Author's Note: I've had a number of people asking me if the fez thing was inspired by Doctor Who. I must admit that sadly, I have never watched Doctor Who, so, no, it wasn't intended to be a reference. But hey, feel to free to think of it that way!

Thanks everyone for your reviews. I really enjoy reading what you all think about everything, so please keep them coming!

Thedoctor24601: You have no idea how much I am really loving your reviews. They make me grin like mad and get all happy and excited and then I get the warm-happy-fuzzy feeling inside. I love you (non-creepy way, I promise). I love how you called them "adorable little idiots". :D And I must agree with you: fezzes, bowties and Stetsons are all cool. Especially Stetsons.

I hope you all enjoy this chapter. #OperationFiyeraba is underway. (If you don't know what I'm talking about, you need to read 'Dances with princes' by Ultimate Queen of Cliffies. It's amazing.)

CHAPTER 8:

"Oh, my Oz!"

Fiyero grinned. "What do you think?"

Elphaba turned to look at him, her eyes sparkling. "Fiyero, it's beautiful."

"I thought you might like it."

Elphaba gazed up at the ice sculpture again. "It looks exactly like the Emerald Palace. Right down to the tiniest detail. This is so amazing. Look at the craftsmanship in there! Wow. Just…wow." She shook her head in wonder.

"There's more." Fiyero led Elphaba around the side of the ice palace and was satisfied to hear her gasp in awe.

"Animals?"

"Apparently, they sculpt an array of different animals each year. Last year, it was sea animals; the year before, woodland creatures. This year, it appears they've decided to do large animals."

"Lions…tigers…bears…" Elphaba murmured as her gaze swept over the detailed figures. "Oh, my! They've even got an elephant and a rhinoceros! And a hippopotamus!"

They spent an hour and a half admiring the various sculptures and were just about to leave when something caught Elphaba's eye. "What's that?" she asked Fiyero, pointing.

"I don't know," Fiyero said, moving towards the ice castle, "but it looks familiar somehow. Let's take a closer look – there should be a name on a sign."

"It's very pretty," Elphaba commented, trailing along behind Fiyero. "I can't begin to imagine what it would be like living in a place like that."

Fiyero made a choked sound of surprise and stumbled back a step. "I can." His voice sounded faint and a bit shaky, and Elphaba glanced at him to see that he looked like he'd seen a ghost.

And then she saw why.

The sign in front of the ice castle read, 'Vinkun Royal Palace'. And in front of the ice building stood three very royal-looking figures.

"I can't believe they sculpted me!" Fiyero moaned. "It doesn't even look like me! Oz, how embarrassing! They didn't even get my nose right!"

"Are these your parents?" Elphaba asked curiously.

Fiyero nodded. "Supposedly. Man, this is embarrassing! How did I not know about this? I wonder if my parents know?"

"I wonder why your family and your palace have been sculpted," Elphaba mused.

Fiyero buried his hands in his pockets and shrugged, beginning to walk off. "I have no i… Oh."

"What is it?"

"I think I just found out why."

Elphaba followed his gaze to another sign. "'Rulers of Oz Collection'?" She glanced down the row of sculptures and, upon seeing the last one, her eyes widened and she blanched.

The last sculpture was of the mansion at Colwen Grounds, and in front of the building stood a carving of the Governor of Munchkinland, alongside another figure.

It was a girl in a wheelchair.

"Elphaba?"

"I want to leave," Elphaba announced.

Confused, Fiyero turned around to see what had caused Elphaba to suddenly tense up again. At first, he wasn't quite sure what he was looking at, but then he recognized the girl sitting in the chair. "Is that Nessarose?"

Elphaba nodded stiffly, but Fiyero, still facing away from her, didn't see.

"Don't tell me that's your father as well." Again, silence. "Where are you?"

Elphaba swallowed hard, and then managed to choke out, "I don't exist."

Fiyero looked at her, clearly baffled. "What do you mean, you don't exist? You're here, aren't you?"

"In my father's eyes," Elphaba explained, "I don't exist. At least, not in public. Therefore I don't exist to the public."

Elphaba could see Fiyero getting angry as she spoke, and she was quite taken aback by his reaction.

"But he's your father!" Fiyero cried out, appalled.

Elphaba shrugged, averting her gaze. "That's just how things are," she said quietly. "Always have been."

Fiyero shook his head in disbelief. "I had no idea."

"No-one does." She turned her large, brown eyes onto him. "You won't tell anyone about this, will you? About the ice sculptures or what I told you?"

"I won't," Fiyero promised.

"Not even Nessa. She mustn't know about this. Promise me you won't say anything," Elphaba all but begged.

"Promise."

Elphaba sighed with relief. "Thankyou."

"I'm so sorry. No wonder you can be a bit prickly towards people. I apologize again for the way I've treated you in the past."

"Don't," Elphaba said, shaking her head. "Don't worry about it. Let's just go."

"Sure." Fiyero guided Elphaba out of the ice exhibition building and the pair were soon seated in Fiyero's hotel room. He then called room service and ordered them a light lunch.

Once it had been delivered, the two ate in silence. Fiyero wanted to talk to Elphaba, but he wasn't sure what he could say without upsetting her.

Then there was the fact that she was with him in his room. Just the two of them. Alone. He really wanted to make the most of that time, but he wasn't sure now was the right time. But she was sitting right beside him, and if he just shuffled closer…

Fortunately, Elphaba saved him the trouble, moving closer to him instead. "Thanks for today. It was lovely."

Fiyero gave a small sigh. "I'm sorry that ice exhibition didn't work out. I thought it would be a nice thing to go and see together…"

Elphaba shook her head at that. "It's okay. Really. Yes, seeing that particular scene did upset me a bit, but it's not like I can do anything about it. I've just got to accept it and move on. Regardless, it was still really lovely."

Fiyero didn't look convinced, but he didn't make any further comment. Instead, he let his arm drop around Elphaba's shoulders and pulled her against his side. "I still can't get over that kid thinking you were my girlfriend, though," he said with a chuckle.

"Me, neither," Elphaba agreed. "Afterall, who would want to date me?"

"That's not what I meant," Fiyero admonished gently, and Elphaba sighed.

"It's true, though."

"No, it's not."

"Okay, name one person who would want to date me."

"Me."

Elphaba looked up, startled, and pulled away slightly. "What? Are you asking me out?"

"Well, no, because I'm not entirely sure you would accept; but I'm not averse to the idea," Fiyero said. "In fact, I quite…like it."

Elphaba leant back a bit as she stared at him suspiciously, and Fiyero couldn't help but laugh at her expression.

"I'm serious," he insisted. "But I won't press the matter. It's just…I enjoy being with you – talking to you – now that I know you better."

Finally, Elphaba gave a shy smile, and she reached out to run her hand down Fiyero's cheek. "I still can't believe this. You…me…"

"Us." Fiyero leant down and pressed his lips to Elphaba's, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her closer.

Elphaba quickly pulled back again. "Wait, 'us'?"

Fiyero nodded, sliding his nose along her cheek. "It kind of has a nice ring, don't you think?"

Elphaba blushed, fiddling nervously with one of Fiyero's shirt buttons. "I…"

One of Fiyero's hands lightly crept up Elphaba's back to rest on her neck, causing Elphaba to catch her breath at the sensation, and she accidentally pushed the button back through its hole. She bit her lip. "Oops."

Fiyero chuckled as his fingers began playing with the small wisps of hair at the base of her skull. "I don't mind," he whispered playfully.

Embarrassed, Elphaba fumbled to do the button back up, but Fiyero stopped her by placing his other hand over hers. "Leave it – it's fine. I was beginning to feel a bit warm, anyway."

"What's happening between us?" Elphaba whispered back.

"What would you like to happen between us?" Fiyero countered.

Elphaba was silent for a moment, still not looking at him, before she shrugged. "I…I don't know," she admitted finally.

"Then why don't we just see what can happen, hmmm?" Fiyero suggested, leaning in to kiss her again.

They stayed in Fiyero's room all afternoon, and Fiyero ordered dinner for them both. By the time Elphaba left, she was heavily flushed, her lips were swollen and her hair was an absolute mess; but she looked the most radiant Fiyero had ever seen her. He himself was grinning like mad, and a couple more buttons on his shirt had come undone.

That night, a storm rolled in across the Emerald City.

Elphaba was just drifting off to sleep when she heard an urgent-sounding knock coming from outside. Glancing at the clock, she dragged herself out of bed to answer the door.

"Fiyero?" She blinked sleepily. "What are you doing here? It's almost one o'clock in the morning!"

"I…couldn't sleep," Fiyero answered, his voice uncharacteristically small. At that moment, a particularly-loud crack of thunder boomed through the night, causing Fiyero to flinch noticeably and clutch what Elphaba realized was a pillow closer to his chest; and suddenly, she understood.

"You don't like storms." It was a statement rather than a question.

Fiyero shook his head, relieved that Elphaba hadn't asked if he was afraid of them, and entered the room as the green girl held the door open for him.

"I'm not a fan of them, either," Elphaba confessed. "I don't mind lightning so much, but thunder…"

"Same. Do you mind if we switch on one of the lights?"

"Not at all." Elphaba did so, and Fiyero's sigh of relief was audible from the other side of the room. "Would you like some warm milk?" Elphaba offered.

"That would be lovely; thanks." He paused. "Sorry for crashing in on you like this; I hope I didn't wake you up or anything."

Elphaba threw him a reassuring smile. "It's fine. Really."

"I did remember to put on a shirt before I came," Fiyero rattled on.

"I noticed."

"It's just that –"

"Fiyero!" Elphaba sounded exasperated, but she was smiling. "It's fine. Really. I understand."

Fiyero looked at her meekly. "Okay."

Elphaba set about making two mugs of warm milk while Fiyero sat down on the edge of the bed, cringing every time he heard the rumble of thunder.

"Here," Elphaba said soothingly, prying the pillow from Fiyero's grasp and replacing it with one of the mugs. "This might help you sleep."

Fiyero took the mug gratefully. "Thanks."

Elphaba sat down beside him and took a sip from her own mug. "I must admit I'm a bit surprised you came here," Elphaba said after a while.

"I trust you not to laugh at me," Fiyero replied simply with a shrug. "Besides, I don't usually have anyone I can go to. It's a nice change."

"What do you usually do?" Elphaba questioned softly.

"At Shiz? I usually just curl up in a ball, let myself be scared and not get any sleep."

Elphaba frowned. "That doesn't sound very healthy," she commented.

Fiyero gave another shrug. "It's the only way I know how to cope."

"Well, what about when you're at home? Can't you go to your parents or something?"

Fiyero shook his head. "They don't know."

"They don't know?" Elphaba repeated slightly incredulously.

"They think I grew out of it," Fiyero explained. "I really have no desire for them to keep thinking of me as their little boy who still needs rocking to sleep when there happens to be a storm."

"So what do you do, then?"

"I usually go down to the library and read."

Elphaba looked over at him in surprise. "Really?"

"No need to sound so surprised," Fiyero teased her lightly with a chuckle. "I did tell you I could read."

"Sorry," Elphaba apologized. "It's just that I… Nevermind. Is that how you learnt to read so fast?"

Fiyero nodded. "Yeah, I've found it helps take my mind off things if I read quickly."

"Well, I've got plenty of books if you want…"

"It's okay," Fiyero said, reaching for her hand. "Just talking to you is helping. Really." He smiled, and Elphaba returned it. "Thanks for the milk," he added.

"Would you like some more?" Elphaba asked, standing and reaching for his mug.

"No, thanks, I'm right. Besides, I should probably get back to my own room and let you get some sleep."

"You don't have to do that," Elphaba protested shyly. "I mean…well…I guess you could stay here for the night…"

"I couldn't impose on you like that."

"I don't think I'd be able to sleep knowing you were next door unable to sleep yourself because of the storm," Elphaba countered. "Stay. I don't mind. Really."

"Well…if you're sure…"

"I'm sure."

Fiyero stood and wrapped Elphaba in a grateful hug. "Thankyou," he whispered in her ear. After a moment, he stepped back. "I just hope I fit on that couch," he commented, eyeing the small sofa worriedly.

"You can take the bed," Elphaba told him.

"That wasn't a hint," Fiyero protested. "I was just saying –"

"I was going to offer you the bed, anyway," Elphaba interrupted.

"But I don't want to make you sleep on the couch…"

"Then I'll take the floor," Elphaba said simply.

Fiyero looked horrified. "I couldn't let you do that!" he cried. "Not after all those nights spent on the floor of that cottage."

"Fiyero, it will be fine –"

"No," Fiyero said firmly. "You're not sleeping on the floor."

Elphaba crossed her arms. "Then what do you propose I do?"

Fiyero lifted one eyebrow ever-so-slightly.

Elphaba blushed. "Fiyero –"

"We've already spent several nights together," Fiyero pointed out.

"Yes, but not in a bed," Elphaba retorted nervously.

"It may as well have been." But Elphaba still looked unconvinced. "Look, if I do anything untoward, I give you permission to slap me."

Elphaba hesitated. "Change that to 'permission to hex you' and you've got a deal."

Fiyero laughed. "Done."

"Do you want me to leave the light on?" Elphaba asked as Fiyero slipped into the bed.

"No, it's okay; you can switch it off. Unless you prefer it on, that is," Fiyero added.

"I always sleep with the light off," Elphaba said as she flicked the switch and made her way over to the bed. She got in, careful not to touch Fiyero, and settled under the blankets.

Everything was silent for a little while until they heard another clap of thunder and Fiyero's hand instinctively shot out, groping for Elphaba's. The green girl found his hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. At the next thunderclap, Fiyero's grip on her hand tightened painfully.

"Sorry," he apologized when she grunted.

"I have a better idea: Why don't you move closer to the middle of the bed."

"Why?" He sounded confused.

"Don't question; just do," Elphaba replied, trying to sound brisk.

Fiyero complied, and Elphaba did the same. Then she turned over onto her side to face Fiyero and wrapped her arms around his waist. She nestled her head under Fiyero's arm and sighed.

"There," she told him. "Now you can squeeze me instead of crushing all the delicate bones in my hand."

"You don't mind?"

Elphaba paused, before letting out a quiet, "No."

Fiyero smiled into the darkness and turned his head to drop a gentle kiss into Elphaba's hair.

They settled into silence once more and Elphaba was on the verge of sleep when Fiyero's arms suddenly crushed her harder and he let out a quiet whimper. Elphaba was immediately awake again. She sat up slightly and raised her hand to cup Fiyero's cheek, stroking it gently. "Shhh, it's okay," she comforted him. "Just try not to think about it. It can't hurt you." She smoothed back his hair and dropped a light kiss on his lips.

"You promise?" Fiyero's voice was so small, it was like that of a child's; and Elphaba's heart melted.

"I promise," she confirmed, still smoothing his hair. Tenderly, she began kissing his face – his cheeks, his nose, chin and forehead – before finally coming back to his lips.

As she went to pull away, however, Fiyero wouldn't let her, and Elphaba realized that his lips were still firmly attached to hers.

When Fiyero finally broke away, they were both breathing hard. "Sorry," Fiyero said after a moment. "I promised to behave myself, didn't I?"

"It's okay; I won't hex you."

"You mean you're going to settle for slapping me?"

Elphaba chuckled and kissed him again.

"I was serious, you know," Fiyero said when they came up for air. "I took your threat seriously."

"I was serious at the time," Elphaba replied. "But I don't feel like carrying through with it now."

Fiyero smiled. "Good." He rolled over so that Elphaba was lying partially under him. "Because I'm rather beginning to enjoy this."

Elphaba trailed her hand down to rest on Fiyero's chest, and her fingers once again began their coy dance with the buttons of his shirt. She could feel the hard muscles beneath as he lay propped up on one elbow. "Me, too," Elphaba admitted quietly.

The darkness enveloping them seemed to bring a heightened sense of intimacy, and by the time they began to grow drowsy, the pair were thoroughly mussed up and Fiyero's shirt had taken up residency somewhere on the floor.

Fiyero wrapped Elphaba tightly in his arms and kissed her one last time. "Goodnight, Elphaba."

Author's Note: And yes, there is a Tangled reference in here. ;)