Author's Note: I really haven't used Dr. Dillamond as a character much in the stories, and I certainly haven't used one of the most important events that happens while Elphaba is at Shiz. I've been trying to figure out how to incorporate this event into "Forced Love" as well. I'm trying to keep with the timeline a little more here (aside from the fact that I brought Fiyero in early, for obvious reasons!). I do rush along a little bit, again, because I really feel like the next vital thing in Elphaba's life, not to mention her relationship with Fiyero, is this.

Chapter 10: Catastrophe

Outings with their group were very strange given that only Boq and Galinda knew what was going on between Fiyero and Elphaba. As the spring term started up, Elphaba tended to avoid the larger group outings. The rain gave her somewhat of an excuse a lot of the time, anyway, and when she became Dr. Dillamond's lab assistant, she had another excuse not to come. In researching the genetics of Animals, Elphaba became a little obsessive about the issue of Animal rights. Fiyero was mildly interested, but did not share her passion, though he tried hard to support it. Things were moving along relatively calmly, until something happened to Dr. Dillamond.

Elphaba showed up at Fiyero's room one afternoon, distraught. Her eyes were wide and she was shaking her head like mad, strands of long black hair straying from her braid.

"Elphaba, what's wrong?" Fiyero pulled her inside. She rarely showed up in his room unannounced.

"Dr. Dillamond… he's dead."

"What?"

"I went to his lab, he sent for me, said it was urgent. Lately he's been very absorbed in his research. We felt like he was so close to finding a genetic link between Animals and humans… I think he was murdered. Morrible is denying it, but I know it!"

"Okay, slow down, Elphaba," he sat her down on the bed. "You went to his lab… did you find his body?"

"No, no. People were just starting to gather. Morrible made some announcement about how it was an accident. But you know she hated him. Remember that little party she had last month? She basically tore the idea of Animal rights to pieces!"

"Calm down." Fiyero took both of her hands and brushed the stray hair from her braid away from her face. "Are you okay?"

"Why does it matter? There's a bigger issue here. Dr. Dillamond was murdered."

"Elphaba…"

"What? Fiyero, this is serious. What am I supposed to do now?"

"There is nothing you can do. Not now." Fiyero pulled her into his arms.

She resisted. "No, there has to be something. This is wrong. We can't let her get away with it."

"Let who get away with it?"

"Morrible."

"I doubt Morrible murdered Dr. Dillamond, Elphaba. She may have been against Animal rights, but what on earth makes you think that she did it?"

"Oh, I don't think she did it with her bare hands. She wouldn't stoop so low. But when I got there, I saw that damn Tik-Tok thing sneaking around behind her."

Fiyero was clearly not sure of what to think. "I don't know what to tell you, Elphie. I wasn't there. I don't know exactly what you saw."

She didn't even noticed that he'd called her "Elphie" and just shook her head. She took a deep breath and looked down for a moment at her hands. When she looked back up, there was a small tear in the corner of her eye. She leaned into him then, and allowed him to hold her. "This is… this is crazy."

"I know. Give yourself a minute to breathe and to think. Sit here with me for a while, okay?"

"But we have class this afternoon… or… oh…" They would've had life sciences that afternoon. Elphaba could assume that class would not be happening.

Fiyero tightened his arms around her and lifted her chin. He kissed her lightly on the lips. "Shh. What you're forgetting here is how you are feeling."

"It doesn't matter."

"It does to me. Are you okay?"

"I don't know," she replied honestly. "I can't believe this happened, Fiyero."

"I know."

"Maybe we should go over there and see if everyone's gone. Maybe we can sneak around, look for evidence."

"I'm sure Morrible has it blocked off. And I don't think that's a wise idea right now, anyway."

Elphaba buried her face in his neck for a moment, closing her eyes. She wanted for a moment to block out everything, but she knew she couldn't. "Sweet Oz, I wish it wasn't so crazy around here."

"You've been here too long. We both have. There's a reason for the holiday breaks, and we both stayed here this winter."

"I guess. But it wasn't like we had school work or even a lot of people around."

"But it's this place. It in itself can stress you, especially you. You need to think, and you need to do that away from here so you can think clearly. Come home with me for the spring holidays."

"I hardly think that this is the time to ask that!"

"I disagree. You need a break. You just said it's too crazy here."

"And meeting your family isn't going to stress me?"

"I didn't think it would," Fiyero said, surprised. "I never thought meeting anyone would really stress you out. I didn't think you'd care what they thought."

"Really? What do you think is the likelihood of your parents taking one look at this ugly green abomination and say that they don't approve at all? You don't think that would bother me?"

"First of all, you are not ugly - "

"Maybe not to you," she interrupted, "but…"

He cut her off. "Elphaba, my parents have only been out of the Vinkus a few times in their lives to visit the city. I don't think they'll even realize that green isn't a common skin color. It looks so normal on you, even lovely. And yes, I'm a little surprised, not that it would upset you, but that you've already been worrying about it."

"I want this to work just as much as you do, Fiyero. But my skin has always been an obstacle, and of course it would be an issue here."

"But it won't be. Wouldn't it be nice to be somewhere where people don't care about that at all? Where people aren't judging that, like the people here do?"

"The people here certainly aren't great," Elphaba laughed when Fiyero looked offended, "not you, silly."

"Look, I know with what's just happened, you want to stay here, maybe investigate. But I really don't think that's a great idea. You'll be upset and alone. You might try to do something that might get you into trouble with Morrible and, if you are right, she certainly doesn't take punishment lightly. Elphaba, there's no Morrible in the Vinkus. There's no Animal discrimination. It's just quiet."

Elphaba sighed. "I don't know. Are we really that serious?"

"I'm not asking you out there just to meet my parents. I'm asking you so that we can get away from this for a little, spend time together without all the hiding and the school work and the excuses and the people."

Elphaba smiled at him. "If you really think it's a good idea…"

"You know I do."

"Okay. It can't hurt to go. But promise me you'll let me have my alone time?"

"Of course."

The two sat together for an hour or two more. Little was said – though once or twice Elphaba almost started to rant. He had an arm around her and she leaned on his shoulder, blinking a tear or two out of her eyes. After a while, Elphaba thought she might need to go back to her room for a while and do a little more thinking.

"Elphie!" Galinda jumped up as Elphaba entered the room. "I heard about Dr. Dillamond. Are you okay?"

"Not really," Elphaba replied honestly. "But… I still haven't figured out exactly what I feel and what I want to think."

Galinda hugged Elphaba, who was a little shocked but accepted without protest. "Where have you been?"

"Fiyero's."

Galinda nodded. "I'm glad you were with someone who cares instead of wandering about the campus alone."

"Galinda, I think Dr. Dillamond was murdered," Elphaba blurted.

"Madame Morrible said it was an accident…?"

Elphaba worried how Galinda would react, so she wording things carefully. "Maybe she didn't want to scare anyone. But I was there right as they found him. I just don't think it was an accident. I worked in that lab with him, Galinda. He would not have been careless."

"I'm sorry, Elphie. But are you sure you aren't just saying that because you don't want to believe that it was his fault?"

"Galinda! No! I know in my heart he was murdered."

"Okay," Galinda said softly. "Why?"

"The whole Animals and humans thing."

"And who would've done that here?"

"I… I'm still working on that," Elphaba said evasively. She needed more time to know whether or not telling Galinda her suspicions was a good idea. Galinda had classes with Morrible and seemed to very much enjoy her classes. She wouldn't say that Galinda liked the woman, necessarily, but she wasn't sure. She'd need to do a little more phishing to find out, but not now. "I don't really want to talk or think about it right now. Fiyero calmed me down a little and I'd like to stay that way."

"That's fine. How is Fiyero?"

"He's good. He's insisting on dragging me home with him for the spring holidays."

"Oooh, romantic!"

"Not really. I should take one holiday this year before I go home for the summer."

"I agree! We all need a long break!"