'Ello there.

I wanted to address the issue of Elphaba's rape. I recieved quite a few reviews from people not seeing how she could simply have sex with Fiyero so soon after. Basically, there was nothing simple about it. I tried to explain some of her thoughts in this chapter, but I also wrote an extra scene, which I posted seperatly. It's rated M and titled 'Promise Me'. It's a very mild M, but I still felt like it deserved the rating.

Of course, it's fine if you don't read that. I repeated some sentiments here. I hope it helps clear up the issues.

Also, any Idina Menzel fans may notice that chapter titles won't neccesarily still be from her song If I Told You... because really, that song isn't very long at all. Though that's a very minor detail. This chapter's title came from her newest album, from the song: Don't Let Me Down.

Hope this clears some things up, happy reading.

He'd promised her that he wouldn't go anywhere, and he hadn't. When she woke up, he was already awake, watching her. "Good morning," she said, her voice rough with sleep.

"I think it's closer to night." He was smiling, though.

"You shouldn't have let me sleep so long," she said. She sat up, finding Fiyero's discarded shirt, pulling it on. It fell to her thighs, just long enough to allow for her to have some modesty.

He fought the urge to smile- the whiteness of his shirt contrasted prettily against her skin and hair. It was nice to see her as herself, not acting, not pretending. "I think my mother left some clothes out here last time she came with my father. One of her dresses'll be loose on you, but it should work." He poked through the closet, finding a deep plum dress, tossing it toward her. "I shouldn't give it to you, I should force you to stay in nothing but my shirt."

"Funny," she said, pulling the dress on. It was loose, but better than nothing.

He was still watching her. "It's odd seeing you dressed like yourself- I've gotten so used to seeing you in men's clothing."

She rolled her eyes. "Put some clothes on." It was nice for it to be easy like this. It was nice not having to think about anything at all, least of all the pain of the previous night. She wasn't ready to think about that, not yet. She much preferred to pretend it hadn't happened. She knew that in the long run repressing the fact that she had been raped would only hurt her, but for the moment she could just think about Fiyero. He loved her. He wasn't going to hurt her. It was easy to think about the tender way he had touched her that morning, so concerned about her.

"C'mon, you have to be hungry. I know you haven't eaten in the past two days." He slid his arm around her shoulders, hoping there was still food in the pantry.

The white living room was still pristine- the entire apartment looked more like a museum than an actual dwelling. It was all very still, undisturbed... except for the fact that it was. Elphaba heard herself yelp, "What in Oz are you doing here?"

It wasn't a robber, it wasn't the gang of men who had attacked her. Both of those might have made more sense. It was Yackle. "Are you really so surprised to see me, Dolly?"

Fiyero watched, his grip on Elphaba tightening. "Fae, who is this?"

"Yackle. The woman who sent me off to Shiz." Her eyes narrowed. "Unless you have a more accurate description for yourself."

"No, your explanation will do, my pretty." She stepped closer, inspecting them. "Perfect. Or almost. Your destiny is almost back on track, you here in the city. And with him. Yes, everything is almost on track. It's all happened perfectly."

"It would've been more perfect if you'd been where I thought you would be. I needed help!" Fiyero stroked her hair. It was disconcerting to see her crack a little, see a little bit of the pain she had been suppressing crack through. He lightly kissed her temple, and she relaxed an inch.

"Needed to happen, I'm afraid. But you're strong, you'll be alright. Can't be everywhere at once, dearie. Can't baby-sit you. I'm not your Ama. Destiny is my business, and as long as you get where you need to be, I shan't interfere. There will be pain along the way."

Elphaba was more than annoyed now. "Why do you care, anyway? What's all of this destiny? What are you even talking about?" She pushed her hair out of her face. "Why do I listen to you? You're just an old biddy, probably gone mad years ago."

Yackle wasn't phased. "Be nice now, dear. You'll see in time." She gestured toward the corner of the room. A large, old broom was propped up against the wall. "Though you'll want that. That'll be a big part of what you're to become."

"A broom? So I'm to be a maid? Sweeping? Surely I don't need a guide to my destiny if all it is, is to clean." But all the same, she broke free of Fiyero's embrace and grabbed the broom's handle. She squeezed it, feeling odd. She quickly dropped it, leaning it back against the wall.

"The broom isn't for cleaning. You'll see, my pretty." She touched Elphaba's shoulder. "Promise you'll be keeping the broom. I will be going." But she lingered, approaching Fiyero. She looked at him hard, lifting his chin with an old, bony hand. "Pity what has to happen." Fiyero shook his head, pulling away.

She let herself out, Fiyero locking the door behind her. "Pity what has to happen?" Elphaba whispered, shivering. She hadn't liked the way Yackle had inspected Fiyero, not at all.

"Nothing's going to happen to me, Fae." He sat down on the couch, his arms open to her. She quickly went to him, letting him pull her into his lap.

"Fiyero, I'm nothing but bad luck. Maybe... maybe you should go? Yero, if something were to happen to you-"

"Stop. Stop it now. I'm not going anywhere, not without you." He hugged her a little tighter. "You're not alright, are you?"

"I'm fine," she lied.

"No you're not. Fae, you were raped. You shouldn't be alright."

She looked away. "It doesn't hurt if I don't think about it. I'm fine if I just think about you."

He kissed her forehead. "I'm not going anywhere," he promised her, again and again. "I don't care about destiny. If it involves being apart from you, I don't want it."