To Whatever End

Part Two

Two things- One, note that the rating's gone up. Two, I didn't even realize until after I wrote the first chapter that the idea of Fiyero having had to kill Animals while in Gale Force is derived from GirlScout1987's story, "Hunting For Witches." Go read it, all.

Same disclaimer as before, but as deeplyshallow pointed out, I left Elphie's broom off the list, and Fiyero's pants are pointless to own unless they have Fiyero in them. ^_^

Fiyero stared at the patch of starry sky just visible through the dense, overlapping treetops. He was grateful that they were at what was likely the very heart of largest, densest forest in Oz with the exception of the Quadling bogs. For now, they were as safe as they could hope to be. He was waiting for her to say something, but she would not. She still held his hand.

Eventually, he withdrew his hand. "Maybe we should, uh…" He cleared his throat. "Maybe we should try to get some sleep now. So we can get an early start tomorrow."

She looked up. She seemed listless, distracted. "Huh?"

He blinked in confusion, wondering if he'd ever seen her in any other state aside from completely focused.

"We should go to b-" he stopped, cursing inwardly as he saw her eyes get huge. "I mean sleep. We both need to get some sleep, you know, so we can…tomorrow…uh, hide." He was well aware that he was babbling, and he shut his mouth before he could sound any stupider than he already did, or frighten her.

"Alright," she said slowly. She was looking at him strangely.

He stood up, not sure what to make of her behavior. "Do you want me to help make a camp or something? I guess a fire would be a bad idea, but-"

"Here," she said quickly. It looked as though she'd snapped out of her trancelike state. She handed him a bag that had been sitting next to her. "There should be an extra bedroll in here, and some food, if you need it."

"Thanks." He cleared away some of the forest brush so that he could lay out his bedroll and she did the same, hers farther away from his than he would have liked. Every now and then as they worked he caught her looking at him out of the corner of his eye, but the second he turned to face her she'd be looking away again.

Once finished, they found themselves both standing in the empty space between the bedrolls. She seemed to be consumed by her thoughts once more, her arms wrapped around her middle and her eyes fixed on the ground. What now? was the only thing he could think as he watched her. Things had been going so well when they'd first gotten here, but now he wasn't sure what to think. She hadn't tried to bolt when he'd blurted out that he loved her, but apparently she'd convinced herself that this was all a terrible mistake. So all he could do was stand there, shuffle his feet and wait for her to say something. He was too thoroughly confused, miserable and weary of trying to figure this infuriating, wonderful woman out to do anything else.

But once the silence and standing around inevitably became too much for him, he stepped forward and hesitantly took her hands. "Good night, Fae."

The reluctant smile that he received in return was enough to make his heart swell with joy, and his mind drifted to earlier that night, before she'd begun to doubt things, when they'd essentially melted into one another's arms without a second thought. The memory of her lips crashing against his and her hair tangled up in his fingers made his stomach do flip-flops, and though he longed to do the same now, he figured he'd be overstepping his boundaries. He let go of her hands and bent down to blow out the lantern, praying that she hadn't seen the color that he was sure had crept into his cheeks or the…other outward manifestation of physical attraction that he could feel coming on. Damn it.

But no sooner than he'd blown the lantern out, dousing their world in darkness, and turned to crawl into the bedroll, he felt a hand on his shoulder. He whipped around with a start, only to find Elphaba crouched down next to him. He couldn't see the expression on her face, but he could hear her breathing heavily.

"Fae?"

Almost of its own accord, his hand reached out to stroke the side of her face. "Are you alright?" he asked.

"I am," she whispered. He felt her other hand light on the back of his neck, and his skin immediately broke out into goosebumps at her touch.

"W-what are you…" he stammered. His words were cut off by her lips against his, and suddenly his mind was no longer capable of coherent thought. All he was aware of was her, her…her soft skin and smooth, slippery tresses under his fingers; her scent, which vaguely reminded him of pine needles; her lips urgently, insistently seeking his.

He responded with equal zeal, and before he knew it, his tongue was roaming the inside of her mouth and her fingers were fumbling with the buttons of his shirt. And despite the overwhelming force of his own desire, one word forced itself into his clouded mind: Stop. His hands found her shoulders and he gently shoved her off.
When his eyes adjusted to the moonlight, he found he could finally see her face. Her cheeks were flushed with a beautiful olive shade, and her lips were swollen. She looked hurt and confused, and it dawned on him that despite all the horrors she'd seen and endured in her life, this, which by rights should be something good and beautiful, was something she knew next to nothing about.

"I thought…I thought this was what you wanted," she murmured, her eyes downcast.

Despite himself, he half-smiled. She was clearly upset, but her entire demeanor suggested the endearing naivety of the shy schoolgirl she had once been.

"What?" she snapped when she registered his expression.

"Nothing, love." He placed his hands on her shoulders and looked at her earnestly. "But is this what you want?"

She nodded slowly. "And besides, I figure that, well, I don't have all that much to offer anyone, but if there was ever anybody who deserved something good from me, it'd be you."

Horrified by her insinuation, he let his hands drop from her shoulders. "That's why you're doing this? Because you think…you think that owe me or something?"

"That's not what I-" she began quickly when he started to pull away from her. She closed her eyes and sighed, apparently regretting having voiced these thoughts. Leaning over and kissing him on the cheek, she whispered, "Listen to me. I am indebted to you, more than you know."

"No, you're n-"

"Hush," she cut him off. "Yes, I am, but it's not a debt I could ever repay with my body, nor do I intend to try, so calm down, alright?"

"Alright," he said cautiously, but he figured it wasn't worth it to argue.

"Good. So to answer your question, then. Yes, this is what I want, because I think that….I think that I love you too, and if you'll let me, I'd like to show you how much." She sounded confident, but her expression was tentative, her eyes searching his.

But all he could do was smile.

She loves me.

"Well?" she demanded. All traces of uncertainty were gone now that she'd gauged his reaction. All that remained was a brilliant intensity burning in her eyes and a slightly mocking smirk on her lips, and he had to remind himself to breathe. He nodded.

And then she was in his arms again, and he found himself kissing every bit of her face that he could get to as her fingers twined themselves through his hair.

A laugh rose from her throat- beautiful, clear, and pealing like a bell. She leaned back to look into his eyes. "I've decided to take a leaf out of your book for tonight," she declared. "I love you, and to hell with the consequences."

***