Fiyero found himself back in the park only a few hours later. He realized it probably wasn't nearly enough time for Elphaba to thinks things over...but it was all he could think about, and he didn't want to risk missing her.

Elphaba wandered back towards the park almost aimlessly. She doubted Fiyero would be there - it had only been a couple of hours ago that they had last talked, after all - but still... she had thought (in a rather quiet, un-pink room) and thought. And... "Fiyero?"

Fiyero smiled when he turned and saw Elphaba approaching. She looked even more beautiful than before, he had missed seeing her face. He was careful to watch as she approached, trying to read her body language.

He has gorgeous eyes. Elphaba, shut up, she told herself sternly, walking up to him with a small smile. "Hi." Her arms were folded in front of her and, for once, she didn't have a bag or a book.

"Hi," he echoed. At first he was delighted to see her smiling, but then took notice that she kept her arms close to her body, as if touching him would be the worst thing in the world. "So...I feel like asking you how're doing would be rather stupid of me?"

"Galinda moved out," she stated simply, glancing down. "And it's all my fault."

He tried to look Elphaba in the eyes, but she kept hers planted firmly on the ground. "I'm so sorry Elphaba...and you tried talking to her?"

"The whole time." Elphaba shook her head. "She just kept saying how she had to get away from everything."

"She's just still in shock," he said, although he wasn't completely convinced himself, "she'll come around eventually." He watched her quietly for a moment before venturing, "And have you thought anymore about...about us?"

"Yeah." Elphaba paused. How was she to tell him...

Fiyero held his breath, anticipating her response. He had been imagining her reaction all day, he tried to prepare for any answer, but suddenly felt very unprepared.

"I've weighed everything. What I want, what you want, what my sister wants, what Galinda wants - Oz, I even weighed in what I thought Boq would think." Elphaba squeezed her elbows, pressing her lips together.

"Now wait," he interrupted. "Maybe I should wait until I hear your response before I start arguing with you, but why are you letting everyone else influence what happens? It shouldn't matter what Galinda wants, or Nessa, or especially Boq," he joked. "Or even what I want...whatever decision you make, it should be for you."

"But what they feel will affect me, Fiyero. If they like us, I'll feel better, and if they're hurt every time they see us..." The sentence trailed off.

"So what are you saying?" Fiyero asked anxiously.

"Galinda might have moved out, but I can't do this to her." Elphaba bit her lip, finally looking up at him. "I couldn't hurt her like that."

Suddenly, Nessa came wheeling up to the two, a death glare fixed on Fiyero. "WHERE THE hades HAVE YOU BEEN!" she screeched, stopping her wheelchair an inch away from him, trying to keep herself from knocking him over like she had done to Galinda the other day. He is SO lucky I still find him attractive. Nessa thought angrily.

"Hi, Nessa," Elphaba said softly, looking at her. "Um... are you okay?"

"Umm Nessa, this isn't really a good time," Fiyero mumbled, knowing that she was still upset at him for leaving her at the Shiz Shack.

Nessa spun around to face her sister wildly. "Does it LOOK like I'm ok?? That jerk left me in the Shiz Shack for two days!!!"

"You left my sister in... the..." Elphaba couldn't help it. She began laughing. Hysterical, bubbling laughter.

As much he felt like he was currently striking out with every girl on campus, he started laughing too, thankful for some break in the tension.

Nessa gave the two a menacing glare. "You find this FUNNY?" she screamed at the two, wheeling back towards Fiyero threateningly. How dare he abandon me. And now he's LAUGHING?? His looks didn't matter anymore. She had to wipe that grin off of his pretty little face if it was the last thing she did.

Elphaba's laughter grew worse at Nessa's angry face and wheelchair. Everything in life sucked, and it was funny.

Fiyero felt terrible for Nessa, but couldn't help but mumble to Elphaba, "See, Galinda and Nessa are already mad at us anyway...," smiling at his own joke.

Fiyero's mumblings snapped Elphaba out of her laughter for a second. "Then why make it worse," she hissed back, standing up straight and looking at her sister. "You have to admit, Nessa..."

Fiyero was surprised that his comment backfired so badly. He was so hurt by the rude tone in her voice that he completely forgot Nessa was there, staring at Elphaba with sadness and frustration.

Nessa's temper hit an all-time high as she heard Fiyero whisper to Elphaba. He didn't even care to fix things with her! So with that last thought, Nessa backed up her wheelchair, then started wheeling toward Fiyero as fast as she could. Right before colliding with him, she stuck out her arm and punched him in the groin with a surprising amount of force.

"OW!" Fiyero lost concentration on anything in else, collapsing to the ground in pain.

"NESSA!" Walking over, Elphaba yanked back the wheelchair, causing it to topple backwards. "What in Oz name was that for!?" Leaving Nessa tipped back for a second, she turned to Fiyero. "Are you al-that's a stupid question."

Fiyero still couldn't find his voice, but merely lifted a hand to indicate that he would be alright, but still made no attempt to move from his spot on the ground.

"Nessa!" Whirling, Elphaba pushed the chair upright, locking the wheel with a stick. "What in Oz name gave you the right!?"

"What gave me the right?? What gave HIM the right to just leave me there! Then to laugh at me! What gave you the right to choose so-called friends over your sister! I had every right,
Elphaba!" Nessa stopped her rant to catch her breath. But before she started to speak again, an idea came to mind. She forgot her anger and smiled wickedly. "And do you know what I also have the right to do?"

"Complain?" Elphaba shrugged. "I don't know-and isn't this an argument you should be having with the one who left you?" She was beginning to get worried...

Nessa shook her head, the grin still plastered on her face. "I have the right to send Father a letter. I know that he wouldn't be very pleased about his 'precious little girl' being harassed by her own sister. You may think that you can do whatever you want to me, but I don't think that Father will agree." And with that, Nessa wheeled about with a smirk and started to leave to go back to her dorm, fantasizing about all of the punishments Elphaba would be subjected to.

Elphaba was stunned into standing there, motionless. Nessa wouldn't... would she?

Fiyero finally picked himself up off the ground. He was still in an immense amount of pain, but he could see that Elphaba was too. "It'll be okay," he said quietly, taking her hand in his.

"You don't know my father," Elphaba said softly, watching Nessa wheel off. "I was only allowed to come here to make sure nothing bad happened to her."

Fiyero experienced mixed emotions. He felt terrible that Elphaba was so upset, but couldn't resist a small amount of happiness that she didn't pull her hand away. "She'll calm down," he offered, pausing for a moment, "and so will Galinda...eventually...."

"What Nessa wants, Nessa'll get," Elphaba muttered softly, staring as she disappeared into a building. "And Nessa wants me gone."

"Would it...do you think it would help if I went and talked to her?"

"No." Elphaba stated it flatly. "She wants you too, remember?"

"But what if I tried to calm her down, somehow convinced her that having you here would be better than you being gone?" Fiyero asked anxiously, trying to come up with a solution. "I just can't let you leave..." his voice trailed off as he tightened his grip on her hand.

Elphaba turned her head so she was facing him. "I don't know, 'Yero. She seems to be on a war path..." So worried she was over Nessa she had forgotten about her prior concerns - for the time being.

He pulled Elphaba in for a hug, murmuring, "I'll talk to her, or we'll figure something else out....I promise."

Elphaba let her arms slide around his waist, leaning into the embrace. "You're such an optimist," she murmured.

"Only compared to you," he smiled, kissing her on the forehead.

Elphaba let herself feel the rush of happiness as his lips brushed against her forehead. "Everybody's an optimist compared to me." She tilted her head back, looking up at him. "Do you really think you can help?"

"I know that I'm going to do everything in my power to keep you here. I hope that talking to Nessa will be enough, but I'll even take this to Morrible or your father if I have to," he whispered, stroking her hair lightly.

"I doubt my father would listen," Elphaba responded with a sigh. "I'd better get back upstairs in case Galinda left something in ou-my room. She left the key..."

Before she could walk away, he pulled her in for a kiss. It was shorter than before, but no less passionate on his part. Their lips parted, as he whispered, "We'll fix this, I promise."

Elphaba, still slightly dazed from the kiss, just nodded. "I doubt it, but okay..." Turning, she headed back to her room.

Fiyero watched Elphaba walking away, wishing she didn't have to go. He wanted to hold her and kiss her and tell her everything would be alright. But he knew the whole situation still made her somewhat uncomfortable, and he knew he had to go talk to Nessa.