DISCLAIMER: Wicked is not my creation or property.
AN. This marks my 50th published fanfiction! Wow. Also, thank you to everyone who sent lovely thoughts to my family and I in their reviews. It really meant a lot. The funeral was yesterday and your kind words just made an awful day a bit less awful. So, thank you.
Three Leaps Ahead
By Vinkunwildflowerqueen
Chapter One
{AKA Chapter Twenty-Five of Out of the Blue: Extended Edition}
Fiyero was sitting in his usual spot in History the next morning, completely distracted. He hadn't seen or heard from Elphaba since they'd spoken the day before and he was wondering how much time she'd need to think things through.
He didn't want to push her, but he was dying to know what decision she'd come to. But here it was, five minutes until class started and neither Elphaba or Galinda had arrived yet. That wasn't too unusual for Galinda, but for Elphaba it was odd, and Fiyero wanted to know if that was a good sign or a bad sign.
Four minutes….
More and more people were beginning to enter the classroom now, taking their seats and chattering to their neighbours as they unpacked their things.
"Hey, Tiggular!" Finor called across to him from a few rows back. "Didn't see you at the OzDust last night!"
"Nope, I was busy," he called back.
Granted, he'd spent his evening sitting in his room trying to distract himself in case Elphaba turned up to give her decision, but Finor didn't have to know that.
In Fiyero's mind, that was the most important thing.
Three minutes…
Dr Dillamond arrived now, greeted a few students and began to open his briefcase to set up for that days lecture.
Nessa wheeled into the room, her chair, to Fiyero's surprise, being pushed by Teron. When he sat next to her, Fiyero wondered whether something was going on between the two of them.
He kind of hoped so. Teron was a nice guy and Nessa was very sweet, if a little too proper at times.
Two minutes…
Boq and Galinda entered the room together, holding hands and talking quietly. Galinda was giggling and Fiyero smiled slightly, but the sight of them made him a little sad.
They had started dating only a few days after he and Elphaba had, and if it weren't for Fiyero, that could have been him and Elphaba now.
But, he realised, and sat up straighter in expectation. Galinda was Elphaba's roommate, which meant she couldn't be far behind.
One minute…
With a mere minute to spare, Elphaba slipped into the classroom. She was wearing a simple black dress, and her hair was in a tiny braid.
No one gave her any real attention, most of the girls were still ignoring her since she had broken Fiyero's nose. Fiyero watched her eagerly, to see if she would give him any sign or indication.
She headed for her usual seat in the front row, where she'd sat for the past month, and Fiyero's heart sank.
But then she kept walking. And finally, people started noticing her. More and more watched as she made her way back up to where Fiyero was sitting in the fourth row back and put her bag down, as she sat in the seat beside him.
Fiyero held his breath, hoping it meant what he thought it did, but not daring to believe it until she actually gave him a sign.
As though reading his mind, once she'd unpacked her books and pen, and had set them atop the desk ready to take notes as soon as Dr Dillamond began speaking; she reached over and slid her emerald hand into Fiyero's.
His heart swelled and he felt an overwhelming wave of relief and giddiness. Not wanting to make a big deal of it- yet, anyway, he'd wait until they were out of class, he lifted her hand up to his mouth and kissed the back of it gently.
He could practically feel her blush, but she gently squeezed his hand and he lowered their still joined hands to rest on the desk.
Dr Dillamond was ignorant to the whispers that were filling his classroom and quickly called the class to order and began speaking.
Elphaba's attention immediately went to the lesson and to writing notes, but Fiyero was too happy.
He quickly scrawled a note and subtly slipped it onto Elphaba's page. He didn't expect her to reply, she never had before, but it was only a few moments later when the slip of paper reappeared on his desk.
With a sideway glance at her, he unfolded it. There on one side was his original message,
I love you.
Hastily, he flipped it over to see her reply.
I love you too. Now pay attention, we need to know this for finals.
Fiyero grinned.
He couldn't have told you what Dillamond was talking about if you paid him, or held a gun to his head. He was too conscious the entire lecture that Elphaba was sitting right next to him, and everything was back the way it should be.
At the end of class, Fiyero shoved his things in his bag and waited impatiently for Elphaba to do the same. She didn't rush, taking her time to put everything in her bag in the spot where it belonged.
Dr Dillamond and the other students left quickly for whatever class they had next. Fiyero had some time to kill, and Elphaba usually had law, but her teacher was ill at the moment, he knew.
As soon as Elphaba rose to her feet, Fiyero grabbed her and pulled her to him, kissing her eagerly. She kissed him back, her arms winding around his neck and leaning into him.
"I love you," he said again, eager to hear the words from her own lips.
She smiled. "I love you too."
She looked down. "We still have a lot to work through," she said. "It's going to take time. We can't just pretend this past month didn't happen, but…"
"I know," he said gently. "We will, Fae. I promise."
He kissed her again, and then pulled away.
"Where were you this morning? I was worried you weren't coming," he asked worriedly.
Elphaba laughed. "I had to go find Andris to cancel our date. I didn't think it would be very appropriate."
Fiyero pressed his lips to her mouth, her cheek, anywhere he could reach, just loving the feeling of having her in his arms again and knowing she was his and he was hers.
"I can't believe you cut your hair," he said in a pained voice, feeling the little braid.
Elphaba rolled her eyes faintly. "It's growing," she assured him.
"Why would you cut it?" he demanded and she grimaced.
"You don't want to know, trust me."
Fiyero was mystified by that, but let it go. Instead he kissed her again.
He couldn't believe how good it felt to have her with him again. It was the happiest he could ever remember feeling, it made him want to take three leaps ahead, to try and make up for the last month.
"So, what do you want to do now?" Elphaba asked him casually, knowing they both had some free time.
Fiyero stared at her, still caught up in his thoughts of how much he loved her and how desperately he wanted to prove to her she had made the right decision by taking him back. He looked at her and could only think of one thing.
"Marry me."
Elphaba froze, and she stared at him incredulously, lost for words. "Ok, I was thinking of maybe getting coffee," she said slowly.
When it didn't look like Fiyero was joking, she laughed. "Are you crazy? You want to get married?"
Fiyero nodded seriously. "Yes. Right now."
"Now?" she repeated, stunned.
"Yeah, why not? We can leave this afternoon, go to the Emerald City, and be back Monday for classes!"
He said it so simply, that Elphaba was taken aback.
"You want to elope to the Emerald City?"
Fiyero nodded eagerly. "Yes. You've always wanted to see the Emerald City, and wouldn't it be a perfect spot to get married?"
Elphaba laughed slightly in shock, and placed her hands either side of Fiyero's face, trying to talk some sense into him.
"Yero, this is crazy. We've been back together for an hour, and we just agreed we still have stuff to work through," she said logically.
"So? We can work through it once we're married," Fiyero replied immediately.
Elphaba wasn't convinced. "Fiyero, I know you were scared and you feel bad about that, but I don't think eloping is the answer."
"Why not?" Fiyero demanded.
Elphaba laughed. "Because, if you change your mind or decide to run again, it's not as easy to get out of. There's paperwork involved," she pointed out, a teasing note in her voice to hide her fear that he was being serious.
Fiyero saw it anyway and kissed her deeply. "Fae, I am never letting you go ever again," he told her quietly, looking into her wide eyes.
"I told you, being afraid of how much I love you is nothing compared to being without you. I'm not running anymore. I want to be with you for the rest of my life. Starting now."
"We can start now without getting married," Elphaba pointed out logically. "Think about this, Yero. What would your family say?"
"My parents love you," Fiyero said dismissively. "Noak wants to marry you, remember?"
"Well, this will devastrate him," Elphaba replied with a straight face. "Fiyero, my father doesn't even know we're dating. Or even were dating. He'll be furious."
"What can he do if we're already married?" Fiyero retorted. "We're both of legal age. Do you not want to marry me?"
"I just think it's a little sudden," Elphaba placated him.
"Do you want to think about it? Talk it over with Galinda?" he offered.
Elphaba rolled her eyes. "Yes, because you know Glin will be sensible about this," she said sarcastically.
He grinned and kissed her. "That's what I'm hoping. Come find me when you're convinced."
Elphaba stared after him in exasperation as he left the classroom, whistling happily.
Elphaba had no intention of talking to Galinda about this, instead she decided to go and find Nessa, who would be a little more sensible about the idea.
To her surprise, when she entered Nessa's room, Galinda was there too.
"Galinda, why are you doing here?" Elphaba asked.
Galinda smiled. "Nessa asked me to help her find something to wear for her first date with Teron tomorrow night," she explained. "At least one of the Thropp sisters appreciates my fashion insights," she said teasingly.
Elphaba rolled her eyes.
"What are you doing here, Fabala?" Nessa asked. "I thought you'd be spending time with Fiyero?"
Elphaba sighed frustratingly, as she sat down. "Oh, Fiyero. You mean my boyfriend who wants us to elope this weekend?"
Galinda gasped, and dropped the clothes she was holding.
"He what?"
"I know. It's crazy, right?" Elphaba agreed.
Galinda's eyes were wide. "Maybe… but oh my Oz it's so romantic!"
Elphaba groaned. "I knew you'd be no help," she muttered.
Nessa looked stunned. "What did you say, Fabala?"
"I tried to talk him out of it, but he told me to 'think about it, and come find me when you're convinced'," Elphaba quoted, using her fingers as air quotes.
"What are you going to do?" Galinda demanded eagerly.
"Galinda, we can't elope," Elphaba said wearily.
"Why not?" she asked.
Elphaba laughed. "Why didn't you and Fiyero ever date? You have the same strange sense of logic," she said affectionately and lay down.
"I think you should," Nessa said quietly, and Elphaba jolted upright, staring at her sister in shock.
Of all the people in Oz, she had never expected Nessa to be on Fiyero's side with this argument.
"You think Fiyero and I should elope to the Emerald City?" she asked her sister, pointedly.
Both sisters ignored Galinda's "Ooh, the Emerald City!" behind them.
Nessa nodded. "Elphaba… I've never seen you as happy as you were when you were dating Fiyero," she said simply.
"And you're my sister and I love you. I want you to be happy."
"But isn't eloping a bit much?" Elphaba asked practically.
Nessarose shrugged. "It's romantic," she said.
"It wouldn't hurt you to do something that's not entirely practical and thought through for once," Galinda chimed in.
Nessa asked her sister carefully. "Elphaba, what are you thinking?"
Elphaba was thoughtful for a long time. "I think it's really soon. It's only been an hour since we got back together. I think he's doing this because he wants to prove to me that he's not going to be afraid anymore… or that he's not running anymore. I don't want him to regret it later."
"Elphie, he loves you."
"I know, and I love him. But that doesn't mean we should elope. You and Boq aren't in a rush to get married," she pointed out.
"No, but Boq knows I'd never elope," Galinda returned. "I've been planning my wedding since I was four. I'm going to have the big wedding I've always dreamed of."
"Elphaba's never had that problem," Nessa smiled at her sister, who acknowledged that was true.
"If he needs to prove himself to you, and you love him and you want to spend the rest of your life with him, I say you let him prove himself," Nessa said simply.
"Even by getting married?"
"Do you want to marry him?" Galinda asked.
Elphaba paused thoughtfull, thinking about it. After a few moments, she blushed slightly. "I can see us getting married," she admitted. "I just never thought it would be this soon. And Nessa… Father would kill me."
Nessa laughed. "Like that's ever stopped you before," she pointed out.
Elphaba sighed and got up.
"Where are you going?" Galinda asked immediately.
"To tell Fiyero I've been convinced," Elphaba laughed lightly.
She turned back at the door. "Do you guys want to come? We'll need witnesses."
Galinda squealed. "Oh my Oz! I have to go tell Boq!"
"I'll have to see if Teron can postpone our date," Nessa said anxiously. "When are we leaving?"
"Fiyero said this afternoon, before dinner, I'm guessing," Elphaba replied. "I'll let you know when I know."
She left them talking excitedly about what she could wear as a wedding dress, and took a trembling breath as she went to find Fiyero.
A part of her couldn't believe she was actually agreeing to this, that she and Fiyero were going to elope.
But mostly, she was terrified and excited. She had never been this impulsive in her life… unless you counted cutting her hair. She just hoped it wouldn't backfire.
