She found herself staring at the starry sky. The flickering of the fire burning at their camp illuminating the trees between her and the camp itself. She looked at the familiar patterns in contemplation. There were many things that seemed to be confusing her on this day. They won, the persevered like they always do. That is what Fairy Tail was about. It was about family and the strength that those bonds give and about pushing through and persevering no matter what they faced. She was also an Author now. She had managed to complete two of her dreams within her lifetime, become an Author and to become a Fairy Tail Mage.

Though she completed two of her dreams and two of her goals her life still felt somewhat incomplete. She let out a sigh and pushed back a stray blonde lock that had fell in her face. She was at a complete loss on what she was to do. Her teammates she knew were sleeping soundly at the camp but she was unable to, she had started to become restless as of late and she felt a few tears begin to spill from her eyes. She angrily wiped them away when she felt a slight pull on her magic and felt a familiar presence next to her.

She turned to look at her faithful spirit that had chosen to appear. They had been through much together. He had started out as a guild-mate that she had later learned was actually the King of the Zodiac himself she then faced the Celestial Spirt King, the king of all Spirits to petition for the Lion's life, for his freedom and for him to rejoin the stars for a crime that he did not entirely commit. Ever since then she found a loyal spirit and friend he like all her spirits had been through so much together.

She felt a soft smile break out across her face as she turned to look at him briefly before she faced the sky once more having decided to fully lay back. The soft grass cushioned her as her blonde hair splayed across the green landscape around her and she knew she would probably have to clean a few blades and some dirt from her hair after she was done but she really didn't care much about that. She felt her companion shift besides her as she glanced sideways seeing that he decided to join her in laying and looking at the sky above them. The stars glinting in the dark sky and the moon casting a soft glow.

She let out another soft sigh then quietly so not to break the peace around them greeted her spirt, "Hello Loke."

He responded quietly in turn, "Hello Lucy."

She was a bit startled at the use of her name used to his flamboyant ways and flirtatious attitude normally he would be proclaiming his love unless of course he was in a serious mood, which tonight seemed to be the case. "You know," he said breaking her inner musings, "you can talk to us about anything. We all deeply care for you."

She felt the tears begin to stubbornly start to return and she quickly blinked them back, "I know that Leo." She looked over at him a soft smile again on her face.

He was gazing up at the sky a serious expression on his face, "So tell me then Princess, what is bothering you. Why is it the past few days we have been feeling nothing but turmoil within you."

She glanced back at the sky trying to find the best way to answer his question, "It's hard to explain. I'm feeling so many things at once." She puffed her cheeks up in frustration as she stared at the heavens.

"Well," he said "explain it the best you can. We know you are troubled and I just want to try and lend an ear."

"The best way I can word it is I just feel confused. I'm happy, I've written and published a book, and I'm in the guild I've always dreamed of joining. Though, I feel incomplete. I feel as though something is missing and I feel unfulfilled. I've accomplished a lot. I have a huge family now and I know they care about me as much as I care about them but parts of me feels as though there is something missing."

"You have accomplished a lot and you do have everyone that cares deeply for you. Do you know what it is that you feel is missing?"

A dry laugh escaped her throat and a sad look crossed her face, "It might seem silly but well I guess it is love."

A wide grin broke across the Spirit's face and he then looked at the Mage next to him and a teasing lilt entered his voice, "Well Princess if it is love you are looking for."

An exasperated sigh left the blonde and she said in a huff, "Leo don't make me close your gate."

"I'm sorry Lucy, you know I only tease. In all seriousness," he then laid back down on the slightly damp ground, "is there someone you are looking at?"

A sad smile crossed her face, "There was someone but I do not think he feels that way about me."

A thoughtful expression crossed the Lion's face before recognition broke through, "If it is who I am starting to think. I think there is a very good chance he does care more for you than he himself realizes."

The blonde than giggled, "He is quite dense isn't he. Though, I'm scared to pursue it further because he is my best friend and well, I would rather keep him there than lose that."

"Well, there is a way to test that theory," the man than stood and brushed the few leaves and specks of dirt that clung to him off of the crisp suit her wore before he pushed the sunglasses up his nose and held out his hand to the woman who still lay on the ground.

She looked up at him in confusion as he blocked her view from the sky as she slowly accepted the hand held out to her. She looked at her faithful lion in confusion, "How can we test that theory?"

"Well," he then nervously fixed his tie, "don't look over there but," he then leaned closer to her and said in a whisper, "there has been a certain pink haired dragon slayer watching us this entire time."

A flush broke out across the blonde's face, "What do you mean?"

"Well, he was there before I came into the picture but," he then adjusted the tie again, "I have a theory. We both know Natsu is more of a man of action. And I believe I will be regretting this decision but the best way to get your answer is to get him to react."

Her expression then dropped, "How do expect to get him to react with something like that?"

A wide smirk then broke across Leo's face, "Well quite simple Princess, I encroach on his territory."

She looked at him even more confused, "What do you mean encroach on his territory? I highly doubt invading his house is going to make him confess or anything of that sort."

A soft laugh left the spirit, "Oh not that kind of territory." He then gently brushed a strand of Lucy's hair behind her ear that the gentle breeze had pushed forward before he leaned a bit closer to her face, "You see, in some aspects a Dragon Slayer is more a Dragon than a man. You see, they tend to scent things they see as theirs even though they themselves may not fully understand why they are scenting that particular thing. And you," he then leaned even closer causing the Celestial Mage's face to heat up as she realized their lips were almost touching, "are covered in his scent and if he sees me as a proper threat well we shall see."

He had barely gotten the sentence out when several things had happened at once. A look of surprise crossed the blushing woman's face and said Lion went flying across the space in front of her in a ball of flame while a raging man stood not far from her. If he could even be called a man at this point. Scales covered his arms and part of his face and his hair flowed around him and fire shone in his eyes. The spirit slowly stood up and bowed to his mistress and winked at her before he quickly vanished in a shower of stars as the Dragon Slayer roared charging at the spot he once stood.

Lucy stood in shock never having seen her friend react that way towards anyone who wasn't an enemy and anger reared its head inside of her, how dare he attack one of her spirits, "Natsu!" she yelled out causing the man to turn towards her as she quickly made her way towards him her cheeks puffed up in anger, "What do you think you are doing!? You can't just go around hitting my Spirits for no reason!"

She then reared up her leg to kick him when the slayer quickly grabbed the leg and pulled her towards him with it causing her to lose her balance and him to lean forward to catch her and in turn falling as well. Her anger quickly turned to embarrassment when she realized she had unintentionally pulled him down on top of her. His face flushed as well as the fury he felt earlier left him causing him to revert back to his normal self. He stared down at the woman below him and he breathed in her scent frowning slightly as the smell of that stupid lion was all over her.

"N-Natsu!?" Lucy squeaked out when suddenly he was rubbing his face across her, she then went to push him off but he stubbornly clung onto her, "Natsu! What are you doing stop it!?" she flushed even more when it seemed that he was not planning on moving anytime soon.

After he felt he had enough of the Spirit's scent covered with his own he looked at the flushing blonde below him, "Lucy," he said in a slightly husky voice.

The blonde shivered at the tone having never heard it before and not knowing how to respond she looked at him in confusion as he seemed to close the gap between them he was then a breadth away from her and she could feel his breath against her lips, "Please," he said again in that tone, "no one else can get this close to you."

Irritation started to fill her again, "What do you mean no one else can get this close to me you great brute." She then went to try to push him off again as her cheeks puffed up, "You can't just go around," he then stopped her mid rant in a way she never expected him to. He quickly closed the gap between them and pressed his lips to hers. She lay there in shock for a millisecond before her mind registered what was happening before she caved in and gave into the kiss. It was everything she was waiting and hoping for.

It started out as an innocent press of the lips before the man above her opened his mouth and ran his tongue around the crease in her lips begging entrance. She slowly opened her mouth letting him explore and gain control pulling her into a fiery passion. He then slowly broke away gasping in air a dopey grin on his face that she quickly mirrored. He then placed his forehead against hers, "That's why Luce, no man can get near you like that."

The celestial mage gently ran her hand in the fluffy hair and smiled brightly at him, "Ok, I promise." She then leaned up and left a gentle peck on his lips that he quickly responded too before he broke away and stood up before gently pulling her up beside him.

Their moment was slowly broken though by an angry shout before a redhead charged in knocking the poor dragon slayer out cold as she began to rave about Lucy's Honor. The Celestial mage then looked to the stars that twinkled above as her crazy team started their antics once again. Now though as she looked at them as a laugh bubbled up before she went to help her pink haired partner she felt complete.