Okay, the next few chapters will all be set in the one night. It's basically the night where the shit hits the fan. Ohhh, the suspense.

Chapter Six – Domestic

It was Friday night and despite the fact that three days had passed since the formal dinner rehearsal, Riven discovered that the awkward mood that harboured between him and Musa was still there. They had gone out to dinner and had barely talked the entire time. She still felt uncomfortable around him and he was getting easily frustrated at her insecurity. All in all, it was a rather unpleasant night and it ended much earlier then their dates had in the past. Before, they usually only just made it back for the eleven o'clock curfew Alfea had enforced on Friday and Saturday's night and they regularly broke the ten o'clock curfew that was inflict on them the rest of the week.

"Well, tonight was . . ." Musa trailed off as she climbed off Riven's bike at the gates at Alfea.

"Yeah," Riven huffed, looking off towards the woods. Musa could clearly make out all of his chiseled features in the pale light given off by the full moon. His jaw was set and his eyes were hard. Musa could practically see the softer side of him that she had worked so hard to bring out slowly slipping away.

"I'll see you later," Musa sighed, turning and heading towards the gates. Riven watched her leave and for some reason every detail seemed highlighted to him. The way the moonlight reflected of her inky blue hair, her lily-white skin and that sweet smell that always made him light headed. In that one moment, Riven realised how ridiculous he was for allowing the distance between them to grow and he knew that if he let Musa go now without a fight there may be no way for them to fix their relationship.

Getting off his bike as fast as he could without knocking it over, Riven quickly caught up to Musa. Grabbing her wrist, he pulled her back into his arms and caressed her cheek softly as he tried to put as much love as he was humanly possible into his eyes. Musa's beautiful blue eyes widen slightly and then soften when she saw the tenderness in Riven's eyes.

"I dunno if I've done anything wrong, but if I have, I'm sorry," Riven apologised, making her heart melt.

"What makes you think you've done something wrong?" Musa asked, her face shinning in delight at Riven's attempt to make things right between them.

Riven shrugged. "I figure if something goes wrong, blaming me's a safe bet. Everyone seems to do it, so why fight the majority?"

"You're an easy scapegoat," Musa teased, her smile lighting up Riven's night. Finally, things were getting back to where they were before. A soft smile touched Riven's lips and he cupped her face in his hand. Musa couldn't help but notice that Stella was right; Riven really did have big hands and feet.

"You're amazing," Riven told her, his voice deep and gentle. "You know that, right?"

"Yeah," Musa grinned cheekily, her stomach all jittery. Gods he looked good.

"And they say I'm vain," Riven smiled back at her, resting his forehead on hers and gazing deep into her eyes. He could just drown in them.

"You are," Musa reinstated. "But that's why we're so good together."

"Yeah," Riven whispered, lightly brushing his lips over hers. He really wasn't sure how she might take his advance but he just couldn't resist tasting them after he had practically starved himself over the last few weeks, and he was not disappointed. After a brief hesitation, Musa pressed her lips more firmly against his, making his knees start to go weak. Slowly, he wrapped his arms around her and drew her closer to him. She had been rather skittish around him recently so he was careful not to any sudden moves and scare her off.

Musa breathed deeply through her nose, taking in Riven's natural scent. She loved how he had never bothered with cologne. He wore nothing and yet he still managed to smell great. It was such a male, dominating smell. She lightly ran her fingertips through the short hair near the nape of his neck before moving her hand upwards to get lost in the thicker parts while her other hand traced his hard muscles in his arms.

Gods, she loved him.

"Wow," Musa panted when they finally parted. She was trembling slightly, but it was out of delight this time, not from fear. She wrapped her arms tighter around his solid form, resting her cheek against his chest. She felt warm and safe in his arms for the first time in weeks and gods how she had missed it.

"Yeah, you're not a bad kisser for a pixie," he told her, his face buried in her hair. He could never get enough of just how soft it felt and how amazing it smelt. Stella might object to how Musa wore her hair, but Riven loved ever aspect of it.

"Fairy," Musa grinned. "And you're pretty good too."

"Of course I am."

"Like when we first started going out, you couldn't kiss at all, and now . . ." Musa trailed off, her smile maliciously cheeky. Riven pulled away slightly so he could look at her with a somewhat affronted expression.

"What do you mean I couldn't kiss at all?" he demanded, but it lacked the hardness he usually possessed whenever someone insulted him. He might not like to admit it, but Musa could get away with pretty much anything around him. Sure, he would put up a big act and try to resist, but if she waited long enough he would eventually cave to anything she wanted.

"Don't worry. I taught you well," Musa assured him with a cheeky giggle.

"Whatever, pixie."

"Fairy."

Riven smiled at their affectionate little argument and Musa felt her heart flutter. She knew that they were going to be fine. She loved Riven and she knew he cared very deeply for her. He had never told her how deeply and Musa had never confessed her love to him, but that didn't matter. She suddenly had an insane amount of confidence in their relationship and she knew nothing was going to tear them apart.

Which is why, ignoring all of her friends' advice, Musa threw caution to the wind and decided it was time for them be completely honest with one another.

"Riven?"

"Hmm?" Riven grunted, his face once again lost in her hair.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Go ahead."

"Um, I'm not exactly sure how to say this so I'm just going to blurt it out," Musa warned, taking a deep breath. Everything would be fine between them. "I was just wondering, how . . . involved were you with Darcy?"

Riven went ridged and his breathing faltered. "What?"

"You and Darcy. How um, intense was your relationship?"

Sick waves of nausea churned through Riven's body. Why was she asking this now? Did she know that Darcy was having uninvited meetings with him? Did she know he had been thinking of his ex at night and that was the reason why he had been so difficult around her? Maybe this was some kind of test.

"Um . . ." Riven faltered, lifting his face from her midnight locks. He really didn't want to have this discussion. "That's not really important, is it?"

Musa suddenly felt awkward again. Why was he avoiding the question? "I was . . . um . . . I was just curious."

"It's really none of your business," Riven muttered, his defencive attitude kicking in and overriding everything Musa and his friends had tried to instill into him over the last few years. Whenever he found himself stuck in an awkward or threatening situation Riven's first instinct was to lash out, whether with his fists or his acid tongue or sometimes a combination of both. All that mattered was maintain some level of distance because if he let anyone get too close to him, that's when they could hurt him.

"What?" Musa snapped. None of her business? He was her business so she had every right to know. If only he wasn't so impossible all the time. If only he was honest for once.

Riven took a step away from her, his eyes hard. "It's in the past, Musa. Let it go."

"Well I'm sorry! I can't just let it go!" Musa fumed, suddenly uncharacteristically angry. Fury pumped through her veins, clouding her mind. "Shockingly, I can't seem to forget a certain Wednesday afternoon two years ago when the Cloud Tower witches all ganged up on me! And I also can't forget begging a certain boy to help me and do you know what he said?! 'I don't think so. I'm with Darcy now'!"

"Gods Musa, how long are you going to be dangling that over my head?!" Riven snarled, his eyes flashing. His fists were clenched and she could almost see the rage pulsating under his skin.

"I can't just ignore it like you!" Musa hissed. "I can't forget that my boyfriend originally rejected me for a witch who tried to kill him!"

"Oh you're not going to bring that up again, now are you?!"

"Why can't we talk about it?!"

"Why do you want to talk about it?!"

"So I can get passed it!" Musa shouted, her eyes smouldering and her body coiled taut like a snake ready to strike. "I'm sick of playing this hide and seek games with you! No matter how hard I try I can never get you to be completely honest with me!"

"I am honest with you!"

"Bull! You're always hiding something from me and I can't stand it! I want to be able to look at you and know exactly what is on your mind so I'm not freaking out that you might be thinking about someone else like Darcy or Priscilla!"

"Why the hell would I be thinking of Priscilla?!"

"I saw you two talking at rehearsals yesterday!"

"She was asking about you!"

"The point is I'm sick of your mind games!"

"I'm not playing any mind games! I'm trying to open up to you! I'm being as honest as I can! And I'm sick of stepping around your insecurity! Why can't you just believe me when I say I want to be with you?!"

"Then why can't we talk about Darcy?!"

"Because I don't want to talk about Darcy!"

"I think I have a right to know as your girlfriend!"

"Oh yeah? Like the way I should have a right to know about you and Jared last year?!" Riven hissed, his voice dripping with venom and Musa felt her blood freeze. "Yes, Musa, don't think you let that little bit of information get by me!"

"That meant nothing to me!"

"So did Darcy!"

"It was completely different! You were with Darcy for most of a school year! I just went on one date!"

"But I had no real feelings for her! And yet you developed a crush on that loser, didn't you Miss Honesty?!"

"At least he was clear with what he wanted!" Musa shouted, her lithe body trembling in the wake of the emotions churning within her. "He made an effort to impress me! He tried to charm me, not drag me along like you did! It's always back and forward so I have no idea where I stand with you! You do this every time! What, do you have radar or something?! Every time I think I know what I want or I think I might be happy you swoop in and mess everything up! And this has been going on for years! Three years of heartache for me! So excuse me if I feel like enjoying actually being appreciated for once!"

"And yet you have the nerve to question my fidelity!" Riven raged, turning his back on her. "Forget this! I'm going!"

"Fine! Leave! Run away when things get difficult! That's what you do, isn't it?! Run from your problems?! I guess you do take after your parents after all! Coward! You – "

Whatever Musa was going to say next was lost in her scream as Riven suddenly took firm hold of her shoulders and pinned her hard against the walls of Alfea. Her back throbbed from the sudden impact with the stones and her heart pounded loudly in her ears. Musa was afraid that Riven might actually raise his hand against her and she struggled to keep that fear out of her face.

Riven's face was livid as he glared at her, his arms trembling. He was far too angry for words so he simply let his eyes burn into her as he struggled to clear his mind of the rage. She had some nerve to compare him to the family who had deserted him. The family that left his to starve on the street like an animal. Musa had no idea what it was like to be abandoned by the people who were supposed to love you. Her mother hadn't left her by choice and she still had a father who doted on her. She had no idea so how dare she throw his family in his fact. He should make her suffer for that.

"Riven?" a small voice whimpered, causing the rage that had blinded Riven's mind to clear and he was horrified at the situation he was in. He had caged Musa in his arms and she was staring at him with such fearful uncertainly that she almost looked like a stranger to him. Growing up on the streets, Riven had seen countless women in this situation and he had sworn to himself that he would never sink to the level the men that cause that fear were at. He might not be the most sensitive of guys when it came to talking to women but he did have a line that he never wanted to cross. And yet, here he was, towering over the girl he loved and her terrified of him.

He had become everything he ever hated.

With a gasp, Riven released Musa and let his hands drop to his side as the stumbled backwards, his face full of hurt and confusion. His breath was shallow and uneven, and he could barely suppress the urge to be physically ill. He was shaking violently and his knees felt like they were going to buckle underneath him. And although his body felt numb, his emotions were a whirlwind of anguish, pain and self-loathing.

"I'm sorry," he whispered in a voice so soft Musa almost missed it. "I'll . . ."

Unable to finish the sentence, Riven turned and headed towards his bike. Musa couldn't move a muscle as watched him walk away from her. She had originally been frozen in fear, but something had happened in the last few seconds to change that fear to shock. Her gaze had been fixed on Riven's, so she had clearly seen the transition between his wild wrath to something that rattle Musa to her core. She had seen the anger melt away, washing away all the defences Riven had always maintained so well and for the first time since she had known him, Musa saw the real Riven.

There was so much pain in those eyes. There was a haunted looked that she had never seen in his face before due to the mask that Riven so effectively wore. It was pain there that neither she nor any of her friends could ever really understand. None of them had seen all the horrors he had seen as a child and none of them knew what it was like to be abandoned so completely and consciously by the ones who were supposed to love them. And worst of all, that haunted, horrified look was accompanied by a vast level of self-loathing and uncertainty. It was heart breaking.

What had she done to him?

Breathing heavily, Musa shook herself out of the trance she had worked herself into and began moving forwards as her eyes burned with unshed tears. She had to stop this now before he left forever. The damage was done in regards to their relationship, but she couldn't have him be on his own again. Not when he was feeling like this.

"Riven! Wait!" she called, but she was too late. Riven was already gone.

Gasp! TBC.