubbly girl. Glinda looked at him for a split second and then recomposed herself. She had not intentions on telling Elphaba what-so-ever. She was too excited to see her friend's reaction to whatever Fiyero had planned on giving her.

"Don't worry." Glinda said with a gentle smile. "I just want to see her face when you give her whatever you're going to get her."

"You won't." he told her. "I intend to give her during the date."

"In that case… just make sure that is a good surprise." She said trying to keep her excitement under check. Fiyero smiled at his friend and saw her turn away, making her way to class.

Fiyero left and started making his way of campus. He had big plans for tonight, at least the peace of jewellery he had inside his pocket told him that much. He had that peace inside his pocket for almost a month now, and he had asked Boq about Munchkinland's wedding traditions, one of which being the suitor ask for the girl's hand to her father or guardian, which he would rather die before doing. There was no way in hell that Frexspar Thropp would allow one of the most scandalous princes in Oz to date, much less marry one of his daughter, especially the he considered the dishonour of the family, not that that would stop Fiyero from asking directly to Elphaba. The thing was, since he had made the decision he had yet to find the perfect moment to approach her. It had to be today.

Fiyero was decided in taking Elphaba to a nice restaurant, not too fancy since she would probably skin him alive if he did so, bask her with love and attention, perhaps talk a little to catch up with lost time, and then go on one knee, look deep into her eyes, those stunning chocolate brown eyes, and ask her to become his wife. If he wasn't able to convince her about going out, which would mean he had to cancel the reservations, at least he hoped she would allow him to cook dinner for her.

Fiyero was so inside his own bubble that he never noticed Nessarose passing by. She, on the other hand, noticed him with his hands on his pockets, his head hanging a little, and walking in the wrong direction to class. He looked handsome as ever, and the girl on the wheeled chair knew that her sister was one of the luckiest girls in Shiz, but he looked somewhat troubled. Nessarose quickly turned her wheel-chair around and chased after him. She called him once, twice and both times he ignored her.

"Hey! Tiggular, wait up!" she shouted, wheeling herself as fast as she could, wanting to keep up with him.

"Oh! Hello Nessa. I hadn't realised we had gone back to last name bases." He said turning around with a half-hearted smile on his face.

"That's what you get for not hearing the two times I called you." She told him playfully. Then she became serious. "You don't look so good. Is everything alright? Did you and Fabala…?"

"No! No, no, no… nothing like that!" Fiyero answered raising his hands in defence. Nessa sighed remembering which day was it and realising what this was about.

"She's being difficult about her birthday isn't she?" she rested her hands upon her lap and looked up. "Father never made it easier for her either. He never really made an effort to celebrate her birthday, and soon it became taboo. I always tried to give her something on this day, as meaningless as it would end up seeming."

"It wasn't meaningless. I'm sure Elphaba remembers everything." Fiyero tried to comfort his friend. "As for the celebration being taboo, I think is about time we changed that. Don't you agree?"

"Fiyero, I don't know what you are planning, but think twice before you do it." Nessarose suggested, cutting his passage as he was about to start walking again. "You may be her boyfriend and she might love you a lot, but I have doubts that she would think twice about hexing you if she found out you had planned a party, knowing full well she would be against it. Knowing my sister she probably is." Then the young woman became silent and Fiyero rubbed his neck, patiently waiting for her to voice the question bubbling within her. "What are you planning anyway?"

"Taking your sister out for dinner and ask her to marry me." He answered. Her first reaction was a broad smile from ear to ear and then she panicked.

"Wait! Have you talked with our father?" she asked looking into his eyes.

"Only to get a round no? Why bother?" Fiyero crossed his arms and offered an arched brow that Nessa was sure he had got from spending time with Elphaba. She just nodded and saw him turning her chair in the right direction to class. "Now, my dear future sister-in-law, if you don't mind I have a date to arrange. That should keep me busy until I can talk to Fae again." 'Oz! I'll probably fall asleep after it.' He thought running his fingers through his hair, and started making his way off campus, leaving Nessarose behind, stunned and speechless.

No so far from there, inside History class, Elphaba, out of all people, couldn't focus on the lecture. It wasn't like the class was so boring that she was about to fall asleep like it happened to Fiyero most of the time, or like she was being distracted. For one her boyfriend wasn't around, and the only other person that would distract her was clearly more focused on class than she was, which was a miracle in itself.

"Elphie…" scratch that. Right on cue Glinda turned to her friend and nudged her arm.

"Thank Oz!" Elphaba whispered letting her head fall dramatically. "I was starting to wonder who were you and what had you done with my friend."

"Oh! Actually this is a very interesting theme. Popsicle told me about this once or twice. I know this is about the past, but this is way more interesting than History." Glinda answered making Elphaba roll her eyes and smile.

"Welcome back!" the green woman said continuing to scribble on her notebook whatever the teacher wrote on the blackboard. Glinda looked over her friend's shoulder and noticed that her notes were cut to half of what she normally wrote down.

"Fiyero got to you!" Glinda squealed making everyone look in her direction. Well, hers and Elphaba's

"Anything you girls would like to share with the class?" The teacher asked looking at the two women, seeing them both blush.

"Nothing, sir." Glinda said getting up with a flattering smile. "I just got a little excited." At this Elphaba groaned and covered her face with her hand, hoping Glinda would prevent herself from doing what she did every year.

"Well you see…" Glinda managed to say before being yanked down by her arm, being forced to sit down by Elphaba.

"Please proceed, professor. I'll make sure Miss Glinda doesn't disturb the rest of the class." Elphaba said offering a smile.

"Thank you, Miss Elphaba" the teacher said returning to his work. For a moment there Elphaba thought that he would turn around and congratulate her on her twenty second birthday, but fortunately it never came.

After such a confrontation the two girls remained silent, for a moment or two at least, taking notes. With her head low Elphaba sighed, rubbed her neck and looked up at the big clock on the wall for the third time since class had started.

"Fiyero is rubbing on you…" Glinda started without looking up, and then she cringed. "That sounded better inside my head…"

"I am aware that I have been having some Fiyero-like attitudes of late." Elphaba said in a very low tone matter-of-factly. "I've known for some time now."

"And… are you going on that date with him?" Glinda asked in a whispered voice, tuning her bubbliness to a minimum, which didn't mean much since she almost jumped to Elphaba's side.

"What you really want to know is if you get to get to make me a makeover, or not." The green girl accused with a hint of amusement in her whispered voice.

"Well… that too! Since you won't let me give you a party…" the blonde said before Elphaba could cut her off.

"Which would only be a good excuse for you to give me a makeover." Elphaba said seeing the grin of her friend's face disappear.

"After all this time one would think that this would become creepiless." Remarked Glinda.

"Less creepy." Elphaba corrected. "And I totally agree. It would be worse if you weren't so predictable."

Glinda furrowed and returned to her own notes, still curiosity was bubbling inside of her. Every time Fiyero asked her best friend out, Glinda felt like this all bubbly a fussy and wanting to help her friend get ready for her date. She was about to recall Elphaba of her question when she saw her friend remove her glasses and look at her.

"I'm really thinking about going. I have a pretty good feeling about tonight." Elphaba answered looking into her friend's eyes. "And he is right. Exams got me all worked up and now I really want to spend some time with the man I love, instead of just dreaming about him. I deserve that much… I owe him that much."

"You owe him nothing, Elphaba Thropp. If you want to go out with him, then go. Otherwise you should just tell him. I'm sure he'll find a way you two can spend some time together without going out." Glinda told her in all honesty. "Talking about dates… there is going be a party at Ozdust later tonight. Mind if I invite Nessa to come? I really, really don't want to go alone."

"I think she would love to, but promise me one thing." Elphaba answered with a sigh, putting her glasses back and returning to her notes. "Make sure that Boq goes. I don't want her alone while you're flirting with every other guy at the party."

"Hey!" Glinda whined, pouting, crossing her arms and leaning back on her chair.

After that, time only seemed to crawl by slower, and no matter how much Elphaba tried to focus on what was going on in front of the blackboard, she couldn't. The large clock on the wall seemed far more interesting than anything else and soon she started counting every second that went by until class ended. She had yet to answer her friend's question, and Glinda had made sure that she realised that. 'So much for silence.' Elphaba thought with a sigh only to hear the two words she had been straining to hear since the beginning of the class.

"Class dismissed. Have a nice weekend."

As quickly as she could put away her things, and given this was the last class of the day, Elphaba stormed out of the class room, leaving a very stunned Glinda behind. This was not like her best friend at all, normally she would wait so the two could get out together. After a moment to recompose herself, Glinda put on her jacket, pulled at it to straighten it, and a swift movement, done many times before, she tossed behind and followed her friend.

"Miss Glinda, if I could keep you for a little longer." The teacher asked as she passed by her desk.

"Of course." She answered politely.

"Could you please take this class's notes so Miss Elphaba can study from them?" the teacher extended three sheets of paper to the young blonde woman. "Given that Miss Elphaba seemed unable to focus today, and that she is one of the best students this college has ever had, I would hate to see her lose this classes teachings."

"Yes, of course." she answered bowing her head and putting the paper inside her own notebook, ready to leave the classroom.

"Ah! And please, give her my best wishes. It is her birthday, is it not?" At this, Glinda just smiled and nodded, leaving the room

Glinda took a deep breath and made her way to her dorm room, hoping that Elphaba went there before going off on any date or to Fiyero's suit. However as she made her way to her home away from home she saw Nessarose coming in her direction. She recalled not seeing the younger Thropp sister in class, which in itself was strange, but the look on her face was even strange.

As soon as Nessa spotted Glinda between the crowds of students leaving their last classes to enjoy their weekend, she darted towards her sister's best friend. She could see by the look on Glinda's face that the heiress had noticed her as well. The younger girl tried to thought about what could be that Glinda could want with her, and whatever it was it couldn't be more important than her sister's boyfriend deciding to propose on a day such as this, and further more if Nessarose didn't tell this to anyone she would probably explode.

"Glinda! Good to see you." Nessa said with a gentle smile on her face. "Have you, by any chance, seen Fabala?"

"I think Elphie stormed off to meet Fiyero." Glinda answered hugging her books closer to her chest. "I know she guest a little crazed in her birthday, but this is really strange. First she couldn't focus in class and then she didn't even wait for me."

"Wait… not able of focusing in class? Are you sure we are talking about the same girl?" the younger Thropp asked in shock.

"Fairly pretty, smart, sarcastic, and green?" Glinda asked with sigh. "Yes, I think we are talking about the same Elphaba Thropp."

"Did Fiyero talked to her before class? Perhaps about a date?" Nessarose asked looking at her hands clasped upon her lap.

"And just how do you know about that?" the blonde asked, and this time she was the one aghast. "You didn't even come to class!"

"Of course I didn't. I was still recovering of what Fiyero told me." Nessa muttered still not looking at her sister's best friend. Glinda pretended to ignore what her friend's sister had just said. Knowing Nessarose for two years as she did, the girl was probably burning to say whatever had passed between her and her sister's very handsome, very scandalous boyfriend.

"By the way, you should join us for study section somewhere during weekend. I doubt that either Elphie or your father will appreciate having your notes in a free-fall." Glinda said shifting her weight. "Anyway, I'm heading now to our dorm. Care to join me? You could wait for Elphie there."

"Gladly. I have something to tell you." The other girl confessed.

Her mind was completely rushing as Elphaba quickly made her way to the library. Usually she would go there after classes to read and study a little on her own so she could focus before meeting with her friends, or to spend some time alone if she was trying to avoid someone. The library would also be meeting point for most of the group. Speaking of which, Fiyero should already waiting for her, and Elphaba had no intention to make him wait too long. She just wanted to allow him time enough to find a table and settle down. She was about to reach the door when something, or someone, bumped against her with enough force to throw her things to the ground.

Sick and tired of being bullied and pushed around, Elphaba felt her blood boil within her veins as she kneeling down to pick up her things, without facing who or what had run into her just yet. All kind of insults and witty remarks crossed her mind, and that's when she saw someone kneel down beside her. She looked at who could that even be only to feel awful with what had run through her mind. Standing before her was Boq's familiar face, bearing an awkward smile.

"B-Boq!" she almost stammered. She was at the very thankful that she hadn't uttered a word before now. A moment longer and she would have made a fool out of herself.

"I'm sorry Elphaba." Boq said awkwardly rubbing his neck, helping her up and giving her things back. "Did I hurt you?"

"Not a scratch." Elphaba tried to reassure him with an encouraging smile. "We must be both in a hurry."

"I guess so…"He breathed deeply. "Listen, have you… have you seen Nessa?"

"I think she might be with Glinda. Glinda wanted to talk with her about tonight's party at Ozdust." She absentmindedly answered as she brushed the dust from her books. "I was wondering… you haven't seen Fiyero in there, have you?"

"I think he fell asleep with his head on a table in the library." Boq told her staring to walk away. "I'm sorry Elphaba. I would love to stay and talk, but I really need to rush."

"Thank you." Elphaba shouted as she saw the young Munchkin running away. She touched the door knob and gently pushed in. When she entered, Elphaba was met by a light silence easily breakable by the constant rustling sound of pages being turned, or written upon.

As Elphaba walked in with her head held high, some of her fellow colleagues looked up from their notes and studies, glared at her for a moment or two, as if they had never seen the only green girl in all of Shiz, and then returned their attention to their studies and books, if not as completely as she would like. After that Elphaba quickly scanned the room to find Fiyero, siting at a table, their table in the furthest corner of the room, by a bookshelf, his head on the table, his eyes closed, and his breathing becoming heavy, meaning he had yet to be fully asleep.

Elphaba felt bad for needing to wake up Fiyero, but as she walked closer to him, she noticed that there were no books of his own around, or even his paper for History class. Something in the back of her mind told her that Fiyero had been lying about the work, and that he had already finished it with her help, but then her heart, partisan as it was of always believing Fiyero's kind-hearted soul, told her that if he had lied it had to be for a good reason. She made her way to his side, pulled a chair, and caressed his hair softly and lovingly.

"Fae, could you, please, go a little lower and rub my neck?" He groaned without opening his eyes and Elphaba help the smug smirk that reached her lips.

"How did you know it was me?" She asked intensifying the pressure of her hand upon his neck.

"There is only one person in all of Oz that gives me goosebumps just by doing this." He moaned making her smile grow even bigger with pride.

"Shush!" some student voice, making both Fiyero and Elphaba go stiff.

"Sweetheart…" She whispered leaning towards him. "Why don't you get up and take me to your suit? It's far more private, and I can give you a decent neck rub."

"Wait… aren't you going to ask me to read my paper?" he asked confused, his eyes were wide as he looked to his girlfriend, fearing he had been caught. She just smiled at him.

"I have the slight impression that I've already read your paper when we finished it in your suit about a week ago." Elphaba maintained her voice low. "But I had no intentions to call you up on it. I trust you know what you're doing, and I'm ready to scold you if you mess up."

Fiyero smiled back at her and sighed, forcing himself to get up. Elphaba did the same and, as she was about to leaving his side, Fiyero held her hand pulling her to his side. She hugged his arm with her free arm and smiled sweetly at him, but feeling quite smug.

Since Elphaba had started dating Fiyero and had officially become his girlfriend, some of the girls studying at Shiz, if fact most of the, including herself, wondered what did a guy like Fiyero Tiggular do with a freakish green girl like her, but she at least delighted in knowing that whatever is was that he saw in her had made him want to be with her for the last year and a half. It felt good to walk hand in hand with a man she loved and loved her back, but she wasn't so sure about all this at the moment, though.

It had been almost two months since their last real date, which usually implied more than two hours without looking at books, or just a simple coffee, and the time they did spend together, as little as it was, was not spent in building and taking care of their relation. Glinda was right. As much as Elphaba hated to admit it, she and Fiyero weren't spending enough time with each other as a couple.

"Yero…" she squeezed his arm gently as they made their way to his suit. He stopped, turned to her, but Elphaba would not look into his eyes. "I've been thinking about what you said… about stealing me away." She continued taking his hands in hers. "And I think you should just go ahead with it. Take me away from the world. Let's just hide away…"

"Fae, is everything alright?" Even if Fiyero sounded worried, his voice kept its honeyed tones. He loved his green girl so much. Anyone could see it in his eyes, and he knew this wasn't like her at all. Sure she had her emotional and vulnerable moments every now-and-then, even if most of time Elphaba was strong and independent, a woman certain of her beliefs, and of her own decisions, making him sometimes forget that underneath all that bravado there was a very shy, insecure, and hurt woman. However this was a different situation was more than a crack on the mask she would use daily, before all, but him.

Usually, when Elphaba felt in anyway vulnerable, she would hide behind sarcasm, which Fiyero could easily see through, and behind her studies. She would throw herself, head-first, into work whenever something was bothering her, and usually it would take Fiyero hours to make her talk. However, this time, she still wasn't talking, but she was throwing herself, head-first, into their relationship.

"If I say the first thing that went over my mind, you will tell me that I am a terrible liar, so I might as well get this over with…" Elphaba said under her breath, without looking at Fiyero. "I haven't been able to look at me through your eyes lately and I really just don't want to be reminded that twenty two years ago, this same day, was the day this disaster I call life began. I don't want to be reminded that in my whole life long the last year and a half is the only I can say that I was truly happy." She felt tear prickle her eyes. "And then I get on edge and run from you. I don't deserve you."

"Fae, I'm sorry I never realised you felt like this about your birthday, about us." He told her, pulling her into his arms, and hugging her tight. "I just don't understand why you keep it all bottled up inside. I love you and I don't deserve you, that's true enough, but I'd rather have you shouting at me, telling me that I'm completely brainless than having you shutting me out when it's clear that you need someone by your side." She still would not look at him, and so he cupped her cheek, tilting her head up before continuing. "Fae, I promise that one day, you will see this day in a completely different light. You have my word darling. Just promise you will talk with me about these things, please." By now Elphaba's tears had become ticker. All that time she had been crying in silence, and Fiyero leaned down, pressing soft kisses against her cheeks, wishing her tears away.

"Yero, sweetheart… you know how hard it is to erase the damage of so many years of hurt and loneliness." She recalled him, not really knowing how many times she had told him this before, leaning her head against his shoulder.

"You should know by now. I will never give up on you, on us." He told her, pressing his lips gently to her temple. "Oz! You feel so tense, love, and if we don't be careful we'll get drenched. Come inside. Let me give you a back rub."

"Don't you have a date to arrange?" Elphaba allowed him to bring her inside the male student house, not really feeling like leaving him just yet. He brought her inside, into the foyer, but they didn't go up. The place seemed to be deserted so they didn't mind.

"You are a smart girl." Fiyero stated matter-of-factly. "What do you think I skipped class for? We have dinner reservations for 8 pm."

"How did you know I was going to say yes?" She asked arching an eyebrow as she gently pulled away to look at him.

"By the look in your eyes. You have always this light in your eyes when you are thinking seriously about us. The only things that changes depending what you're thinking about are nuances within that light." Fiyero leaned in to brush his lips gently against hers, sending shivers down her spine. "Let's just say that what I saw didn't stop me from thinking you would say yes. And yes… that's also how I know when I should be worried about you. Eyes are mirrors for the soul."

"Wow… T-that's deep. Who would have known that behind such a brainless guy it hid such a smart boy?" Elphaba asked with a gentle smile on her face.

"Stop teasing me. I'm being sincere here!" He scold her, his amused smile making him fail completely. "So… Are we going up or not?"

"That would be a no… not that I don't want to go up, but I ran off on Glinda without bothering to answer her question about the date. I don't want to get her worried, nor do I want to hear her go on about the importance of being presentable when on a date with the man I love." She explained removing his hands from her waist without letting go of them. "Besides that, when I tell her that we will have dinner at eight she will probably complain that two hours won't be enough to get me ready."

"So you're going to let Glinda Galindafy you?" Fiyero looked at her, rubbing circles on the back of her hand. He cocked his brow. "Now really. You know you don't need to do that. You are beautiful."

"Fiyero, I don't fell beautiful. And it's not like Glinda is going to pick up that silly wand, and turn me into a replica of herself." Elphaba protested, blushing and looking down. "I've stablished strict rules about what Glinda can and can't do while making a makeover on me, one of them being that she has to keep any piece of clothing or accessory in pink out of my wardrobe. Other is that she may put make up on me as long as it's not too much. The last thing I need is to look like a tree in Lurlinemas, and until now she has complied and I've not made a fool out of myself."

"We tease her about the makeovers, but Glinda sure knows how to accentuate ones natural assets." Fiyero agreed with a sigh. "Are you sure you don't want to go up and stay a little longer? Can't I persuade you to stay so we can kiss each other senseless, until you believe that you are beautiful?"

"I would very much like that, but we really should wait until after the date." She told him with an honest smile gracing her lips. "It's getting dark, it seems like is going to rain soon. I really don't mind getting soaking wet on our way back…"

"Don't worry. I'll arrange a cab to take us" Fiyero reassured her, gently caressing the length of her arm. Elphaba smiled, went on her tiptoes and kissed him lightly, once, twice, and when she was about to kiss Fiyero for the third time, she felt his hand on the nape of her neck and allowed him to deepen the kiss and making it more passionate than any before.

"Want me to take you back to your dormitory? I feel like I made you walk all the way over here for nothing." He leaned his forehead to hers and resting his arms around her waist.

"It wasn't for nothing. This is nice, just me and you. No books, no thinking too much, no people… which is strange. Is the building always this quiet?" she frowned looking around. Fiyero chuckled lightly and caressed her cheek. Elphaba relaxed instantly, took his hand in hers and kissed its palm, the she smiled sweetly at him and shrugged. "You know what? I'm not going to complain. I love the fact that my boyfriend lives on his own, rented, apartment off campus."

"I'm glad to know." He gave her a loving smile. "So… about me taking you back to your dorm?"

"No, but I expect you to come get me." She kissed him one last time and started walking away. "What should I wear? I don't want to make a fool out of myself."

"I really think you're going to like this place. Think classy." Fiyero answered only to see her smiling back and then running away in the next moment.

Inside of the room Glinda and Elphaba had been sharing for the last two years, and completely oblivious to what their sister and roommate was doing away from there, and ignoring that she could enter the room at any minute, Glinda and Nessarose looked at each other in silence, that kind of silence one could cut with a knife. The young brunette was siting on her wheel-chair, her back straight as an arrow, burning from inside out to get out of her chest and head what Fiyero had disclosed to her about his expectations for his date with Elphaba. Before her, Glinda had already given up on their staring contest and turned her attention to a fashion magazine.

"Argh…" Nessa broke the silence wheeling herself closer to the pink bed. "Fiyero will, probably, kill me for this, but I can't keep it in any longer!"

"Oh… Is it gossip?" Glinda asked excitedly putting her magazine away. Nessarose looked at her friend and frowned. Sure. She knew that if one decided to spread rumours about someone it would most definitely be called gossip, but could it be given the same name when it was told by one of the main players of a certain story? Surely not. It was the truth even if it was only about ones intentions.

"I really don't know if I should tell you. I mean if Fiyero finds out…" the younger girl hesitated only too aware that her sister could enter at any moment.

"Nessa, you are making no sense at all. Why would Fiyero want to kill you? You are his girlfriend's little sister." The blonde said kicking her legs off the bed. "He knows how much you mean for Elphaba, and even if he dared to do such a thing, he knows full well that she would hex his fine behind back to Vinkus before he even had the chance."

"Because if I tell you, you will blab on him to Elphaba." Protested the younger woman as she looked demurely at her hands.

"Oh, stop that! You're clearly dying to tell. I can see it stuck in your throat." Glinda stated with a condescending smile. "If you say it very fast it should be easier."

"FiyerohasplanedtosurpriseElphabawithaproposal." Nessarose managed to say in one breath.

"What?" Glinda asked confused.

Unbeknownst to them Elphaba was about to turn the knob. She had heard both girls talking and decided to stay still and quiet, not wanting to get noticed. Truthfully the only thing that had prevented her from entering was hearing her sister mention her boyfriend's name.

"Fiyero wants to ask Fabala to marry him during tonight's date." She explained, this time articulating every word. Suddenly they heard the room's door squeak as it opened, and saw a very stern Elphaba entering the room. Both girls tried to pretend that nothing was happening, but the green girl quickly cut them off.

"Don't bother." She said in all seriousness. "I've heard what you've said about Fiyero's plans. Are you sure?" Nessa looked at her sister in shock for what seemed like a life time, but said nothing. Elphaba walked to her, kneeled before her wheel-chair, and took her hands in hers. "Nessie, I need to know. Did Fiyero himself tell you that?"

"Why would I lie? You know I like messing up with Glinda, but I would never go as far as lying about this." The younger girls squeezed her sister's hands encouragingly. "I saw Fiyero heading off campus looking like he was thinking too much. I thought you two had had some argument, and asked him what was going on. He just dropped that bombshell on my lap. I was so stunned that I missed class."

"Sweet Oz." Elphaba whispered to herself, getting up and going to her side of the room. Her head was throbbing and spinning, her heart was racing to get out of her chest, and she was feeling extremely dizzy.

"Oh Elphie! I'm so happy for you." Glinda said gleefully, turning around to look at her friend. "Oh dear… you look like you just came out of a funeral. Aren't you happy?"

"Oh Glinda, of course I'm happy. I'm just… Worried sick." The green girl explained siting on her bed, and hugging her pillow. "If Fiyero wants this, then he's serious about it. Do you even realise what this means?"

"That you two will marry, have a lot of children, and live happily ever after?" Glinda offered with a broad smile and shiny, dreamy eyes. For a split second, Elphaba smiled shyly at the prospects, but then she refocused.

"I'm more worried about the immediate future." She sighed. "Ignoring the fact that I'm green and will, probably, give Fiyero's parents a fright, I still have to face my father. As we all know, father doesn't like me dating Fiyero, regardless of whether he makes me happy or not. I think, sometimes that he would rather see me closed in a convent, then I would stop being an embarrassment to the family."

"Fabala, I know you and father don't have a good relationship…" The younger woman tried to say before being cut off by her sister.

"To put it mildly." Elphaba protested under her breath.

"I understand that things have never gone smoothly between you two, but don't you think you're being a little melodramatic?" Nessarose asked, rather innocently, only to be met by a flaming glare.

"Nessarose Thropp, don't you dare giving me that crap!" the green girl got up from her bed almost in a jump, throwing the pillow to the bed's headboard. "Nessa, I love and envy you. Can you even imagine what I would give to have the kind of relationship you and father have? I don't even know if father just hates me, or if there's something more. What seems evident is that, to him, I'm a disgrace, a dishonour, perhaps even a maid, or a nurse strong and young enough to handle and take care of you. As far as father is concerned I'm not part of the family. He would wish I was truly not part of this family."

Nessa knew that, all too well. She had witnessed eighteen years of her sister's life, and she could tell anyone who cared to ask, that the last few years since they had arrived to Shiz had been the happiest in her life. Yet, it stung. It deeply hurt to actually hear Elphaba accuse their father of his mistakes so passionately, so bluntly. Involuntary tears started stinging her eyes.

"Fabala…" She looked away from her sister, hoping that in her fury she would ignore her tears. "Do you love father?"

"I loved him once, but I've learned that loving without being loved, brings a whole world of pain." Elphaba answered truthfully. "I do care for him... a lot, and I would be glad if father felt the same about me… I would be thankful if father realised that you are not an only child, and recognised me as your sister, as his wife's child, even if he won't recognise me as his."

Finally the young, tragically beautiful brunette broke down. Nessarose had come to understand and love her sister even more during their time at college, away from home, making it even more difficult to ignore the breach in her family, a breach between her father and her sister that only seemed to grow larger and deeper as time went by.

By now Elphaba had already cooled off, and looked at her little sister. As she did so, her heart broke inside her chest, and she instantly regretted her words. She let out a small whimper, cursing herself, and kneeling at her sister's feet. Feeling extremely guilty, shyly she reached up to caress her sister's cheek with a feather-like touch. The poor girl was… perhaps… most certainly spoiled by their father's relentless adoration, but she was not to blame for it, and didn't deserve all the emotional cargo her sister had just put, unwisely so, on her shoulders.

"Nessa, I'm so, so sorry. I shouldn't have…" Elphaba tried to say before being silenced by her sister's loving gesture. Nessa held her sister's hand to her cheek, and took a deep and shaky breath, trying to steady her voice before speaking.

"Yes, you should. I'm grateful that you did." The younger Thropp sister confessed, looking at her intently, through teary eyes. "You are my sister, and I love you. It's about time I grow up and open my eyes. The only thing I regret is the time it took me being her for you."

"Nessa…" Elphaba mumbled feeling her heart tighten inside her chest, but before she could continue, a light squeeze on her hand silenced her once more.

"Fabala, do yourself a favour, for me. Say yes to Fiyero. Tell him the truth. Tell him you want to be his wife, to spend the rest of your life with him." Her older sister blinked a couple of times, looked at her with an arched brown, but remained silent. "Don't give me that look, Elphaba Thropp. You know you want to, and you deserve to be happy."

"I'm not saying I don't like the idea of marrying Fiyero, the big problem is breaking the news to father. I doubt that Fiyero went all the way to Munchkinland to ask for Frexspar Thropp's blessing." The sorceress stated plainly.

"No he didn't, but he has mine and I intend to be there when you tell father." Nessarose promised drying her eyes.

"And you know, Elphie…" Glinda decided to intervene, getting up from her own bed, and going to Elphaba's so to help get up as well. "Nessa is right. You deserve a happy ending, and you shouldn't let your fears to ruin that for you."

Elphaba felt like she was about to burst from inside out. Glinda talked about happy endings in her ever so fanciful way of seeing the world has a fairy-tale, but to the young green girl, to the sorceress, her life was just beginning.

"Ok ladies. We have an hour to get me ready." Elphaba warned in a commending voice, turning around herself, as if looking for something. "Glinda, I need you to through my clothes and find me the best dress I have. Think classy, and if you don't find anything, you will not look in your own clothes. Nessa control her. The last think we need is a green replica of her."

"Hey!" Glinda protested while the younger Thropp burst out laughing.

"She's right Glinda. You are a dear and have a huge heart, you truly do, but you are a little over the top." Nessa stated losing her shoulder, so to recover her posture.

"I'm not over the top!" Glinda pouted and whined making Elphaba fall to her bed and laughing. "Am I?" The blonde woman looked to her best friend. Elphaba almost throw a somewhat panicked look to her sister, really not wanting to hurt her friend.

"A little. Oh… well… a lot." The green sorceress answered truthfully. "You try to sing opera in the shower and dance ballet in stilettos. I think that says enough." For moment or two Glinda stood looking at her friend in shock, giving her time enough to get into the bathroom and close the door.

"I do not!" Glinda protested again, her pout becoming bigger.

"Yes you do!" An imitation of Glinda's voice came from inside the bathroom, making the two girls look at each other, one of them close to tears, this time from so much laughter.

Elphaba leaned her back against the closed door, and as soon as she heard things being moved outside, she turned on the water for a hot shower. She shed her clothes, feeling ashamed of her own body. If anyone had ever doubted that she was green from head to toe, she knew that she was.

Fiyero had taught her that many things about her were beautiful, and he even claimed to love and adore the mossy green of her skin, arguing it was emerald and that it perfectly matched the brown chocolate of her eyes. She could not see it though. She ached to lie with him and give him all of herself, but the fear of his disgust was stronger than her. The fear of having him turn on her when she would be at her most vulnerable, made her heart hurt, burn, and crumble beneath the foot of destiny.

Very slowly her eyes started to burn with tears that she didn't want to shed. Twenty two years ago she had been born, and until now she had known little happiness. It seemed like the Unnamed God, or whatever deity there was, delighted in seeing her pain, and would certainly see that her dreams were shattered on her wedding night, if there was ever one.

Elphaba was thankful that the water was now running over her head, muffling her sobs, yet she knew if she took longer than what was deemed normal, the other women outside would be worried. If she hadn't agreed on going on a date with Fiyero, she would gladly hide away in that bathroom and let the water wash over her. Perhaps this time it would wash the green away.

Elphaba leaned her forehead against the bathroom's tile wall and pounded her clenched fists against it while letting the water fall on the nape of her neck.

"Elphie…" Glinda called knocking at the door. "Are you alright in there?

"I'm alright Glin! Thank you." Elphaba answered, controlling her voice the best she could, yet she was thankful for the sound of falling water mixing in to mask her emotions.

"Are you sure? I heard something crash." Elphaba groaned feeling her tears grow thicker. She had completely forgotten how her powers would give away her emotional state. She quickly cleaned her tear stained cheeks, and took a calming deep breath. This was her cue to leave the bathroom and start getting ready. Glinda didn't sound at all convinced, her own emotions had given away her distress, and Elphaba was sure that if the little blonde found a good enough reason she would barge in.

"Absolutely." Soon enough the green woman was in her room with a robe around her body and a towel around her hair. Glinda was quick to grab her friend and make her sit before the vanity mirror so they could start the first phase of getting Elphaba ready for her date.

As she worked Glinda found her friend watching her like a hawk. For the first time her eyes were curious as they usually looked in class, almost like she was taking mental notes of what to do. Glinda stepped back and furrowed her brows together. What was Elphaba doing?

"I always wished I could be beautiful for Fiyero. Since I cannot, I just want to learn what I can do with what I was given." Elphaba answered the unasked question.

"Elphie/Fabala." Both Glinda and Nessarose sighed at the same time. "Sweetie, you are beautiful. The only thing that these" Glinda held the shadow palette in her hand "do is enhancing that beauty. Nothing else. Here, I'll teach you. Let me just remove my own makeup."

"Glinda… I don't know if this is the right time for it…" the sorceress hesitated, knowing that she had to be ready soon, and that she had a very shaky hand when it came to details.

"Hey, don't worry. I'm sure you won't do a big mess, after all you are a quick learner. If you do I'll retouch it before you leave."

As he made his way to Elphaba's shared dorm room, Fiyero felt his hands starting to sweat inside his suit's pockets. He had everything prepared to the smallest detail to make his girl's night one to remember, but he still felt like a nervous wreck.

Fiyero dreaded this date just as much as he had dreaded his first date with Elphaba, which had been close to a failure. Unwisely he had taken her to the same kind of restaurant he would take his other dates. It was fancy and romantic, and he could easily play the part of the charming prince. A very stupid move, it's true. In his defence, at the time he was still trying to understand Elphaba's way of thinking, and the tension between them had been so great that it almost ruined the mood, making it almost impossible to convince her to give him a second chance.

Their second date, on the other hand, had been everything the first one should have been. It and been hard to persuade Elphaba to have another dinner date, but once that happened the question stopped being 'How am I going to convince her', to 'How don't I screw this up', so he started thinking about a way to please them both. Fiyero wanted to make sure she understood that, for him, she was unique, a princess worthy of worthy of the highest honours, but clearly Elphaba liked simple things so he had to compromise. Thanks to Glinda, and a lot of research he ended up finding a nice little place, an Animal friendly restaurant, meaning Elphaba could eat meat without fearing for her principals, and with some private booths were they could have some privacy while they ate and got to know each other better. That night not only the mood, the conversation, and the time they had spent together had been perfect, as it had been the night they had shared their first kiss.

Tonight had to be just has important and unforgettable as the date that had officially started their courtship, so he used all contacts he had to ensure that they went to the same restaurant, and had exactly the same booth were they had been sited. He had managed both things, now he was just hoping that Elphaba found this both comforting and romantic.

Before he could even take another deep breath to calm and steady himself, Fiyero found himself in front of Elphaba's and Glinda's shared dorm room. The door was closed so he took advantage to nervously run his fingers through his hair and straighten his suit and tie, only then feeling confident enough to knock.

"Yero?" He heard Elphaba's voice call from the other side.

"The one and only, Fae." He answered touching the door. "Bright eyes, are you ready?"

"Sit down! I haven't finished fixing your makeup." He heard Glinda protest, and chuckled, leaning against the wall, only imagine what was going on inside that room.

"Come on Glin! I'm sure that Fae looks lovely." Fiyero said only to hear the dramatic sound of stilettos shoes against the floor as Glinda made her way to the door, probably to scold him.

"Lovely isn't enough." Glinda popped her head out of the room and looked at the very nervous man leaning against the wall. "Elphie will only leave this room once I deem her a masterpiece." Then she closed the door, going back into the room.

Siting before the room's vanity-mirror Elphaba was finishing the retouch of her eyes. This time her hand looked much more steady and confident, but the young green girl knew that after this Glinda would have her using makeup much more often until she was able to do it perfectly on her own. After all Glinda was right, even if Elphaba would never admit it out loud. Applying makeup was like casting a spell without actually using magic.

"Elphie…" Glinda whispered, resting her hands on her friend's lace covered shoulders. "Fiyero will start suspecting something if you don't protest or something." Elphaba offered her friend a mischievous smile with her dark painted lips. They could always pretend that Glinda had gagged her, since she felt quite unable of talking and finishing her own makeup, but Fiyero would probably needlessly worry. That's when Glinda took over the retouch of her friend's makeup.

"Glinda! I'm not going to the opera or watch a play. I've actually never gone to either of them…" At this Glinda winked approvingly while Nessarose just nodded. It was always a good idea to provide a hint for a next date. "I'm going on a date with Fiyero, and as we know he as seen me many times without makeup." Elphaba desperately tried to both control her laughter and seem convincing in her pretence of boredom, while Glinda finished taking care of her hair.

"See that was not so bad. It will get better with training though." Glinda whispered with a supportive smile. "I'm very proud of you. I barely had to redo anything."

"I'm surprised myself. I still don't know if I have patience to do this every day." Elphaba confessed examining herself in the mirror. "And who knew that more green could actually make me look pretty."

"I know…" Glinda gasped. "I just figured that if pink works for me…"

"Girls, come on!" They heard Fiyero protest from outside. "Fae and I have reservation in half an hour."

"There! You look stunning." Glinda declared as if she was making a proclamation to the masses. Elphaba almost cracked laughing, but at least Fiyero had heard their friend.

As they got up and went to the door Glinda turned to Elphaba and held her by her shoulders, looking into her eyes.

"Elphie, you are my best friend and the sister I never had, and I love you very much. I don't know what's wrong, but your eyes have lost their light." Glinda put a lock of hair gently behind Elphaba's ear. "If you won't tell me what is going on, please promise me you will talk with Fiyero."

"I know Glin, and you have my word. I'll be back to normal by the next time you see me." Elphaba just offered a half-hearted smile. "Don't you two wait up for me, though. I'm going to spend the night with Fiyero. If I break down, which I'll probably will, given my emotionally instable, I'll do it in his arms."

"Wait just a clock-tick! You are not spending the night with Fiyero." Nessarose protested wheeling herself in front of the door. Elphaba took a deep breath and crossing her lace covered arms and quirking a brow.

"May I ask why?" her voice was flat and almost threatening.

"You know full well why, Elphaba Melena Thropp." The younger sister blushed, but kept her head tall.

"Listen here! You are not my mother, nor are you the keeper of my conscience! You are my sister and I love you very, very much." Elphaba said as patiently as she could. "Fiyero is my boyfriend, the man who has been restless, trying to prove himself worthy of my trust, when I am the one unworthy of him. This is not the first time, nor will it be the last that I spend the night with him, alone in his suit! Regardless of his scandalous reputation, he has been nothing but a gentleman since we started dating, and may remind you that it has been almost a year and a half. I trust him with all my life and soul, if I even have one. I hope you can trust my better judgment."

"Have you misplaced your mind? Of course I can't trust you with this!" Nessarose hissed looking her sister right in the eyes, only to hear Elphaba groaning of pure and raw frustration. "You are in love with him! There is no way you can think rationally about this."

"Nessa, this is me and Fiyero you're talking about." The green girls was starting to lose her patience quickly as her heart started aching with longing inside her chest. By now she had almost forgotten that Fiyero was waiting outside for her. "He would never do nothing that he knew I didn't want. And you know what? I'm terrified of the idea of getting married, not because of what it means but because of what it intakes. I'm afraid of losing Fiyero once he sees my body, but if he ever asks me to become his wife I will say yes. I've been aching to belong to him, to give him everything that I am. Now, you can wheel yourself away from that door, or I can make you."

"Now, now Elphie. There is no need to get aggressive." Glinda said soothingly, holding her friend's hand firmly so she could hold her back if there was any need for it, while looking at Nessarose intently. The younger woman looked defiantly at the two older women in front of her for a moment or two, then she groaned and wheeled her chair away.

On the outside Fiyero heard the whole argument and started passing back and forth. It made his heart soar and his chest swell with pride to hear Elphaba defending their relation like a lioness, but it also hurt to realise how much she doubted of her own beauty. Little by little, as the years went by Fiyero found himself hating what years of being mistreated by people, especially by an uncaring father had done to the woman he loved. Elphaba was right though. He had done everything in his power to be worthy of her trust and prove her that he loved her, that she was beautiful, regardless of what people thought or said. In time he had won her trust and her love, and he was both honoured and humble of having them both.

Fiyero knew that he was, perhaps, one of the first to really love his green girl. Nessa had a good heart and cared for her, but she could return to her old ways as quickly as on could snap their fingers, after all it had taken her getting away from their father's to start showing how she really felt about Elphaba. Fiyero knew that, unlike his family, Elphaba's could be quite judgemental, and he knew that two years of friendship and more than a year of actually being a couple had mended a lot of the damage life had done to her, but not enough, not completely. In that moment he promised himself and whatever higher forces there may be that he would spend the rest of his days making Elphaba happy.

Lost in his thoughts, Fiyero didn't even hear the door open, only snapping out of his dream-like state when he heard Elphaba calling to him.

"Fae…" He said opening his arms to her, ignoring everything but the pleading deep in her eyes. Elphaba sighed and ran, or at least tried in those hills, into her boyfriend's welcoming, protective embrace. "You okay? I heard you and Nessa fighting."

"I'll be alright. That's what sisters do. They drive you insane, but you love them no matter what." She tried to reassure him as she fell his fingers running through her hair. "My sister can be quite zealous when it comes to religion and tradition, and I'm an impious green woman with unconventional beliefs and a very handsome and scandalous boyfriend."

"You are a lioness, my love. I am a very lucky man to have you love me back." He gently whispered to her pressing a kiss to her neck, knowing that to be one of her weak spots. "I love you Fae. Promise you will never forget that."

"Promise you will remind me." Elphaba gently stepping away from him and holding his hands lovingly. Fiyero nodded and pulled her back for a gentle kiss, then he backed again, taking his time to take in the sight before him.

Elphaba was wearing a long, flowing, black dress with a v neck line, getting a little lower on the back where it was closed by a zipper, lace sleeves, and tight around the waist. Daring for what he was used to see her wear, but it was her. She was clearly trying to go over her own shyness with a dress that enhanced perfectly, beautifully every curve on her slender body.

As for the makeup, the real focus of his fights with Glinda, it was simple and, like the dress, only served to accentuate what was already beautiful. Fiyero had seen his fair share of too much makeup from the other girls he had dated that Elphaba's lake of interest for the thing was quite refreshing, making it a nice surprise when she actually used any.

"So…" Glinda asked with her arms crossed and a quirky smile.

"Wow!" He just said allowing his hand to caress her hair. Glinda had suggested that Elphaba curled her hair for the date, but Elphaba declined. She was used to wavy hair, every night as she undid her braid, and Fiyero seemed to like it like that, so she just allowed it to hang naturally over her shoulders.

"You look quite handsome yourself." She remarked looking at him. This had to be the first time she had seen him wearing traditional Vinkun clothes, and she had to admit it. He looked good, then again he looked good in anything that came out of his wardrobe. Fiyero was wearing a sort of suit that had a long deep green velvet jacket that ended just a little above his knee, and back trousers, mostly covered by riding boots, also black. The jacket had some silvery embroidery details along the neck-line, his shoulders, and at the end of its sleeves, and unlike, Oz's latest male fashion, it had a high neck and was fully closed, preventing her eyes to glimpse the ivory of his shirt, and making a wearing a tie completely unnecessary.

"You look stunning Fae, you really do." He said making Elphaba blush deep green. "But there is something missing."

"I demand to know what flaw you seem to see in my masterpiece!" Glinda protested, feeling offended.

"That's for me to know and for you to find out." Fiyero said in a teasing tone making his girlfriend chuckle lightly. No matter how many she asked him not to spoil her, Fiyero would never listen.

"That's Vinkun for: I'm going to spoil my girlfriend and that's nothing of your business." Elphaba said linking her arm with Fiyero's.

"Not fair!" Glinda whined looking at Elphaba with wide eyes, almost pouting.

"That's life Glin." Fiyero said with provocative smile. Then he shrugged, looking at Elphaba. "I'm sure Elphaba will tell you what you missed. By the way... Elphaba if you have everything, we are starting to run late."

"Fine! Just take care of our girl for us. If you don't I'm going to kick your fine posterior back to Vinkus." Glinda threatened, giving him a glare that could kill, as Elphaba returned with a small purse she had borrowed from Glinda.

"Don't worry girls." Fiyero looked over Glinda's shoulder to Nessarose. "Go out and have fun. I promise to return Elphaba in one piece."

A cab was already waiting for them outside the college grounds, and ready to take them wherever they needed to go. Elphaba was all too glad to get in as she mentally cursed Glinda for not allowing her to get a decent jacket. This was being a quite pleasant autumn, but the cold was coming bac, and this seemed to be just another rainy day like every other birthday she had ever had, but being in Fiyero's arms, inside a cab, on her way to a date seemed to make things easier to endure.

Once Fiyero was inside the cab, Elphaba leaned her head against his shoulder and interlocked their fingers together, feeling safe as she tended to feel in his arms. He brought her closer to his side, kissing her forehead, and putting his arm protectively around her shoulders. The first few moments the silence was light, easy and comfortable, until the wheels started turning inside Elphaba's head. Fiyero was also able to feel her go stiff as a board but kept caressing the length of her arm trying to sooth her.

"Yero…" she mumbled running her fingers over the silver embroidery.

"Mm…" he sighed running his fingers over her arm, sending shivers up and down her back.

"How much did you hear of my argument with Nessa?" She lacked the courage to face him head on and so she hid her eyes, but she needed to know.

"Everything." The prince answered plainly, caressing her hair.

"Sweet Oz!" Elphaba moaned, feeling her cheeks flush with embarrassment. "I thought as much. I feared as much."

"Fae, I don't know if what you said to Nessa was the truth or if it was just to keep her off your back but…" Fiyero managed to say before his girlfriend's frustrated groan cut his chain of thought.

"It's the truth." She uttered still not looking at him. Fiyero placed his hand gently beneath her chin and tilted her head up so she would face him.

"I've said this once, I will say it a thousand times. I love you, Fae. I would, nor will I ever do anything that you don't want, or that brings you harm, but I don't want you to deny yourself things you want and deserve because of your fears. I want you, and I just want you to be happy." He told her with that raw sincerity she was still trying to get used to. "When you decide that you want to take the next step, just be honest with yourself, with us."

"Are you sure you want me?" She asked bashfully, and making him smile. "I still can't believe you are with me… that you love me."

"There is no doubt about me loving you." He protested in a very Fiyero-like way that reminded her of a younger, brainless – more like careless – Fiyero that she had once known, saw through and fell in love with. "I happen to be deeply in love with you, and openly want you."

"Okay…"she smiled back, still quite shyly. "I believe you, but… I've been wondering… why me? You could have had any girl at Shiz. Why the green bean?"

"I don't want any girl. I want you. You're unique." He told her truthfully.

"I'm unique alright." Elphaba rolled her eyes and pulled away from him. "I'm temperamental, stubborn, the disgrace of my family. I don't have a soul, at least not one worth saving. I'm green. I've vile hideous, vile, rotting green ski-mph."

Fiyero cut her off with his warm tender lips. His kiss was ardent, passionate, and heart-shattering as he pinned her against the cab's back seat. Elphaba had started to kiss back, drunk, as she tended to become on Fiyero's sweet kisses, and relishing the taste of him. Her hands reached up to cup the handsome man's face, resting there as Fiyero pulled her closer by the waist.

"Yes, you are temperamental and stubborn, but that only serves to prove your strong character. As for your skin, I love it. I love every single inch of skin you ever allowed me to look upon." His lips never moved too far away from her skin. "It's you. Stunning, glowing, gorgeous, and so soft." With every loving word that left his lips, he pressed a tantalising kiss along the bare skin of her neck. "It's like your skin could have been kissed by the lights of the northern sky. You're Emerald, and only I know how blessed I truly am to have you in my life."

"I am the one who's blessed by having you in my life." She was close to tears, so overwhelmed was she with her emotions. "I really don't deserve you."

"It's a good thing that that is my decision to make." He told her leaning into her and kissing her passionately. "I still remember the first moment I wanted to kiss you like this, and how I ran away like a coward, filled with guilt after it."

Elphaba looked at Fiyero and pressed a quick kiss to his lips, as her hand pushed against his chest. It wasn't like she was trying to give him the wrong message, she just had nowhere to pull back. His confession had made her curious. Since none had ever brought up the very first moment they had known that they loved, or wanted each other, knowing was definitely a temptation.

"Guilty? You weren't still dating Glinda when you started to look at me like this, were you?" Elphaba asked, hoping that she had not been the reason Fiyero and her best friend had broken up, as fiddled with the buttons of his jacket. "Is that why you two…"

"What can I say?" Fiyero smiled that fabulous lopsided smile that made her legs turn to jelly. She knew then that he was ready to tease her, but then he suddenly became serious. "Glinda was a great girl, still is. I never intended to hurt her, but she deserved someone who truly love her, and that just wasn't me."

"So… When did this started?" She pressed further, allowing her fingers to roam through his hair, delighting in his closeness. Fiyero kissed her a couple more time before returning to the comfortable position they had started in.

"I'll tell you that story at home. I promise." He told her, putting his arm around his shoulder. "We should be arriving to the restaurant soon."

"Not a chance pretty boy." Elphaba laughed poking hi ribs. "I'm going to have the answers to my questions before we leave the restaurant." Fiyero just chuckled and pressing his lips tenderly to her forehead.

Glinda had been quick to help Nessarose get ready for the party, and Boq was more than glad to go with the girls.

The party seemed nice thus far. Nobody had started drinking too much, the music was still low enough for conversations purposes, and the club wasn't to full. It was still the kind of party Elphaba could easily endure, which made Glinda wonder, why they hadn't gone for a longer, more nutritive dinner than a hamburger. Because Nessarose was moody and was starting to get on Glinda's nerves, that's why.

Nessarose, on the other hand couldn't stop thinking about her tempestuous conversation with her elder sister. Their argument about their father was frequent and old, changing its tone as time went by, at least on Elphaba's side. As she had said it herself, Nessa had always known things had never been easy, but seeing her sister pull away, seeing their father lose a daughter before even realising what he was actually losing, hurt more than anything she had ever been put through before. It hurt more than trying to walk on her hopelessly deformed legs.

The second conversation was a completely different issue all in itself. Both sisters had boyfriends, Elphaba's being the once playboy, Fiyero Tiggular, prince of Vinkus. True, in the year and a half that they had been dating he had behaved like a young gentleman, faithful and loving, but still… her sister was spending the night at his apartment, and doing Oz-knows-what after such a passionate confession. Nessa could blush, and blush she did, just thinking of it. On the other hand she was jealous of Elphaba. As green as she was, she had the courage and the means to be bold, ignoring all consequences, while her sister was stoke in a chair.

"Hey…" Boq said caressing her hand and breaking her chain of thought. "You seem to be miles away."

"Had a fight with Fabala about Fiyero, before she went to their date. I'm worried, that's all." She answered returning his caress.

"Don't worry so much." He smiled and kneeled before her, taking her hands in his. "Elphaba is a very smart woman, and Fiyero loves her. Whatever it is you two fought about it will seem meaningless tomorrow." Nessarose looked at her boyfriend, smiled half-heartedly, and gave a gentle squeeze on his hands.

Sweet, darling Boq. Their relationship had started with a terrible lie, with Bop completely infatuated with Glinda and desperately trying to impress her. However, after sometime and a really long conversation with the green sorceress and her green friend, Bod spilled the beans and the truth was out.

To say that Nessarose Thropp had been upset would be putting the whole heart-breaking situation in a palate of colours far too light. After finding out the truth Nessa started to avoid both Bod and Glinda like they carried the plague, only to end up crying herself to sleep in her sister's arms.

At the time Boq was suffering as well. Gold had blinded him to the warm closeness of liquid chocolate within Nessarose's eyes, and the truth seemed to have stolen from him the delight he had in seeing the sun kiss the black silk of her hair, perhaps forever. He had to ask, well… beg for Elphaba's intervention so he could even get near to the younger Thropp to apologise, but after a week of persuasion, and a month of grovelling at her feet and begging for forgiveness, Nessa consented in rebuilding their friendship. Soon enough her love for him rekindled in her heart with a new strength. It soon would make half a year since they had become sweethearts.

"I wish I could dance in your arms just like any other girl." Nessa confessed mournfully as she looked at some couples dancing.

"Nessie, darling, please don't think like that." Boq gently caress her cheek. "Any of these would kill to be half as beautiful as you are."

"And I would gladly give away half of that beauty so that I could walk and dance in your arms." Tonight Nessarose seemed even more upset than usual, and Boq had no idea of what to do to make her smile again. If Elphaba was right and magical herbs had caused the younger Thropp to be born with a deformity, then surely magic could, somehow, cure her and help her have normal life. They needed help, and if someone could help them that someone most certainly was the best student in the Sorcery Department, who just happened to be Nessa's older sister. Finding the right solution, however, promised to be a far more challenging task than cobbling a shoe.

"Boq, sweetie? What's the matter?" Nessa's thumb caressed the back of his hand, bringing him out of his musings.

"Hum?" he looked at her a little dazed.

"I'm just wondering why you zoomed out on us out nowhere." Nessa explained good-naturedly.

"Just thinking about a book I found the other day in the library." He answered absentmindedly, only realising the truth of it was the words left his mouth. "It's in a language I've never seen before, and if I had to guess, I would probably say that it's a spell-book of some kind. Elphaba should take a look at it."

"Sweet Boq, is there anything thing inside your head besides books? Do you think about anything else?" she asked with a sad look in her eyes. Boq just smiled gently, caressing the pristine line of her jaw, and leaning forward to press a gentle, yet shy kiss on the corner of her lips.

"Of course, my Munchkin rose." He told her, his face still close to hers. "I often think about you. So often that sometimes I even get distracted from my studies."

"I love you, my Munchkin boy." Nessa leaned forward and boldly kissed him full on the lips. Then she slightly pulled away, leaned her forehead to his as her fingers played with the lapels of his jacket. "You do know that you're allowed to kiss me whenever you want, don't you?"

"I am aware, but I never dare." Boq confessed shyly.

"Do you see it now? This is why I need to get out of this chair! I need to make you dare." She sighed resting her hand on the nape of his neck.

"Nessa, the chair is not the issue." He told her in all honesty. "It never was." Then he kissed her tenderly.

The cab stopped in front of a small façade of large windows framed by stone walls filled with ivy, a familiar sight if you were to ask Elphaba. Fiyero got out, went around to her side to open the door. Out of nowhere she saw him produce a black velvet shawl with red roses, and placing it around her shoulders as soon as she was out, then he paid the driver and told him to be back in two hours.

In high-heels, which were miles away from being as high as what Glinda would usually wear, was as tall as Fiyero himself, but although they weren't as thin or as high as the blonde would like her friend to wear, they were high enough to make Elphaba fell uncomfortable. She felt wobbly as she walked, even though she was walking fine, and she as thankful that she could lean on Fiyero's arm. He felt her grip on his arm around his arm grow tighter, so her gently freed his arm, making sure she was secure on her feet, and wrapped it around her waist, bringing her closer to him so to make more stable as she walked.

"Why did you allow Glinda to put you on these shoes?" he asked escorting her to the door. "You hate wearing heels."

"I know, but she wouldn't shut up about it." She answered with a sigh. "These aren't too bad, though. I can walk fine in them, but my head keeps reminding me that I don't have a steady footing, that I could twist my ankle if I'm not careful."

"It is as good excuse as any for me to hold you close." He offered her a sheepish smile as she leaned further into him. "I hope you like the shawl. I chose black to play safe. It shouldn't clash with anything."

"Finally someone understands why I wear so much black. It never clashes with green!" Elphaba said dramatically. "I love it. Especially the roses."

"You look lovely in other colours too." Fiyero shrugged. He would never tell he liked the way the green of her skin stood out against the black of her clothes, and how seeing in other colours always seemed to pleasantly surprise him.

"Just don't tell that to Glinda. I really don't want to get kidnapped for a shopping spree." She wined putting her own arm around his waist.

"What? Never!" Fiyero's mischievous smile made her somehow doubt that.

They passed the door and where met by the rare sight of Animal's congregating and talking freely. Something inside Elphaba's head shook. They had been here before on a date, she was sure of it.

The master of ceremony, a Dog, talked with Fiyero about their reservation and brought them to their table in one of the secluded booths. On the table stood two small glasses with a reddish liquid.

Fiyero waited to be left alone with Elphaba, went to the table to pick up both glasses, offering one to her. On the other hand Elphaba was having troubles in pretending ignorance. He was trying so hard to make the mood pleasant and easy, but as he gave Elphaba her glass she could see him trembling and feel his hands sweating.

"This is nice... Munchtin... The restaurant where we had our second date... I wonder what might be the occasion." She confessed looking down at her glass.

"Your birthday, and something else, but you'll have to wait and see. Now, my dear, a toast to you." He smiled broadly, raising his glass. "You are the most amazing, beautiful, strong and intelligent woman I ever had the honour of meeting. I love you, Fae." Elphaba raised her own glass, allowing it to clink against Fiyero's. After sipping from his glass, Fiyero went to pull back the chair for Elphaba to sit on, then he went to his own side of the small table.

"Yero, I know I don't tell you this as often as I should, but, although you are a pain and utter nonsense, you have turned my life upside down in the best way possible." She held his hand as soon as he sat down. "You are the most caring and loving man life has ever thrown my way, and, at the end of the day, there is no one else I'd rather be with."

Fiyero wanted to get up and kiss his girlfriend with all he had in him, but before he could even make the decision, he was already by her side, one of his knees on the floor and their lips pressed together.

"You are quite amorous tonight." He whispered as he sweetly placed a lock of hair behind her ear.

"But I can go back into my shell, if you wish." She became shy, looking at him from under her eyelashes. "I can always go back to being the sarcastic, shy and beautifully tragic girl I am around our friends."

"I like it when you're like this." Fiyero smiled gently, holding her hand lovingly. "You are a tough cookie."

"So I've been told." She saw him return to his seat and took his hand as soon as he sat down. "I remember one of our first fights as friends when you looked straight into my eyes, and told me bluntly: "Elphaba, beneath all that sarcasm, bluntness, and bitterness, there hides a little girl aching to be loved and cared for, but too afraid to allow anyone to get too close!" Remember?"

"I remember. You slapped me so hard I had my cheek burning for hours." He stroke his own cheek at the stinging memory. "But I was right. You are a lovable, strong and unique tough cookie. If I ever forget that just knock me out and put me in ice cold water. I'll probably be drunk, or with a hangover. A cold bath should fix it." Elphaba took a double take at him, catching his humour, and smiled lightly, hopelessly trying to conceal it. Fiyero noticed and continued. "I also remember that you called me a brainless playboy, seeking to get into every girls' panties in Shiz."

"And I'm still wondering how many girls have you actually slept with before you realise you wanted me." She confessed, moving her hand from his, picking and looking at the menu so he would not see the jealousy in her eyes. Fiyero leaned forward and pulled the menu away from her hands.

"Do you want the truth?" he asked, his eyes burning with honesty.

"Am I going to lose my appetite?" she asked after taking a deep breath.

"There are really a few things you should know about me, so I suggest we order our food, order a good wine, and talk as we eat." Fiyero held her hand, making her look at him.

Elphaba bit her lower lip, feeling her heart hammer inside her chest, and her brain throb. Why was he doing this? Why was this needed? This had to be one of his most lasting relationships, if not the most lasting, and Nessa had told her – granted, without knowing – that he had important plans for tonight why did she had to go and ruin everything. She cursed her fears and jealousy under her breath as she picked the menu back up and perused it for a while.

The silence that hovered around the couple was heavy and uncomfortable, much like it had happened on their first date. Fiyero's words were ringing inside her head and he could see it plainly in her eyes. What was it that she needed to know? They had been dating for a year and a half and there were still important things that Fiyero hadn't told her?

The waiter came to take their orders and went away, returning a few moments later with the wine. After the wine was approved by both members of the couple, since each tended to like different kinds of wine, the waiter left, leaving behind the same uneasy feeling that had crept in a few moments ago. Both knew that one of them had to break the ice, they doubted that the other would.

"Listen, Yero. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked. It's none of my business how many girls..." she started to say before Fiyero cut her off, by brushing the tip of his fingers against the lacy sleeves.

"About six girls, but only one meant anything to me." He said avoiding her eyes. "She is the one that made me start this Dancing Through Life foolishness."

"She broke your heart…" she just assumed but something, deep down, told her that she was wrong.

"She never got the chance to. We were friends as children, and our parents decided that it would be a good thing that we go married once we were old enough. We fell in love without any knowledge of the agreement, but then she had a riding accident." Elphaba looked at him feeling her heart break for her boyfriend. She had never seen him this vulnerable, leaning on her with his burdens, looking to her for comfort. "We went out for a ride, and suddenly her horse got spooked. She fell to the floor and broke her neck. She died instantly in my arms."

"Honey…" she whispered moving her chair closer to his, but lacking the courage to continue. There was so much she wanted to say to him, and she felt awful for only being able to utter that tiny word. What had happened to her voice? What had happened to her breathing? She was stunned beyond words.

"After that I fell apart. I couldn't focus on school and started drinking. I started drinking a lot. Some of my friends would go out and party with me, but they were not as messed up as I was, and I ended up being expelled." He said finally looking at her. "I went through five universities before I came to Shiz, got along with every kind of people, and I dated one girl for each university I went to but no one could see through my mask, not until you came into my life." Elphaba smiled gently at him, still too stunned to say anything. "You saw right through me."

"It's easy when you are living your own lie." Elphaba gasped as she heard the words leaving her mouth, but that didn't stop her. "When you spend your whole life long pretending you don't give a damn about how people treat you, putting a brave face for every insult that is thrown your way, you learn a few things about people."

Fiyero smiled sweetly at her as he fought back the tears that were threatening to fall down his cheek. It had been a really long time since he had thought about Sarima's accident - a year to be exact - and it still hurt, but it was only right for his Fae to know the truth.

Elphaba sensed the silence that was falling around them, reached forward and caressed his cheek. She had to be there for him more than ever, even if she never found out what had brought this conversation out in the open.

Fiyero looked at her, holding her hand in place, and a thought popped into his head. Samira would have approved of Elphaba, since they were alike in some ways, but he would probably never meet this amazing woman had that dreadful accident never happen.

"What is it love?" he heard his girlfriend ask, bringing him out of his thoughts.

"I am a wicked man." He said sipping from his glass to numb himself a little. "I can't help but thing that I probably would never have met you if..." He couldn't bring himself to finish the sentence, but Elphaba knew exactly what he meant. She had been thinking exactly the same thing.

"Then I'm just as wicked as you are." Fiyero looked at her in shock. There was no way in hell that Elphaba could ever be wicked, even if they had both been thinking alike. "I'm not glad that you had to go through such pain, but I can't help being happy about how things turned out. Something in my life must have gone really right for me to be blessed with you in my life. Is it so wrong to thank whatever forces brought you to me for doing just that?"

"I thought you were an atheist." He teased her in a desperate attempt to lighten the mood.

"True. I don't believe in a god, or in destiny." She laughed half-heartedly, in her mind the ages-old image of a lonely girl praying for her mother's guidance. "But I do have a spiritual side. Just don't tell my sister or Glinda. I would never hear the end of it."

Boq and taken the chance, since Glinda had returned with their drinks to go relieve himself, leaving the two girls alone. Of the three friends at the party he was the only one not knowing about Fiyero's plans for his date with their green friend, and the two girls intended to keep it thusly, so they were more than happy to have this time alone to change some ideas.

Both Nessarose and Glinda had never imagine that, out of the three of them, Elphaba would be the first to get in a serious relationship and tie the knot. To speak the truth Glinda had dreaded, after her breakup with Fiyero, and finding out his intentions to date Elphaba that he was doing it out of some bet, or just to mock her best friend. She had been afraid that Elphaba would get her heart broken, and that would most certainly ruin the friendship she and the Vinkun prince were starting to build. Nessarose, on the other hand, was more worried that her sister's temper would get the best of her and ruin the first date, and with it ruining any possibility for a political relation with Vinkus. Neither of which happened, and both girls swallowed their words, but still kept their eyes opened.

"Do you think Elphaba is alright?" Glinda asked sipping from her glass. Nessa looked at the blonde girl from the corner of her eye. "I really didn't like the way she left."

"Why must you worry?" Nessa asked curtly. "She left like she always leaves after a fight! You heard what she said. She's her own women."

"Hey! Don't be like that! She's your sister. Can't you be happy for her?" Glinda glared at the younger Thropp sister. "Couldn't you see how hurt she was? And Fiyero probably heard every word…"

"I don't give a damn if Fiyero heard or didn't." To Glinda's eyes Nessa was clearly behaving childishly, perhaps even jealously. "I couldn't care less!"

"Do you know what you are?" The corner of the blonde's lips arched up. "You are jealous of your sister, because she can walk. You are feeling sorry for yourself."

"And?" The younger girl arched her brow. "I'm stuck in this wheelchair! I have a right…"

"To look at your sister and realise that the world doesn't turn around your pretty little head!" Glinda scold her. "For years Elphaba has been in pain, feeling guilty for something that's not her fault."

"Galinda Upland of the Upper Uplands, what are you talking about?" Nessarose asked dead serious. Glinda looked at her friend's sister in shock. It was like she didn't know.

"You really don't know, do you?" The blonde girl frowned.

"What do I not know?" Now Nessa was clearly confused. Glinda looked at her in shock. She knew that Elphaba and her sister weren't close, not sharing points of view and all, but this was ridiculous. Did Glinda, who was a friend, know more about the green girl than Nessarose, who was her sister?

"Nessa, Elphaba believes your father blames her for what happened to your mother" the blonde confronted the younger Thropp sister. "She thinks that's why he hates her."

"What? That's ridiculous. Elphaba was so small when it happened." Nessa looked at Glinda, her hand reaching up to cover her gaping mouth. "Glinda, I don't know what my sister told you about our father, but he's not a bad person."

"Nessa I don't know your father, but I know one thing. A good person he is not." Glinda argued.

"Glinda!" Nessa gasped. "My father probably doesn't even know about this! Which part of Elphaba and our father not talking don't you understand?"

"And which part of you should help don't you get? If you don't want to talk on her behalf at least don't act like a spoils little girl." Glinda protested glaring at the girl. She didn't mind Elphaba calling her dumb, after all it had become playful banter, but she would not take it from her little sister.

"Having boy-problems?" The younger girl's eyes looked at her side-ways. Glinda coughed, sat straighter, neatly

"That too."

After the rough start things soon fell back into place with Fiyero teasing Elphaba, trying to make the situation lighter than it really had been, and Elphaba was more than glad to oblige, but she couldn't ignore the warm feeling inside her chest. Was it possible that she was falling deeper in love with her boyfriend? She had wanted to know more about his life before her out of pure jealousy, and he had selflessly opened his heart to her, perhaps even opening and old wound in the process. He had shown her so much trust and love, taking the place she had performed so many times by leaning on him for comfort, and it all felt right.

Being the observant guy Elphaba knew he was, Fiyero smiled softly and held her hand, caressing its back with his thumb. She had been silent most of the night, allowing him to do most of the talking, just enjoying the food and the wine, and laughing at some of his jokes, but Fiyero felt like she was hiding something of him. Perhaps the conversation about his past had affected her more than what she had let on.

"A coin for your thoughts?" Fiyero poured more wine into his girlfriend's glass.

"I was thinking that I might be falling deeper in love with you." She confessed, not seeing the need to dance around the issue. "I just can't believe how lucky I am."

"Hey. What can I say? I am a charming man." He commented leaning back with a playful smile on his face.

"Clearly when you want to be." Elphaba remarked rolling her eyes. "Because other times you make me wonder what I saw in your brainless self." Fiyero smiled and raised his hands in defence, knowing he had been asking for it. "Either way you're my brainless."

"I was thinking that after this we could join ours friends back at Ozdust. There is something I'd like to ask you and I would love to do it publicly." Elphaba looked at him in shock for a slit second and then recovered.

"I really don't want to see Nessa again tonight. That girl has the power to make me feel guilty just by looking into my eyes." She protested under her breath.

"Well, that has to be a family thing. You have that ability too, you know." Elphaba couldn't help but grin. She had some notion about what kind of look would melt his heart, or punish him with guilt, but she didn't realise the full extent of her power over her boyfriend. She only knew that these kind of things asked for people to know each other very well, as well as share a certain amount of love.

"You know I love you, right?" he leaned forward to chastely kiss her. She obliged, pressing a small kiss to his lips before pulling way.

"So you have told me. What you haven't told me yet was when it started." Fiyero winced. He had known that it was too good to be true. Elphaba had warned him that they would not leave the restaurant before he told her when his feelings for her started, and she was true to her word.

"Sweetheart, I just don't want to tell you like this." He confessed with a small pout. "As I've said before I'd like to tell you this with us cuddling on my very large sofa in my apartment. Telling you like this seems so detached, so cold."

"Okay." She mumbled picking a spoon to eat her ice-cream, pouting as she did so. Fiyero whimpered covering his mouth thinking that Glinda must have thought that trick to her best friend. He just couldn't ignore the big watery brown eyes and the quivering slender perfectly shaped dark lips.

"Fine, but on one condition." He groaned looking at her from the corner of his eye. Elphaba kept her poise, looking at him from beneath her eye lashes, waiting to see with which coin Fiyero would make his bargain. "After we finish dinner we are going to Ozdust. I promise we won't stay long. Two drinks, a dance and we leave. And, of course the question."

"Remind me again why I love you…" Elphaba groaned knowing she had lost. Fiyero got up in a graceful flash and kissed her deeply.

"Okay, fine. I give in." she mumbled, feeling completely breathless. "You have the way from her to Ozdust, and from that to your apartment to fulfil your end of the bargain. If you don't I'll hex you."

"Deal!" Fiyero smiled in triumph. His plans continuing just as he had intended. "Are you going to want coffee?"

"Yes please and make it double." Elphaba answered with a sigh.

Fiyero was quick to ask for the coffees and their bill. He was eager to get to Ozdust and perform the most loving, and perhaps craziest act that ever crossed his mind. Elphaba wanted to know when he had fallen in love with her and he wanted to declare his love for her to the world, he wanted to make her his wife, and he intended to do it tonight at Ozdust.

Once the cab returned to get them, both Elphaba and Fiyero entered silent. The green girl leaned her head against his shoulder, and allowed his arms to embrace her, waiting to hear him speak, but not a squeak came out the whole journey back, which made her want to groan in frustration, but she restrained herself.

Fiyero could feel her go tense as time went by, but he kept kissing her hair forehead, while his fingers ran through hey ebony locks, doing nothing else to appease her boiling curiosity, and soon they arrived to most famous meeting spot in Shiz.

Inside, not knowing her best friend was about to come in with Fiyero, Glinda glanced around the room. Nessa had gone with Boq to get some drinks. Unwillingly, and without she even realising it, her thoughts drifted back to her last serious relationship and she realised that had been Fiyero, and it wasn't like she hadn't gone on dates, but it never worked.

Every single boy Glinda had dated was both handsome and from a good family, but they seemed to forget one very important detail: Elphaba Thropp. When they saw Glinda with her best friend they would react as every other person at Shiz and when they didn't outright show it, they would try to convince Glinda that the "Green Bean", or the "Artichoke", as they tended to call her, wasn't worth her time. That was the moment when the blonde would turn to then and tell them straight that if they couldn't see through one's skin they were the ones who weren't worth her time. Her little circle of friends had become Glinda's family away from home and if the guy she dated didn't get that then she would rather remain single, but she was starting to feel like the fifth wheel.

Why couldn't people see the beauty that hides beneath skin? Was that all she was? A beautiful face with golden hair, and a pretty body? A brainless head to be spoiled, adored and ordered about? Was that all that people saw in her? Even Elphaba had told her to bring Boq because she didn't Nessarose to be left alone while she flirted with every single guy at the party. Sure, she was naturally flirtatious, and she loved pink but that was a mile away from being just what she was. There had to be more to her.

She never noticed Elphaba walking up to her, only when the green girl sat beside her did Glinda snap out of her bubble.

"Hey!" Glinda hopelessly tried to seem light-hearted.

"Hey! You look like you could use a drink." Elphaba said bluntly, causing the blonde girl to groan in desperation. Why did she think her best friend would not be able to see through her? "Fiyero went to get me something, but I don't mind if you take it. He can always make a second journey, and you can tell me whatever is bothering you."

"Why do I have the slight sensation that Fiyero is pushing his chances with you?" Glinda asked supporting her cheek with her hand, her elbow resting upon her knee. "You two should be cuddling in his apartment."

"And we would if he didn't want to pop the question publically." The green girl moan, revealing now her true desperation. "He's right. This kind of things should be done publically given that he is a prince and I'm a governor's daughter. We're both public figures, but I had hoped Fiyero would keep it private and small."

"You know Fiyero. He never tires of flaunting your relationship for all Shiz to see." Both girls sighed and exchanged a known look.

"Glin, now forgetting about me. What's bothering you?" Glinda groaned again, fearing that her best friend would think that she was feeling sorry for herself and find her shallow, but Elphaba remained looking at her, concern plain in her eyes for anyone to see.

"I'm feeling a lot like the third wheel, well fifth if you count Boq and Nessa." Glinda confessed looking away from her friend. "I know, I know… I'm being shallow and feeling sorry for myself."

"No. I think you're just being too demanding." Elphaba said plainly. "Boq was dancing around you for months and you turned him down."

"Come on! I knew back then that Nessa was into him. I wasn't about to ruin a good thing she could have." Glinda argued back.

"What about any of those guys you dated since you and Fiyero broke up?" Elphaba inquired.

"Jerks that would not accept my friendship with you. I'm not asking for the perfect guy here! I'm asking for a decent guy who can look at my best friend and decide she is worth knowing." Glinda almost shouted. "You are the closest thing I have to a sister. I know what I want and I know who I can't lose, and I can't lose my family, because when a guy breaks your heart that's all you have."

"May I intrude?" both girls heard a male voice ask. Both girls looked up, and one was clearly confused while the other smiled. "Elphaba Thropp, you scrub nicely."

"Magnus Chuffrey, so do you. What are you doing back in Shiz?" The green girl asked with a broad smile.

"I'm here in busyness for my father. How is second year going? Is it true that you and Fiyero Tiggular are an item now?" The man asked with a broad smile of his own. Glinda couldn't help but stare. He seemed to be the older type of guy, much like Fiyero, if not older then him. Magnus had shoulder-length, wavy brown hair caught in a pony-tail, a very well-trimmed bread, and green eyes, and to top it all he was tall and quite distinguished in his grey suit, pristine white shirt and emerald tie. Glinda was sure she had seen him somewhere else.

"Forgive me for cutting in such charming banter, but I really must ask. Have I seen you before? Your face seems familiar." Glinda said regaining her posture.

"Why, yes you have Miss Upland." Magnus smiled which made Glinda's heart skip a beat. "We were together in Politics class. I was about to graduate if I hadn't three years of politics still to do. Fortunately Elphaba took pity on me, made me work like a madman, and managed to make me graduate with the rest of my colleagues last year."

"Now Magnus. I can't take all the credit. You did all the work." Elphaba commented. "And I didn't take pity on you. I needed the money and you made a very good case for yourself."

"Elphaba you needed money and you didn't come to me?" Glinda asked shocked.

"We weren't friends back then, and even if we were I would, nor ever will come to you financial problems. I'm too proud for that." Elphaba answered plainly.

"She won't even ask or take money from me and I'm her boyfriend." They heard Fiyero's voice coming from behind them. Elphaba turned around rolling her eyes. "Hey gorgeous." He put the drinks on the table and wrapped his arm around her shoulders after sitting beside his girlfriend. "Missed me?"

"Those seem to be a little stiff." Glinda remarked looking at the glasses with a sly smile. "Working up some courage, are you?"

"Magnus, be a dear and invite my friend to the dance floor. I'm sure the two of you can find some things in common." Elphaba suggested leaning her head on Fiyero's shoulder.

"That's a very nice way to tell me to put my nose back in my business." The blonde smirked getting up and putting her hands on her hips.

"Miss Upland, will you give me the honour?" Magnus bowed and offered his hand to the young heiress. Glinda just nodded and took the gentleman's hand, allowing him to take her to the dance floor, and mouthing "thank you" to her best friend.

Fiyero and Elphaba remained silent as they saw the other couple walk away. The green girl couldn't help but smile at the two. She wasn't really sure about what she had done, hooking up Glinda and Magnus together, but something deep within her told her it was a good thing. She didn't mind what their conversation was about, but her friend was smiling and her eyes were shining just like that same afternoon. Elphaba knew that Glinda delighted to see her friends' happiness, but she doubted that she liked living life through them, and tonight she had had her answer.

Having Magnus Chuffrey at the party seemed to be a damned miracle. Like Fiyero, Magnus was one of those rare guys that had the whole package, and what they didn't have the rest more than compensated for it. Magnus was from a rich family in Emerald City with links to a Merchant's guild, which implicated knowing costumes and politics of all the countries that made Oz what it was. He was unlike many of the students at Shiz. He had seen a young girl's intelligence, her brilliance as a scholar, and her inability to support herself – since her father would send most of the money to his younger daughter – and decided that she should start tutoring some of the students. The plain had almost backfired, if it wasn't for the ten students that still came to her with some difficulties.

"Fae… Are you listening?" Fiyero squeezed her shoulders to bring her out of her dreamlike state.

"I'm sorry Yero. You seem to have caught me lost in thought." She answered pressing a kiss to his cheek and snuggling back into him. "What were you asking?"

"What was that about working up some courage?" he asked kissing her temple.

"I might have told Glinda that you intended asking me something about you wanting to ask me something in public." Elphaba answered in a tiny little voice. "I think she got into her head that you might pop the big question." Elphaba almost grinned as she felt him go tense, like a boy caught by his mother with his hand in the cookie jar. "Glinda is right on one thing though. Shots are pretty hard-core."

"How exactly did you know that I had brought shots?" This time Elphaba couldn't contain herself. Fiyero was so cute when he tried to behave natural and cool when he knew he had been pinned against the wall.

In the meantime Fiyero had pulled away to take both glasses to offer on to his very amused girlfriend.

"I'm freaky not only in colour but in sense of smell as well. The amount of alcohol in this tiny glass is enough to kill a lot of brain cells." She raised the glass to her nose.

"Hey! Now how I became brainless." Fiyero said with a dead-serious face, but that characteristic playful glint in his eyes. Elphaba put down her glass on the table, looked at him with a broad smile on her face, and applauded. That remark had been a strike of sarcastic genius, something Elphaba was not quite sure he could pull off. A moment after she could no longer hold back her laughter.

"See babe? I know what makes you laugh." He told her lovingly.

"Not a chance playboy." She said drinking the shot in one gulp. "Are you going to tell me what you're planning, or are you going to flank me?"

"Brave girl." He said copying her gesture, but pulling a face at the taste. "I intend to hit you when you least expect it."

"And I will love to see you try." She provoked him turning her look back to her friend, who was still with Magnus on the dance floor.

Magnus had his hand on Glinda's waist maintaining a proper distance as he guided her around the dance floor. He had seen Glinda around university, hanging around with other girls that seemed to be pretty empty headed, and she had seemed a completely different girl. She had seemed futile, proud, and as empty headed as her friends, in sum, a spoiled little girl with rich parents. It was amazing to see her now getting along with the girl she had once called artichoke, not just getting along but they seem to be the best friends in the whole world. Galinda, now Glinda seemed to be a new fascinating woman with a delectably perky side. Thanks to Elphaba the girl seemed to have a broader view of the world, although she still believed that most of the successful public figure had more to do with popularity than brains.

"I do believe that you are quite right Miss Upland, but the truth is that popularity, as you must have found out, comes and goes. Public figures must use their heads to play on they own popularity near the masses so they can stay popular." He told her with a gentle smile on his face. "I'm sure your parents would tell you exactly the same thing."

"You seem quite aware of Frottican public figures." Glinda's lips curled up in a shy smile.

"I will take over my father's business in two or three years. It's my business to know with whom I should talk about economic profits in all provinces." Magnus bowed his head. "Munchkinland, for instants. The governor has two daughter, both extremely smart and beautiful, regardless of Elphaba says about herself or what people think about her green complexion. Elphaba is the eldest, head strong, a fervent activist of Animal rights, and the best to go to if you want someone pragmatic to help you out. By law Elphaba would take over governorship as soon as she finishes her studies, since her father is only a regent, but he forced her to abdicate to her sister. Nessarose is completely different, as you should know. She is a spoiled girl who pretends to be a pious and woman as long as you play her game, once you realise you are no longer willing, she can make your life very difficult, in a wheelchair or not. If you like bureaucracy and playing by the rule book then she is your girl."

"Yes, you are right about some of those things, but I must say, your informer thinks quite two-dimensionally." Glinda commented looking over his shoulder, or at least trying to, at Elphaba.

"Well, you should know. You are their friend after all." Magnus couldn't stop smiling as he danced with the blonde heiress. Even as she was dead serious she seemed like a ray of sunshine. "Care to share your views on the matter?"

"I advise you to talk with them in person so you can take your own conclusions." The young woman answered with a playful smile. "Just make sure you venture forth with Fiyero's blessing. He tends to be a jealous guy when it comes to Elphaba."

"Good to know, and thank you for the dance." He bowed over her hand, and kissed it lightly. "You are a wonderful dancer Miss Upland."

"I've told you before, call me Glinda." The blonde blushed and looked to the ground.

"Of course Miss Glinda. Would I have the honour of seeing you soon?"

"It's Elphie's birthday. I'm sure she wouldn't mind you joining us at the table." Glinda suggested turning away and looking for Elphaba in the middle of the crowd.

Elphaba was still seating at the same table Glinda had left her in with Fiyero, but he was nowhere to be seen and the younger Thropp sister and her boyfriend seemed to be with the green sorceress.

Looking from a far things seemed to remain has tense as they were when Elphaba left for her date, even though Boq was trying to keep a sort of conversation going. Just by looking at best friend, Glinda could sense how extremely tense she was, almost ready to forget everything, leave Fiyero behind and go back to their dorm room alone.

Elphaba sensed Glinda returning with Magnus and looked at her friend pleadingly, almost begging her to take her away from there. Glinda knew that whenever the Thropp sisters had a fight, Elphaba was always the one that suffered the most, even if only because she honestly loved her baby sister.

"Elphie, mind going with me to the ladies' room?" Glinda asked picking up the purse she had left at the table. "I need a retouch."

"Sure." Elphaba said a little too fast as she got up. The green girl linked her arm with her friend's and allowed her to guide her through the bar, only too happy to be away from her sister.

"You are a life saver Glin." Elphaba said after the two girls entered the rest-room.

"Well, you and your little tutoring class seemed to have got me a date." Glinda song-singed as she looked at herself in the mirror. "That Magnus guy is cute, smart, and seems interested."

"That and he is ten years older than you." Elphaba stated bluntly.

"What?" Glinda looked at Elphaba shocked. "Well I imagined we would older, but not that much older. I mean that makes him five years older than Fiyero."

"Yap. Your math is definitely improving." The older girl said with a sly grin on her face, then she realised how truly shocked her best friend was. "Magnus went through a rough path before he came to Shiz. His vocation doesn't lie with what his family expects of him, so he took two degrees. First he did what he wanted then on his second year he started doing the specifics needed to finish his degree in commerce and politics. That's why he needed my help."

"You sound like you are in love with the guy…" Glinda remarked looking at her friend from the corner of her eyes.

"Only with his brain." The green girl laughed. "He's just not my type of guy."

"Are you kidding me? He has everything. Looks, brains, political connections, and he gets along with my best friend." Glinda argued finishing the retouch on her lips.

"You know Fiyero has all that as well, but we both know that there is far more you need to build a solid relationship on." Elphaba's voice was low and steady. "How many times do you think I've wondered what I was doing with Fiyero? I've lost count. The truth is that I just need to look at him and see him smile at me to realise that I'm home. I can only hope you find a man that makes you feel the same."

"I hope so too. It does sound wonderful." The blonde fully turned to face her friend, and Elphaba had that half smile she always had even if only seem in better spirits than she felt.

"It is wonderful. Now, let's go. Before I look at myself in the mirror and it breaks." Elphaba offered her hand to her friend before a splitting head-ach attacked her, forcing her to lean on the counter filled with sinks. "Bad timing. Dreadful timing."

"Elphie, are you ok?" Glinda asked worriedly as she put a arm around her friends waist to support her.

"It's gone." Elphaba breathed looking at her friend through the mirror.

"Go ahead. It's waterproof." Glinda encouraged referring to the makeup Elphaba was wearing. She saw the corner of her friends lips curl up as she held her hair back and bent down to wash her face with cold water. "Better?"

"Much." Her voice was muffled by the small towel. "It's gone. Whatever it was I couldn't see it and now it's gone, and that's frustrating. Man I hate this head-aches."

Glinda rubbed her friend's back and brought her back into the bar, to the table where there friends were waiting. Nessarose looked up at her sister recognising the tired look she always had after suffering a rebound of her powers. The younger sister had never approved of Elphaba magical capacities, but seeing her like was never easy, and she could never see it as their father would like her to, as a punishment from the Unnamed God.

"Fabala, are you alright?" Nessa asked wheeling herself near her older sister. "You can use my chair for support if you wish."

"Thank you, my pretty. I just need to sit for a while and drink something that doesn't contain alcohol." Elphaba answered, sitting next to Boq, who seemed worried as well.

"Are you sure you are alright?" the younger girl pressed on. "Boq, honey, go fetch my sister a glass of water and sugar."

"Need me to fetch you anything else?" the Munchkin boy offered, getting up.

'Just fetch me Fiyero.' Elphaba thought looking around searching for the handsome prince. Then she looked at her sister's boyfriend and offered a tired smile, asking him to go and not to worry. Glinda looked at her friend and tightened her grip on her shoulders and leaned onto her, whispering into her ear:

"Before you go ballistics on me, remember that it's your big day, you are meant to be spoiled today. Are you sure you don't need anything?"

"Okay, fine. Glinda, go crazy. Get creative. I have time to regret it latter." Elphaba groaned dramatically covering her eyes with her hand.

"Oh boohoo!" Glinda teased poking Elphaba on her side. "It's not that bad when I get creative."

"Not as long I'm not on the other end of your creativity." The green girl mumbled rubbing her side.

Elphaba had already given up on finding out what Fiyero had planned to do at Ozdust, but Glinda knew that her friend was starting to hurt. She could see it in her eyes, in the way she looked around, hoping to find a pair of deep blue eyes, so the little blonde girl made a decision and left the group. She was going to find Fiyero and nail him to the wall, and tell him a piece of her mind.

Fiyero was behind the stage talking with a man Glinda knew to be Ozdust Manager. Both men were talking warmly, and Fiyero seemed to be trying to convince the other to allow him do god-knows-what. Glinda took a deep breath, squared her jaw, crossed her arms, and stormed in Fiyero's direction. The prince turned around to face his girlfriend's best-friend.

"Real smooth move, playboy." Glinda said in an ice cold voice. "It's your girlfriend's birthday. You know that it's a tough day for her and you leave her alone? Sure she is with us, but she needs you. What are you doing here?"

"Listen Glin. You've got me already cornered against the wall. You know I intend to ask her to marry me. I just want to make it so she never forgets it." Fiyero confessed raising his hand in defence. Glinda looked at him and sighed, feeling her heart melt at the honest look in her friend's eyes. "I know Elphaba would rather that I'd do it differently, but I need to. I need to publicly make my vow of ever-lasting-love for her."

"Does this have something to do with Vinkun traditions?" Glinda asked more out of curiosity than anything else.

"To a certain point, yes. I really, really don't want to be forced to marry a stranger when the love of my life is just waiting for me to ask." The prince explained bluntly looking at the girl before him. "If you are royalty and you don't find a bride before twenty seven, your parents will find one for you."

"Damn... Just make sure you don't tell that to Elphie when you propose." Glinda advised after pulling a face. "She would not thank you for the pressure."

"Thanks Glin, but I think I know my girlfriend pretty well by now." The prince protested squaring his shoulders.

"You clearly don't or you wouldn't be here." With this the blonde girl just turned around and returned to her friends' side.

Fiyero stood looking at the girl who had once been his girlfriend. Glinda was right. Elphaba was a simple girl who was still getting used to the small loving gestures and would still call him cheesy and corny. She would probably scoff at him, or maybe she would blush forest green and shout that she could hex him for what he had done, but he still needed to do it.

The master of ceremonies was waiting on the stage for the young prince to join him. Fiyero run up the small stairs as the music finished, and was handed a type of sound-amplification-devise that was mean to help him be heard over the crowd. The prince took a deep breath and looked around, his eyes searching desperately for the emerald green upon a woman's skin until he realised he was too blinded by the lights to see or recognise any face or anyone at all.

"Friends and colleagues, forgive me for intruding on your pleasant evening but I have a confession and a question to make." Fiyero said with a smile on his lips. "If anyone could change the lights so I could see properly?" someone did as he had asked and Fiyero bowed his head. "Thank you, mate." Now he could see Elphaba and Glinda, both standing as most of the other patrons and his smile grew broader as their eyes met. "If my gorgeous girlfriend could join me."

Elphaba looked at him a raised a questioning eyebrow and looked around her, and then pointing to herself.

"Stop playing coy Elphaba Thropp! You are gorgeous and you know it." Magnus said looking at her from the corner of his eyes.

"He's right. You are quite a looker tonight." Boq backed the older man's remark only to have Nessarose jealously glare at him. Ignoring her sister completely Elphaba grin grew wider, and she remained on the same spot, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I can't believe you. You are going to leave me here to be eaten by the sharks?" Fiyero asked looking at his girlfriend. Elphaba just gestured for him to proceed. "Fine! You've asked me something tonight that I imagine many of the people that see us together must wonder themselves." That's when he saw her grin crumble, and she sat down covering her face with both hands. "Yes I know I'm making a big show and that you probably want to kill me right now, but will you at least look at me and listen? Can you do that for me Bright eyes?"

"Elphie, it can't that bad." Glinda commented in hushed tones, sitting beside her best-friend.

"It can. It already is… I'm going to kill him. Hex him out of Oz." Elphaba moaned under her breath and rubbing her nose bridge. As hard as she tried Glinda could not contain the rush of giggles that burst through her lips. It wasn't at all like Elphaba to be overdramatic, but when she was, she was funny. Usually Elphaba would glare at her moments after and… there it was.

"Hey! That would be a waste of your time and you know it. You would end up bringing him back anyway." The blonde girl placed her arm around her friend's shoulders only to have her friend's hard look intensify. "Get up and look at him, straight in the eyes. Looks can't kill, but you can let him know how you feel."

"Come on, wifey. Don't punish me like this." He begged jumping from the stage and Elphaba gave him another questioning look. "You asked me before when had I realised that I wanted you, and I told you that I realise it every day. This answer did not seem to satisfy you, and you now desire to know when the whole thing for me started. Remember that dreadful day when Doctor Dillamond was forced to step down?" Elphaba saw him coming to her and starting to let the devise go lower and lower, until he left it on a small table. Finally he could see every expression crossing her face. "Remember the cub? You were so upset that you bewitched a whole classroom into a very strange for of dancing, and I was the only one left out of that spell. We took the cage to a safe place near Suicide Canal. I had just meet you days before, and so I made a real stupid move that drove us to have our first fight."

"I wouldn't call it fighting. It was more of a monologue." Elphaba commented bashfully, feeling her cheeks burn with embarrassment. "I remember being so nervous that I couldn't stop babbling. You looked me straight in the eyes and asked me if ever allowed anyone talk besides myself."

"You were a little out of control, yes." He agreed with that smile that always melted her heart. "But hey! That's when you saw right through me and you wouldn't let me go. You literally ran after me, grabbed me by the hand and froze. We both did. When you touched my hand I felt such a rush of joy, but I was with Glinda and I really didn't want to hurt her. You made me want to be a decent guy, and that's when I fell for you. I saw your strength, your loving nature, the guilt that's not yours to feel, the bright and curious mind that hides behind the glasses and every book that you ever read, and I feel." Then Fiyero pulled Elphaba to get up by her hands, and went on one knee. "I love you. You are everything I never knew I needed, and I can't imagine my life without you Elphaba Melena Thropp. Do you think you can endure my brainless self for the rest of your life, and become my wife?"

Glinda couldn't contain it anymore and squealed so loud that Elphaba not only flinched but covered her ears. The green girl looked over her shoulder and mouthed "Volume", then she looked back at Fiyero, took a good hard look into those sapphire blue, pleading eyes and smiled.

"After such an exhibition I really should make you suffer. You know I'm not one for public displays." Elphaba said looking down at her feet. "And after taking so long, and leaving me alone on my birthday… I don't know…" Nessa looked at her sister and almost laughed as the feminine population at the bar started to mumble and whisper between themselves, and Elphaba shared a knowing look with her younger sister. "The question should be, are willing to spend the rest of your life with a stubborn, temperamental, septic, green woman who loves you to the end of Oz?"

"Is that a yes?" he asked, hope shining through his eyes like a beacon. Elphaba went on her own knees and kissed him lovingly. When they pulled away Fiyero had a goofy smile on his face. "I'll take that as a yes." Then he remembered the peace of jewellery he had ordered to be made for this exact moment and got up, pulling Elphaba with himself.

"Fae, I've looked up on Munchkin and Vinkun traditions about marriage, and found out that are extremely different. You see Munchkinland, as most of the other countries in Oz, has the tradition of an engagement ring, but in Vinkus it's given a bracelet." Fiyero said looking through his pockets. "Ah there you are." He removed from his jacket's pocket a white gold bracelet ring. The ring had a large sapphire and was attached to a bracelet with Vinkun symbols by a chain with a dragon head on each end, Elphaba couldn't help but gasp at the refined craftsmanship on it. "So I had this made. I know that it is a little extravagant…"

"I love it." Elphaba cut off his speech as Fiyero put the peace of jewellery on her right hand. "Sapphire is my mother's birthstone, but I never told you that."

"I might have told him that." Glinda remarked in a very tiny voice. Elphaba just looked at her friend failing to repress her smile. "I swear that I had no clue he was planning in proposing when he asked."

"You and I will talk later." Elphaba shuck a finger in front of her best-friend in a fake reproach, then she turned to her fiancé. "Yero, can we, please, go home now?"

"Does that mean you're moving in?" He teased still with that goofy smile on his face.

"Wouldn't you two like that... Unfortunately Shiz' rules are against students of the different sex sharing compartments." Nessa remarked with a hint of a smile gracing her lips.

"It's a good think that Fiyero lives outside the college then." Elphaba stated with that impish grin Fiyero knew so well, and the younger sister scold her with a silent glare. "Though I really don't see myself moving completely just yet. Glinda would die of boredom if I left her alone."

"Yes, yes. Now go." Glinda commanded wrapping her arms around her friend in a tight hug. "I want a full report when you return to our dorm room, do you hear?" Elphaba just chuckled lightly and felt Fiyero pull her way while Glinda turned around, declaring that next round was on her.

As they left the bar, making their way by foot to Fiyero's apartment, the green witch leaned her head against his shoulder, putting her arm around his waist.

"Thank you. I shall never forget this night." And until her last days Elphaba Thropp never forgot the day when a birthday, a persistent prince and a simple request made her life start anew.