Author's Note: A very short bit about Nessa and Boq with an attempt to drag me away from my angst binge.

Alone

Nessarose Thropp was certain of many things in her life: the constant ache in her legs, the calluses on her hands from the wheels of her chair, and the words of her Life Sciences book. Eighteen minutes ago, the color of her sister's skin would have been the other comforting constant. It was a plague, like Nessarose's useless legs, but it was a constant, unchanging comfort that would never waver in times of stress. Elphaba herself was a constant, and Nessarose enjoyed nothing more than claiming the green girl as her older sister (well, not in public) since it placed them together against the world. But Elphaba was no longer a constant, and Nessarose could no longer pretend that she was reading her book and that everything was all right.

In the back corner of the library, Nessarose bowed her head and tried to stifle the sounds of her crying. She jerked up when a hand touched her shoulder.

"Miss Nessa?"

She managed to mutter her name while running her fingers under her eyes. "Boq."

"I heard about your sister." He kneeled beside her chair and cupped her cheek with one hand. Tilting her face towards his, he asked her, "Are you all right?"

"No, Master Boq, I don't think I am." Nessa bit her lip. "I'm sorry. I was trying not to be like this."

"You're failing miserably, Nessa." Nessa laughed softly into her hand, and Boq leaned in to kiss her forehead. "However, you've been told that your sister has vanished after being declared an enemy of the state so I feel like you're justified in a few tears." She reached out with her other hand to grip Boq's shirt collar.

"She can never come home."

"No, she can't."

"Boq, I may never she my sister again." Boq ran his thumb along the top of her hand.

"No, you may not." Nessa pressed her face into his shoulder, and Boq held onto her until his shoulder was wet and she was quiet.

"I don't want to be alone. It's horrible and selfish, but I don't want to be alone."

"You won't be alone, Nessa." Boq kissed the top of her head and stood up to stand behind her chair. "You will have Miss Galinda and Master Fiyero." He pushed her through the library while she straightened her hair and steadied her breathing. "And you will have me, Nessa. You will always have me. That will never change."