I'm sooooo sorry for the delay! School has been crazy, and rehearsals are picking up! Hopefully there won't be any more delays in the future. I think.

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Chapter Ten

As destiny would have it, Fiyero and Elphaba continued to date for the next few weeks. They finally became official much to Fiyero's excitement, and he spoiled her with expensive dinners and romantic gestures. In Elphaba's eyes, he was the perfect guy and she felt lucky to even be with him.

It was getting close to Lurlinemas, so Fiyero planned their last date before they would depart for the holidays. In his mind, he pictured them eating dinner at her favorite restaurant and then they would go to their tree underneath the Suicide Canal. So, he made reservations and got ready the night before they had to leave for home.

As he was getting dressed, Fiyero thought about life without Elphaba for the next month. He'd spent the majority of his first semester with her, whether it was studying or getting to know her- he was starting to get used to life with her around him. He didn't want to draw any conclusions just yet, but he had a pretty good idea of how he felt about her.

So, not thinking about the time they would spend apart, Fiyero went over to Elphaba's dorm room. He knocked on the door and Glinda opened it, "Glin! You look great." Fiyero said, smiling at her.

"Why thank you, Fiyero. Elphaba's coming. Come in, please."

Fiyero sat down on their Glinda's pink couch and waited a few moments before Elphaba came out to him.

He stood up and said, "You look absolutely stunning, Fae." He said, using his pet name for her.

She smiled and greeted him with a kiss, "Thank you, Yero." Using his pet name. Glinda bid them farewell as they left for their date. They soon reached the restaurant and the two were seated.

"How was your day? I feel like I haven't seen you in ages." Fiyero said.

"I spent most of it studying and packing. It's only been a day since you saw me last, Yero."

"I…I'm just really going to miss you, Fae. I wish you could come to the Vinkus with me. The snow looks so pretty in the grasslands."

She sighed, "I wish I could go with you. Father already has a list of things I have to do when I get home. He'll work me until the bone until the break is over."

The waiter conveniently came back and gave the two their food. While they ate he said, "You look amazing, Fae."

She blushed, putting her fork down, "You're an idiot." She said, making both of them laugh. They continue to eat and hold small talk until their meal was finished. Fiyero paid and the two walked to the Suicide Canal.

As they sat under their tree, Elphaba leaned her head on Fiyero's shoulder, "I don't want to go." She said.

"Enjoy learning too much Fae?" he said, a smile on his face.

She sighed, "I don't want to leave you, Yero."

When he heard this, his heart soared. His smile grew and he said, "The last thing I want to is leave you, Fae." He reached into his pocked for a box, "Happy two months."

She turned to him and he gave her the box to open. Inside was a small sapphire necklace with one gem centered around two smaller diamonds. She gasped, "Fiyero, it's beautiful. I…I can't accept this."

He gently took it out of the box and said, "These gems are mined in the Vinkus, you know." He said, motioning for her to turn around and he started to put the necklace on her. "It just makes you look more breathtaking than you already were, Fae." He said when he was done.

"It's so beautiful, Yero. I don't know how to thank you." She gave him a sweet kiss and was interrupted by a strong hand pulling her up by her hair.

"There's the Artichoke!" the voice said. Fiyero immediately recognized it as Avaric.

Elphaba screamed, "Fiyero!" and struggled to get free and Avaric's head shot up to meet Fiyero's glance.

"Fiyero?" was all Avaric could manage to say before Fiyero's fist made contact with his face, knocking Elphaba out of his grasp. Fiyero knocked him on the ground and continued to beat him until he was defeated.

"You're dating an…Artichoke?" he said hoarsely.

"Stay away from her. If I ever see you near her again, I will not hesitate to kill you."

When he started to walk towards a frightened Elphaba, Avaric said, "We were brothers!"

He turned towards him and said, "We were never brothers. Stay away, Av."

He ran towards Elphaba and took her shoulders, "Are you alright, Fae? Are you hurt?" he said, cupping her cheeks.

Tears streamed down her cheeks, as she shook her head no. Fiyero sighed a sigh of relief and embraced her, which she melted into. "I'm right here, Fae. I'm not going to let anything happen to you, I promise." He looked back at the limp pile of his former friend and said, "Let's get you home."

As they walked briskly, Elphaba said, "You knew him?" her sniffling still evident.

He sighed, constantly looking behind him, "For a time yes. He was my roommate for about a month. We would always go out and party together, but then…things changed. I moved out and I haven't seen him since."

She replied, "He's the one who always made fun of me. It was always him." She said, the pair stopping.

Fiyero looked at her, "You don't have to worry about him anymore, Fae," he said, taking her hands in his, "I'll protect you."

After a few moments, she smiled at him in the midst of her sadness, "You know what?"

He furrowed his brow, confused, "What?"

She bit her lip, "This…this was a pretty terrible date, Yero."

He looked happy yet annoyed when he said, "Oz, Fae. I guess I have my work cut out for me then." He said, the two walking into Elphaba's dorm room building. At her door, he said, "Are you sure you're alright?"

She looked at him, "I think so. I'll be ok, Yero. Don't worry about me. I'll see you tomorrow morning?"

He nodded with a small smile and he kissed her goodnight. Before he left he said, "I'm really sorry that happened, Fae. No one should ever put their hands on you like that."

She replied, "Thank you for saving me, Yero my hero. Goodnight."

He smiled at the new nickname, "Goodnight, Fae." Fiyero walked away thinking about how he almost lost her. He never wanted to think about that again, and he finally knew how he felt about her.

Now they had to survive a month apart from each other.