It's been more than a month I'm sorry.

But how are y'all? I'm doin' just dandy thanks for asking.

Erica trudged through the parking lot of the hotel where Tagg and everyone else were staying. She glanced around, her eyes darting back and forth before she let out a low, painful sigh. Tagg had promised her that he'd meet up with her to talk about things, so where the hell was he?

She sighed. She shouldn't expect much from him. After everything went down the day before with Nashi, Erica was unsure she could recover. Her father had demanded she never speak to them again, but Erica couldn't do that.

She could never do that.

Truth be told, she was growing quite fond of the group of friends. She loved hanging out with them, no matter how little she wanted to admit it. Nashi and Sylvia were amazing gal pals, and Jay, Storm, and Lester were just great.

And Tagg…

Tagg was something completely different.

He was open, and kind, and caring, and made her feel things she never thought she was even capable of feeling. He had tore down her walls and then built himself permanently into them. Erica never thought she would find someone like that, someone who she would be comfortable with in that sense.

What was going on? Was this what she thought it was?

Was she… in love?

Or was it in like?

Was it just a crush?

A schoolgirl crush?

Or what it something more?

Did these feelings run deeper?

"... Erica?

Erica immediately spun around to face Tagg, who had just arrived. He was panting, his face splotchy and red and his hands holding his knees. Erica's eyes widened as she looked upon his helpless figure.

"We need to talk," Tagg continued.

Erica gulped. She nodded.

"Yeah. I know."

So, they talked.

"I'm sorry," Tagg started. "I didn't know Nashi would do something like that."

Erica sighed. "No one did. But I can't say I'm not surprised. Even though I've known her for only a short amount of time, I can tell she's a pretty… rough person."

Tagg let out a strained laugh. "Yeah. You can say that again."

Erica glanced up at him. "Papa told me I couldn't meet with you guys ever again."

Tagg's eyes went wide. "What?" he whispered. "He can't… he can't do that…"

Erica rolled her eyes. "He can. He did."

"But… I like talking to you," Tagg said in a low voice.

Erica bit her lip, her thoughts running wild. "I like talking to you too."

Tagg then offered her a small smile, opting not to say anything more after that. The two of them stood in silence, Tagg still many feet away from her. He suddenly straightened up, walking towards her so that they were noses away.

"Then let's just keep talking to each other," he said in a hard, determined voice.

"T-Tagg," Erica started, "Papa is a very influential man in Sacramento… I don't want your restaurant business to get in even more trouble than it already is."

"Oh trust me, after that show Nashi pulled today, I doubt it's even possible anymore for Fairy Tail to get in more trouble. We're in deep enough shit as it is."

Erica winced at his language, but didn't say anything about it. Instead, she chose to ask the question she had wanted to ask since the meeting. "Speaking of, what was that all about?"

Tagg sighed and looked away. "I don't know, but we all expected it to happen. Nashi has a… tendency to go a little crazy when she's riled up. She takes after her father in that sense."

"I never want to meet Natsu Dragneel-san in my life," Erica said with a nod, causing Tagg to laugh a bit.

"He's still a good guy," Tagg said, "a very good guy, actually."

"I see," Erica replied.

"Anyway, I really am sorry for Nashi. I'll make sure she apologizes to both you and your father as soon as possible."

"She doesn't need to say sorry to me, but it would be good for all of you if she did to Papa. Might help your chances at getting Fairy Tail established."

"Is there even any point anymore?" Tagg said, wistfully looking off to the side. "I mean, after everything, I'm considering just giving up hope."

"You never know," Erica said, shaking her head, "I get where you're coming from and all, but I wouldn't go as far as to say you should just give up hope altogether."

Tagg stared at her for a moment. "We sound like mature adults."

"I was just noticing that."

They chuckled lightly, momentarily forgetting about whatever it was they were talking about before, taking a minute to notice everything about the other person.

It was then when Tagg blurted it out.

"Everyone's beginning to pair up I'm just realizing I'm the only one left everyone has someone Nashi has Storm I think I like you."

He said it in a single breath, without pausing at all between words for Erica's better understanding. She blinked a few times, and he stared right back at her with his jaw hanging open as if he had just realized what he had said.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"Forget I said that," Tagg quickly covered it up with, shaking his head constantly. Erica's surprised look changed into one of confusion, but she didn't visibly loosen up physically.

"Can't really forget it if you've already said it out loud," Erica said, a now pointed expression written across her face. "But okay. If that's what you want."

"You don't have to forget about it!" Tagg said, closing his eyes as his brain became a jumbled mess. "I mean… unless you, want me too- I mean, I mean- want to. Gah. I'll just stop talking okay?"

He peeked open a single eye to see Erica trying to hold back several laughs.

"Yeah, sure. I won't forget about it then. Does that work?" she asked, grinning from ear to ear. It was really the first time Tagg saw Erica with that big of a smile upon her face.

It made him happy.

"I'm not really sure of my feelings, to be honest," he said quietly, "but with Nashi and Storm starting to go out and all, I've had a lot of time to think about it."

"Really now," Erica replied, still in smiles.

Tagg nodded seriously.

"Really."

"I'm not sure of mine either," Erica continued. "My feelings, I mean. Not your realness."

"Really." This time, his tone was more teasing. "We could probably just… I dunno, hang out sometime?"

Erica blinked. "If you're asking me out, the answer is no."

Tagg's eyes widened and his fists loosened. What? He had really thought they had something going right before that comment, but now he was reconsidering what he had just spilled to her.

"I mean, I can't because of my father," Erica hastily finished. "Not yet, anyway. You know why."

A wave of relief washed over Tagg, and he nodded, happy with this new turn of events. "Okay," he breathed.

Erica smiled softly. "I'm pretty sure this is the most I've smiled in ages."

"Yeah, I can vouch for that."

"Hey!"

"Sorry!"

…

It was a good day for Fairy Tail.

Ro bustled around the kitchen, throwing spices and powders into pots and kneading dough at a different counter. His shrill, high voice ordered the other chefs in a professional manner, while still remaining calm, cool, and collected.

Lucy stared at him from the kitchen door, admiring his handiwork and grinning from ear to ear.

"I know Natsu's said this enough times, but we really are so grateful that you agreed to come back to work."

Ro glanced back at the blonde and smiled thoughtfully. "Really, it was no problem Lucy. Sar got a maternity leave from work to take care of Rena, and I was quite looking forward to coming back for a visit. True, it's a bit of a different visit than I'd initially planned, but oh well, I'll take it!"

This elicited a laugh from Lucy. "Sure, I get it," she nodded. "Still, no one can beat your handiness in the kitchen. You truly are a spectacular chef, Ro."

Ro mock bowed. "Why thank you, Lady Lucy," he jokingly said. "Anyway, how's Natsu doing with those flyers?"

Lucy sighed. "He finished hanging them up around town a few hours ago, despite me telling him that they weren't the most attractive ones."

"Who designed them?"

"He did."

"I thought Gray was given that task," Ro pointed out.

Lucy nodded. "Yeah, but since when did Natsu trust Gray with handling his restaurant?"

"True."

"Anyway, there's still about an hour till opening time. We'll see just how many customers we attracted by then, I guess."

"I suppose so," Ro said. "Lucy, is there anything else I can do to help?"

"Not that I'm aware of. Nashi and the kids are on a school trip right now, otherwise I'd have made them help around the restaurant somehow."

"Well now you have me!" Ro said, enthusiasm dripping through his voice. Lucy shrugged with a small smile that barely matched his tone from a few seconds ago.

"Yep! I guess we do," she said.

"Lucy!" a new voice interrupted their conversation. Lucy and Ro both turned to see Natsu standing in the doorway, a little away from Lucy. He was holding up his phone, an article that was linked from GuildMates showing on the screen.

Lucy quickly scanned the text, gasping softly upon reading the headline.

"'Flam & Tee gets unexpected visitors'?" she read aloud, her eyes widening as she took Natsu's phone into her own hands. "Fairy Tail children were seen outside the building wearing flattering attire- oh my gosh there's a picture! Natsu! That looks like Nashi and Storm!"

Natsu was panting heavily and a cross look was upon his face. "That's because it is them, Luce! I don't understand! I thought they were on a field trip!"

Lucy nodded slowly. "They are! Or at least, that's what Nashi told me…" She trailed off, looking away. "Is it possible that they all lied to us about why they were going? This doesn't make sense."

"I think that's exactly what happened," Natsu said, crossing his arms under his chest. "I want to know what's going on. Can you call Nashi?"

Lucy nodded, flipping out her own phone and dialing the number, putting it on speaker.

Her daughter picked up after three rings.

"Hello?" Lucy said into the microphone on the bottom of her smartphone.

"Mom?" Nashi's voice came out through the speaker. "Is something the matter? Why are you calling?"

Lucy's lips twisted into a frown. "Honey, your father and I just read an interesting article on the news."

"What?"

"Something about you and the others loitering around the building of Flam & Tee?"

The line went silent.

"What is going on?" Lucy pressed on. "Nashi Dragneel, tell me the truth right now."

"Uh… the class was just there for a few minutes! We were… on our way for dinner at a fancy restaurant!"

"Really now," Lucy said, unamused. "Is anyone else there with you right now?"

"Sylvia is," Nashi said, and Lucy then heard a bit of shuffling around followed by a few whispers.

"Hello Aunty?" Sylvia's voice said. "This is Sylvia."

"Hi, dear," Lucy started, getting more and more flustered. "Where were you all last night? I just read an article about you guys."

"Sylvia and her friends were going out for dinner," Sylvia said, but there was something wrong about her voice. It was too… dead sounding. Dull. Too monotonous and memorized.

"I see," Lucy said in a low voice. She glanced up to see Natsu looking at her worriedly. "Well, have fun."

"Bye," she heard Nashi say before the line hung up.

The room went dead silent for a few moments before Lucy spoke up again.

"Well, we obviously know they're lying, right?" she asked, to which Natsu nodded. "What do you say we do, Natsu?"

"I'll tell you what we're going to do," Natsu started. "We're boarding the next flight for California."