Erza walked into the Den of the Dam-ed – an old board room – and was surprised to see her friend seated at the head of the table, an honor usually reserved for herself. The fact he sat there perturbed her beyond normal levels.

"Hello, Jellal." She said firmly, trying hard not to let her voice betray her emotions. "How may I help you and how soon can you leave?"

He stood and smirked towards the redhead. "My dear Erza." He said, "I wish you would call me Siegrain, it is my name you know."

Erza snorted. "How am I supposed to know which is which, you change them all the time."

"A man of many talents I like to say." He shrugged lightly, his smirk turning to a chaste smile.

"Many personalities, yes. Talents, not so much." Erza fought the smile threatening to surface a she strode to her seat and elegantly placed herself into it, hands folded over crossed knees. "So what can I do for you, Seigrain?"

"Jellal."

"Yes," Inwardly, Erza groaned. "Jellal."

In another room, second door on the right, a man sat at a large desk. He flipped another page in the file and tilted his head as he read.

"Master?" A white haired woman entered, bringing with her a tray topped with food. "I brought you lunch." She pushed the door closed with her hip and strode towards his cautiously, careful not to spill her tray. She sat it down next to his pile of papers and smiled when she read the titles.

"Going over patient files again, Master?" She smiled knowingly towards the older man. "I'm thinking of placing Juvia under Gray's care. Just to be sure nothing frightens her any further. Wendy is coping well in the junior division. We've gotten through that we won't be leaving and she's beginning to open up. Abandonment Issues are the worst."

The man nodded. "Good, good," He said as he put down the papers in favor of a sandwich. "Make sure you keep talking with them. You're my best therapist, Mira. I'm counting on you."

"But of course, Master."

"Lucy-san." Juvia said. "Juvia has a question."

Lucy didn't hear and continued to read.

"She can't hear you, Juvia." Gray said from his seat next to Lucy. "Deaf, remember?" He turned to the standing bluenette and his lips turned up in a small smile. "What is it you want to know?"

Juvia began to squirm slightly under the boys gaze. "W-well, J-Juvia was w-wondering why everyone referred to themselves as damned." She clutched the handle of her umbrella tightly, she carried it everywhere. "Juvia doesn't think Lucy-san, or Natsu-san, or Erza-san are bad people. Just..." She struggled for the right word.

"Damaged." Gray filled in. "Yea, that's what Dam-ed stands for. Not Damned, Dam-ed. Damaged."

"Mira-san. I'm here for my appointment." Lucy said as she entered. The white haired woman smiled from her seat and signed her greetings. They always spoke in ASL.

'Hello, Lucy.' She signed. 'How have you been lately? Are your ears any better?'

Lucy took a seat on the couch near Mira and signed back, 'I'm fine but Porlyusica says my ears are a lost cause.' She looked down dejectedly and placed her hands softly on her lap.

'There is no such thing as a lost cause, Lucy. This house would not exist otherwise. You were sent here because your father had hope, don't forget that.' Mira smiled encouragingly and her eyes were soft.

'My father sent me here as to get me out of the way. I may as well be dead instead of deaf for all he cares.' Lucy felt the bitter feeling she held for the man bubble deep within. She had never told Mira this, but she hated the man. With a passion.

'Now Lucy, that's no way to think.' Mira looked as though she were scolding a child.

'I don't think it, Mira, I know.' Lucy's face was hard and yet held a sadness Mira couldn't help but document.

There was definitely something going on.

Lucy traced her fingers lightly over the keys of the grand piano. Tentatively she depressed the A key, feeling the vibrations in the floor. Her feet were bare and she tapped her bare toes on the hardwood floor of the music room. She let her eyes slip closed as she felt the vibrations fade and the rythym set in her feet.

She kept her eyes closed as she sat on the edge of the bench, her hands yearning to touch those ivory bars. As she had done so may times before she reached them out, laying them gently in position. She hit a note, then another, and another until her fingers were dancing as they had always done across the polished ivory. She began to sway with the music, moving her body in motion with the movements of her hands, leaning forward and back in rythym.

As the song quickened, her movements harshened, her head bobbing and weaving a she moved, leaning forward into the keys. Tears began to prick at her eyes. The song softened again and her movements returned to swift and gentle, dancing along to her melody.

Her fingers slowed their pace, as if releasing the sound from her hands like sand. Her body slowed as well, her movements more enclosed and graceful. As the final note stayed in the air, she breathed slowly, savoring the vibrations in the floor. Slowly she opened her eyes, allowing the tears she held back to fall, slowly at first, but picking up momentum until her breathing was wracked with sobs.

She had written that piece, and she would never hear it again.

YAY!

I've got two plots for this but can't figure out which to start out with. SHould I start with Lucy's daddy issues or her piano issues? You decide, or I will.