After the Raman incident, Elphaba had been taken to the hospital and was immediately rushed to the ER, where the large gash on her back was stitched up, but she still needed to heal from the enormous amount of blood loss she suffered. The doctor's had said that not many people survive losing that much blood. Fiyero had gone into panic and never left Elphaba's side. So whenever she woke up, Fiyero was always there. But when she did wake she seemed lost and weak and slow to react. She usually drifted back to unconsciousness shortly after. She seemed to always be running an impossible high fever which kept Fiyero and the doctor's on the edge. The wound on her back had been infected and she'd caught some sort of virus. According the doctors, she should be dead by now, and so she was a medical mystery. She had been drifting in and out of consciousness for about 4 days. Nessa and Kendal visited frequently and sometimes the maids snuck away from their work to come see her. Frex never showed up. Those days had been torture for Fiyero, never knowing if she'd wake or if the breath she took was her last or if the fever would finally overcome her body and kill her. Fiyero hoped beyond everything that she would get better, despite the doctor's discouraging words. Sometimes he would hold her hand and talk to her, even when she couldn't hear him, telling him just how much she meant to him, how much he needed her. He'd always thought about having this conversation with her, telling her he loved her....He supposed it was good practice telling her when she couldn't hear him. He'd tell her one day...when she could hear him, and respond to him and see him...one day, and everyday he hoped it wasn't her last day. On the fifth day, she was fully aware of her surroundings and the doctor said she should be okay from here on out and that it was a miracle she'd pulled through at all. Fiyero nearly started crying in joy when she woke up and recognized him and was told she'd be fine. She was still very weak and leaned on Fiyero when she walked, but the doctor's said she'd regain her strength in time.
"Thank you Fiyero." said Elphaba softly as he helped her off of the train at the train station a few days later. He'd insisted on staying with her during Lurlinemas break. After her five days in the hospital he'd stayed with her for three more and then it was back to Shiz. She still needed assistance walking without stumbling or falling as her body fought to build its strength again after fighting off the virus, pain and blood loss. Fiyero had suggested a wheelchair but she quickly shot that suggestion down. He knew she didn't like to look this way, vulnerable and weak. But after the incident, she seemed so fragile...as though one false move would make her shatter. He was being rather over protective. He didn't want her going places on her own and she barely had the strength to carry her textbooks, so he didn't like her carrying things either. When they stepped off of the train, Galinda was rushing at them, tears bubbling in her eyes as she grabbed Elphaba and hugged her tightly.
"Oh Elphie!" she cried, "Are you okay?!!!"
"What? Why shouldn't I be?" asked Elphaba, no one was supposed to know about the incident or her time in the hospital.
"You were kidnapped and hospitalized for five days!" Galinda snapped. Elphaba turned to glare at Fiyero.
"You told her?!" she hissed.
"No! I didn't tell anybody!" Fiyero defended himself.
"Elphie, it was all over the newspaper." said Galinda, laying a friendly hand on Elphaba's arm.
"What? It was in the newspaper?" said Elphaba, "Who puts that type of stuff in the newspaper?!"
"Someone who wants money for a good story." said Galinda, "And besides, they always have kidnappings and stuff like this is the newspaper, don't you read it?"
"I used to, until the discriminations toward Animal's started getting printed in there." Elphaba grumbled, crossing her arms, "Who would've found out about it anyway?"
"Um...I believe it said the information was from a...Harrison Pepper." said Galinda, remembered what the article had said.
"That's my neighbor." Elphaba said, "Can't keep his nose out of other people's business...that good for nothing, lousy..."
"It's ok Elphaba," said Fiyero noticing her none too happy expression.
"How many people do you think know about it?" asked Elphaba.
"Oh...not too many." said Galinda hesitantly. Elphaba glowered at her.
"You're a bad liar." she said.
"It was a noble try!" Galinda shot back.
"True, true." said Elphaba as they both started laughing. Then Lucas and Avaric were seen, coming their way, Lucas looking weary and Avaric with a grin on his face.
"Elphaba, I'm so glad you're alright." he embraced her, taking her out of Fiyero's arms swiftly. Fiyero stiffened and Elphaba awkwardly returned the embrace before Fiyero pulled her back protectively (and somewhat out of jealousy) and helped her keep her balance.
"Hey Elphie, glad to see ya." said Avaric, actually sounding sincere while at the same time looking at her with lust and wanting in his eyes. Fiyero scowled at him.
"Don't look at me like that!" said Elphaba.
Avaric frowned, "Like what?" he asked.
"Like...like Raman!" she cried, then shuddered and turned away, leaning into Fiyero more. Fiyero's eyes visibly darkened. The electrifying blue turned a dark navy blue at the mention of Raman. He sent a scorching glare at Avaric and Avaric felt involuntary shivers run down his spine and he took a step back. Fiyero quickly brought Elphaba closer and pulled her away, helping her into a carriage without a word to anyone else.
"Protective much?!" Avaric said when he was pretty sure Fiyero couldn't hear him. Then he thought back to what had caused Fiyero's reaction in the first place, "Who's Raman?" asked Avaric.
"The man who kidnapped (or at least tried to) and hospitalized her you jerk!" Galinda squeaked, before stomping off and hailing down her own carriage.
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"Elphaba, are you ok?" asked Fiyero.
"Hmm?" said Elphaba, keeping her gaze at the window as the landscape zoomed by.
"Avaric, the way he looked at you..." Fiyero said.
"Oh, yes, I'm fine. I just had a flashback, that's all..." said Elphaba.
"If you're sure." said Fiyero softly, setting his hand on Elphaba's shoulder lightly. She looked back at him then and offered him a small smile.
"Yero, I'm fine." she said. She knew that when she called him Yero it had amazing effects on him. He always relaxed a little. He smiled at her.
"Good." he said, he had a sudden impulse to kiss her right there, but he held back. Then the carriage rolled to a stop, "We're back." he breathed a sigh of relief, being in one small place with her for too long always brought out his love for her.
*****************
Elphaba carefully walked into her room, Fiyero at her side, holding her arm reassuringly.
"It's good to be back." she said, smiling genuinely as she sat on her bed.
"Oh Elphie!" said Galinda walking in shortly after them, "Are you sure you're okay? Avaric was being an arse and I'm sorry, are you sure you're okay?"
"Galinda, I'm fine." Elphaba laughed. Galinda sighed.
"Good!" she squealed and gave Elphaba another hug. Galinda immediately began to gossip with Elphaba about all of the new fashions. Usually Elphaba would have pretended to listen, but she'd missed Galinda so much she found herself laughing and smiling without pretending. Fiyero watched the two girls, it warmed his heart to see them laughing and smile with each other. Especially to see Elphaba laugh and smile genuinely, it was like living with a ghost for the past three days, it was good to see more life in her.
"Well, I have to get back to my dorm. You'll take care of her, won't you Galinda?" said Fiyero. Elphaba rolled her eyes at the prospect of being 'taken care of'.
"Of course Fiyero dearest!" she bubbled, then bounded over to him and kissed him, "I missed you." she said softly, stroking his hair and gazing into his eyes.
"I—I missed you too." he said, feeling guilty, he hadn't thought about Galinda all break. He did think of Elphaba. He couldn't do this anymore. He loved Galinda....in a way. He loved Elphaba—no, he was IN-love with Elphaba. There was a fine line between loving someone and being IN-love with someone, wasn't there? Having to watch Elphaba in that hospital made him realize just how in love with her he was. He knew Galinda loved him....that way, but he didn't really think it fair to keep leading her on. He decided he'd have to break up with her...sooner or later, once he built up the nerve to. Breaking up with Galinda...he'd never be with Elphaba even when he wasn't dating Galinda. Galinda was Elphaba's best friend and she'd never betray her like that. But then at least he could wish she loved him, without the constant guilt of Galinda stuck in his mind.