Ok I am so so so so so sorry that I have taken so long to update but the good news is that I have finally figured out how I am going to continue with this story. The problem was, having set the decree for Lurlinemas I had no idea how to fill up the story until then, but now I do know. Hopefully you like this chapter, I wrote it a while ago now so it might not match up to what you wanted from your reviews as I always write a couple of chapters in advance, but I am aiming to get an 'angsty' Fiyero eventually! Please review at the end!

"You could have told me you know," Fiyero said to Elphaba, his voice full of remorse as his folded his arms across his chest.

Elphaba was sat on the bed in the med centre, her legs swinging over the side whilst a nurse tended to a cut on her face with steri strips, placing three over a gash on her cheek. Fiyero was standing watching, part of him angry at Elphaba for not telling him about her father and part of him thinking of what could have happened if he hadn't shown up to stop Frex. Fiyero had sent Galinda back to class about fifteen minutes ago after her fretting began to annoy the nurses and Elphaba was getting more reclusive around her and Fiyero.

"What was I supposed to say Fiyero?" Elphaba asked him angrily, her voice sounding sardonic, "It is not the sort of thing that comes out in a light-hearted conversation is it?"

"I don't care in what manner of speaking you would have told me Elphaba I just..." Fiyero said noisily before calming down slightly and moving closer to her as the nurse left them alone, heading off to find some things Elphaba would need to treat the cuts herself with once she had left, "I just wish you had come to me, I wish you had trusted me enough to tell me."

"I do trust you Fiyero; I merely didn't know that I would ever be coming into contact with my father again anytime soon, I guess I just wanted to forget about it," Elphaba smiled sadly at him and Fiyero sat down on the bed next to her.

"Fae," he spoke quietly, almost in a whisper, "how long has he...I mean how long has it been going on, him hurting you?"

"Since I was seven-years-old," Elphaba told him bravely, relaying information she had never spoken to anyone before, "I was just a frightened child back then, it hurt a lot more. As I got older I began to fight back but the punishments just got worse, I found it easier to just do as he told me to."

"Fae you should have told somebody, anyone, they could have helped you," Fiyero spoke kindly.

"And then what Fiyero?" Elphaba spoke angrily now, clearly Fiyero had hit a nerve, "huh? Tell me, what was I supposed to do with my father in prison and a sister to look after? We would have been orphans Fiyero, sent away to some home somewhere in Quadling Country most probably, no money, not enough food, no schooling, no proper care for Nessa, hell we might have even been split up. I was not so selfish that I would inflict that kind of life on my sister because of my pain. Compared to her life mine was not important Fiyero, I loved her more than anything and I still do."

"When are you going to learn that your life is just as important as anybody else's?" Fiyero said softly, taking Elphaba's hand in his own gently.

"Yero whatever you say, it's never going to change anything. I love my sister, she is my life and it's my job to care for her, my father was right. Besides what would my mother say if I left Nessa alone to look after herself?" Elphaba smiled genuinely as she spoke and Fiyero knew that deep down she believed that she was worth nothing more to anyone than a servant. Elphaba truly believed the purpose of her life was to care for her sister.

"Elphaba, please just think about what you are saying, you would really give up everything? Sacrifice your own dreams and happiness to care for your sister forever?" Fiyero asked her, completely astounded at her selflessness. She was so unselfish it was amazing; Fiyero noticed the brightness in her eyes when she spoke of her sister and it made him realise what a truly incredible person she was.

"In a heartbeat," Elphaba smiled at him, reassuring him that it was ok, that she didn't need him to be concerned for her well-being.

The nurse returned a few moments later and Elphaba jumped away from Fiyero quickly, their hands separating and Elphaba immediately missed the warmth. She stood awkwardly as the nurse looked the pair over warily before handing Elphaba some medicines.

"You'll need to take one tablet, once daily, it'll help with the healing process, come back in a few days and we'll see how the cuts are healing," the nurse smiled kindly before stepping aside and opening the door for the two students.

"Thank you," Elphaba nodded her appreciation in the nurse's direction before walking towards the door.

"And miss," the nurse called as Elphaba and Fiyero passed her.

"Yes," Elphaba answered as she turned around again, close to crashing into Fiyero who was now standing in very close proximity to her.

"Do you wish me to inform Madame Morrible of your situation, I know it's not really my place but..." the nurse asked kindly but Elphaba cut across her with a steely glance.

"No it's not your place and you will do well to remember that. What goes on between me and my father is our business and I can handle it myself, I do not need you, Morrible or anybody else for that matter getting involved," Elphaba spat rather rudely at the nurse before making a hasty exit, Fiyero gathering that by 'or anyone else for that matter' Elphaba had meant him.

"Hey," Fiyero called after her as he ran the length of the corridor to catch her, "Elphaba, stop."

"Fiyero," Elphaba groaned as he skidded to a halt directly in front of her and held out his arms, blocking her route.

"That was rude, back there, the way you spoke to that nurse," Fiyero said accusingly, not understanding why Elphaba had become so crass so abruptly.

"I know it was, and I am sorry," Elphaba spoke in a mediocre tone, trying to push past Fiyero.

"No, Elphaba please just listen to me," Fiyero pleaded, forcing her backwards again.

"Fiyero let me past, I need to go and set up a meeting with Madame Morrible, she needs to write to the Wizard on my behalf, please, just move Fiyero, please," Elphaba practically begged him, Fiyero could see her facade was fading badly and she was extremely disheartened at the idea of leaving behind her opportunity of becoming the Grand Vizier.

"Elphaba you don't have to do this," Fiyero entreated to her again, desperate to get her to understand.

Elphaba merely stood back and rolled up her sleeve, thrusting her arm into Fiyero's line of sight, he could see the bruises clearly on her arm from her father's brutal attack. Her green skin was marred with patches of deep purples and blues, painful looking colours and then she spoke to him, in a quiet, reserved tone, so unlike her.

"I think I do Fiyero, it's in everybody's best interest," Elphaba smiled sadly one last time before taking the opportunity of Fiyero's saddened state that had caused him to let his guard slip, and she walked past him, heading for Madame Morrible's office.

X-X-X-X-X

"We have to tell Nessa," Fiyero preached to Galinda once again at lunch time, the two were seated outside in the gardens eating salad, Elphaba had insisted on staying cooped up in the library.

"Fiyero we can't, what do you think it would do to her? She thinks the world of her father and besides, Elphaba would kill you, and I mean that. If anybody did anything to upset Nessa they would most definitely bear the brunt of Elphie's anger." Galinda explained to him, vetoing the idea once again, it would have to be Elphaba's choice to inform Nessa of their father's actions, it wasn't their place to do so.

"But he's hurting her Glin, he's been hurting her like this for twelve years and she hasn't done anything, it's not right," Fiyero continued to advocate his proposition of telling Nessa and yet again Galinda refused to be swayed.

"Fiyero, no. It is not our job, do you hear me?" Galinda told him sternly, slamming her fork down on the table in anger at Fiyero's persistence to stand his ground.

"But Glin..." Fiyero began but she stood up forcefully, pushing her chair out dramatically.

"No 'but Glin's' Fiyero, you do not do anything is that clear?" Galinda said sombrely, her stance austere.

"Elphaba is my friend Galinda, I will do everything I can to stop this happening again," Fiyero retorted angrily, he too standing up and speaking firmly but hitting a nerve with Galinda.

"You are making a big mistake, this is Elphaba's business, she wants you to stay out of it, I care about her just as much as you do," Galinda stated potently before turning on her heel and heading back into the cafeteria.

Fiyero angrily sat down again at their table, he noticed he was occupying the stares of many other diners and he punched the table angrily. 'Why was Galinda so Oz damned right all the time?' Still, he conceded that something had to be done and even if he didn't tell Nessa himself, he would make sure that Elphaba did. He stood up once again and stalked off in the direction of the art block knowing Nessarose had classes there next.

X-X-X-X-X-X

"Nessa, could I possibly have a word?" Fiyero asked as he approached her and Boq who were sitting alone in an art classroom, Nessa working on some portraiture work she hadn't completed yet.

"Fiyero, yes, thank goodness, finally somebody who might be able to give me some answers," Nessa smiled at him, sighing with relief as she put her pencil down.

"Answers?" Fiyero questioned confusedly, "answers to what?"

"Elphaba," Nessarose began, "I went to see her in the library earlier and her face is cut terribly. She refused profusely to tell me what happened to her, how she got them, I mean I'm her sister and she doesn't have the confidence to tell me."

"Oh," was all Fiyero managed to choke out, Nessa had seen the evidence of her father's abuse yet she was oblivious to the fact that it came from him.

"So, do you know who did it then? Was it Avaric, Fiyero? I need to know please, Elphaba refuses to confide anything in mean these days and Galinda won't give me the time of day at the moment. Please?" Nessa begged him despondently and gravely, she really was determined to find out what had happened and it was then that it dawned on Fiyero that he could not tell someone as innocent and sweet as Nessa that her father was dangerous when she had grown up practically worshipping him.

"All I am going to say to you is that Elphaba was in your father's company when it happened. You need to get answers from her Nessa, I'm sorry I just simply cannot tell you." Fiyero nodded solemnly to her, his voice showing a degree of sincerity Nessa had never heard from him before, she knew now that it was a serious situation.

"Boq?" Nessa spoke up quietly, "Could you please take me to the gardens in Crage Hall, Fiyero, could you ask my sister to meet me there, I wish to speak to her?"

"Of course Nessa," Fiyero smiled kindly, it was the least he could do, he headed out just as Boq moved to wheel Nessa out of the classroom.

Elphaba had eventually surfaced from the library on Fiyero's request that she go and see her sister in the gardens, and surprisingly he had left her to it instead of tagging along like a lost puppy. As Elphaba approached her sister she noticed tears were welling in the younger girl's eyes. Elphaba took a seat on the bench beside her sister's wheelchair and she looked down at her hands nervously, she was certain this had something to do with the injuries that were visible on her skin for Nessa to see.

"Fabala," Nessa choked quietly, her voice almost coming out as a sob.

"Yes Nessie?" Elphaba answered in a voice just as timid.

"I am going to ask you something now and I want you to answer me truthfully." Nessa spoke firmly now, instructing her older sister who nodded in response, "those cuts on your cheeks, and the bruises on your arms, it was father wasn't it? He did this to you."

Ok, so what did you think? Please let me know! :D