"You should get some sleep Fae, look at you, you're falling asleep sitting here" said Fiyero as Elphaba struggled to keep her eyes open as she leaned against him.

"I can't Fiyero, I can't stop thinking about the nightmare. If… if I go back to sleep ill dream about it again" whispered Elphaba much like a little child would who had awoken from a bad dream.

"It's ok I'll be right here"

"I Know but I just can't, something won't let me sleep"

"Ok then Fae then I'll sit up with you"

"That's ok Yero you can go to sleep"

"Nope" grinned Fiyero "we are in this together"

"Well if you're sure". Fiyero smiled and kissed her again.

Elphaba true to her word, stayed up, Fiyero did try but eventually fell asleep holding her. She hugged Fiyero tighter hoping that she would be like her old self soon.

A week had passed and Elphaba was yet to sleep properly but had gained enough strength for her to be able to walk when needed. Currently she was sitting outside with Galinda in the sun whilst Fiyero prepared lunch in the kitchen. She hadn't yet told Galinda she wasn't sleeping as she didn't want to bother her friend with her constant problems. Galinda on the other hand could tell Elphaba was tired, her eyes were sleepy looking, her voice was slow and her actions laboured. She had also unknowingly let slip to Galinda that her eyes were stinging when the light hit them.

"You know Elphie; my eyes react to the sun when I'm very tired maybe you should go and have a rest or something?"

"No, I'm fine Galinda…I…I'm just hungry that's all, Speaking of which I should go and see how Fiyero's getting on". Elphaba half smiled at Galinda and went in search of Fiyero.

She found him in the kitchen pouring some drinks.

"Hi Fae are you ok?"

"Yes thank you Yero" She sat down on a near chair and watched him for a while.

"It's good to see you being able to walk again" beamed Fiyero

"Yeah, and no silly casts" said Elphaba as she waved her now Un- broken wrists in the air

"I'm happy for you Fae"

"Come on" Fiyero extended his arm to help Elphaba up off the chair "Galinda's probably wondering where we are".

"Finally! That only took like… forever!" Wined Galinda as Elphaba and Fiyero came into view. Elphaba sat down in her previous seat while Fiyero placed the lunch and drinks on the table then took a seat himself across from the two women. The three sat there in the sun and talked about various topics. Elphaba mainly stayed silent and quietly listened to Galina and Fiyero. It seemed Elphaba had other things on her mind; the new school term was due to start soon. She had to go back. Back to the place where everything started.

Students were scurrying every ware trying to get to their classes on time, Elphaba walked into the classroom with Fiyero and Galinda in toe. She sat in the back row away from everyone.

"What's wrong Elphie? Don't you want to sit at the front anymore?" Questioned Galinda.

"Um no…no I think it's safer here"

"Well ok if you think so". They both sat down either side of Elphaba as more students emerged from the doors into the room.

Elphaba could feel eyes on her, people were whispering things, Nasty things.

"I heard she tried to jump out her dorm window so Fiyero would reuse her" said one

"Who would want her? She probably has rabies or something" added another

"Well I heard she tried to screw Fiyero and he decked her" laughed another

"Nah, she got herself raped on purpose so Fiyero would feel sorry for her" came the last remark.

Elphaba looked at Fiyero, her eyes tired and sad. "I…I think I have to go, Sorry Fiyero" whispered Elphaba as she stood up and left the class room.

"Fae…" Fiyero's voice trailed off as she disappeared around the corner. The Girls in front of Fiyero and Galinda sneered. "You call her Fae? It appears the Prince has indeed fallen in love with the frog!" sneered one if the students.

Fiyero stood up, fists clenched and eyes wide.

"Fiyero don't it's not worth it, Elphie wouldn't want you to pick a fight with them". Galinda pleaded. He then pointed a finger at the girls and opened his mouth to say something but decided against it, Galinda was right. He spun around, grabbed Galindas arm and the two walked out the room.

Elphaba scurried across the shiz grounds as fast as she was able to go without stumbling, she was angry and frightened. She fled past the girl's dorms and past the library and out the shiz gates into the forest. The cold wind whipped her face and stung her skin neither of which mattered; she just had to get away, away from it all.

"Just keep running Elphaba" she puffed. And she did.

"Elphaba! Where are you!?" hollered Fiyero. Galinda and himself had been searching for over 2 hours, wondering all over the grounds looking for Elphaba. The two ran out the main gates that lead out of the Shiz grounds. Galinda stopped suddenly and pointed up to the sky. "Fiyero look a storms coming" No sooner had she finished the sentence a large rain drop hit Fiyero's nose.

"Galinda we have to find her, you take that road" ordered Fiyero as he pointed down a dirt track. "And I'll take this one; meet me back here in an hour if you haven't found her!"

"Ok Fiyero, good luck"

The two slit up and headed off their own ways.

Galinda's feet thudded along the dirt road which was leading her into a forest. She looked up at the sky again just as the rain finally started to bucket down. In seconds Galinda was soaked, her hair clung to her face and her pink dress became quite see-through. For the first time in her life Galinda didn't care, she didn't care that her hair was messy, her makeup had run, her shoes ruined and her dress drenched, she cared for Elphaba, she was going to find her and nothing was going to stop her.

"ELPHIE!!" bellowed Galinda as she took a left turn at the end of the track.

"Elphie! Where are you?" tried Galinda again. She spun around and looked off into the distance. The rain stung her eyes as she squinted to try and see. A large hollow tree in the distance caught her eye.

"I'll wait in there till the rain dies down" thought Galinda. So she made her way over to the tree.

It was dark in there and she couldn't see very well. She sat down and leaned against the tree bark. Something moved.

"Who's there?" whispered Galinda. When no one answered she rummaged through her bag and pulled out a flash light. Turning it on she shone it around the large hollow tree. Something green was sitting on the far side.

"Elphie?" The green figure sniffed and nodded.

"Elphie oh my gosh" Gathering up her things Galinda crawled over to where Elphaba was sitting. "Elphaba…are…are you ok?

"It's horrible Galinda" whispered Elphaba

"What? What is Elphie?"

"Fiyero, he…he…I feel terrible"

"Elphie I know for a fact that Fiyero doesn't believe any of those things that were said about you"

"But its true Galinda…I did want Fiyero to like me and…"

"…Do you know why Fiyero wanted to meet up with you that night?"

"No"

"He wanted to tell you that he loves you"

"Oh…I um" Elphaba looked at her feet suddenly feeling rather dizzy.

"Are you aright Elphie?". Elphaba shook her head.

"I can't…"

"You can't what Elphaba…you can tell me" smiled Galinda reassuringly.

" I can't live like this anymore Galinda, I can't sleep, he haunts my dreams, I always think he is going to come back, I feel dirty all the time, I don't feel worthy of Fiyero and it hurts all the time and it won't stop, I just want it to go away.

"What hurts, where do you hurt Elphie? Show me"

Elphaba put her hand over her heart. "It's not physical pain anymore Galinda it hurts inside and it won't stop…please Galinda how do I make it stop?" Elphaba unable to contain herself any longer softly began to cry.

"Elphie please don't cry"

"I'm sorry Galinda…it won't, it won't stop…I, I can't handle this anymore"

Galinda tightly hugged her friend as Elphaba's emotions took over once more.

Sorry about the long wait for an update guys, i put two chapters into chapter 9 to make up for it :)

Thanks

please R&R