Chapter Forty-One: Rifts

"A delegate?" Fiyero's eyes widened. "That's… incredible."

"But it isn't, Fiyero. The Wizard said…"

"Stop, Fae. Maybe… if you were to be a delegate to the Wizard, maybe… maybe my parents would accept you and…"

Elphaba looked at him with uncertainty and he saw something change in her eyes, a light came back – one that he'd noticed had been missing when she'd come back from the City. "Fiyero, I don't know…"

"We don't have to tell them, now. But when we graduate, we can maybe mention it and see…" He grasped her hand tightly.

Elphaba shook her head. "Why mention it if I'm not going to do it?"

"Why not?"

"Because, Fiyero, what did I just tell you? I can't! He's the one behind everything I hate, everything I want to change!"

He didn't understand her at all. If she took this, maybe they could be together, and still she wouldn't do it. "But, Fae, we could stay together."

She lowered her eyes. "That's selfish. Instead of trying to help others, I'll hurt them instead just so I can have the love of my life?"

"The love of your life?" Fiyero repeated, a half smile on his face. "I like that."

Elphaba's face darkened. "Oh, stop that. I just meant that… forget it. Fiyero, I can't do it. I just can't."

"He gave you time to think. Why don't you take that time? Think about how taking that job could help the Animals."

"How?"

"I don't know. You'll have power. You figure it out. But please, Fae, just think about it before you go off half-cocked and refuse."

Elphaba sighed and leaned back on his couch. "I guess. It can't hurt to wait to tell him no. If I told him now, he might turn Madame Morrible even more against me than she already is. I can't afford that."

"Then it's settled. You'll think about it."

"Don't get your hopes up, Fiyero. And don't go thinking that your parents will change their minds, either. They're stubborn."

"We'll wait on that and see." He didn't want to give up hope.

She rolled her eyes, but leaned against him. "That's the best we can do."

He wrapped her in his arms. "I love you so much."

"I love you, too."

But he could tell she wasn't happy with what had happened. Still, there was nothing they could do and she needed to accept that. Maybe in time, she could change things. He didn't know if or how she could, but she was the smart one in that regard. He kept holding her, hoping that it would be enough and knowing that it wasn't.

Glinda and Elphaba were at odds about everything, too, he saw. He couldn't spend more than an hour with both of them without them arguing about the situation. It had created a rift in their friendship. They were still friends, but there was much more arguing (and there had already been plenty to begin with).

"But Elphie, if you don't do it, then he'll get someone else, someone dreadful, I just know it. And I don't want someone else to be a delegate! Not if I have to work with them," Glinda protested.

"I'm glad you have no qualms about the situation." Elphaba folded her arms across her chest.

It had already been a few weeks, and it had gone on like this constantly. Fiyero sighed and leaned against the wall. "Haven't you two been over this?"

"Yes. But I'm still hoping she'll change her mind!" Glinda huffed.

"Good luck with that," Fiyero muttered.

Elphaba glared at him. "I never said I made a decision in the first place! I merely stated that it isn't an idea I'm fond of."

"I know you, Elphie. You've already made a decision."

"I haven't."

Fiyero hoped this was the case. "Glinda, I talked to her about it. You know that. The more you pester her, the more it's going to hurt."

"Stop talking about me like I'm not here!" Elphaba snapped.

"I'm just trying to help." Fiyero put a hand on her shoulder.

She rolled her eyes, but did not brush him off. "I can make my own choices, Fiyero."

"I know that, Fae."

Glinda sniffed affectedly. "I just want my best friend with me, that's all."

Elphaba's face changed a little at that. "But Glinda, it's not all about you, or about me, or Fiyero, or any of us. It's about the principle of the matter. That man is evil. Seriously, Glinda, you can't tell me you disagree."

"He's done some questionable things, Elphie. But there's not enough context to really decide if he's completely evil."

"Context? You need context for Dr. Dillamond's throat getting slashed in his lab while he worked to help his own kind?" Elphaba demanded, voice rising.

"That's not what I meant."

"Then what do you mean, Glinda? Or do you even care?"

"Of course I care! How dare you say something like that? I'm not heartless!"

"Then why are you even considering this? Why don't you see it? Because you don't want to. You are too intoxicated by the offer he gave us to realize what he's doing."

"And if we don't take it, Elphie, tell me, how do we change things? You think turning him down won't make him suspicious?"

"I don't know. I don't care! I care about what's happening in Oz, the discrimination, the murders."

"Well, you won't be able to change any of it if he decides he doesn't trust you and sends you straight to Southstairs!"

"You don't get it, do you?"

"Okay, okay," Fiyero got between the two girls, who were inches away from each other. "I think it might be time for Elphaba to go to my room for the weekend…"

Elphaba grabbed her bag, still glaring at her roommate. "I think it is."

Fiyero gave Glinda and apologetic look and shut the door behind the two of them. "Fae, you can't let her get to you. She just wants you to be happy."

"What she wants is a best friend to drag around town when she lives in the City."

"It's not just that. She wants the best friend. She wants you. You're her best friend. It scares her to think that you might go in… well, another direction."

"Another direction?" Elphaba cackled. "I like your word choice."

"I just don't want this whole thing ruining your friendship."

They approached the building and Elphaba sighed. "I won't. I'm not really mad at her. I'm mad at the Wizard. She was just there. I'll apologize later."

Fiyero kissed her on the nose as they opened the door to his apartment. "Good. Because I certainly wouldn't want you going back to apologize now. I have… other plans."

Elphaba raised her eyebrows. "Oh? What kind of other plans?"

"I think you can guess." He grinned.