A/N: Elphaba-thropp- my story is getting hott? Yours are, like, woah. Anyway, yes, you can guess, they get "closer", heh heh. Gradually of course… just wait until chapter nine 

Kennedy Leigh (totally forgot the rest of it, and what I typed might already be wrong) – I know what you mean. Remember, this was before Fiyero. And we all have Fiyeraba complexes… which is why I have two other's based on: 1) if he'd lived that night he followed Elphie, and 2) if he and Elphie and figured out they were in love back at Shiz. That would be complicated… which is why I have a one page beginning and then I skip god only knows how much and start from the middle. Once I can piece that together, I'll post it, too. But, it's nice to think that those three months with Yero weren't the only time in her life that she had love, isn't it?

CHAPTER FOUR: Distractions

Though they'd gotten closer, and were near each other more often (which neither of them complained about), Elphaba kept her suspicious eyes on Madikien, who, more often than not, was watching her anyway. The only times he'd leave were, he told her, to get a drink with Jansied, which occurred once or twice a week. She considered following him, knowing Yackle would tell her to if she were there, but she felt that she was betraying him if she did, so she didn't follow him even once.

One night when Madikien had gone out, she was mercilessly trying to chase one of the last rats out of the building and she heard voices outside his window. She couldn't hear what they were saying but she recognized Madikien's voice immediately. It took her a moment to realize the other was Jansied. Quietly, she crept closer to the window, forgetting about the rat for the moment, and listened

"You're telling me that you have no information about anything?" Jansied's voice echoed through the room.

"It's not as if you do!" Madikien argued, keeping his tone lower – knowing, perhaps, that she might be able to hear?

"We have to have something to report!"
"I'll find an excuse…" Madikien's voice lowered even more and for a short time Elphaba couldn't make out his words.

"Fine. That'll do for a while. A few months, at least. After that, I want out of this damned project."

"I don't."

"Why? If we get no where by then, there's nowhere to go from here in a few months."

Madikien didn't answer him.

"Tell me, what's so important that you'd want to stay on this project longer, Madikien?"

Madikien once again didn't respond.

"What in Oz are you hiding from me?"

"Nothing…"

"We are partners, remember? I'm supposed to be watching over you, but how am I supposed to do that when I have no idea what's going on?"

"Would you shut up?" Madikien's voice rose.

"Why? Who's going to hear us?"

Elphaba supposed Madikien had made some sort of motion in the direction of her window.

"That thing? It's not like she's trying to hear us. And so what if she does? We could find a way to make her keep quiet."

"You'll regret even thinking that, Jansied…"

"Oh, I see your reason now." Jansied accused. "It's that strange ugly green woman. Hell. I wouldn't even call her a woman. What are you, blind? Don't tell me you've been stupid enough to fall for something that looks like - "

"Don't say another word! I mean it, Jansied. And I'm warning you that it might not be the greatest wisest idea to test that." Madikien's anger was obvious in the volume of his words. He was so loud that even Elphaba jumped a little.

"You're not stupid enough to hit me. I am the one who's reporting on how you're doing. I'm older than you - "

"Stop holding that over my head, for Oz's sake! Have you forgotten that I'm stronger than you? You're only older than me by five years; don't act like you can control me. Besides…" Madikien's words were soft, and as much as she struggled to hear them, his voice was indistinct.

"Fine, fine." Jansied said. "Whatever your reason may be, it better be good. I'll keep this to myself for now, but if you do anything more out of line…"

"Good night, Jansied." Madikien cut him off with finality. Elphaba then heard him climbing up the window.

She scurried around trying to find something to make it look like she hadn't been listening. But she was only one step out of the way when he came in.

"Elphaba…" As soon as he saw her, he knew she'd heard.

Though she was fuming with anger, she held her temper, and said, almost inaudibly, "What was that about?"

"Why were you listening?"

"You left the window open and I was trying to catch that damned rat and it ran in here. I couldn't help but hear most of that. You two were a bit loud."

"I figured." For once, he was the one afraid to meet her eyes. He took a deep breath before trying to explain, "Jansied and I are… working on something else for Haladean, which is what I've really been doing when I'm gone…"

"Why couldn't you have told me this?"

"The same reason you don't tell me anything that you have to do for Yackle. We were supposed to be gathering information from servants of the Wizard. And, as you heard, we haven't gotten anywhere. Jansied is understandably frustrated. He wants to beg off of the assignment."

It sounded weird to her ears, but it was possible she was being overly cautious, and suddenly she didn't want to know whether or not he was lying anyway. "Okay."

"Did you hear…?"

"The comment about me? Yes, I did."

"Elphaba, he doesn't know what he's - "

"Maybe he does." She cut him off quietly and turned away. "Maybe he's right."

"Please don't think that." Carefully, he came up behind her and put his hands on her waist, turning her to face him. "People can be stupid sometimes. Don't listen to what anyone else says; they don't matter. All that matters is how you see yourself."

"And how you see me?" Her voice dropped softly and she looked at him, her cheeks darkening a little – or was that just a trick of the light on her soft, supple green skin?

"Even that doesn't matter." He told her.

"It does to me." Elphaba responded without thinking. No sooner were the words out of her mouth then she realized how terribly fragile and defenseless she seemed at that moment. All her guards were down. She felt as though he could see everything, and that, because he could see it all, he also held the power in his hands to destroy everything. And that could only lead to pain.

He pulled her closer and kissed the top of her head. "Well you don't have to worry about that, then. I don't just think you're beautiful, I know you are." He whispered, kissing her forehead, each of her eyelids. "I know you are." And he tilted her chin up gently, so she could see in his eyes that he meant what he was saying, and kissed her, one hand still beneath her chin, the other grasping her waist.

When they let go a moment later, Madikien moved away and began a fire in the fireplace. She only cocked her head. "What are you starting a fire for? It's late, the air has been warmer and you won't bother to rekindle it while you're sleeping."

"Who said anything about sleeping?" He sat down near the fire. "Come here, please? Sit and watch the fire with me. Stay with me tonight. You can sleep tomorrow during the day."

She bit her lip hesitantly.

"Just sit here with me, please." He begged.

She didn't trust herself to sit with him that long and not pull away, but she stayed anyway. In the end, pulling away didn't become a problem, for in less than an hour, she'd fallen asleep as he held her, happy just looking at the fire hitting her skin. The night was peaceful and all was quiet. Nothing disturbed her sleep.

When she woke, the fire had long since died out and Madikien had rested his head against one of the chairs and fallen asleep. It was barely morning. Birds had only just begun to chirp and it was still moderately dark. In the early morning light, she saw the rat crawling on the floor just across from her.

"What the…?" Madikien drowsily looked at Elphaba, who had pulled out of his arms to go after the rat. As he woke up some more and realized what he was seeing, he laughed.

"I'm sorry I woke you, but I am not letting this thing dart around the room anymore." She had the rat by the tail and it was desperately trying to claw and snap at her. "It wouldn't surprise me if this was the one that bit me." The rat squeaked at her and she almost dropped it. "Oh, no you don't! What am I going to do with you?" She shook her head as she looked at the rat. "I don't want to kill it."

"Put it outside." He was still laughing.

"Not within ten yards of this place!"

Almost choking on his laughter, he said, "Do something with it! The sight of you sitting there hanging that thing by it's tail is killing me."

She glared at him for a moment and he was nervous he'd offended her somehow, but then her face broke out into a grin. The rat still dangling from its tail, she thrust it in his direction. "You do something with it, then."

"If it pleases you," he said, taking it from her and hopping out the window.

She watched from the window as he walked what he figured to be about ten yards and put the rat down. The rat snapped at him as he was placing in on the ground and Madikien turned and ran. It didn't follow him more than a foot and when Madikien was inside again, they were both laughing.

When he stopped laughing and caught his breath, he looked at her. "That thing almost bit me!"

She only laughed. "It's vicious, I tell you. None of the other rats were so hard to get rid of. All I had to do was chase them a little and they scurried out the door." She moved to rekindle the fire; it was still cold.

"If, somehow, there are any more of them in this place, we are going to find a better way to deal with them."

"Why?" She asked, sitting back down. "I thought that was incredibly amusing; you half jumped out of your skin!" She teased, nudging him. "It actually bit me and I didn't even jump like that."

"You were half asleep. Besides, you didn't even know it was there until it bit you anyway, so you couldn't have jumped." He protested.

"Whatever you say." She got up again to go into her own room. "I need actual sleep. You need sleep, too, probably more than I do. Wake me if you're up by mid afternoon and I'm not."

"Sure thing."

Elphaba stared up at the skylight, considering everything she'd been told to do, the things she'd done and the things that she hadn't. She couldn't separate how she really felt from what she had to feel, if there was any difference, that is. One of her main concerns was that she was no longer in complete control of the relationship, whatever that relationship might be. Though she knew she had more control than he did, she was uncomfortable with him having any control. It wasn't safe for anyone but her to set every boundary, make every move. If she gave up such authority, she knew that she would be more susceptible to emotions getting in the way of everything she worked at, and she was already much to open to that as it was. But how could she control and lead this when she wasn't sure she knew where she wanted it to go?

Yackle had told her that she could best get information by giving him what he wanted. However, part of Elphaba no longer wanted t know what side Madikien was on. But that was what she wanted, not what would help the cause. Though, she wondered if maybe, if Madikien was on the other side, maybe she could talk him out of it and he'd stay on their side. But what was she thinking? He wasn't going to give up his connections to high places and all of his friends that he had on that side just because she asked him to. There was no way that she mattered that much to him, and she'd rather it be that way. Nevertheless, the question still remained: if she didn't care, then why did she want so badly for him to stay?

She didn't even know anything anymore. Things would just go how they went, as long as no one else was controlling them. Yawning, she decided to forget her feelings for the moment and go to sleep.

She woke up first. Taking the opportunity, she silently closed the door and rubbed coconut oil on her skin. The black dress was tossed in the sink to be washed and she pulled on her only skirt and blouse – both black. Telling herself she was only doing so because she had nothing better to do, she silently snuck into Madikien's room.

He was asleep when she entered and she didn't wake him. Instead, she started a fire (the winter months were almost over, but it seemed they always came back) and took a few moments just to look around the room. She hadn't given enough thought to the idea of searching the room. But where in this barren little room would Madikien hide anything? And what was there to hide?

Her eyes on Madikien to make sure he didn't stir, she checked all of the obvious places: under the bed, in the drawer of the bedside table, on the shelves. But there was nothing. She'd have to check again next time he went out with Jansied. Sighing, she decided she'd go back to her room.

She flopped onto the bed, intending just to sit and think for a few minutes. From the skylight, she could see it was only a little past noon. It was surprising to find that she was still a little tired…

"Wake up, sleeping beauty." Madikien called from his room, she could hear him moving around.

Elphaba grabbed her current book and wandered into his room. "Hi," she muttered, rubbing her eyes. With a glance out the window, she figured she couldn't have been sleeping for much more than an hour – two at the most. "Have you been awake long?"

"Only a few minutes. How're you feeling?" He was sitting at the edge of the bed looking at her.

She sat on the opposite side, preferring the headboard to lean back against while she read. "Fine." Already she had her pointed little nose stuck in a book.

Madikien scooted over next to her and he snaked an arm around her and grabbed the book out of her hands.

"Hey! Madikien!" She reached for her book, but he was holding her back and dangling it just beyond her grasp. "Stop being so childish. Give me the book back now."

He shook his head and smirked at her.

"Ugh!" She looked at him with contempt. Frustrated, she made to move away from him. But a moment later, she got an idea and her eyes sparkled. Without second thought, she grabbed him by the collar and kissed him passionately. At last she was able to take the book back, but suddenly, instead of breaking the kiss to adjust back and read, she flung the book onto the floor and stretched herself out on the bed, leaving him no choice but to either do the same or push away.

It had surprised him, but he surely wasn't going to complain. With one knee slightly bent, he held himself over her, his hands wandering. He tugged recklessly at her blouse, fiddling with the buttons hurriedly.

"Slow down." She breathed, putting her hand over his to still his fidgeting. "Leave it be for now."

He pulled back a little. "Sorry." His fingers were tracing the line of buttons up and down her blouse softly.

"Mmmm." She giggled. "Don't be. Just let me set the rules, okay? I'll let you know when something's okay or not, believe me."

"All right." He stroked her cheek with the thumb of his guilty hand. "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable…"

"You didn't, so don't worry about it." She moved to grab her book from the floor and settled back comfortably. "I'm going to read. You're welcome to sit here with me. But if you can't let me read in some sort of peace without distracting me, I'll leave. In fact, I can just go back to my room now, if you'd prefer."

"I want you to stay here and you know that," he said, taking her into his arms.

"Good." And, without another word, she went back to reading.

Later that week, Yackle asked her once again if she'd seen or heard anything that might hint at Wizard involvement. Plans were getting finalized and tensions were high. Yackle was obviously paranoid, "Anything? Even the littlest thing that seemed just a bit shifty? Out of the norm?"

For a fleeting moment, the conversation she'd overheard of Madikien and Jansied's passed through her mind, but she dismissed it almost immediately. "Nothing at all. Except Jansied came by at least once, though. If it were one of them, it would be Jansied. Something just seems very wrong about him."

"Yes. If there's anyone to worry about, it's Jansied for sure. But…" Yackle trailed off.

"What?"

"It would only make sense that if Jansied's on the wrong side, Madikien would have to be, too. They came in here together; they knew each other before. I told you this. Remember?"

"I know, I know. But that doesn't mean that they're co-conspiring to ruin the cause."

"Madikien hasn't said a word to you about any of this?"

"Not a word." She said, happy that she was no longer lying through her teeth, because this, at least, was true.

"All right, then. As much as you may have disbelieved, I actually do have an assignment for the two of you. But this must take place over a few months. You're going to have to ravel. We have two groups of Animal refugees who, we feel, would best survive nearer to the outer edges of Oz. They cannot stay in the city, of course, and the Wizard's men have taken over much of the open land. However, if one were to travel northwest of the city, one would find Ugabu, which (for the moment, at least) is almost completely uninhabited. You and Madikien are to lead a caravan across the Gillikin River (don't give me that look, dearie, you'll find away to keep dry), through Wiccasand Turning, the Pertha Hills and lead them to the farthest northwestern edge of Ugabu. You will then return and leave the second caravan. We'll make sure you have enough to get by on for that time. They journey there and back should take about three months, so bring whatever you need for six months, seeing as you're taking making the journey twice. You're to leave in a week.

Elphaba nodded silently, taking in these new directions.

"I expect you to still be working at finding out more information from Madikien, so don't think you can go off and push him away and behave the way you did before; there's no excuse for that."

I wouldn't anyway. Elphaba found herself thinking. "I know. I've been getting closer to him." She looked to Yackle for approval.

"Get even closer," was all Yackle had to say before sending for Madikien and proceeding to go over the entire plan with both of them. They were then dismissed and headed back.

Elphaba had lied. Worse, she had lied to Yackle about something that could end up being important. The conversation she'd overheard was a little suspicious and she knew that. She had to admit now that she did want her initial hunch about Madikien to be wrong and she did want him around. She'd selfishly done something reckless because she wanted something. And if she was wrong, she wouldn't be the only one who'd be punished…

Back in Madikien's room an hour later, Elphaba curled herself into a ball on his bed and read (or at least pretended to read while really thinking shamefully about the things she'd neglected to tell Yackle) while he was cooking something over the fire. They were both peacefully silent, even as they ate. As she sat back down on the bed to read, he cleaned up and threw some more wood in the fire. He stretched out over the bed, though she stayed curled up against the headboard. It was clear that she was perfectly comfortable where she was and most likely didn't want to move, so he didn't touch her.

"We're going to be gone for quite some time," she commented, not looking at him.

"Three months…"

"And another three. Don't forget we have a second caravan to lead." She reminded him.

"I know. Well, at least we're living right as the weather warms up. But I still don't like the idea of going. So much could change while we're gone and we won't have anyone to tell us about things, or anyone to talk to at all."

Her expression was one of amusement. "We'll just have to talk to each other, oh, how dreadful." She drawled sarcastically.

"You know how I meant it. But on the way back it really is just going to be the two of us." He poked her teasingly. "Aren't you uncomfortable with having to be alone with just me for so long with no room to escape to?"

"Should I be?" She raised her eyebrows playfully.

"No. I just thought you would be. You do like your alone time."

"Madikien, you misread me sometimes. It's silence I like. Silence without distraction." She looked at him pointedly on the last word.

"I'm not distracting!" He protested.

She put the book down. "Your very presence is distracting."

"How?"

She only smiled.

He sat up. "Come on. How?"

"You sound so silly right now." She informed him.

"I don't care. Would you just answer the question?"

So she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. "That's how."

He paused for a moment. "I think I like being distracting. I, for one, don't see why it's such a problem."

"Of course you don't, my dear. But it's dangerous. We can't forget what we've been told to do. Wanting too much is foolish. People act irrationally."

"Don't you want things, too? Can't you be a little irrational at times, too? You can't be saying you're not guilty of any of that?"

"Oh, no, dear, I am quite guilty. I'm well aware of that."

"What is it that you want too much?"

She rolled her eyes. "I knew you'd ask."

"Well, what?"

She laughed and tackled him, pushing him onto the bed. "You," she whispered, kissing him audaciously. "Just you."

Nothing more happened that night, but, despite it, or maybe because of it, Elphaba couldn't help but wish that she could just let herself go.