Fiyero paced outside of Glinda's room, casting impatient glances in the direction of her door every few minutes. He had tired of watching her work herself to death, so he had managed to convince her to join him for a private dinner. He was aware of the fact that it was an awkward situation since it was a borderline date, but they both needed to have some time together, to just talk. He had forgotten how hard it was to pretend that he was happy when he really just wanted to disappear.
Glinda's door opened, and he stopped his pacing as he said teasingly, "Finally."
"I'm only five minutes late," she replied with a smile. "I would think that this is a major improvement."
"I'm not a patient man," he said as she linked her arm through his. "You know that."
She shook her head and laughed, "Oh, I do. Now, where are you taking me?"
"To my rooms," he said promptly as they walked down a staircase.
"So soon?" she asked, feigning shock. "Why, I am a lady, Master Fiyero."
He blinked, and a memory rushed through his mind to a time when a different woman stood beside him. A laughing smile, the slightest hint of an exotic perfume…
"Fiyero?" Glinda said quietly when he paused, his eyes focused on something in the distance.
Shaking his head, he forced a smile onto his face as he looked down at Glinda, "What's wrong?"
"You were thinking about her again," she replied, taking a step back. "I knew this would be a bad idea. I'll just go."
"No, Glinda, wait," he said quickly, grabbing her hand as she tried to walk away. "I'm fine. I need you with me when the memories are too much to handle, Glinda."
"So, I'm just a distraction for you?" she snapped as she wrenched free of his grasp.
"No," he protested. "You make me remember that I have a reason to keep living."
Her face paled, and she said carefully, "Why didn't you tell me?"
He shrugged, "I didn't want to worry you."
"Don't keep things like that a secret from me," she said, wavering in between anger and concern. "You're my friend, Fiyero. I need you here, and I need you to trust me enough to talk to me about what is going on in your head. I worry about you, regardless of what you tell me."
He smiled slightly and pulled her into a hug. As she wrapped her arms around his waist, he found himself remembering how good she felt against his body. His affection for her hadn't diminished, and she was as radiantly beautiful as the first day he had laid eyes on her. It would be so easy to convince himself to be with her. But, when he looked down at her and saw her give him a hesitant smile, he put the thought away. It would be selfish and wrong to use her as a replacement for Elphaba; he would end up destroying her, and he loved her too much to do that.
Brushing his lips against her forehead and murmured, "Come on. I still owe you dinner, and I'm interested in hearing about your visit with the ambassador from Gillikin."
She nodded her head in agreement and laced her fingers through his as they walked to his room slowly, a comfortable silence falling over the pair.