(A/N: UPDATE! What's this? I am outrageously sorry about the incredible lateness of this update. Oh my goodness. I feel awful, but also excited to finally be updating again. Oooooh, but last night, I got to see Idina Menzel in concert. AMAZING! She sounded so wonderful-the best I had ever heard her in concert. BEAUTIFUL! And when she came into the audience to sing Take Me or Leave Me I was SO CLOSE to her! And at the stage door I got my ticket signed and she is just so so so so pretty. AGH! But anyways...on with the update! and again...I'm really sorry...)

"Hate to barge in, but I thought I'd give you a moment to clean your jacket." Elphaba jumped as Avaric came from behind her, grabbing her hand out of Charles' swiftly. Elphaba raised an eyebrow at him and Avaric leveled a glare at the Ambassador.

"Clean my jacket?" Charles asked, taunting amusement glistening in his eyes.

"Yes." Avaric quipped not missing a beat, "You've got wine on it." he suddenly poured the contents of his wine glass on Charles' arm, "Right there." Avaric passed his drink on to a waiter who had walked by. The amusement left the Ambassador's eyes.

"You-!" he spluttered, the wine dripping from his elbow.

"If you hurry, it won't stain." Avaric gave him a satisfied smirk before he whisked Elphaba away to the melody of the waltz being played.

"Master Avaric, that was rude!" Elphaba scolded, suppressing an amused smile.

"Oh no doubt." Avaric agreed quickly, "But don't tell me you weren't in desperate need of a savior." he looked down at her and grinned. Elphaba softened and she gave Avaric a small smile and looked down.

"Thank you Avaric." she said quietly. Avaric's arm tightened around her and he looked down at her in concern. Whatever Charles had said to her must have really gotten to her.

"Of course Darling," he said and they danced slowly for a moment, "I'm sorry, but my curiosity is killing me. Just how did you end up dancing with such a low life cretin in the first place?"

"I was forced into it." Elphaba grumbled. Avaric swallowed uncomfortably.

"How so, Elphaba?" he asked—formalities slipped by him completely unnoticed.

"We'll call it sheer brute force." Elphaba shrugged.

"Brute force?"

"He grabbed my arm, and I didn't want to start a scene."

"I hope he wasn't too horrid to you."

"It was just a dance—it's not like he tried to murder me I guess." Elphaba sighed, "Though I did find his presence to be positively torturous." Avaric's chuckle was dry.

"That must've been that ungracious way of speaking he has."

"He does have a way with words." Elphaba muttered sarcastically.

"What was he saying?" Avaric asked, wishing to the Unnamed god that the damn Ambassador could simply learn to keep his ungodly mouth shut.

"Nothing important."

"Well what was it?" Avaric pressed.

"I don't want to talk about it, Avaric." Elphaba snapped at him. She looked up at him, her eyes firm, but behind it Avaric could tell how really upset she was. He decided to let it go for now. When the waltz ended, he started to lead her off the dance floor, planning to take her to help him find the children, they suddenly found themselves however face to face with a very irritable King.

"Avaric, Miles is looking for you. He's over by the orchestra."

Avaric blinked at Fiyero's abruptness, "Oh…ok, I guess I'll go see what he needs."

"Miss Elphaba, the next dance is starting, if you would do me the honor." Fiyero said shortly, his hand outstretched for Elphaba to take, his eyes dark and determined. Elphaba considered him briefly, before slowly slipping her hand into his. An uncomfortable feeling settled in her stomach as he gently squeezed her hand. She bit her lip and tried to stare at the ground, wondering if she was merely shaking inside or if the King could feel it too. What was wrong with her? The trembling in her chest continued and she slammed her eyes shut for a moment, trying to stop a shiver. She distantly heard the beginning notes of the next waltz and suddenly she felt the King wrap his arm around her waist and she was pulled right against him with shuttering speed. Her eyes flew open and she found herself trapped in the King's arms, her free hand pressed against his chest. Her small gasp mingled with his sharp intake of breath. She suddenly felt his heartbeat spike—and then a soft vibration as he spoke.

"Oh, uh—this," Fiyero gently took her hand against his chest, "goes here." he guided her hand to his shoulder. Finally, her eyes slid up to his and after blinking once, she had wrenched herself out of his arms, tripping back a several steps when he took an instinctive step towards her.

"What's wrong?" he asked, he could still feel the warm impression against his chest where she had been. His question, caught Avaric's attention and the bachelor turned around in surprise.

"Master Tiggular—you know this is-" Elphaba stopped herself.

"This is what?" Fiyero demanded, frustrated.

"I'm your children's tutor and-"

"—and what?" Fiyero snapped harshly, "Don't tell me you've been letting Lila's words get to you." he took a step towards her, she took two back.

"It's not just her." Elphaba said quietly.

"Is everything alright?"

They both turned at the sound of Avaric's voice. Fiyero glared at his friend, wishing he'd just stay out of it. Neither he nor Elphaba answered him and a tense silence passed between the three of them.

"I think I'll just go with Avaric." Elphaba said suddenly, avoiding the Fiyero's eyes. Avaric raised a surprised eyebrow. He knew an escape route when he saw one.

"Miss Elphaba-" Fiyero was stunned and Elphaba could feel his suddenly cold gaze settling on her and she looked down guiltily.

"Fine by me!" Avaric suddenly broke the tension with a wide grin. Elphaba walked past him and started towards where Miles was.

"What did you say to her?" Avaric demanded in a hushed whisper when Elphaba was out of earshot. Fiyero's shock quickly turned to outrage.

"I didn't say anything." he growled, "Why don't you stay out of other people's business, Avaric."

"Elphaba is my business." Avaric snapped before walking away, catching up to Elphaba.

Fiyero turned and watched him go, absolutely shocked. Avaric rested his hand on the small of Elphaba's back as he guided her towards Miles, who was waiting by the orchestra. Fiyero's eyes narrowed and his hands fisted involuntarily. This couldn't be what he thought. Anything but that. It had to be anything but that.

Before he could go after them, he heard the sound of chimes and turned with everyone else to see Lila standing at the entrance of the ballroom. She announced that the evening's dinner was prepared and the guests began to file out of the ballroom. Ever the charming hostess, Lila stood to the side of the door, smiling at the guests and pointing them in the right direction to the second ballroom where gorgeously set round dinner tables were set up. Fiyero brought up the last of the guests and Lila gave him a delicate smile.

"Fiyero darling," was all she said and she gazed at him adoringly, holding her hand out for him to take.

"Lila." he kissed her hand gently, as he looked back up at her he suddenly had the most unsettling, and disconcerting feeling that everything had just changed.

"Fiyero?"

He realized with a start that he'd been staring and he focused his eyes on her.

"It's nothing dear," he said and offered her his arm as they went to join the other guests. As they entered the room, his eyes immediately found Miss Elphaba and Avaric—and he couldn't help the way his jaw tensed and they way his hand fisted because suddenly—he couldn't stand seeing them together. Something about the way Avaric's arm was draped carelessly across the back of her chair. Something about the subtle way she leaned on his arm. Something about the way she laughed every time he leaned close to her ear, murmuring something in a hush.

"My, those two have gotten close." Fiyero turned at Lila's hushed murmur; "If they keep that up, rumors will start—what a mess that would make." she was sending a disapproving glance towards Avaric and a barely concealed sneer as her eyes passed over the tutor. She didn't notice the way Fiyero stiffened and she pulled him to their table and into a seat.

"And then I told him that…" Avaric trailed off as he saw Charles enter the room, making a beeline for their table. Elphaba followed his gaze and she tensed noticeably.

"He's not going to sit here is he?" she asked quietly.

"Not if he knows what's good for him." Avaric growled under his breath. Unfortunately, it seemed the Ambassador did not know what was good him and he plunked down in the empty seat next to Elphaba with a smirk at Avaric and a wink at Elphaba.

"Avaric, Miss Elphaba." he greeted them with a smug nod, taking the napkin which was folded intricately off of the plate in front of him, setting it on his lap with a flourish. Avaric glared at him.

"If you please Master Charles, you and I are most certainly not past formalities. And that seat is reserved."

"Oh really? For who?" Charles asked, clearly not buying it, looking around him for the imaginary guest.

"Anyone but you." Avaric seethed, "But of course, you're welcome to the floor." he turned back in his seat, subtly motioning for Elphaba to just ignore him. Elphaba turned her back to the Ambassador, hoping he wouldn't bother her. But, as it were, her hoping did not do much.

"Perhaps I picked the wrong table to sit at. I had no idea it would be so…hostile over here. Please, if you'd both be so kind as to tell me what I've done wrong, I would remedy the situation immediately." Charles said smoothly, smiling innocently.

"Charles, for most people, it is not incredibly difficult to realize when people simply just do not like them. And I'm just talking about the average person. For someone like you, I'd say it be damn near second nature easy to tell." Avaric bit out, casting aside his earlier dedication to ignore the Ambassador. For all his disgusting, grotesque, sleazy and inappropriate qualities, he had a way of getting under ones skin.

"I might be able to read dislike when I see it, but that doesn't quench my curiosity for why it's there. And please, it's Master Charles—per your request for formality of course." Charles' look was patronizing and Avaric mocked a laugh—as sarcastic as Elphaba had ever heard him.

"I forgot how humorous you could be."

"One needs to have a sense of humor these days. What with all this tension between the provinces," Charles remarked, "War has never felt so close." he grinned at the prospect.

"I can't say you look unhappy about it." Avaric snapped.

"Well, the Wizard-" Charles began.

"The Wizard! I knew there was something I was forgetting about you." Avaric remarked, "Lila didn't invite you, did she?"

"I was sent by the Wizard if you must know."

"Along with Keller." Avaric said.

Charles shrugged, "The King has been…reluctant thus far to adopt the Wizard's new views."

"He doesn't have to." Elphaba said shortly. Charles took a moment to send her a glare.

"She's right. This is the Vinkus. Fiyero doesn't have to agree with every little thing the Wizard says or does." Avaric said.

"It's true his cooperation isn't altogether necessary at this stage—but he must know that when war breaks out—and it will—the Wizard is counting on nothing but full support from the Vinkus."

"The Vinkus has never allied with the Emerald City—it's utterly useless Charles. Fiyero's not going to change his mind just because the Wizard sent two of his highest, not to mention ugliest, agents to a dinner party." Elphaba choked on a laugh, the ferocity of the Ambassador's glare was somewhat reduced by the red stains on his cheeks.

"We aren't here to change his mind." he huffed, straightening in his seat, "Strictly, we're just monitoring the…situation."

"The situation? You thought he'd made up this grand party all as a ruse, to gather together Oz's most enthusiastic, underground anti-Wizard fanatics for some sort of radical protest?" Elphaba asked sarcastically, "Fiyero's not a radical." Avaric said, "He's practical."

"Don't check now, but at this very moment, in the King's basement, there are radicals plotting the assassination of the Wizard of Oz." Elphaba muttered.

"I don't think that's something you want to be joking about Miss Elphaba." Charles said in a low voice, "War is drawing closer every day. For anyone that's smart they want to make sure they're on the right side." Avaric set his silverware down with a clank.

"What are you trying to do? Scare people?" he hissed in a whisper, glancing around at the other guests, "We aren't even close to war. The only provinces feuding now are insignificant to such a scale. People are making a fuss over nothing."

"A fuss over nothing? Families are being ripped apart, you realize." Charles cast a side long, pointed and planned look at Elphaba, "For a man of your charm, I hardly thought you so inconsiderate, Master Avaric—especially considering our table company. Miss Elphaba, my sincerest sympathies." Charles' look was smug and Avaric cast Elphaba an apologetic look, but she didn't notice, her eyes flashed with anger at the Ambassador.

"Your sympathies? I highly doubt you're capable of such a sentiment." she snapped.

"Oh, but you see, that's where you're mistaken Miss Elphaba. When I heard of your situation in particular, I felt the deepest of sympathy for you. Your family might be utterly ashamed, but for what it's worth, I think the green is pretty." he smirked smugly.

"That's worth nothing." she all but snarled at him, her own silverware clanking down against her plate, "You know nothing about my family."

"Oh you know how people like to gossip about such things. The troubled life of the governing Munchkinland family behind closed doors! Oh it's awful what people say." he suddenly leaned in closer to her, "Is it true your father hits you?" Before he got the chance to smirk at her expression, he was flung backwards as Elphaba struck him across the face. She stood up, knocking another glass of wine onto the Ambassador's already stained suit.

"Go to hell!" she hissed furiously, her last withering glare actually made him shake, and he seemed relieved when she slammed her chair back against the table before leaving the room. Avaric immediately stood up to follow. He stopped, glaring down at the pathetic Ambassador, who was clutching his nose in pain.

"You really are a son of bitch." he growled before turning again and chasing after Elphaba.

(A/N: So, probably not as much Fiyero/Elphaba interaction as you guys might have liked? Certainly not as much as I would've liked lol. But I hope you enjoyed it nevertheless. Thank you for reading!)

(PS: Lol, also, I made a cover for this story since FF has added that feature, which I thought looked a little weird at first. But it's nice. I also made a cover for "We Meet Again" and on that one i actually painted the picture and every thing! I wish I was still writing that story so people could see the art lol. Sorry for rambles though, thanks for reading!)