Chapter 6: Shiz University, The Sciences Building, The Next Week

It took him days to stop thinking about it, about the carnal passion that had radiated through her when they touched. He was enthralled, as though a spell had been cast upon him.

It only added to the list of things that Elphaba was to him: enigma, wife, peer, co-conspirator, traitor, temptress… And just when he'd finally shaken off the memory of their delirious week, something else brought her again to the forefront of his life. Elphaba was unavoidable - and he didn't think he wanted to avoid her, anyway.

He didn't do it to be near her, not consciously. His intentions were completely innocent. But it brought them together yet again.

"As we are past the halfway point in the term, I have an announcement - a request, per se," Dr. Dillamond said one day during Life Sciences. "Some of you have noticed that I struggle to grasp things and I need assistance in class. This happens in the lab, as well. I'm looking for perhaps two of my more studious students to volunteer to be my lab assistants. You'd work with me several times a week in the evenings. There is no pay, but your hard work will be remembered when it comes time to grade papers or exams."

If he'd been paying attention, he would've noticed Elphaba's head shoot up. But at the time, he was only thinking about how getting hands-on experience in the lab might help him better understand what was going on in class. Even if it didn't, the Goat had just said it would help his grades.

"I'll be placing a sign-up sheet on the lectern. If you're interested, please write your name legibly. Do not be offended if you are not chosen. Sometimes the lab can get tense during experiments and research and I don't want people that may not get along with one another." Dr. Dillamond glared somewhere to the left and behind Fiyero at yet another spitball. Unable to determine who the offender was, he sighed. "Class dismissed."

Fiyero turned to Boq, who was sitting beside him. "I think I might sign-up."

Boq shrugged. "I wouldn't. It doesn't sound like it leaves a lot of free time."

"There's still the weekend," Fiyero pointed out.

"You're never around," the Munchkin replied. "I know you have family business or whatever. I just wouldn't want to add to that."

"Family business," was the only way he could explain to his roommate why he disappeared an entire day each weekend. "True, but I could use the extra help."

"It's your social life," Boq said dismissively.

What social life? Occasionally the group from the cafe got together for meals, but it wasn't more than once a week. And he had no friends outside of Boq. So after another moment of thought, Fiyero gathered his things and stopped by the lectern on the way out. There were only four names on the list, and he didn't bother to see who else had signed up.

It shouldn't have come as a surprise the next class when Dr. Dillamond announced that both of his lab assistants would come from that class. And it also shouldn't have surprised him that it was Elphaba's name along with his own that the Goat called. Upon hearing his name, she turned and stared at him with a somewhat piercing look.

"Would you two meet me in my office after class so we can get everything settled?" Dr. Dillamond asked.

They both nodded, and Fiyero was unable to focus for the rest of class. He realized that Elphaba was probably unhappy with him. But she had to understand, right? After all, she knew exactly why he was struggling in class and how this might help him. And maybe working together would mean they could get to know one another better, outside the walls of the inn and the limitations of their illegal and secret marriage.

Dr. Dillamond was not yet in his office when Fiyero got to the door, but Elphaba stood waiting. He smiled at her and looked around, finding the halls empty. "I hadn't expected…" He began.

She merely shook her head. "I was a bit shocked to hear your name."

"I need more hands-on learning. This was the best way to get it," he insisted.

Elphaba cocked her head and stared at him, her braid falling off her shoulder. Fiyero felt the urge to grab it and untangle it, run his hands through those silky strands that smelled like coconut. After a moment of studying him, she nodded. "I suppose I can understand."

"Besides, no one will be suspicious at all. It's a coincidence." He assured her.

At that point, the distinct sound of Dr. Dillamond's hooves started echoing down the hall, and the two turned that way and waited for him to enter his office. "Now, now, both of you sit down."

They sat down in the two chairs placed across from a desk that had no chair behind it. Fiyero supposed Goats didn't really use chairs. Elphaba immediately leaned forward at attention.

"First of all, thank you both for volunteering your time to assist me. Miss Elphaba, I was happy to see your name on the list. I understand that you're considering science as a specialization?"

"I am," she said, nodding feverishly.

"And Master Fiyero, I was actually not expecting to see your name. I had thought perhaps that a prince wouldn't worry himself about science and would instead focus on politics and such. But I can tell from your work so far this term that you are a hard-working young man, and I appreciate that greatly."

"Thank you, Sir." Fiyero bowed his head for a moment. "I've found I learn best by experimentation and visualization, so I thought working in the lab with you would help me understand life sciences better."

"I admire your self-awareness and your choice." The old Goat smiled at him. "I also chose both of you because I thought there wouldn't be any conflict between the two of you. However, I wanted to give you both the chance to change your minds now that it is just the three of us."

Elphaba wouldn't look at him. "It wouldn't matter who you chose, Dr. Dillamond."

"I thought you'd say something like that," Dr. Dillamond replied, beaming at her.

"I have no qualms, either," Fiyero added. "Miss Elphaba is an aquaintance of mine through my roommate, though I do not know her well. I'm sure we'll get along just fine."

As Dr. Dillamond looked down at a paper, Elphaba rolled her eyes at him.

The old Goat cleared his throat. "Why, yes, I think you two should do just fine. Now, Miss Elphaba, the rule is that a girl is not to be anywhere but class without an Ama. I have already made arrangements with Madame Morrible and your Ama so that this will count as class time and you will not need a chaperone. However, since we may work late some nights, I would like it if Master Fiyero would escort you back to your dorm."

"But…" Elphaba protested, "Dr. Dillamond, I don't need a man to protect me."

"I'm well aware. However, that was the only way I could get an agreement out of your Ama. So you will allow him to walk you back. You two will also occasionally be left alone and unsupervised. There will be times I will need you to go out and collect samples of things, or times that I need you to keep an eye on and document any changes in experiments if I am away collecting samples. I was hesitant to choose a young lady to work alongside a young man, but Elphaba, you are an exception. Most young women would protest at being left alone with any young man that isn't courting them. I trust you won't have that problem?"

"Of course not. It doesn't matter if I'm left alone with a man or a woman. I just want to work and help you." She insisted.

"I thought you'd say as much. Besides, Master Fiyero appears to be a well-intentioned and kind young man. I'm certain you two will have no disagreements or conflict."

Fiyero nodded quickly. "Miss Elphaba has nothing to worry about."

The strain of not giving him a look was written in her face. "I'm sure I don't."

"Good, good. Then onto another matter. Some of my research is rather… controversial. Madame Morrible doesn't like it, and I don't believe the Wizard is fond of it, either. But my position and tenure here allow me certain privileges that they know better than to revoke, much as they would like to."

"What do you mean by that?"

Dr. Dillamond appeared the be considering his words carefully. "I think, if they had their way, Madame Morrible would rather I resigned. However, I refuse to and a firing would bring too much public attention."

Fiyero eyed the closed door. "Why don't they like you?"

"Isn't that obvious, my boy?"

He didn't believe it. "I thought… I mean, I know some students are a little rude, but I had thought people in power and with education might not feel the same?"

"Oh, they feel it even more. I'm simply lucky I was hired on before Madame Morrible became headmistress. Back when people respected Animals and the Ozma Regent even had several Animal advisors."

"What changed?" Elphaba asked softly.

"The Wizard, my dear girl." The Goat shook his head. "But that is no matter to concern yourself with. I simply wanted to warn you that people may ask you questions. Answer them if you wish to. Or don't. I'm tired of hiding."

"You shouldn't have to."

"Ah, and yet I do. Now, I would also warn you that you two might be perceived as teacher's pets, and my being a professor who many students aren't fond of might cause you some social problems, but I get the feeling that neither of you are too concerned by that."

"We aren't," Fiyero said for both of them, before realizing he shouldn't. "I mean, I'm not. And Miss Elphaba seems pretty headstrong. I believe she is above caring about such petty things."

Elphaba favored him with a thin smile. "Thank you, Master Fiyero."

"After dinner hour, we'll meet here twice or thrice a week. It may get late. If there is downtime, I am perfectly fine with the two of you working on classwork for other classes. I must urge you to budget your time appropriately. Going out and relaxing on weekends probably isn't the best idea when you'll have schoolwork from the week to complete."

He knew what Elphaba was thinking. The weekends weren't their choice. They weren't supposed to study, though they did. She forced a laugh. "Dr. Dillamond, outside of assisting my father, do I really seem like I go out at all?"

The Goat acknowledged this with a smile. "Not particularly. But I just wanted to make certain. I'll see you midweek, then. Master Fiyero, if you would be so kind as to take Elphaba back to her dorm before you return to your own? I believe the girls' dormitories are on the way to Three Queens, yes?"

"Of course, Sir. Thank you for allowing us to work with you. It is an honor." Fiyero almost held out his hand to shake but caught himself before it was noticeable. Instead, he pushed his chair in and headed towards the door.

"Yes, thank you," Elphaba added, doing the same.

As the door shut behind them, he peered down the halls. They appeared empty. "I… I'm sorry," Fiyero said.

"For what?"

"You're already stuck spending more time with me than you want to, and now this."

Elphaba let out a harsh chortle. "I'm sure we'll be so busy we'll barely notice each other. Besides, there are several people I can think of that I'd hate being stuck with in that lab. You aren't one of them at the moment."

For some reason, that made him happy to hear. "Well, then. I suppose we'll have to get more studying done on the weekend after…" He trailed off.

She merely raised her eyebrows. "After we've done our duty?"

"Yes, that." He flushed. "I mean, we don't have to, you know… at least not constantly. Not that I would complain if we did, but…" He then realized it was probably a good idea to stop talking.

Slowly, she said, "No, no, certainly nothing to complain about… but we have lives outside of that inn."

"We do." And they were starting to intersect. He went to hold the door as they left the building.

She stopped in the doorway. "Don't do that."

"What?"

"Hold the door. I… it's silly. I can open a door for myself. I hate that men think they have to do things because women are too weak."

He let go of the door. "I just thought it was the polite thing to do…" He hadn't ever thought of her as weak.

She caught it and opened it herself. "Did you ever think about why people do it, though? It's perpetuating a myth that women are frail and unable to do anything for themselves. I am nobody's frail princess, even yours, Fiyero."

"I never thought you were my anything," he replied. "I mean, technically you're my wife, but holding the door had nothing to do with that." He thought for a moment. "Funny, my parents made sure I had high-society and modern manners so that I could fit in, but here you are lecturing me about it."

That seemed to amuse her. "You're only doing what you were told?"

"Yes. People already notice my differences when it comes to my appearance. I don't want my behavior to draw the same attention. That's all."

"I can't blame you for that. I wonder if Dr. Dillamond chose the two of us because, like him, we stand out from a crowd." Elphaba wrapped her cloak around her. "We're quite the pair, you and I, Fiyero."

"So we're a pair?" He asked.

"A pair of something," she shrugged. "Friends? Spouses? I have no idea. I don't particularly care. There are other things to worry about."

"Like what?" As far as he was concerned, she was the first thing on his mind lately. Well, and school. But there were times when memories and fantasies overtook him. Swallowing hard, Fiyero pushed the thoughts from his mind.

"Like what Dr. Dillamond said about Morrible and the Wizard. I suspected it of Morrible. I never liked her. And I can tell that, while she acts friendly towards me, she has some sort of disgust towards me. Perhaps it's my skin. It has that effect."

"Not to me," Fiyero interrupted.

"No, I believe we'd have problems conceiving a child if that were the case," she quipped. But she went back to the topic at hand. "I just don't know that the Wizard cares about a single Animal professor at Shiz. Why would he?" A small strand of coal-black hair fell from her braid as she shook her head. "But why would Dr. Dillamond feel that the Wizard had a problem with him if that wasn't the case?"

He didn't have answers for her questions, and he had a feeling she wasn't asking him in the first place. Part of him wanted to comfort her, but touching her here in the open was out of the question. While he didn't see many students wandering about, he knew better than to risk it. Fiyero merely looked at her.

"I think I'll spend some time in the library tomorrow, maybe look at the City papers."

Again, he had nothing to say.

As they arrived at her building, she stopped. "I'll see you tomorrow evening, then."

"I can walk you to your room. Dr. Dillamond did say - "

"He said to escort me back. I'm at the building. My roommate is known for gossip. I'd rather not ruffle any feathers, Fiyero. And Galinda will ask me a thousand questions if she so much as sees me talking to you, anyway, nevermind the gossip."

He gave up. "Fair enough. Have a goodnight, Elphaba."

She was already halfway down the hall, though.