AN: For some reason, this has been easiest to update. I promise a new chapter of "If I'd Known" soon enough. The others are a bit stuck, but they should be moving along any day now… I hope.

Chapter Ten: Stubborn

"It's a long way back," Boq commented, trying with difficulty to break the awkward silence in the carriage that had been there for what seemed like longer than the three hours since they'd started out.

"Yes, it is." Glinda agreed, glaring at Elphaba, who was sitting next to Fiyero rather than her. She resented having to sit next to Boq.

"Glinda…" Elphaba began. "You can deal with it."

"No I can't!"

"I'll sit next to you for the ride tomorrow."

"I don't think so. You'll choose him again. I wouldn't let you sit next to me tomorrow if you wanted to!" Her face reddened when she thought she caught Boq trying to smile discreetly. "I can't believe you sometimes, Elphie."

Elphaba opened her mouth to speak, though found no words to defend herself with.

Boq pouted, offended that Glinda did not wish to sit next to him. "I frankly don't mind."

Both girls glared at him.

"Sorry." He said meekly.

Elphaba sighed and sat back, staring idly out the window. "This is going to be a long ride."

Fiyero was smiling lightly, glad Elphaba had chosen to sit next to him. However, there were times when he wished to reach over and touch her face or shoulders and he knew he could not. She had never directly answered his proposition as to whether or not she would be his girlfriend, and so he kept his distance. "It might be. It might not be." He tried for hopefulness.

She returned his smile gratefully, though her words stayed negative. "It'll take nothing short of a miracle to keep this ride from being incredibly boring." Partly she wished she'd just sat next to Glinda. Her rashness and out-of-character actions had caused more commotion than she'd thought and she regretted not thinking twice when she had stepped into the carriage second, just after Fiyero.

Glinda spoke up, "You're right about that because I refuse to speak with you."

Elphaba sat up straight, "Glinda, don't be ridiculous!"

"I'm not being ridiculous. I'm being perfectly reasonable."

"You're never reasonable." Retorted Elphaba.

"Am too!"

"Are not."

"Am too!"

"Girls!" Boq put a hand on Glinda's shoulder, removing it quickly when she looked at him angrily. "Oops."

"Nice one, Boq." Elphaba commented.

Glinda's eyes narrowed at him and Boq's cheeks reddened. "I didn't mean to…"

"We know, Boq." Elphaba grinned, enjoying the tension. It looked like she'd get some sort of entertainment after all.

Late that night, when they'd stopped at a hotel (once again with one room and two beds) for rest, as Boq and Glinda slept, Fiyero decided to have a whispered conversation with Elphaba. "So?" He approached her as she sat, staring out the window at the dark sky. She'd been awake all night, as had he, for they'd both slept more during the carriage ride.

She twitched a little because she hadn't expected him to once again be awake. "So what?"

"So, will you be my girlfriend?" Though he was speaking in a whisper, he became considerably quieter when asking her this.

"Are you rushing me?" She tried to tease.

"No. I…"

"I know. I never really acknowledged your question much before, aside from repeating it and then ignoring it."

He nodded. "Well?"

"Well, I don't know." She answered honestly. "I'm not really 'girlfriend' material."

Fiyero shrugged. "That doesn't matter."

"Doesn't it?"

He shook his head. "Not at all."

"How can I be your 'girlfriend' when I don't even know how?"

Her admission of her lack of knowledge on this subject seemed odd to him. For some reason, she'd seemed to know everything, though it would only make sense that she knew nothing about this sort of relationship, for he got the feeling she'd been alone most of her life in that particular way. "There is no proper way to be in a relationship. We can figure things out as we go," he offered.

"I really just don't know, Fiyero. I've never really been in a relationship and maybe now isn't the time for me to be."

"Please?" He begged.

She raised her eyebrows. "Why?"

"Because I want you to be my girlfriend. Why else?"

"Because you're crazy."

"You've told me that at least once already."

"And I'll tell you a thousand times."

"It won't change my mindset."

"You're stubborn, aren't you?" She asked, surprised.

"Just as stubborn as you are, in a way." He admitted.

"You don't seem like you're very stubborn," she observed.

"Well, I'm only stubborn with things I care about."

She was quiet.

"I mean it, Elphaba."

"Thanks."

He knew she wasn't one to thank a person for their admission of caring. "Huh?"

"For saying my full name instead of that pathetic little nickname."

"I do care about you. I want you to know that."

"And I want you to know that I will never, ever understand why."

He laughed. "Well, maybe you don't need to. As long as you can return those feelings…"

She shifted uncomfortably in her chair. "Fiyero…" With a sigh, she cut herself off.

"What?" He prodded.

"I'm not… a caring person. I never have been. I don't want you to expect me to be someone I'm not."

"I don't."

"Then what do you expect?"

"I'm not sure. I figure you'll surprise me. You always do."

"Is that such a good thing?"

"Most of the time."

Gracing him with a smile that he saw even through the darkness, she said, "I guess that's all right, then."

"So, will you?"

"Fiyero, don't."

"No, I want to know."

"You're pushing it."

"Sometimes I think you need to be pushed, Elphaba."

"Maybe I do, maybe I don't."

"Will you?"

She shook her head, but not to indicate a negative answer, but to express how incredulous she felt that she was saying a positive one. "Yes."