AN: well, here we go again. I wasn't going to update today but some friends told me I should so…here you go . Not much to say this time, which is a good thing for you guys lol.

"Fiyero! You have to be crazy! There is no way I am going out there to embarrass myself on two little blades of metal in front of everyone in the Emerald City!"

In the days leading up to Lurlinemas Fiyero and Elphaba were spending more and more time together, exploring the Emerald City. Museums, theater, art galleries, you name it, they did it. For Elphaba, this was an entirely new experience, and she was loving every minute of it…up until Fiyero attempted to teach her how to ice skate.

"Come on Fae! You will be great and I will catch you if you fall!" The nickname was also a recent development and Elphaba, Melena and Oscar had all given up on trying to figure out where he came up with Fae.

Elphaba caved in and slowly made her way onto the ice. Her first few tries were awkward at best, but Fiyero moved in front of her, facing backwards, and grabbed her hands to hold her steady as she got the feel of the skates. They moved in tandem for a little while, with him sliding backwards as she tentatively slid forward. He let go and she panicked. "No! Don't let me go! I'm going to fall!"

"No you're not. In fact, you just went several feet on your own and did just fine!"

"Really?" She looked behind her and tried a few more glides forward, only these were much smoother.

'Look at me! I did it! I can ice skate!" Other citizens of the city watched the young people with amused smiles on their faces, already accustomed to seeing them out and about and remembering their own experiences with young love.

The unlikely couple eventually tired and walked to a nearby café for hot chocolate. As they walked Elphaba was looking around and suddenly stiffened.

Fiyero noticed. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I could have sworn I just saw Frex."

"I know you hate the guy, and I'll admit I am not all that fond of him after hearing what he did to you, but he does live in the city, too, so it follows that you might see him."

"The thing is, this isn't the first time. There have been several times in the past few days where I thought I saw him, and I am getting the feeling that he is following me."

"Elphaba, look at me. You are safe. He can't hurt you. I will always protect you, and I know that both the Wizard and Melena treat you and love you like you are their own child and would both do anything to protect you in a heartbeat. As long as you trust us, no one can harm you ever again. Not Frex, or anyone else."

Elphaba looked down as a lush worked its way up her cheeks. Fiyero notice but decided not to call her on it, happy that she seemed to be starting to feel the same way about him as he did her.

"Now c'mon. Enough worries. It's the day before Lurlinemas, I'm cold and want something hot to drink, so how about that hot chocolate for a whiny frozen prince?" Elphaba laughed at this, Frex forgotten and her good mood restored, as Fiyero had intended.

Back in the palace, Oscar was in his private study, going over details pertaining to the search for Elphaba's birth parents. He stopped when he came to a small plain envelope addressed to him personally, as Oscar and not the Wizard. Opening it, he read the letter inside and shaking, re-read it and frantically called for Melena.

When she arrived, she was startled to see Oscar looking incredibly upset and worried.

"What? What is it? Why are you so upset?" With his hands shaking, he held the letter out to Melena.

Taking it, she read it over carefully, her mind working overtime, thinking about all the implications of this if it were indeed true."

"Are you sure this isn't a hoax of some sort?"

"I don't know, but I intend to find out. If it does turn out to be true, what do we say? This could ruin everything."

"I say you do some research, find out if what this letter says is true, and then we will go from there."

Oscar felt that what he held in his hands was telling the truth and guilt wormed its way into his belly. Just then Elphaba came running into the study, flushed with excitement from her day out with Fiyero. However, even happy as she was, even she could not remain oblivious to the tension in the room.

"What? What's wrong? Why are you two acting so weird?"

"It's nothing sweetie. Just some legal issues that need to be fixed soon." Oscar forced a smile for her. "So how was your day with Fiyero?" At this question Melena rolled her eyes, but was just as curious as Oscar as to Elphaba's relationship with Fiyero. As Elphaba started relaying all of her activities with a sparkle in her eye, Oscar breathed a silent sigh of relief, thinking she had forgotten about the tension in the room. She had by no means forgotten about it, but decided not to act on it.

That night, after working late on some issues surrounding some education reforms, Oscar headed towards his rooms. In order to so, he had to pass Elphaba's room. Her door was closed, but he could hear a muffled voice coming from inside. He pushed open the door, and found Elphaba thrashing around in her bed, mumbling and shaking her head from side to side.

"No. Please no! I promise I'll be good. I promise! Please don't hurt me. It hurts, please! I promise I won't sass you anymore! No! It hurts, please NO MORE!"

Elphaba jerked awake with a small scream. "Don't touch me!"

Oscar backed away slowly and sat down on her bed. "Elphaba, are you okay? What was that all about?"

"Do you think he was right?"

"Do I think who was right?" By now, Oscar was thoroughly confused.

"Frex. He said no one would ever love me because of my green skin and uncontrollable temper. He said my parents gave me up because I was green. He told me I was a monster and a manifestation of sins against the Unamed God!" By now Elphaba was sobbing.

Oscar moved closer to her and wrapped her in his arms. It was a testament to how upset and scared she was from her nightmare that she did not protest or move away, but instead collapsed, sobbing into his arms. Oscar felt the guilt curl up in his belly again, but pushed it away, knowing it wasn't what the young teenager needed right now.

"Elphaba, look at me honey. You may be an orphan, but you have people here who love you. Melena loves you like the daughter she never had, and I do to. Fiyero loves you, even if he doesn't know it yet. You are a wonderful young lady, and I am truly honored and humbled by the fact that I met you, not the other way around. When I look at you, I don't see the green skin. I see a smart, funny, young woman who is going to change the world one day."

Elphaba nodded slightly, hiccupping and sniffling after her bought of tears.

"Now it's late, do you think you can sleep, or are you afraid of more nightmares?"

"I think I can sleep, but would you stay here on the couch tonight? It would make me feel safer." Oscar nodded and tucked Elphaba in like he would a small child and turned the light back out, settling in to a long night on the couch. He would not leave her though, not when she was feeling so vulnerable and needed someone to lean on.