As Long As You're Mine

     "Let's go!" Fiyero yelled over his shoulder as he grabbed Elphaba's hand and pulled her out of the throne room. Elphaba looked back over at Glinda one last time, and immediately regretted it. It was only a glimpse, but she could see all too well the betrayed look in her friend's eyes. That look would be burned into her memory forever. For now, however, she turned her head back to the hallway that she and Fiyero were sprinting down. Two guards were coming back to the throne room, one carrying a large bucket of water. They both looked shocked to see their captain and the Wicked Witch of the West running towards them.
     "HALT!" yelled the guard without the bucket, raising his gun as he realized what was happening. Elphaba let go of her broom and Fiyero's hand to raise her own, chanting quickly. Suddenly the gun turned bright red and the guard yelped in pain, releasing the burning weapon. Seeing her chance, Elphaba chanted another spell and shot out her hands, sending the guard flying across the hall. The other guard attempted to put the bucket down, but Fiyero was already running right at him. He kicked as hard as he could at the bucket, sending the water right into the guard's face and knocking him to the ground.
     "Come on!" Fiyero yelled, grabbing Elphaba again as she scooped up her broom. They continued down the hall, the sounds of alert growing louder around them.
     "Fiyero!" Elphaba called, "We have to find a window!"
     "What? Why?"
     "Just trust me!" she replied. Fiyero nodded as they rounded a corner into another long hallway. To their surprise there was an open window at the end, and they ran towards it as fast as they could. Behind them footsteps echoed down the hall as the guards entered the hallway after them.
     "Halt, in the name of the Wizard!" they called. Elphaba let go of Fiyero, standing in the middle of the hallway. Fiyero skidded to a stop and looked back at her in disbelief.
     "What in Oz are you doing?!" he cried. His eyes widened as he saw the guards down the hall get into firing position. He cursed under his breath and ran back to Elphaba. She placed the broom next to her and sat down on it. The broom lifted her a few feet off the ground and then levitated in place. Fiyero couldn't help but gawk.
     "Get on!" Elphaba commanded. Fiyero nodded and hoped on just as he heard the squad leader yell the ready command. He grabbed her waist as the broom lurched forwards and shot down the hall. Elphaba leaned as far forward as she could, urging the broom to go faster. The window seemed so far away, and to her time felt slowed down. Her heart was pounding as she heard the leader command to fire. At last they reached the window, the sound of the guns firing behind them. Elphaba pulled up on the broom and shot up into the sky. She heard the bullets whiz by them, missing them by inches. She never slowed down as they raced to the north. She knew that the guards would have a hard time pursuing them at this rate, but her experience with fleeing from them had taught her better than to assume. The thick Gillikin Forest would offer them better protection than the open skies.
     Fiyero clung to Elphaba for dear life, trying desperately not to look at the fast moving ground below. He was from a tribe of plains hunters; flying was not something he was used to. He felt dizzy, but tried to suppress the feeling as best he could. They flew for what seemed like hours to Fiyero before they reached the forest. Elphaba eased the broom down into the thick trees until they were a few feet above the forest floor.  She lowered the broom slowly and their feet finally touched the solid ground. Fiyero got off the broom, shaking. He managed to take one step before the dizziness overtook him and he sank to his knees.
     "Fiyero!" Elphaba exclaimed, dropping her broom as she rushed to his side. "Are you alright?"
     "I'll be fine," he said, sounding a little weak. "I'm just not used to flying like you are."
     "Oh yeah," she remembered, "You've never flown before." Fiyero shook his head, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. After another moment he felt the dizziness subside and stood up. Elphaba held onto his arm to steady him as he rose. Fiyero opened his eyes and looked over at her.
     "Thanks," he said, giving her a smile.
     "It's alright," she said, letting him go. "You still looked a bit wobbly."
     "No," he said, shaking his head. "I meant thank you for getting me out of there." Elphaba looked into his face and realized the double meaning in his words. He wasn't just thanking her for the escape. He was thanking her for freeing him from the life he had been forced to lead under the Wizard. She nodded and returned the smile. Their eyes remained locked for a moment, until Fiyero looked off into the forest.
     "We should find a safe place for the night," he said. Elphaba nodded and walked over to fetch the broom. As she came back to Fiyero he stretched out his hand to her. She hesitated for a moment, then reached out and took his hand. She felt butterflies tingle in her stomach slightly as his tan fingers wrapped around her green hand. She couldn't help but marvel at the strength she could feel in his hand, and savored the warm feeling made by the contact. Fiyero wrapped his fingers around her hand, marveling at how smooth her skin was. He turned his head towards the forest and started to move into the trees. Elphaba held onto his hand, looking around cautiously. They both knew that they were not the only living creatures in these woods, and not having any light didn't help. Nonetheless they pressed on, searching for someplace that they could be safe.
     They walked for what felt like an eternity in silence, each wondering about the other. Elphaba's mind began battling with itself, one thought contradicting the other. Fiyero had said he was going to leave with her, so that could possibly mean that he wanted to be with her. But most likely he had only said that to get her away from the Wizard. Besides, he was engaged to Glinda; his heart already belonged to someone else. Fiyero thought about how Elphaba had finally come back out of hiding. She had put herself in grave danger, showing up smack in the middle of the Wizard's throne room. She had tried so hard to remain hidden before, so what could have possibly made her reveal herself now? A thought came to him. Could it have been because she heard about the engagement? Had she come back, risked her own life, just to find him? He shook his head gently, making sure Elphaba couldn't see. There was no way she would do that just for him. She was so involved in her Animal Rights acts that he was only a small piece of her life now. He wasn't important enough to make her do something so drastic. A lighter area in the trees made him snap out of his thoughts.
     "Elphaba, look," he said, pointing to the spot. Elphaba blinked as she returned from her own musings. The light wasn't bright like from a home or anything, but very subtle. She was surprised that Fiyero had even spotted it. They walked towards the area carefully, remaining as quiet as they could. Fiyero reached out and pulled back some branches so he could see. In front of them was a small clearing filled with moonlight. Trees lined the entire area, and looked big enough for them to light a fire in yet not attract attention. He let go of Elphaba and stepped into the clearing, double checking for anything suspicious. Once he was certain that the area was safe, he motioned for Elphaba to come in. She walked into the clearing, setting her broom up against one of the tree trunks and placing the Grimmerie and her hat on the ground. Fiyero was already gathering branches and dried leaves for a fire. He placed them in the center away from the trees, and then reached into his uniform pocket. He rummaged around for a moment, his brows furrowed, then cursed.
     "What?" Elphaba asked as she walked towards him, looking concerned.
     "I left my flint back at the palace." Elphaba looked at the branches that Fiyero had set up. She knelt down next to the pile and raised her hands. She closed her eyes, concentrating as she chanted a small spell. For a moment nothing happened, and Fiyero was about to ask her when a spark ignited and a small fire began. Elphaba opened her eyes and smiled at her handiwork.
     "That would have been extremely useful during boot camp," Fiyero said, marveling at the now growing blaze. He knelt down next to Elphaba, putting his hands out to capture some of the heat. As he warmed his hands, Elphaba saw something strange out of the corner of her eye. She looked over at his arm and gasped.
     "What?" Fiyero asked, looking over at her in alarm. She lifted her hand up and pointed to his arm.
     "You're bleeding," she said. He looked down at his arm and sure enough, a line of blood was running down his arm and dripping onto the ground.
     "Oh," he said. "I didn't even notice that before. Must have gotten nicked by one of the bullets." Elphaba's eyes went wide.
     "Are you ok?" she asked with concern.
     "Yeah," he replied, shrugging his shoulders. "I've had worse."
     "Here," Elphaba said, "let me take care of it." She gently grabbed his arm and pulled it towards her, placing one hand over the wound. She closed her eyes and chanted. Her hand began to glow a soft blue color, and Fiyero felt his skin warm. After a minute the glow subsided, and Elphaba opened her eyes. She removed her hand from where the wound had been, and was delighted to see that it was completely gone. She had had trouble with that spell before, but she figured it was best not to mention that to Fiyero. She released his arm, and he turned it over, examining her work. There was no sign of the original wound, only a dried line of blood remained.
     "That would have been useful at boot camp too," he said, laughing. He looked up at her with a warm smile. "You've gotten really good at magic now." Elphaba blushed – or at least that's what Fiyero thought the darker shade of green on her cheeks was – and looked at the fire.
     "I'm not that good at it yet," she said, sitting down on the soft ground. "I've only been able to learn a few spells, and I still can't read the Grimmerie that well."
     "The fact that you can even do that is still amazing," he replied, shaking his head. "Most people can only dream of doing the stuff you can. You truly have a gift Elphaba."
     "You really think so?" she said, looking back up at him. Fiyero could see the doubt in her eyes. He sat down next to her and gently placed his hand over hers.
     "I know so," he said. Elphaba looked down at their hands, and the butterflies from earlier began to stir again. His hand felt so warm on top of hers. She looked back up at him.
     "Thank you," she said, smiling at him. Fiyero smiled back, and moved his hand underneath hers. When their palms touched he gently folded his fingers between hers, locking their hands together. Elphaba felt her heart jump into her throat. She remembered seeing couples at Shiz hold hands this way, and had imagined she would never get to feel what it was like. Now here she was, sitting by a fire holding hands with the man she had been in love with for years. They stared into each other's eyes for a long time. Neither felt the need to speak, they could communicate well enough with their eyes. Suddenly a cold breeze blew through the clearing and Elphaba shivered, despite the fire. Fiyero released their hands and shrugged off his officer's jacket.
     "Here," he said, offering her the jacket. Elphaba shook her head.
     "I'm fine," she said, but another breeze blew by and she shivered again. She silently cursed the wind, and Fiyero laughed. He tossed the jacket aside and rolled up his sleeves.
     "Ah, nothing like a bracing, cold wind," he said with a grin on his face. Elphaba rolled her eyes.
     "Show off," she muttered, scooting closer to the fire.
     "Oh come on, it's not that bad," he teased, scooting up to sit next to her again. Elphaba looked at him from the corner of her eye.
     "And this is coming from the guy that always complained when winter came at Shiz," she mocked.
     "Hey," he retorted, "that was before I had gotten used to the cold. I'm naturally from a warm plains climate." Elphaba looked over at him.
     "Aren't most of your castles in the mountains?" she replied. Fiyero opened his mouth to speak, but recognized the hole he had dug himself into. Elphaba just looked back at the fire, knowing she had won.
     "Alright, you win that one," he muttered, and Elphaba couldn't help the smile that came to her lips.
     "That's the Fiyero I remember."
     "What do you mean?" he asked, puzzled. Elphaba looked back at him, and Fiyero could see she was reminiscing.
     "The smooth-talking, never-think-before-you-speak prince from Shiz." Her face clouded over for a moment, and she turned back to the fire. Fiyero could tell she wanted to say more and waited.
     "I…was afraid that that Fiyero had vanished," she admitted quietly. "When you appeared in the throne room, I didn't recognize you. I mean I knew it was you, but not the you I remembered. You were so serious, so military…it scared me to think that I'd lost you to the Wizard too." Elphaba had wrapped her arms around her knees and was hugging them to her chest. She hated to say it out loud, but she had truly been frightened by the new Fiyero. It was stupid and she knew it, but she couldn't help it. The one she had fallen in love with was the one she had been expecting to see, not the new one. For a while she thought she would never get him back and that he was gone forever, twisted by the Wizard. Fiyero didn't know what to say. He couldn't think of anything that would convince her well enough, so he did the first thing he could think of. He scooted behind her, then gently wrapped his arms around her from behind.
     "He never did vanish," Fiyero whispered gently. "He just had to take a break for a while." Elphaba was stunned. She couldn't believe that this was happening. Here she was sitting in front of a campfire in the middle of the woods with the arms of the man she loved wrapped around her.
     "Fiyero," she said, reality coming back to her. "This isn't right. You shouldn't be out here with me. You're engaged to Glinda already…she's the one you should be with." Fiyero only tightened his embrace.
     "I know," he said, "but I don't care." Elphaba turned her head to look at him.
     "Fiyero, you two deserve each other. You wouldn't want to be with me anyways. I'm constantly running from the guards, I can't go in public at all, and I'm lucky to find a decent meal most days. That's not the life you deserve. You deserve to be with Glinda." Fiyero paused for a moment.
     "I realize that," he said slowly. "I've thought about it before. I know what my life would be like if I stayed back there with Glinda. Sparkling parties, grand outfits, the high life, I'd be surrounded by it constantly. And yet…" He trailed off, searching for the best words.
     "Yet?" Elphaba questioned.
     "…and yet, I wouldn't be happy." He was silent for a moment before beginning again. "I've been surrounded by that kind of glitz and glam all my life. Being a prince, I was naturally expected to attend all the parties and have a good time. But for some reason, it never clicked with me. I hated having to constantly live up to people's expectations. I felt like a fraud, dressing up all fancy just to impress people. I guess that's why I rebelled so much," he said, the realization coming to him. Elphaba just listened.
     "Even at Shiz I felt the same way. Everyone was awed by the fact that I was a prince and expected me to be all high and mighty, Glinda especially." Elphaba remembered how enamored Glinda had been with him. She would ramble on about him for hours in their dorm room, almost to the point that she wanted to throw a pillow at her to shut her up.
     "And then I met you," he said, catching her attention. "You were the only one that wasn't intrigued by my fame, and that only made me curious. I could tell you were different already, no offense," he added, and Elphaba just shrugged. "But you were different in another way I couldn't quite figure out. I wondered about it constantly. Why was it that you had no interest in me at all? And then that day with the lion cub came. When I tried to convince you that I truly was the shallow prince, you saw right through me. I felt like you could read my mind, and it caught me off guard. For the first time someone could see what I really was: unhappy." He stopped again, thinking for a moment.
     "I guess that's what it is," he said, "the thing about you that I couldn't figure out. You can see people for what they really are. You're not fooled by the outer façade, you go right under the surface to the core. When you see someone, you see them completely." Elphaba could hardly believe what she was hearing. She didn't know what to think of it, so she didn't say anything. She simply let go of her knees and let her legs go flat onto the ground, allowing Fiyero to have a better hold. Gently she scooted into his lap and leaned back against him, reaching up her hands and wrapping them around his arms. She closed her eyes, and a content sigh escaped her. Fiyero smiled to himself and closed his eyes too, accepting the silent thank you. They sat there for a long time, each enjoying the feeling of the other's presence.
     Elphaba felt like she was in a dream. There was no way any of this could be real, it had to be her mind. The doubt made her sigh, and she knew she would never be able to believe any of this. She unwrapped her hands from around Fiyero's arms and sat up. Fiyero let go of her, wondering what she was doing. She turned towards him, folding her legs underneath her, and was quiet for a moment.
     "Fiyero," she began, not looking at him, "why did you leave?"
     "What do you mean?" he asked puzzled.
     "Why did you really leave the palace, and Glinda. Why did you leave with me?" Fiyero sat up, concerned now, sitting in the same position as Elphaba. "I know you already explained about the fancy life and everything, but I still don't think that's the whole reason. You didn't have to leave, you could have just told me to go…so why did you come instead?"
     "I think you know why," he said gently. Elphaba shook her head.
     "I know I should, but I just can't. It's just so hard for me to believe you're with me tonight." Elphaba stared down at her hands, afraid to look up. She didn't want to see his reaction. For the first time in her life she felt truly anxious, even afraid. Fiyero was puzzled for a moment, and then he realized what she really meant. In the time he had known her at school, Elphaba had never been one to closely interact with others, besides Glinda of course. He had noticed the way her sister, Nessarose, had acted so shy when they were together, even ashamed. And from what he had heard from Glinda, Elphaba's father basically hated her. She had never known love before, and didn't want to hope for it. She was afraid of rejection. He brought his fingers under her chin and lifted her head up to look into her beautiful brown eyes. Elphaba looked back into his, unsure of what to do.
     "Let me prove it to you then," he said quietly, bringing his hand up to cup her cheek. As he leaned in, Elphaba felt the butterflies in her stomach increase. The moment she had dreamed about since that day at Shiz was about to happen. Her breathing nearly stopped as the space between them shrank, and her eyes closed. Fiyero brought Elphaba's face closer, stopping momentarily as their noses touched. He knew that once this happened, there was no going back. But he knew now; he was absolutely certain. If he was to be an outlaw forever after, then so be it. He was willing to sacrifice everything to be with the woman he knew he truly loved.
     He closed the last few inches, and their lips touched gently. Elphaba felt the emotion surge within her as the kiss grew deeper and more passionate. It was better than anything she had ever dreamed of. Their mouths moved together in perfect rhythm, becoming slow and meaningful. Fiyero felt his love for Elphaba increase with every motion. He brought his other hand up and ran both of them through her beautiful raven hair. Elphaba cupped the sides of his face, never wanting this moment to end. Unwillingly the kiss broke apart, but their foreheads remained touching. They breathed heavily after their display of affection. Neither one opened their eyes, savoring the moment as long as they could.      
     At last they moved apart, and Elphaba opened her eyes. She stared into the face of the man she loved, and emotion welled within her. She knew for certain now that this was real, that Fiyero was really with her, that he loved her as much as she loved him. She couldn't stop the tears that ran down her cheeks. Fiyero saw the tears and gently used his thumb to wipe them away, stroking her soft green cheek. He loved her exactly the way she was, especially her green skin. There was a unique beauty to it that he couldn't explain. Elphaba gave him the most genuine smile he had ever seen, and his heart melted. Slowly he brought his hands to her waist and lifted her up until their bodies were pressed together. Elphaba rested her hands on his chest and leaned against his shoulder, letting the tears slowly fall. Everything she had been through, all the pain, the rejection, the suffering, silently washed away with her tears. Fiyero just held her and let her cry. They stayed like that for what felt like an eternity. Elphaba felt a content feeling come over her as she looked back up at Fiyero.
     "I love you," she whispered, putting as much sincerity into those simple words as she could. Fiyero smiled.
     "I love you too," he whispered back. He dipped his head and captured her lips again. In all of her wildest dreamings, Elphaba could never have foreseen this. As they kissed Fiyero moved down to her neck, gently pressing his lips against her skin. Elphaba felt herself shudder at the touch. As he moved back up she kissed his cheek lightly. Fiyero turned his head towards her and their lips connected once more. He put as much feeling into that kiss as he could, letting Elphaba know just how much he loved her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling herself closer to him and deepening the kiss. Fiyero's arms went around her waist, holding her against him. After a moment they stopped again, out of breath. Elphaba rested her head against his chest again, and Fiyero placed his chin on the top of her head, still locked in the embrace. She looked up at him again, and was about to kiss him when she stopped. Fiyero noticed and pulled back, looking into her eyes.
     "What is it?" he asked, worry in his voice. She looked down, shaking her head and laughing slightly.
     "It's just...for the first time, I feel…wicked," she finished, pulling him into another deep kiss. Fiyero was caught off guard by the sudden display of emotion, but quickly recovered. He held the sides of her face gently as she ran her fingers through his hair. Finally the passionate display died down, and they parted. Elphaba gave him a sheepish smile, but Fiyero just smiled back. They separated, but still remained close to each other.
     "I just wish," Elphaba began, but stopped.
     "What?" Fiyero questioned. She looked away.
     "I wish I could be beautiful for you," she said quietly.
     "Elphaba," he began, reaching out to her, but she pulled away.
     "No, don't tell me that I am…you don't have to lie to me." Fiyero felt a wave of sadness wash over him. He reached out again and cupped her face, turning her towards him. She still wouldn't look into his eyes.
     "It's not lying," he said, and she couldn't help but look at him. He looked right into her eyes, emphasizing what he was going to say. "It's looking at things another way." Elphaba stared at him for a moment, trying to see if he was lying to her. But as she looked, she could see that he truly meant what he said. A smile came to her lips, and she blushed. Fiyero gently pulled her face to him and kissed her lightly. As they pulled back Fiyero could see that something was troubling her.
     "What's wrong?" he asked, reaching down to hold her hands. Their fingers locked, and Elphaba stared at them for a moment before answering him.
     "It's Glinda," she said quietly. "She looked so sad as we left. I only got a glimpse but I could see the look in her eyes. I don't know if she'll ever forgive me for taking you away from her." Fiyero squeezed her hands gently.
     "I'm sure she will," he said, trying to convince her. "You two are too good of friends for her not to. You and Glinda will make up, and some day all of this – " But Elphaba shushed him before he could continue. She could hear something on the wind.
     "Listen," she said quietly. "Do you hear that?" Fiyero listened, but he couldn't hear anything. Elphaba sat there as still as she could, and the noise came back again.
     "It sounds like someone in pain," she murmured, her brows furrowed.
     "It's just the wind," Fiyero said, still not hearing anything. Elphaba heard the noise come back louder this time, and a shiver ran up her spine as she realized what it was. It sounded exactly like Nessa.
     "My sister is in danger," she gasped out, a shudder running through her body. Fiyero looked at her with concern.
     "What? How do you know?"
     "I don't know," she said as she shook her head. "I just do." She glanced up into the sky and froze. Her hand rose and she pointed to the sky. Fiyero looked up at where she was pointing as she rose to her feet. He rose with her, holding on to her other hand.
     "There!" she exclaimed, looking straight into the sky. "Don't you see it?"
     "No," Fiyero answered. She was starting to scare him now. "What do you see?"
     "It doesn't make any sense," she said, her eyes going wide. "It's…a house!" Her hand followed the dark shape through the sky as it headed towards the east. "But it's flying through the sky," she finished in wonder. Suddenly a thought hit her. That house was flying straight for Munchkinland, to where her sister was. That feeling from earlier must have been warning her about the house!
     "I have to go to Nessa!" she exclaimed, releasing Fiyero's hand and running over to her broom. Fiyero looked after her. It wasn't that he didn't believe her, it was just the urgency in her voice that was frightening him. As Elphaba gathered up the Grimmerie and her hat he ran over to her, grabbing her hand just as she was about to take off.
     "Wait, hang on a second," he urged her, and she turned back to him. "Are you absolutely sure about this?" She nodded her head, and Fiyero felt his heart sink. He had hoped they could stay together that night. Now that she was leaving, he wished they had more time together. Elphaba felt the urgency running through her, but as she looked at Fiyero she slowed, recognizing the sad look on his face.
     "Alright," he said, giving up, "but let me come with you." She shook her head.
     "No, you mustn't. It's too dangerous." Fiyero was about to argue, but thought better of it. There was no way he could win, not when she was this determined.
     "Well then at least let me help you this way," he said, pulling a map out of his pocket. He pointed to the mountains in the west. "My family has a castle in Kiamo Ko. There are no guards, no sentries, there's no one there. We hardly ever live in it." Elphaba paused as she looked at the map with him.
     "Then where do you live?" she asked, looking up at him. Fiyero paused.
     "The other castle," he said.
     "Oh, right," Elphaba replied, feeling stupid. Fiyero smiled at her for a moment, then looked back at the map.
     "It's the perfect hiding place," he said, shoving the map back into his pocket. "Tunnels, secret passage ways…you'll be safe there." Elphaba noticed the way he said that. It was almost like he was saying goodbye for the last time.
     "We will see each other again…won't we?" Fiyero took hold of her upper arms, looking right into her eyes. Elphaba's hand tightened around the broom and hat in her right hand, afraid of what he was going to say.
     "Elphaba," he said seriously, "we are going to be together always. You can see houses flying through the sky," he said, motioning dramatically at the sky, and she couldn't help but laugh. He looked back into her eyes, pleading.
     "Can't you see that?" She looked at him, her feelings rampaging inside her. She wanted to believe what he said, but there was a part of her warning her against it. She felt on the verge of tears but held them in so she wouldn't upset him. Fiyero could tell she was struggling, so he bent his head down and kissed her again. She kissed him back, trying to memorize the way she felt, never wanting to forget this. Unwillingly they broke apart, still staring into each other's eyes. Fiyero gently released her and stepped back.
     "Go," he said, "your sister needs you." Elphaba gave him one last longing look, then turned and ran off into the forest. She didn't want him to see the tears that ran down her face. She mounted the broom mid run and shot off into the sky, trying desperately not to look back. Fiyero watched her race off towards the east until she vanished into the dark sky. He hoped more than anything that this would not be the last time they would see each other.