A/N: HOORAY SUMMER! It's finally here! Summer is by far my favourite time of the year.

Just before we get to this chapter, I want to put forth my intentions to take part in Nalu Week 2018. Last year, my dear friends Quite-A-Riot, Wordsaremyspells1331 and I took part in a 21 one-shot challenge for Nalu week. It was SO FUN! There has been some seriously great work turned out, so please feel free to check it out on all 3 of our profile pages.

My work is listed under 4 different stories: Nalu Week 2016, Nalu Week 2017, and Nalu Week Random One-Shots, and of course, Buck-A-Suck.

The reason I mention this is because I wrote a couple stories that inadvertently were mentioned in this chapter. In particular. Specifically, please look for 'THE WILD', which is documented as Chapter 5 under Nalu Week Random Prompts...it was based on the Angel of Oops 2 Dragneel Family's play time.

I think you'll enjoy this chapter...it was particularly fun to write.

~Shana~

Wendy's eyes fluttered open, the sun peeking through the windows to tickle her awake. As she stretched, she noticed that she was still in Lark's arms...nestled comfortably against his chest. The intimacy of their skin on skin contact was unlike anything she had ever experienced. She wondered why it made her feel closer to him... and why the activities of the previous night seemed to bring them to a whole new level.

They were in bed...naked together. Completely naked. She was naked with her human...sort of Angel….ward. Their legs were intertwined, his fingers stroking her long blue hair in the depths of sleep. Her knee rested overtop of his...area, but she wasn't embarrassed, even though he sported morning wood. She had never been so at ease.

It shocked her that she wasn't freaking out.

Wendy ran her finger down Lark's chest, not pausing as he began to stir.

He groaned, nuzzling her neck in protest, "I'm not ready to get up yet...just a few more minutes."

"We can't," Wendy whispered, kissing his nose gently, "We have to leave town, remember?"

Lark intertwined his fingers with hers, his eyes cracking open, "You can't blame me for trying. I would much rather spend the day naked in bed with you."

Wendy kissed his cheek, then threw her legs over the edge of the bed, "We can't, Lark. We took a day to ourselves already. That was more than we could afford. We need to leave town."

She grabbed the sheet at the end of the bed, covering herself as she stood.

Lark watched her stretching form, sighing heavily, "Okay...I'm up. Maybe we should take another shower before we go though. We don't know where we'll end up tonight. It might be awhile before we settle somewhere."

Wendy pointed an accusing finger at him, a grin on her face as she realized what he was really suggesting, "No shower! Just get dressed and gather your things."

Lark smirked, but got out of the bed, not bothering to hide his nakedness from her as he searched through his backpack to find some clothes.

"It could be a short shower," he quipped, flexing his eyebrows suggestively.

Wendy threw a pillow at him before grabbing her own clothes, "Aren't you...going to get dressed in the bathroom?"

"Why?" he queried with a cocky grin, "You've seen it all now...nothing to hide."

"You're right," Wendy decided with a matching grin.

She dropped the sheet, turning her back to him as she slid on her undergarments.

Lark's jaw hit the floor, gawking as she made a show of putting her clothes on. It took a moment before he could shake himself out of shock enough to slide on his jeans. "We don't have much to pack. We'll need our shower stuff from the bathroom, our backpacks, and my cell. That's about it."

He froze, his eyes landing on his cell phone.

"What?" Wendy asked, now fully dressed.

Lark turned on his cell, his face turning solemn as he scrolled to his calendar, his suspicions confirmed.

"It's Daisuke's birthday today," he murmured, chucking the cell back onto the desk as he slumped into the chair. "I haven't missed his birthday since we met."

Wendy hated the look in his eye. Through all of their ordeal, Lark rarely mentioned his best friends or family. It occurred to her then just how much he must miss them. She resolved to bring them up a little more often. Avoidance was not helping him.

She put down her clothes, crossing the room to his side. Lark stilled as her arms enveloped him, drawing him into a loose hug.

"Wherever he is, Lark...you know he's thinking about you too. They all are."

Lark sank into her embrace, "They're fine, right? The Angels are protecting them."

"Yeah," Wendy promised, stroking his hair gently, "You don't have to worry. The Angels won't do anything to put them in danger."

She kissed the top of his head, shrieking as he pulled her down onto his lap, capturing her lips in a much firmer kiss. Wendy stopped struggling, giving all of herself into it. Maybe his friends and family couldn't be there, but Wendy would do everything in her power to keep him happy. He needed this intimacy. If she was being honest with herself, so did she.

Lark rested his forehead on hers, both of them basking in their quiet moment.

"Thank you," he whispered, "Wendy…"

"It's okay," Wendy assured him, "But we really have to go."

Lark nodded, putting his cell in his backpack. Wendy gathered her last remaining items and they left the room, hand in hand, fully concealed.

The housekeeper dumped the soiled hospital-issued bedding in the trolley beside her, then moved to the next empty room. It was her job to ready the fourth floor after the mass discharge for new patients, but the nurses on this floor were resisting the orderlies, making it very difficult for her to do her job.

She cast a nervous glance to the reception desk of the 4th floor, where orderlies escorted discharged patients to the main entrance downstairs. The head nurse was livid, still resisting the little old man who sent his orderlies into the ward, discharging the patients against her will.

"These people are still injured!" Daphne insisted angrily, staring the little old orderly down.

He signaled the orderlies behind him, completely dressed in white, to proceed with the next round of discharges. They passed by, the tall, sandy-haired one barking out orders to the others about which patients to take next.

"Orders are orders!" the old man insisted, pointing to the papers in his hand, "And I have orders for the release of the following people…"

"Don't bother reading that!" Daphne snapped, her eyes starting to glow red, "You have no idea who you're dealing with. Turn around...leave...and don't come back."

Makarov chuckled, his moustache curling up with a wide grin.

"I'm afraid your powers of persuasion will have no effect on me, young lady," Makarov told her, his face turning serious, "In fact, I feel that you must be horribly overworked to be so incredibly rude to us."

"You have no idea who you're dealing with!" Daphne repeated, her red eyes glaring menacingly at him. The orderlies flinched, backing up a step or two as she stared Makarov down.

Makarov narrowed his eyes, "Nor do you, madam. I'm growing tired of this argument. Do us a favour...and just look the other way."

Daphne froze, her eyes fading back to their regular colour. She shot him a defiant scowl, "Fine. Good day, sir."

She spun on her heel, marching to the main desk. Makarov smirked as he watched her go, asking the other nurses about the new lunch menu.

Makarov lifted his cell phone after a long moment, "All units...report."

"The first batch of the dischargees are on their way home," a male voice said, "The next group is being gathered and we'll move out momentarily."

"Excellent. Any sign of Daisuke?" Makarov asked.

"Not yet," a female voice responded, "But we're running out of rooms to check. He's here somewhere."

"Operation Save the Dai is a go, my children…" Makarov said solemnly, "Make sure your weapons are locked and loaded. Proceed with extreme caution and remember to report in every ten minutes."

There was a brief pause as Makarov heard the undeniable cocking of guns in the background. He snickered to himself, knowing this group wouldn't need their guns, Nerf or otherwise. Still, it made them feel better.

"Who came up with that name anyway?" another male voice asked, " 'Operation Save The Dai'..."

"Connor…" everyone groaned collectively.

"I'm really glad you're spending time with your mother," Natsu told Lucy as he paced the hotel room, his cell phone on loudspeaker. "This is all...just so hard to believe."

"I know," Lucy agreed, "But there are Angels everywhere, working hand in hand with us. Natsu...you wouldn't believe everything we're discovering. How...how is the search going?"

"Sometimes I feel like we're never going to find him," Natsu confided, sitting on the edge of the bed, "The team has separated and we're traveling two different areas of Fiore to find them but... there are no signs. Not to mention Romeo has decided to declare war on me. He thinks I'm consorting with demons."

There was a pause on the other end as someone called to Lucy. She told them she'd be a minute before turning back to their conversation.

"Romeo must know that's not true," Lucy insisted, "He knows you almost as well as I do. There's something else going on."

"I think so too," Natsu sighed. He paused, trying to rid himself of the foreboding feeling that sat in the pit of his stomach. His head hurt from worrying about it. He needed to change the subject, "How are the kids?"

"They're good," Lucy promised, "Mama has been spending as much time with them as she can. They try to follow up clues we may have missed. I don't know what they're working on now, but they're pretty excited about it."

Natsu cocked his head, "They're smart! They must get that from their old man. Let me know what they come up with."

"I'll let you know when they tell us. The kids are up in the attic today - that's their usual perch. They've asked to not be bothered. Apparently, they're following up some lead," Lucy paused, tears encroaching her voice, "You'd be so proud of them, Natsu...they work so hard...even though they've been through so much. We miss you. Come home soon, okay?"

"I miss all of you too," Natsu assured her, wiping his own tear from his eye. This was the longest he'd ever been away from his family. He missed arguing with Mieske and Connor over bedtime...cuddling with Brielle as he read her a story...hearing Aki and Aimi argue about who got the bathroom first while Hansuke and/or Haru slipped in unnoticed...he even missed Lark trying to get out of chores. He missed them all, "I'll bring Lark home if it's the last thing I do, Luce."

"I love you, Natsu."

"I love you too. Talk to you tomorrow," he murmured as his hotel door opened. The call disconnected, leaving Natsu with an empty feeling.

"You okay, Flame-Brain?" Gray asked, sitting on the bed beside him.

Natsu nodded wordlessly.

"The car is packed. We're moving out," Gray told him.

Natsu nodded again, following Gray outside to begin another long day of fruitless searching.

"We couldn't have missed Jiggle by more than 5 minutes," Gajeel growled, "I don't know how he slipped past us."

"According to the surveillance tape, he went out the employees exit at the back of the store," Sting murmured, playing the tape back again for the twelth time, "We need to check out that clearing."

"We don't have the manpower to spare," Rogue argued.

Sting was about to reply, but his cell phone started ringing. He answered with a gruff, "Sting here. Talk to me."

Sting turned his back to the group so he could hear his phone call.

"The items gathered..." Erza said carefully, reading over her list again, "...Dan must be orchestrating their retrieval."

"It's mostly items like rope and tarps," Loke stated, looking over Erza's shoulder.

"Yes," Erza agreed as she pointed to one item in particular, "But only Dan would know to grab that item."

"Infrared camera?" Loke shook his head, "I don't understand. Why would that point to Dan?"

"He's looking for Angels," Gajeel smirked, Erza confirming with a nod.

"Dan's memory was wiped - he wouldn't remember that," Sting argued.

"No," Gajeel growled, "You're right about that. Someone may have reminded him."

"I'm heading to headquarters," Sting announced, cutting off Erza's next response. The others could hear the excitement in his voice.

"What's happening?" Rogue asked.

"The wounded!" Sting replied, "They've all been discharged...and they're checking in with Evergreen at the station."

The room froze.

"What about Daisuke?" Rogue asked, standing up, "Does Laki know? Is she going to get him?"

Sting shook his head. He didn't know.

"I'm going with you," Rogue told him, grabbing his jacket, "I'll call Laki on the way."

The two men slipped out the door.

"Let's get back out on patrol," Gajeel suggested to Erza, "I can't sit here anymore. We were so close yesterday. I say we go transparent. Time to catch this jerk in the act...this time if I smell his ass, he ain't getting away."

"Transparent?" Loke asked. He was learning the Angel abilities, even though he'd had a crash course at orientation, "That's when we're invisible, but still able to interact with mortal objects? Won't humans be capable of feeling you?"

Gajeel and Erza both wore shit-eating grins, Gajeel cracking his knuckles, "Exactly."

"Do it," Loke agreed, "I'll stay here and watch the live feeds. Sooner or later, he's going to slip up. When he does, I'll be able to tell you where to strike."

"Not if I get to him first," Gajeel growled.

Erza and Gajeel nodded to Loke, then disappeared.

"It's kind of weird to be invisible to the rest of the world again," Wendy commented as she walked hand in hand down the boardwalk toward the train station, "Nobody acknowledges us. It's like we don't exist."

They had agreed that they would both remain concealed as they made their way to the next town. It was better not to take chances after their stupid stunt the day before.

Although neither said it out loud, neither of them regretted their special day. It was completely natural to hold hands as they walked. A new level of closeness had been achieved and the natural high from their romantic interlude hadn't worn off yet.

Lark squeezed her hand, "Now you know how I feel. I've been human all my life...and suddenly I'm hiding all the time."

"I didn't consider that," Wendy admitted, "This can't be easy."

Lark shrugged, "Better than the alternative, I suppose."

"You must miss everyone," Wendy said softly.

Lark tilted his head, nodding affirmatively, "I do. It's funny because before, I used to get so annoyed by my family... even by my friends at times. But now...I'd do anything to know for sure that they're all safe. I hope Daisuke is surrounded by everyone he loves today."

Wendy nodded, "It must be nice to have so many people that care about you."

"You must miss your friends too," Lark surmised.

Wendy paused, realizing for the first time that maybe she did, "I suppose so. I used to find them oppressive at times, especially Erik and Jellal. They have overprotected me my whole Angelic career, I think. I don't have family...but overall, the Crime Sorciere Angels have always looked out for me."

Lark stopped walking, reaching for her other hand, "We still have each other."

Wendy smiled, their eyes meeting, "Yeah. We do."

They settled into a comfortable silence, arriving at the train station. A train was just arriving, indicating their best chance at leaving town soon.

"We need to know where that train is heading," Wendy said quietly, "There's no point in doubling back on ourselves. I'll go see if I can figure out the best route for us to take out of town. If you're hungry, maybe you should stock up on snacks from the vending machine."

She kissed his lips gently, then headed for the station.

Lark glanced over to the machine, noting the meager selection. However, beggars couldn't be choosers.

He checked to ensure no one was looking, then slipped some coins into the machine, selecting a few granola bars and bottled water. Placing them into the backpack, he settled back against the wall to wait for Wendy.

And that's when he saw her.

A woman stood on the platform, her long, dark hair reaching her waist. Her feet were bare, which struck Lark as odd, but she wore the telltale white garb that went to her ankles. There was no doubt in his mind...

...for the first time in several days, Lark could see an Angel.

The housekeeper pushed in the trolley of fresh linens, keeping her eyes cast downward, lest any of the psychotic nurses try to harass her for doing her job… again. This was certainly a suspicious bunch of medical professionals, in her opinion. None of the other floors gave her this kind of trouble.

The head nurse was still storming up and down the hallway, but it was like she had no idea why she was so angry anymore. The housekeeper decided it was better to shut the heck up and say nothing. She really didn't want to be on Daphne's shit list.

She retrieved her linen cart from the hallway, picking up a clean set of linen from the cart. She reached underneath the curtain of the cart to retrieve some garbage bags. She froze, backing up slightly. The garbage bags that should have been there were absent...and she was damned sure she'd just felt something...alive?

Swallowing, she checked the hallway to be sure she wasn't being watched. She took a deep breath, slowly lowering herself to the cart to lift the curtain.

Two sets of dark eyes stared back at her.

The housekeeper reeled back, opening her mouth to scream when a hand completely covered her, an arm wrapping her securely from behind.

"We're the good guys," a male voice whispered in her ear, "Everyone on this floor is being held against their will. We're here to break them free. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

The housekeeper had no idea how to react, so she nodded slowly.

"I'm going to uncover your mouth," he told her, his voice cracking slightly, "I'm trusting that you won't give us away. Are you going to scream?"

She shook her head, suddenly realizing that this person was no more than a teenager...going through puberty, apparently, judging by the way his voice cracked.

The two sets of eyes scrambled off the cart, standing behind her captor as he slowly released her mouth. She turned carefully to face them. There were 3 boys in front of her. The teenager was tall and blonde, the two younger boys probably no more than 10 to 12 years old, both strawberry blonde-haired. All three wore camouflage shirts and belts around their heads...two streaks of green war paint on each cheek. Each boy carried a loaded Nerf gun, the largest boy's designed like a double barreled machine gun.

"We need your help, Ma'am," the taller boy said, "We need to find Daisuke Cheney...do you know where he's being held?"

The woman shook her head, shell-shocked, "I don't know that name...perhaps if you describe him..."

"He'll be the only teenager on this floor," the smallest of the boys said, cocking his Nerf gun as he surveyed both sides of the hallways to ensure they were still alone, "We've accounted for the rest of the hostages...but we haven't found him yet."

The housekeeper's eyes widened, "The violent boy. I'm not allowed to clean his room."

The three boys exchanged glances.

"Daisuke is not violent Ma'am," the middle-sized boy assured her, "Can you tell us where he is?"

The housekeeper swallowed again, pointing down the hallway to the darkest end of the ward.

"Thank you, Ma'am," the tall, blonde boy nodded to her, "You should get off this floor. Go to Dr. Porlyusica. She'll make sure you don't lose your job if things go south."

The housekeeper didn't need to be asked twice. She turned on her heel to leave, pausing only when the three boys started down the hallway after their friend.

"Wait," she asked softly, "Who are you?"

The tall blonde saluted her, the other two flanking him and saluting in turn, "Sergeant Major Ren Eucliffe, at your service. Rest assured...every last hostage on this floor is getting out of here alive."

The housekeeper's eyes widened, taken aback by his use of the word 'hostage', but she didn't ask any more questions as she made her hasty exit.

"Corporal Mieske...Private Connor!" Ren ordered as loudly as he could whisper.

Both boys saluted him immediately, "SIR!"

"We need to radio Squadron B and make them aware of the mission objective's whereabouts," Ren told them, "Our mission is to check every room in the east hall and ensure they've all been evacuated. Corporal Mieske, communication falls to you."

"SIR!" Mieske saluted again, walking a short distance away to report in to Master Makarov.

Connor cocked an eyebrow, eyeing the older boy inquisitively, "Permission to speak freely, sir?"

Ren exchanged glances with Mieske, then nodded, "Quickly, Private. We have limited time."

"Why does Mieske get to be a Corporal and I'm only a Private?" Connor asked.

"If we do a good job and everyone gets off this floor without our being discovered," Ren promised, "We'll ask Master Makarov for a promotion, okay?"

"With all due respect, he's only a year old than I am. If he's a Corporal, then I should be one too."

Ren sighed, shaking his head. There was no time for arguing, "Fine. Consider yourself promoted, Corporal Connor."

"Also, Sir!" Connor interrupted, stopping Ren's attempt at commencing their mission, "Why do you get to have Big Happy? He belongs to my dad...one of the Dragneels should carry him."

Sighing heavily, Ren removed the double-barrelled Nerf machine gun and exchanged it for Connor's dinky single-shot.

Connor grinned, shooting Mieske a smug grin, then proceeded to check the surrounding rooms for unevacuated victims. With Corporal Connor Dragneel on duty, no stone would be left unturned.

The rest of the group were more than happy to stretch their legs, but Jellal found himself watching Romeo. He was acting stranger and stranger by the day. Jellal had listened at the hotel room door for some time the night before. Romeo had insisted on having his own room, citing that he sure as hell wasn't going to share with Cana and Bacchus. Lyon and Jellal had taken a room. Midnight didn't give a rat's ass where he slept, actually falling asleep in the back of Cana's SUV instead of picking a room.

Jellal had heard voices inside. Part of him thought about knocking on the door to find out who was in the room with Romeo. The other part of him suspected if he revealed his suspicions to Romeo too soon, he might never know what was really going on. Romeo would cover up whatever he was up to before Jellal could figure out the whole truth. He also thought about concealing. Few Angels knew of this ability. He could freely enter the room and see for himself first-hand what Romeo was up to. Just as he took the shadows to conceal, Midnight stepped out of the van, groggily rubbing his eyes.

"Yo, Jellal! Which room is mine?"

Jellal sighed, knowing in hindsight that he'd waited too long.

They had made it to Shirotsume. From here, they would cross the mountains to focus on the small coastal towns on this side of Fiore. The other team was crossing through the centre of the country toward Crocus. When he'd spoken to Minerva earlier in the day, she said they hadn't come across anything unusual.

He didn't tell her about her the hotel room and Romeo, but a part of him wondered if he should have.

Cana and Bacchus hunkered over a map with Lyon, picking out small towns that could make good hiding spots for two runaway teens. Cana had the Intelligence Team on loudspeaker, catching up on the news in Magnolia.

The briefing finished, Lucy mentioned that she was reunited with her mother, who was getting to know all the kids. Cana was really happy for her friend. She couldn't count how many times in the past she had wished for her own mother to come back to her somehow. She paused, thinking about her father. She still had him, but he was laid up in the hospital still. She really needed to go and see him.

"Hey Laki...can I talk to Toby and Yuka?" she asked.

"Laki's not here," Mira's voice informed her, "It looks like Daisuke is getting out of the hospital today. Laki went to the police station so she and Rogue can get him together. ALL the officers have been released...which means we have a much larger force to work with."

"The kids have asked to not be disturbed today," Lucy added, "They've locked themselves in the attic. There's something they're trying to figure out."

Cana frowned, "Well...are Toby and Yuka doing okay? Are they fitting in?"

"You'd be proud," Lisanna assured her, "The kids have completely accepted them. Full forgiveness. Toby and Yuka are working really hard to do their part."

"Are you sure you can't interrupt them?" Bacchus asked, "We just want a minute."

"I'll go check on them," a voice they didn't recognize piped up.

"Who's this?" Cana asked, making eye contact with Bacchus.

"I'm Layla," the woman's voice said, her voice musical, "I'm Lucy's mother."

"Just hang on a minute," Lucy cut in, "We'll call the kids down."

"I'll go!" Layla insisted.

"It's okay, Mama...I'll go with you. Be right back, Cana."

"Yeah," Cana said softly, the unfamiliar pang of jealousy touching her heart over Lucy's unexpected reunion with her mother. "Thanks."

The police station was a flurry of activity as Rogue and Sting arrived. The atmosphere was joyful and celebratory, and they found themselves surrounded by hoards of officers greeting them with bear hugs and pats on the shoulder.

"We're back, Chief!' one of the officers called out, "And we're ready for action."

"Just tell us what to do to get those bastards back!" another called out.

"Everyone report to the Briefing room!" Evergreen called out.

Sting and Rogue found themselves being pulled along in the fray of officers, those who had been overworked for the past several weeks, and those that had been involuntarily detained.

Slowly, they made their way up to the front, exchanging glances as both wondered why everyone had been released at once.

"Welcome back!" Sting declared, extending his arms wide.

The officers cheered uproariously.

Sting took the time to update the officers on the current state of affairs. Half of Fairy Tail were traveling with the Angels to find Lark and Wendy. The other half remained in Magnolia, trying to find Dan.

As he finished, the room fell into an uneasy silence. The officers hadn't been advised before of the Angel presence. It answered a lot of their unasked questions.

"So...what happened to all of you?" Rogue asked slowly, "We were under the impression that you were still gravely injured. The hospital wouldn't tell us more than that...and due to some outbreak, we weren't allowed to go see you."

"Blatant lies," Droy yelled angrily, "They were keeping us prisoner on that floor."

"Who was?" Jet asked, confused. The officers that had not been hospitalized looked as overworked as they felt.

"The nurses," Vijeeter spat, "They weren't nurses. There's no way they were nurses."

The room broke out into frustrated comments, agreement to that statement.

"So how did you get out?" Sting queried, his voice loud to overcome the din in the room.

The room froze, knowing Sting and Rogue would not like the answer.

"Rogue!"

Laki threw open the door, rushing to her husband's side for a hug...and effectively saving the stunned officers from having to answer the question immediately.

"Where's Daisuke?"

Rogue's eyes widened, scanning the crowd. With the bombardment of back-slapping cops, he'd forgotten to check on Daisuke.

"Where are Gildarts and Daisuke?" Rogue demanded.

Rogue caught the glances between officers as they shook their heads, waiting for one of them to step up and tell him what had become of his son.

"They're still there," Sting realized.

"They'll get out," Droy promised firmly, "The team that released us was efficient. And I don't know what they did to those nurses, but no one was stopping them."

"We need to go to the hospital," Laki grabbed Rogue's arm, "Rogue…"

Rogue glanced at Sting long enough to see him affirmative nod, then ran from the precinct with Laki in tow.

Lark was enamoured with the Angel's beauty. She wavered on her feet slightly, making him wonder if she'd been hurt. He also realized the Angel would not be able to see him while he was concealed.

Glancing toward the train station, he could see Wendy was not on her way back yet.

The Angel stroked her long, dark hair, humming lightly to herself. She didn't seem to be worried about getting somewhere...and she didn't seem to be waiting for anyone. It was so strange to see an Angel just... standing there. After the long absence with no Angels around at all, it was odd that this one didn't seem to have a job. And she was alone. No ward in sight.

The Angel wandered to some nearby roses, stooping to smell them. She wavered slightly, and Lark almost moved to help her before she fell into them, but she righted herself, sighing contently before resuming her position, staring at the bus stop.

So she did have an agenda. She was watching for something.

Lark still couldn't see Wendy. He wished she'd hurry up. He wondered if it would be a good idea to talk to the Angel. If he unconcealed, he could find out what she was doing. Of course, that meant exposing himself again.

He watched her sit down on a bench, casting another glance toward the train station. It occured to Lark that could she could have been stationed here to look for him and Wendy to bring them under Heaven's protection. If that was the case, then he had to reveal himself.

Something nagged at the back of his mind...just watch a little longer.

"We've got everyone but Gildarts and Daisuke," Toby murmured, adjusting his hat, "And the nurses haven't bothered us once."

"The old man is weirding me out though," Yuka commented, glancing back at Makarov, still leaning against the entrance door, his eyes closed. He looked to be deep in concentration.

"We should have had Ren ask the housekeeper where Gildarts is too," Hansuke pushed a door open, confirming the room was empty, "We're running out of places to look."

"If Daisuke is on one end of the ward, would Gildarts be in the same part of the ward?" Toby asked.

Yuka shook his head, "No way to know for sure."

"Sure there is," Hansuke scoffed, "We could ask one of the nurses."

The boys exchanged glances, looking over to the main desk where the nurses still squabbled over their choices on the lunch menu.

"I'm hungry," Brielle whispered as she checked both sides of the kitchen before opening the dumbwaiter, "How convenient that my entrance point is in the kitchen."

To her delight, the nurses' lunches had been delivered.

"Brielle!" Sora warned, as she climbed out of the dumbwaiter behind the younger girl, "We don't have time to eat. We need to find Daisuke and get the hell out of here. The boys are almost done evacuating the floor."

"And according to Master," Aimi added, hopping to the floor, holding up a piece of paper, "These are the directions the maid gave the boys...they should take us right to Daisuke."

"I'm thirsty," Megumi complained as she joined Brielle beside the nurses' lunches, "Oh look! Fresh juice!"

"Bottomless pits," Aki murmured, "You're worse than the boys."

"Aki...I'm really hungry!" Brielle insisted, tugging on her sister's sleeve.

"Toby, Yuka and Hansuke are almost done escorting people to the lobby…" Saichi told them, "And Connor, Mieske, and Ren are almost done making sure the rooms are all clear. We need to get Daisuke and be gone before the nurses know we're here. You'll have to wait to have a snack 'til we get back to the house."

Brielle's lower lip started quivering. Aimi rolled her eyes, having caught on to Brielle's best trick at getting what she wanted long ago. Aki, however, was still oblivious.

Aki sighed in defeat, "Fine...take some things off the plates and let's get out of here."

Brielle and Megumi's faces lit up, quickly dipping their little fingers into various bowls.

"Vanilla pudding!" Megumi exclaimed, "Mmmm! It's good!"

Brielle grabbed an egg roll, biting into it, "It's not China Palace, but it's not bad! I'm going to grab some pudding too!"

She grabbed a small bowl, then passed Megumi one of the juice glasses.

"KANPAI, MEGUMI!"

"KANPAI!" Megumi called back, laughing.

"SHHHHH!" the rest of the girls hissed.

Megumi and Brielle each put a shushing finger to their mouths, giggling softly.

Both girls swigged back the juice until it was gone.

"Let's go," Aki whispered, "We need to turn left from the kitchen according to the boys' directions."

The girls followed Aki to the door. Brielle dipped her finger into the pudding, sticking it into her mouth as they all filed through.

There were nurses at the nursing station, but all their backs were turned.

"Oh Mavis…" Brielle whispered. Her eyes started to tear, her face going red.

"Brielle?" Aimi asked, concerned. This was not one of her ploys. Brielle looked like she was…

"Are you choking?" Saichi asked in alarm.

Aki ushered everyone back into the kitchen.

Aimi stood behind her sister, ready to perform the Heimlich maneuver, "How do you choke on pudding, Brielle? Only you!"

Brielle pushed Aimi away.

"What the heck?" Megumi asked.

"Wasabi!" Brielle's face was bright red as she started coughing uncontrollably, "Not pudding - that was wasabi!"

"Milk!" Sora cried out, rushing for the fridge.

Aki edged back to the door while the other girls shoved copious amounts of milk down Brielle's throat, glancing down the hallway toward the nurse's desk. Oddly enough, the nurses were still talking amongst themselves...none the wiser to the girls' presence.

"I haven't been to Era before," Sorano murmured as the van rolled into the semi-large town.

"Cherry blossom capital of Fiore," Virgo smiled, gesturing to the multiple trees around them, "I lived here when I was a kid."

"Also the home of the Angel Council," Minerva put in, "This is where Angels convene to discuss how to handle Earthland crises."

"But we've not been sent here before," Ezel stated, perplexed.

Minerva shook her head, "Not you...but Erik comes frequently. Jellal sometimes too."

"So there should be an abundance of Angels here," Juvia commented, "Maybe we can commission them to help us find Larcade and Wendy."

Natsu slowed the van down, scanning the streets, "We might be hard-pressed to find anyone in this city."

It was true. The streets were vacant.

"How odd," Minerva commented, "Am I the only one who finds this unnerving?"

"Nope," Gray shook his head, "A city of this size should not be...empty."

Natsu pulled the van into a shopping mall, the crew disembarking cautiously. There were cars all over the lot, but no people, no Angels.

"Not even signs of Angels," Sorano said, surveying the area, "Could they be concealed?"

"That's possible," Minerva stated, "Generally Angels don't conceal unless they have to. Concealment hides an Angel completely from every being unless you choose to appear to another Angel...but it takes a lot of discipline to hold it stable. Unless it's absolutely dire, generally, Angels choose to remain transparent...and there's definitely no transparent Angels other than us in this parking lot."

They spread out, not leaving the area of the van, but each individual surveying their perspective direction. It was eery how still the town had become. Not even the cherry blossoms were moving with the slight wind.

"Does anybody else feel that?" Natsu asked, his fists balling.

Gray felt the hair on his neck prick, "I do."

"Worse," Sorano commented as the group gravitated together again, "I don't normally see Aura…"

"Dark Aura," Ezel growled, "It's thick here."

The Angels surrounded Virgo and Natsu, all watching the vast area suspiciously.

"We could get in the van and keep going," Juvia suggested, "Crocus is an hour away."

"We won't get through the city," Minerva stated, assuming a defensive stance.

"What gives you that idea?" Virgo asked, "We could try."

Natsu sniffed the air, his eyes flashing red as something flashed past him.

"Oh," Virgo whispered, "Shit."

Lark stooped to the ground, preparing to unconceal. The Angel sang to herself as she started walking toward the train station. If he didn't do it now, he would lose her in the thickening crowd.

He froze, feeling a hand on his back. He'd been so busy watching the Angel, he'd forgotten to keep his eye on his surroundings. Was it a trap? Had he unknowingly exposed himself?

"Lark!" Wendy greeted breathlessly, "The train is going to Crocus. It's a little closer to Magnolia than I'd like to go, but the city is large. It will be easy to hide."

Lark let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding, turning to hug her, "You scared me."

Wendy frowned, "Scared you?"

Lark turned back to where the Angel was, his face falling as he realized she had disappeared.

"What is it?" Wendy asked, following his eyes.

"I saw an Angel," Lark murmured. Wendy's eyes widened as he pulled away, grabbing her hand, "C'mon. Maybe we can still catch her!"

They ran into the crowd, Lark scanning the area as he pulled Wendy behind him. There were a ton of people, but no Angels at all.

Lark slowed to a stop, slumping his shoulders.

"She's gone."

"Wait...are you sure she was an Angel?" Wendy asked.

"I'm sure," Lark stated, starting into the crowd. He turned in circles, looking for any sign of the black-haired beauty.

"Lark, are you sure?" Wendy cried out as he yanked her forward into a run.

"We have to hurry!" Lark insisted, "She was just here!"

"Lark!" Wendy exclaimed as he bumped into a nearby human, knocking her to the ground, "Lark, she's gone! STOP!"

Lark sighed, his shoulders slumping, "Sorry, Wendy. I just...got excited."

"I know," Wendy said softly, "Maybe if you've seen one, more are on the way. Let's get on the train, okay? Maybe she's boarding too."

Lark nodded solemnly, following her deeper into the crowd.

Corporals Mieske and Connor Dragneel edged themselves along the wall of the dark hallway, Ren taking up the rear as he watched the nurse's desk. It was awfully strange that the nurses hadn't made their rounds...nor did they check on any suspicious noises. It was like they were entranced, still discussing the lunch menu as they had been for the past half hour, even though the lunch lady had been and gone.

The boys were satisfied that all the officers had been evacuated. Hansuke, Toby and Yuka, having taken their last jaunt down to the lobby to send off the last of the officers, had joined their group. They needed to find Daisuke and Gildarts.

"You go, Connor," Hansuke urged, "Just approach the desk and look for something that could tell us where Gildarts is. Don't let them see you. We'll create a distraction."

Connor nodded, rolling behind a cart in the hallway. He peered over the top, staking out his plan in his mind.

"We are so gonna get caught," Ren sighed.

"Whatever. We need to know where Gildarts is," Toby cringed at that thought, remembering the past when Gildarts had been the arresting officer during one of their petty thefts.

Yuka was thinking the same thing, Toby surmised, judging by the solemn look on his face, "Just get ready to make the distraction."

All the boys cocked their Nerf guns.

Connor raced to the next cart, nodding to the boys that he was now close enough to get to the desk if he had a clear run at it. They could commence the distraction when they were ready.

"Nothing like point-blank confrontation," Mieske declared, stepping out into the hallway. He started firing his bullets, one of the foam pieces hitting Daphne in the head.

The other boys followed suit, watching as Connor made his move to the next closest doorway.

Daphne readjusted her bangs, oblivious to the bright green dart lying on the floor in front of her.

The nurses didn't move. In fact, they turned the other way.

Connor stood straight up, looking back at the confused boys with a shrug.

Turning back to his task at hand, he tiptoed toward the desk, watching each nurse carefully as they went about their business. It was like they couldn't even see Connor approaching...and he was right in front of them.

Connor scanned the desk, looking for anything that would tell him where Gildarts was. He grinned, coming across the medication orders, where Gildarts' room number was in big bold letters….right next to Daisuke's room.

He motioned to the other boys that they had to cross the hallway.

"So weird," Haru shook his head as the entire group passed right by the nurses. The nurses effectively turned in the opposite direction as each kid passed.

Literally the moment the entire group of 6 boys passed the nursing station, Mieske's cell went off, indicating a call from the girls.

"We've found Daisuke!" Sora's voice informed them over their cell intercoms, "He's heavily sedated. Aki is taking out his IV now."

"Gildarts is in the room next to his," Mieske reported, "We're on our way now."

Squeals erupted into the phone, forcing him to push it away from his ear.

"Sorry!" Aki's voice exclaimed, "I've never taken an IV out before!"

"There's blood everywhere," Brielle exclaimed, "He'd better not bleed out, Aki, or I'll be really mad at you!"

"Quick - put pressure on it!" Aimi demanded.

There was a bunch of scuffling, Aki sighed audibly.

"Good work," Haru told them once the disgruntled sounds stopped, presumably indicating Aki got the bleeding under control, "We're on our way."

"Acknowledged," Sora replied, "But could you send a couple guys here to help us move Daisuke to the wheelchair? He's dead-weight."

"Sure. We'll be right there," Yuka told her.

"What do you mean they're gone?!" Cana thundered into the cell phone, "How do a dozen kids get past an Angel compound?"

Lucy was rushing through the house, checking each room for the missing kids, "They can't be far, Cana! They know they're not supposed to leave the house!"

"And yet - they're not here!" Mira cried out, slamming Aki's bedroom door as she rushed to the next.

Layla sighed, a little miffed that Lucy had insisted so strongly that she would go to the attic with Layla to check on the kids. The gig was up. The kids - and Makarov and Layla - were busted. Nothing left to do now but tell the truth. Makarov had been expecting this, but he had asked Layla to buy them enough time for the mission to be completed. She hoped they'd succeeded.

"It's okay," Layla said calmly, halting the panicking Intelligence Team, "They'll be back soon."

"Mama?" Lucy asked, her voice quivering.

"Where are they?" Levy demanded, her small body shaking with anxiety.

"They had a special mission," Layla told them, "But you don't need to worry. Master Makarov himself is overseeing it."

"Mavis," Levy cried out, "Laki...she said the hospitalized policemen were reporting to duty at the station. She's gone to get Daisuke."

"They didn't!" Lucy fumed, grabbing her purse. She stared at her mother, noting the calmness in her eyes as she didn't deny what Lucy suspected. Lucy stormed for the door, slamming it against the cupboard as she headed for her car.

Levy grabbed her purse too, rushing after Lucy as their Angelic companions exchanged glances, then hurried to catch up. Lisanna exchanged glances with Layla, calmed by the smile on her lips.

"They did, didn't they?" Lisanna asked, feeling pride in her honourary nieces' and nephews' brave gesture.

Layla nodded, taking Lisanna's arm as they hurried to catch up to the Intelligence Team, "Yeah...they did."

"Wherever Lark and Wendy went," Cana said, plopping herself down at the picnic table. Her mind was racing, worried about the boys no one else cared about. She needed a distraction, "They didn't come through this town. My guess is they hopped a non-stop train to the coast."

"The coast?" Lyon asked, "Why would they go there?"

"Because they could get on a boat if they had to," Romeo suggested, toying with the fries in front of him, "They're in hiding. And they need every escape route possible."

Jellal eyed Romeo as the conversation diverted to the next town the group should travel to.

"Is something bothering you, Romeo?" Jellal asked, taking a seat beside him.

Romeo feigned looking surprised, "Not at all...just worried about Lark."

"And that's all?" Jellal asked.

Romeo tossed his fries in a nearby garbage can, "That's an odd question considering the team hasn't talked to me all day."

"How did you think they'd react?" Jellal queried, "Natsu has been a part of Magnolia for a long time. Nobody wants to believe he's capable of consorting with demons."

"Well, you would know," Romeo said, his voice quiet, "After all, you knew him when he was an Angel, didn't you? Maybe you knew him as a demon too."

Romeo got up from the picnic table, storming away toward the bathroom, leaving Jellal in stunned contemplation.

Wendy and Lark boarded the train using transport. They waited for the humans to settle in their seats before choosing their seats, staying as far from the other passengers as they could.

"Crocus is a beautiful city," Wendy said cheerfully, "I'm excited to see it again!"

"I went there once for Aki's dance recital when we were little," Lark told her, relaxing into the seat. He reached for her, drawing her into his side, "Natsu hated the city though. We never went back."

"Why do you call him Natsu, Lark?" Wendy asked, her hand finding his.

Lark had a momentary sense of deja-vu. They'd definitely had this conversation before at some point. Lark had resolved afterward that he would do better to respect Natsu as his father. He had always been there. He deserved that respect.

"You're right," Lark conceded, altering his speech pattern, "My Dad...he hated the city. More specifically, he hates elevators. Lucy - Mom - always makes sure when we go somewhere, we stay on the ground level."

"What's your favourite memory?" Wendy asked.

Lark snorted, "I've never thought about it before. With 2 parents and 7 siblings, things rarely stay quiet for me long enough to choose."

Wendy gazed intently at him, smoothing his blonde bangs out of his eyes, gently urging him to think about it now.

"Christmas morning," Lark said softly, "I was 13...and I got the flu really badly. I don't know if I've ever been so sick. It was really...gross and the only thing I could do was go to bed. I think I slept for 3 days straight."

Wendy ran her fingers over his lap, encouraging him to continue.

"When I finally got well enough to go out to the living room," Lark sighed, "I discovered that nobody had opened their presents. Not even one. The tree was still done up perfectly. Mom made a turkey. They'd waited for me for three days. I don't remember another Christmas being more perfect. We opened presents and played games in the living room...and then - because my stomach wouldn't handle a turkey dinner - we all ate broth for supper, then slept in the living room that night. Together."

"It sounds like your family loves you very much," Wendy commented, wishing she had memories from her youth like this to share.

Their fingers were intertwined again, Lark's thumb stroking her palm. It surprised him a little that telling her his favourite memory didn't upset him at all. It made him feel closer to her. He didn't know how she'd done it, but some of his inner turmoil had begun to settle.

His lips brushed against hers gently, "Wendy, you're amazing. You know that, right?"

She smiled, adjusting her position so that they could comfortably cuddle but still share soft, gentle kisses.

"Open your eyes, Daisuke...come back to me."

The voice was so distant. At first, he was only vaguely aware of his surroundings, the feeling of a hand on his. He wasn't sure where he was or even who he was.

The voices were getting louder. There was more than one. He heard his name...Daisuke. Yes...that's it…he was Daisuke.

"Why won't his eyes open?" someone panicked.

"Way to go...you killed him when you took the IV out," someone else drawled dramatically.

"I didn't kill him!" the first voice hissed, "Make yourself useful...start working on the leg straps. I've almost got this hand undone. We don't have a lot of time."

Daisuke knew that voice. Female. It was a female voice...and he knew it well. He loved that voice. He tried to open his eyes. They were so heavy.

"You might have killed him," the other voice stated, "He doesn't look so good."

Also female. Younger.

"He's not dead. Grab his other arm. Maybe if you stop complaining, we can get the hell outta here!"

A second female...different from the first...but he knew her too.

"And that goes for you too, Daisuke Cheney," she continued, "Quit being dead weight and open your damned eyes. It's just like you to sleep through your own rescue operation."

Daisuke felt the corners of his mouth tug upward in a voluntary smile. He knew exactly who that voice belonged to...only Sora Redfox would tell off an injured, unconscious person. He forced his eyes to flutter open, waiting for his blurry vision to clear so he could take in the welcomed sight of the people he loved most in the world.

"Daisuke!" Aki cried out, throwing herself onto his left side.

He groaned, feeling the telltale impact of Sora thudding into his right side...and Megumi launching herself onto his torso. He wasn't sure how Aimi, Saichi, and Brielle had managed to get in on the hug too, but Daisuke had never felt so lucky!

"Hey guys," he said weakly.

Toby and Yuka nodded solemnly to him as they entered the room, immediately going to work on the straps that still bound Daisuke's feet.

"Happy Birthday, Daisuke," Aki whispered, tears edging her eyes.

"Best birthday ever," he murmured, reaching for her.

Daisuke stroked her cheek with one hand, then pulled her into a deep kiss, shocking the other kids to silence.

Sora's mouth dropped.

Saichi snickered.

Aimi covered Brielle and Megumi's eyes.

"Hey Cheney," Yuka teased, "Looks like you lost too much blood. You do know that's Dragneel's sister, right?"

"He's gonna kill ya," Toby sing-songed.

"He can kill me tomorrow," Daisuke laughed.

The girls removed themselves from his arms, helping to brace him as Daisuke sat up in bed. He needed the support. He was still weak from being restrained and sedated.

Toby and Yuka took over, carefully helping Daisuke into the wheelchair waiting beside the bed.

"Today," Daisuke sighed, squeezing Aki's hand as Toby began to push him out of the room, "I just wanna go home."

Hansuke, Mieske, and Connor were just pulling Gildarts out of the room next door, Gildarts loudly protesting that he could walk. Both wheelchairs halted in the hallway, Gildarts and Daisuke exchanging grins…

"Hey kid," Gildarts greeted, patting Daisuke on the shoulder, "You did great."

Daisuke nodded to him, a moment of solidarity passing between them.

Makarov greeted his team as they passed through the door, waiting for them all to be safely through.

"Just a second," Connor said brightly, whirling on his heel before anyone could stop him.

He faced the nurse's desk, knowing they would all turn their backs on him, then released an almighty war-cry as he discharged all the bullets in Big Happy's chambers, directly into Daphne's oblivious butt.

Makarov chuckled, ushering Connor through the door, then finally released his spell as he casually joined the waiting kids in the elevator.

"Finally," Gildarts murmured, "Let's get the FUCK out of here."

Daisuke grinned, feeling Aki squeeze his shoulder supportively, "That sounds pretty damned good to me."

The demon nurses blinked, slowly coming to their senses...and utterly confused by the completely vacant ward...and the 3 dozen Nerf bullets strewn at Daphne's feet.

Natsu stared at the parking lot, picking out the flitting objects darting between cars, effectively caging in the Angel group.

"What do we do?" Sorano asked Minerva nervously.

Minerva bit her lower lip, considering their options. She didn't think they could outrun the demons. So far, none of the flitting shadows had stopped, but there was no doubt they were being boxed in.

"Keep an eye on her," Minerva murmured to Ezel and Sorano, pushing Virgo toward them.

"What about Natsu?" Juvia asked as Gray moved to stand protectively in front of him.

Natsu's chest was heaving as he tried to identify the demons circling them. He'd seen some of them before, he was sure of it. His eyes flashed red.

"He's not going to need protection," Minerva surmised, "I have a feeling he can defend himself just fine."

Natsu growled. He stepped forward, aligning himself at Gray's side.

The group could hear unintelligible whispers as the beings passed them, progressively getting louder.

"WHAT DO YOU WANT!?" Natsu yelled, "If you want to fight me, then come and get me!"

Juvia stiffened, feeling a presence rush straight past her. Her eyes widened and she spun around so that she was back to back with Gray, hands up and ready to call on the water living in her fingertips.

The whooshing whispers stopped, the small Angel group was trapped in the centre of 12 angry demons. Now Natsu knew for sure he'd seen some of the faces before. It was the same group that had cornered him at the motel.

Gray let out a low growl, noting all the Angels had assumed their defensive stances.

"Nothing has to happen here tonight," a familiar voice called out, "As long as Natsu voluntarily comes with us, there doesn't need to be a confrontation. We have no interest in the rest of you."

Flare stepped out from behind one of the parked cars nearby, wavering slightly on her feet as she approached.

"Where are the townspeople?" Minerva spat, "What did you do with them?"

"They were in the way," Flare stood toe to toe with her, the two powerful women staring each other down, "We did them a favour. That was merciful compared to what will happen to the rest of Earthland once our master joins us."

"You killed the whole town?" Sorano cried out in horror.

Flare waved a hand, a mocking grin etched on her face, "Oh please. Humans are nothing but bugs to be stepped on."

"BITCH!" Virgo screamed, lurching forward.

Ezel and Juvia restrained her by her arms. Virgo was the only human on their team. If she persisted, she would be squashed like a bug too.

"Shall we go?" Flare asked Natsu cheerfully, offering her arm for him to take.

"You're not taking him anywhere!" Gray hissed, pushing the male demon in front of him backward with ice coating his hands. Byro, if Gray remembered his name right.

Natsu stilled Gray with one arm, shaking his head, "They're right, Gray. You should all get out of here."

"You're not going with them!" Juvia cried out, alarm in her voice.

"Natsu!" Minerva echoed Juvia's panic, "You can't go with them."

Natsu stepped forward, his eyes turning onyx and then flaming red.

"Relax," Natsu turned, allowing the Angels to see the smirk smoldering in his eyes as he faced his opponents, his hands bursting into flame, "I'm not going anywhere."

A/N: I hope that was as fun to read as it was to write! Please let me know!

I'm going to take a little break from Oops 2. As you all know, I'm in the process of retiring. I have 2 major stories on the go, and 2 mini-stories to finish (Dating Oops and Buck-A-Suck). I'm going to focus on Before I Get Gray, because I think I can finish it in 5 or 6 chapters, finish the mini-stories, and then all my attention will be focused on getting this story done. I'm hoping to wrap everything up by the end of the summer.

Love you all! Please leave a comment!