Tolfdir's class the next morning passed by mostly uneventfully. They simply retold the events of their trip to the Rift to him and then practiced with their spells, as usual. Danielle seemed noticeably melancholy again that morning but Onmund couldn't guess as to why she looked that way. After class was over, Tolfdir wanted to speak with Danielle privately right there in the hall so Onmund, J'zargo, and Brelyna left them to go have lunch together in the dining hall. They talked about their upcoming test- how J'zargo and Brelyna were going to be given a second chance at demonstrating their spell recreations, and Onmund was going to be given a second chance to successfully demonstrate his rune.

"So do you think you'll go back to learning more Restoration once you finish with Destruction?" Brelyna asked Onmund.

"I dunno," he replied. "I may try my hand at Illusion instead. It'll give me more of a challenge." When Brelyna was speaking about "finishing" Destruction, she was referring to reaching the Expert level. At the College, a student was considered to have completed their studies when they reached the Expert level in one particular school. They could go on to attain the Master level if they wanted to but that was optional.

"J'zargo will become Master of Destruction before he tries to learn anything else," the Khajiit declared. "You will see."

"Then you'll be called Master Stunner!" Onmund joked.

"Yes. This one will be famous!" he added. "Everyone in Tamriel will be consulting J'zargo for his expertise in Destruction magic."

Onmund laughed. "And what about you, Brelyna? What will you do?"

"I'd like to learn Conjuration," she replied. "Someday I'd like to learn how to forge my own atronach."

"That would be neat," he remarked.

"Has anyone thought of teaching?" she then asked them. "I would like to teach Conjuration when I reach the Expert level in that school."

"Teaching?" J'zargo questioned. "J'zargo will be Arch-Mage or Master Wizard and he will be in charge of the whole school!"

"You can't be Arch-Mage as long as Danielle holds that post," Onmund pointed out.

"That's right," Brelyna chimed in. "She'll probably stay until she's as old as Savos."

At this, Onmund tried to imagine Danielle as an old woman, still presiding over the school. Subsequently, he imagined himself as an old man like Tolfdir, still pining away after her. It was a disconcerting thought. They continued talking about their future plans and everyone had optimistic goals. Onmund still remained uncertain, though, about what he was going to do about the woman he loved.

After lunch, everyone went back to their rooms. Back in his room, Onmund pulled out his books again and studied them, feeling a little more focused and energized than he was the night before. He also decided to brush up on his Healing incantation. He really wanted to have the spell down pat before going on another field trip again. What would've happened if Danielle wasn't there to heal me? he wondered, shuddering. I guess I could've gotten my healing potions out eventually, but I can't rely on those or other people all the time to come to my rescue. I need to be able to look after myself. As he got up to get the spell book from his bookshelf, he heard the door open from the outside and someone came in. Usually, he never took special notice of these things because people came and went in the Hall of Attainment all day long, but the first thing that perked up his curiosity was when he heard Brelyna say, "Oh, do we have a new student?"

Onmund looked over towards the sound of her voice and saw that she was standing at the doorway to Danielle's old room. Someone's moved in there already? he wondered, grasping the book.

Suddenly, he heard Brelyna gasp and she cried, "Danielle! What are you doing here?"

He heard some talking and then Brelyna turned around and shouted, "Hey! Onmund! J'zargo! Look! Danielle's back!"

Onmund let go of the spell book that he was holding and stepped out of his room in disbelief. He saw J'zargo rush over to Brelyna and he gasped, as well. "Danielle! What are you doing back here?"

What is going on? Onmund wondered, and he walked towards them and indeed saw Danielle standing in her old room, looking at her two friends.

"Why…why are you in those robes?" Brelyna asked.

It was then that Onmund noticed that Danielle was no longer wearing her Arch-Mage Robes. She was dressed in Apprentice Robes just like the rest of them, sans hood. With a shrug, she responded to them, "I was demoted."

As she finished saying this, she looked squarely at Onmund, and he felt all the color drain from his face. Oh, no…Suddenly, it hit him like a rock. She told them…she told them about our kiss, he thought. I feel like I'm going to be sick. Without giving any of them a second glance, he tore out of there, up the stairs, and all the way up to the rooftop. He busted through the doors to the outside and ran all the way to the edge of the balcony. The air was cold and the skies were dreary. A breeze was blowing and Onmund closed his eyes as he leaned his upper body over the ledge, feeling dizzy. I can't believe it, I can't believe it, he said in his mind over and over again. It's all my fault. I've ruined her. I've ruined her career! It's over. I'm finished. I am no longer her friend. And now, Tolfdir is going to have a talk with me next and I'll be demoted, too. Or possibly even expelled. He squeezed his eyes shut even harder, wishing that the wind would carry him away or at least blow him over the edge. He had never felt more wretched in his entire life than he did at that very moment. As the wind howled around the turrets of the College, he thought he could hear the wind calling his name. It seemed to beckon him.

"Onmund," he now heard more clearly. But it wasn't the wind. It was Danielle's voice. He turned around, and saw the petite, Breton mage standing before him on the balcony. She began to approach him.

With his heart wrenching, he stammered, "I-I…I was just leaving." He then made like he was going to depart from her but she stopped him. "I wanted to talk to you," she said.

He let his shoulders slump in defeat. All right, I guess I will just have to get this over with, he thought.

"Can we sit down?" she asked.

Onmund gulped nervously and nodded. He gestured toward the bench at one end of the balcony. She took a seat on it and then he followed suit.

Eyeing him somewhat warily, she said, "I don't know if you had heard me, but I wanted to let you know that I'm moving back into the Hall of Attainment."

"I heard," he said somberly. With a knot forming in his stomach, he continued, "I'm sorry about your demotion. I really am."

"You don't need to be sorry," she said. "I left of my own accord."

Suddenly, Onmund felt like he had been hit by another rock. He jerked his head up and looked back at her in surprise. "You did?" He then tried to process this new bit of information. "I-I-I don't understand. Why?"

Now it was Danielle's turn to be struck speechless. As she struggled to form her explanation, a strong, cold breeze blew and made her shiver furiously.

"You cold?" he asked her.

"…A little," she responded.

He didn't know what overcame him now, but he found himself scooting over closer to her and he wrapped his arm over her shoulder, pulling her close to him and shielding her from the wind with his body. He noticed that she did not stiffen up or try to push him away.

"Thank you," he heard the tiny reply.

Nervously he asked her again, "Why did you leave your post as Arch-Mage?"

There was another brief pause before she spoke timidly, "I guess…it wasn't…it wasn't all that I thought it would be."

"Too stressful?"

"Well, it was sometimes…but I mean…that wasn't the main reason."

"What was the main reason?"

"You're…you're going to laugh at me..."

"I would never laugh at you."

"Well…it was just that…I just missed being a normal student! I missed the simple student life, doing the things a normal student would do. And I missed being with certain people…"

"What people?"

"All of my peers and friends."

"Your friends? Like Brelyna and J'zargo?"

At this, Danielle pulled out of his hold and gave him an indignant look. "And you!"

He gave her a look of surprise. "Me?" He then turned his gaze away in shame. "I thought you couldn't stand to be around me anymore. Especially after I…well, what I did."

As Onmund readied himself for her agreement in his reproach of himself, nothing prepared him for what happened next. In a move that surprised even him, Danielle lifted her hand to his cheek, turned him towards her, and planted a kiss right on his lips. Not expecting it at all, he barely knew what hit him until she had already pulled herself away from him, giving him an expectant look.

"What was that for?" he questioned incredulously.

"To let you know that I can stand you," she answered. "That I must stand you." The expression in her eyes now changed, and she looked at him tenderly as she added in a soft voice, "You were the one I missed being with the most."

When she said this, he felt his heart swell. Gazing at her longingly, he pulled her into another kiss. This time, it felt so sweet and perfect. There was no longer any animosity or apprehension between them, and he lost himself in the blissful moment.

When they separated, he could see that her eyes were sparkling and she had on the most beautiful smile he had ever seen on her. "I'm so glad you're back with us again," he said softly. "I had missed being with you, as well."

"I'm glad to be back, too," she agreed.

"So you're…no longer Arch-Mage, then?" he declared. "Who's going to be Arch-Mage now?"

"Tolfdir, for now," she responded. "Until they decide on a replacement."

"Wow, now Tolfdir's really going to be spread thin," he remarked. "He was Master Wizard, Professor of Destruction, and now he has to fill the part of Arch-Mage, as well?"

With a guilty look, Danielle said to him, "I feel bad overwhelming him with all of that responsibility. I hope they find new replacements soon."

He cupped her chin in his hand and said gently to her, "Don't feel bad. I imagine that was a very hard decision to make, to decide to step down."

She sighed. "It was." She then traced her finger down his jawline, giving him a nice chill. "But I had to do it."

He smiled warmly. "I'm really glad you did."

She smiled back, and then she sighed. "Well…shall we head back inside? I think Brelyna and J'zargo are waiting for us. They were worried about you when they saw you run up here."

He laughed sardonically at himself, remembering the pitiful state he had been in earlier. "Yeah, I guess we should."

They both stood up and, after putting her hand in his, they began making their way towards the door. As they walked hand-in-hand, Danielle piped up, "So…I guess this means you are my boyfriend now?"

Onmund blushed and looked down at her. "I guess it does…so is that against the rules?"

"I really don't know," she replied. "But I suppose it's better to be cautious."

"Right," he responded. Then, with a mischievous smile, he added, "Secret girlfriend."

Danielle giggled, and it was like music to his ears.

They stopped at the door, but before he could reach out to open it, she turned towards him and wrapped her arms around him, planting another kiss on his lips. He encircled her waist with his arms and kissed her back with eagerness. He relished the feeling of having her in his arms, trying to hold onto the moment as long as possible because now he wasn't sure when they'd get another moment like this again once they went inside.

When she pulled away from him, she grinned widely and he smiled at her just as happily. She then turned towards the door and opened it. They then went inside. Back on the first floor, they were greeted by Tolfdir. "Ah, there you are!" he said to Danielle. "I was looking all over for you." Brelyna and J'zargo were also standing there, looking worried. "We are going to have an assembly in a few minutes in the Hall of Elements. I'm going to give the announcement for what we talked about."

"All right," Danielle replied, and everyone went over to the Hall of Elements.

Once there, everyone gathered around as Tolfdir made his announcement about Danielle no longer being Arch-Mage. He explained that the position was going to remain empty until they found someone to fill it but that he was going to take over as much of the duties as he possibly could for the time being. Those who hadn't heard the news yet were shocked, but nonetheless, seemed to respect Danielle's decision about stepping down.

After the assembly was over and everyone dispersed, the four Destruction Apprentices stayed behind in the training hall to practice for their test the next day. Brelyna decided to ask Onmund and Danielle, "What took you two so long up there on the roof?"

They both tried to keep a straight face as Danielle replied, "I was just telling him what I told you guys. About me moving back in."

"Oh," she replied, but didn't seem to buy it. She didn't pry any further, though. "I'm really glad you moved back in, though. We can hang out again!"

"I'm really glad, too," she replied. "I missed being with my friends!" She gave all three of them big smiles.

Onmund smiled back at her, thinking, I can't even express how happy I am now. I've got my old best friend back. And…now she's all mine. He hoped that he could get another moment alone with her again soon. Keeping their relationship a secret wasn't easy when all he wanted to do was hold her tight and kiss her to pieces.

After practicing their spells, the four of them went back into the Hall of Attainment to have dinner together. It was beyond surreal to have the fourth member of their group back in their midst again and the other three were happy to catch her up on all of the student gossip and general happenings. After dinner, everyone decided to go their separate ways, but Onmund asked his new girlfriend, "I'm going to do some studying in the Arcaneum. Wanna come with me?"

"Sure," she answered, smiling politely, but he noticed the gleam in her eyes.

Together, Onmund and Danielle walked over to the Arcaneum and once they went inside, Danielle quickly climbed up the steps to peer around the corner and then she descended down to Onmund again where he took her into his arms and they exchanged many fervent kisses there on the stairwell.

As Danielle pulled back from him after one of their many kisses, her eyes roved cautiously around her and she whispered, "We'd better stop. We're going to get caught."

"You're right," he said sheepishly, taking his hands off of her waist. "Someone could walk in at any moment."

She smiled mischievously at him and said loudly, "Come on, study partner! Let's go do some serious work!" She then began ascending the stairs, and with a grin, Onmund followed her up.

They sat down at their usual table and got their books out to study.

"Do you still remember the day you came to my defense in front of those four elves that were bothering me?" she asked him quietly.

"I remember that," he replied. "I couldn't believe those guys."

Danielle gave him a warm smile and said, "I thought that was very sweet and brave of you."

Onmund smiled, and reached over the table to take hold of her hand. "You know, I still have that Malachite Ore you gave me. I've carried it around ever since."

"Really?" she asked. "I still have that Daggerfall shawl you gave me. It's too big to carry around but I'll have to find an occasion to wear it."

"I bet you'd look beautiful in it," he remarked, lightly stroking her delicate knuckles.

She gave him a shy smile. "Thank you."

Suddenly, a noise from the other end of the Arcaneum startled them, so Onmund let go of her hand and they immediately looked back down at their books. It was just Urag putting some books away, though. But it was a reminder that they had to keep their displays of affection under wraps.

When it was time to go back to their rooms for the night, they put their books away and headed out of the Arcaneum, but not before stealing a few more kisses in the stairwell. Onmund sort of got a kick out of sneaking around and stealing kisses during secret moments, but at the same time he also wished that he could visibly show his affection towards Danielle. They walked back to the Hall of Attainment together and parted ways once inside. There were too many people around to steal more kisses so they just simply said "good night" to one another and then went to bed.

The skirting around is now over! Onmund and Danielle have officially become an item! So what's in store for the mages now? Stay tuned, as this story isn't quite over yet!