Disclaimer: ...Not me.

She had taken cover under a nearby bridge before he even knew what was happening. By the time he'd realized where she'd gone it was full-out pouring. He walked over to her, drops of water from his hair dripping onto his equally wet face. "I'm sorry," he repeated, "for everything." It was the best way he could think of to apologize for the harsh words they'd exchanged earlier in the day without actually bringing it up.

She tried to shrink away without being obvious. She suddenly couldn't deny that she felt something for him…not now. But what should she say? "It's all right," she sighed at last, and immediately felt as though that was completely inadequate. He opened his mouth to speak, but she cut him off before she could stop herself. "Fiyero…"

"Yes?" Fiyero's eyes sparked suddenly when she spoke.

Elphaba cursed internally. What in Oz was wrong with her? She still had no idea what to say, but he seemed so…sincere. "I—don't want to forget about it either." Would he know what she was talking about?

The smile that appeared on his face when she stopped talking told her everything she needed to know. This wasn't some joke or experiment. This was real. He was moving closer, but she actually backed up now, to get away from the glistening beads of water all over him. "What's wrong?" He looked hurt, as though he thought she was the one who wasn't being honest about her feelings. "I thought…"

"It's not you, it's…you've been in the rain." Hopefully he wouldn't ask her why it made a difference. She'd opened up more in one day than she usually did in a year, and she was quite through.

The second voice that lived in Fiyero's head might have told him he was brainless—and Fiyero even agreed with it—but he'd noticed the green girl's constant avoidance of water, and knew she wouldn't answer any more questions. He nodded. "Okay."

It was silent for a few minutes. For once, though, Elphaba didn't feel like she needed to be doing something. It was okay just to stand there, a few feet away from Fiyero, watching the rain pour down and glancing over at him every once in a while. "Madam Morrible!" She gasped suddenly, seeing the Head of Shiz approaching through the rain.

Fiyero jumped. "This doesn't look good, does it?" he muttered to Elphaba, trying to retreat into the shadows.

Madam Morrible stopped the rain and joined her verdant pupil under the bridge. "Miss Elphaba—" she began, and suddenly spotted Fiyero. "What is going on?" Her tone had changed completely. "Do you not know the meaning of the word propriety?" she demanded, her eyes wide with shock and horror.

Elphaba breathed deeply. What to do…? "Madam Morrible…"

"Silence!"

Elphaba snapped her mouth shut, though her eyes flashed in a very dangerous way. From experience, Fiyero knew it wasn't fun to be on the receiving end of that look, but Madam Morrible seemed completely and utterly unfazed.

"Master Tiggular, back to class immediately. You, my dear," she added to Elphaba, "stay put."

Fiyero glanced hastily at Morrible and mouthed a quick "See you later."

Elphaba nodded very slightly to him and turned her attention back to the still-fuming Head. "Madam Morrible?" She asked, as politely as she could.

"I spoke to the Wizard, my dear," Morrible sucked in her cheeks, but overlooked her fury at her pupil in the face of the news: "and he wants to see you."

Elphaba Thropp was completely speechless.

Author's Note: Yes, it's short, but I'm getting in on the AU stuff...and one short day in the Emerald City! I'm taking suggestions still...in case you have any. :) Review por favor.