Elphaba woke in the night, and regretted instantly the events of a few hours previous. She was dating Kers, and Fiyero was dating Galinda, her best friend, and Fiyero was so many million miles out of her league it made her brain hurt to try to comprehend it. And she'd, what, lost her virginity to him? They weren't even dating, they'd never so much as kissed before that night, and now he knew... He knew everything about her.

How vulnerable she felt, as the ache inside started to throb more with the increase of consciousness. He knew how she looked, how she moved, how she felt, how she tasted... He'd kissed her, explored her, conquered her. He'd been gentle, beautifully gentle; Fiyero had taken his time, entered softly, and moved tenderly, like only Fiyero could have. But she still felt like he owned her, now. Like he was in control of her, and would be forever.

She lifted herself off of him gingerly, sitting up with great difficulty. It didn't matter how careful he'd been, she was decidedly sore, her body having been stretched, touched in places she'd never so much as grazed before - she was surprised she'd been able to accommodate him at all, after seeing the size of him. She flushed, remembering how his gaze had followed hers, and he'd looked at her with such sympathy, though his face was a little hot, as well. Clearly her fear had shown on her face, because, kissing her forehead, he'd promised, "I'll be careful. Have you ever seen...?" Shaking her head, she'd taken her lower lip between her teeth in her nervousness. "It's, uh... fairly average," he'd said, embarrassed. "I don't know what difference that makes."

She wasn't sure if she believed him at the time, and she definitely didn't, now. She sucked in a breath. Oz, how she ached. She made a mental note to research this supposed "average"ness in his size, and, if it turned out he was right... She'd just never have sex again. Ha. "Fae?"

She'd had to move slowly, and now she was caught, not even halfway off the bed. "Go back to sleep," she whispered.

He sat up. "Where are you going? Were you leaving?"

"I have to be back before Galinda -"

"Oh, forget Galinda, Elphaba," he hissed. "You're running, aren't you?"

"Just go back to sleep," she repeated, but he grabbed her arm.

"Stay with me," he pleaded. "Stay, Elphaba."

She turned to look at him, suspecting that it might be her undoing. It was. How could she leave, how could she leave that look on his face, that hope in his eyes? She took a deep breath, willing herself to be strong. "How can I stay?"

He looked at her, horrified. "How can you go?" He pulled her to him, and she stiffened, despite the comforting circles he rubbed into her back. "Are you angry at me?"

"No."

"Do you regret this? Do you regret what happened...?" She couldn't bring herself to say 'yes' or 'no' and so she said nothing. "Is it about me, or...?"

"Fiyero, you don't have to do this," she said. "You were thinking about what could have happened, it made you realize how good of a friend I am. You got caught up, thinking I meant more to you than I did. You don't have to pretend -"

"Pretend what? Pretend it doesn't break my heart that we just made love and you're trying to sneak out in the middle of the night?"

She started to cry, then, though she was furious at herself for doing it. The sound of his mouth forming the words 'made love' in reference to something they had done shattered her resolve to be strong. She knew she was far too emotional, but she reasoned that she'd had a big night. He held her tighter, kissing her cheeks, catching her tears. "I'm sorry, Fiyero..."

"I love you, Fae," he murmured. "I love you..." He sank back, pulling her with him, and she let herself be held to his chest.

"Are you sure?"

"Am I sure I love you?" He took her face in his hands and angled it toward him. "I've never been so sure about anything in my life. I love you, I'm in love with you." He paused to kiss her. "So don't run away from me."

"What will we tell Galinda? We'll have to tell her," she said, expecting him to argue.

"Well, I think we do," he chuckled. "She's bound to notice that I'm not dating her anymore, and that I seem to be spending all my time with you."

"You're breaking up with her?"

He stared at her. "I sort of assumed you knew that, based upon my love for you," he said. "You don't want to be together? I thought that tonight meant..."

"No, I do," she said, feeling cruel. "I just didn't want to assume that you would end things with Galinda. For me."

"That's what being in love with you means, Elphie. It means I can't bear to be apart from you, let alone date someone else."

"She'll never forgive me, though," Elphaba said. "I've done this to her."

"Perhaps you can pawn Curse off on her," Fiyero said, sounding insensitive.

"I'd forgotten about him," she moaned. "And that isn't funny," she snapped.

"I'm sorry, Fae," he murmured. "I simply loathe him."

"Then you shouldn't want him to be with Galinda. Don't you care about her at all?"

"Of course I do... It was a stupid joke, let's not fight." She shifted, and winced again. "Are you alright?" She didn't answer, and he realized. "Fae, did I hurt you?"

"You were perfect," she promised.

"That doesn't answer my question. Are you in pain?"

"Only a little," she said. "And only when I move."

"Shit, I'm so sorry..." He kissed the top of her head.

"It's not you," she said. "It's... normal. You couldn't have been more wonderful, or more careful. But I'm bound to... Can we not talk about this?"

"I didn't get caught up, or something?"

Elphaba thought back to the slow, tender rhythm he'd maintained, despite how difficult it must have been to do so. She remembered his hands caressing her, his kiss reassuring her, and that he had taken his time to get there. His hands and mouth had not hesitated to make sure she was satisfied - he'd put her body's desperate need to be warmed before his own pleasure. "It'll be easier," he'd said when she furrowed her brow at him. "It'll be easier for you, and more enjoyable, if..." Her face was hot, again, at the simple memory of what he'd done.

"No, of course not," she said. "It's just an adjustment."

He sighed with relief. "Stay all night? Tomorrow's Saturday," he reminded her. "You've nowhere to be, and you can tell Galinda you got up early to study. You can sleep in, even, and I'll go end things with her first thing."

Elphaba nodded in compliance. "Fiyero?"

"Mmhmm?"

"It was good," she murmured. "I don't want you to think I didn't... Just because I'm a little sore now, doesn't mean that it wasn't good at the time. I really... It was. I just wanted you to know."

He smiled with relief. "Thank you," he whispered, kissing the top of her head.

In the morning, waking with Elphaba in his arms, Fiyero pretended to himself that she was his wife, and realized that his relationship with her was exactly what he wanted in a marriage. His legs adored being entwined with hers, his hip was enamored with her hip against it. His arms felt joyous to be surrounding her, his hands alive with the sensation of rubbing her back. His chest and shoulder, they had the enviable position of supporting her upper body and head, and his head, well his head was the luckiest of all. His lips brushed her hair, his nose took in the smell of her. His ears heard her breathing, and his eyes, his blessed eyes, drank in the sight of her. Of course, his brain was the true victor. His brain knew that all this was nothing compared to the things she said, the morals she held, and the everything she was.

"Yero?"

He grinned at the sound of her stirring, and hugged her tight. "Good morning, love."

"Good morning," she yawned. "What time is it?"

"Time to be in love," Fiyero shrugged.

"Excuse me while I throw up," Elphaba muttered. "Where's your shirt?"

"Why?"

"I want to get up and go to the bathroom," she said, looking at him like he was daft.

"There's no need for a shirt," Fiyero informed her, looking mischievous. "Which, by the way, is the sexiest thing you've ever worn. Well, besides nothing." Elphaba blushed. "How is it that I got so lucky as to see you in it so often? Why didn't you ever bring something else to wear?"

"To be honest, I love sleeping in your shirt," she smiled, looking shy.

"So you really could have brought sleep wear?"

She flushed. "Not with me, every time. But I could have brought something over here and left it. Except Galinda could have found it..." Elphaba's voice trailed off, full of guilt.

He pulled her close and kissed her. "I'm glad you didn't," he smiled. "I loved seeing you in my clothes." He kissed her again, grinning. "I love kissing you," he exclaimed. "Finally kissing you!"

Elphaba nodded. "Bathroom?"

Fiyero looked downcast. "Fine," he relented, releasing her.

She rolled out of bed, groaning, and staggered to his bathroom, closing the door quickly, to hide her nudity. She stood at his sink, running water over her hands and splashing it on her face, and it was then that she looked at herself in the mirror.

She didn't look any different, but she knew she was different. She wasn't a virgin, anymore. She blushed to think of it.

And she'd betrayed the first friend she'd ever made.

For the first time in her life, Elphaba felt beautiful. And for the first time in her life, Elphaba looked in the mirror, and didn't like what she saw.

AN: Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed that last chapter! Wow! Or, rather... I'm counting the oneshot as a chapter, so, thanks to everyone who reviewed the last TWO chapters!