Chapter Thirty-One: Situations

This could be a problem. This could be a huge problem. She hadn't said anything, but he knew. He knew simply from the fact that she'd been able to make love every time he'd wanted in the first two weeks of the term that she hadn't bled when she was supposed to. But she hadn't said a thing about it. Maybe he was just being paranoid. Fiyero thought about approaching her. This was his fault, after all. It was his sneaking into her bedroom that night weeks before summer had ended that had to have caused this. She hadn't been keeping track, because she hadn't thought she'd have to…

It turned out he didn't have to say anything to her. It was the middle of the third week of the term when she came to spend the night that she finally came out with it. "Yero, um, we need to talk about something."

He tried to look surprised. "What's wrong, Fae?"

"I wouldn't even bring this problem to you. Normally I'd deal with it myself, but it requires money and I hate asking you to help but I don't have any and…"

She was babbling and clearly uncomfortable, so he saved her the trouble. "You're pregnant."

She looked up at him. "How'd you…?"

"You haven't refused me in the past two and a half weeks, Fae. You should've either bled by now or told me it wasn't a good time because there was a risk. Neither happened."

"Oh."

"Now what are you saying about money?" This slightly confused him.

"Well, I mean, it's not like I can just have the child, Fiyero."

He cocked his head at her, still not quite understanding.

"And there would be travel, too. I mean, I've done research and there's nowhere in this town where they can do such a procedure. I'd have to go into the City next weekend…"

Then it dawned on him. "You want to…?"

"What else can we do?"

She was right. But he didn't like it. He knew that those procedures were extremely risky to women. Most of them were done in underground clinics. Perhaps with the right amount of money he could get her to a trustworthy doctor who'd be discreet. "If you are comfortable with that, of course I'll help, Fae. It's my problem, too." He sat down on his bed and patted beside him so she would sit next to him. "I'm coming to the City with you."

"Fiyero," she began, about to protest.

"No. Don't you dare tell me you'll do this on your own. I'm coming with. I have more than enough money stowed away to handle this. Let me make the arrangements."

She sighed. "I've done all the research."

"But I know you. You'll go somewhere that's cheaper just so you don't cost me more money. That's not safe, Fae. Let me."

She nodded. "If it'll make you feel better about it, fine."

He hugged her close. "I'm sorry."

"I am, too," she replied. "But it's not just your fault. And it's not just mine. We're both to blame on this. So don't you go feeling guilty."

He did feel guilty. He felt absolutely awful. Fiyero could only guess at what this might put her through physically or emotionally. But he didn't tell her that he felt that way; it would only cause her to blame herself more. "So the City next weekend?"

"I'd go this weekend, but there just isn't enough time to make arrangements."

"How long have you known?"

"A week or two. But I had to do research. I couldn't just spring this on you."

"You could've told me the moment you knew."

"I knew you'd say that."

"What are you going to tell Galinda?"

Elphaba sighed heavily and blushed. "She knows."

"What?"

"She knew about the same time I did. She's good, Fiyero. I was in denial of it for so long she might have known before me."

He almost laughed at that, but now was not a time to laugh. "What did she say?"

"She told me she knew, and then, for the first time since I've known her, she didn't know what to say. After a few minutes she just hugged me and cried."

He wanted to do the same thing, but he didn't think it'd go over as well as it had for Galinda. "I'm glad she knows. That way we're not completely alone in this."

Elphaba nodded. She told him that she'd spend the night in her own room, though he pleaded with her to stay.

So Fiyero did his own research and began arranging that very evening for a renowned doctor to see Elphaba. But once he had done as much as he could, he was left alone to his own thoughts, and those were dangerous.

While he had suspected Elphaba's pregnancy, the confirmation of the fact was a whole different matter. And now they had no choice but to… deal with the problem. If it had been another world, another situation, he wouldn't have jumped so eagerly at aborting the child. But of course, they both knew what had to be done. It didn't mean he had to like it, though.

He wasn't a doctor, but Fiyero had a good idea what went on in those clinics, what the procedure was, and he shuddered at the thought. He had no doubt that Elphaba was well aware of what was to come, and though she showed no fear, he knew her well enough to know that didn't necessarily mean she wasn't afraid. He needed to stop thinking about this.

So he went to her room. He thought he heard voices, but there was silence the moment he knocked. Galinda answered. "Oh, Fiyero, we were just talking about you…"

Fiyero knew what that meant. They had been discussing the little problem of his and Elphaba's currently residing in Elphaba's belly. "Hi, Galinda."

"Fiyero, what are you doing here?" Elphaba was sitting in her bed, her knees pulled up to her chest. "I told you I was going to spend the night in my room."

"That doesn't mean I can't come see you, does it?"

Elphaba sighed. "I guess not." Her hair was down and she tugged it back behind her ears.

He went to the bed and sat beside her. Fiyero put an arm around her. "I don't want to leave you alone."

"Excuse me," Galinda huffed, "she is not alone! She has me!"

Fiyero bit his lip. "That's not what I meant. I apologize. I just… I mean, the situation… I don't want to…"

"Yero, stop," Elphaba murmured. "I understand. And so does Galinda. Right?"

Galinda nodded. "Does that mean you're going back over to his place?"

Elphaba shook her head. "I don't know." She turned to Fiyero. "You can't watch over me every night for the next week and a half."

"Why not?"

She glared at him.

That was a stupid question. He backed down. "I know, but tonight is different."

"Why? I'll still be pregnant tomorrow. And the day after."

"You just told me today," he insisted. "Please, Fae."

"I want to stay here," she said.

"Then I'll stay, too." Fiyero paused. "That is, if Galinda doesn't mind?"

"You're welcome to. Ama Clutch has been in the infirmary since we got here. Madame Morrible is avoiding doing anything about it until she knows exactly what's wrong with her. So there's nothing stopping you from staying." Galinda smiled.

Elphaba may have glared at Galinda, but when he turned back to her, she merely looked… small. "I'm tired," she whispered.

"I can't blame you," he said gently. "Do you want to go to sleep?"

"Did you get all of your homework done, Yero?"

"Can you forget about schoolwork and worry about yourself for once, Fae?"

She half-smiled at him. "That would mean you haven't."

"I can do it in the morning. Please, Fae."

"You will do your homework now. I am going to lie down and read, maybe drift off. I'll leave room for you. Okay?" She gestured to her desk.

He didn't do much of his homework. The moment she fell asleep he merely watched her, instead.