Hi guys! I know, I know it's been so long since I started this story you didn't think I'd ever update right? Wrong! I took a hiatus from fanfiction writing as I worked on my own original book, but that's nearly finished now so I decided to come back to this story since those that reviewed were so lovely to me. I always wanted to finish this but it was hard coming up with some ideas- I wanted this to be a light, fun story, but I also wanted character development too.

Expect more regular updates from this story from now on (about once a month possibly, but please bare in mind I'm a second-year university student, so you may have to be patient over the next month and a half exam period!)- by the way what was up with that no-signing-in thing? Sheesh!

Anyway if there are any of you out there that still kept up the hope all these months that I'd carry this on, this is dedicated to you! (Disclaimer: I'm a student! Please don't sue! XD )

Chapter Four- France Part One

I bit my lip in apprehension.

The sounds of the airport bustling around me were slightly muted, people walking by blurred into colourful blobs, my focus was entirely on the scene before me.

'I do hope you had a good flight.' The blonde haired woman who'd come to greet us said. I'd never really noticed how gentle her voice was before, but I did now. It was so sweet and calming, and I didn't know whether this made me more or less afraid. Her eyes were sparkling in a way I'm sure they hadn't for many years, but now they were bright and violet and almost as alive as the person who was standing before her- just stepping out of her embrace.

'Yes mother. It was perfect.' Tamaki replied softly and I couldn't help the smile that formed on my lips, despite my own fears. The way he said the word- mother- as if it were a precious gift he had been given after many years of waiting and wishing. In a way, I suppose it was.

Mother in heaven, I'm sure that you'll agree, this is almost a miracle.

'It's good to see him like this isn't it?' Kyoya said from my side as the others went forward to greet Anne-Sophie Grantaine.

I glanced up at Kyoya with a raised eyebrow, and rightly so. Kyoya wasn't usually so forward with his emotions- especially where Tamaki was concerned. For some reason, he seemed to like to give the impression that he cared for nothing beyond what could be gained from a situation- though we all knew it wasn't true.

I decided to play along. 'Yeah, it's great. He's waited so long, to be able to visit her whenever he wants I mean.' I replied, choosing my words carefully.

'Well if you agree with me, why are you standing here, why aren't you sharing in his happiness?' The Shadow King asked. 'Are you scared?'

I swear he can read minds. I thought a chill running through my spine.

'N-no.' I stuttered, not exactly helping the outright lie passing through my lips 'I'm not scared, I'm just...letting Tamaki have a moment with his long-lost mother.'

'Hmm I see.' Kyoya nodded, his glasses shining brightly in the florescent airport lights, and I had the distinct feeling he didn't believe a word I said. 'I know that you're meeting Mademoiselle Grantaine in different circumstances now that you're Tamaki's girlfriend and he can freely see her, but you won't know how she feels about you unless you actually talk to her. However I will say this, if you continue to hide in the shadows, she won't exactly consider you the most polite of guests.'

It was true that, once Tamaki's mother had heard of our summer tour of Europe, she insisted we stay with her during our stay in Paris, before we moved on to the Cote d'azur in the South of France.

Before flying into Paris, we'd travelled from London to stay in Edinburgh for two days but were unable to do much due to the rain. This disappointed the twins and Tamaki greatly, as they'd wanted to go on a search for the Loch Ness monster- Huni however was visibly relieved.

The rest of us neglected to tell them that Loch Ness was 150 miles away from the city of Edinburgh, but at least we got to see the famous castle.

'You know your logic is really annoying.' I grumbled at the Shadow King, puffing out a bit of air from the corner of my mouth in frustration, but I had to admit he was right. Truth be told I didn't really know what I was so afraid of. Anne-Sophie Grantaine was a lovely woman and Tamaki seemed to have inherited his acceptance of others from her. I knew deep down she wouldn't hate me.

So...why did the thought of speaking with her, of actually even being in the same room as her, cause my insides to freeze the same way they did when Nekozawa-Sempai played that trick on us on Halloween?

'Haru-chan, come say hi!' Huni-Sempai called, taking my hand and dragging me towards the group, I glanced over my shoulder at Kyoya to find him following us with a slight grin on his face, as if to say 'you're not getting away now.'

Damn Shadow King! I thought and despite myself my heart rate began to accelerate.

'There you are Haruhi! Sheesh, where were you hiding?' Hikaru asked half jokingly, a smirk on his face. I chose to ignore him, instead I looked up at Tamaki- who looked so beside himself with happiness that I doubted he realised how much of a big experience this was for me- to be formally introduced to a boyfriend's mother for the first time. I wanted it to stay that way, so I gave him a weak but hopefully convincing smile.

Meanwhile my hand had somehow made it from Huni-Sempai's grasp into Tamaki's, as he pulled me the rest of the way so that I stood right in the centre of our little group- directly opposite Grantaine-san.

'Mother I know you've sort-of met before, but I'd like to formally introduce you to Haruhi Fujioka, my girlfriend, and the last member of the Host Club.' Tamaki said, his smile (though I didn't think it was possible) brightening.

Swallowing, and taking a deep steadying breath, I looked up into the eyes of Tamaki's mother, before gently taking my hands away from Tamaki's and bowing politely.

'It's an honour to meet you Grantaine-san.' I said just as I'd practiced. I wanted to be myself around Tamaki's mother, but at the same time I still wanted to give a good impression. I knew it was important, even the rest of the Host Club seemed to be subdued- seemed to know that these few moments were crucial.

I stiffened slightly when I felt a pair of hands on my shoulders and I looked up to see Grantaine-san smiling just as brightly as her son.

'No, Haruhi Fujioka.' She replied shaking her blonde curls ever so slightly and I held my breath in anticipation. 'I am the one who is honoured.'

I wasn't exactly sure what was going on with the Grantaine's financial situation since everything that had happened over the past few months, but I assumed everything was much better for them, as the house we were taken to wasn't far off from the one Tamaki used to live in- at least in its size and grandeur.

Though I didn't really care how fancy it was, as long as the bed was a comfortable one. I didn't know whether it was the travelling that tired me out, or travelling with the Host Club, either way- as soon as I was shown to my room I flopped face-first onto the bed and had no intention of getting up for a long time. We'd flown out over dinner time and I wasn't hungry enough to join some of the others for a late supper.

After about five minutes I rolled from my stomach to my back and looked at the ceiling, high above me, as all ceilings in fancy houses were. It was old-fashioned and wooden panelled, rustic and yet fancy, like the rest of the house. A small chandelier hung from its centre- illuminating the room softly. I looked away from the chandelier, as staring at it was making my eyes heavy. I sat up, admiring the simple decor. Though it was simple in its furnishings, the room still managed to maintain an air of upper class wealth- but not in an overwhelming sense. I smiled, running my fingers over the plush floral sheets. Maybe it was because of this that I felt more comfortable here than I had at the hotels we'd stayed at. Though I had liked the hotels, it seemed they were decorated so richly that I couldn't relax properly, for fear of breaking something and owing a massive debt (it wouldn't be the first time).

Or maybe it was just because we were staying in somebody's home, and there didn't seem to be anything in my room worth over eight million yen- that I felt I could relax more.

Though I wasn't exactly going to be running around with my eyes shut to test that theory.

The next thing I knew it was an hour later, 10pm, at least if the clock on top of the fireplace had any indication. I sat up, stretching, and decided to get a glass of water before going to bed properly- it was going to be a long day tomorrow. We were travelling to all the major Paris landmarks, and Tamaki had a few places he wanted to show us from his childhood days. With that in mind I knew I needed to get a good night's sleep.

The house was oddly quiet, definitely a glaring indication that everyone had either gone to their rooms for the evening, or were plotting something. Either way I was too travel-worn to care that much what the others were up to- and so carried on towards the basement kitchen, where Grantaine-san had told us to go if we needed anything during the night.

The trouble was that the majority of the hall lights were off and, not being used to the house even when the lights were on, I stumbled down the stairs- cursing to myself when I stubbed my toe on a potted plant at the base of the stairs and wondering why nothing even remotely associated with the Host Club (even just getting a glass of water) was simple.

But my- what the twins would call- mission to find a cold glass of water was forgotten almost instantly when I heard the faint sound of a piano coming from a room just off to the left of the entrance hall. And there wasn't a doubt in my mind as to who was behind the sudden rush of music filling the bottom floor of the Maison de Grantaine.

I stood there, is an almost trance-like state, for what seemed like eternity. A part of me thought it was wrong of me to be listening, that I should just turn back around and go to bed and pretend I hadn't heard anything. But a larger part of me knew that I wasn't going to let that happen. And so came the inner struggle. It was obviously Tamaki playing the piano - and a part of me always thought (though I could never pinpoint the exact moment) that I'd begun to get true feelings for him the moment I first saw him play- the way he looked so calm and at peace, as his fingers produced such beautiful music- was really...moving. Before then I'd never really bothered listening to classical music, I just wasn't enthusiastic about music in general, often only really keeping up with the current stuff by occasionally hearing things on the radio.

After he'd performed that Mozart duet by himself, I'd gone out and borrowed a bunch of classical music CD's from the library, and listened to them as I did my homework.

Not that I would ever tell him that.

I wanted to watch him play, it was so hypnotic when he did that sometimes I felt I could watch him forever. But, as I finally took a step forwards, towards the music, like it was some kind of siren call or something- I heard a voice- just as the music stopped.

'Oh Tamaki, that was so beautiful. You've improved wonderfully!' The teary voice of Tamaki's mother reached my ears. And I froze once again.

'Thank you Mother. I practiced every day, for you. I knew I'd get to play for you again one day and I promised myself that when that day came, I'd be twice as good as I was when I left.' came Tamaki's happy, yet oddly bittersweet, reply.

And that's when it clicked. I remembered Tamaki telling me about how he would play to his mother when he was younger and she was run down from her illness, and how he hardly ever went out to play with the other children because of it.

And my decision was made, then and there. No matter how I felt, no matter how much I wanted to see him play, this was a moment for Tamaki and his mother to share alone. How could I get in the way of such a sweet reunion between the two, after they had waited so long?

The simple answer is that I wouldn't. Another time, another day, and I might be able to watch him play; hear the music he created with the simplest touch. Maybe one day I'd have the courage to actually ask if he would play. But tonight wasn't that moment. And so I began to turn around, began to make my way back upstairs- even as I heard the piano start once more, I knew I wouldn't stay, I would not be selfish.

But I would, apparently, trip backwards over the same potted plant from earlier, causing me to cry out in shock and the plant to come tumbling right down after me, as I did a semi-back flip onto the ground.

The music stopped.

In a moment of complete panic-induced idiocy I shushed the plant. Standing up, I attempted to pick up the offending item and place it back where it had been. Somewhere, way in the back of my head, another panicked part of me (the part which really didn't want to have to explain itself to Tamaki and his mother) yelled out in protest-

Leave the evidence! JUST RUN!

This seemed like a good idea, and I was more than willing to comply- except the second I tried to climb the stairs- a shooting pain went through my right foot and I buckled completely under my own weight from the shock of it.

The lights of the entrance hall suddenly flickered on and Tamaki and Grantaine-san came rushing forward towards the scene of my crime, whilst I lay in a crumpled heap, my face crimson, wanting nothing more than for Beelzenef to come and kill me on the spot.

'Haruhi? Haruhi are you ok?' Tamaki said, leaning down to crouch over me, whilst Grantaine-san gasped.

'Yeah, I'm fine.' I breathed except I'm about to die of shame 'I got up to get a glass of water and I got a little lost.' I could not believe the words coming out of my mouth. 'And then I guess I tripped over that plant.'

Yup, want to die. Right now. Please.

'Oh dear, Fujioka-san, I'm so sorry all the lights were turned off!' Grantaine-san cried as Tamaki looked accusingly over at the offending plant. 'France is in a bit of an energy-saving vogue right now. I should have made sure you had everything you needed before hand!'

I blushed harder 'No, no please don't apologise- it was something I wanted on impulse' and I would never, ever, ever act on impulse, EVER again. It must have been the Host Clubs influence on me.

'Are you hurt in any way?' Tamaki asked, his worried eyes darting all over my body, which tingled in response- despite my mortification.

'I- well I think I bruised my ankle but only a little bit, it kind of hurts. But I don't think it's sprained and- hey! What are you doing?' I cried the last part as Tamaki swept me up, bridal-style, into his arms and carried me back across the entrance hall, into the room where he had been playing piano.

He set me down on the actual piano stool- as it was the seat closest to the door- and I couldn't help but feel as if the night couldn't get any worse. I'd completely humiliated myself in front of my boyfriend's mother, I might have broken a madly expensive plant pot (I hadn't checked) and I'd bruised my ankle.

Why do these things always happen to me? Am I just a magnet for weird occurrences and freak accidents, or is that just another part of being in the Host Club? I thought with a sigh.

'I'm going to get you some ice, Mother could you stay and look over her please?' Tamaki asked and I thought that it would be rude to say what I was thinking- that being left alone with Grantaine-san was completely unnecessary, especially after the way I'd made a complete and utter fool of myself. So I stayed silent whilst Grantaine-san agreed to watch over me. I didn't even react when Tamaki, in an obvious spur-of-the-moment, reached to cup my cheek tenderly before leaving to get the ice.

I exhaled into the sudden silence. Considering the large cacophony of the past few minutes, the quiet was quite a big contrast and I found myself thinking of that old expression 'it was so quiet you could hear a pin drop' or something like that. I didn't know what to say, or do, now that I was alone with this person- but I was very much aware of her eyes on me.

'Are you sure you're ankle isn't hurting you too much?' Grantaine-san questioned, sitting down on the stool next to me, her blonde curls cascaded down her shoulder as she turned her head to read my expression.

'Oh, n-no it's fine. Well it's not fine, it hurts. But it's not a bad hurt! It's more like just an annoyance. Tamaki didn't have to carry me. He was just being his normal dramatic self. I mean-' I gasped slightly at my gaffe. 'That isn't what I meant. I just meant was he worries too much and I uh-'

I stopped my insane ramblings (thank goodness) when Grantaine-san chuckled. It was a light, soft, gentle sound. Like a tiny bell. It seemed almost fragile, as if she were afraid of her new-found happiness.

'Yes my son, he's very passionate in everything he does, so much like his father. And while it can be a bit exhausting, especially when he was a child, it's also something I love the most about him. Things never get boring when he's around-'

'-Because he always treats things like a mission or a mystery to be solved.' I completed the thought for her subconsciously and the two of us blinked at each other for a few moments, before bursting out laughing at our shared knowledge of the Host Club King.

I started to feel less nervous around her as I watched her cover her mouth, her violet eyes (exactly the same colour as Tamaki's) crinkling in mirth. Grantaine-san was such a gentle spirit, her heart seemed so full of love, so concerned for others wellbeing. She seemed to exude a quality that just drew others to her. It was a quality, I think, that she had definitely passed down to her son. Where Yuzuru Suoh-san was Tamaki's hyper-active, super-charming side, here was the explanation to Tamaki's calm side, the side I had seen that day in the pond as he helped me search for me lost purse, the side which looked at me with such love and caring that I couldn't help but fall in love with him right back, no matter how hard my mind had tried to stop it at first.

'So, Grantaine-san' I began to say but was interrupted by a gentle raise of her hand.

'Please, call me Anne-Sophie' She grinned and I responded a little more nervously.

'R-right. Anne-Sophie-San' I said, the formality sounding strange on my tongue 'I heard Tamaki playing the piano before I hurt my ankle, I didn't mean to intrude on your evening. I hope I didn't ruin it.'

'Not at all! I was going to retire soon anyway. Tamaki would have played for me all night I'm sure but I'm less young than all of you and far less likely to be able to withstand- what you would call- an all-nighter.' She chuckled slightly at this. 'So please don't think you ruined our night. If anything you made it more perfect.'

I looked up curiously 'Huh?' I said before I could stop myself.

Luckily it only made Grantaine-san laugh again. 'I mean that I could spend some quality alone time with the woman who has so captured my son's heart.'

'W-woman?' I stammered over the word, my head spinning, I'd never really been called a woman before. Not properly.

'I was hoping I would be able to, to get to know you, I meant.' She clarified before reaching up to cup my cheek in such a motherly way that my breath caught. 'You're a very bright, beautiful, insightful woman Haruhi. I am so proud and happy that my son fell in love with you.'

There was silence once more as I took in the gravity of her words, what they meant. She...she was accepting me! Truth be told it really shouldn't have bothered me whether or not she did, all that really mattered was that Tamaki and I loved each other after all, but deep down I knew that I really did care what this woman thought of me, what a mother thought of me.

Anne-Sophie span around on the stool and peered over the piano towards the door 'Oh dear, it seems to be taking a while- I wonder if I should have gone instead. You know how Tamaki gets when he panics.'

'I'm almost too aware of it' I grumbled under my breath; however the sound of the keys of the piano being pressed luckily drowned it out.

When I turned around on the chair I noticed Anne-Sophie playing a very basic, if made up tune.

'Do you know how to play?' I asked, surprised, and forgetting formalities AGAIN.

'Only a little, I had lessons, but I could never quite master it. I have always been more adept at playing wind instruments.' She replied softly- concentrating on moving her fingers over the keys. 'Have you ever learned, Haruhi-san?'

Having a fair idea where this was going I hastily told her that I definitely did not, and never learned to, play piano. What she said next however, completely floored me.

'Well I know a simple tune that's so easy anyone could play it! Haruhi-san, will you play it with me?' She asked extending her hand slightly. I wanted to say no, I wanted to run away and hide myself from any further embarrassment, then I realised that definitely wouldn't do my ankle any good. I was stuck here.

And then I looked into her violet eyes, so gentle and understanding, her hand raised ever so slightly in an inviting gesture and I realised that it wasn't just her calm nature that Tamaki had inherited. Apparently, I couldn't say no to her either.

So I span around too and, with a shy smile, replied 'what do I have to do?'

She took my hand and hovered it over three keys, indicating which ones I should play and how many times I should press on them. 'Once I play my part, you play these keys in this order'

'But how will I know when you've finished?' I asked worrying that I was about to make a fool of myself.

'Trust me, you'll definitely know.' She replied with an encouraging smile. Somehow I think she was overestimating my abilities, I wasn't musically inclined- not even a little bit.

But then she began to play and, forgetting when I was supposed to come into the song, I burst out laughing at the silliness of it. Suddenly, I knew exactly what she was doing, and exactly what we were playing.

'Sometimes life's more fun when it's more light hearted isn't it?' She replied as I snorted despite myself.

'Yeah. Yeah I guess it is.' I chuckled, completely forgetting about formalities- which I suppose had been her intention all along. To really get to know me, like this.

'Well then, shall we start again?' She asked and I nodded- more prepared this time. Anne-Sophie flexed her fingers dramatically, as if she were about to start to perform an amazing concert piece instead of sitting beside a commoner ready to perform one of the most basic songs ever known. And as she played, she began to sing.

'Twinkle, twinkle, little star-' She started and I fought the urge not to laugh again.

'How I wonder what you are-' I sang back, grinning from ear-to-ear as I played my piece, no longer caring about embarrassing myself.

'Up above the world so high-' She continued and then moved so that I could repeat the pattern.

'Like a diamond in the sky-'

And then we both began to sing. 'Twinkle, Twinkle, little star- how I wonder what you are.' We could hardly finish the song through our ever-escalating fit of giggles and I found myself filled with such warmth, such acceptance that I didn't know if the tears in my eyes were tears of laughter or something else. How was it that both Anne-Sophie and her son could make me do things that I never in a million years thought I would do?

I glanced up once the laughter had subsided, a thought suddenly processing in my head from earlier- just what was taking Tamaki so long to find some ice?

And then I saw him at the door, a look in his eyes I had seen only a few times before and it was one that made my spine tingle and my body fill with a kind of warmth that felt so odd and yet really, really good. There he'd watched us with that look of such intense and pure bliss, a packet of ice in hand, at the two women he loved- as they'd started to form a bond in perhaps the most bizarre way possible.

But then how could I expect anything normal? This was supposed to be the holiday none of us would ever forget, after all.

Reviews would be amazing please and thank you! :) (p.s I'm aware Japanese people may be unfamiliar with "twinkle twinkle little star" but I thought it was too funny a scene to pass up- so I used creative licence (^_^) )