AN: Chapter 4

Ok so super sorry for the late update! I got into that 'I don't feel like writing anything' funk. :\ which sucked caz I was almost finished with the chapter. It would have been longer, but I wanted to split it up so chapter 5 has a good chunk already written. Yay! Lol anywhos, here's chapter 4. I'm not going to make any promises, but I'm hoping to get the next chapter up by the end of the night today! (I hope I caught all of the errors in here.. i reread it over but sometimes you still end up missing something lol )

RadRadha04: I know I kinda was getting teary eyed when I wrote that part in the chapter.

Babybubbles135: lol thanks! ^.^ I love it too so far. Trust me I want to hug Finn anytime I write him caz he's so cute and I feel bad for writing all of his torment and father issues, same with Rain. I feel like I love all of the kids that I'm writing lol all I can say is keep reading and find out what happens :) could be good…. Or….. could be bad… * insert evil laugh *

As the days went by, Finn avoided his father entirely, staying at Leo's house until the weekend rolled around. Leo adjusted his backpack on his shoulders as he stood next to Finn. He looked to his friend, wondering what was going through his mind at the moment.

"You sure you didn't want to ride with Lily's family? I mean we were right there… could have just climbed into the van. I'm sure her parents wouldn't have minded."

Finn breathed in slowly as he stood staring at the front door to his house. "Yeah… I mean I can't keep running away from my problems, now can I?"

Leo shrugged his shoulders, looking away silently. A moment later a smirk came over his face as he rubbed his chin evilly. "Heh, heh…. At least this means now I can be closer to Rain for the next few hours."

Finn turned to face his friend. His eye brows level as he looked at Leo. "Seriously dude? Again with my sister?"

"What?! I'm just sayin'…. She probably won't talk to me this whole weekend, so I've gotta make my move somehow! What better chance than in the car… sitting next to her… accidently touching her soft, warm skin…"

Finn's eyes grew angry as he raised a fist. "And how would you know how her skin felt?"

Leo crossed his arms over his chest, confidence glowing off of the young boy. "Just a hunch I have. And now I can test that theory while we are in the car!"

Finn was boiling with anger, wanting so badly to knock his friend into next week for talking about his sister like that. A familiar voice caused both boys to turn around and face the person behind them.

"Ah, there you are Finn. And Leo, what a surprise." Juvia said kindly as she unlocked the vehicle they were going to take with them to the weekend house. Juvia set down her bags and walked over to Finn, placing a warm hand over the boys' cheek gently. "Is everything alright Finn? I was starting to get worried that you weren't going to join us this weekend."

Finn half smiled as he spoke. "Yeah I'm fine mom…. I just wanted to get away from dad for a couple days. I wanted a break from training and Leo said I could spend a night or two at his place. I'm sorry that I worried you."

Juvia smile sweetly at her son. "That's alright. I know your father pushes you very hard when it comes to training Finn… but he just wants you to succeed. He wants you to grow stronger—"

Finn's solid blue eyes looked down, away from his mother. His smile completely faded. "Yeah well he as a funny way of showing it…."

Juvia sighed softly as she continued to smile. "Why don't you go get your sister? She should be in her room, finishing up packing."

Leo quickly interrupted mother and son, holding an arm up in the air. "I'll go get her! Finn you can help your parents load up the car!"

Finn sent Leo a glare as the blonde haired boy smirked and ran inside of the house in search of Rain. Just as Leo passed through the door, Gray stepped outside, carrying a large cooler along with a duffle bag over his shoulders. His eyes matched his sons for a moment. The tension was thick between the two as they silently stood next to their family van. Juvia stepped towards Gray and began to take the bag from his shoulders.

"Here, let me get this. Finn, can you go grab the other cooler?"

Finn kept his eyes on his father as he stepped for the front door. "Yeah mom."

As soon as Finn was out of sight, Gray let out a long breath. Juvia watched him as he silently began to load the back of the vehicle up.

"You should try to talk to him Gray. He needs to know that you really do care for him."

Gray didn't respond to his wife, knowing full well she was right, as usual. His thoughts from the other night kept him silent. He wished he was able to speak his true feelings towards his son, but he knew it was pointless at the moment. What he said to Finn, was unforgettable, for the both of them. Gray honestly didn't know what he was thinking at that time when he called his son nothing but a failure. Was he just trying to push Finn further? Was he trying to get him to connect to his magic more emotionally? Why did he say those hurtful things? Deep down, Gray knew the answer all too well, he just didn't want to admit it to himself or anyone else.

"I'll talk to him later." Gray glanced over at Juvia's worried face as she handed him the duffle bag. He let out another breath before he spoke. "Don't worry about it… I'm going to talk to him. I just think right now we both need some space."

Leo approached Rain's room, a grin over his face as he knocked on her door frame to her room. The blonde boy stuck his head in, a cheerful tone to his voice. "Rain, are you ready to go?"

Rain was folding the last bit of her clothes in her suit case quietly. "Funny… I would have thought my mother would send my brother to fetch me." She said. Leo grinned as he stepped into her room, brushing a hand through his hair and taking hold of his blue-tinted sunglasses, placing them over his eyes.

"Yes, she did want that idiot brother of yours to come get you, but I graciously volunteered to get a beautiful maiden from her prison. To help her down to the mighty steed and to help carry her bags down for her if she wished." Leo stopped just in front of her, kneeling down on one knee and holding out a hand to Rain as the other went to his chest. His olive-green eyes staring up at solid blue. "So my princess? Do you acquire assistance from your prince?"

Rain stared at Leo blankly, showing no signs of amusement. She let out a sigh as she looked away from Leo. "I'm no princess Leo. And no, I don't need your help."

Leo quickly stood, walking just past her so his back was facing Rain as he spoke. "This is unacceptable! As a man in love with such a beauty as you, my gorgeous Rain, I should be the one to burden such deeds as caring for your every whim! So please… reconsider and let me take care—"As Leo turned around, he saw not Rain, but Finn with his arms crossed over his chest, his lips closed tightly as they held back laughter. Leo's jaw dropped as he scanned the room. "Where's Rain?! She left me again?!"

"Leo, you are a true idiot." Finn said as he laughed out loud, walking the cooler out to the car. Leo chased after Finn, pushing his sunglasses back up to his head.

"That's not fair! Why didn't you stop me from acting like a fool?"

"She left as soon as you walked past her! I saw the whole thing, and to teach you a lesson, I let you make a fool of yourself."

"What lesson are you talkin' about?"

"That not every girl likes you dumbass!"

Leo stopped dead in his tracks, appalled by what he had just heard. "I'll have you know that every girl, and I mean every girl wants to get with me!"

Finn turned his head over his shoulder. "You're only fourteen Leo! You don't know that every girl wants to be with you! Lily and Rain prove that on a daily basis."

Leo ran back up to Finn, holding a finger up behind his friends head. "Yes, that may be true, but Lily is a serpent so she doesn't count. Not to mention she's taken."

Finn frowned as he was once again, reminded of someone he couldn't have. The two boys made it back to the van, Finn setting down the last cooler before he stepped into the van. Rain sat in the only single seat, leaving the very back seat for the two boys. Finn could hear Leo behind him mumbling to himself and how he wished Rain would have sat in the back with him. Gray and Juvia closed up the vehicle and double checked the house to make sure they had everything. Once they knew they had everything, the two adults went back to the van and climbed in themselves.

Gray started the van and put his seat belt on, his eyes catching a glimpse of his kids in the rear-view mirror. Rain had her headphones already in her ears, playing her music as Finn placed his head in his hand, his blue eyes staring off out the window as Leo talked to him. Juvia looked at Gray once more as she held her phone in her hand.

"Gray?"

Gray looked over to Juvia and coolly responded. "I'm fine. Let the others know we're on our way."

Levy picked up a bag from their small van, looking over at Leviana. "Leviana, come help us unload the car."

Leviana ignored her mother as she jumped up and down excitedly, pointing at the vehicle coming their way. "But mom! Finn and Leo are here! Finn and Leo are here!" The small girl ran around in circles as she giggled and screamed excitedly. Levy sighed just as Gajeel made his way back to her. He lifted the bag onto his shoulders and took three others. "I've got this Levy. Go see if they need some help." Levy smiled and nodded as she walked over to her youngest daughter, holding onto her arm so she would stand in place instead of running out to greet Gray and Juvia's van.

Gajeel walked into the large getaway house, dropping the bags down near the couch in the living room where Lily decided to lay down on, her long, slender legs hanging off the arm, kicking back and forth slightly as she read a magazine. Gajeel frowned down at his daughter as he spoke. "Ya gonna go help your mother and the others or are you just gonna lay here all weekend?"

Without moving the magazine, Lily replied, "They have enough hands to help unload the car… I don't see how I need to go out there too. I'd probably just get in the way."

Gajeel growled softly as he clenched his fists. "Then why don't you go help your aunt in the kitchen with dinner?"

"Gaje is already helping. I think I'm good here dad."

Gajeel leaned down and grabbed the magazine from Lily's hands. The dark haired girl growled back as she lifted herself up with her arms quickly, coming face to face with her father. "I suggest you find something else to go then, little girl. I'm not letting you mope around this weekend because you're missing out on band practice."

Lily stared into her father's crimson eyes hard, wanting to burn a hole right through him with her own hazel eyes. She pushed against the couch and stormed outside, leaving Gajeel to smirk to himself. Levy walked in a moment later carrying a duffle bag from Juvia and Grays' luggage.

"What did you do this time Gajeel?" She asked as the iron dragon slayer threw the magazine back down on the couch.

"Me?! I did nothin'! All I did was tell her to go do something productive… ain't my fault she's got an attitude."

Levy shook her head as she sighed Gajeel's' name softly.

Finn exited the van after Rain, taking one step out before Leviana rushed over to him, hugging his waste tightly.

"Finn! I missed you!"

"Hey, Leviana. What's up?"

The small girl looked up at the ice mage with a wide smile over her face. "Did Leo tell you what we did in class the other day?"

Finn smiled and ruffled the little girls' wild, blue hair. "Yes he did. And you know I'll always be your dashing prince ready to save his princess."

"Really? You mean it?!" Said the girl as her eyes grew larger.

Finn nodded as he smiled down at her. Leo put a hand to his mouth, whispering softly into Finn's ear. "Liar, Liar pants on fire…"

Finn's eyes shot open as a chill ran down his spine. He knew exactly what had meant by that. Lily crossed her arms and smirked as she watched the three younger kids. "Who's a liar?"

Finn waved his arms around his front side nervously as he looked to Lily. "Uh- no one! Leo is just being an idiot. As usual. Right Leo?" Finn asked with a glare. Leo snickered as he got out of the van himself.

"Leo! Finn! You guys gotta come check out our room! Auntie Lu set it up for us!" Leviana pulled on Finn's arm lightly, tugging him towards the house. "You, Leo and I get to sleep together!"

Lily punched her younger sister in the head with her fist lightly, causing the younger girl to let Finn go to rub her own head. "Idiot… the boys are sleeping in a different room." Leviana stuck her tongue out to Lily as she ran past her older sister. Lily sighed as she looked back to Finn and Leo. "Leo you're sharing a room with Gaje. Rain and Leviana are sleeping in the same room."

Finn's heart began to pound in his chest. 'Does… does this mean.. Lily and I are….'

Lily was quick to add in the last bit of her sentence. "Don't worry Finn, you and I have our own rooms. Dad and Uncle Loke ended up making some home improvements over the past few weeks. The rooms are smaller, but at least we don't have to share a room with the younger kids." She said with a smile. Finn felt his heart slow down, back to a steady pace. "Want me to help take some stuff up there?"

Finn looked at his bag and then to Lily. "Um…"

Lily put her hands on her hips and leaned to one side. "Look, you'd be helping me out, so my dad will get off my case. He thinks I'm not going to be helpin' around here this weekend."

Finn shrugged his shoulders and half smiled. "Alright." Lily smiled as she walked over to the van to grab another small bag. She led Finn into the large house and up the stairs to their rooms. She entered a small room and set down his bag.

"Well, this is your side."

Finn set down his duffle bag on the bed and looked at her confusingly. "What do you mean by my side?"

Lily pointed to what would be a wall in between the two rooms. Instead it was just a large sheet separating the two from each other. Finn pointed at the sheet and blushed madly. "What the hell is that?! And what are they thinking starting a project they couldn't finish before we got here?!"

Lily giggled and patted Finns' shoulder. "Don't be such a worry wart! Geez Finn. You never had a problem sharing a room with me when we were younger. Besides it's not like its see through or anything."

Finn sat down on his bed and sighed, letting his head hang down. 'Yeah but that still doesn't help the situation… I swear someone's doing this on purpose….'

Lily put a soft hand on Finns shoulder, leaning in close to him. Finn jumped slightly at the sudden touch, looking up into hazel eyes staring back at him. Lily stared hard into his solid blue eyes. Finn could feel himself become nervous under her gaze.

"Wh-what?"

"You weren't planning on doing anything… bad… were you Finn? I mean takin' care of yourself would prove harder when you only have a sheet separating yourself from another person…."

Finn blushed a darker shade of red, clenching his fists at his sides. "I wasn't planning on doing anything like that Lil!"

Lily laughed heartedly as she stood up straight. "I'm sorry, I just had to ask that. Your heartbeat was pretty fast like you've been caught thinkin' naughty thoughts. I had to pull your leg a bit."

"You're so mean…"

Lily hugged her friend tightly, planting a light kiss on his cheek. "It's only caz I like ya Finn."

Finn sat there speechless with burning cheeks. He felt her soft and warm lips touch his cool skin, making him want more, but knowing it wasn't ever possible.

"Now let's get back downstairs. We still need to help bring in those coolers you guys brought right?"

Finn shook his head to snap back into reality. "Uh, yeah…"

Lily smiled, showing off her fangs slightly. "So let's go!" Finn watched her leave the room, quickly following her a minute later.

Everyone had settled in to the large house quickly, all enjoying the dinner Loke and Lucy had prepared. They all listened to Gajeel's story as they ate of how Loke and himself have been working very hard on improving the house for all of the families staying there. As everyone tuned into Gajeel and Loke, Gray and Juvia ate quietly, off in their own world as the dragon slayer spoke. Loke looked over to his friend, noticing he had barely touched any of his food before he stood up and left the room without anyone else noticing. Loke stood up and patted Gajeel on the back.

"I'm sure you can finish the story without me, Gajeel. I'll be right back." He said with a smile. Gajeel grinned and continued on with the wild story he had come up with about the renovations they had been making. Juvia watched Loke leave in the same direction as Gray had. A soft sigh and a saddened look came over her face. Lucy held up her glass towards Juvia with a smile.

"Hey! This is supposed to be a fun and happy weekend! Give us a smile Juvia!" Said the blonde with a wide smile of her own across her lips. Juvia smiled and laughed slightly.

"I'm sorry Lucy, I guess I was getting lost in my own thoughts again." The rain woman fought to keep her smile up while she listened to Gajeel's' wild tale. Rain watched her mother sit there in her sadness. Her own heart beat heavy in her chest knowing how unhappy her mother was at this moment. Rain could feel her mother's pain, and wondered how she was able to feel so much sadness. How was her mother able to keep a smile on her face when she knew she was so unhappy? How is she able to sit here amongst her friends, smiling? Rain's eyes began to swell with small tears as she watched her mother, without her realizing it.

Finn noticed his sister and the small tears beginning to form in her eyes. He coughed into his hand to get everyone's attention. "Hey, mom? Can I play something I've been working on for everyone?"

Juvia put a hand to Finn's head and rubbed it lightly. "Of course Finn."

Leviana jumped up from her chair excitedly. "Finn's gonna play something for me?!"

Lily rolled her eyes and muttered. "For all of us, stupid…"

Levy snapped her head to Lily, sending her a look. Lily shrugged her shoulders at her mother as Leviana began to pout. Lucy smiled and laughed slightly. "Why don't we all go into the other room so you can play your song for us Finn?" Lucy stood up and began to clean up the table. Levy stood up and grabbed a few plates herself, looking to Lily.

"You can help too Lil." Lily groaned as she did as she was told. Gajeel stuck out his bottom lip as he watched his oldest child help her mother without any questions asked or arguments.

"Why the hell does she give you no back-talk when you ask or tell her to do something?"

Levy winked at Gajeel and smiled. "It's different when the tables are turned huh? This is payback for when she was younger."

Gajeel smirked as he stood. Levy did have a point. When Lily was younger, she would always listen to her father without any questions asked. But now it's like she's purposely trying to make his life a living hell. As the rest of the group ventured into the other room, Finn was stopped by a light tug on his sleeve. He stopped and turned his body to face Rain. She still had small tears in the corners of her eyes as she looked at him. Finn let out a soft breath through his nose with a smile.

"I know Rain. You're welcome." Rain wrapped her arms around her brother, hugging him tightly, silently thanking him for distracting everyone before they saw her in her moment of weakness.

"Hey! I want to get in on this hug fest!" Leo proclaimed as he ran up from behind Finn, only to be stopped by Finn's hand on his face. His voice became muffled by Finn's hand. The blonde haired boy reached out with his arms, trying to circle them around the both of them. "Comf ophn Fphn! Lem meh hugf herph tff!"

"Over my dead body Leo! You don't need to hug my sister. She's fine."

Lucy, Levy, and Lily came back from the kitchen and looked at the three with confused looks over their faces.

"Everything alright out here boys?" Lucy asked as she eyed Leo suspiciously. Finn let Leo go quickly, as the blonde boy rubbed the back of his head, closing his eyes gently as he smiled.

"Everything's fine mom! I was just uh… getting this lazy bum into the other room! I mean the nerve of some people… saying they want to play something for the whole family and then taking forever to get to the other room, geez Finn. Way to keep your audience waiting."

Lucy shook her head as she half smiled at her son. "Something tells me you're not telling the truth, Leo."

Lily put her hands on her hips and smirked. "Yeah, Auntie Lu… he does look like he was up to something."

Leo stuck his tongue out to Lily and ran to the other room to join the others, the rest following Leo into the other room as they all laughed lightly at the young boy. Everyone took a seat on the furniture surrounding a single chair in the middle of the living room. Finn picked up his acoustic guitar and sat down in the single chair, breathing in a breath of air before he began to play his new song.

Gray closed his eyes lightly as he listened to his son play his song. He was standing in the back of the room, his hands in his pockets, and his head hung down slightly with Loke at his side. The orange haired mage watched Finn play his guitar with such ease just like his father would.

"He's getting better every time I hear him." Loke said as he watched the young boy play. Gray said nothing as he continued to listen. "So are you going to talk to him? I mean… you could just tell him everything you just told me. It's not that hard to say what you're really feeling Gray."

"That's easy for you to say… your son is good at using his magic, and from what I hear, the girls as well."

Loke put a hand to the back of his head, laughing lightly. "Yeah, he does seem to have girls flocking to him at such a young age… and he is doing pretty well with his magic. But he can't seem to get the hang of anything musical. He just doesn't have that skill set like the rest of the kids." Loke smile as he looked back over to Finn. "You're lucky your son inherited your skills."

Gray opened his eyes and looked towards his son. "He didn't get all of them Loke. And the one I wished he got, is the one he lacks the most in."

AN: The next chapter should be pretty funny and have some goodies thrown in :)

Please be sure to review, if you wouldn't mind! I would like to know what you guys think about everything and anything with the story! ^_^ Thank you to those who do review and everyone who reads this story so far!