AN: I can honestly say I didn't plan this cliffy... but the opportunity presented itself and I couldn't resist adding in some more... angst, I suppose it would be.
A shoutout to PocketSevens - I loved your review ^_^. It made me laugh.
Also kudos to musicgal3 (duh) and The Wizard Of Wicked for picking up on that Finding Nemo reference in my AN :P. Just keep swimming, just keep swimming... gotta love Dory.
Chapter 13. Remembered
She awoke because Fiyero moved, trying to pull away.
Actually, he was slowly inching away from her in an attempt not to wake her up; but she was a light sleeper, and he wasn't very subtle in his movements.
She murmured an indignant protest, tightening her grip on his arm. "Stay."
"Fae, someone's at the door," he said gently. "It's going to look weird if they find us in my bed together."
"Just tell them to come in," she muttered, still half asleep. "It's not like they can see me, anyway. There's nothing weird about you lying alone in your bed."
Fiyero stilled. "What?"
She half-opened her eyes at the strange, faint tone of his voice. "What?" she echoed, frowning slightly.
He was staring at her. "You just said…"
Another knock on the door, and Fiyero shook it off – he had probably just imagined it, anyway. Wishful thinking.
He quickly got up and went to open the door to find Boq on the other side.
The Munchkin just silently handed him a pile of work that caused Fiyero's eyes to widen. "What in Oz is that?" he demanded incredulously.
Boq grinned at him a bit sheepishly. "I took notes for Elphaba," he said shyly. "You know, while she was in a coma. I mean… I figured if she'd wake up, she wouldn't want to be behind in her classes, and I…" He shrugged. "I guess it's just that… that was the only thing I could do to… help, you know?" He shuffled around a bit uncomfortably. "Anyway, Galinda said that Elphaba was staying with you for now, so… just… give this to her. And give her my best." He waved awkwardly. "Bye."
"He's really sweet," Elphaba mumbled from the bed as Fiyero closed the door. "A bit awkward, but sweet."
"He is," Fiyero agreed, putting the pile of paper on his desk.
Elphaba yawned. "Good thing, too, that he took notes," she said sleepily. "Just because I went to my classes, doesn't mean I have notes, and I don't have a magical super-brain. I can't remember everything the professors said in their lectures."
"Remember..." Fiyero suddenly realised what this meant and he whirled around to face her. He stared at her, his breaths coming in short, shallow gasps. "You remember!"
She yawned again. "What? No, I just said I don't remember what the professors –"
"Not the lectures," Fiyero cut her off, starting to grow more and more excited. "The… the time you spent as a ghost. When you were in a coma!"
She scowled at him. "I was not a ghost," she began exasperatedly, but then she realised what exactly it was he had said and her eyes widened. "Wait. What?"
"You said you went to your classes," he reminded her, feeling a little faint and dizzy with excitement. "And before, when Boq was knocking on the door… you said 'it's not like he can see me, anyway'. You thought you were still a spirit-thingy, didn't you? You… you remember!"
She blinked, suddenly wide awake. "I do?"
It wasn't all clear. Some things were still a bit fuzzy, especially things concerning the Wizard and Morrible; but she remembered going to class now. She remembered looking down at her own body. She remembered visiting Nessa and Galinda in their dorm rooms without them knowing… and she remembered Fiyero. Some memories were so blurry that they weren't even really memories – they were more of a feeling – but others were crystal clear now. Images flooded her mind, all the things she'd forgotten when she had woken up from her coma, but were back now.
"You can see me?!"
"…we'll figure something out. I promise…"
"Surely you've been kissed before?"
"…can I give you your second, too?"
"Elphie!"
"I love you…"
"Madame Morrible knows… she's going to eliminate me."
"Fabala… you have to stop him!"
"You can't kill me! Father, please!"
"I'm so sorry, Yero…"
"Fae… please don't leave me."
"I will always love you."
"I do," she said slowly, trying to absorb all this new information. She looked up at Fiyero, a look of wonder on her face. "I do!"
And then she suddenly launched herself from the bed and into his arms, throwing her own arms around his neck. "I'm so sorry I didn't remember, Yero!" she said, burying her face in his neck.
"But… but you do now?" he asked her again, still not daring to believe it.
"Most of it," she conceded. "But… I think the rest will come back. Eventually. I… I'm so sorry I scared you." She traced his features with her fingers and then leant up to kiss him softly. "But I'm so happy to be back. Really back, I mean. Not my spirit, but all of me." She looked up at him. "I love you," she said a bit shyly.
Slowly, the biggest, most beaming grin she had ever seen spread across his face; and before she knew it, he had lifted her up with his hands around her waist and he was spinning her around. She couldn't help but giggle and he lowered her to kiss her again, pulling her flush against him as he deepened the kiss. Neither of them pulled away until they had to breathe.
He rested his forehead against hers, smiling widely. "I love you, Fae."
She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him again.
They stayed like that for a long time, Elphaba with her head tucked under Fiyero's chin, wrapped securely in his arms. After a few minutes he pulled away.
"What do you remember?" he asked her softly.
"The most important things." She looked up at him. "Not everything is entirely clear, but the most important parts are there." She wrapped her arms tightly around his waist again, closing her eyes. "I love you so much…"
"Elphaba," he said, feeling drunk with excitement.
She looked up at him questioningly.
He traced her jaw line with his finger. "Marry me."
She blinked, shocked. "What?"
"Fae…" He took her hands in his and gently led her towards the bed, setting her down and sitting down beside her. "I love you," he said. "More than I've ever loved anything or anyone."
She nodded, dazed.
"And…" He swallowed. "Fae, your… your own father tried to kill you."
"Fiyero –" she started to protest, but he cut her off by pressing his fingers to her lips.
"I know," he said. "I shouldn't put it like that. But he did cut off your life support, and I know how he treats you, Fae. Nessa told me some things while we were at the hospital. I don't want you to go back to him. Even Nessa said that you were unhappy with her and your father, and I don't want that for you. I want you to be happy, and safe, and loved. And then Galinda suggested we elope, and –"
"Yero," she cut him off.
He looked at her hopefully. "Yes?"
She closed her eyes for a moment. "Can we… can we talk about this later?" she asked him softly. "I'm not feeling well, I'm tired, my head hurts… and I'm getting a bit of an information overload here."
"Right." He flushed. "Oh, I'm sorry, Fae," he burst out. "I didn't mean to…"
"I know." She took his hand and laced their fingers together. "Just like Glin and Nessa didn't mean to blurt out the entire story on our way back from the hospital," she couldn't help but add with just a touch of sarcasm. "It's just a bit much right now, you know? I'm sorry," she said when she saw the slightly crestfallen look on his face.
"No, no, that's fine," he hurried to reassure her. "Of course. I understand." He pressed a kiss to her forehead. "Here, you need to take two of these pills…" He fetched them from the nightstand and got her a glass of water. "And then I'll go get us some dinner, okay? You just try to sleep."
She nodded, taking the pills and putting the glass back on the nightstand. "Thanks, Yero."
He smiled and squeezed her hand, then left the room.
"Fiyero!" Galinda came running towards him when he was on his way back to his dorm room with a small bag in his hand.
"Hey, Glin," he greeted her.
She stopped in front of him, slightly out of breath. "How's Elphie?"
"Still a little overwhelmed," he admitted truthfully. "Probably my fault. I, um… I may have dropped the will-you-marry-me bomb on her."
Galinda immediately started beaming. "You asked her to marry you?" she squealed loudly. "Are you serious? Did she say yes?" Then she frowned. "Wait a clock-tick. Fiyero, are you out of your mind? Why would you ask her to marry you? She doesn't even remember…" Again, she cut herself off and her eyes widened. "Unless… Fiyero?"
He grinned at her.
"She remembers?" Galinda held her breath and when Fiyero nodded, she started squealing again and threw her arms around him. "Oh, Fifi, that's so wonderfullimazifying!"
"It is," he agreed, still grinning broadly. "I'm really happy, but I need to remind myself to take it slow with her. I mean, she just woke up from a coma, for Oz's sake. She's still physically weak and I guess something like this messes with someone's mind, too. It must be really strange for her to be back…"
Galinda patted his arm. "Well, I know you'll take great care of her, Fiyero," she said earnestly. "Just give her some time, be nice to her, but don't push her. And don't forget that doctor's appointment tomorrow morning," she reminded him.
He nodded. "I won't." Then he hesitated. "Glin?"
"Yeah?"
"Do you know what happened to Fae's father?" he asked her quietly. "Does he know that she's awake? Does he care?"
Galinda bit her lip. "He knows," she said slowly. "Nessa told him when he came over to see her this afternoon. As for your second question… well, I think you can guess the answer to that one."
He sighed. "I guess."
Galinda gave him an encouraging smile. "Well, at least she has people around her who love her now," she said. "And isn't that what really matters?"
He smiled at her. "You know, Glin? Sometimes you're really smart."
She giggled. "I know. I'm totally smartified." She tossed her hair, making Fiyero laugh.
"Oh, and Fiyero – have you seen Madame Morrible around?" she added as an afterthought.
His face darkened. "No. If I had, she wouldn't be around anymore now," he growled darkly.
Galinda frowned. "Weird. I haven't seen her, either… not since yesterday," she said.
"Elphaba saw her at the hospital." Fiyero swallowed. "Right before… you know."
Galinda squeezed his shoulder sympathetically. "Well, I hope she's disappeared into the void," she muttered. "But if I see her, I'll let you know."
"What are we supposed to do?" Fiyero hissed, lowering his voice. "She tried to kill Fae! What if she tries it again?"
"Don't worry, Fiyero. We'll all keep an eye on Elphie, and –"
Fiyero's eyes widened. "I left her alone."
Galinda scoffed. "Fiyero, Morrible doesn't even know she's staying with you, and –"
"But what if she does?" Fiyero demanded in a high voice. He spun around and ran off, suddenly overcome with terror.
"Fiyero!" Galinda called after him. He heard her heels on the pavement as she followed him, but he didn't slow down to let her catch up. He suddenly had a really bad feeling about this.
He ran through the hallway and threw open his door, quickly scanning the room with his eyes. "Fae?"
Not a sound.
He dumped the bag with their dinner on his desk and moved further into the room. He felt relieved for a moment when he saw her sprawled across his bed, apparently asleep; but his worry returned full-on when he realised that she wasn't moving. He had spent quite some nights with her now – enough to know that she was always moving in her sleep. Always. At the very least a flutter of her eyelashes, a sigh, a mutter, anything. She never seemed to be able to lie still… but she was lying still now.
"Fae?" He touched her, shook her lightly.
She still didn't move.
"Fae, wake up!" he shouted. "Elphaba!" He was yelling loud enough to wake the dead. She still didn't pull a muscle.
His breath hitched in his throat and he was overcome by panic.
He was too late.
Dun dun duuuuuuun...
It might be one more chapter and an epilogue... or maybe even a bit longer than that, I'm not sure yet.
