I'm back! So warning about this chapter, I wrote it very late last night so I apologize if somethings sound horrible. Also I just finished reading a book that was in a tense I don't write in and it was in first person, so I found myself very messed up when writing this. Sorry for any mistakes!

So I didn't mention this in my last chapter because I'm stupid and forgot, buuuuut who freaked out when Norbert Leo Butz won his second Tony Award? I did! You could call it jumping up and down screaming for 5 minutes straight... But I digress.

Also my new obsession ever since the Tony Awards has been The Book of Mormon (the musical)! Any other fans out there?

Chapter 12/ Seasons of Love

Today was the day.

The day they had all been waiting for.

They had worked so hard for this day.

Now it was here.

Opening night.

Glinda seemed to be in multiple places at once, frantically making sure everything was perfect for tonight. She was an emotional wreck, and she didn't care if she was being witch-ier than usual.

The cast had, had an escape from rehearsal the day before, and today was all about relaxing before the big night.

Pfannee and Shenshen had left after breakfast to spend their free time at the most swankified spa in the city.

Crope and Tibbett left to go take in the views of the city with a walk in the park.

Avaric had left the palace, mumbling that he needed to release some "tension," and he quickly made his way to the nearest Gentleman's Club.

Then there was Elphaba and Fiyero. They decided that the day would be spent by the warm fireplace in the library. There they sat; Elphaba happily curled up against Fiyero reading a book; feeling the best she had felt in a long time, and Fiyero watching the fire, mindlessly stroking her hair.

After their first date, the awkwardness and hostilities faded away, and they began spending more time together. The rest of the group noticed this sudden change. When the guys had asked Fiyero what was going on, they were given no information. However the second Elphaba had gotten back from her date, she practically ran to Glinda's room to tell her everything.

However, since that date nothing became too serious between them. They enjoyed each other's company and only shared a few secret kisses. It never went farther than that. It was like they were using each other to hide from their past pains.

Elphaba was content with the possibility that she and Fiyero could one day have a new, happy life together, but there was always a nagging in her mind.

It could be called jealousy, from knowing that he's with this new woman, which Elphaba herself created.

It could be called hurt, from seeing her true love move on without her.

It could be called heartache, from seeing the pain still in his eyes, and knowing that she was the cause of this.

It could be called guilt, from not telling him the truth in the first place.

So now she sits here, trying to forget those things and focus on the future in front of them.

Everything was crazy. The cast was all over the stage, singing and dancing, and the audience was wild, as the song Rent rocked the theater.

From the stage the cast could see the creator of the show, many famous celebrities and government officials, old classmates, and their parents. Fiyero almost forgot to sing, shocked that his parents were seated in the audience, very close to the stage.

The show moved on and everything was going right on cue. However, as Fiyero and Elphaba sang their "Light My Candle" duet, Elphaba began to shiver, and not from acting out the lyrics. Fiyero took it as really good acting, but Elphaba felt as if she was getting a childhood cold.

Elphaba pushed through, telling herself it was just nerves, and the show went on without any questions about her health.

As "La Vie Boheme" started, Elphaba felt a rush of energy, forgetting about her possible sickness.

The cast enjoyed watching the looks of their parents through the song, as they made sexual gestures and danced on the tables. Some even laughed when Boq sang, "not to mention of course, hating dear old mom and dad."

Elphaba's favorite moment of the song came when she and Boq very poignantly sang, "Why Dorothy and Toto went over the rainbow to blow off Auntie Em!"

The cast had laughed earlier about how the composer used his lyrics to make fun of the little farm girl's yippy dog and her other references, such as going "over the rainbow."

The song reached the part where Avaric saunters over to Elphaba. In rehearsals Avaric always enjoyed these parts in a few of the songs. On the other hand, Elphaba was completely repulsed.

"Your boyfriend doesn't know about us?" Avaric raises his eyebrow suggestively, as if there was something that happened. Elphaba mentally scoffs, "In his dreams."

"He doesn't act like he's with you," Avaric observed sarcastically through his singing.

And though those were prewritten lyrics for fictional characters, it was as if Avaric was saying it about her relationship with Fiyero now. It was true. In public, he was as friendly as a grieving person could be, but he never acted like he was with her in a romantic way.

So he still wasn't over her. It made Elphaba want to cry and smile at the same time. She was so conflicted about her situation with him. Did she want him to move on and be with the new her, or to stay loyal to her and never be with another woman? It was too much to think about while in the middle of a performance.

The song progressed and led Elphaba into a singing argument with Fiyero.

"No one's perfect, I've got baggage," Fiyero raged through his singing.

"Life's too short babe, time is for lying. I'm looking for baggage that goes with mine," Elphaba pleads through her song. If only he knew how similar their baggage was to one another's.

Now the song is at Fiyero's character's revelation about Elphaba's character. Whenever they rehearsed this, to make the scene more real, Fiyero pretended what it would be like if by some crazy magic spell, Eliana was actually Elphaba, and he had just found that out. But it was such a crazy idea that he didn't tell anyone about it, let alone think it could happen.

The music changed and soon the lovers were singing their love song.

"I'd forgotten how to smile until your candle burned my skin." In a figurative way, it was true. After losing Elphaba, Fiyero didn't smile. That is, until Eliana was brought into the cast. There was just something about her.

Together they sing, "Who knows where? Who goes there? Who knows? Here goes…"

Here goes indeed. This is the beginning of their future, and it will be an adventure. Just like their first time together. This is all a risky adventure, this relationship is, and who knows the answers to those questions better than the ones in the relationship.

Suddenly it hits Elphaba. She can't go on not telling him. She can't pretend anymore. What they had was real- is real. And she has no right to take that away. Fate put them together, cruelty tore them apart, and she would bring them together once more. Forever.

Here goes…

Fiyero softly spins her, holding her body gently against his. They had done this many times in rehearsal, but something about tonight was special. They began swaying and singing the climax of their duet. "Trusting desire, starting to learn, walking through fire without a burn… Clinging a shoulder, a leap begins… Stinging and older, asleep on pins."

Yes. Elphaba needs to trust her desire she feels for Fiyero. With their relationship, nothing can harm them. They have to be together. She finally realized this and was devastated she hadn't figured it out before.

Their scene ends and the rest of the first act concludes, with the cast convinced that half of the audience, including their parents, was completely repulsed.

The second act began with the loud, powerful chords of "Seasons of Love."

The cast sings, "How do you measure a year in the life? How about love?"

Elphaba vows from now on she will measure every year in love, as long as it's with Fiyero.

The song continues, with the audience loving every second of it.

Then Tibbett's voice rings through the theater, grand and powerful.

In truths that she learned,

Or in times that he cried.

In bridges he burned,

Or the way that she died.

Fiyero and Elphaba had heard these lyrics many times in rehearsal, but it was like hearing them for the first time. The two lovers were so taken away by the lyrics they didn't sing when the chorus joined in. Elphaba sees a tear slip down Glinda's porcelain cheek in the audience.

Truths that she learned: All of the lies from the Wizard that Elphaba learned the day she became known as the Wicked Witch of the West. How he had no power. How he was the one hurting the Animals.

Times that he cried: All of the restless nights Fiyero lay awake, crying over his lost love.

Bridges he burned: All that Fiyero sacrificed, to run away with the emerald woman he loved since the lion cub incident at Shiz.

The way that she died: How Elphaba died. Killed by a bucket of water, they're told.

When the song ended, Elphaba felt sicker than before. She tried to forget it and pushed on, preparing for the upcoming dramatic scenes.

It was her least favorite scene. The New Year's confrontation between her character, and Avaric's and Fiyero's characters. But she knew this wasn't just acting. This was real emotion, and experiences. That's why the show was so good Glinda told them one day at rehearsal. So now Elphaba gripped herself for the worst as her head started to pound.

"My desk was a mess, I think I'm still sore." Avaric grinned at Elphaba. She could tell he was thinking about it. Elphaba felt like she was going to throw up.

"'Cause I kicked him and I told him I wasn't his whore!" Elphaba yelled. "Ugh, he's such a pig," she thought.

Even though they were singing preset lyrics, Elphaba felt Avaric would have said the same thing that he was about to sing if this had been a real argument.

"Well does your boyfriend know who your last boyfriend was?"

They're the same person.

Elphaba knew she had to tell him, she just had no idea how.

"I'm not her boyfriend, I don't care what she does!"

Elphaba felt like crying. Did he feel the same way about Eliana? Elphaba tried to clear her head. This was ridiculous. This is a musical that they were acting in, not real life.

"Let's make a resolution," Crope sang in his drag.

Elphaba scoffed, "I'll drink to that."

"Let's always stay friends," Tibbett joined.

"Though we may have our disputes…" Shenshen began singing.

"This family tree's got deep roots." Pfannee finished.

Everyone on stage had some sort of smile on their face. It was true. They grew to know each other and became somewhat of a family back at Shiz. This no longer feels like lyrics being sung, but friends communicating with each other.

Boq adds, "Friendship is thicker than blood-"

"That depends," Fiyero retorts.

"Depends on trust." Elphaba sneaks a quick glance at Fiyero.

"Depends on true devotion." Fiyero looks at Elphaba like she doesn't know what that is. She looks away and he follows right after her.

"Depends on lust." Shenshen pushes Elphaba towards Fiyero

"Depends on not denying emotion." Boq pushes Fiyero toward Elphaba, and the two lover meet center stage.

The song finishes with only Elphaba left on stage, looking paler with sweat on her brow.

The show continues and "Without You" begins. Elphaba can see her lament bring some audience members to tears. She's almost in tears herself. Fiyero, Crope, Tibbett, and herself are slowly moving around the stage, switching places on the tables.

"Life goes on, but I'm gone. 'Cause I die, without you." Both sing heartbroken.

By the time the song finished, Elphaba had begun to lightly shake, practically falling into Fiyero's arms.

The show continued; bringing Crope's character's death and Tibbett's grieving song that brought most of the audience to tears.

Now much of the cast was singing the emotion saturated song, "Goodbye Love."

"I gave a mile!"

"Gave a mile to who?" Fiyero screams.

Though it was acting, Elphaba felt as if it was real anger from Fiyero and it wouldn't be the first time. Elphaba was so tired of his anger and coldness that when she sang the next verse she didn't realize what she had said.

"I'd be happy to die for a taste of what Elphaba had, someone to live for, unafraid to say 'I love you!'"

Once Fiyero heard her name he was completely shocked. But he quickly recovered, continuing the song, remembering that there were hundreds of people watching them.

Later in the song, only Fiyero and Boq were on stage.

"How could we lose Angel?" Fiyero softly sang. "Angel" being another word for Elphaba.

"Maybe you'll see why, when you stop escaping your pain. At least now I you try, Angel's death won't be in vain."

The song dramatically continues.

"Who are you to tell me what I know, what to do?"

"A friend."

"But who Mark are you? 'Mark has got work,' they say, 'Mark lives for his work and Mark's in love with his work.' Mark hides in his work."

"From what?"

"From facing your failure, facing your loneliness, facing the fact you live a lie."

Boq almost forgot that what Fiyero was singing was just a song with set lyrics. But he remembers, and his panic about Fiyero calling him out about loving Glinda, but pretending he doesn't is still safe with him.

"Yes you live a lie! Tell you why. You're always preaching not to be numb, when that's how you thrive. You pretend to create and observe when you really detach from feeling alive."

"Perhaps it's because I'm the one of us to survive!"

Though it was a song, Boq still enjoyed that he was standing up to someone that he wouldn't have at Shiz.

The line that Boq had just sung hit Fiyero deeply. The line reminded him how close he was to dying all those months ago. He internally shivered.

"Mimi still loves you. Are you really jealous? Or afraid that Mimi's weak?"

"Mimi did look pale…"

It was true. When Fiyero last saw Eliana on stage she looked very pale, but he passed it off as the lighting.

The song sways along, and Elphaba enters for her part of the song.

"You don't want baggage without lifetime guarantees. You don't want to watch me die. I just came to say goodbye love, goodbye love…"

Elphaba sadly thought that, that's really what Fiyero wants now. Someone who won't die. The guilt was eating away at Elphaba for making him feel this pain.

"Goodbye love… hello disease."

Elphaba could feel herself getting sicker by the second. She felt like her head was burning up.

The end of the show was racing toward them. Near the middle of the finale, Pfannee, Shenshen, and Elphaba waited backstage for their entrance. Pfannee went out and began their entrance. Shenshen picked Elphaba up in her arms like they rehearsed many times before but this time Elphaba didn't need acting to look like she was dying. She collapsed into Shenshen's arms, and felt herself being carried out onto the stage.

She could feel every inch of her skin on fire. She was remotely aware that she was transferred into Fiyero's arms then placed on a table. She was shivering uncontrollably but managed to get her lines out. Fiyero had no idea how they could get her some help now so the cast all silently agree to just get through the rest of the show, so there wouldn't be any panic in the audience.

As Fiyero got up to grab the guitar to start "Your Eyes," a woman in the front row caught a glimpse of Elphaba sickly face. Nudging her husband she sharply whispered, "Darling I don't think that girl's feeling well!"

The woman's husband rolled his eyes. "Honey its part of the show. The actress really isn't sick."

"No, Darling, I believe she's really sick. She looks like she's turning green!"

Hehe, cliffhanger :) Review anyway? Pleaseeee?