DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THE WINX CLUB! 4KIDSTV AND THE CREATORS OF THIS SHOW OWN IT!

Author's Nook

Chapter 10 is up, ladies, gentlemen, and mysterious beings!

I've been notified that I mistakenly changed the spelling of Derek's name to Derrick…starting in chapter 6 (cringes in horror) so about the time I post this, I should be revamping the other chappies (like I ought to do BEFORE I publish) and from now on it will be as it was before ("Derek")

I have also discovered…spelling errors (twitch, twitch) and as such, expect some grammar and chapter A/N changes.

As for the reasons for the delayed update, (AGAIN), I am proud to say I am now a proud college student, and the delays will most likely depend on my workload for the week.

Thanks for your time, please read and review!

"On with the show, this is it!"

Chapter Ten: Race to the Finish Line
Shit. Shit shitshitshitshit!!!! This is not going to be pretty!! Bloom wailed internally.

I only hope she's alone right now!

Racing around several corners, (and over people), Bloom zoomed around town, frantically trying to reach her friend Musa before it was too late. For some reason, it never occurred for her to use her cell phone…

But that wasn't the issue at hand, here! Derek was back, and in Magix nonetheless!

Oooh! I'm going to kill Josh for not telling me about Derek going to school in Magix! Wait…but what if he didn't know? He did only move to Gardenia just after I left…but he never said anything about his past the entire time, did he? Nothing about school (he doesn't go with Josh; they met at Josh's lifeguard summer job), and he spends winters with "family", Josh had said…

URGH! WHO THE HELL IS THIS GUY?!

Making her way toward Ten Thousand Villages, Bloom stopped short (causing several people to cry out in shock as they slammed into her from behind), and paled as she saw none other than Riven sitting with her snickering friend. "Crapshoot," muttered Bloom, gnawing on her pouty lips nervously. Breathing in and out while smoothing down her aqua ruffled skirt down against her thighs, she confidently walked into the café, determined to get this over with.

"Hey Musa! Sorry I'm late, just left Stella to…erm… "pay", (yeah, that's it!) for her stuff…ehehe, can I talk to you for a sec?" Gawking at the rambling Bloom, who was twisting her long red hair and yanking at it fiercely, Musa and Riven eyed each other before Musa shrugged and waved goodbye to Riven.

"That red head is one spazzy chick," he muttered as he left the café, hands in his pockets. Heading toward his speed racer and eyes on the street before him, he accidentally bumped into another guy who lagged behind a group of girls wearing the gothic Beta Academy uniform. "Watch where you're going, buddy!" the unknown person sneered at him, attracting the attention of his companions. Sneering back, Riven irrationally felt absolute hatred toward this guy; how dare he bump into him, a Red Fountain upperclassman?

"Watch where I'm going? You watch where you're going, pal! I can take you on any day, you twisted little--!"

"Oh yeah, you wanna make an issue of this, flame head?"

"FLAME HEAD? What is this, a catfight? Geez, if I had known you were a namby pamby boy, (and considering you're holding shopping bags from a feminine lingerie store, which are obviously in your size), I wouldn't have even bothered!"

"Why, you!" Lunging toward Riven, the boy body slammed him, which led to Riven throwing a right hook towards his face. Landing him a shiner as he went down, both boys started a street fight the likes of which soon attracted the previously missing Musa and Bloom, who was paling as Musa trembled at the sight before her.

"Like, go get him, Derek!" one of the Beta Fish cheered.

"Oh my gawd, he's so hot! Go Derek!"

"Get him, Riven! Come on, you can do it! Pretend he's Sky!!" laughed Brandon, making Sky smack him upside the head in exasperation. "Brandon! There you are! Hey, what's going on here?" said an alarmed Stella, who was loaded down with several shopping bags. "Oh my God! Is that Riven? What the hell are you waiting for? Get him outta there before Musa sees…oh shit, there she is with Bloom across from us! Bloom! Musa! What are you doing over there! Come on, we have to get him out or he'll be banned from Red Fountain and he and Musa will NEVER be able to hook up!" she fretted as she clung to Brandon's arm.

But Musa and Bloom had not heard Stella's frantic cries, as they were only able to focus on the fighting figures of Riven and Derek.

Musa felt herself spiraling into never ending darkness. How could Derek, of all people, be here? Biting her lip anxiously, all her knowledge from her self-defense course and the feeling of security seemed to flee from her, leaving her a wreck. Trembling slightly, the music she always seemed to sense from the world around her faded, only to be replaced with a horrible, crushing silence.

Closing her eyes as she attempted to block out the utter silence of the darkness, she never heard Bloom's frantic cries, or saw the worried stares of Stella who clung to the oblivious Brandon's arm as she watched Musa collapse to her knees, hands over her ears and her eyes jammed shut. Never saw the knowing spark that lit up Derek's cold eyes as he gazed at her from the impromptu battle ring, only to be kicked and punched by Riven due to his lapse in the street brawl.

Finally, as if her collapse was an unknown stage cue, Madam Claire pushed through the large crowd toward her fallen student. "Musa…Musa, sweetie, stay with us, come on! You're a survivor! He can't hurt you anymore, come on!" The word "survivor" seemed to strike chord in Musa. "Survivor…I'm not gonna give up…I'm not gonna stop…I'm NOT GOING TO GIVE UP!"

Snapped out of her haze, Musa never consciously realized her body was moving until she landed the first punch to the already bruised Derek's face. "Glad to see you too, Musa," he said snidely, eyeing her sinewy form with a leer. Shocked that Musa had dared to get between his fight, Riven's mind suddenly flashed back to the winter vacation, and recognition filled his eyes. Why…why is Musa punching this guy? I thought they were…Pushed off to the side, his eyes caught the shocked orbs of Bloom, who shook her head mutely as she watched Musa take Riven's fight from him.

"You…BASTARD! How…how dare you…how DARE you!" Immersed in the memories of that violent night, the words of "Survivor" echoed through her one-track mind.

Giving one last knock to his privates with her sharp knee, Musa stood back and watched as he fell to the ground. By now the authorities had arrived, and pushed through the crowd. Breathing heavily, Musa kicked his ribs viciously. Eyes wide, Stella, Brandon, Riven, and the crowd watched as she backed away from him. "Never…again…" she breathed, her raw knuckles bleeding slightly.

Watching as she was ushered away by Madam Claire and Bloom, the four remaining friends stayed until after the crowd dispersed. Stepping forward as the authorities advanced toward Riven after handcuffing Derek, Sky flashed his imperial seal and they backed down, bowing slightly. "Your Highness, with all due respect, my liege, he was caught street brawling with this other offender. We must bring him in to uphold the justice," the Captain said calmly, his green eyes worried as he ran a hand through his shoulder length black hair. "It was self defense, Captain," Sky said after a moment of silence. "If you disagree with me, then please have one of your men refer back to case #45-9 from December this last year. Riven was defending the girl who, ahem, nicked this boy's 'family jewels'." Eyes widening in shock, (the Captain obviously remembered the case) he bowed sharply before leading Derek and his men away. The Beta Academy clique was long gone, having slipped away with the crowd.

Glaring at Sky, Riven advanced on him, slightly favoring his left leg and nursing his bruised jaw.

"The hell is going on here?"