Finally another update! Sorry about the 3 and a half month wait. I've been busy. But if you recall, we left off with Riven saving Musa…once again. So without further adue –

Facing the Truth

Musa awoke with a massive headache. It felt like there were a team of firing quads doing target practice inside her head and the last thing she could remember was her argument with Riven. As she slowly opened her eyes she found herself laying on a small bed in the infirmary at Alfea. As she attempted to sit up, trying to ignore the dizziness she was feeling, se tried to remember what was going on. She looked around at her arms and legs and noticed she wasn't badly injured at all, which left her wondering what was going on. That was when she felt a bandage on the back of her neck.

Just then Musa heard the door open and saw someone she really wasn't expecting, walk in. "Hey, how're you feeling?"

"I'm okay," Musa answered. "I don't really know what happened though…" she said hoping he might be able to fill in some blanks.

"Well, from what Ms. Faragonda told me when I found out you were in here," Daniel said as she sat down at her bedside and began to explain. "Umm, I think you were poisoned by something and that guy brought you back here. Oh an a couple of your friends stopped by, some brunette and a guy with some long hair. But you were still out cold so they went back to keeping an eye on the rest of your friends in shadowhaunt,"

Musa sat dumbfounded on the bed and began to put a few pieces that she could remember together. Riven had saved her, once again, and it was right after she had ripped into him because he wouldn't open up to her. And as if that weren't bad enough, she was now feeling incredibly embarrassed since she was not able to protect herself after she made a point of it in her argument with Riven. "Oh…" was all she managed to get out and looked back at Daniel. "Wait what are you doing here?" Musa asked confused, he and the rest of her friends were supposed to go back home yesterday.

"I think the better question is why are you here," Daniel said in a more serious tone. "You went to shadowhaunt and you come back poisoned! I know you like doing your part and helping out, but this is what secret service and armies are for,"

"Daniel, please you don't get it,"

"Get what? The fact that you are putting your own life at risk to go save some pixies or the fact that you are doing this willingly,"

"I have a headache, no lectures please," Musa begged as she rubbed her head.

"Musa you – ,"

"Stop it!" Musa warned getting a little irratated, she knew it was coming from a caring place, but the last thing she needed was another protective person in her life. "I mean it, I am a big girl and I can do whatever I want. Now answer my question."

"I came here to give you something," Daniel said with a present in his hand, it was a small red box with a white ribbon. "It's actually from my mother; but she wants you to think I got it for you, she really wants us to get back together,"

"And the ball probably sent the wrong message," Musa said with a laugh as she rubbed arm where she had felt a bruise, she must have fallen after she lost consciousness. "But tell her I loved it,"

"Why don't you do it yourself when you come to the summer garden party," Daniel said trying to push Musa into going to a garden party that she really didn't want to. It was a it royal event that all her friends tried to get out of and did successfully most years, but since the royal family of Crescendo was throwing it this year, Daniel was expected to go.

"Yeah. I don't think so," Musa said honestly. "I think I might still be a little weak from all this fighting," She joked and looked back over to the door hoping Riven would be coming to see her soon.

"He's on the end of the quad," Daniel said when he noticed Musa's many glances over to the door and he could only guess that it was because of that guy that had brought her here. He wasn't quite sure as to what was going on, but he knew when Musa had a thing for someone and he could tell that she did have a big thing for this guy. "So you can stop looking at the door, if he hasn't made an attempt to see you yet, I doubt that's gonna change anytime soon,"

Musa sat silent, shocked that he had been so blunt about what he had just said. As if she needed to be told once again that Riven didn't want to be with here. "Sorry, I didn't mean it like that, but maybe you should talk to him?"

"Oh and you are just the guru of relationships," Musa said sarcastically as she rolled her eyes.

"Fine, whatever," Daniel said giving up, if Musa didn't want to listen to him, he wasn't going to force it. "You wanna at least explain what's going on,"

"No,"

"Please,"

"No,"

"Come on! You used to tell me everything," Daniel exclaimed, things had gotten a bit awkward with them ever since their break up they year before, but it looked like things were finally getting back on track.

Musa looked at him and finally gave in and began to explain everything that happened.

While Daniel was filling Musa in on everything that was going on, Riven sat alone in the quad thinking about everything that had happened in the course of the last couple of months. It seemed like every time he tried to help her, he ended up hurting her. And now he couldn't even decide how to go about the situation. He had managed to deny his desires for Musa when they were on the island, when she was with Jason and in Shadowhaunt, and if it wasn't for his slip up with her after the whole Jason Warren ordeal, he would have been fine.

But now everything was different. Musa knew how he felt and it wasn't something he could just take back, no matter how hard he tried. And now he would have to face the one thing he was hoping to avoid from all of this, rejection. Before, as long as he never told her, she could never reject him, but now it was pretty imminent. Not to mention he could never attempt friendship with her. Sure he was no good at it in the past, but no any plans at trying to be friends with her was ruined.

How could he face her now? So much had happened and he didn't know what to think. Musa had tried to tell him that she felt the same way as he did, but he had a very hard time believing it. He had a very difficult time trusting others ever since he was a child, he had grown up alone after he was abandoned by his parents. If she was so taken by him, why would she have dated Jason and how could she explain that prince of hers. Riven had even seen Daniel walking in to see Musa with a small box in his hand. It was probably some ridiculously expensive bracelet or something… he thought to himself. It made him unbelievably jealous to see him here, but There was no way he could compete with that, not that he would even get the chance.

Riven ran his hand through his hair and leaned his head against the wall he was sitting against. Maybe if he avoided her for awhile or ignored the situation all together, maybe it would just go away and they could go back to the way things were. He had survived seeing her with someone else, he could do it again. Just stay away for awhile Riven told himself. They could just forget about it and then start over.

"I don't think we've met," said a voice next to Riven. Riven looked up to see Daniel standing above him with a polite smile. Although Daniel was cordial, Riven wanted nothing more than to hit him, but he couldn't so he just tried to get the prince on his way as soon as possible. "Daniel Cunningham," Daniel said sticking out his hand.

"Riven," he answered curtly as he stood up and cordially shook his hand.

"Have you seen Musa yet? She's finally up," Daniel stated now knowing the entire situation. He was on his way to Magix airport and he wanted to see if he could maybe patch things up later. "I think she wants to see you,"

"Okay," Riven said curtly and walked away. "Nice to meet you,"

For the next few minutes Riven hovered around the area by her door trying to decide whether to go in or not. He really wanted to see her, but he had no idea what to say. He could tell her that he was lying, but would she believe that? Or he could just say hello and then leave, maybe she wouldn't even bring anything that had happened between them. Riven fiddled with the idea and finally grabbed the door knob and opened the door.

But before he could back out of it, Musa saw him. "Hey," she said quietly as Riven looked up and met her gaze.

Dun dun dun! Okay the end is near! Again so sorry about the late update, but I've been busy with my other fic and my life so here it is. I have yet to start the last chapter so it may take awhile. (not as long as last time, promise!)

xoxo
princessm