Author's Note: Previous chapters contain disclaimer. Sorry it's a bit late, I had a very busy day yesterday, but uploading this today means it comes out on the greenest day of the year! Happy St Patrick's Day everyone! Be green like Elphaba inside and out! Thank you for the lovely reviews again, this chapter is a bit of filler, not very exciting but by Oz, the next one sure is! I think someone said they wanted some Elphaba/Fiyero fluff, well, it's not this chapter but I make up for it in the next few so bear with me!

Enjoy! x

Elphaba's brow furrowed. "What d'you mean?"

Galinda began to clear away the paper plates of ordered food, congealed and cold now and definitely unwanted. She sighed. "Elphaba," the sound of crushed up plates in plastic bags came from their adjoining suite, "don't pretend with me. I know you too well." She returned to their bedroom and gave Elphaba a look she couldn't interpret. "What do you think of Fiyero?"

Elphaba shrugged with her back to Galinda and her tone dismissive. Too dismissive. "He's my friend."

"Elphie." Galinda said softly, placing a hand on her shoulder and forcing her to turn. "I could have told you that. It wasn't what I meant." Elphaba asked for an explanation and was sat down by Galinda for what she sensed was a serious discussion. "Alright, Elphie, I'm going to tell you something and I want you to remember a few things."

"Okay . . ."

Galinda inhaled overdramatically, but Elphaba never expected anything less from her. "I am your best friend and I love you very much." Elphaba smiled. "I do not see any connection between Fiyero and I that is not borne of friendship. I love him, but he's like my brother in the same way that you are my sister."

Elphaba frowned; she hated when Galinda skirted round an issue. She hated it in her writing and in her conversation. Elphaba constantly found herself underlining the words 'get to the point and stay there'. "Galinda, what's going on?"

"Will you remember that?" Elphaba thought for a moment before replying that she would. "Good." Galinda smiled. "I think you have feelings for Fiyero. Romantic feelings." Elphaba did not react. "And I think he has them for you, too." To her credit, Elphaba did not drop her gaze from Galinda and kept an entirely straight face. But her words disappointed her friend when she denied Galinda's suppositions. "Elphaba, please do not lie to me. I'm not pretending anything here and I haven't breathed a word to Fiyero." Elphaba looked at her hands. "But I have been watching both of you."

"For Oz' sake Galinda, for how long? Of course you've read into Fiyero's and my relationship recently. I'm very close to him. You know that. But it's not more than that."

"Liar!" She shouted, her beautiful face crumpling into anger.

The word cut into Elphaba as though Galinda had used her finely manicured nails to tear her skin. Galinda was absolutely convinced and it frightened her green friend even more; she was right on the mark. The two young women knew one another as though they were open books written in detail and with conviction. Elphaba knew that Galinda knew that she knew Galinda was right. It was confusing, and yet crystal clear.

Sweat began to kiss Elphaba's neck as she faced the prospect of admitting to Galinda what she felt for Fiyero. In all honesty, she was tired of hiding it and tired of pretending not to feel. That she had done too often in the past few days and she knew the only way to heal herself and her trust in others was to face the feelings she had buried. It would mean confronting more than just her love for Fiyero.

Galinda swore she could see Elphaba's resolve weakening. Her face softened, her posture relaxed and her limbs become less rigid and sharp. Galinda beamed with pride. "It's alright Elphie. I don't mind."

Elphaba strode to her friend, sitting again. "Galinda, yes you do." She frowned, angry with herself. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean . . . I didn't mean for it to happen."

Galinda smiled and felt tears threatening. She brushed one away, not wanting Elphaba to see, but she was glad to hear Elphaba apologise. "Of course not, Elphaba. Of course you didn't, no one ever does. You don't choose who you fall in love with."

"I'm not in love with him."

Galinda sighed, knowing she did or at least would very soon. She let it go, though. "Elphaba, please listen to me. I love you so much and I want you to be happy and I want Fiyero to be happy. There's a reason Fiyero's been affected so much by what happened to you Elphaba. He couldn't bear it if you were hurt."

Elphaba shook her head. "But he would be the same if it had been you."

"I know. Not in the same way, though." Galinda spoke quietly; she knew she had to step carefully with Elphaba because she sensed she would scare easily. "He and I weren't meant to be together."

"You were perfect for each other."

"You don't know what you're talking about." Galinda screeched, annoyed that her point was not being accepted or even understood. "Fiyero and I had the same relationship that we've had with other people many times over. He's perfect, I'm perfect," she whined, imitating the gossips at Shiz and even her own words, "it's not true. It's an image that I can keep up in public but not in private. I believe that I'm a good person and that you and Fiyero are the same, too. I love my magazines, I love my popularity and I love my wardrobe." Elphaba smirked. "But I love my friends more. I do. We've already talked about this; none of us are the same people, Elphaba, and that goes for you too."

"That does not change the fact that I remember you telling me not two weeks ago that you'd had no intention of breaking up with Fiyero. You said you wanted him to reassure you that he loved you back. You're telling me now that you don't care?"

Galinda was getting more and more annoyed. Elphaba was so hard to argue with. "Yes I am. You're right, I did say that but I also said that I didn't want to be with someone who wasn't devoted to me. I know that sounds like a lot but that's what I want. More than that, though, I want him to be happy." Elphaba nodded, acquiescing to her friend at last. "I know he'd be happy with you."

"This is stupid. He doesn't like me." Galinda stomped her foot. "He doesn't! I would love to think that he does, but . . . come on, Glin." Elphaba caught her reflection in the mirror. "Unless you spend an hour doing your makeup ritual on me then I'm not anything to look at, am I?"

Galinda stood back, watching Elphaba eye up her figure. "But that's not how Fiyero makes you feel, is it?" Elphaba's eyes snapped up, looking alarmed at Galinda's comment. "You know I'm right and it will be much less painful for everyone if you just admit it."

Elphaba turned and looked Galinda in the eye. "You're my best friend, Galinda. I've a better relationship with you than my own sister, whose arrival here in two years I am not looking forward to with joy." Galinda snorted, having been informed of Nessarose's forthcoming attendance and her backlog of ill treatment of her elder sister. Elphaba spoke with conviction. "I would never do anything to hurt you."

"I know."

Elphaba smiled and her next words were barely audible. "But I am attracted to Fiyero." Next thing she knew, Galinda had wrapped her in a Bear hug as only she could.

"There now, that wasn't so hard was it?"

"I guess not."

Galinda stepped back, holding Elphaba at arms length and trying to make her next words as positive as possible. "Now you just have to tell Fiyero."

"WHAT?"

Galinda had argued with Elphaba for several hours over telling Fiyero. She had pointed out that admitting it out loud did not count as progress if Fiyero was not there to hear it. Galinda had suggested taking advantage of her study sessions and doing it then. At least they would be alone. She had also highlighted that Fiyero did not need Elphaba's tuition now that his grades had significantly improved, and yet he constantly renewed their meetings and even increased them.

Elphaba could hear Galinda's words whenever she saw Fiyero. Annoyingly, she had begun to point to Elphaba whenever Fiyero would do or say anything that might be considered an affectionate gesture to the point that even when Elphaba was alone she would find herself reading into everything he did or said. She would be nudged or winked at and blush constantly. Elphaba found herself daydreaming about how he kissed or what it would feel like if he touched her when she was in lectures. It infuriated her. But it was a distraction from Mraic and inwardly, Elphaba welcomed it.

"Fae?"

"Yeah?" She said absentmindedly, not wanting to return to reality from the fiction of Fiyero's kisses. She was lying across his window seat listening to him read out his latest essay. It was very good, she had to admit. Evenly structured and grammatically sound with a body of solid argumentative writing. But it was his voice she listened to, coming to her from his bed where he sat cross-legged like a little boy.

"I'm finished. What do you think? Its crap isn't it? I knew it, total rubbish."

She had to jump in before he freaked out enough to throw away a week's worth of study. "Fiyero, it's outstanding. The best you've done in fact." He grinned ecstatically and didn't argue with her. It had been much easier to convince him of his academic abilities since Nikidik had awarded him 59% on the end of week assessment. Elphaba remembered that he'd been so happy that he'd picked her up and swung her round when he hugged her. That was a great day.

"Aw thanks, Fae."

She watched him file it away and leapt onto his bed next to him. "Whoa, wait a clock tick, Tiggular." He hesitated and let her take the papers from his hands. "It's not perfect."

"Like someone I know."

He was looking pointedly at her, but she could only meet his eyes for a moment before she began to feel uncomfortable. He laughed to ease the tension and she joined him. "This essay doesn't require you to lie, Fiyero."

He shoved her playfully. "Who says I'm lying, cheeky?"

"Anyway . . ." Elphaba said emphatically, flashing him a warning gaze, "you've a few grammatical errors and your second paragraph would be better as your third. Swap them."

Fiyero raised his eyebrows and surveyed her notes. He noticed how one moment she would be pushing her glasses up in a very endearing motion and the next she'd be peering over them at him with one eyebrow raised and she'd send chills up his spine. It was sexy. He loved to tease her when she did that; it brought out the best in her. "Well maybe I disagree."

"You disagree?" She asked, shocked. He had never really disputed her notes before and she wondered if he was joking or not.

"Yeah. Maybe I think the second paragraph should stay the second paragraph. I think it's more original." She remained suspicious, but he could tell she was genuinely taken aback that he thought she was wrong. "You don't like it do you?"

"I told you it was good, it just needs some work." Fiyero sneered and Elphaba's eyes narrowed. "Don't like what?"

"Being told you're wrong."

She scoffed. "Ha! What makes you so sure you're right? And I don't care if I'm wrong. Everyone's wrong at some point."

"But it's never been this way round has it?" She said nothing. Fiyero lifted his paper and stared into her eyes, thoroughly enjoying himself. He didn't know if she was even aware that they were flirting. "You've always just given me notes and I've done what you said. To your credit, they're always right."

"Of course they are." She said, smirking in a way that made his pulse race.

"But I always learn from everything I do. I don't make the same mistakes twice . . . Fae . . ." he whispered, leaning in and feeling her tense up in response, "I bet you that my essay is marked higher than yours. It's submitted anonymously so there won't be any bias. What do you think?"

She cocked her head to the side slightly, catching his eye. "Oh really? And what exactly is my motivation for this bet? I get top marks all the time, Fiyero." He linked their fingers and she had to take a deep breath to prevent herself from shivering. Fiyero noted this. "What do I win if mine is higher?"

"Nothing really. Just the pride and satisfaction of knowing that you're always right."

Elphaba smiled. "Actually I think I could live with that." Fiyero returned her smile. "But I won't." His face dropped. "If I win, I want you to steal Morrible's Sorcery notes on me."

Fiyero's chin almost bounced off the floor and the four walls. "I want to know exactly what she's telling the Wizard and you are going to tell me. I don't trust Morrible as far as I can throw her . . . and without magic that's not very far." Fiyero looked away, momentarily unsure. "You'd better be confidant of your essay."

"I am." He said proudly, meeting her gaze again. "That's fine with me. Not like I haven't stolen before." She smirked wickedly and Fiyero did the same, unnerving her. It was a good thing she was on edge though because nothing else could have prepared her for what he was about to say. "But if I win I want a date with you."

Oh my Oz, is that Fiyero making a move on Elphaba? Reviewers get a date with Fiyero. Or Elphaba. Or Glinda. Whoever does it for you.