The early morning sun found Fiyero dressed and halfway across campus before he would've opened his eyes a few months ago. Birds tweeted in the stillness, and he drew in a deep breath of the cool, crisp air.

Elphaba stretched by the bench. She nodded a greeting.

"Did you sleep?"

She heaved a sigh.

"Eat breakfast yet?"

"I will." He leveled a look. "After the run. I didn't want to belate. Coach's orders and all." At his narrowed eyes, she huffed a laugh. "Besides, it'll save the third degree on what I ate, and how much, and-"

"Okay, wise guy, take it easy today. A light run to keep your stress down. I don't want you overworking yourself."

"Then don't run so fast I can't keep up."

"Sorry, Thropp, I guess I can walk while we get you some skates or something." Still, he kept them to an easy jog that wound up at the cafeteria.

The fruit stolen from her plate always tasted better, so he loaded up her tray for her. "You expect me to eat all that?" She held up one of the three muffins. "I'll roll off the track."

"Carbs are good before a workout." He snatched the muffin and took a large bite. "I'll finish what you don't want. But eat."

She grimaced and forced herself to take a bite of the apple. "How do you eat all this?"

"Practice." He liberated the disfavored apple, and handed her a banana. "You need more potassium."

"Wow, a four-syllable word, and it's not even noon."

He nudged her toward the fruit.

Eyes rolled skyward, she peeled the banana.

Despite the light banter, he could feel her tension. She finished her breakfast in relative quiet, and he tried to think of some teasing reassurance for her. At a loss, he took her hand, and they walked to the gym as if to war.

Once they arrived, she dropped his hand and ducked into the girls' locker room to change, and Fiyero ran a hand through his carefully careless hair.

"Where is she?" Galinda breezed into the corridor, dragging Boq in her wake. "Has she already started? We came to wish her luck."

"She's changing."

The blonde barged into the dressing room, and the door clicked shut behind her. Boq sent Fiyero an awkward nod, which he returned. "Good weather."

"Yeah. Not bad."

"Should make the run better. Not too hot."

"True."

Exhausted of topics, they stared at the door. It opened, and Galinda trailed her roommate like a baby duck. "You'll be wonderful. You've been working so hard, I know Bidsk is going to pass you with flying colors."

She chuckled at her roommate. "Is that a pun?"

"Oh, Elphie, it's called a punt. You already did that sport, remember?"

"You can stop encouraging me. I'm convinced."

Blonde curls bobbled as she fell forward. "Oh, thank goodness." As Boq pulled open the door to the gym, Liam and Nessa tried to come through the opposite direction.

"Sorry, I-"

But he cut off as Nessa wheeled over his foot with a spiteful glare. Elphaba took an unconscious step to the side. "I thought you weren't coming."

"And miss your big day?" Liam took her hand, which she yanked away. "Of course not."

"I'm here for Liam." Nessa pursed her cool lips. "He wanted to cheer you on, and I'm a supportive girlfriend, so I'll cheer you on, too, I guess."

"How thoughtful," Elphaba's tone was dry. "I'd better get going. No point cheering me on if I never make it to the test."

The others drifted toward the bleachers, but Fiyero hung back. "You've got this." Her nod was brusque, annoyed at all encouragement. "Say the word, and I'll drag them all out of here. Galinda might put up a fight, but I hear scars are sexy."

She cackled despite herself. "Go sit down. If you need any scars, I'll be happy to provide them myself."

"Is that right?" He waggled his eyebrows, and she shoved him away.

"You know what I mean. Go."

Bidsk waited by the benches on the far side, and at her entrance, he looked up. "Bout time, Thropp. Let's see some hustle."

She jogged out to join her classmates, several goggling at Fiyero. He must have ruffled his hair too artfully today.

"Today's flexibility, aerobic, and body composition, and before you ladies get huffy, take it up with the Wizard. It's an all-Ozian mandate, so yes, I will be weighing you." He glared around, expecting outrage, but most of the girls ignored him to giggle at Fiyero. "Tomorrow's your strength and endurance tests. Okay, flexibility first. Do some warm up stretches, and we'll start in five."

Fiyero went to help Elphaba stretch her hamstrings. "Nice easy start today."

"Except the aerobics." She rotated her shoulders. "At least I'll have the easy ones out of the way."

"And my favorite." He winked, but she didn't respond. "Luck." She nodded from her position upside down, stretching her back, and he retreated to the bleachers.

Her sister's unwavering glower at the blonde tempted him to avoid the disaster brewing there, but Galinda waved him over. He dutifully sat beside her. "Sorry about Nessa. She'll come around."

"Thanks. Listen…"

He edged back. Did she expect him to talk to Nessa? He didn't think it would do any good.

"I know."

A stab of dread raced through him. How did she find out? He'd been careful not to show his feelings for Elphaba in public. His hypocritical annoyance with her and Tavon seemed to slap him in the face. "I-"

"You know, what you said. To Tavon. In the restaurant." She pressed her lips together, and then took his hand. "Thank you."

"You're not mad?"

"Mad? At you for defending me? I'm not Elphie." They shared a fond chuckle. "No, it was very sweet of you. Not accurate, but sweet." She squeezed his hand. "And I heard what you said about me being your friend. I mean, I know you've said it before, but I finally heard it. I want us to be friends. So," she drew a dramatic breath, "I forgive you for breaking up with me."

He fought a laugh with a solemn nod. "Thank you. That's very goodly of you."

Her answering smile made him remember past days, and a weight on his shoulders lifted. Until he remembered what he'd dreaded. Did he dare risk things when they'd just made up?

"Hey, can I ask you something? Now that we're friends again?"

"Of course I'll help you fix your hair! I didn't know how to tell you it's been horrendible. Oh, Fifi!"

Galinda tackled him in a hug, and Nessa leaned forward to hiss shrilly at them. "Get a room, you tramp. You're blocking the way."

The blonde snapped up with a glare, but Fiyero nodded toward the gym floor. "Has she gone yet?"

Liam shook his head. "But they're next, I think."

Elphaba's row stepped forward, and she drew a calming breath. She stretched forward as she let it out, lengthening back and arms as they'd practiced. Bidsk and his assistant marked them off on the lined paper, and after the three repetitions, the girls stood.

"That looked good, right?"

Fiyero nodded absently at Liam. "From here at least." Elphaba shook out the stiffness in her neck and arms, rotating her shoulders with a nervous energy. "These are harder to tell 'til it's over. Can't read your own marks."

The girls started the shoulder stretches. Elphaba reached her right hand over her shoulder and the other toward it from behind. Her fingertips touched, and Bidsk's pen whisked a check mark on her form. She reversed hands.

Her fingers crept together with more difficulty, earning each inch. Her hand fell a quarter inch shy. With her tension working against her, she struggled to move any closer. Bidsk marked an X, but she let out a deep breath and forced her hands to cover the distance. He shook his head, but scratched out the X for another checkmark.

Fiyero let out the breath he'd been holding and flashed Elphaba a grin.

"Alright ladies, we're weighing you out here. No exceptions. Aguire, you're up."

The girls formed in a line, and a short, roundish brunette sidled toward the front. The female coach slid a measuring tape around the girl's waist, then hips. Bidsk recorded her weight and height, and sent her off.

Fiyero watched the line move with minimal interest. Elphaba should have no problems with this test, though he'd tried to convince her to let him measure her hips, you know, just to be safe.

Measurements recorded, Elphaba jogged over to swig at her water. Her friends ringed around her, all save Nessa. "You're doing so great. I just know you're going to ace-ify this test."

Elphaba flashed a thin smile at her roommate. "I haven't even done anything yet." She suffered through their encouragements well, hiding in her water until she'd drunk it all. "I'll be back. Bathroom." He shot her a suspicious look, and she flipped up a palm. "Can't focus on running if I need to pee."

"It might make you run faster." That earned the munchkin a swat on the arm from his new girlfriend, but Fiyero laughed.

"Awful technique, though. Better go while you can."

Liam cleared his throat. "I need to use the facilities as well. Mind if I walk back with you?" Elphaba gave a half-shrug and started toward the locker rooms with him trailing behind.

The others went back to the bleachers to meet Nessa, her lips pursed. "Where's Liam?"

"In the bathroom, why?"

"Can you help me down?" He considered refusing after how she'd treated Elphaba, but he lifted her into her chair. She wheeled off toward the bathrooms. After a moment of hesitation, Fiyero followed, if nothing else than to buffer whatever trouble she had brewing.

They turned the corner, and Nessa gasped. Liam's hand rested on Elphaba's arm, his face tilted for a kiss that by her glower, she clearly intended to keep him from delivering. "-surely must have realized."

Elphaba jerked away. "Feelings that are not returned."

"Liam!"

The boy jolted, a hand toward his girlfriend. "I can explain…"

"You disgusting cad, get out of my sight."

"But-"

"Now!" she shrieked, wheeling toward him with an intimidating fury. Fiyero imagined those wheels could do some damage. Liam must have felt likewise, because he fled past them and out of the gym.

Elphaba turned to her sister, a sympathetic hand out. "Are you alright?"

"Save it. I hope you're happy now. You were right. You proved it. You stole my boyfriend, and you didn't even want him."

His jaw dropped. "Wait, are you seriously blaming her for this? She told you up front about him. You're the one who didn't listen."

"Butt out, Fiyero." She swung back to Elphaba. "Ugh, you ruin everything. I hate you! Why did you even have to come here? I would have been just fine without you. You always have to butt in where you're not wanted. Why don't you just go away?"

She spun around so fast her elbow slammed into Fiyero's arm, and he rubbed the spot absently. Elphaba for her part stood there looking like a breeze would blow her over.

"She's not wrong."

"Of course she is." He clasped both her hands to him. "She completely is."

"No, she's not. I just make her life worse."

"She makes her own life worse." His hand flung back in a dismissive wave. "You've done nothing but protect her, and she insisted on not listening. This is not your fault. It's Liam. It's hers. But it's not yours."

"Elphie?" Galinda rushed into the hall. "They're going to start the aerobic test."

"Okay, thanks." She trudged out to the track as Bidsk outlined the test.

"Half-mile walking first, then your mile run. When you're done, check out with me before you leave."

Fiyero helped her stretch, reminding her to relax her arms and straighten her back and anything else that might distract her from Nessa. The others picked up her mood and fell silent.

"Don't let this get in your head." He walked her onto the track. "Pretend I'm running with you. No Nessa. No test. Just us."

A shrill tone from the whistle, and they were off. She started at a brisk walk, good form, good breathing. She'd pass the minimum with no problem, but a four-minute mile was tough. It was basically a sprint. And if she wanted her A, she'd have to make it, or very close.

Galinda gripped his arm as Elphaba started to run. "She seems pretty fast."

He nodded. "Maybe a little too fast." But if she slowed now, it could work against her.

She spurred herself to more speed with each lap, and he knew she had to be close to her limit. Her face tinted red, her breathing sharp despite the rhythm she struggled to maintain. She reached the last stretch, and hurled forward with an unsustainable burst of speed.

"Come on." He willed her to keep the momentum. She'd lost her form, throwing every ounce of energy at it with abandon.

Galinda's fingernails dug into his arm, but he barely noticed. "Oz." He felt each step with her until she blazed through the finish and collapsed forward with hands planted on knees. "That was so excitifying!"

He jogged up, and pulled her upright. "Cool down."

Elphaba panted at him, her face communicating the argument she couldn't get air to speak.

"You've got more tomorrow. You can't afford to be sore. Let's go."

She panted a distressed, exhausted look that broke his heart, but staggered forward in a pathetic jog.

"That's right, come on." He set the pace, gradually slowing. "You did great."

"Fi-ve, sev-en-teen," she puffed, "Not…four."

"Still good." He knew she must be disappointed. "Couldn't have done that before."

Her expression flickered into a thoughtful smile. "True."

"Hands up." She pushed her hands above her head and slowed to a walk as they reached the halfway point. "Don't look now, but I think you might be an athlete."

"We'll see," she let out short, controlled breaths, "tomorrow."

"Must have a good coach."

"Nah." He shot her a sideways look, but she grinned. "But he has his strengths."