Hey,

Here is one of the last chapters on Green Emerald this month. Right now going to work some more on Out of Oz. Thank you for all the lovely reviews and sticking with my overly romantic, sweet non playboy Nathaniel. He means well, he's a good guy. The question is: is he the right guy?

Enjoy this chapter,

TempeGeller

Chapter 6: Not just another girl

Present day

"What is it Elphaba?" Nathaniel grabbed her hand. "You can tell me anything…"
"I can't…" Elphaba cried "Since you're Glinda's brother and you are on her side first, and I've done some horrible things in the past two months. Things…"
"I can't believe that you…" He put his hand on her cheek. "You couldn't harm one single person…"
"Oh, trust me…." Elphaba turned to him. "I did…"

Elphaba pulled her arms around her body. She was shivering, her eyes were tearing up. Elphaba lost all of the control she had been pulling up for months. It was because of Nathaniel, Glinda's brother. A man that loved her, a man that had protected her against anyone with unkind words. He loved her or at least cared for her, more then everyone ever had. They just shared their first kiss, and Elphaba's heart was going faster. She didn't know what she felt, the guilt was over shadowing any other feelings she had. Guilt towards Nathaniel and Glinda. She remembered that night with Fiyero, she had slept with Glinda's boyfriend and now she was leading on Glinda's brother. She didn't know for sure she was leading him on. Her feelings towards Fiyero were still strong, but in her heart she had feelings towards the romantic poet. The boy that wrote poems to her, calling her his emerald goddess. She turned back to Nathaniel, he pulled her in his arms. Her head was pressed against his chest.
"El, don't cry…" he kissed the top of her head. "I'm sure it's…"
"I'm pregnant…" She noticed that slowly place his finger under her chin and lifted her head so he was staring in her eyes. She could see a certain understanding in her eyes.

"What did they do to you Elphaba?" Now a certain anger came to his eyes. "Did that Avaric hurt you?"
"No…" Elphaba turned to him. "And it didn't happen when you were here. I promise you. I'm two months along in my pregnancy. I haven't told anyone, not even you sister. She would hate me…"
"For being pregnant?" Nathaniel smiled "Give her more credit than that. She would be just as worried as I am, El. I love you. And if it's up to me, this baby won't come between it."
"She won't hate the what…." Elphaba started to cry again. "The how and the who…"
"Who's the father, El?" He pushed Elphaba closer once more again. "And he didn't hurt you right?"
"No, he…" Elphaba turned to him. "Well, he didn't in a physical way. He…"
"Who is it El?" He put his hands on both sides of her head. "If I ever see him, I'm going to kick his ass for harming you. He's an idiot."
"You would hate me, if I told you…" Elphaba cried again. "You would run to Glinda and…"
"Fiyero…" he stared in her eyes. "It's Fiyero right? He's the father?"
"Yes." Elphaba stared up at him. "I was drunk and he was there. We kissed and then we ended up in bed together. I really love him so much, but he chose to forget that we were ever together. He pretends that night never happens. I think he saw me as another conquest. I can't tell Glinda about this. I can't sacrifice our friendship over a guy that forgot that we were ever together."
"He…" Nathaniel turned to her. "So you slept with my sister's boyfriend? And you're pregnant with his child? El, are you still in love with him?"

"I love him…" Elphaba saw how Nathaniel's eyes turned away. "But I don't want to be with a guy that can't even remember a night we shared. I don't want to harm Glinda. I don't want to be with a guy that can't speak up or use people in the way he does. You've always been so good to me and now you're mad with me. Glinda's going to know, and I'm going to lose everyone who loves me. I'm going to be alone with this baby and my father will find out. When he finds out, he's going to disown me for having this baby. I'm in so much trouble."
"Not if people would believe the baby is mine…" Nathaniel turned to him. "Look, Fiyero doesn't want to be the baby's father. I do, I want you Elphaba. If I pretend to the father, we'll get away with it."
"I'm two months pregnant." Elphaba spoke "People will notice that small mistake, when the baby comes a month early. Glinda will notice. She'll know that my nausea were symptoms of this unborn baby. She'll put things together, she knows I only met you a month ago."
"It doesn't need to be…" Nathaniel slowly sat down on a bench. "Look, we can find an excuse. I could tell that I met you here. On campus."

"What were you doing here?" Elphaba turned to him.
"Seeing my sister…" Nathaniel turned to her. "I'm not dumb."
"Then why didn't you meet up with her?" Elphaba raised an eyebrow. "Wouldn't you have met up Glinda if you were here with me?"
"Well, obviously I was busy…" Nathaniel put his hand to her head. "You know…"
"So you want your sister to believe that you slept with a complete stranger…" Elphaba turned to him. "And you didn't even go to her to say : 'hello'. She wouldn't buy that…"

"So, I met you at Munchkinland." Nathaniel put his arm around her shoulders. "Glinda knows I have been in Munchkinland last summer. I could have met up with you, fallen for you and after that I returned to Shiz campus for my sister, to only meet up with the love of my life. The emerald goddess.."
"You expect her to buy it?" Elphaba raised an eyebrow. "Why wouldn't you mention me? Why didn't you tell her about me?"
"Because I haven't seen my sister in two months…" Nathaniel turned to her. "And I didn't want her to find out that I didn't call you. In a way I was a jackass to you to. And now you are pregnant with my baby. If you like, I could ask you to marry me right here and now."
"Why would you do that?" Elphaba turned to him. "I just met you a month ago, and you're offering to be this baby's dad. While it's not your baby, but your sisters boyfriends."
"Because I don't want you to get hurt…"

Elphaba noticed how Nathaniel pulled her closer to his heart. She slowly sobbed in his chest, the truth was that this man cared so much for her. He would move day and night to make her happy. Ignore her love declaration towards Fiyero. Care for her child when he or she was born. And even marry her, if she wanted to. He would protect the friendship she shared with Glinda. The only downside was that it pushed her in more lies. She had to lie about meeting Nathaniel, lie about a night they shared and lie about the baby's dad. She was scared that she was making things worst. Maybe confessing about Fiyero would protect their friendship in the long run. She feared that she would lose Glinda over her mistake. She felt how Nathaniel pulled her in his chest.
"What if the baby is born with blue diamonds or blond hair?" Elphaba cried
"Both of my sisters are blond." Nathaniel smiled "Blond is a recessive gene, it's perfectly possible for our baby to be blond and Glinda not asking questions. The blue diamonds are not something the baby will get, it's a tradition in the Vinkus. They're not born with them…"

"They wouldn't be able to notice if the baby is as beautiful as you are…" Nathaniel kissed her nose. "Let me do this for you, El. I care for you deeply, I don't want to see you lose everything over a drunken mistake. People make mistakes, doesn't mean they should get punished for it . I think you've had enough going on in your life. You don't need to pay for one mistake…"
"What if someone finds out about this?" Elphaba turned to him. "Glinda is…"
"She's not going to find out." Nathaniel smiled "I won't tell…"
"You are such a generous man…" She stared at him. "I told you I was in love with Fiyero. You've been using the word 'care' for me, just to make me feel better. You love me, I'm not going to lead you on. I care for you, but right now I don't know if it can grow in to love. I've been so hurt by Fiyero. If you do this for me, I want to give you my whole heart."
"One day you will…" Nathaniel smiled "And if it doesn't work, I'll always be there for you."
"What about telling Glinda the happy news?" Nathaniel pulled her from the bench. He pulled her to both of her legs and pulled her in his arms. "She wouldn't be happy to hear about our baby in the rumor mill…"
"She's going to be pissed…" Elphaba smiled "That I didn't tell about you…"
"You didn't know I was her brother…"
"No, that I didn't tell her in general." Elphaba turned to her.

"You're going to have to meet mom…" Nathaniel spoke. "And my big sister Merlia. You won't like her, no one really likes Merlia at first."
"Your mother…" Elphaba became paler. "Your sister. Family doesn't like me. What about Nessa?"
"What about Nessa?" He kissed her cheek.
"She's going to freak." Elphaba spoke "She's going to go ballistic over the fact we are going to have a baby out of wedlock. She's going to be so mad, the unnamed God is going to get a lot of prayers."

"Well…" He turned to her. "I don't care.."

"How serious are they?" Fiyero turned to Glinda "You have to know right?"
"Serious as a heart attack…" Glinda smiled. "My big brother loves Elphaba with his whole heart. Do you care Fiyero? I mean he treats her so…"
"No, off course not." Fiyero turned to her. "Why would I care? I mean…"

"You should write some poems for me…" Glinda smiled "Or maybe even sing a song. It's so romantic."
"I don't really do that kind of stuff…" Fiyero turned to her. "So why did you let them meet? I mean Elphaba hardly looks like his type. Don't you agree?"
"I think any guy who makes her happy, should be her type." Glinda gave him a shy smile "Don't you agree? And why do you care so much? You hardly talk, translation you shouldn't care. I care…"
"'Well, I don't think Elphaba should be dating a wanabe poet who's actually a toy boy."
"That's my brother you're talking about…" Glinda turned to him. "You have more reputation than he does."

Glinda turned away from Fiyero. The idea that he was talking about her brother not being right for her friend made her scared. Because she believed Fiyero saw himself as the right man. She slowly put her hand on Fiyero's, at least Elphaba was happy. The idea of losing Fiyero to her was something that haunted her mind. She wanted to ask him, if he loved her. But never did she dare to ask those exact words. A negative answer made her scared. It made her believe he would let his subconscious speak. The voice that had whispered many times how his love for Elphaba drove him insane. 'Fea', a nickname she wouldn't have given Elphaba. She couldn't find the sound 'Fea' anywhere in her name. She captured Fiyero in her arms.
"Fiyero, why don't you walk me to my dorm room?" Glinda smiled "I want to hear all about Elphaba's date.."

Fiyero stepped next to Glinda. Many times the jealousy in his vanes would cause him to say mean things to Glinda. The woman he was supposed to love. And he did love Glinda, he wasn't going to lie. There was something that looked like love, it was something he always called love. Glinda was the popular girl, and the girl he would pick up on a school right away. He blamed himself for not being like Nathaniel Upland, seeing the special girl on his first day. If he were anything like him, he wouldn't have to think about the girl that got away. Even that term was wrong, the girl that got away told that the girl was ones his. Elphaba had never been his, unless you were talking about his dreams. His amazing dreams. They had been haunting his mind for 2 months now. Maybe even longer. He didn't care before this dream. The word haunting described the dream perfect, walking up in an empty bed was haunting him. He wanted her to be there, but she was off to date mister perfect poet. Fiyero didn't trust him, no guy was that perfect.
Glinda slowly turned to Fiyero, but he was too deep concentrated on his dreams. Whatever those told him, Glinda had decided he was free to dream what he wanted. She didn't want to awaken anything in him. And talking about dreams would do that. Maybe he didn't know. Glinda noticed that Fiyero didn't put his arms around his shoulders. So she slowly stepped a bit closer hanging against him.
"Fifi, what's wrong?" Glinda spoke
"Nothing, Glinda." Fiyero smiled "I'm good."

"I'm so happy, Yero." Glinda turned to him. "What do you think about marriage?"
"Glinda, we're too young to think about that kind of commitment." Fiyero turned to her. "Besides, there are two more years of school coming our way. We don't want to be married. We're young, we should have fun."
"I…" Glinda smiled "Off course, we're way to young…."

Glinda approached her room, she slowly opened to the door to find Elphaba and Nathaniel sitting on the bed. It was obvious that they had something to tell her. Glinda slowly turned to Fiyero, asking him to wait. She wanted to talk to the happy couple herself. But something in her wanted Fiyero to hear the conversation. It was an evil part of herself, like she wanted to share their happiness with the person outside the door. She even slightly thought about making Elphaba and Nathaniel speak up, so Fiyero wouldn't be able to miss any words off their strange love story. She was ashamed of herself, but that feeling faded to black as she sat down.
"You guys are adorable." Glinda smiled "What's it with you?"
"We need to talk to you, sister…" Nathaniel spoke "Me and Elphaba decided to get married…"

Glinda's mouth fell wide open. Getting married, she thought about Fiyero's face. A soft voice in her shouted 'jackpot!', but a softer voice felt the pain Fiyero could be feeling. The same she might be feeling. Why would Nathaniel and Elphaba jump in to marriage so fast?
"Why such a rush…" Glinda laughed "You knocked her up?"
"Actually…" Nathaniel paused
"Nathaniel Franciss Upland!" Glinda stood up. "How did you? Don't answer that, off course I know how. Elphaba, how long? What? How?"

"I think the popular one is malfunctioning." Elphaba laughed.
"Wait a minute, you can't be farther along than 2 weeks or something…" Glinda spoke "Right? I mean you can't be that far along. Right?"
"Actually.." Nathaniel turned to her. "Remember this summer in Munchkinland, I met Elphaba. We spent two weeks together, we were so much in love. After that I lost track on her, I thought I lost her forever. Then more than two months ago I met her on a party again, absence made the heart grow fonder. So, we ended up in bed together. I left in the morning, I was so glad to return. But I was too ashamed to admit that I left Elphaba. I was so lucky that she gave our love another chance. When she admitted she was pregnant with our baby, I asked her to marry me. We're forever."
"'So how long are you along?" Glinda turned to her. "I don't see traces yet. Wait, is that what the doctor found?"

FLASHBACK

"Elphaba, I have your results right here…" the doctor turned to her.
"Look, I'm not good with pressure…" Elphaba turned to him. "And I fear operations more than anything, and if my appendix has to be taken out, I want to know now. So,…"
"It's not your appendix. It's more like a bug…"

"Thank Oz!" Elphaba turned towards him. "You don't know how scared I was getting. Thank Oz, it's just the flue. I have been sick, I should just take some rest, it will…"
"I won't go away, it's more like a nine month bug…" The doctor turned "That turns in to a baby. Look, for you there is one solution. Look at you, I think abortion seems the best choice, if the baby…"
"Turns out green?" Elphaba turned to him. "What do you mean by that?"
"Look, I've seen many teen parents pass by…" the doctor turned to her. "Many of them were more suited then you…"

"So, you assume that I can't care for my child, because of the color of my skin?" Elphaba said "Is that what you're subjecting?"
"I don't think a someone like you…"
"Someone like me…" Elphaba turned to him. "You have seen me once so far. How can you judge me by that? Or are you just looking…"

Elphaba run from the room. She wanted to run faster and faster, she was pregnant. Her world came crumbling down. A baby, she was going to have Fiyero's baby. A baby, she couldn't stop thinking. She thought about Fiyero's blue eyes on her baby. A beautiful smile, she hoped. She thought about the words the doctor had said, maybe she was just like her mother. Maybe she would screw up her baby's life, like her mother had screwed up hers. A father without a daddy, she couldn't tell Fiyero. If she did, she had to tell Glinda. Ruining her friendship was the last thing she wanted. She paused, she noticed she was in the middle of the field. She let a tear roll over her cheek. She noticed that Glinda was approaching her, the last thing she needed was Glinda. Glinda Upland, the girl she didn't want to see right now. But still the girl that approached her with a caring face. Elphaba didn't notice the words she spoke, and she didn't know what she said. The idea about the baby kept her from telling anything. She lied to Glinda, she lied about what was wrong with her. And she was sure that Glinda knew. Something in her eyes told her that. She squinted her eyes in a way, that told her she was trying to find out the truth. Or at least a truth that would take away the worry. Elphaba couldn't think of anything. Telling her the truth was not an option. It was not an option today nor tomorrow. A couple of moments later a tall man appeared behind Glinda.
The man was tall, handsome. He had dark brown curls, his eyes were almost black, but showed passion. A passion she hadn't seen in anyone's eyes. He was the kind of guy that was popular on campus. He didn't look like Glinda at all, there were a few things that both of them shared. But nothing common. Glinda introduced him as her brother Nathaniel. A handsome man.

He approached her, as he started to quote over romantic poems. She thought he was trying too hard, but she found it refreshing that it weren't words of pain. But in fact words of love. 'Emerald' goddess. The words of kindness were refreshing. Elphaba turned to him. Fear appeared in her face. Her life was falling apart, there was a guy that appreciated her and she was pregnant. She turned away. Elphaba didn't like her life right now.

Present day

"Wait just an Ozian second?" Glinda turned to her. "Why didn't you tell you met a handsome stranger, I thought you told me everything. And I didn't hear about your conquest. Elphaba!"
"I…" Elphaba turned away. "I was hurt, for a moment I thought our love didn't mean a thing for Nathaniel."

"She was wrong about that…" Nathaniel turned to Elphaba. "I wrote a note, but it ended up getting lost. I had every intention of returning, but life got busy…"
"Oh, you're so cute!" Glinda noticed

Glinda stepped closer to the door. She felt bad about her moves before, but what she was about to do might be very mean. She slowly stepped closer to the door. She turned to Elphaba and Nathaniel.
"Oh my Oz, Elphie!" Glinda screamed "I can't believe you're pregnant. I can't believe you and my brother and you are going to have a baby! I'm going to be an aunt!

"You're going to be an aunt…" Elphaba smiled

A conversation had never been this clear to Fiyero. The word 'pregnant' shook his word. He heard it through the door, it was said by Elphaba. She had met Nathaniel before and they had hooked up. Fiyero felt like throwing open the door and claiming Elphaba as his own. How did he dare leaving her like that? Why didn't he make the moves on her? He could be the father of Elphaba's baby, it was the only thing he wanted. He wanted that kids to be his. Nathaniel didn't disserve it. He kept listening to the story, Elphaba's voice sounded happy. He couldn't hear a trace of unhappy nature, he tried to. He could imagine how the baby would look. Elphaba, a tiny version of the emerald girl he loved. In his mind he even saw the green skin.

He slowly put his ear to the door, Elphaba's voice was something he loved. Oh how much he loved her. He couldn't think about Nathaniel and Elphaba being together. 'You were to late' a voice whispered in his mind, 'you could have made a move on her'. Fiyero thought about the loser he had been. He talked about how much they should treat Elphaba like a person, yet he didn't always talk to her. He did take notes for her, if she asked. But they were not considered friends. It almost seemed like she couldn't be around him. Fiyero stared at the ground. Elphaba hated him. He heard another pregnant and felt like his world collapsed again. The door swung open and he was in direct contact with Elphaba.
"Fiyero…." She paused "What are you doing here?"

Dum, dum, dum…. End of the chapter :p. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter as much as I did writing it did. What will the confrontation between Elphaba and Fiyero lead to? Nathaniel+Elphaba /Elphaniel (credit to RavenCurls for making up the ship name! Amazing!) or Fiyeraba. Or are you a Gliyero fan? Tell me in a review!