DISCLAIMER: Wicked is not my property or creation, simply the thing that brings me joy.

DEDICATION: This story is dedicated to a friend of a friend, and fellow musical fan, Cassy, who sadly was both diagnosed and lost her fight with breast cancer during the writing of this story. RIP.

AN. Thanks to Kelly for reading this story, giving me her thoughts when I was stuck and let me bounce many ideas off her during the process.

Come What May

By Vinkunwildflowerqueen

Chapter One

When the Governor of Munchkinland, Frexspar Thropp, had escorted his daughters to Shiz University for their first year the previous September, the carriage ride had been filled with noise. Nessarose had been excitedly rambling about university life, the campus, the dorms, her friends, teachers, lessons, etc. She had been so excited at the thought of attending university and beginning her journey of learning everything she would need to know so that she could one day take over from their father as Governor.

Elphaba had been just as excited, although internally, not daring to show too much enthusiasm or happiness before her father. Her father had made it clear from the beginning that she was not attending Shiz because Frex thought she needed any more education, and a part of Elphaba had felt that if she had let show how genuinely excited and happy she was to be going to university, he might change his mind. It had always seemed to Elphaba as though her father didn't want her to be happy if he could help it.

And Frex had spent any moment when Nessa fell silent informing Elphaba of what was expected of her- namely, keep her grades up, no "commotions" as he called them, and most importantly, ensure Nessa's welfare. Elphaba had nodded dutifully to each statement, always feeling so small under her father's stern gaze.

This year, it was different. Nessa was still looking forward to getting back to her friends and classes, but she was calmer and slightly apprehensive about the workload and higher expectations that would be facing them as second-year students. She had had a peaceful and enjoyable summer, but was ready to get back to work. Nessa sat quietly in the carriage, reading a novel that Elphaba had suggested for her and making the occasional comment.

Frex was silent, reading some official papers- or pretending to. Every so often he would lift his eyes slightly to peer at Elphaba, and then lower them to glare at his papers again. Even Nessa didn't dare try and break his dark mood, all the carriage's occupants knew the reason.

And Elphaba was more excited to get back to Shiz than she had been to get anywhere in her entire life. She was so full of anticipation, she couldn't sit still, although she tried to hide it. And the main reason for the butterflies in her stomach was the same reason Frex was silent and brooding.

Fiyero Tiggular. Elphaba's boyfriend.

No one, least of all Elphaba, had ever expected those two words to be in the same sentence. Yet here they were. In all honesty, it didn't feel real to her. Probably because in reality, she and Fiyero had only gotten two days together as a couple in person, before semester had ended and they had returned to their respective homes on opposite ends of Oz.

So, they had spent all summer the same way the real foundation for their relationship had formed- writing letters to one another. The difference this time, of course, was that the letters were now addressed to their actual names, although Fiyero persisted in referring to Elphaba as "Fae", which she didn't mind in the least.

Simply because of the number of letters they exchanged in a week, Elphaba had found it impossible to keep her relationship with Fiyero a secret from her father. Even Frex, as much as he mostly ignored Elphaba, couldn't fail to notice the frequent letters that arrived from the Vinkus addressed to his eldest daughter. Well that, and the fact that Nessa was so thrillified for her sister she was practically bursting.

Galinda, Elphaba had found out after the fact, had told Nessa the true identity of Elphaba's mysterious pen pal as soon as Elphaba had left to meet "Dathien" that fateful day. Nessa had been stunned, but won over as Boq and Galinda told Nessa as much of the story as they knew. So when Elphaba and Fiyero had finally turned up at the Wilted Rose to meet them all, hands entwined, no one was surprised.

Of course, they hadn't told the whole story to Frex, Elphaba wanted to keep that private. So she simply told her father (prodded and encouraged by Nessa) that she and Fiyero had met upon his arrival at Shiz, and eventually become friends, which then developed into something more. Frex hadn't exactly been thrillified that his eldest daughter was dating the scandalacious Vinkun prince, but after a blazing row with Elphaba where she insisted that she was an adult that could make her own decisions and that Fiyero truly loved her and she him; Frex had complied and relented, on the strict condition that he meet the prince at Shiz before school resumed.

Elphaba knew this wasn't for her benefit or welfare, that her father disapproved of the impact the relationship could have on their family's reputation. But it wasn't acknowledged, either by Frex or his daughters. Nessa liked to hope that Frex's fatherly concern was at least part of the reason and had tried to convince Elphaba of that, but it wasn't very convincing. The very thought of a meeting between Frex and Fiyero filled her with dread, and she wasn't sure how Fiyero would react. Not just because of everything she had told him about her relationship with her father, but she didn't think he was really a "meet the parents" kind of guy. Elphaba highly doubted that he had ever done it before. However, when she wrote Fiyero, he had agreed immediately to the condition.

"I love you," he'd written to her, probably sensing her doubt over the matter. "I won't pretend I'm looking forward to it- quite frankly, I'd much rather be able to have words with him about how he's treated you. But I'm more than happy to be the polite, gentlemanly, respectful boyfriend if it means he'll accept us being together."

It was fair to say Elphaba wasn't looking forward to this meeting- neither was Fiyero nor Frex when it came to it, but she was both excited and nervous at the idea of finally seeing Fiyero again. She was excited because... well, did she need a reason? He was her boyfriend, and Elphaba could admit that she had missed him. And she loved him. He knew her literally better than anyone else, even more than Galinda or Nessa. He knew almost everything about her.

Knowing "Dathien's" real identity and being able to address Fiyero by his real name in letters hadn't ended their habit they had formed through the pen pal program. They still exchanged deep letters, talking about both everything and nothing, often simultaneously. So as a result, there was very little Fiyero didn't know about her and she about him.

However, she was slightly nervous. Although she openly admitted she loved him, the fact they had spent so little time together as a couple made her nervous. The role of "girlfriend" was still a role she was unused to, and the unfamiliar made her nervous.

Elphaba had tried to read on the journey, but had been completely unable to concentrate, so had ended up spending most of the trip staring absent-mindedly out the window, trying to imagine all the ways this meeting could end in disaster.

"There's Shiz," Nessa broke the silence suddenly, as she looked up from her book to glance sympathetically at her sister and had her attention captured by the skyline.

Elphaba peered out the window and saw the familiar skyline of Shiz ahead of them. It was a comforting sight, it felt almost like coming home.

"It's strange to think I'm so excited about the idea of going back to a room with Galinda," Elphaba mused and Nessa laughed.

"You are unlikely friends," she agreed. "Do you know if she's back yet?"

Elphaba shrugged. "Her last letter said she was arriving today. I don't know if she's actually here or not yet."

"And Fiyero?" Nessa asked, stifling a smirk.

"He should be here," Elphaba replied. "He'll find us."

That left only one person in their group unaccounted for, and Nessa frowned slightly.

"It seems ridiculous that Boq couldn't come with us. We're going to the same place," she pointed out.

Nessa and her ex-boyfriend had eased into friendship over the summer after their not-so amicable breakup. But the Munchkin had declined the offer of a ride back to school with them. Elphaba suspected it was because he knew what was going to happen when they arrived at Shiz, and didn't want to be a witness to what was a bound to be awkward meeting between Frex and Fiyero.

"Sybhal is already back at the CEC," Nessa informed her sister, speaking of her pen pal. The two girls had become rather good friends, and Sybhal had even come down from the Glikkus for a few days during the summer. Frex had approved of the young girl, which amused Elphaba when she remembered the furious letter her father had sent her when he'd discoverated Nessa had a pen pal.

He'd spent most of the girls' first dinner back at home questioning Nessa about her pen pal and only when he'd learned that she was a top student from a respectable family that he had relaxed on the matter. The rest of the summer had been spent dwelling on the "issue" of Fiyero Tiggular.

"Oh?" Elphaba asked vaguely, her thoughts elsewhere. Like about half a mile down the road.

Nessa nodded. "Talk there is that there's going to be meetings this year between the two schools so that the pen pals can meet," she was grinning slightly, knowing perfectly well that the idea was rather redundant for Elphaba. Nessa and Galinda both claimed that there was never a more romantic story than Shiz or the CEC could have ever dreamed of when they created the program, than that of Elphaba and Fiyero.

Elphaba always reminded her sister that if Fiyero hadn't been expelled from the CEC, the story may have had a different ending.

"You two would have found each other in the end," Nessa argued dismissively.

Elphaba wasn't sure if she agreed, but she never said so.

Now however, Elphaba laughed at the news her sister had shared. "I'm sure that will be interesting," she replied.

Then she paused thoughtfully. "I don't know if Galinda will be interesting in meeting Tena. Is Boq in the program?" she asked, feeling slightly guilty she didn't know.

Nessa nodded. "Yes."

That made sense to Elphaba, knowing of Boq's crush on Galinda. Of course he would have signed up once he heard that she had, although she didn't say that to Nessa.

"Do they get along?"

"Well enough I suppose. I don't think he'd object to meeting him, especially if it involved a trip to the Emerald City."

Elphaba's eyes widened at that. She'd always dreamed of going to the Emerald City... and then her heart fell as reality of the situation hit her, effectively crushing the fantasies of walking along emerald streets.

"I don't know if I could go," she frowned. After all, her pen pal was at Shiz- not that anyone outside of their friendship circle knew that, or even knew Elphaba was in the program.

Nessa smiled sympathetically. "We could work something out," she comforted her sister.

Another surprising outcome of Elphaba's relationship with Fiyero, was how much closer she and Nessa were as a result. Once they were back in Munchkinland, Nessa had asked for as much of Elphaba's side of the story as she was willing to tell, and Elphaba had made an effort to open herself up to her sister.

For so long Elphaba had filled the role of carer and protector, and mother more so than that of sister. Elphaba had always taken care of Nessa to ensure she had everything she needed, and was the closest thing to a mother Nessarose had ever known. But everything that had happened during their first year at Shiz had really made them sisters for the first time... equals. Both girls were enjoying this new phase of their relationship, and Elphaba hoped it would last.

The carriage pulled into the grounds of Shiz and headed towards the staff quarters, where Nessarose would once again share Madame Morrible's private compartment. Elphaba drank all the familiar sights in as they passed, and Nessa commentated to their father, pointing out the library, the canal, the girls dormitory building where Elphaba shared with Galinda.

Elphaba's heart leapt into her throat as she peered out the window and saw a lone figure sitting on the steps outside, waiting patiently and basking in the afternoon sun.

Neither Nessa nor Frex heard Elphaba's fervent whisper that was barely a murmur as it escaped from her lips, almost of her own accord.

"Fiyero."