Disclaimer: Now, I wouldn't be ranting about Year 11 if I owned Wicked.

A/N: FIRST OFF, OVER 50 REVIEWS FOR THIS STORY! I LOVE YOU GUYS *HUGS ALL ROUND*

Lyra124, Confusifyed Lady, ChaoticSymphonyofDarkness, ComingAndGoingByBubble and XxQueenElphabaOfTheWestxX for all your lovely, reviews they mean the world to me.

Reviews are much appreciated and I'm kind of hit a dead end and have no idea to go next with this story, so some ideas from you guys would be great. And a hint of why Elphaba and Fiyero broke up is in this chapter and the one before it. *Wink* Happy Huntings.

Enjoy and remember, reviews are appreciated.


Chapter 8

Temperament


Four Years and Seven Months Ago

"Elphaba," Glinda asked her friend, "where are you going?"

"Out," Elphaba replied shortly grabbing her coat off the hook.

"Where?" Glinda questioned sternly, leaning casually against the doorway, definitely not by coincidence.

Elphaba sighed and rubbed her temples, "Out with Fiyero."

"Again?" Glinda cried, "you went out with him yesterday!"

"Yes and..." Elphaba asked, "that's what two people going out do, they go out."

"You do more than go out," Glinda muttered to herself cynically...or rather she thought she did.

Elphaba turned on her. "Now, just wait a clock tick," Elphaba said firmly her hands balled into fists. "I know it's hard for that blissful, blonde brain of yours can comprehend that he actually loves me, but he does and I wished you'd accept that, Glin," Elphaba clasped Glinda's hand, "you're my best friend and I love you, but I love him as well. Please understand that I don't want to choose between you two."

"Oh, Elphie," Glinda choked, suddenly ashamed of her ludicrous behaviour in the past few months, "I understand it Elphie, but it's so hard."

"What's so hard about it?" Elphaba asked, buttoning up her coat.

"I...I'm... (mumble)...of... (mumble)..." Glinda murmured to Elphaba never taking her eyes off the floor.

"Pardon, Glin?"

"I said I'm jealous of you!" she blurted.

Elphaba blinked. Once. Twice. Thrice.

"Elphie, don't look at me like that," Glinda said, "please, it creeps me out. It reminds me of Horrible Morrible from Shiz."

"Sorry, Glin," Elphaba reeled back. "But why? I mean, there's nothing to be jealous, if anything, I should be the jealous one," Elphaba gestured down to her well-used coat and green complexion.

"Elphie!" Glinda cried in exasperation, for years she'd been trying to convince her friend she was beautiful, and she truly was. If it wasn't for the abnormal colouring of skin, Elphaba's beauty would have been able to rival Glinda's own. "You are beautiful and Fiyero obviously sees that. I'm jealous because you have someone to spend Saturday evenings with, while I've been reduced to speed dating with Nessa," Elphaba laughed at the comical image of Glinda and Nessa speed dating together and Glinda gave her friend a stern glare, "that's not funny! I mean seriously, Elphie! It's Nessa! I'm jealous because Fiyero looks at you like I want to be looked at. I'm jealous because his eyes light up like fireworks whenever you walk into the room, and don't you dare deny it, Miss Thropp."

Elphaba said nothing.

"I'm jealous because the studious, green-girl from Shiz got the Prince and I didn't. I haven't seen a man in almost a year and I'm dying here! It's like forever," Glinda complained.

"Glin, I hate to break it to you," Elphaba told her friend, "but eleven months is eleven months and forever is forever."

"Elphie," Glinda giggled, "this is one of the things I love about you, you are just so philosophical."

"That's not—"

"Stop arguing with me and go on your date," Glinda said like a miniature general and ushered Elphaba out the door, to the great protest of Elphaba.

"Glin, I can call him and cancel if you want," Elphaba said, not liked being forcibly removed from her own house, "we can have a girl's night in like we did a Shiz."

Elphaba looked as if she wanted to continue with Glinda silenced her. "Not another word from your mouth, my pretty. Go enjoy your date and have fun," Glinda added with a wink, "but not too much fun and for Oz's sake you better use protection. We don't need another one of you running around patronising us all."

Heat flooded to Elphaba's cheeks at the implication, "Glin, he's only taking me to the Museum Of Ozian History. I highly doubt anything will happen."

"But you know, if it does," Glinda winked again and Elphaba turned cerise. "You know use protection. Lurline, we don't need another of you running around patronising us all and with you and Fiyero's genetic traits..." Glinda shuddered at the outcome.

"Thanks," Elphaba remarked dryly. "But nothing will happen, expect me home at the regular time," Elphaba told her friend before heading out.

"So you're staying over at his apartment?" Glinda asked suggestively, Elphaba groaned and kissed her friend on the cheek.

"No comment," Elphaba said chuckling at her friend.

"Sure..."

"Goodbye, Galinda," Elphaba said purposefully using her friend's former name.

"Elphie!" she gasped, "you promised you'd never use that name again. It's so immature and childish sounding."

"Like you're behaving?"

"Touché, but go have fun, before I drag myself along."

That got Elphaba, "Bye, Glin!" and she flurried out the door and greeted Fiyero, who was leaning against the carriage, with a long and heavily passionate kiss that Glinda, who had seen some horrific things as a child, like catching her parents in the act, blushed at.

Fiyero caught her gaze and gave Glinda a mock salute, Glinda in turn glared at him and slid a finger across her throat, her threat from a month ago still fresh in his mind. He blanched and Elphaba sent a well formed glare to her friend. Glinda giggled at her friend's reaction as she watched Fiyero gently tug Elphaba into the carriage, pressing a soft kiss to the side of her neck. Elphaba giggled at the action and Glinda blinked, Elphaba never giggled, ever and it amazed her that it had been Fiyero to evoke that reaction.

Glinda sighed as her friend entered the carriage with Fiyero.

Maybe...they...deserve each other, Glinda thought.

Although the next morning when Elphaba came back in the early stages of dawn, Glinda had been waiting in the living room. Elphaba had smiled sheepishly at Glinda and Glinda, who knew exactly what Elphaba and Fiyero had been doing last night, took one close observation of her friend's appearance and shrugged. Elphaba arched a shapely eyebrow at her friend's lack of response and staggered up the stairs.

Upon reaching the top though, Glinda called, "Your skirt's backwards, Elphie."

Elphaba blushed and straightened her skirt.

Glinda giggled at her friend's action.


Elphaba, who had been on the receiving end of her friend's anger very few times, was quite assumed at the way Glinda's anger had presented itself on her friend. Her blonde curls were messed, her plump lip was curled and her eyes glowed with a fire that was bright enough to power the whole Emerald City. Elphaba sat back in the seat that Glinda had forced her down onto and merely smirked at the pacing blonde.

"Elphaba, what in Oz were you thinking?" Glinda exclaimed in her usual boisterous tone.

"I was thinking I was only agreeing to this sham to piss you to the core, Glinny," Elphaba joke

"Elphaba!" d. Glinda cried, evidently not at all amused by Elphaba's attempt at lightening the situation, "this is not funny! Do you have any idea what you're getting yourself into? Do you know what this implies about you?"

Elphaba crossed her arms. "Enlighten me, Glinda," Elphaba remarked bitterly, "because I was under the impression that this was my life and that I was in control."

"Elphaba!" Glinda screeched, "this isn't a game! You can't wear your heart on a sleeve!"

"I'm not!" Elphaba defended and she really wasn't wearing her heart on her sleeve, in her years after her and Fiyero's parting she had put in extra precautions to protect herself, although he, unknowingly, was able to tear down her defences with as single touch or whisper of an old nickname. Although, Elphaba didn't think that in her defence of Fiyero, that that particular point would put any votes in his favour.

"Oh, Elphaba!" Glinda cried once more, clearly in annoyance at her friend's lack of concern for her wellbeing in a situation like the one they were currently in, "in my years of knowing you, I have never seen you act like this."

"Like what, Glin?"

"Like a...pretentious slut!" Glinda exclaimed in a fit of rage, not noticing the recoil her friend did, "I mean really, first he—"

"Don't you dare, Glinda!" Elphaba retorted, whirling to her friend with vengeance, "don't you dare mention it, you didn't lose it, I did. Don't you dare talk about it like it was nothing, because it did mean something to me and him, and don't even think to convince me otherwise. Don't you dare think you have any idea what I've been going through these past few years! Just don't, I've had enough of it—"

"I can't believe your defending him!" Glinda shrieked and was on the verge of hysterics. She was livid and insulted that her friend had insinuated she knew better about relationships. Glinda thought she was the one that obviously knew better. Glinda had forayed into the world of dating and relationships at the tender age of fourteen. Glinda had transformed herself from an innocent, naïve and young socialite's daughter into a professional dater; able to make a man drop at his feet with one flutter of an eyelash, or a gentle teasing remark. And it always worked. Always. And when Glinda had become bored of the repetitive nature of her relationships, she'd dump them. Like yesterday's Ozmopolitan.

Glinda had always been the one to do the dumping. Except with one, and it peeved Glinda to no end. Especially to find out later that he was dating her best friend-housemate-confidant etcetera, and not only dating, but in a stable relationship with her, one in which, he loved her. Glinda, who had never claimed to have a case of the green-eyed monster in her life, was actually, during that point in her life, was jealous of Elphaba—her green roommate from Shiz that had been deprived of affection her whole life, but so willingly gave it to Fiyero. And Glinda hated the fact that Elphaba was the one to evoke that 'I'm in love you' from him; he'd always said 'I love you' to Glinda and she'd revelled in that fact during their fleeting romance together, but it was always half-hearted and he seemed so distant when he said it. Glinda knew a breakup was on the verge, but she ignored the signs, wanting to believe that they were perfect together and born to be forever.

Her parents had always told her that. She would inevitably be married to Fiyero and become their crowning glory. How wrong they were, Glinda thought a little too bitterly.

"Glinda, you're acting very childish," Elphaba told her gently, bringing Glinda out of her reverie, but then recoiled, remembering her friend's words. "You think I'm a pretentious slut?" Elphaba asked quietly.

Glinda gasped, her hands clasped over her mouth in befuddlement at her own words. "I didn't mean it, Elphie," she pleaded with her friend, "I mean, I'm just worried about you and—"

"I know, you care, Glin," Elphaba sighed, "but it doesn't make it hurt any less when you insult me."

"I'm sorry, Elphie," Glinda apologised sincerely, all her previous thoughts of anger and resentment towards her only true friend had dissipated in a flash. She should have known better though; during her childhood she had been thought upon as a curse and deprived of the love and affection Glinda had received from her family as a child. Elphaba's mother was a drunk, Elphaba had confided in Glinda one night at Shiz and her father had never associated himself with her; for green was the colour of sin in the eyes of the Unnamed God. "I didn't mean to insult you," Glinda tried again, "I really didn't, I was just jealous that..."

Elphaba cackled in such a manner that it made the chills run up Glinda's spine. "Jealous of what, my pretty? There's nothing to be jealous of."

"I was jealous that Fiyero picked you over me!"

"You're still holding that grudge?" Elphaba asked, clearly surprised, "that was years ago."

"I know, but at the time I was annoyed that he loved you. I mean, I know I think your beautiful, Elphaba, but"—Glinda looked her friend up and down—"you're not exactly the cover girl for Wiznique."

"I know that, but Glin," Elphaba said, "you are a wonderful woman, you're charming, beautiful and smart. There's no reason for you to be jealous of me."

"I know it was irrational," Glinda sniffed, "but I couldn't help it. Unattainable people are much more attractive once you know you can't have them."

"That's right," Elphaba whispered to herself.

Glinda, completely oblivious to her friend's statement, continued her former path of thought, "But honestly, Elphie, why are you doing this? I'm sure he could have found a fake fiancée anywhere else. Why you?"

"I know him well," Elphaba said simple, hoping the answer would stratify her friend. It didn't, and Glinda gestured for her friend to elaborate, "If he were to find any random on the street who didn't know him at all, then the sham would look exactly like that, a sham. But since I know him well, it wouldn't look as much like a sham. Am I making sense to you? I'm feeling so ineloquent today."

"It sounds fine and I get it, but one thing has been bothering me, Elphie."

"What's that?"

"What do you get in return?" Glinda asked, "Fiyero gets his crown and kingdom, but what could be worth more than that?"

"Freedom," Elphaba replied wistfully.

"I see," Glinda said, "but the question still remains."

"What?" Elphaba asked nervously, knowing where this path of questioning was going to end.

"Do you want to be set free?"

"Of course I do." Liar.

XoxoX

"Elpha!" Fiyero called from the end of the hallway, "I see Glinda didn't kill you."

"I barely made it out with my life," she joked, "and here I thought you were my knight-in-shining-armour coming to rescue me."

"Your words wound me, fair maiden," he cried out overdramatically, placing a hand over his heart and bringing himself onto one knee, "how shall I ever make it up to you."

Elphaba giggled childishly at the impish grin Fiyero was sending her way. "For starters you could stop talking in that ridiculous accent. Secondly, get off the floor and thirdly..." she pondered, "I don't have a third."

He jumped up from his position on the floor and tugged on her hand; she gasped and pulled her hand from his; as if she'd just been burnt.

"I'm sorry," was all he said.

"It's fine, I'm just..."

He cut her off, "You don't need to explain yourself to me, you never did before, so why now?"

"No, let me finish," she told him she glanced at the maid that had scurried past, "somewhere more private."

"Follow me," he said and clasped her fingers in his again. This time she didn't pull away or gasp. This time her mouth curled into a sweet smile that showed the upper part of her pearly whites. And his heart melted. However, what he didn't realise was that that one particular smile was especially reserved for him. Always has, always will be.

XoxoX

They'd made it into Fiyero's old bedroom from his youth. And Elphaba drank in the very essence of what it was. Old film posters were lined against the wall, a well-kept bookshelf with a somewhat tidy desk and an old coat rack that held a well-loved and well-used tatty coat. There was an adjoining bathroom and longue area with another well-stocked bookshelf, which made Elphaba's eyes gleam at the prospect of reading whilst here.

"If you think that's good you should check out the library," he commented offhandedly whilst settling himself on the four-poster bed.

"Why didn't you show me that first?' she cried.

"I forgot?" he tried meekly and then grinned playfully. "Come on, Elpha, we're getting married. We should acquaint ourselves with the bed," he suggested.

"If you try and make me become acquainted with the bed," she declared menacingly, leaning towards him close that he could feel her chest heave with every breath and he could, if he wanted to, flip her over and straddle her. Although he was certain that if he did that, she'd probably do something to a certain part of his anatomy that would never allow him to have children again. And even though she was most likely going to insult or threaten him, he was so turned on at the moment.

"You'll do what?" he teased, his fingers dancing down towards her—, but she stopped it. He frowned.

"You touch my ass," she threatened and moved closer to ever so-slightly straddle his thighs, "or try and get me acquainted with the bed; I'll cut your balls off during your sleep."

"Anything to get you into my bed," he said lowly and in a tone that made Elphaba's stomach flutter and her heart to beat that extra more, and now she was turned on. Stop it! Whatever made you turn into a hormonal female? She asked herself, but she already had the answer, him.

She shook the thoughts from her head and removed herself from his lap, which he was about to protest at, but stopped short. Preferring to ask her what it was she wanted to discuss.

"So you wanted to talk..." he began, awkwardly ignoring his desire to pin her to the pillows and yank her dress from her body.

"Yes," Elphaba said, finding her voice, "it's about my parents."

"You worried about the fact they'll think its pretence because—"

"No," he gave her the look. Elphaba sighed, "Maybe a little, only because they don't care."

"I don't follow," he admitted, "they're your parents and they love you."

"That's the problem!" she cried, jumping off the bed, "they don't love me!"

"What?" now Fiyero was severely confused, "I don't understand."

"Of course you don't, your parents love you," Fiyero was about to interject when Elphaba cut him off, "and don't you dare say you're father doesn't love you. He does, just in his own twisted, strange way."

"I wasn't going to say that," he told her gently, moving to face her, tipping her chin to face him. "You are a wonder to me and beautiful in every way possible. Any mother and father would be lucky to have you as a daughter and even if your parents don't love you. You needn't worry; you have Glinda, Nessa and me," he told her sincerely bringing her knuckles to his lips and rubbing reassuring circles around them.

She gasped at the sincerity of his words, but accepted them, she had been starved of affection through her whole life and it was sweet to hear such kind words from him.

"Thank you," she whispered, bringing herself closer into him, "thank you so much."

"You're welcome," he told her, putting an arm around her shoulder. What did I do to deserve you? He thought as she snuggled in closer to him. Something good...


Four Years and Seven Months Ago

"Yero?" Elphaba asked drowsily from under the sheets.

"Yes, Fae?" he replied tracing circles on her shoulder with his thumb.

"Do you love me?"

"Of course," he told her kissing her softly and his eyes bore into hers in that moment. "I'll love you till the end of time," he assured her.

"What did I do to deserve you?" she asked, pushing a piece of unrelenting hair from his brow.

"I think you've you that the wrong away around, love," he told her kissing her temple.

"Something good..." she muttered sleepily.

"I agree, something good," he whispered sweetly in her ear before she fell into a blissful sleep with a small grin plastered on her face.


Lyra, Brilly, Harold and Elphaba's parents, had found them curled under the sheets together, with their clothes still fully intact. Elphaba was curled protectively into Fiyero's chest and he had an arm slung around her shoulders. Lyra sighed at the romantic scene it made, one that reminded her of one from the epic love story of First Impressions. Brilly curled into her husband and told him, "They're perfect together," and even though Harold was a bit of a cynic when it came to emotional moments, could do nothing, but agree with his wife and slung an arm around his wife's shoulders in a near perfect mirror image of the young couple lying in bed.

Frex and Melena's reactions were a far cry from those of the Vinkun Sovereign. Frex had always believed Elphaba would care for Nessa when she grew up, but now seeing her with this boy, any hopes of Elphaba sticking to his well-thought out plan had vanished. And he seethed. She was a sin, the colour of it too in the eyes of the Unnamed God. Melena, who was still slightly tipsy from her afternoon drink, seethed along with her husband, as she glanced towards the couple. Something needed to be done, Melena thought out, and she had the perfect plan to make sure that Elphaba never saw the aisle.


A/N: I never intented for Melena to be a drunk or evil, but that's how she turned out. Sorry if no one likes that.

Confusifyed Lady, dang I've missed you girl, love you lots and lots thanks for the reviews, my pretty.

ChaoticSymphonyofDarkness, you're too kind and I do think attack of the Pinkified Glinda was an accurate discriptor. Thanks.

FFN was acting up so some of the formating is a bit weird, sorry.

Larri (Beautifully Tragic)

smiles

x

ps. Reviews are appreciated.