"She's gone."

"What do you mean she's gone?"

"I just asked two young ladies if the princess was still in the restroom, and they said that no one was in there when they went in."

Colonel Rudker paled a bit. "We can't go back to the palace and tell the Wizard that we lost his daughter."

"We shouldn't have had to follow her into the bathroom. What if something happened to her? Did you see her come out?"

"No, it's kind of hard to miss the only person in Oz with green skin."

"Then someone must have kidnapped her."

Colonel Rudker gulped down the lump forming in his throat. "We must search for her. She couldn't have gone far. Anything suspicious, go after it. It could lead us to the captors of the princess."

Colonel Kean nodded. "We cannot fail the Wizard."

They exchanged a look and exited the ballroom. But as soon as they closed the door behind them, two young women, came up to them with drinks in their hands. "Drinks, gentlemen?"

Colonel Kean smiled and reached for the glass, but Colonel Rudker slapped his hand away. "Not know! We're on a mission! The princess could be in danger!"

"I believe she's just fine. She knows magic, you know."

"If you know so much about her, then tell me where she is right now."

"Why don't we just take a quick break? She probably went to escape the crowds for a bit. We've been working really hard all night. We deserve it."

Colonel Rudker thought for a moment. "You… You're right. The princess is probably fine. We have plenty of time before we need to go back to the palace. A break really won't hurt."

"Fiyero! Stop! Where are you going? Stop!" Elphaba called after the Vinkun and she ran to keep up with his quick strides.

He didn't stop. Instead, he only sped up.

"Fiyero!" Elphaba finally caught up to him and grabbed his arm. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," he said gruffly.

"Don't lie to me. Something's wrong. What happened in the bar? Why were you acting like that?"

"How can he just do that?"

"Who? Just do what?"

"The Wizard. How can he just come on the radio and act like nothing has happened?"

"What are you talking about Fiyero?"

The Vinkun finally stopped. "He just comes on the radio, at the end of a very long war, and wants to talk about peace and prosperity. He wants things to return to normal, but the truth is, it never will. It will never be normal again."

"Yes, it can, Fiyero. Things will be normal again. We just have to remain hopeful," Elphaba said, stopping beside him.

"That's another thing; hope. What hope?"

"We won the war, Fiyero. There's hope for our future now."

"And what about those who don't get a future?"

Elphaba sucked in a breath at that. "I… I don't know."

"I do. They don't get a future. They didn't live to see the end of this senseless war."

"The war wasn't senseless, Fiyero. Ix started to bomb Munchkinland and the Quadling Country."

"Why?"

"Because both providences refused to continue the unfair trading system Ix wanted to continue. Governor Thropp and General Rif had to make a very tough decision to ask permission to go to war."

"And the Wizard could have said no. There could have been a better way to solve that problem."

"It… it wasn't that simple, Fiyero. The Ixian government was very ruthless. They said that they wouldn't back out of the trading system where only they were benefitting."

"But the Wizard didn't have to drag the other two providences into that conflict."

"Munchkinland and the Quadling Country wouldn't have been able to take on Ix alone. They needed help from the Vinkus and the Gillikin. And the other leaders agreed to help."

Fiyero clenched his fist. "How can you not see this?"

"See what? What am I not seeing?"

"How the Wizard can just sit back in his fancy palace with his family while other families are ripped apart and destroyed?"

"He was trying really hard, Fiyero! You don't know how much of a toll this war took on him and his family!" Elphaba was really fighting tears. She couldn't count the number of time where she wanted to spend time with her father, but he had been too busy in meetings, or how many family dinners he missed because he was meeting with the generals, and how many birthdays he missed out on celebrating.

Fiyero angrily shook his head. "How would you know?"

"How would you know?" Elphaba challenged.

"His family is still alive, aren't they? He didn't lose anyone in the war."

Elphaba slowly relaxed her shoulders. "Fiyero, if this is about your brothers…"

"Of course it's about my brothers! It's about my brothers and every other person lost in this war. Lives that didn't have to be lost. Those people would still be alive today if not for the Wizard."

"Fiyero…"

"Why don't you try watching as bullets rip through the body of your younger brother, and watch as your older brother gets shot going out trying to help him? Watch as they both die seconds apart; your older brother holding your dead younger brother before dying a heartbeat later. Try that and then tell me that there's hope."

Elphaba didn't even bother trying to stop her tears now. "Fiyero, I…"

"The worst mistake the Wizard ever made was getting all of Oz involved in this war, and his daughter won't do a much better job once she's queen."

"H-How can you s-say such a th-thing?"

"Because it's the truth," the Vinkun said before turning and storming away.

Elphaba watched him go, wanting to call out to him, but not being able to find her voice. She collapsed by the nearby fountain and sobbed, not believing what she just heard. Of course Fiyero didn't know who she really was. And that only made it hurt even more.

She didn't know how long it had been, but she soon felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Fabala?"

"Go away," she whispered, recognizing the voice without looking up.

"Fabala, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you like that."

"Well, you did," Elphaba said, looking up and glaring at Fiyero.

It was confusifying to the Vinkun whether she meant he meant to snap at her or that he snapped at her, but pushed the thought aside. "Please, Fae, talk to me."

"First of all, you have no right to give me a nickname after the way you treated me, and second of all, I don't want to talk to you."

Fiyero stepped back, surprised that the secret nickname he had been calling her in his head slipped out. "Then you don't have to talk, but please listen to me."

Elphaba turned her head away, but remained silent.

"It's just… not enough men volunteered to fight on the front lines, so a draft was issued. My brothers and I were all drafted. Lyle was about to propose to his girlfriend before he left and vowed to propose to her as soon as he returned. Rheme was about to go to university. He heard back from a few schools, but not the one he really wanted to go to. He was sure his acceptance letter would be in the mail as soon as he returned."

Elphaba was silent for a moment. "Was it?"

It was Fiyero's turn to be silent. "My mother wrote to Lyle and I and told us that his acceptance letter had come, but she didn't want us to tell Rheme, since she wanted to surprise him. But now, I'm starting to regret not telling him."

"What university was it?"

"Shiz University."

Elphaba wiped her face. "I'm sorry."

"You have no reason to be. It wasn't your fault."

"You know… the Wizard never issued for there to be a draft. That's something the Vinkun government did on its own. The Wizard never would have wanted to tear families apart like that."

Fiyero sighed. "I know. I was being very irrational and unfair with what I said. I just… I'm still trying to… get used to the fact that it will just be me, my mother and father, and my sister from now on." He paused briefly. "Look, Fabala, I get that you may never want to see me again after tonight. And after the way I treated you, I wouldn't want to see me again, either. So, if you want to…" The Vinkun never got to finish, because Elphaba pushed herself up and crashed her lips against his. Fiyero was surprised, but quickly melted into the kiss and pulled her closer.

In all honestly, Elphaba had no idea what made her kiss a man she had met mere hours ago. If her mother had seen her, she would have had a fit and a half. But something compelled her, something made her attracted to the man standing before her. And she couldn't quite put her finger on it.

"What…" Fiyero asked when they finally pulled away, slightly breathless.

"I don't want you to go. I mean, I'm still mad at you and I want to hate you right now, but for some reason, I can't. And I don't know why. But I understand where you're coming from. I didn't like your behavior, but I understanding your feelings."

"Thanks, Fae. And, um… is it alright if I call you 'Fae'?"

Elphaba smiled. "I… I like it. Fae," she tried. "How did you come up with that?"

"Well, your name is 'Fabala', but it would sound very good if I call you 'Fa', but Fae sounds much nicer." He smiled and gently pulled her closer to him for another kiss. "I'm really sorry."

"I know you are, Yero. I forgive you."

"Yero," the Vinkun smiled. "I like that. Yero and Fae. And… there's something I wanted to show you, that is, if you're up to it."

Elphaba smiled and leaned her head against his shoulder. "That sounds great."

The two walked down the still-lit streets, only passing a few people along the way. "Close your eyes," Fiyero said once they crossed a busy intersection. Elphaba raised her eyebrow at him and the Vinkun chuckled. "Don't worry. We're almost there."

Elphaba blinked at him, but shut her eyes. Fiyero smiled as he took her hand and led her down the street. Elphaba could hear music playing, and her curiosity only grew. "Yero, where are we going?"

"We're not going anywhere."

"What?"

"We're here."

Elphaba opened her eyes and gasped, seeing the brightly lit and decorated pavilion before her. A smile quickly spread across her face as she saw everyone dancing and laughing. A live band was playing under the pavilion and she quickly found herself humming along with the music.

Fiyero looked around. "I know it's not the Emerald Diamond party, but…"

"It's wonderful," Elphaba whispered in awe.

"Good. Let's dance," he whispered into her ear.

"What?" Elphaba blinked.

"Let's dance." The Vinkun grabbed her hand and pulled her onto the "dance floor".

Though a bit stiff at first, Elphaba quickly allowed her body to feel the music and was soon dancing along.

"Having fun, Fae?" Fiyero asked as he dipped her.

Elphaba laughed. "This is the most fun I've had in my entire life."

Time seemed to slip away from Elphaba, and before she knew it, the clock chimed eleven times. She gasped as she turned in Fiyero's arms. She was supposed to have been back at the palace half an hour ago.

LOL! Admit it, you all sung the "Let's Dance" in Boq's voice. Don't worry, I did, too.