I do not claim ownership of Fairy Tail, its characters, or its original plot/story line.

"A lady of your status shouldn't be affiliated with those ruffians," Lucy's father expressed. "I certainly wasn't looking forward to wasting anymore of my money to have it eradicated. You forced me to go to extremes Lucy. If you hadn't acted so selfishly, I wouldn't have had to lash out at your guild."

Lucy thought he would stop there but he still kept talking. "Your the one who brought trouble upon your friends." And talking. "Its better that you don't assoicate with them anyways." And talking... "You are a member of the Heartfilia family, you have nothing in common with those peasants. You come from a completley different word then they do." And talking... "Which brings me to the reason why I wanted you home in the first place dear. Its about our family. I have arranged for you to marry the heir to the Jullenel family."

"Yes. I suspected that might be the case," Was all Lucy said after finally getting a chance to respond to her father.

He gave a low hum as he thought of what to say next. "Try to think of it as an investment to your future. Once your married will have access to the Jullenel families vast lands in the south. Which will allow us to expand the Heartfilia railway and bring in millions."

"I see."

"And I expect you to give birth to a baby boy. We need a Heartfilia heir." He basically ordered. "That is all for now. You may return to your room."

He was silent then, only expecting for her to do as he said and go back to her childhood bedroom.

However, "I'm sorry father, but that's not going to happen. I didn't come here to make amends. I came here to say my final goodbyes. I realize it was wrong for me to leave without saying anything. Its a decision I've regretted every single day, and so I have come back to tell you exactly how I feel before I leave for good." She spoke quickly and clearly. Obviously afraid he would suddenly start another lecture on edicatte for Ladies of her standing.

"Lucy." He tried.

"All the money in the world can't buy you happiness. I figured that out when I was a child." She didn't allow him to speak. "Finally I'm truly happy, and I am not goanna let you ruin it for me y'hear and I am warning you. You better not mess with Fairy Tail ever again!" She started to shout. Beginning to pull at her dress, she then ripped the top to shreds as she went into another fit of yelling. "It doesn't matter if you are my father. If you threaten us, we will crush you just like any other enemy." She took a breath as she calmed down. "It didn't have to be this way. You and I could have sat down together and talked things out." Her voice began to get loud again. "But now I can't trust you, because you've hurt too many people I care about. I don't need fancy dresses, a big house, or lots of money to be happy. I just need to be accepted for who I am," She seemed to calm down as she thought for a moment. "and I'm not Lucky Lucy Hearfilia anymore. I am Lucy of Fairy Tail. The people there treat me like family, something you never did." In some ways, it looked as if she was ready to cry. "It was hard for me to leave this house, but only because I had so many fond memories of living here with Mom. I care so much about everyone here. So its really hard for me to leave them behind, but...its time for me to move on. I truly belive if Mom were still alive, she'd tell me to always be true to myself and do whatever makes me happy. So this is goodbye Daddy."

After all that, Lucy had expected for her Father to be silent, to allow her the simple pleasure of having expressed her opinion and let her be on her way. However the man spoke silently just as Lucy had a moment before.

"I am sorry as well, my daughter." He looked away ashamed. She paused where she stood. Just a moment before he spoke she had reached the door of his office.

"What's that supposed to mean?" She asked.

"Even with your heartfelt declaration, I must not allow you to leave. Please sit down. There a few buisness matters that are in dire need of discussion."

Lucy looked down at herself. She assumed ripping the dress would keep him quiet.

Instead of continuing her walk away, she turned slightly and looked at her father as he took his regulary invacant seat and began to pull out paperwork.

She sighed once, then made her way back to the desk and dragged a seat from a different part of the office as she did. Sitting in it, she glumly thought about how it messed up her awsome speech.

"Explain." She ordered.

"Remember when your mother and I signed contracts expressing a marriage between you and several other noble families could take place when you became old enough, but were not obligated to only those marriages?"

Lucy thought for a moment and silently nodded to her father.

"Well," He began, but hesitated.

"Well?" Her curousity had been peaked and it left a horrible feeling at the pit of her stomach.

"One of the contracts we also had you sign...had a clause that we did not detect on first inspection."

"Why is that?"

"I don't recall."

"What did it say."

"The Jullenal family signed this contract also. Here." He held out a document for Lucy to accept.

Lucy began reading it word for word.

"If neither party is already married, engaged, diseased, or is widowed. A series of courting procedures will commence once they are both of age. Once a decision is made to wed, the two parties will need to provide heirs for each family name involved and at least one heiress to extend the power of the family and/or buisness." Lucy looked at her father confused. "I don't get it. What was so undetectable?"

"It would be the line: Once a decision is made to wed. The document did not thorougly explain the rules behind the line in question. It was assumed that it meant if you two decided to marry." Her father sighed. "What it really meant was...when you two decided. As in, when you finally end the courting and engagement period. You will need to be wed and have a male heir produced before the first five years of marriage are up."
"But...what if I'm like Mom. After me she couldn't have any more children because of her body and what if I don't do this...what happens?"

"A series of testing will need to be performed and there are now several remedies to help..." He coughed. "conception occur as well as ones to assist you throughout pregnancy and the birthing process." For once, the man actually looked uncomfortable in a conversation. "As for the idea of not doing this...there was a law made a few years before we made this contract. Equal Exchange...or in this case Equal Sacrafice must insue. In other cases...it could mean family fortunes...however, you are both magical. This being said...you could lose your magic." He looked even more ashamed as the seconds went by. "Another thing...the courting period was agreed as a minimum of eight months and a maximum of two years. It was supposed to start the minute you turned 15...and...now...you are_. Time is running out. You will have to marry him in less than four months."
"Four months?"

"I'm afraid so."

"I will lose my magic otherwise?"

"Yes."

"Father..." Lucy began. "If what you are saying is true..." She paused. "I want all the time of my remaining freedom...to be spent with Fairy Tail. I will return with no effort to you."

"You won't know anything about your new husband and depending on his choose. You might not be able to ever see them again."
"I know!" She said. "Actually, if I have to go through with this...I don't want them to ever see me like that and..."

"And?"

"You need to promise me that you will spend every last one of your resources to find a way out of this contract. If in the end we can't do so, I will go through with it."

"Lucy? Would losing your magic be so horrible?"

"Yes..."

"I am very sorry."
"Don't be, if I were to be mad at you for signing I would be mad at Mom too. I don't want to ever be mad at her."

"Lucy."

"I will return one month before, just in case your math is wrong..."

With that Lucy left the office, went to her room to reclaim her items and change. Then she made her way out of the mansion. Only pausing to give one last finaly goodbye to her mother's grave.

She wasn't too surprised to see Natsu and the others greeting her. All horrified she left and that it was possible she left them for good. She smiled, she cried with happy tears, and she promised herself that she wouldn't ever tell them the truth. After all, who wants to know they only have three months left with a person?

To be continued in the next chapter...