There would have been no way to explain to Elphaba what the Philosophy Club would be like - she was overwhelmed by a group of more than ten. The Philosophy Club was packed with people, which was why Fiyero was glad he and Galinda found Elphaba and Kers before they entered. His best friend refused to meet his eye, clearly less fierce now that she wasn't enraged, and he tugged her out of the line.

"Let's just forget... anything we want to forget. I'm sorry I was so... I was insensitive, and I gave your boyfriend an awful nickname. And... I don't want to fight. You're my best friend, even if I've made you feel like I only see you when Galinda's being exhausting. It's just not true, Elphie. I love you. Friends?"

Elphaba had told herself about a million times that she was tired of Fiyero, and that, even if he apologized, she'd retain her composure. But his apology broke through her self-imposed resistance, and she lost it, all of it. "Of course," she sighed, shaking her head. "I'm sorry I said... I'm sorry I yelled at you."

"So... friends? Please?"

"Of course," she sighed, wondering how he got to her so easily.

When they rejoined Kers and Galinda, Kers took Elphaba's hand and shot Fiyero a glance that basically said he wasn't comfortable with their secret discussions. Galinda looked from her best friend to her boyfriend and tried to figure out what was going on.

Once inside the Club, they were joined by Avaric, whose height and stature made him the star of the Quotch team, already drunk out of his skull. "Artichoooooooke," he slurred. "You are so sexy when I'm drunk!" He threw an arm around her shoulders. "I like you better when I drink."

"I like you better when you drink," she shot back, though her small smile wasn't as angry as it could have been.

"We should dance," Avaric bellowed over the music.

"I think I'll dance with Kers, thank you," Elphaba replied.

"Shit, Kers you scoundrel! Breaking my heart, with the - oh! Hey ladies..." And Avaric had disappeared into the crowd.

Galinda tugged Fiyero to the bar to get her a fruity virgin cocktail, and they lost Elphaba and Kers in the crowd until the music slowed down to play an old folk tune. "...Iyl yah laangtamp kej atem uh jyaa mae junna tu blee arrae..." Fiyero recognized the tune immediately - children sang it, though it was quite sad, really. Galinda was off with some girls from her Linguification class, and Elphaba had been dancing with Kers until the Quotch team had dragged him off for another round.

"Mind if I cut in?" Elphaba smiled up at him, softly singing along to the song, with a perfect accent. "That's good," Fiyero grinned. "You'd do anyone in the Vinkus proud."

"Is this Vinkan?" Elphaba was honestly surprised. "What does it mean?"

"The part you were singing was, 'So long I have loved you, I will never forget you'," he translated. Then, he sang it softly in her ear.

Elphaba couldn't deny the shivers that coursed through her body. But his voice was so silky, and he was such a smooth dancer. It was just nice, and the melody was so melancholy and beautiful - about something so lovely. Love was lovely.

She felt a little funny.

"I'm... I think I need a drink," Elphaba said, pulling away from Fiyero's very inviting arms. "Don't worry, just some of that soda water stuff," she added, before he could worry about what kind of "drink" she'd be consuming.

He grinned at her. "I believe you," he said. "I guess I should... uh, I'll go find Galinda."

He loved how tiny Galinda was. He swore he did. Only... he didn't, really. Not after dancing with Elphaba, who was easier to match strides with. Or maybe it was just that he preferred Elphaba in every way... He couldn't think like that. That one kiss had been a mistake. He'd been impulsive, and a little drunk (not very) and all worked up by Galinda (and the fact that Elphaba was so sexy). And she'd been saying she was ugly, which was so far from true...

But he loved Galinda's perkiness. She could make rainbows out of mud if she tried. Though, really, didn't she give the same affection to everyone? No, he knew. She showed the same excited, bouncy face to everyone, but he and Elphie also saw her other side. He couldn't pretend that Galinda was as shallow as she seemed, even if he knew that Elphaba's affection seemed to hold more gravity. He couldn't fault Galinda for not being predominantly surly, therefore making the small shows of friendship or happiness more exciting.

Fiyero lost track of Elphaba, then. She disappeared to get herself a drink, Galinda returned to him, and he spent the next half hour or so dancing with the beautiful blonde. It wasn't until a hand roughly turned him at the shoulder that he even thought of Elphaba again, and that was only when Boq's panicked face formed the word "Elphaba!"

He followed Boq through the crowd to one of The Rooms. They were rooms one could not enter without being willing to do anything, and none of the three could understand how Elphaba would have ended up in one. She was too smart for that, and far too prim.

They checked all the windows in the doors until Fiyero spotted something that made his heart actually feel as though it had lurched to a stop. Elphaba was on the raised platform surrounded by the smaller booths that people were to wait in, tied up, and in the process of being undressed by a smarmy-looking man while a dwarf supervised.

"Stop it," Fiyero cried, running up onto the platform.

"You could be beat for that," the dwarf growled.

Fiyero peered around until he spotted Kers in his booth and glared down at him. "You were going to allow this?" He untied her, noting that she barely moved. "Galinda, get her out of here."

"She came in of her own free well, she has to stay," the dwarf barked, stepping forward, his stick in hand. "Those is the rules," he reminded Fiyero.

Fiyero didn't know what to do. He couldn't allow this to happen to Elphaba, he'd rather die. "We'll trade," he said, feeling as though that might be the same thing. "It's clear she's not cognisant enough to enter of her own free will," he said. "That's got to void the rules, or at least bend them. Take me for her. You can do what you want with me."

"Fiyero, no!"

Galinda's words went unheeded as the dwarf grinned maliciously. "I'll take that deal," he said, appraising the young man who stood before him.

Fiyero nodded, then picked Elphaba up gently and carried her down to the door, where Galinda and Boq each got under her armpits. "Get her home," he said, refusing to meet Galinda's eye. "Make sure she's alright."

"Fiyero -"

"I'll see you tomorrow."

He turned away, walking back onto the platform. "You're far too overdressed," the dwarf chuckled. And so Fiyero started to unbutton his shirt.