Note: there are quite a few grammatical errors inch 15-18. I will fix them eventually. I blame the sweet wine.

Wright Anything Agency

September 5 2:30 p.m.

Phoenix was fed up with the wait and the worry that had built up since he arrived at the office. The pent up emotions had taken its toll. He was about to redial for Pearl when he heard the door open. Trucy came in with a large brand name bag. "Daddy, I'm home!"

"Hey, Trucy!" He opened his arms waiting for the magician to ram into his chest. She crashed into him and he took on the recoil like like nothing had happened. "Where've you been?" He smiled at the magician in his hands.

She leaned up and kissed him on the cheek. "Wow, Daddy! Normally when I do that, you fall flat on the floor! Have you been working out?" She sassed the last question while winking at him. He let go of her and scratched the back of his head with a tinge of blush on his warm face. "Heh-no!"

"Psh!" Then strong noise abrupt from Apollo's lips. Slight bit of jealousy was sprinkled in the emphasis. Athena crossed her arms with a smug grin on her face, "Apollo doesn't seem surprised."

Apollo looked over at Athena, a shit eating grin on her face, and a unamused look plastered on his. "What happened? Did I miss something?" Trucy questioned softly still holding onto the bag.

"Mr. Wright here had a heck of a foot race, right Apollo?" She was nudging the red attorney, purposely trying to rile him up. "Right, Apollo?!" she continued elbowing him until he finally answered.

"I get it, Athena! I lost!" Apollo finally interjected in anger. Athena laughed and looked over at Trucy. "Apollo is just mad 'cuz he lost to your dad in a race."

"You were second place, Athena!" Apollo said, slightly aggravated, fists by his sides.

"Better than last!" Athena sassed, while sticking her tongue at him.

"I would've been second if you weren't playing dirty and almost made me break a leg onto a fire hydrant!" Apollo retorted.

"Hehe. No one said we had to play clean." Athena announced confidently.

"OBJECTION!" Apollo shot his finger at Athena. She leaned back quickly away from his menacing look. "Mr. Wright said a 'friendly' competition."

"Objection!" Athena shot her finger at Apollo. He flinched back almost getting smacked by her finger. "Exactly! Friendly! It had to be friendly, it didn't have to be clean." Her arms crossed, another mean grin on her face.

"I- ugh… AH!" Apollo shot back unable to retaliate his fellow colleague.

Trucy gasped, her hands slightly over her mouth. "Polly lost?!" She looked at her dad, "And you beat him?" Phoenix tilted his head downward with a familiar smug grin, but his blush was still apparent, "I guess I did, didn't I?" He fiddled with the small lock of hair their dangled on his forehead.

Apollo crossed his arms and pouted, "Thanks Athena…" Slightly crushed knowing that his partner and his boss's daughter were shoving his loss in his face and reminding him that he had to eat his words. He would rather be cornered by Prosecutor Gavin. He could hear the prosecutor now, 'Herr Forehead, you lost.'

Athena shoved her signature peace sign in his face, "No problema!"

Trucy placed her finger on her chin. "Wow, Daddy. I would've expected you to be slower than Polly and 'Thena, you know because you're getting old."

Phoenix's confidence went from sky high to the center of the earth. Hearing his daughter called him old was a slingshot to the dignity. 'Ouch.' His shoulders slacked and he swayed forward in defeat.

Apollo wasn't sure whether to feel better or worse by what Trucy said, but instead he just looked at Athena, pretending to be oblivious by his boss's newfound confidence destroyer. She looked at Apollo with a squeamish demeanor, trying to hide her frantic laughter within.

There was a moment of silence before Trucy finally recollected her thoughts.

"Oh! Daddy, I do like the new look! The black vest makes you look fancy, like you work at a 5 star restaurant!"

"Hehe… thanks." Phoenix was now rubbing the back of his neck. His head still slightly downward from her recent comment.

"But you know what would make you look more fancy?" Trucy rocked herself forward and backward on her heels, the bag hitting behind her knees.

"Phoenix looked up to his daughter, his posture now fixed. "What?"

She swerved her arms to bring the bag in front of her and raised it to her father. "This!" She handed him the bag. Eager and jumpy to see his reaction once he opens the contents inside.

"What's in here Trucy?" He was trying really hard to contain his excitement before opening the bag.

"Just open it up, Daddy!" Her hands on her hips and gave him an angry look.

"Okay! Okay!" He walked towards the desk and placed the bag on it. Apollo, Athena and Trucy gathered around the table to see what was inside the mystery bag. He submerged his hands in the black bag and later rose a white box. He moved the bag to the side and began to slide off the top lid from the box. Trucy was jumping, almost like a jackhammer from excitement.

"Oh my God… Trucy…" Phoenix muttered the words between his lips in utter astonishment. Trucy's heart was just about to explode from sheer joy. "It's amazing!"

He held the brand new, mint condition, freshly smelled blue suit that Trucy picked out for him, with a little help from a friend. The blue blazer was stunning, the vest was impeccable, the tie was ravishing, and the slacks were flawless. His fingers were trembling with joy as he held one of the best gifts anyone has ever given to him. Phoenix looked at his daughter with the most gracious look in his eyes.

"WOW! Oh my goodness, Trucy! That looks so awesome!" Athena shouted.

"That is one sweet suit!" Apollo agreed with a nod.

"It's beautiful, Trucy. It's amazing. It's…" He stopped. "How much was this?"

Trucy and Athena looked at Phoenix was a disappointed look. "Oh my goodness, Daddy! Is that all you care about?!"

"N-N-No! I love it, I really do! It's just… It's your money. I don't want you spending your money on me. It's my responsibility to get myself a suit." Phoenix had a bit of guilt in his voice.

"Ugh! Mr. Wright! You just said it yourself. It's her money. So she can spend it whenever and however she feels like!" Athena said, her hands slamming against the desk.

"But you do love it, right, Daddy?" Trucy's voice, slightly worried.

"Of course I do, babygirl!" Phoenix placed his brand new suit back into the box and knelt down to his daughter. Hugging her tightly as her arms wrapped around his neck, his chin rested on her shoulder, "It's the bestest thing you've given me besides your acceptance of me as your dad."

Phoenix felt wetness upon his shoulder. He pulled back to realize his daughter was crying. Not tears of sadness, but tears of joy. He kissed her on the forehead and placed his hands on her cheeks, wiping the tears from her eyes with his thumbs. He leaned back to her embrace rubbing her back. The warmth of his daughter's love almost made him want to share her tears.

"I love you, Daddy."

"I love you too, Trucy."

Athena was clenching her fists really hard in front of her chest. Her eyes filled to the brim with tears and now raining down her face. "OH! This is so precious!" Widget said a few words, "So cute!"

Apollo stood there, arms folded. He couldn't help but feel touched. The connection between his boss and his daughter almost made him yearn for his own parents.

Phoenix finally got to his feet, still holding onto Trucy, "Thank you, Trucy."

Trucy's face still pink from crying, "you're welcome, Daddy!"

Phoenix went back to his gift and lifted the articles of clothing against his body. He measured the slacks, the blazer, and then the tie. "Trucy, you've really outdone yourself. I am more than confident, that these all fit me. How'd you know what size I was?"

Trucy cleaned up her face before answering. "I had some help by a lady at the store. She used your shirt to measure everything! From pants length to blazer size! Ain't that neat?!"

"It sure is! I'm impressed." Phoenix ushered with both brows raised from admiration.

"She was so cool, Daddy! And she helped me pay for the suit, too!" Trucy yelled pompously.

"What?!" Phoenix lowered the suit from his hands. "Trucy…" His voice changed and his look was very concerned. "You know you can't just do that. It's a nice suit, but you shouldn't let bribe strangers to buy you things."

"But Daddy, she insisted! I was going to put it back, but when I went to stop her, she already finished paying for it." Trucy was explaining with her hands and frantic as her voice was.

"Is that so?" Phoenix's head tilted to the side.

"Yes…" Trucy's demeanor was slowly declining. Her lower lip outward, slightly defeated.

Phoenix's face went from concern to discerning, "Alright. I'll keep the suit. I want to thank you and that woman."

Trucy's spirits were lifted as the words escaped her father's mouth. The wide smile back on her face where it belongs.

Phoenix admired the suit, up and down, one last time before looking at his daughter, "Trucy?"

"Yeah, Daddy?" Her eyes wide with excitement.

"Did the lady ever tell you her name? I have to thank her for this!" Phoenix happily asked.

"Oh yeah, she did! Her name is Lamiroir!" Trucy yelped.

Phoenix felt an impending shadow over him. 'Lamiroir!' His eyes grew wide as he lost the grip on his suit as it fell back into the box. 'She's back!?'

Phoenix always had this lingering feeling in the back of his head about Trucy and her mother. He knew one day she would return to her children and finally admit to them that she was really their mother, alive and well. He was partially happy, but mostly worried that if Thalassa would tell Trucy the truth, Trucy might not pay much attention to him anymore. He feared he might lose his daughter. He already lost one precious person in his life due to their duties, he didn't want to lose Trucy too. It would crush his soul. Both his loves would dissipate from his life and he would plunge back into that hole of depression when he was disbarred.

A cold sweat was forming on his brow. "Mr. Wright?"

Phoenix snapped out of his trances to see Athena's hand waving in front of his face. "Are you okay?"

Athena sensed a shroud of fear in his heart when Trucy mentioned that name. 'Does he know that woman?'

"Ughhhhh… yeah yeah." He stuttered. "I really have to thank her for this!" Phoenix's words almost tumbled along.

"Are you okay, Daddy? You're turning green?" Trucy gave him a worried look.

"Y-Yeah! Yeah! I'm just really surprised of how nice she was to help buy the suit, Trucy!" Phoenix struggled to make the sentence as coherent as possible.

"Me too! She was such a nice woman. She seemed so motherly, though. Like two girls on a shopping spree! Hehe!" Trucy chuckled.

Phoenix felt a lump in his throat and emptiness in his chest as the words ricocheted in his ears. The worry was full blaze again. A stinging sensation prickled his back as if he just laid on a bed of nails. 'Trucy please...'

His mouth was gaped. It was painful to keep his composure now. His legs felt like jelly while his stomach felt like stones were compact tightly inside. He let out a sigh to somehow alleviate the tension building in his heart. Athena worried for Phoenix. That sigh made it painfully obvious to her that there was something wrong.

"Boss?" Athena grabbed Wright's shoulder.

"Yes, Athena?" Phoenix asked, trying to sounds as collected as possible.

"Are you-?" They quickly swerved their heads. There was a knock at the door.