Just thought I'd start with saying that I forgot to put at the end of my last chapter not to worry about what Finral and Vanessa talked about. All will be come clear over the next few chapters I hope you will all enjoy this next instalment.

Walking through a hallway of the hideout, Luck was quietly thinking to himself before being interrupted by Magna's loud voice.

"Hey buddy!" he called.

It sounded nervous but optimistic at the same time. Looking in the direction the voice had come from, he saw Magna steadily approaching him.

"What are you doing?"

"Oh hey Magna" Luck greeted, "Nothing, just going for a walk"

"Just a walk? You mean your not going to train or anything?" Magna asked a little concerned.

"No, why would I?" Luck shrugged and began walking again.

"B...because that's what you enjoy doing" Magna stuttered.

"Used to. I'm not that childish anymore"

That statement struck chord in Magna who had had enough with the way his friend was behaving. Marching after Luck, he grabbed him by the arm and spun him around to face him. Placing both hands on Lucks shoulders, he spoke.

"What the hell has gotten into you?" he demanded, "You've been acting strange ever since our run in with Rachel. What has she done to you? What was in that coffee?"

"Nothing" Luck smiled in response and went to step away. Magna gripped onto him tighter.

"Don't try to feed me that bullshit!" he growled, "Just because your dating her, doesn't mean your not allowed to have fun the way you used to! You don't have to lie for her either!"

"Actually we broke up" Luck's smile turned into a sly one, "I have no reason to defend her"

"You broke up..." Magna trailed in shock, "Why? Is it because she suddenly found out Finral was single?"

"It was me that broke up with her" Luck grinned with satisfaction as Magna once again looked shocked, "I would appreciate it if you didn't bad mouth her" he added a little more maliciously.

"And why wouldn't I?" Magna suddenly demanded loudly, shaking Luck by the shoulders as he did, "I don't care what you say, she has done something to you and I will find out what. She is up to something and as far as I'm concerned, she is prepared to step over and use who ever she has to to get what she wants! Including you! She's a bitch and a user!"

Luck broke free from Magna's grip and grabbed him by the throat. Staring at his struggling friend, his smile turned threatening.

"Don't you talk about her like that" he threatened quietly as he began to send electric shocks throughout Magna's body, "You don't know her and you don't have the right. Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you now?"

"What the hell?" Magna choked out as he struggled to free himself, the shocks becoming slightly more painful the longer Luck held him, "I thought we were friends?"

"Your no friend of mine. Only Rachel can hold that title now" Luck laughed, "Maybe after this you'll finally leave me alone. If your dead, you'll have no choice"

"That's enough!" a loud stern voice shouted.

Looking over Magna's shoulder, Luck saw Vanessa heading towards them. Sighing, he let go of Magna's throat.

"Hey Vanessa" he greeted, his smile returning to it's normal form.

"Never mind 'Hey Vanessa' what the hell was that all about?" She demanded as she helped a relieved Magna to his feet.

"Maybe people should keep their noses out of my business" Luck smiled before turning and walking away.

"You ok?" she asked Magna as he regained his composure.

"I'll live" he answered, looking thoroughly upset as he rubbed his neck, "Thanks for showing up when you did"

"I know you mentioned Luck acting strangely, but that was something else. What was that thing you mentioned about a coffee?" Vanessa asked intrigued.

Walking through town, Finral stretched.

"That was tiring" he complained to himself.

"Hey Finral!" a cheerful voice sounded from behind him, "Wait up!"

Turning towards the person shouting, it was exactly who Finral thought it would be.

"Oh, hey Rachel" he greeted unenthusiastically, before carrying on walking.

"How are you today?" Rachel asked with a smile as she reached his side, "You look a little tired"

"Gee thanks" Finral added sarcastically.

"Oh not in a bad way" Rachel defended, "You look good no matter what"

"Erm...thanks" Finral was a little uncomfortable, "If you must know I've just been somewhere a little to far away. My portal magic really takes it out of me over a great distance"

"Anywhere interesting?" Rachel asked suspiciously.

"It's not important" Finral cut that conversation short before she could pry further, "What do you want anyway?"

"Oh right! I just wanted to know if you had any plans for today?"

"Why?"

"Maybe me and you could spend the day together?" she asked hopefully.

"I thought I already told you that I wasn't looking for a relationship right now?" Finral stopped in his tracks and turned to face her knowing this was her goal.

"You did, but I was thinking more of just friends hanging out, that's all"

Finral thought for a moment. He knew she was lying but as Rachel stood by with her fingers secretly crossed, he made a decision.

"You sure it's just as friends?" Finral finally asked.

"Of course"

"Then I guess it will be ok. What do you have in mind?"

"Apparently there is a lake not to far from town that the people like to swim in. How about we start there and then finish with food and drinks?"

"Sounds good" Finral agreed, "I've just got a couple of things to take care of and I'll meet you back here in about an hour?"

"Ok!" Rachel was ecstatic, "See you here soon!"

"Yeah" Finral finished before walking off again.

Arriving at the lake, it didn't take long to see exactly how busy it was. It was a hot, sunny day and the townsfolk were obviously making the best of the weather. Seeing a spot that was in the sun and not to far from the water, Rachel grabbed Finral's hand and dragged him over to it. Laying a towel down, Rachel stripped down into a bikini, tying her hair into a messy bun she looked to see if Finral had noticed. To her dismay and displeasure, he wasn't paying her any attention at all. Instead he was sat with his knees up and his arms draped over them, watching the scenery around them. Rachel coughed loudly to gain his attention. The moment he looked, she struck the most seductive pose she could think of.

"What do you think?" she asked with fluttering eyelashes.

"Yeah it's nice" Finral commented before looking away again.

Rachel stood quietly fuming for a moment. Was that all she was going to get from him? What exactly would she have to do to get his attention? Bending over so that her face was in his line of sight, she spoke again.

"Are you not going to put anything more suitable on?" she asked.

Finral blinked back blankly. He had stripped down to his under shirt and rolled the sleeves up. He still had his trousers and boots on though.

"I wasn't aware you actually wanted to go swimming" he spoke, "I haven't brought anything else"

"Well at least take your boots off and roll up the legs on your trousers" Rachel sighed, "At the most we can wade through the shallow water"

This struck Finral as odd. Had she somehow witnessed his date with Vanessa that day at the beach? Was she trying to relive it with her and him instead?

"What are you waiting for?" she asked exasperated.

Finral obliged somewhat sceptical. Once he had, Rachel grabbed both of his hands and dragged him to his feet.

"Come on! Let's go to the water!" she suggested excitedly.

"But we've only just got here. Do you not want to sit and sunbathe for a bit first?"

"We can do that after"

That was the end of that argument as she began dragging him towards the water. Stepping into the chilly water, Rachel screeched before grabbing onto Finrals arm.

"It's cold" she shivered.

"So let's get out" Finral suggested.

"It's fine, I'll get used to it" she smiled as she began to walk, leading Finral with her. He noted how she never let his arm go again.

They walked in silence for a while.

"So how long do you think it'll be before your squad mates come looking for you?" Rachel suddenly asked.

"They aren't my squad mates anymore" Finral sighed, "So never"

"I have noticed that you don't wear your black bull's robe anymore"

"No reason to"

"Do you miss them?"

"A little" Finral admitted, "But I miss Vanessa more"

"Understandable" Rachel reasoned, "But hopefully I can help with that"

"Huh? How do you expect to do tha..." Finral didn't finish his sentence as Rachel unexpectedly kissed him.

It took awhile for it to sink in what had actually happened, and as Rachel stepped away she giggled slightly with a blush.

"How was that?" she asked.

"Er...erm...wh...why would you d...do that?" Finral stammered as he slowly backed away from her, "I told you I wasn't ready for, or even wanted another relationship!"

"I just thought we could try, that's all" Rachel stated looking somewhat vexed at his reaction, "Did you not like it?"

"No!" Finral shot back.

"Your such a user!" Rachel cried, "You were going to kiss me the other night! What changed?"

"I was drunk and lonely and all I could think about was Vanessa!"

"Get away from me!" Rachel shouted before shoving Finral hard in the chest.

This sent him tumbling backwards as he lost his footing in the water. Breaking the fall with his hand he winced in pain as he tried to stand back up.

"Oh no! I'm so sorry. Have you been hurt?" Rachel asked apologetically.

"I'm fine" Finral answered angrily as he managed to get back on his feet.

He left the water and made his way over to where his boots and jacket were waiting for him. He went to pick his things up but doing so caused a sharp pain to shoot through his wrist and up his arm. Wincing again, Rachel arrived to witness it.

"You are hurt, please let me look at it" she begged, "I am a nurse after all"

"I don't care, just leave me alone" Finral told her as he sat down to put his boots on, regardless of the pain his wrist was causing him.

"Please?" Rachel begged again kneeling down next to him, "Just pass it here, you won't be able to make Portal's properly if it's serious. It could be broke"

That was true. Finral had no choice but to agree as he silently lifted his hand for her to look at. Taking it in her left hand gladly, her grimoire appeared and her right hand began to emit a green light as she scanned it over Finral's wrist.

"Yep, you've sprained it" she declared.

"You mean, you sprained it" Finral pointed out with a huff.

"I really am sorry" Rachel apologised again, "Here, let me heal it for you"

She took his wrist and gently held it as both hands emitted a warm green light. It instantly began to feel better and Finral sighed with relief.

"I'm sorry if you thought I was leading you on. I deserved to be pushed like that" he offered an apology of his own.

"No, you made it clear you weren't interested and I kept pushing. I guess being rejected by you and Luck kind of got to me. I just wanted to be loved" she sighed.

"They'll be someone out there for you" Finral added kindly.

"Oh I'll make sure it's you" she winked back at him making him turn his head away.

Silence fell between them as she continued to heal his wrist. When it began to get a little awkward, Finral asked a different question.

"So do you have any other interests besides nursing?"

"You" she laughed.

"You know what I mean!" he rolled his eyes annoyed.

"Well I enjoy messing around with potions. I'm quite good at making them to be honest. I thought it would come in handy with my career, but as time went on I became more and more engrossed in it and expanded beyond medicine" she admitted.

"Oh really?" Finral asked interested, "What kind of potions do you make?"

"Oh just silly things like hair colour changes and invisibility" she shrugged.

"You can make invisibility potions?" Finral asked surprised.

"Yeah, though the ingredients are hard to come by. I haven't made any since back in the clover kingdom"

"What did you do with the one you did make?"

"There! Your wrist is all done, how does it feel" Rachel asked loudly avoiding the question.

Finral, a little disappointed at the sudden topic change, took his wrist back from Rachel. Though it was a bit of a task as she clung to it tightly, reluctant to let it go. Once free, he wriggled it about and felt no pain.

"Yeah, it feels as good as new. Thank you" he smiled before putting his boots on, "I'm going to go get changed. You can stay here and sun bathe if you want. I'll meet you later at the Tavern closest to the inn"

"I could just come with you" Rachel suggested flirtatiously lying on her front and looking up at him hopefully.

"No that's ok" he declined hastily, "Just let it go, we're not going to happen"

"We'll see" Rachel laughed as she watched him vanish quickly through a portal.

Vanessa entered the main living space of the hideout closely followed by a smiling Luck. Luck immediately left the room with out paying attention to any of it's inhabitants whilst Vanessa sat by Magna, Noelle and Asta.

"How come you were with Luck? Magna asked.

"I tried talking to him. But I still cant get through to him" Vanessa answered shaking her head, "I thought that if it was someone different than you, he might open up"

"I see" Magna deflated.

"Don't worry Magna, I'm sure it won't take much longer for him to snap out of what ever it is that has got him like that" Asta tried to sound as positive as possible.

"He's been like it for weeks though" Magna sighed.

"Asta is right" Noelle added, "You have to be patient"

"It's easy for you guys to say. I don't see any of you losing touch with your best friends or anything" Magna scoffed then immediately regretted it when he saw Vanessa's face fall, "I'm sorry. What happened with Finral completely skipped my mind!"

"Idiot" Noelle quietly scolded him.

"No, it's alright" Vanessa stopped her, "Finral's gone now and it's time to get over it. As for Luck, we're all friends, in fact family, so of course we care. So let's just be patient and hope his mood runs it's course"

"After what happened yesterday, I don't think that's going to happen" Magna concluded.

"It will" Vanessa reassured him, "Trust me"

This earned her a few puzzled looks. No one delved any deeper into it how ever. They each came up with there own conclusions that it was just her way of being supportive.

Luck was back in his bedroom. He picked up an envelope and as he did, money fell out onto the floor. At this moment there was a knock at the door and Zora came walking in with out waiting for an invite. Luck rushed to pick up the spilled cash, but it was to late.

"Where's that come from?" Zora asked puzzled.

"I've been saving" Luck answered quickly.

"What do you have to save for?"

"For if I want anything expensive in the future" Luck answered with a slight laugh.

"Sure..." Zora answered completely unconvinced.

Where it was plausible Luck could in fact be saving up, it seemed strange to Zora with how panicked he was that it had been seen in the first place. Luck must know that no Black Bull member would steal from him, and he was never secretive about money to start with. So this sudden development was strange and unexpected. As Luck placed the money inside a draw, he asked what Zora had come for.

"Yami wants us to go and defend the perimeter. Apparently there is a small group of bandits heading our way and we need to stop them" Zora explained, "He thought you'd enjoy the fight"

"Ok" Luck agreed.

"Just ok?" Zora asked raising an eyebrow at how disinterested Luck seemed at the idea of a fight.

"Yeah. Let's go" Luck smiled before walking past Zora and down the hall. It took all he had to hold his excitement back. He had to keep himself in check as sparks of electricity shot through his veins.

"Hey Finral!" Rachel happily greeted him as she sat next to him, "How's the wrist?"

"It's still good" he smiled, "So please don't go shoving me over again"

"I won't" she laughed, "But I can always heal you again"

"Hopefully that won't be necessary"

"Come's in handy though"

"Well if your the one going around injuring people, I guess it does" Finral joked.

"I said I was sorry" Rachel pretended to sulk.

"You are really not convincing, you know that?"

"Worth a try" she laughed before taking a sip of her drink.

Placing her glass back down on the table, Finral glanced at it. Realising something, he quickly looked back at it. Around the rim of the glass, was a lipstick smudge. Not just any lipstick smudge, but the exact same shade as the one that Vanessa had found on his Black bulls robe.

"That's an unusual shade of lipstick" he commented as he indicated the cup.

"Trust you to notice now when it's been on my mouth all day" Rachel laughed in response, "But yeah it's my favourite one, you can only get it back in the clover Kingdom. Or so I believe that is"

"Is that right?" Finral asked quietly.

"Do you want it on your lips?" Rachel asked sweetly bringing herself closer to him.

"Erm...no that's fine" Finral declined as he moved away.

"Suit yourself" Rachel sighed before returning to her previous position, "Do you want to have a walk around town? I fancy some night air"

"Yeah I guess it'll be a change. Not really anything to do when your not apart of a royal knight squad" Finral agreed with a laugh.

"Right, I'll just go and pay my bill" Rachel jumped up enthusiastically and headed for the bar, "I'll be right out!"

Finral left the tavern and waited outside. Taking in the welcome night breeze he turned around and came face to face with Charmy and Noelle.

"Oh look who it is" Noelle scoffed, "The cheat. I thought you would be long gone by now"

"You thought wrong and hello to you to" Finral answered fed up with there lack of faith in him.

"Well if you think Vanessa is any closer to forgiving you, your wrong"

"Believe what you will" Finral grunted, "What are you guys doing here?"

"We came for food!" Charmy answered loudly with her mouth watering, "We heard this place had the best steak in town"

"I thought you preferred your own?"

"I always have to try something if it claims to be the best!"

"So are you planning on coming back to the squad?" Noelle asked with interest.

"When you guys believe I'm not a cheat, maybe" Finral folded his arms in defiance.

"Well don't think that's happening any time soon"

"We'll see" Finral grinned.

Noelle narrowed her eyes thoughtfully at this. Why would he grin like that in a the situation he was in?

"Ok Finral! I'm all done, are you ready to go?" Rachel took that moment to appear, "Oh sorry, I didn't realise you had company"

"Seriously! Your with her?" Noelle asked shocked, "Of all the women out there, her?"

"Did you break up with Luck because you found out Finral was single again?" Charmy asked suspiciously.

"You've got it all wrong!" Rachel defended, "And he broke up with me!"

"Good coincidence" Noelle added with a smirk.

"That's enough!" Finral cut back in, "I'm not a cheat. Nothing is happening between me and Rachel. And the fact my own squad mates don't believe me seriously hurts!"

"You hurt Vanessa and therefore you hurt the squad. You did the right thing in listening to me and leaving" Noelle added loudly, "She is a lot happier since you left! She doesn't even drink anymore!"

"Maybe that's because she's carrying our child!" Finral shouted back before catching what he had just revealed.

"What?" Rachel, Noelle and Charmy all asked in chorus as they stared wide eyed in shock at this revelation.

"Never mind!" Finral added angrily as he stormed off, "Forget I said anything! Rachel I'm calling it quits for the night. Charmy, Noelle, I hope you enjoy the steak"

As he marched away, the others watched after him in silence. Coming back to her senses, Rachel shook her head and chased after him leaving Noelle and Charmy to talk amongst themselves.

"You kept that very quiet" Rachel said as she caught him up. She had a tinge of anger to her voice and a fake smile on her face, "Congratulations, I guess..."

"Thanks" Finral acknowledged without looking at her.

"How far along is she?"

"About a month, I'm not sure. I haven't spoken to her since I left the hideout" Finral answered. Then with a huff added, "I just want to be alone now if you don't mind"

"I see" Rachel looked thoughtful for a moment, "I guess I'll get out of your way then. Erm... maybe I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Maybe"

Turning away from him, she began to walk back towards the tavern they had just come from. Turning his head slightly to see if she was looking, Finral ducked around a corner. Letting out a nervous sigh, he looked to see where she was. He saw that she still wasn't looking back and so he slowly began to follow her. Keeping to the shadows and hiding behind the closest thing he could when ever he thought she was going to look back, he successfully tailed her through streets and alleys until finally she stopped. She was stood outside of the Inn they had been kicked out of a few days prior. As he watched, he noticed a dimly lit open window. Rachel picked up a stone and threw it so that it pinged off the glass.

"Grace, it's me!" he heard her declare with a loud whisper.

She stood in wait until finally the Inn door opened and a woman appeared. It wasn't just any woman though, it was the blonde woman that had made Finral's life a nightmare. Finral watched on with anger as realisation hit him. So Rachel knew who this blonde woman was all along. He could have kicked himself that he hadn't made the connection much sooner. They looked to be having some kind of discussion and Rachel handed 'Grace' as she had called her, some kind of object. He couldn't see what it was as it was small and the area was dark. As soon as that was done, Rachel left leaving the woman on her own. A loud whistle came from Grace's lips and out of nowhere a glowing dove appeared. She handed the dove the package Rachel had left and looked to be speaking to it, before it flew away. She vanished back into the inn leaving Finral stood on his own. Anger and confusion coursed through him but he had no choice but to keep a cool head.

"Your pregnant?!" Noelle asked loudly as soon as she had got back to the hideout and seen Vanessa.

Vanessa had been sat relaxing on the hideouts couch and she almost jumped out of her skin when she had seen Noelle come barging in with an out of breath Charmy close behind. Whether it was considered lucky or not that the only other person in the room was Asta, remained to be seen.

"What? Who told you?" Vanessa sat up and stared bewildered at her.

"So it's true?" Noelle asked for clarification.

"Keep tour voice down!" Venessa tried to quiet her and then sighed, "Yes"

"What?! How did that happen?!" Asta asked loudly in shock and received a couch cushion in the face as payment.

"Shut up you idiot! How do you think?" Vanessa rolled her eyes.

"Congratulations!" Charmy praised excitedly as her sheep appeared and immediately began to knit baby clothes, "I'm going to make you so many small woolly jumpers!"

"I thought sewing was my thing?" Vanessa chuckled, "I take it you saw Finral?"

"Yeah" Noelle admitted, "We saw him in town with Rachel. He blurted it out in front of her as well"

"I see so they are together" Vanessa looked thoughtful for a moment, "Well, to be honest that doesn't surprise me after finding out her and Luck had broke up"

"I was the same"

"Can we please keep this whole pregnancy thing between the people in this room?" Vanessa asked pleadingly.

"Of course" Noelle smiled, "You hear that Asta? Keep your loud mouth zipped"

"What do you take me for? I can keep a secret you know!" Asta declared loudly before recovering another cushion to the face.

"I am happy for you" Noelle smiled sincerely, "But how are you and Finral going to make this work?"

"I don't know yet" Vanessa sighed, "I just really don't know"

And there you have it, a chapter full of a few surprises for you all. Things are starting to become a little clearer, at least I hope it is for you. And yes, there are a few cryptic areas but don't worry about them yet. Please feel free to review and forgive any mistakes. Until next time, have fun!