Dedicated to the best Elphaba in existence, Willemijn Verkaik, who had her Broadway debut on February 12, 2013, making her the first actress to portray the role in three different languages.

Poppies

The day she left for the Emerald City, he had given her a bunch of red poppies.

It had been the first time anyone had ever bothered to give her anything, and memories like that weren't easily forgotten. No matter how awkward an exchange it had been – him giving her the flowers and trying to say something about a private matter between them with his girlfriend hanging off his arm – it was still a memory she treasured, and she knew she always would.

When she left her life as she knew it – such as it had been – for one on the run, she had known everything would be different. She had known she would never see her few friends on friendly terms again.

Or so she had thought. Apparently, she had just been proven wrong, for there, in front of her, was a bunch of red poppies.

She knew instantly who they were from. She knew instantly why they were there, though she couldn't quite bring herself to believe it. But how could he have known where to find her? She herself had only discovered this place just three days ago.

Yet there, on the table in the run-down back room of the store that had closed long ago, was a sign from him. Maybe even a message.

She stepped further into the room and glanced around cautiously, as the thought occurred to her that perhaps this was a trap. Afterall, he was now a part of the Gale Force – in fact, he had recently been promoted to Captain of the Guard. It could so easily be a trap.

But he would never do that to her. As distrustful as she was of anyone and everyone, she didn't want to believe he was capable of that.

Then again, it shouldn't be so hard to believe that he would do that. He was an engaged person now, afterall. He couldn't harbour any feelings for her anymore; they must all be bestowed upon his fiancée. Her best friend. Well, her former best friend.

She still couldn't get used to thinking about her like that. She didn't want to get used to it. It didn't sit right with her; yet they couldn't remain friends under the circumstances. No, they must be former friends, and no-one must know they ever liked each other at all. She couldn't do that to her. She couldn't ruin the perfect life her former friend had always dreamt of, not now that she had it. Even if she had him as well.

But he had sought her out. Her. Surely he must not have gone too far. There was no way he would go to all the trouble of finding her, only to turn away when he was so close to seeing her once more. As much as she knew he would have changed immensely since she saw him last, she also knew there were some things that never would. He would never give up just as his goal was at his fingertips. Even if this was a trap. Especially if this was a trap.

She cast her eyes around the room once more, penetrating every shadow; every corner; until she saw him.

Her heart began thumping rapidly in her chest at the sight of him. He was sitting on a chair in the most shadowy corner of the room. He was wearing his Gale Force uniform, but, even through the thick material, she could tell his well-developed form was now a far cry from that of the lanky boy she had known at university.

It was hard for her to make out his face, though she could tell he had not shaved for a few days, but those blue eyes pierced through the darkness and stared at her, unblinking.

And she stared back.

Almost hoping her eyes were deceiving her, and yet simultaneously hoping they weren't, she slowly closed them. After a moment, she took a deep breath and opened them again.

He was still there.

She was surprised at the wave of relief that washed over her as she breathed his name.

"Fiyero."

It was the first time she had dared to let his name pass her lips in three years.

"Elphaba."

It sounded too polite; too formal; too restrained; yet that one word sent shivers down her spine. No-one had called her by her name since that fateful day. It was strange to hear it now, but oh-so beautiful to hear it in his voice.

He stood and opened his arms slightly in subtle invitation, and, for once, she did not hesitate.

Placing her broom on the table beside the poppies, she strode across the room and into his waiting arms, suddenly feeling safe – a feeling entirely new to her; a feeling she never thought she would know. She buried her head into his chest and breathed in his scent.

He held her tightly, crushing her to him, and let his hands tangle in her long, raven hair. "I missed you," he whispered huskily, his voice now holding all the emotion that had so obviously been restrained in his greeting.

"I missed you, too," she confessed quietly, before pulling back slightly. "How did you find me?"

He gave her a sad smile. "I managed to track you down. Followed every movement I possibly could. Had a bit of luck the other day when I was off-duty and saw you – oh, yes," he continued, seeing her about to protest that he couldn't possibly have seen her, "I saw you. Nobody else would have noticed you, but I certainly did. You were so careful, but I followed you here. So the next day, at the same time, I came back. And there you were again." He pulled her back to him, not wanting to let her go.

"But why?"

"A man in love needs no reason."

Startled, her head jerked up and she stared at him wide-eyed. "What did you say?" she demanded.

"I said I'm in love with you."

"But…I thought you were engaged to Glinda?"

He gave a short laugh, though it held no mirth. "Believe me, that wasn't exactly my idea."

She closed her eyes. It couldn't be happening. Everything she had tried so hard not to dream about…was it all coming true? "Are you really…that…with me?" she asked hesitantly.

He nodded, brushing his lips along her cheek, causing her to shiver. "Yes."

"Tell me again."

"Elphaba, I'm in love with you."

She twisted her long fingers into his jacket, trying to bring him closer still. "Again."

"I love you." He brought a finger under her chin and tilted her face up to his. "And you don't have to say it back, but I love you." And with that, he leant down and pressed his lips to hers in a soft, warm kiss.

When he finally pulled back, she reached up to trace his cheek with her finger. "Thankyou for the poppies. You remembered."

He smiled. "Of course I did."

"Fiyero?"

"Mmm?"

"I love you."

Disclaimer: I DO NOT own any of the characters mentioned in the above story; they belong in their entirety to L. Frank Baum and Gregory Maguire. I DO, however, own the story, which is protected in my name under Australian Copyright Law dating back to 2013.