Such a scandal! Can you imagine it? Scandal's a funny word. You ever notice if you say a word a lot it doesn't even sound like a word anymore? Got that from Scrubs!

-THREE-

"Were there any fireworks?" Nami asked.

Ia recalled that nights events as they occurred. They talked blah blah blah... they kissed. But when they were kissing.

"A little. Like... Ishpeming rated. Maybe Marquette, if you're pushing it. But nowhere near Negaunee. No."

Nami's look of confusion told Ia she had to explain. "Ok. So every year for 4th of July, Marquette and Ishpeming (neighboring towns) put off a Fireworks show. Ishpeming's are ok. Marquette are always better than Ishpeming's. But Negaunee's a week later on Pioneer Day are like being prepared for a death by explosion. Especially if you're right under them." Ia said warningly.

"Ok." Nami said, kinda getting it.

Ia shook her head.

I-D-O-N-T-T-H-I-N-K-N-O-W-I-S-T-H-E-B-E-S-T-T-I-M-E

Ia was brushing her hair the next morning alone in her's and Nami's room when Sanji came in.

"Ia... about last night?"

"You're trying to apologize." Ia said, looking at him through the mirror.

"Yes." he said, letting out a breath.

"You don't have to." Ia said, turning around as she placed the brush down.

"Why?" he asked.

She stood up as her eyes reached near his noes, "I caused the kiss." she said, smiling slightly as she exited the room with Sanji at her heals.

"Why? I thought I did?"

"Are we arguing about who started the kiss?" Ia said, trying not to laugh.

"It looks like it." Sanji said as she stopped right before the door to the kitchen, he stood next to her, a little closely.

"Look. I'm only here for a short time. I just needed to see if I liked you again?" she said.

Sanji hesitated. "D-do you?" he asked.

"You'll have to figure that out." Ia said and went into the kitchen.

O-N-E-S-H-O-R-T-D-A-Y

Skie was laying on the couch the next day, flipping through channels trying to find something good.

Cam was sitting in the chair with his feet on the glass coffee table and Zac was in the kitchen.

"What time is it?" Skie asked.

"11:30." Zac shouted from the kitchen.

They heard something in Ia's room and Skie and Cam ran in. Cam actually sprinted in.

Ia was still unconscious on her bed and was talking.

"You're trying to apologize." she said in her sleep.

"What is she doing?" Cam asked, moving up to her. Her face was expressionless.

"You don't have to." Ia said.

"Don't have to do what?" Zac asked, coming in with a box of something.

"I caused the kiss." she said.

"What." Cam said flatly and in a monotone. But there was a hint of anger in his voice.

"Are we arguing about who started the kiss?" she said, a note of toying in her voice. She was obviously enjoying what she was doing.

"What!?" Cam said loudly this time. Skie's eyes were huge and was now saying, "Shut up shut up shut up shut up shut up shut up SHUT UP!" in a shriek.

"Look. I'm only here for a short time. I just needed to see if I liked you again?" Ia said.

"SHE LIKES WHO?" Cam shouted.

"Please say no. Say there were no Fireworks." Skie pleaded under her breath.

"You'll have to figure that out." Ia said and stopped talking.

Cam looked as if he was about to die or shoot someone. Preferably the closest person.

"WHAT WAS SHE TALKING ABOUT!?" he yelled at Skie.

Skie faltered at the words, "Who knows!" she laughed.

"YOU KNOW!"

"No I don't! Why would I know!?"

"You said she told you to knock her out. She obviously had a reason!" Cam said, trying to keep his voice down.

"Um... let's just say, hypothetically, she liked, oh say... some chef. She wanted to see if there were, in her words, 'any Fireworks between us'. And she kissed him to see. What would you do?"

Cam was silent.

"Cam?"

"I'm going to throttle Sanji." he said and stormed out of the room.

S-I-N-C-E-Y-O-U-V-E-B-E-E-N-G-O-N-E

Ia and Nami were out on deck talking. The sea was a little bumpy that day. The spray kept hitting the railings and splashing Luffy and Usopp and Chopper.

As they were talking, a very loud noise rang through Ia's ears. She clapped her hands to her ears and grimaced.

"What's wrong?" Nami asked as Ia opened her eyes to see Cam's face and she could hear an air horn next to her ear.

Ia got mad and slapped it from Skie's grip.

"I'm up, for God's sake!" Ia yelled as she sat up and rubbed her head. She had a horrible headache.

"Ia... you ok?" Cam asked.

"I'm fine? Why?" she said.

Cam then got up and walked out of the room.

Ia was speechless. "What the hell just happened. What did you do." She said to Skie.

"I didn't do anything-"

"You did." Zac cut in.

"I was unconscious. What did I do?" Ia said, reproachfully.

"You talk in your sleep."

Ia's eyes grew so big they were in danger of blowing up. "What did I say?" she asked quietly.

"Somethin about who started the kiss." Zac said.

"Oh, thank God! If I had said what I was thinking when I did kiss him! I wouldn't have been surprised if he woke me up then and there." Ia said, shaking a little. "So... does he know why I was there?" Ia asked.

"Yeah." Skie said quietly.

"WHAT!?" Ia screamed and grabbed the front of Skie's shirt, preventing her from escaping from Ia's room.

"You were talking! How else was I suppose to cover that up!?" Skie said, trying to break free.

"You could have LIED!?" Ia yelled.

"HOW WAS I SUPPOSE TO LIE!? YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT KISSING!?"

"You could have said it was with him."

"He was there for the hit." Skie said.

Ia looked a little pale and let Skie go. She immediately stood behind Zac.

"Shit," Ia muttered and sat on her bed. "How are we suppose to cover that up?"

"We don't, he already knows." Skie yelled.

Ia got up and went towards Skie, who yelped and hid behind Zac, using him as a human shield but Ia just passed by them and went into the kitchen where Cam was, fuming.

"You ok?" she asked, knowing full well what he was about to say. He was rehearsing it in his mind.

"NO! You kissed SANJI?!" he yelled at her.

"I-it was just a friendly hello kiss. Not much. Just like- you know, quick." she said shakily as she lied through her teeth.

"Just... quick. No... no toung."

Ia looked throughly disgusted, "No." she lied quickly.

"Do you like him?"

Ia looked uncomfortable for a second then smiled brightly, "He's just a friend." she said, sounding honest. Which she wasn't at all in that kitchen.

"Ok, I believe you." he said and kissed her and went into the living room.

Ia stood there and slid more into the room so she was hidden from view so she could smack herself in the forehead.


Arn't I just the BEST girlfriend!? I know I know...

SONG TIME!!!

I Don't Think Now is the Best Time- From the soundtrack of Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End.

One Short Day- Performed by Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth, Wicked

Since You've Been Gone- Kelly Clarkson

7-10-07