Disclaimer: If I did own Wicked Lea Michele would not even be considered for the role of Elphaba.

A/N: Yeah, sorry about the delay, I returned from a funeral the other day and I was kind of depressed and pissed at the same time. Then I couldn't login or review, so sorry about that.

Moving one, HOLY SHIZ! I was not expecting that many reviews and I when I saw them. Nine!

Huge thank yous to, ComingAndGoingByBubble, Elphiefied, ChaoticSymphonyofDarkness, DhampyrX2, Confusifyed Lady, Lyra124, XxQueenElphabaOfTheWestxX and FlorenceAndTheMachineFan for your wondeful reviews.

Now, I'm not entirely happy with that chapter, I think I went into a bit of crack too much and the characteristions were really off. Sorry, this is not me fishing for praise or review. Honestly.

Anyways, Enjoy.

Chapter 9

Machiavellian Tendencies

There were three things Elphaba noticed when she woke up. One, she was in bed. Two, she was in bed with Fiyero. And three, she liked it. Elphaba Thropp liked being in bed with Fiyero Tiggular. And it scared the hell out of her. She was ready to bolt; run for the hills and never return. All because she liked the feeling of her ex-boyfriend's arm wrapped securely around her waist and his intoxicating scent that had no adequate descriptors that would do it justice. And in that moment she wanted to run, not only from the moment, but him as well.

"Oz, I hate you," she mumbled to him, but he stirred beside her and she gasped. Had he heard her words? Had he woken? But neither applied to the situation, he had merely stirred and pulled on Elphaba's waist and brought her closer to him, shocking her. She didn't do anything. She froze. It wasn't like to her to do anything like this. She was Elphaba Thropp, with a tongue to match her wit and able to make a man blanch with one look. She was not meant to act lovesick or like the feeling of her ex wrapped around her and she was certainly not meant to think that his actions were a subconscious reaction to her body. No, she denied, he is not in love with me, nor is his body reacting this way to mine. It was a mere coincidence that tugged on my waist...and I am most certainly not in love with him and I will not fall again. How naïve she was to believe this.

XoxoX

"This was certainly...unexpected," Nessa told her sister, "I never thought you two would...recover from your little...mishap."

"Well we did and yeah..." Elphaba scratched her head sheepishly.

"So you two are...?" Nessa asked blushing and heat flooded to Elphaba's cheeks at the insinuation, but didn't deny or confess it, not knowing the answer to the question.

"It's good to see you," Elphaba told her sister sincerely, "how are you and Boq?"

Nessa brightened at the mention to her love's name. "He's wonderful!" she cried turning her wheelchair to face Elphaba, "we've just been getting to know each other more and more and it's just all sorts of wonderful."

"I'm glad you like him," Elphaba said kissing her sister's hairline, "I'm happy for you." And Elphaba genuinely was. Even though Nessa had been showered with affection in their childhood, Elphaba had found love first, which surprised them both. And even though they were always expecting Nessa to find it first, Elphaba did and to this day it still surprises them both.

"Nessa?" A voice called and Elphaba's smiled faded.

"Nessarose?" Frexspar Thropp called throughout the library.

"I better be going," Elphaba stood, "I don't think father would want to see me."

"Oh, Fabala," Nessa cried empathically. "I'm sure father's fine with you getting married and to someone of status," Nessa added proudly.

"I'm not worried about that though..." Elphaba trailed off, "Father's never wanted me to move to the Emerald City, he's wanted me to stay at Colwen Grounds and look after you when you inevitably become Governor."

"But Fabala, you're going to be a Princess," Nessa cried, outraged that her sister would think such a wicked thing about their father, "I'm sure he just wants you to be happy and you're going to be Queen one day."

"Oh Oz," Elphaba moaned she hadn't even thought that far ahead yet. She was just getting used to everyone referring to her as Fiyero's fiancée, she hadn't even thought about the politics yet. She would be the Crown-Princess and inevitable Queen. Oh Oz, what she was going to do?

"What, Fabala?" Nessa asked curiously.

"I'm going to be Queen..." she trailed off, staring blankly into space.

"We established that fact already," Nessa said, "you haven't thought about it?"

Elphaba shook her head.

"Oh..." was all Nessa said and took in her sister's expression. It was full of confusion, anxiety and a tinge of...sadness...? Something's going on...

XoxoX

"Elphie!" Glinda squealed running up towards her friend.

Elphaba winced at her friend's...'Glinda-ness'. "Glin, how many times have I told you," Elphaba said, "inside voice or no voice at all."

"Sorry, Elphie, but I have thrillifying news."

"Thrillifying isn't even a word..." Elphaba muttered.

"Minor details," Glinda waved off, "but guess what? Wait don't guess, I've managed to persuade Lyra into helping me plan the wedding. Isn't that great?"

"No!" Elphaba shuddered; she could only imagine what those two would get up to together...Oh Oz. She could practically taste all the pink and sugar...Oz! "You are not planning my wedding and Fiyero and I haven't even set a date yet and"—she glanced around—"you know it's a sham, then why are you so...exuberant about it?"

"Well, I'm your best friend and even if it pretence, you need to make it look real..." Glinda said and she glanced around making sure no one was in sight, "and if that means I have to pretend to be the doting friend super excited for your wedding. So be it, even if I do hate him..."

Elphaba looked at her friend curiously. "Glin, after all my years of knowing you, I'd like to think I can read you, but one thing has been niggling at her for the past year."

"What, Elphie?"

"Why do you hate, Fiyero?" Elphaba asked, at her friend's curious glance, Elphaba clarified, "I mean more than you did before. I mean, when we first slept together and you found us, you yelled at him a bit and then left, you didn't really care as long as I was happy, but now, you completely...loathe him. Pure unadulterated loathing. So my question is; what did he do?"

Glinda blanched.

One Year and Seven Months Ago

"Glin?" Elphaba sniffled, "why hasn't he come back?"

"I don't know, my pretty," Glinda said smoothing her friend's hair out. This was a new side to Elphaba she'd never seen. In the past week she'd gone through countless tissue boxes and had not moved one inch from her bed. It was a new sight for Glinda to see her friend so weak, helpless and dare she say it...vulnerable. And it nearly made Glinda regret her actions two weeks ago...almost. "I don't know why he hasn't come back, but if he doesn't, so be it. You deserve a lot better than him."

"I know!" Elphaba cried, blowing her nose. "But I still want him, even if he is an ass for some of it. I don't know," Elphaba said flatly her voice void of any emotion. "I don't know Glin. Something just clicked with him, a spark. I honestly never expected it, heck, I didn't expect him to even consider going on a date with me. Me, of all people he could have. He picked me. And I was happy, Glin, I was so happy and this happens and he hasn't returned anything. Calls, messages anything. All he said was, 'take as long as you need' and he was referring to my job! Of all things to worry about, he worries about my job!"

"Yes," Glinda said distractedly, "but, Elphie, you deserve so much better than him. He's an ass."

That did nothing to comfort Elphaba, who only cried harder.

"Oh, Elphie!" Glinda said, small shards of guilt piercing her heart, "listen to me, one day you'll find someone more wonderful than Fiyero and you'll be happy again. You'll see."

"If someone can look past the skin," Elphaba remarked bitterly, "Glin, he was wonderful, he didn't care about the skin. He just...loved me...no pretence, he didn't ask for anything else. He just loved me...and I loved him, I still do."

The guilt was continuing to pile up against Glinda's conscience. "I'm sure you'll make it through. You're strong."

Elphaba gave a humourless laugh. "If I'm so strong, why do I feel so weak? It's the world's twisted sense of irony," she remarked sadistically, "I prided myself on my independence and when life throws me an obstacle I'm a wreck. I don't know what to do anymore, it's like the world has stopped or something and I just...want and need him, Glin. I can't do this alone."

The guilt was threatening to take Glinda under, hearing Elphaba, strong, independent Elphaba talk of needing someone was too much for her. It was something Glinda never expected to hear and it shattered her heart to pieces seeing her friend so broken. And Glinda hated it, Elphaba was meant to be the strong on out of them, the one doing the comforting because Elphaba knew what she was harping on about for half the time. Glinda had not experience in consolation of others, she was inexperienced and it scared her knowing it was up to her to comfort Elphaba. It was up to Glinda to help her friend through this traumatic experience, when she knew it was a lost cause. Glinda knew who should be comforting Elphaba, it was the one person who had vowed never to return. And Glinda hated herself for it.

"Oh, Elphie," Glinda said, needing to make Elphaba and her conscience a great deal better, "you mustn't think that way, Fiyero will come."

Her friend brightened immediately at the prospect. "Really, Glin?" she asked like a small child, "You really think so?"

Glinda chuckled nervously, not wanting to dissipate her friend's happiness yet. The childish glee that shone in Elphaba's eyes made Glinda want to turn the clocks back and revisit that fateful scene. Make it right. Make everything okay.

"Of course," Glinda lied, knowing Fiyero wasn't coming back. Glinda knew it, and she knew why. It was all her fault after all, but she didn't have the heart or courage to tell Elphaba. So she allowed her friend to continue her self-depreciation, allowed her to think it was all her fault; her fault that he left; her fault that she'd lost, when in actuality it was hers. The guilt piled one on top of the other and Glinda wanted nothing, but to apologise to her friend and confess. But she didn't, and Glinda never forgave herself for it.

"I have my reasons, Elphaba," Glinda told her in a tone that clearly said 'drop it'.

Elphaba arched a thin eyebrow, but said nothing. She was always too curious. Although the usage of her full name on Glinda's lips had a foreign ring to her ears.

XoxoX

Frexspar and Melena Thropp were scheming...no, that sounded too...wicked, they were directing a plan. Yes, directing sounded a lot less inconspicuous. They were directing a plan as to how to convince that dim-witted fool of a Prince to drop...no, leave their green daughter for another. He seemed flighty enough, Frex had said and Melena had replied with 'Elphaba's so insecure, a few seeds of insecurity and she'll be running for the hills.'

"Are you this is going to work?" Frex asked worriedly, "because I don't want to be a laughing stock when I return to Munchkinland."

Melena slapped her husband on the forehead. "It's a fool proof plan, a mere child could do it, you dolt!"

"Are you insinuating I am a child?" Frex asked his wife.

"You said it, I didn't," Melena huffed, "but this is fool proof. It's quite simple. Boy meets girl, boy gets engaged to girl, boy meets another girl and leaves previous girl."

Frex thought long and hard about this, to the point where he looked he might pop a vein.

"Don't strain yourself, dear," Melena added the 'dear' patronisingly.

"I'm not," he insisted. "I'm thinking, who will we use though? I mean I don't have many contacts and you...well..." he glanced up and down at his wife. "Aren't exactly the friendliest of creatures..."

"But, dear, I have it all covered," Melena told her husband, "Remember Lacie from the Gillikin?"

"Yes, but isn't she like Gl—Gali—Glinda's third cousin or something?" Frex asked, "wouldn't that be awkward?"

"That's what makes my plan so brilliant though!" Melena cried out, sending a shiver down her husband's spine, "it might be awkward, but she'd very attractive and she's said to be great...if you catch my drift, Frexie-dear."

Frex winced at the nickname his wife had given him during her inhibited state. "One question."

"What?" Melena demanded.

"How are we actually going to get Fiyero to cheat on Elphaba?" Frex asked his wife cautiously, "I mean he must love her an awful lot to be able to stand that verdigris."

"Easy...he's a man, they have needs and you know...Frexie..." Melena drifted off waggling her eyebrows.

"Oh," was all Frex said, "One more question."

"Good Oz!" Melena cried out, "you ask too many questions! Just stick with the freaking plan and deal with it. It's not mission impossible!"

"Yes, what's the plan again?" Frex asked his wife sheepishly.

She slapped his forehead again. Hard. "Fiyero meets Lacie; Fiyero cheats on Elphaba with Lacie. They call off the engagement. It's simplistic; a mere child could conduct this!"

"Yes," a voice called from the doorway. "Scheming against my brother without my assistance, this will certainly not do..." Christopher tsked. "This will not do, everyone knows you need an inside man and I am the man for that..."

"And what do you have to offer?" Melena asked greedily.

"Just insider's knowledge," he offered, "nothing more."

"Oh do, tell..." Melena said.

"Well..." Christopher began.

XoxoX

"What you reading?" Elphaba asked Lyra when in the library. Honestly, she had never seen so many books in her life. The Vinkun Royal family's library could rival the one at Shiz and most likely win in that case. Shelves and shelves were lined with books and all different sorts. Classic literature, encyclopaedias, non-fiction, fiction, science textbooks and so much more, Elphaba would have gladly spent the rest of her days there.

"The Life and Times of the Shameless Sorcerer of the South," Lyra answered not looking up.

"Is it any good?" Elphaba asked, attempting to make conversation, she was never good at small talk.

"It's so depressifying," Lyra complained dragging out the 'depressifying', marking her page.

"What's it about?" Elphaba asked.

"It's about the life of the Sorceress of The South, Elfana Thripp and the trials and tribulations she faced in being the Sorceress of the South."

"Where are you up to?" Elphaba asked, curious as to where this novel was headed.

"Her lover's just died," Lyra marked sadly, "and it was so depressifying, all she saw when she came back is a massive ass pile of blood in the Wheat Exchange! So freaking sad!"

And here Elphaba was thinking she could have a half-intellectual conversation with her. How wrong Elphaba was. "If you hate it so much, why don't you stop reading it?"

"University dictates we must read this," Lyra said. "So I'm listening to what they say," she huffed.

"Okay..." Elphaba said trailing off.

"But enough about me; how are you?" Lyra said brightly and in that perky, bubbly tone that Glinda always used on her.

"I'm fine," Elphaba answered shortly. It was official—she hated small talk.

"Oh..." was all Lyra said and paused before speaking again. "Look I'm sorry about yesterday."

"What do you have to apologise for?" Elphaba asked.

"About asking all those questions about your relationship with my brother, it's just I've never had a meaningful relationship and I want to know what it feels like," Lyra admitted to the green girl.

"No need to apologise for that," Elphaba told her, "I've had worse; you should have seen Glinda's interrogation of me when I started dating him."

Lyra brightened. "I can imagine that," and giggled, "So how do you like Kiamo Ko?"

"It's..." Elphaba looked for the right word, as prolific as she was she couldn't find an adequate descriptor for Kiamo Ko, "...large."

Lyra giggled. "I can imagine it's a new change for you."

Elphaba nodded. "So what are you studying at Shiz?"

"Majoring in Ozian Literature with a minor in politics," she told Elphaba proudly.

"Very good, is Doctor Dillamond still around?" Elphaba asked, thinking fondly of her old History/Life Sciences professor from years ago.

"Yes, that old goat can never stop harping on about the past though," Lyra said.

Elphaba chuckled; Glinda said something similar the first day of classes. Of course she was still known as Galinda then and was a complete ditz.

"It's nice to know he's still there," Elphaba smiled.

"Speaking of nice," Lyra said leaning towards Elphaba, "how's the wedding planning going?"

Elphaba choked. "I haven't really thought about it yet," she answered truthfully.

"What?" Lyra screeched, "how can you not? You're getting married! Every little girl dreams of their wedding day! What girl didn't?"

"Green ones," Elphaba deadpanned.

"Oh, Elphie!" Lyra squealed and Elphaba cringed, apparently she had also adopted that ridiculous nickname Glinda was insistent on. "You musn't think that way, your whole life is about to change!"

"Can you turn the decibels down a bit?" Elphaba asked.

Lyra glanced away sheepishly, "Sorry, I tend to get overexcited a lot."

"I figured," Elphaba muttered to herself.

"I want to find a love like yours and Fiyero," Lyra commented to herself offhandedly.

"Excuse me?" Elphaba asked.

"What?" Lyra asked, "like yours and Fiyero's. It's just all sorts of romantic."

"How?" Elphaba asked dumbly, losing any eloquence she had.

"Have you not seen his face when you walk into the room?" Lyra said.

Elphaba shook her head and Lyra gasped.

"Then I must tell you," Lyra squealed. "It's like the rest of Oz melts away and you're the only thing he's looking at. His eyes light up and you are his entire universe and when he talks about you, he gets this funny look in his eyes as if he's trying to envision you. And you look at him the same way too, except sometimes I think you're trying to mentally undress each other. It's so mystifying to watch and romantic..." Lyra trailed off with a giggle.

"I have to go..." Elphaba said standing hastily and bolting from the room, leaving a very confused Lyra in her wake.

"You're welcome..."

XoxoX

No, Elphaba cried to herself, no, no, no! This wasn't supposed to be happening. She was not meant to look at him in the way Lyra described to her and he certainly was not meant to either. This was only a business deal. Nothing less and certainly nothing more. She was not meant to feel that fluttery excitement in her stomach when he touched her. She was not meant to be thrilled whenever he called her by that damned nickname. And she certainly was not meant to fall in love with him. Again.

She wouldn't allow it. She couldn't. She wouldn't and she shouldn't. So if that is so, why did she want it?

Elphaba ran her hands down her face. This whole façade, pretence, shame, whatever it was, was worth too much effort entirely. But a small insignificant part of her told her otherwise. Needless to say she crushed that part immediately.

Right, that wasn't too horrible was it? I didn't intend for Frex and Melena to be that OOC, but I was very fun to write them like that. Oh, and thanks for all your suggestions. They really helped. Slow updates from now on...too much bloody schoolwork.

DhampyrX2, thanks for the idea. I'll keep it in mind.

Confusifyed Lady, love you lots and lots too Miri! I think slow updates from now on...too much bloody school work!

FlorenceAndTheMachineFan, thanks for the wonderful review. I hope you enjoy the rest of the story.

Larri

smiles

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