I.

Jake was dragged along by his sleeve over to a forested area.

"All right, Fu." He said agitatedly, ripping his arm back.

What he was surprised to see when he did this was that the dog had held on hard enough so that a shred tore out of his good blazer. Jake clenched his teeth at the glaring Shar pei and turned in surprise as Spud and Trixie came up to confront him. He backed away now.

"What's this all about, guys?"

"It's about you, Jakey," Trixie told him blatantly.

"And what you've been doing behind everyone's back, dude."

"Guys," Jake held his hands up and started to look for a back exit - there was none.

"I'm over six - hundred - years - old, kid. You don't think I don't know lust when I see it."

"In actuality, you only exceed that by two years." He backstepped sideways as he spoke, making a half - turn to leave when all three of his 'friends' formed a partial square. Jake sent them all a languid look at their boxing him in. "Are you guys truly for real with this?"

"We thought you used to be for real when it came to our friendship." Trixie stated.

"Huh?"

"Sun, kid. We know all about your little courtship." Fu came closer as he explained.

"Dude," Spud shook his head sadly. "She's like twice your age."

Jake was allowed to move past Trixie and his Animal Guardian, but not without meeting their accusatory looks as they turned their heads. "So you guys just spied on my privacy?"

They appeared hurt by his words.

The dragon softened his voice. "Why don't you guys trust me?" he appealed to them.

"We want to, dude."

"But you've been all held up in yourself for these last few weeks kid, and we, well…"

"Kept tabs on you, brother." Trixie spoke more sternly, undeterred.

Jake came back at full force with her lack of consideration. "How?"

She held up her cell phone. "It aint too hard to guess your password, Honeysuckle Rose."

He stalked up to Trixie's face. "You don't know what your-," the guys moved in closer.

This made him move back while fighting to salvage any nerve he had left.

"Anything more you gotta say to us, Jake?" Fu Dog said with finality.

"What are you going to do?" He asked, stone-faced.

"Forward your mail." Trixie answered quickly. "Ta everyone's cells. Unless you confess."

"Which won't happen." Jake turned his eyes to Spud and Fu. "You guys have everyone's email address?" the girl pushed the cell phone in his face so he could read the words that were in bold-faced script: 'Guest list'. As she went back, Jake transformed in a blue blaze.

Spud and Trixie didn't stand a chance as the red dragon caught them both by the collars of their shirts and flew them up to a couple of tall, spindly firs. They were dropped off on to the tops and actually found themselves wounding around until their faces met; and their lips touched. Jake spearheaded down like a jack knife as Fu Dog tried to get away. He got a hold on both him and the dropped cell phone before flying back lightening - quick to the gathering guests and dragons. The Shar pei grinned sheepishly up at him causing Jake to roll his brown eyes and strand him on the top of a fountain where a bursting profusion of punch spewed from out the canine's nose, mouth and eyes; while also crying cerise tears.

Jake navigated the growing people and reptiles below until he finally found his family.

But as he arrived at the stage where his grandfather and Council waited, it was all that he could do not to go and try and find Sun. The still underage American Dragon felt a tingle of worry start in his chest before he spotted the Korean woman at the end of a row on the far left of the stage. She looked up at Jacob and smiled endearingly, leaving him relieved.

ooo

"And so…" Councilor Adam concluded. Jake wasn't paying attention to the banner that was strapped down one shoulder and he certainly wasn't paying attention to Sun Park. If Jake could have watched his only family the whole time, he would have. Jake found that he had missed them more than he could ever realize. No. Instead his eyes focused on his 'friends' who had somehow made it past their obstacles and were now offically an obstacle to him.

OoO

The entire three-minute ride home was surprisingly uneventful as most of the focus was on Jake's younger brother Jethro. He suddenly felt a hand touch his shoulder and looked up to see his father beaming proudly down at him; At least Jake was on the elevator with his family. With that much going for the official American Dragon, Jake returned a smile to him. But his mind lingered, as it had for the last four weeks, on only one certain individual.

"Sun," He whispered softly to himself.

The hardest mission of his life had just gotten harder - his closest friends knew too much.

To be continued.

~ Lavender paw ~