Cune here, it's been a while huh? Well, real life's been kicking me in the teeth, aaaaaaaaaand maybe my own inspiration has fallen a bit. But don't worry, the lion seems to not want to let me the eff go, and still has a few things to say. I've worked out some blueprings for the Legacy of the Starchildren, and fully intend on finishing that, but in the meantime I figured that...since a few of you WANTED this little ditty I might as well give it to you. Unfortunately I don't have a laptop anymore and am going to have to wait a bit for a new one...so it might be slow going.

Still, I just wanted to let you all know I'm still truckin', and still writin'. I do appreciate you guys, even if my writing can be a tad trite at times. Writing from a journal really messes with my style, bleck.

Anyway I don't own Fairy Tail or the tragic megane immortal ginger but I do solemnly swear that this is the last of his ANGST chapters...

Okay no I lied there's plenty more angst in the upcoming story, but at least he's not DYING. :V

He stood there, breathing heavy, eyes glued to the tombstone, almost glaring with accusation as he finished his story. Though whether to himself or the recently deceased he didn't know. It had been so, so long ago, but not enough. Never enough. The pain was still too new, too fresh. He couldn't believe her, or himself. He couldn't…

And then there's Lucy, who was clever enough to find him, quick enough to catch him, who knew what he was. He couldn't get over it, couldn't understand. How? How? How?

But it didn't matter, because it was time and he was dying, pain wracking through his entire body. He could feel himself fading, his entire being losing it's tenuous grasp on the mundane plane, urging, yearning to go back home.

But there's no more home to go back to, that gate is closed. His exile…

He was afraid to turn, afraid to face her, afraid of what he'd find in her soft brown eyes.

"That's stupid!"

Her cry came as a surprise, and he turned to her finally, viewing a full frontal vision of her vexation. She was tense, shoulders squared in a way that he couldn't help but admire. He'd forgotten about that, forgotten what he'd loved about humans in the first place. The sheer source of his joy, making serving his masters worth it.

They had so much life, so willing to fight for such a short existence.

"You were just defending Aries." She plead, and for a brief moment her eyes softened, before becoming hard once more. She took a step forward, hands held out, entreating. "Surely they have to understand that!"

He turned away, mouth twisting into a bitter mockery of a smile. "I broke the Law Lucy." He responded. "I broke a sacred Law. It doesn't matter either way." It was what it was. They Key holders held all the power, little children with dangerous toys. It's what they were, and he'd forgotten.

He'd forgotten…

Suddenly he felt another wave of pain, more intense than the last. His body caving under the pressures of holding his form on the earthly plane. He stumbled, then collapsed, Lucy crying out then catching him in her arms so he wouldn't injure himself.

She needn't have bothered.

"This is it for me." He strained, his voice holding and echo, and he saw her through a haze, her tears leaking from the corners of her eyes, shoulder's trembling.

Then he felt her magic, like the warmth of starlight, a feeling of peace and content that reminded him of the heavens, a promise of home and that no matter how dark the night got there was always hope.

He knew what she was now.

"What's the point of having Magic if you can't use it to save the people you care about?!" Her words filled with pain, like a memory best discarded, and her magic gripped him painfully and refused to let go. "Gate of the Lion, Open!"

Her power flashed, like a vice, a different pressure pushing him away from oblivion, back home. It knocked on the doors of his gate, but no magician in the world had the power to lift his exile, not even her.

"Stop!" He cried out. He could feel her magic leaking away, her life draining from her body like blood. It was worse than Karin, worse because he could sense it. Didn't she understand he wasn't worth the sacrifice? Didn't she know? His was the betrayal of Spirit to his Master, of parent to child. "If you keep this up you'll die too!"

"Open!" She was slipping, and he could do nothing to stop it. "I don't care!" She sobbed, cradling him tighter.

She was slipping and it was all his fault.

"They need to know!" She pled, her magic desperately prying at the doorway to his gate. "They need to understand that they were wrong!"

Her words, so filled with emotion and pain echo'd up to the stars and beyond, by her very birthright they reached the heavens and declared themselves among them. Because of who she was, because she wouldn't give up.

His shades fell from his face, then paused mid air, as if suspended in time. The waters behind the tomb parted, revealing a tableau of stars that swirled, like the outer shell of a crystal globe. A heavenly light fell from the sky and riding on it…

Was a giant spirit. The Great Spirit in fact.

"The Spirit King…" Leo whispered in awe, hardly daring to believe his eyes. It had been so long since he'd seen him last, spoken to him. He was almost afraid of what he would say.

"Old friend…" He hadn't expected that. "It is good to see you again."

Lucy was having none of it. She stood up, leaving him to kneel weakly beside her, his outline still a blur. "Old friend?" She asked, incensed. "How can you call him that when you've left him like this?!"

The Spirit King's face fell, edges of his aged cheeks drooping in a surprisingly sincere expression of regret. "Truly, it is heartwrenching to see our old friend reduced to this state." He said, then his expression hardened. "But Leo knows the Law, and he has broken it. His sentence can't be undone."

Leo glanced away, though he hardly expected otherwise. What he couldn't understand was why He'd come to this world to say that. Why come at all?

Was it because of Lucy? Because she said he was wrong?

That was insane. Why should he care about the opinion of one mortal woman?

Lucy squared up her shoulders, chin firmed as if preparing for battle as she faced the King. "Listen." She began. "What happened with Karin was an accident. Loke shouldn't be responsible because she took on a job she couldn't handle! He was only protecting Aries, and you" She jabbed a pointed finger in his direction. "Felt the need to exile him for it!" She held out her hands to either side, stance firm, proving her time in Fairy Tail was teaching her far more than just Magic. "He shouldn't have been responsible for her acting so recklessly. You might have your Laws and your duty to us Magicians, but that doesn't mean they should have to suffer from a mage's irresponsibility without consequence!" Her arms fell, hands clenched at her sides. "It's one sided and unfair and Loke shouldn't have to pay for it!"

Her magic glowed with her words, surrounding her body in a bright yellow aura, making Leo and the King's eyes widen.

But Leo could feel what the strain was doing to her fragile body, all that life being spent…and he panicked.

"Lucy, stop!" He cried, and when she wouldn't listen he shut his eyes, tears leaking from them. Not again, oh please dear spirits please not again! Not because of him, not before he died. They had such short lives that to see one go always killed him, but to know he was responsible to know he could do nothing.

It was like being stabbed in the chest, a wound that never healed, and it was his fault, all his fault.

"Don't make me die with the guilt of killing you too!"

His cry was full of heartbreak and torment, all the things he kept locked inside, all the pain. All the years he'd lived and it was always the same, the one thing he could never handle...

"I won't stop!" Lucy's answering scream shook him from his thoughts, her emotions making her aura blinding. "Karin dying was not your fault! And you dying won't make up for that! All you can do is live and honor her memory, not wasting it!" Then her aura swelled to a blinding brightness, and then abated, with all her spirits, every single key in her possession standing beside her.

It was only for a moment, enough for him to get a good look at their faces, all determined, all staring at him. But then they dissipated and she fell, drained to the last drop.

He rushed to catch her with his remaining strength, though with the King near he could draw on a bit more energy, enough to solidify himself at least. "Enough." He whispered, cradling her like glass. Crazy, stupid mage. Why did she do all of this? "Keep it up and you will die!"

She only smiled at him, tired and a little smug. "All my friends who were here." She began, and his chest ached at the word friend. "They agree with me."

Astounding. Stupid and amazing. He couldn't believe what she just did, and over him.

She was going to get herself killed one of these days.

Through it all the Spirit King watched impassively and silently, so when he spoke he got surprised looks from both. "You have convinced us child." He began. "To see you care so much for our old friend, and to see you risk your life for him…" He paused for a moment. "It makes us think that perhaps it is the Law itself that needs changing." He paused again, causing Leo to tense up. He couldn't mean…? "Therefore, we will lift his exile."

Lucy slowly smiled as it dawned on her, as Leo kneeled in a daze, not sure of his own hearing. A light shined bright behind the King as he started to leave, filling him with warmth and strength, and it suddenly struck him that this was all because of Lucy.

"I have to make it up to her!" He cried, kneeling still, entreating. He couldn't leave it like this, couldn't leave her like this. "Please!"

"Very well." The King responded. "Then serve her all your days, and remember the gift given to you. May the stars guide your path, always."

They both stood, and Lucy grinned and winked as the King began to dissipate. "Thank you Mr. Mustache!" She called out, much to Leo's shocked chagrin. Of all the crazy…

But fortunately the King had a sense of humor, or maybe he just liked her, and the sound of his laughter echoed back to them as he vanished.

Leo turned to her and gently took her hand, smiling in gratitude and amazement. "Thank you Lucy." He said, meaning every word and more. "You don't know how much this means to me."

She just grinned brightly again. "Oh, don't mention it, it was nothing." She responded, and he felt his chest ache.

He squeezed her hand, hazel eyes softening. "I can never repay you for what you've done. I look forward to working with you." As crazy as she was, he only hoped he could keep her well intentioned death as far away as possible.

Though, with her luck and talent, maybe she wouldn't need that.

Either way, he left her for home with his promise, and contract, giving his key for the first time willingly in as long as he could remember.

And for once, he didn't feel like a tool…

Not at all.

This could've been better, but It is what it is. I wasn't able to reWATCH that episode so forgive me for...all...the artistic liberties I came up with. (I am actually happy since this story is giving me some actual insight into both how I want to write Lucy and the grounds for their actual relationship, at least from Loke's perspective) That damn Lion, always showing me something new.

Anyway, hoped y'all liked it!

Ciao

OMAKE

Cana: Loke, wtf?! Why didn't you tell us you were dying and a spirit?!
Grey: Some friend you are.
Loke: I'm sorry, I didn't know how! How can I make it up to you?
Cana: Get me a keg of whatever you Spirits use to get fucked up on and we'll call it even.
Loke: Easy to please as ever I see. And you Grey?
Grey: Can you make me clothes that I can't strip out of?
Loke: Sadly, no. You're too talented at that.
Grey: Fine, then get me Spirit food. AND YOU BETTER HELP ME GET TO S CLASS LIKE YOU PROMISED!
Loke: Don't worry! I'll make it I promise! Man, you're BOTH easy to please…