22. After

As Fiyero, freshly showered and dressed, made his way over to the dining hall for breakfast, he couldn't help but feel like everyone he passed was whispering and chortling at him behind his back. He wondered if everyone knew by now or if it was just his imagination, but when he ran into Oscar and received a stern look from the mayor, eyebrows raised and lips pressed together in disapproval, he knew it was not his imagination at all.

Ducking his head, he continued to the dining hall and quickly gathered some food onto his plate, grateful to find the room empty. That didn't last long, though, as the twins burst in not long thereafter, giggling madly.

"Is it true that you slept with Mum last night?" Xalo asked with a wide grin on his face.

Fiyero, naïvely assuming the boy didn't yet know about the grown-up stuff and was actually referring to sleep, nodded. "Yeah, I stayed in her room."

"So you sexed," Xalo concluded and the older man choked on a sip of coffee, the liquid coming out of his nose and spraying all over his plate. That, of course, caused the kids to burst into giggles all over again.

"Shouldn't you be getting lessons from Cohvu?" Fiyero gasped between coughs.

The twins smirked. "We are," said Fawn and her brother added, "Auntie Galinda came to tell Uncle Cohvu that she caught you and Mum after having slept together and when we asked Cohvu if that meant you sexed, he said we'd have to ask you."

"It's had sex, not sexed. Uncle Cohvu said so," Fawn told her brother before adding innocently to Fiyero, "Auntie Galinda said it'd make a good lesson on sexual education." She took a seat across from the bodyguard, put her elbows on the table, and rested her cheeks in her hands, green eyes gleaming. "So, Fiyero, sex is where babies come from, right? How does that work, exactly?"

Xalo sat down beside his sister and two pairs of expectant eyes settled on him.

Fiyero cleared his throat awkwardly. "Um… shouldn't you guys hear this from your mum?"

"We're asking you," Xalo said and the bodyguard nodded.

"Right." He cleared his throat again, rubbing the back of his neck. "Well, um… when… when two people love each other – a man and a woman, that is… although, you know, it could also be two men, or two women, but then… then the sex is a little… different… um…" He cursed Cohvu and Galinda for sending the twins to him. "Um, they, the man and the woman, that is, when they… love each other, usually, they kiss, you know, and then… um…"

"Save it, Fiyero," Elphaba's voice suddenly said from behind him and he nearly sagged with relief. Saved! Elphaba gave her children a stern look, but Fiyero could see the amusement sparking in her chocolate brown eyes. "They know all this already. We've had these kinds of talks on a regular basis over the years."

Fiyero frowned at the twins, who giggled again.

"Of course we already know," Fawn said when she saw the look he gave her and her brother. "We're nine. Not stupid."

"We just thought it would be fun," Xalo said with a broad grin and Elphaba rolled her eyes, although there was definitely a smirk playing around the corners of her mouth.

"Why don't you two leave poor Yero alone now and go back to your lessons with Cohvu?" she suggested and the twins sighed, but rose to their feet.

"Mum?" Xalo asked. "Does this mean you and Fiyero are dating after all?"

Fawn smirked a little. "I think they're doing more than just dating, Xalo," she said impishly, giggling; at which her brother made a disgusted face and exclaimed, "Ew! Gross!".

"Hey!" Elphaba said sternly, even though her cheeks were flushed and Fiyero could tell she was embarrassed.

"Well, are you? Dating?" Fawn asked and Elphaba glanced quickly at Fiyero.

"I think you should ask him," she said, nodding at the bodyguard.

Fiyero gave her a glare for shifting the responsibility of answering that question to him, even though he understood why she did it. She had been very clear in her intentions, but she still wasn't entirely sure about his.

"Yeah, kiddo," he said lightly. "I think we are." Even from the corners of his eyes, he caught the mildly relieved smile that spread across Elphaba's face. "Although I need you to understand something, guys," Fiyero added, looking from Fawn to Xalo earnestly. "You can't tell anyone about this who doesn't already know, all right? No friends of yours and no other people. Can you promise me that?"

"Why?" Xalo asked.

Fawn answered for Fiyero. "Because Fiyero already got attacked once by the man who is after Mum, remember?"

Fiyero nodded solemnly. "And that man doesn't want your mum and me to be together."

"Why not?" asked Xalo, but again it was his sister who answered.

"Because he wants her for himself." She looked at Fiyero and then at her mother. "Right?"

Fiyero was actually a little baffled by the little green girl's perceptiveness, but he didn't let it show. Instead, he just nodded. "Exactly. But don't you two worry – he's not going to get her."

Xalo nodded, too, as if that explained everything. "Okay. We won't tell anyone." He and Fawn left the room then and Fiyero heaved a relieved sigh. It wasn't over with that, though. Now that most of Elphaba's employees knew as well, they'd have to figure out a way to keep everyone from telling what they'd heard. Then again, most of the people working at the Palace knew about the situation with Elphaba's stalker by now, so it shouldn't be too difficult to get them to keep quiet about the fact that the deputy mayor and her bodyguard had slept together.

"Thanks for saving me," Fiyero said to Elphaba. "I honestly thought I was going to have to explain the birds and the bees to them right there and then."

She grinned. "I would've loved to see that, but I decided to spare you." She filled her own plate with some food as well and sat down next to Fiyero, who looked at her.

"Fawn is more perceptive than I'd thought," he noted.

She nodded, smiling a little. "She is. She always notices everything, even though she doesn't always let it show that she knows. She's a lot like me – always on guard and always watching and observing from the background." She made a face. "Although I suppose that, ever since I've become deputy mayor, my days in the background have been over."

He reached out to take her hand. She looked a little surprised, but she smiled at him.

Their moment was interrupted by Oscar, who came into the room looking grim. "Elphaba?"

She let go of Fiyero's hand – much to his displeasure – and looked at her father, clearly anxious because of his tone and the look on his face. "What's wrong?"

He shook his head. "You've got another letter."

You're not safe anywhere, Elphaba. Surely you can see that by now? If you let me protect you, you and your children will never be in danger again, I can promise you that. I'd be good to you. Give me a chance and let me love you, and I'll make sure you'll all be safe and happy for the rest of your lives.

"Such a low blow," she said under her breath as she read the note. She was scared, yes, but she also felt herself fuming with rage. Who was this person to threaten her and claim that she had to be with him? For the umpteenth time, she wished she knew who it was – if only so she could punch him in the face.

"What did you say?" Oscar asked.

Elphaba huffed and placed the letter on Galinda's desk. "He's not getting any response from me, so now he's using my children to lure me over to his side. He must know they're my weakness, but if he thinks he can sway me this way, he's got another thing coming. First he almost kills them and now he's offering to protect them?"

"He's getting desperate," Fiyero muttered, pacing up and down the room. "He's trying everything in his power to get you to consider him somehow."

"Well, he's not doing a very good job at it," Elphaba sneered.

Galinda looked concerned. "What if he realises she's not going to give in?"

The expression on Fiyero's face was grim as he stopped pacing to look at the blonde. "That's what I'm afraid of."

Galinda swallowed. Oscar muttered a curse under his breath.

Elphaba ran her fingers through her hair, both frustrated and afraid of what might happen. "Listen," she said, trying to keep her voice steady. "Next Friday is our group outing and especially after this, I have no doubt that our guy will be there. We'll all pay attention to our surroundings. With a bit of luck, we can figure out who it is and end this once and for all. Okay?" Without waiting for a reply, she stalked from the room, leaving Fiyero, Oscar, and Galinda behind in baffled silence.

"She's nervous," Oscar concluded and Galinda nodded seriously.

"Definitely," she agreed. "Very much so. There's no need for her to be, though. We'll all be there to help and protect her if necessary."

Oscar shook his head. "That's probably at least partly what she's nervous about," he pointed out to the petite PA. "After what happened the previous two times, first to Duran and then to Fiyero… she's afraid one of her friends is going to get hurt again."

Fiyero sighed. "We'll all try our hardest to prevent that from happening," he said tiredly, rubbing his forehead, "but there are no guarantees. We're dealing with a madman here."

"It will be fine," Galinda said comfortingly, touching his arm. "We're all prepared this time."

Fiyero nodded. He hoped she was right.

Elphaba wheedled Fiyero into agreeing to go on a date that night – a real date, dinner and a movie outside of the Palace. She could use some distraction and a change of scenery more than ever now. He only agreed on the condition that a couple of guards would be going with them, which she countered with the condition that those guards would stay outside while they had dinner and that they would not go into the movie theatre with them. Fiyero finished getting ready early for a change and he made his way over to the living room. Oscar was sitting there and the mayor looked up when Fiyero entered.

"Just the person I wanted to see," he said, putting his newspaper away and peering at the bodyguard over his spectacles. He patted the couch beside him and Fiyero hesitantly sat down.

"Now," Oscar began, "I'm sure you're aware of the fact that I – along with most of the other people in this building, I might add – know what happened between you and my daughter last night… or at the very least have a pretty good idea."

Instantly, Fiyero could feel his face turn red again. "Yes, sir."

Oscar regarded him sternly. "Listen, young man. I don't know exactly what Elphaba has told you about her past, but I know she did tell you about Avaric and at least the general gist of what happened between the two of them; and as her father, I feel it is my duty to make sure you will not hurt her."

"Before you continue, may I say something?" Fiyero asked politely.

Oscar motioned for him to go ahead.

"I don't claim to know everything about Elphaba," said Fiyero. "Not by far. Nevertheless, I think I know enough. She's told me a lot of things – about her childhood with Frexspar, her guilt about her mother and sister, her claustrophobia, Avaric, Frex kicking her out… As I said, I don't know everything, but by now she's told me enough for me to understand that she doesn't need any more heartbreak. She's been through enough."

Oscar nodded. "Indeed she has."

Fiyero leaned forward a little, meeting the older man's gaze. "I know that with my past reputation, this may seem hard to believe; but I genuinely do care about your daughter, Oscar. With every new thing I learn about her, I'm falling in love with her just a little bit more. I don't intend to hurt her. I can't promise you that we'll get married and live happily ever after, or that this will last forever, but I can assure you that I have no intention whatsoever of breaking her heart. You know what happened last night, but that wasn't me taking advantage of her. I would never have done it if I had doubted for even a clock-tick that it wasn't what she wanted."

Oscar studied him closely and silently for a little while. Fiyero felt his heart pounding in his chest. He suddenly felt like a teenager again, being scrutinised by his prom date's father to see if the man deemed him suitable enough to go out with his daughter.

Finally, the mayor nodded slowly. "All right. Thank you, Fiyero." He sat back a little, his eyes still on the bodyguard. "I'm not entirely certain how Elphaba feels about you," he confessed. "Frankly, the fact that you two are attracted to one another at all is surprising to me, especially given the way you seemed to loathe one another in the beginning. You two are very different – she so private and you quite open, she pessimistic and you optimistic, she constantly working hard for everything she wants and you having it all and yet throwing everything away for girls and parties… although judging from what you just told me, I take it those days are over now?"

"Yes, sir," Fiyero said firmly. "They've been for a while now, ever since I had to start making it on my own, but Elphaba is all the more reason for me not to relapse into my old behaviour."

Oscar nodded in approval. "Good. As long as you treat her with the love and respect she deserves and remember why you're here, I have no objections against your relationship with my daughter."

Fiyero wondered if Oscar having objections would have made any difference for his and Elphaba's relationship in the first place, but he didn't say that. He was glad the older man approved. "I realise that, Oscar. I'm here to protect her, first and foremost. Her and her family."

Oscar nodded and smiled at him. Fiyero smiled back.

It's my birthday tomorrow! (I completely forgot when I originally posted this. I don't think I've ever felt less like a soon-to-be birthday girl than this year, everything's just so busy - both inside my head and out!) Reviews make great presents and, as a treat, I might give you an extra update tomorrow... if I remember and if I can find the time. No promises. :3