Disclaimer: See first chapter.

A/N: A very belated Happy Birthday to Dee. Sorry, I took so long. In honour of the event, I have decided to ditch the angst originally planned for this chapter.

A/N: Also, particular thanks to twilighterjf4eva for all the lovely reviews left last week.

14. Activist

"I just don't know how to behave."

Fiyero laughed. "Then don't. I much prefer it when you misbehave."

Elphaba glared at him, her lips pressed firmly together. "All right, I'll rephrase. I don't know how to act around you. I'm not very good at this sort of thing."

Her words were swallowed by the thick forest and Fiyero stepped towards her, alarmed when she stepped further from him, wringing her hands.

"What?" she asked, her eyes wide with fear. "What's the matter with you?"

Fiyero raised his eyebrows. "I could ask you the same. Who did this to you?"

"Did what to me?"

"Made you physically recoil when your personal space gets a little crowded?"

Elphaba scoffed. "I'll give you three guesses." She shivered in the cold night air and smiled to herself as she realised this must be what girls did at Shiz to make their boyfriends hand over their jackets.

"Are you cold?"

Elphaba nodded and expected (as he had no jacket to give) the feel of his arms around her. She was somewhat disheartened by his announcement that he would light a fire.

"I'm sorry," she said quietly.

"For what?"

"Lots of things. Everything. Nothing."

Fiyero frowned but said nothing and turned his attention to the small pile of dry twigs he was trying to set alight with the flame from the lantern she had thrust upon him. They refused to light and he sighed irritably.

"Presumably a wicked witch knows how to play with fire?"

Elphaba blinked, startled from her reverie. "Oh, of course. I'm sorry."

"Would you do something for me?"

She nodded.

"Would you stop apologising for things you have no control over? It infuriates me."

Elphaba blushed. "Sorry. I mean, yes. I mean, no. I mean…what's it you anyway? I didn't ask you to follow me. You don't have to be here. If I annoy you that much, go home!"

Fiyero only laughed softly. "You don't infuriate me. The habit infuriates me and the habit is a learned behaviour. That's not your fault. That's the fault of everyone who ever made you apologise for your existence or made you feel small; your father, your sister, my friends, me. So you know what, maybe I should be the one who's apologising. I'm sorry."

Stunned, Elphaba only nodded.

"Now, please, before I slowly freeze to death, could you do something with my twigs?"

"Your twigs?" Elphaba smiled at him, her dark eyes twinkling as Fiyero's eyes popped at the sight of a fireball in her hand, illuminating her skin and making it appear lime green.

She knelt in front of the fire, pulling her cloak around her.

"I thought you were cold," she said.

"How can you stand the burning?" Fiyero asked, kneeling beside her. "Doesn't it hurt?"

"Not anymore. You get used to it. I don't keep it there long." She grinned. "Oh, and what's all this about behaviour patterns?"

"Believe it or not, I managed to pass Philosophy."

"You switched?"

He nodded. "After you left I didn't have anyone to get the answers from."

Elphaba rolled her eyes.

"And truth be told, I couldn't stand Nikidik. I didn't like his ideas so I told him and after I wrote a paper about Animal rights, we didn't really see eye to eye."

Elphaba laughed. "I can't imagine you as an activist."

"No. No-one could. I think that's why he was so shocked."

"Well, at least now I know why you came with me."

Fiyero sighed. "Because I'm an activist? Silly girl. I came with you because I love you."