Chapter 8

Fiyero squinted at the early morning sun that shined through his bedroom window. As he slowly began to wake up he realized he wasn't sleeping in his bed, but on the floor. At first he was confused, but then he remembered last night and he smiled. The night had been perfect. He and Elphaba sat under the stars, ate candy, and they talked all night. Every once in a while she would get excited and point to a star pattern and he would just smile and nod. Eventually sleep had taken over her, and he carefully carried her back to his apartment. Since he was a perfect gentleman he let her take the bed and he slept on the floor. Of course she was asleep, so she couldn't argue with him.

Fiyero slowly got off the hard floor and his stomach growled with hunger. He really needed to get something to eat, but he didn't want to wake her. He knew she would be mad that he didn't wake her up, but he knew that she would leave as soon as she awoke. He didn't want that. He finally decided that he would go get some food and bring it back, so they could have breakfast in his dorm.

Elphaba smiled at the delicious smell of breakfast that filled the air. She sighed as she buried her head deeper into her pillow… Wait! This isn't my pillow. Elphaba slowly peeked opened one eye. What am I doing in Fiyero's room? She slowly thought back to last night. The last thing she could remember was staring up into the night sky. She must have fallen asleep. Elphaba sighed as she snuggled deeper into the covers. She had final decided to get up, but then she heard Fiyero talking to someone.

"Why can't I have three more days?" she heard Fiyero question. Elphaba didn't hear a reply and after a few minutes Fiyero talked again, "I don't care about the damn rules! It's not fair."

Elphaba figured he was talking to one of his friends, so she slowly opened her eyes. Elphaba scrunched her head in confusion. No one else was in the room. He's talking to himself?

"Who are you talking to?" she asked.

Fiyero jumped at her voice. He hesitated for a moment, "Eh… do you want some breakfast?"

Elphaba was about to reply yes, but then Galinda popped into her head. "No. I'm sorry. I can't…"

"But, Elphaba…" his voice was filled with disappointment and it made her heart ache.

"No, Fiyero. What about Galinda?" she asked softly.

Fiyero didn't hesitate to answer, "What about her?" Elphaba could have slapped him. Did he not care about his ex? When Fiyero saw the glare she was giving him, he quickly continued, "It's just breakfast. I don't think Galinda will care if you eat breakfast."

"No. I suppose she won't." She was going to point out that Galinda would care because they were eating in his room, but she was too hungry to argue.

"Great. I picked up some hot chocolate, coffee, and tea. I also got some muffins, pancakes, doughnuts…"

"Fiyero," Elphaba cut off, "I'm hungry, but not that hungry."

Fiyero smiled sheepishly at her. "I know, but I didn't know what you liked. So I got a variety of foods.

She gave him a half smile. No one had ever gone through that much trouble for her before. "I'll take a pancake and the hot chocolate."

"Good! These are the best pancakes in Oz. No one makes them like Leo."

Elphaba eyed him skeptically. "You know the guy who made this?"

Fiyero shrugged. "Old family friend. Run's his own restaurant. He makes the best pancakes. Try some. "

Elphaba rolled her eyes as Fiyero watched eagerly as she took her first bite.

"These are really good," she told him as she took a another bite.

"I told you."

Fiyero had barley even touched his plate when Elphaba stood up and threw her paper plate into his trashcan.

"Fae!" Fiyero jumped up. "Where are you going?"

Why does he call me that? As much as she hated nicknames, she secretly liked this one. It wasn't perky, long, or annoying. It was simple and… perfect. "I'm going to the library."

"Why? It's Lurlinemas Eve."

She shrugged. "I know, but I didn't get to finish my book." Elphaba felt of pain of guilt when she saw the sadness in Fiyero's eyes. She knew something had been bothering him lately, but she didn't know what. She was worried for him and he had been so clingy lately. Elphaba sighed. "Ok Fiyero. I'll make you a deal. Let me go to the library for a few hours, then I promise I will hang out with you today."

Fiyero's face lit up. "Fine, but don't read to long."

"Ok."

------------------

Fiyero impatiently strummed his fingers against a wooden table of the library. The sun was beginning to set and Elphaba was still reading. He had tried to get her to stop earlier, but her respond was, "Fiyero, we have all night." No he had thought. We don't have all night. We probably only have a few hours. He had tried not to think about not having her in his life. He couldn't. She was always there and he liked it that way. He didn't want her to leave him. He wanted –

Someone tapped him on his shoulder and he looked up to see Elphaba.

"Hey. I finished."

"Hey."

"So," she said after a minute of silence, "Where are we going?"

"I don't know," he told her, but when she glared at him he quickly added, "I was going to let you decided." He would take her anywhere she wanted to go. Hell, he would take her on a trip across Oz. Anything she wanted.

"Fiyero–"

"Just pick," he told her.

She hesitated for a moment then after a moment of silence she finally decided. "We could… go back to that park," she told him sheepishly.

"Done," he told her as he grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the park on the hill.

-----------------

Elphaba breathed in the cold night air as she walked through the park with Fiyero. It looked the same as last time, but for some reason she thought it looked more beautiful. Maybe it was because of the soft snow that was falling from the sky. She smiled and laughed when she saw Fiyero sticking out his tongue.

"Fiyero, what are you doing?"

"I'm trying to catch the snowflakes with my tongue," he told her. Suddenly he was brought back to reality when he felt something cold and wet hit his back. He turned around to see Elphaba armed with a snowball. "What was that for?" he asked.

Elphaba laughed. "I have always wanted to do that," she told him as she sent another snowball flying towards him. It hit his head.

"Hey! You asked for it." He quickly made his own snowball and threw it at her.

She let out a shriek and hid behind a tree, so he couldn't see her.

"Fae, you're cheating," he told her as quickly ran after her. He grabbed another handful of snow and crept towards the tree. "Fae… come out. Come –" Suddenly, she came out from behind the tree and jumped on him. Since, Fiyero was not prepared for the sudden attack he lost his balance and sent them both to the ground. He could hear her laughing and when he opened his eyes he suddenly became aware of how close they were. Elphaba was lying on top of him and their mouths were inches apart. It was the perfect moment to kiss her, but before he could she rolled off him. He silently groaned to himself, but laughed when he saw her beginning to make a snow angel.

"I can't remember the last time I had this much fun around Lurlinemas ," she said thinking out loud. Fiyero smiled and they both stared up at the night sky. After a minute of silence Elphaba asked in a nervous voice, "Fiyero?"

"Yeah, Fae?"

"Do you… believe… that we go somewhere after we die?" she asked.

He wasn't expecting that. "Yes. I do. Why?"

"I was just wondering. What else do you believe?" she asked him.

"I believe in angles."

"Angles?"

"Like the people who look after us," he told her.

"You believe in stuff like that."

He nodded his head. "Yes. Most of the time we can't see them, but they're always there when we need them the most."

She gave him a skeptical look, but didn't argue. The moment was to perfect.

"I believe," he started, "That we are all here for a reason."

She turned to her side and looked Fiyero in the eye. "Why am I here Fiyero?"

Fiyero didn't hesitate for a second and in a soft voice he told her, "Fae, you're here because you inspire people. Believe it or not, but people look up to you. You are going to do great things when we graduate. You're going to help those innocent Animals."

He paused for a moment and then silently took her hand in his. He looked her in the eye and in the most sincere voice he whispered, "You're here, Elphaha, because I would be lost without you."

Like it?

Please Review!