Ultimate Queen of Cliffies: Yeah… we decided to skip over "What Is This Feeling" and go straight to "Popular" ^_^

Ozian-in-Australia: LOL! I have reached the "Maddy Level" of cliffies? That makes me feel so special! *Blush* Thank you!


Elphaba never knew that the world could be so peaceful. She never knew how good it felt to simply be in the arms of her boyfriend, sitting by Suicide Canal, watching as the water rushed past them. She had abandoned the book she had brought and settled for watching the water and snuggling with the prince, as was feeling extremely content with that decision.

Fiyero completely relished the feeling of holding the woman he loved in his arms. He had talked her into having a break from packing up their belongings to go back to their respective homes for the summer recess. They had walked around the campus for the last time before settling by the canal.

"Yero?" Elphaba whispered, breaking the silence that had befallen the two of them.

"Yes?"

Elphaba turned in his arms so she was looking up at him. "I'll… really miss you over the break."

Fiyero smiled and kissed her forehead. "I'll miss you, too. But you'll be back in the Vinkus in July for my birthday."

The green girl chuckled. "Of course I will."

"And Nessa and Galinda will be there, too."

"So… we just have to get through June."

"We do." Fiyero grinned as he kissed her cheek and the green girl turned back around. They stayed in this position before Elphaba insisted that they had to finish packing. Begrudgingly, the prince helped his girlfriend up and the two of them walked back to Crage Hall, where Fiyero dropped Elphaba off before going to his own room.

The next morning, the whole campus was abuzz with all the students saying goodbye to each other, promising to write, and exchanging how they think they did on their exams.

Elphaba and Galinda shared a long hug, promising to write until they met up in the Vinkus for Fiyero's birthday. Elphaba and Fiyero's goodbye was slightly longer, complete with a long kiss (with Galinda giggling in the background). The blonde's carriage was the first to arrive and she gave everyone one final hug before skipping off, her luggage in a large mountain being pushed behind her by her unfortunate driver. Elphaba and Nessa's was next. The prince walked his girlfriend over to the carriage and watched as she and Boq got Nessa and her chair into the carriage. When she turned towards him, he softly kissed her forehead before helping her into the carriage. He waved until the carriage was out of sight before walking over to his own.

The ride back to Munchkinland was much like it was over Lurlinemas break, minus the cold and the arguing. It was much more peaceful than last time. Elphaba, Nessa, and Boq talked for a little while before Nessa began to nod off and Boq ran out of conversation topics. Elphaba pulled out her book and finished reading it before dozing off. The next thing she knew, she woke up to the Governor's Mansion coming into view.

"I can help," Boq said when Elphaba tried to take Nessa's suitcase from him.

"Boq, your family…" the green girl tried to protest.

"Elphaba, you have a lot of stuff. It would take you forever to bring it all in."

Elphaba rolled her eyes. "We have servants, you know."

"I know, but…"

"Go home, Boq," Elphaba said, taking the suitcase from the Munchkin with a small smile.

The Munchkin looked at her, but then slowly smiled back and asked the driver to take him home. Elphaba watched as the servants began to bring in their belongings as Frex came out. He instantly smiled at the sight of Nessa and hurried over to greet her. Unlike Lurlinemas, once he had sufficiently greeted his youngest daughter, he looked up at Elphaba, who had pretended to busy herself with her suitcases.

"Elphaba."

The green girl looked up, not expecting her father to address her. "Father."

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine."

The Governor nodded and began to push Nessa's chair into the house, asking her about her second semester of university. Elphaba carried her suitcase into the house and immediately headed for her room. She was slightly winded when she finished climbing the stairs and paused a moment to catch her breath before going to her room. She quickly unpacked her clothes and other belongings, placing her bracelet and her mother's bottle under her pillow, and went back downstairs.

Frex and Nessa were in the parlor having tea and talking. Nessa looked up and smiled at her sister before inviting her inside. The green girl smiled softly and sat across from her father, pouring herself a cup of tea.

"And I'm sure Fabala got very high marks on her exams," Nessa smiled at her sister when her father asks about their exams.

The green girl looked up slightly and smiled. "Thanks, Nessa. And I know you did very well, too."

Nessa beamed and looked at their father. Frex was looking at Elphaba with an unreadable expression on his face. Nessa didn't know what to make of it, so she tried to change the subject. As she as their father continued to talk, Nessa continued to steal glances at her sister. She noticed that she was looking a bit pale, so she suggested that she go lay down. Elphaba looked from her sister to her father before slowly getting up, taking her teacup up to her room with her. She placed the cup on her nightstand before crawling into bed, reaching under her pillow and fingering her bracelet. As she began to feel sleep covering her, she placed the bracelet back under her pillow and drifted off.

When she woke up a few hours later, she saw her father sitting by her bedside, reading a book. "F-Father?" she asked sleepily as she pushed herself up.

The governor looked up and put his book away before helping his daughter sit up before sitting back down.

"Is everything alright?" Elphaba asked, careful to not let her father see what was under her pillow.

"I don't know," Frex said, and Elphaba became even more worried.

"Father…"

"Elphaba, I need you to tell me what happened in the Vinkus."

Elphaba blinked. "Fiyero took me to the Cherry Blossom Festival and –"

"Not that. I need you to tell me what happened at the ballet."

Elphaba stiffened slightly. "I…"

"Elphaba, it's very important that you tell me."

"I… I don't remember most of it. I… I remember having trouble breathing and throwing up before blacking out, then waking up in the hospital. Fiyero said that I had fluid in my lungs and they had to drain it out."

Frex stared at her for a while, which unnerved the green girl. She looked down at her lap for a moment before returning her gaze to her father.

"I'm fine, Father," she said softly after a while.

"You always say that, Elphaba," Frex said, with little to no emotion in his voice. "You always say that you're fine, when you clearly aren't."

Elphaba blinked, clearly surprised that her father was saying this. "Father…"

"No, Elphaba," Frex said, holding up his hand to stop her interruption. "Not this time." He got up from his chair. "I knew I never should have let you go to the Vinkus. Especially without Nessa. And especially with… him. I don't know what I was thinking."

"Father –"

Frex held up his hand to silence her again. "I cannot have these things happening to you and no one is there to help you."

"I was with Fiyero!"

"And what did he do to help you?"

"He made sure that I got to the hospital. He stayed with me. He made sure I was okay."

The Governor's face didn't soften. "I don't want you spending anymore time with that boy. He's doing nothing to help with your health."

Elphaba realized what must have happened. "If this is because Nessa is still worried…"

"This has nothing to do with Nessa. This has everything to do with you."

Elphaba blinked. She had never heard her father speak like this before. And even though his words still sounded like Nessa's, for some reason, Elphaba could tell that Nessa didn't have an influence this time.

"I don't want you going to the Vinkus in July."

Elphaba's eyes widened. She couldn't miss Fiyero's birthday. "Father, no! Please!"

"I don't want you to have another horrible attack like that again."

"Father, going to the Vinkus has nothing to do with my health."

"My decision is final, Elphaba. You will not go to the Vinkus."

"But Nessa wants to go!"

"Nessa will understand. Your health cannot be compromised."

"But I have to go, Father! It's Fiyero's birthday!"

"He can still celebrate without you!"

"But I love him!"

"And that's another thing!" Frex said as he reached under Elphaba's pillow and pulled out the bracelet.

Elphaba bit back a gasp. How did her father know about that? "That's…"

"You've known each other for less than a year. You shouldn't be receiving gifts like this from a boy!"

Elphaba pushed herself out of bed and reached for the bracelet, but her father held it just out of her reach. "I'm not a little girl anymore, Father. I can make my own decisions."

"And this decision doesn't make any sense. I cannot have this relationship you two have continuing."

"Why not?"

"Because if you keep this up, Elphaba, you will end up killing yourself."

"But I'm happy when I'm with Fiyero. Please, Father."

"No, Elphaba! My answer is no and it's final!"

The green girl was fighting tears. "Why are you doing this?"

"Despite what you may think, I do pay attention to you, Elphaba, and I do care about you. You've been changing, and it hasn't been a good change. Nessa has told me how you've been having more frequent attacks, and it's starting to scare her, and me, as well."

"Fath-"

"You need to rest, Elphaba. You need to rest and recuperate this summer. And that means no Vinkus. You will see Fiyero when you return to school at the end of August."

Elphaba stepped back. She had promised Fiyero she would be there for his birthday. And Galinda would be there, too. She had to see Fiyero.

"I don't trust any of this," Frex whispered, almost to himself as he stared at the bracelet. "This… Fiyero isn't any good for you, Elphaba."

"You sound like Nessa," Elphaba huffed.

"I'm worried about you, Elphaba. You look very weak, and you cannot afford to get any weaker."

"I'm not weak, Father," Elphaba said, taking a step towards him and swaying a bit.

The Governor jumped forward and grabbed her arm.

"I'm… fine…"

"No, you're not," Frex said as he sat her down on the edge of the bed. "You're weak and sick and you need to rest."

Elphaba frowned. She hated how her father always managed to bring her illness into everything. Well, she supposed, Nessa had to learn it from someone. "Father, this isn't fair! Fiyero has done nothing to harm my health! I have to go to the Vinkus for his birthday!"

"And why is that?" Frex asked, his eyes narrowing slightly and frowning.

"Because I enjoy spending time with him! He doesn't constantly bring up my illness! He makes me feel normal and loved!"

Frex's frown deepened as gears began to turn in his head. "Have you two been sexually active?"

Elphaba didn't even try to hide her shock and surprise. Her jaw dropped as she stared at her father with wide eyes. Where in Oz had that question come from? "Wh-What…"

"Is that why you have such a desperate need to see him?"

"F-Father, what? No. Why… Why would you think that?"

Frex looked back at the bracelet he was holding. "His reputation…"

"His reputation doesn't define him, Father. He's nothing like his reputation! And why are you saying all of this now?"

"Because I should have said it before," the governor sighed, pocketing the bracelet. "And you never answered my question."

"What question?"

"Have you and Fiyero been sexually active?"

"Why?"

"Elphaba, just answer my question!"

"Why would you care if we were?"

"Because I can't have you becoming an even bigger embarrassment than you already are!"

Elphaba had another argument ready for her father, but it died in her throat when his words sunk in. She stumbled back, her eyes clouded with hurt and surprise. Her father saw her as an embarrassment.

Frex quickly realized what he had said and the big mistake he had made. "Elphaba, I…"

"Well, I'm sorry I'm such an embarrassment, Father," she spat. Biting back tears, she hurried out of her room and slammed the door behind her, ignoring her father's calls for her to come back.


#NiaKnowsThatSheStillDoesntHaveAnyChill #AndSheIsOkayWithIt *Smirk*