Tegryn stopped. He didn't turn around, but listened to the splashes of Musa's footsteps as she ran out in front of him and stopped him in his tracks. Quietly he said "Why did you follow me? Please, just go back - don't make this harder than it already is."

"But where are you going?"

"Far away from here, where I can learn to control my powers without harming anyone."

"But if you want to learn magic, then you should stay here - THIS is the best place for you! Besides, making mistakes when you're learning magic is no biggy... we've all had accidents - just ask Stella!"

"Oi!" snapped Stella with a smirk on her face. Everyone else giggled.

A small smile attempted to force its way onto Tegryn's face, then promptly disappeared again - it would take more than a light-hearted joke to change his mind.

"No, it's too dangerous. I almost lost you today, and I'm not going to let that happen again. What happened in that cave was all my fault... I mean, who almost sent that rock crashing down on top of you? Me! Who almost got us trapped and crushed in there? Me!"

"Who dragged me into that cave in the first place? NOT you! Don't you see, no-one's blaming you for this - I know I'm not. We all want to you stay here, and I NEED you here - please, don't go."

"I... I can't."

"Why not? Just look me in the eye and give me one good reason."

Tegryn said nothing, he just continued staring sullenly down at the ground.

Musa took his hands in hers and looked up at him. Tegryn softly caressed her palms, but kept staring at the ground - he couldn't look her in the eye, it was just too difficult. His heart wanted him to stay so badly, but his head had convinced him that this was the best course to take.

"Teggy... do you love me?"

"Well, of course I do... I love you more than anything in the world, and that's why I have to leave. Please try to understand..."

"So what about all the good times we've had together? Are you really going to throw them away over something that wasn't your fault? If you really do love me, how can you leave me?"

Tegryn stood silent, her words ringing around inside his head.

She was right - how could he leave her?

His mind flashed back over his time here in Alfea - how Musa had rescued him and saved his life, how she stayed with him while he was recovering, all the happy hours they had spent together, and of course their magical first kiss. Before he came here he was just a sad and lonely wanderer with nothing to look forward to in life... but ever since he arrived here, things had been so different, so right. At last, he finally had something worthwhile to live for.

This was the girl who had given him the one thing he thought he would never have - happiness, true happiness.

He sighed. How COULD he leave her like this?

He slowly turned his gaze upwards, over her mud-splattered slippers and her soaking wet dressing gown, until finally his eyes met hers. They looked lovingly at each other, and a small smile broke out over Musa's lips - at long last, she knew she had finally gotten through to him.

Tegryn tenderly wiped a tear from the corner of Musa's eye. "You're right... I can't leave you... not now, not ever!"

That was all Musa needed to hear. With a joyful squeal, she embraced him.

Their friends looked on as they kissed in the moonlight. "You know what? I think everything's going to be okay!" said Bloom happily. "ATCHOO! Oh come on guys, lets get out of this rain!"

As they all made their way back into the warm, Tegryn, his arm wrapped tightly around Musa, thought to himself - perhaps this was the way things were meant to be after all...

He had everything planned out - his plan was to go somewhere far far away from Alfea and head for somewhere isolated, somewhere miles away from civilisation where he could master his skills without fear of harming anyone. And meanwhile, maybe time will have mended poor Musa's broken heart, and she will have moved on and lived a happy life. It wasn't the greatest plan and it certainly wouldn't have been painless, but it was the best he could think of at the time.

But now he realised it would never have worked. Now he could never go far from Alfea and the girl he loved for one simple reason; no matter how lousy his sense of direction may be, a man in love has a happy habit of finding his way home...

THE END

If you enjoyed this story, or if you're just eager to find out how Musa and Tegryn's romance gets on, check out the sequel 'Back To The Old School' - enjoy!