DISCLAIMER: Wicked is not mine.

14

It had been ten days.

Ten days since he'd broken up with Glinda, since she'd left, since the truth had come out. Ten days that Fiyero had experienced some semblance of what he'd been thinking about for so long- what it was like to be dating Elphaba Thropp. What it was like to be with a girl that you were completely in love with.

Of course, it could be argued that they weren't dating. Actually, it had been argued many times and every time Fiyero was forced to concede defeat. But it sounded so much nicer than the truth.

The breakup continued to be news, with the press circulating either one or two stories- either claiming that Fiyero had gotten cold feet; or that they had simply argued and Glinda had left in a huff. Either ways, everyone seemed to be betting that eventually the couple would reunite. And it was this certainty that made Fiyero glad Elphaba and he had not gone public.

They were all out in town this afternoon, although doing their own thing. Elphaba had promised to have lunch with Julyan to discuss Smell the Sparkle and go over the changes and notes she had made on the plotline Julyan had painstakingly written out for her. Nessa and Boq had decided to take in the matinee of Ondine, as both had completely loved the play. And Fiyero had reluctantly agreed to play tennis with the visiting son of the Prime Minister of Ugabu, who was around his age.

Boq, Elphaba and Julyan had all insisted they would pay money to watch this take place, and Fiyero had scowled at them all furiously.

"Why did it have to be tennis? I hate tennis," he grumbled, staring around at the street outside the restaurant. "Why not softball or rowing? Oz, I'd take cricket over tennis."

"Cricket?" Boq asked.

"It's big in Ugabu," Fiyero answered absently.

"Ooh, water polo!" Julyan said, his eyes lighting up.

"Water polo?" Nessa wrinkled her nose.

"What? Water polo players are hot," Julyan shrugged. Then he eyed Fiyero carefully. "Maybe not water polo."

Fiyero glared at his friend.

Then he stared at Elphaba. "Shouldn't you be… defending me here or something?"

"Why? We're not dating," Elphaba grinned at him.

"No… but you love me," Fiyero countered, lowering his voice.

Elphaba's head immediately whipped around to make sure no one was in earshot. "What's your point?" she retorted.

"Thanks for your support, Fae," he grumbled and then got to his feet. "Ok, I'm off to play tennis. I'll meet you back here afterwards?"

"How long does it take to play tennis?" Elphaba asked, checking the time.

"When you play as bad as I do? Not long at all," he grinned.

"We should probably get going too," Nessa spoke up, referring to her and Boq. "I want to get a program before the show starts."

They all went their separate ways, promising to meet up again when they were all done. As predicted, Fiyero's game didn't take long. He was back an hour later, where he found Elphaba sitting alone at the table, drinking iced tea.

"Where's Jules?" he greeted her, taking a seat.

"He said he was going to the bathroom, but that was forty-five minutes ago, so I'm pretty sure he's just flirting with the waiter," Elphaba replied dryly. "How was your game?"

"I hate tennis."

She laughed. "You got beaten."

"That was no surprise," Fiyero grumbled.

"You really got beaten," she amended.

"Miserably," Fiyero confirmed. "Oz, I wish it'd been rowing."

"Because you would have won then?" Elphaba asked sceptically.

"I'd have had more of a chance," Fiyero corrected her.

"So, what would you have had to play to win?"

"I'm good at softball," Fiyero shrugged. "And any sport not played typically in summer. How's Smell the Sparkle coming?"

She wrinkled her nose. "Despite the title, which he refuses to even consider changing, it's coming along, I think. Leeyiro and Julek are gone."

"Thank Oz for that," Fiyero sighed in relief.

They were interrupted as a waitress approached and asked if Fiyero wanted anything. He immediately ordered a chocolate milkshake and a hamburger and fries. As the waitress left, he turned back to Elphaba.

"What is it now?"

"The names? Leeyiro is now Mael. Julek is Savio and the love interest is Tajana."

"Nice. Your pick?"

"Not Savio. It means 'bright'. Julyan couldn't find a male name that means 'glitter' or 'sparkle', so we compromised."

Fiyero chuckled dryly. "I'm shocked there's no male name that means 'glitter'."

Elphaba laughed lightly as the waitress brought Fiyero's food over.

"What does your name mean?" she asked curiously, as he began to eat.

Fiyero swallowed his mouthful of fries before answering. "'Burning light'. Yours?"

Elphaba shrugged. "Well, I'm actually named after Saint Aelphaba, which means 'noble'."

Fiyero's eyes narrowed slightly at her, as she reached over and took some fries from his plate.

"Are you sure it doesn't mean 'thief'? Get your own fries."

"I did. I ate them half an hour ago, while you were losing at tennis," she grinned at him. Fiyero rolled his eyes.

Julyan looked very smug as he returned to the table and resumed his seat.

"Hey, Yero. Did you lose? Of course you did. How's the Prime Minister's son? Is he hot?"

"You always ask me that," Fiyero complained. "How am I supposed to know?"

"You have eyes, don't you?"

Elphaba smoothly interjected. "Do you want to hear about the other changes we made to the show?"

Fiyero sighed. "Sure. What did you decide on the rival gang thing? Is it in or out?"

As he ate, Julyan and Elphaba walked him through the revised plot. Fiyero thought it sounded great, and even Julyan admitted it was much improved.

"All thanks to Elphaba," he gushed, beaming at the green girl. "She's brilliant."

"You don't need to tell me that," Fiyero said, and Elphaba shifted uncomfortably in her seat.

"Shut up."

Fiyero and Julyan grinned at one another.

After the show ended, Nessa and Boq rejoined them, Nessa insisting the show was even better the second time around.

"Do we have plans for tonight?" Boq asked, as they slowly began to return to the castle.

"I want to storyboard the show so I can start writing the first draft," Julyan said excitedly. "So, I'll have to love you and leave you all I'm afraid."

"Once you get a free dinner out of us," Fiyero said dryly.

"Naturally. El, can you help with the storyboard?"

"Storyboard how?"

"Just like, working out where all the songs will go," Julyan explained.

"I think that's more a you thing," Elphaba said. "Sorry. I don't think I'd be any help with the music side of the musical."

"Fair enough," Julyan shrugged. "Ugh," he said, looking over his shoulder at a man who passed them.

"What?" Nessa asked in alarm, looking in the same direction. "What is it?"

"Did you see the jacket that guy was wearing?" Julyan demanded in a low voice. "I bet you a straight, unsassy guy designed that jacket. It's so displeasing to the eye."

"I'm more concerned that he's wearing a jacket in July," Elphaba countered.

Fiyero chuckled. "So, back on topic. What are we doing tonight? Or are we just going to critique people's fashion choices?"

"Whilst that is always fun," Julyan grinned, "I am going to be working. So please don't do anything fun without me!"

"See, now I'm just tempted to do something really awesome."

Elphaba elbowed Fiyero in the ribs. "Any ideas?"

"Doesn't Boq owe us a Scrabble rematch?" Nessa asked her sister.

Elphaba's face lit up as Boq and Fiyero groaned. "Oh, yeah!"

The Scrabble rematch dated back to the Lurlinemas of their second year at Shiz, when they had all been at the Upland's mansion for the holidays. During a heavy snowstorm one night, desperately bored, Glinda had pulled out a Scrabble board. Elphaba had won, with Boq a very close second. Boq had insisted upon a rematch, which had yet to be held.

"Why a rematch?" Julyan asked curiously.

Nessa laughed. "I think he was trying to impress Glinda with his wide vocabulary," she teased the Munchkin, who blushed and didn't deny it.

"I just forgot Elphaba's vocabulary is utterly ridiculous," he muttered, and the others laughed.

"Do you have Scrabble?" Elphaba asked Fiyero.

"Probably," Fiyero shrugged. "I'll check. So… really? We're going to spend a Sunday night playing Scrabble?"

"Yes," Elphaba and Nessa answered in unison.

"Can we bet on the game?" Fiyero answered after a beat.

"That depends. Who are you betting is going to win?" Elphaba asked.

"You, of course," Fiyero grinned.

She laughed. "Then, sure. Bet away."

"What are the stakes?" Boq asked, resigned to his fate and probably to his loss.

They debated the possible stakes all the rest of the way to Kiamo Ko, only stopping as they saw a carriage parked near the castle doors.

"Visitors don't usually park there," Fiyero frowned.

Elphaba stopped in her tracks, her face paling.

"Fabala?" Nessa asked worriedly. "What is it?"

"The- the crest. On the carriage. It's the Upland's crest," Elphaba said faintly. Her eyes found Fiyero. "Glinda's here."

Fiyero hastened his pace towards the carriage to more closely examine the crest on the carriage doors. Sure enough, it was the Uplands.

The five of them were silent as they stood in the driveway.

"What do you think she's doing here?" Nessa finally asked, her voice hushed as though Glinda could hear them.

"I don't know… it can't be good, can it?" Boq asked, looking at them helplessly.

"Maybe she wants to talk?" Nessa suggested hopefully. "This is all over the press, probably all over Oz by now. Maybe she wants to… work out a statement? Make peace?"

"Or she has more shoes to throw at Fiyero," Julyan piped up.

"Well, we're not going to find out standing in the driveway," Elphaba said quietly. "Come on."

She led the way inside, and they hovered awkwardly in the foyer.

"Let's try the drawing room," Fiyero muttered, and led the way. "It's usually where they take the visitors."

Sure enough, as they approached the drawing room, they could hear voices from within. Almost subconsciously, Elphaba dropped back so she was standing next to Nessa and away from Fiyero. He looked at her sorrowfully, but she refused to meet his gaze. Nessa slipped her hand into her sister's and gestured for Fiyero to lead them into the room.

Elphaba's stomach clenched as they entered the room and everyone turned to them. Emyr and Malika were at the front of the room, both looking grave. The king stood before the mantle, pacing; as the queen looked up at him. Glinda's father was sitting in an armchair, with a drink in his hands, while his wife sat on a loveseat, looking more serious than Elphaba had ever seen her.

And sitting next to her mother, was Glinda. She looked tired and pale, and her eyes looked rather red and swollen. Her gaze drifted over Fiyero and she locked eyes with Elphaba, and her lips thinned.

"Fiyero, could we have a word, please?" Emyr broke the uncomfortable silence that was filling the room and suffocating them all.

Fiyero raised an eyebrow slightly in surprise. "Er… sure."

Malika looked past Fiyero to the others. "Could you give us a moment, please?"

"Of course," Julyan said immediately.

The four of them retreated out of the room, and Boq carefully shut the door to the drawing room behind them all.

"That was weird," Boq said quietly. "Now what?"

"Now, we listen," Julyan replied.

"Listen? How? You mean eavesdrop?" Nessa asked in disapproval.

"Of course. Watch."

Julyan led them slightly down the hall and knelt down, opening the air vent that was set very low on the wall it was almost on the ground. After a moment, they heard voices drift into the hallway.

Elphaba, Nessa and Boq turned to Julyan in surprise, who shrugged.

"Yero and I used to listen in to all sorts of stuff as kids," he explained, and then hushed them all so they could hear.

Boq leaned in, and whilst Nessa still looked reluctant, she didn't protest. Elphaba, however, was content to pace the hall restlessly. She didn't know why Glinda was here, but she agreed with Boq- it couldn't be good.

Emyr's voice echoed into the hall from the air vent. "Have a seat, Fiyero."

"Hello, Mr Upland. Mrs Upland," came Fiyero's awkward reply. "Hi, Glinda."

"Fiyero," replied Mrs Upland coolly.

"Did you have a good journey?"

Elphaba resisted the urge to groan at Fiyero's question.

"Fine, thank you."

"Well, we may as well cut to the chase," Malika spoke. "Glinda?"

"Right," came Glinda's voice after a moment. Elphaba thought she sounded nervous. "You're probably surprised to see me."

"Yeah," Fiyero agreed. "You- you've seen the press, then?"

"We have, but that's not why we're here," Mr Upland cut in sternly. "Glinda, tell him."

There was another silence, probably only a second or two, but for those in the hall listening, it seemed to stretch for an eternity. Elphaba was still pacing restlessly, her stomach churning. Until Glinda spoke again, three words that made the air stand still.

"Fiyero, I'm pregnant."

AN. I'm sorry. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so sorry.