Author's Note: Thanks again for the lovely reviews! Makes my day. :)

LillyFae: I didn't even know any of that! I love how you're thinking; but unfortunately, I have to say you're going down the wrong path. Man, I hate saying that, because your ideas are really good!


December 7

Elphaba shook the box around, unable to hear a noise. "Is there even anything in this one?" she asked, sitting down beside Fiyero.

"Why?"

"Well, I can't hear anything in there. It just feels like an empty box. You didn't forget to put the gift in, did you?" she teased him.

"If you're that concerned," Fiyero told her, slipping his arm around her shoulders, "open it and find out."

"I'll do that." And she did.

Fiyero was right. The box was not empty. And it certainly explained the light weight and lack of sound.

It was a balloon.

Elphaba held it up appraisingly. "If this is some weird way to get me to go to a party, the answer is no."

Fiyero laughed. "I'm not trying to get you to go to a party. Blow it up," he urged.

"I haven't got any dynamite on me."

Fiyero rolled his eyes. "Ha-ha. I'm serious here."

"Why? I know what a balloon looks like when it's blown up."

"But I've written something on it."

"Oh. Well, in that case…" Elphaba took a few big puffs to get the balloon to its full size and tied it with a piece of string Fiyero pulled out of the box. She scrutinized it, and then smiled when she realized Fiyero's handwriting read, 'Fiyero + Elphaba = (loveheart doodle)'. "I should have guessed."

Fiyero frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Well, considering that's all you ever seem to write these days…"

"Says who?"

"Fiyero," Elphaba said, rolling her eyes fondly, "I see your books, remember? I'm forever catching you doodling exactly that everywhere."

"You've not said anything about it before."

Elphaba pressed her lips together in an attempt to stop her smile from growing. "I know. It's really sweet."

Fiyero looked down at her. "Do you just say what I think you said? Did you just say it was 'sweet'?"

"Well –"

Fiyero kissed her, effectively cutting off any explanation or protestation Elphaba might think to offer.

"Okay, okay," Elphaba admitted, "I do think it's sweet. But let Galinda know that and you're dead."