"It's a technical thing, no problem." Fiyero continued to try to push her legs apart.

She would have none of it. "Explain, now." Quickly, she covered herself with the blanket and reached for the dress on the floor.

"Well, in the Vinkus, it's a tradition we marry early."

"So you're already married?" Elphaba began dressing.

"Don't..." He then realized asking her to stay undressed would not be the best idea. "Sort of."

"What do you mean by 'sort of'?"

"We're not really married, we just are supposed to get married when we turn twenty."

"Who is 'we'?"

"Sarima and I."

"Sarima?"

"The girl I'm supposed to marry."

"Have you had sex with her, too?" Elphaba asked angrily.

"No. I've never even seen her except by accident for about two seconds when I was eight."

"But you have to marry her?"

"That's something I'd have to talk to my parents about."

"Well, you'd better write home now, because I refuse to even sleep in this bed if you're technically married to someone else." Elphaba got up and climbed onto the couch.

"We can still..."

"No, we can't and we will not." For the rest of the summer, Elphaba slept on the couch, refusing to allow Fiyero to touch her.

Fiyero's first letter home wasn't well received by his parents. He had to write a second one, threatening to refuse to return home and run away with his girlfriend instead in order to even begin the thinking process in his parents' minds.

During this time, the school year began and Elphaba stayed in her dorm. She was a month and a half pregnant, but refused to tell anyone. So, she began the first trimester of her third year of college.

One morning, Glinda caught Elphaba throwing up into the bushes outside of their window for the second time that week. She'd begun to suspect that something was going on. "Elphie, are you sick?"

"Just a little nauseous," Elphaba lied.

"You were nauseous yesterday morning, too."

"Must be something I ate for breakfast."

"You haven't eaten breakfast yet."

"I meant dinner."

"Right."

"I did."

"Are you sure you're not sick?"

"I'm fine, Glinda." Elphaba insisted.

"Maybe you should see a doctor."

"No!" Elphaba hissed. After a moment she said, "I mean: I'm fine, really."

It was the second week of school that Glinda began to realize what was happening to Elphaba. "You okay?"

"I'm fine." Elphaba called from the bathroom.

"I just heard you throw up. I don't think you're fine."

"I am. Honestly, Glinda, stop worrying."

"I'm not worried, because I know what's going on."

Wiping her mouth, Elphaba stepped out of the bathroom. "What?"

"Fiyero got you pregnant, didn't he?"

"Glinda, what on earth...?"

"There's no other solution. You've got morning sickness and every time you and Fiyero go out, you don't spend the night with him the way you used to. Is that because you don't feel like sleeping with him because, perhaps, you're pregnant?"

Elphaba shook her head. "No! There's another reason for my not sleeping with Fiyero, thank you very much." (And there was).

"Explain why you're sick every morning."

"The oatmeal in the cafeteria bothers my stomach, but I eat it anyway because it's delicious, that's why."

"I don't think so." Glinda folded her arms across her chest. "I think you're pregnant."

"I think you're being ridiculous!" Elphaba snapped. "There are many other perfectly logical reasons for the way I've been."

"You're moody."

"I am not!"

"You are too!"

"I am not!"

"You are, and I know it."

"I'm on my period."

"That's probably the last thing that you're on."

Though Glinda was right, Elphaba still defended herself. "Really, it's just PMS."

"I doubt that."

"Since when have you cared, anyway?"

"Since I'm your friend, Elphie!"

"If you were my friend, you'd believe me."

"It's a bit difficult."

Elphaba turned to Glinda and snarled. "Would you just leave me alone?"

"Would you just admit you're pregnant?"

"I refuse to admit something that is not true."

"Then admit you're pregnant, because it is true."

"It is not. I will not admit any such thing."

"Fine. In a month or two, it'll be hard to hide, anyway."

"In a month or two, I won't be going out in public." Elphaba replied. Realizing she'd just admitted to Glinda's suspicions, she sighed. "Fine. I'm pregnant."

"Oh, Elphie, you poor thing, what are you going to do?"

"What do you mean what am I going to do? I'm going to have the baby, of course."

"How does Fiyero feel about this?"

"He's not happy about it and neither am I, but we're keeping it."

"Is that why you're not sleeping with him?"

"Actually, there really is another reason for that."

"What is it?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"But you're not sleeping with him at all?"

Elphaba shook her head solemnly. "Nope."

"So, tonight..."

"Expect me back at the usual time."

"Whatever happened to staying with him, anyway?"

"What do you mean?"

"You two used to spend the weekends in his dorm or Oz only knows where all the time, now you don't. Just because you're pregnant doesn't mean you can't spend the night with him, Elphaba."

"There's a reason for that, too."

"Is there something wrong?"

"I can't answer that. I'm not sure."

Glinda looked confused, but only shrugged. "You two going out for the day?"

"He'll pick me up in a few minutes, actually."

"Are you two okay?"

"It depends on what you mean by that."

"Are you two still together and happy and such?"

"I guess. It just depends if things can stay like that."

Glinda once again didn't understand, but made no request for an explanation. "Want help picking out an outfit?"

"I can do that myself. I don't really care what I look like when he and I go out anymore, anyway."

"Aw, Elphie, you have to care."

"Yeah, right."

Ama Clutch came into the room. "Elphaba, there's a young man waiting for you downstairs."

Elphaba sighed, pulled her hair back and left the room.

Ama Clutch looked at Glinda, "Is something wrong, dear?"

"Nothing."

"I know it's hard watching her go on dates while you stay inside, but you know there's no one around this place that's of high status enough for you to date, anyway."

Glinda sighed. "I know. I don't think I care what sort of status a boy has, anyway."

"Well, your parents do. So you mustn't date boys of low status. You're aware of that."

Glinda shrugged. "Whatever."

Elphaba was surprised to see Fiyero dressed formally when she came down the stairs. "What are you so dressed up for?"

"I'm taking you somewhere nice later, that's what."

"Where are we going now?"

"Theatre."

"Exciting." Elphaba said sarcastically.

"Would you rather do something else?"

"Let's spend the day in your apartment." She suggested. When he raised his eyebrows, she said, "Some of my things are still there, anyway. Besides, it'd be nice to stay inside alone with you for once. It gets cold early around here."

"There's not much to do at my apartment, Fae."

"I know. We can just sit and cuddle." She said, almost shyly.

"Whatever you want."

"Thanks."

As he had said, later that evening, he took her to a nice restaurant. The waiters were swift and the place looked fancy. She was glad she had left some things (including her favorite dress) at Fiyero's apartment, because she had needed to change.

After dinner, Fiyero dragged her out dancing, though she protested heavily. As he held her close, he whispered how much he loved her in her ear. She only replied with, "Treating me like this isn't going to convince me to start having sex with you again. There's only one thing that's going to do that, and you know what it is."

He smiled. "I know. And my parents finally relented, but that's not why I'm doing this."

She brightened up immediately. "You mean that your parents told you that you didn't have to marry that girl?"

"Right. I got the letter yesterday."

Almost angry, she asked, "And you've kept it from me all day?"

"I didn't want you to think I was only aiming to have sex with you," he said. "And look what reaction I got without telling you, anyway."

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have jumped to that conclusion."

"It's all right. I love you, Fae."

Looking into his eyes as his hands were on her waist and they danced, she whispered, "I love you, too."

"Good." He shifted a little and suddenly the music stopped playing. Everyone on the dance floor looked around.

"Elphaba," he began loudly, "I've wanted to ask you something." In his mind, he was thinking, Here goes trying something romantic for once.

She blinked slowly.

"Well, I know I've kind of already asked you," he said, getting onto his knees, "and I know this is a bit cliche..."

Everyone was looking at them now, Elphaba realized. Her heart pounded in her chest and she let him take her hand.

He slid a hand into his pocket and took out a small, black box. "Elphaba, I love you, will you marry me?"

She pulled him up off of his knees, uncomfortable with being dominant at the moment. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. "Yes."

The entire place erupted in applause and Elphaba blushed. Fiyero only grinned as he slid a diamond ring onto Elphaba's ring finger and whispered teasingly in her ear, "How about that for romantic?"