*Author's Note: hey all :) thank you so much for taking the time to read my fanfic. i have never written one before and i have been thinking a lot about this particular story line featuring HIRO MASHIMA'S CHARACTERS FROM FAIRY TAIL (thus not my own characters). the story itself is completely my own. a lot of people keep them in the strict world of FAIRY TAIL but i wanted to take them out of there a bit. there is not a set time period; the place is still HIRO MASHIMA'S FIORE but not quite the same. i will do my best to keep some character traits and introduce more characters along the way, but i would like to fit it to my story as best as possible. it starts a little slow but should pick up later so please bear with me. anyway on to the story!*

Book One: Lucy's Slumber

CHAPTER 1: Lucy Heartfilia

"Why can't I go outside and play?" sighed a small blonde haired girl.

"You know your health won't allow it. Come away from the window," replied a young woman with worry in her voice.

The young girl continued to look longingly out of the window for a moment longer. She eyed the children outside playing and laughing with envy because they could do an activity that she knew she would never be able to enjoy. Closing the window with a sad face, she solemnly turned around to look at her nurse. She knew it was not her fault that she was always stuck inside or that she was so weak. After catching a seemingly harmless cold when she was barely four years old, the young girl gradually became weaker and never fully recovered her strength. Some days she felt okay but still weak and other days she could barely move. Her family called for various doctors from around the country but none of them could figure out what was wrong with the young girl.

Fighting back her tears, the young girl returned to her bed. She looked again from her nurse to the window before snuggling underneath her covers.

"Mirajane, do you think that one day I'll be like the other kids?" she asked.

Mirajane smiled at the young girl she thought of as her sister. "Of course not!" The girl jumped up at this response with horror on her face. Mirajane chuckled and reached a hand out and cupped the small girl's cheek. "You could never be like anyone else but you, Lucy. Don't ever wish to be someone you're not. If you're asking if I think you will ever be healthy again, then of course I do. Soon you will be outside having fun and making friends your own age. You'll forget all about me."

Lucy quickly tightened Mirajane in a hug with tears in her eyes. "I could never forget you, Mira. Don't ever leave me okay? I love you!"

Mirajane's eyes stung with tears. "I love you, too, Lucy." The young girl was so frail, but she had incredible eyesight and she could easily see the children playing far away from the house as if they were right in front of her.

Lucy continued to cry softly in Mirajane's arms. She knew that no one truly believed that she would ever get better. It had been three years since her health took a turn for the worse, and deep down Lucy knew that it was only a matter of time before her short life came to an end.

An elegant woman with hair neatly in a bun on top of her head with a few loose curls framing her face paced inelegantly in front of her only daughter's room. The woman's beautiful face was wrought with worry as she impatiently waited for the new doctor to hopefully determine what was wrong with her baby girl. She and her husband had sent for countless numbers of the "best" physicians in all of Fiore. None of them could tell her what was wrong and none of them knew how to make her little Lucy well again. In a way she was grateful that none of them had anything to say, for she dreaded to hear that she would be burying her only child much too early.

A door opened and out stepped a short balding man with a grave look on his face. He cleared his throat and took a moment before speaking. The woman eagerly awaited the man's news, her heart beating loudly in her chest. She was about to speak when…

"Lady Heartfilia, just to confirm: your daughter has had this condition for almost three years now. Is this correct?"
Layla Heartfilia looked at him puzzled. She had explained everything to him in a very lengthy letter before he had arrived. "Yes, that is correct," she hesitantly replied.

"This condition began following a brief cold the young girl had when she was younger?"

"Yes…"

"And she was perfectly fine before this, yes?"

"Doctor! Please, what are you trying to tell me?" Layla finally said exasperated with the doctor's pointless questioning.

The doctor studied the elegant woman for a moment before saying, "Lady Heartfilia, I do not think that there is anything normal about your daughter's condition. I had heard about her case from other doctors long before I arrived here. I assure you that I have looked into it very thoroughly. I have studied many medicine books and…."

"Doctor!" Layla interrupted.

"Yes, excuse me. My lady, I think it's time for you stop wasting precious time of Fiore's most esteemed doctors. It's been quite some time now since she's had this condition and yet she shows no signs of worsening nor any signs of strengthening. You should just accept that your daughter is in poor health and prepare yourself for the worst. I am sure it is only a matter of time now."

Smack!

Layla had never lost her temper or composure prior to this moment but this doctor had pushed her to her limits. "How dare you! I do not know who you think yourself to be or what you think you are capable of doing. I will tell you what you ought to do before I completely lose myself. You will not breathe a word to myself or anyone else in this household and leave this estate immediately. If I ever hear that you are even within a breath of my home, I will personally handle your punishment myself. So I suggest dear Doctor that you accept your condition and prepare yourself for the worst until you breathe your last breath. Do I make myself quite clear, Doctor?"

The doctor looked at the woman with astonishment in his eyes. He stuttered a bit before he realized how lucky he was that her glare alone did not kill him on the spot. He gave a quick nod, grabbed his things, and immediately took his leave.

Layla let out a breath that she had not known she was holding. She was angry with herself for losing her temper. She never took that tone of voice with anyone, not even with her servants. A silent tear fell from her somber brown eyes, which she quickly wiped away with a gloved hand. The doctor was probably right and she should face the truth. No! she scolded herself inwardly. My daughter will live to be a normal healthy girl. She will get married, and grow old and gray. I just have to be strong and continue to search for a cure. I will save my daughter! She took a deep breath before entering her daughter's room.

"Mama?" Lucy said softly. "Am I really going to die?"

Layla's heart nearly shattered in her chest. She ran to her daughter's bedside instantly and embraced her in the tightest hug holding back her tears. "My little Lucy, do not pay any mind to a word that silly doctor had to say. He does not know anything about you. You are my lucky star, Lucy, and I am sure that you will soon have your chance to shine."

Mirajane looked on silently from a corner, shedding her own tears at the pair before her. She was sure that neither she nor Layla knew what would become of Lucy, but she did know that they both hoped for the best. Lucy just had to be okay.

"Darling, what do we do?" Layla whispered softly, her voice laced with tears. It was now evening and Layla was lying down in bed wrapped in her husband's arms.

Jude Heartfilia let out a deep sigh before responding, "Perhaps we should stop calling in the doctors. I am sure the entire medical community has heard about Lucy's condition. If someone discovers something, I am sure they would contact us immediately. In the meantime, what will we do for Lucy's birthday? It has to be special, of course, it could be…" her last he finished silently to himself.

Layla looked at her husband and she knew his thoughts without hearing the silent words he kept to himself. It brought her great pain, but still… She reached a hand up to his face, cupping his cheek with her palm and smiled. "I have an idea," Layla said.

"Happy Birthday, Lucy!"

The little blonde haired girl looked excitedly at all of the servants who had gathered to wish their young mistress a happy birthday. She turned to a beaming Mirajane before turning back to the group. "Thank you!" she offered with a huge smile on her little face.

"We do not have much to offer you, little one, but we wanted you to know that we wish you well," said one of the maids.

Lucy giggled. "You're funny! You take care of me every day, what more could I ask for?"

At this the female servants burst into tears and the male servants blushed bashfully.

One male spoke up. "Well, you know, we just, you know…" he babbled.

"They are expressing their affection for you, Lucy," explained Mirajane. "They love you just like I do. Of course, I love you the most!" she said while softly patting Lucy on the head.

Lucy smiled at this. She was very lucky indeed, even if she was stuck in her house all the time. At least, she had people who loved her enough to take care of her.

"Lucy, where are you?" a voice bellowed.

"Uh oh! That's papa. You guys better get back to work before he catches you. Come on, Mira!" Lucy grabbed Mirajane's hand and quickly ran up the stairs and through the various hallways before stopping near her room to make it seem like she had never left. Her father did not like when she left her room without his permission, and he especially did not like her talking to the servants save for her nurse Mirajane.

"I'm here, papa!" Lucy rasped. Lucy desperately tried to catch her breath before her father found her. Unfortunately, she could not hide her actions.

"Lucy! What were you doing? Why are you out of breath like that? Are you okay?" her father asked with some concern.

"It's my fault, Lord Heartfilia," Mirajane said saving the little girl from her father's wrath. "I think... I think I excited her a little too much while we were playing."

Jude glared at her. "You know she can't handle too much activity! She's weak! She has to be careful. I trust you to take care of my daughter, not make her worse!" he yelled.

"Papa! Papa! Look at my pretty dress!" Lucy interrupted returning Mirajane the favor.

Jude tore his glare away from Mirajane to look down at his little girl. She looked like a beautiful little angel in a long pale blue dress with a full skirt and tiny beaded pearls embroidered in a cute fashion all over her dress. "You look beautiful, Lucy. Come, let's go downstairs and join your mother for dinner." Jude lifted Lucy up in his arms and carried her all the way to the dining room. Lucy gave Mirajane a little wink and a wave behind her father's back before turning her head to regale her father with meaningless, childish chatter.

"Lucy, did you enjoy your birthday?"

Lucy looked over at her mother and smiled. "I had a great day, mama! I love the cake!"

"How are you feeling, Lucy?" asked Jude. Layla scowled at him sure that he would spoil the mood with his concern.

Lucy's happy little face fell, "I am having a good day, papa, I promise. I feel fine. Really!"

Layla quickly interrupted them before her daughter's day was completely ruined. "I am so happy that you are having a good day, my lucky star. But... Well, I can't help but notice you haven't asked about your birthday present. I hope you did not think that your father and I did not get you anything for your birthday."

Lucy looked skeptically at her mother. Usually her parents gave her gifts that she did not really care for, and half-hoped the family dinner was her present. She felt guilty for thinking this for she knew that they always meant well. "What did you get me?"

"Come with me and I will show you," Layla responded with a smile.

Lucy was surprised when her father suddenly lifted her from her chair and proceeded to follow Layla out of the room. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught Mirajane peeking at her and Lucy gave her a puzzled look. The young nurse just smiled at her in response and gave her a thumb's up. Seeing this, Lucy thought her gift must be amazing for even her nurse was excited for her. She was deep in thought about her surprise, her curiosity eating at her, when she realized her parents had stopped walking and were both looking at her. She looked around and noticed that they were by the large double doors that led to the back of the estate.

"What's wrong?" she asked her mother.

Layla looked towards Jude who gave a shrug of his shoulders. Layla pushed open the doors and led Jude and Lucy down the main stone path before veering to the side down a much smaller dirt path lined with rose bushes. Suddenly, at the end of the plain path they were met with a bright, empty but lush green grass field, and Lucy thought it was beautiful. I'm outside! she thought to herself excitedly.

"Do you remember I talked to you about wanting to purchase a garden, Lucy?"

Lucy thought to herself for a moment before answering, "Yeah, I guess. So?"

Layla chuckled. "Well, how about you and I plant a garden of our own instead?"

Lucy took a moment to take in what her mother said. A garden? You and I… Lucy's brown eyes lit up. "You mean, you and me? The two of us outside planting a garden! Together? Really?"

Jude cleared his throat. Lucy's excitement vanished thinking her ears had played tricks on her after all. "It was your mother's idea for the two of you to do something together. I suppose, as long as you feel up to it, it would make me very happy to have a garden made by the two women in my life I love most."

Lucy squealed and embraced her father in a tight hug. "Oh, thank you, papa! Thank you! Thank you! I love it! This is the best birthday present ever!" Jude seemed a little surprised at his daughter's sudden affection and was taken aback, but with a little nudge from his wife, he returned his daughter's hug. Lucy leaned back to look at her father, "When can we start, papa?"

"We can start first thing tomorrow, sweetheart," Layla answered.

Lucy screamed, jumped down from her father's arms, and ran around the field, skipping and rolling around with joy. Layla frowned a little at the grass stains on her daughter's dress, but thought nothing of it as she took in her daughter's bright smile and joyful dancing. Layla's own heart swelled with joy.

Lucy couldn't wait until morning!

Lucy paused for a moment to take a sip of the water Mirajane had brought for her earlier. She and her mother had been working on the garden for a few weeks now, and although you couldn't really tell that they had done anything, she was happy. She was still weak and most days she did not feel up to going outside, but she refused to miss the opportunity to be outside with her mother. Mirajane had given her a special drink that she assured Lucy made her look much better than she felt, but really Mirajane had spoken with Layla about Lucy's condition. The two agreed that as long as Lucy was willing to be there, they would let her. Of course, this was under strict confidentiality, meaning everyone on the estate knew of it except the master of the house, Jude Heartfilia. Naturally!

Lucy stared forlornly into the bright afternoon sky. She was hurting from all the work she had been doing and she was sad that she was not getting better. Actually, she felt that she was getting worse, much worse.

Rustle…rustle…rustle.

Lucy jumped at the soft noise. She was by herself at the moment as her mother had to attend to a guest who had suddenly arrived. She thought she was imagining things when nothing jumped out of the bushes but suddenly something came tumbling out.

Lucy jumped back terrified until she realized that it was not an animal or even a grown up. It was a boy. A small boy with wild hair the color of a strawberry was lying on the grass before her. She took note of his dirty clothing, dirty face and hands, and messy hair, and immediately she thought that this must be what her father referred to as "riff raff". The boy lay there unmoving for a few moments, and Lucy grew worried. She was about to lean over to see if the boy was okay, when he suddenly jumped up to his feet, pulled something out of his hair, and then sensing that someone was looking at him, turned to face her. They stared at each other for what Lucy felt was a lifetime but was perhaps just a few moments. A blush crept into her cheeks and she could not get her mouth to form any words. The boy just stared at her like he was studying something weird. He knelt down and peered into her eyes.

"What's wrong with you? You look like you've seen a ghost!" he said.

*hi again...not sure if this seems short or long but thanks for reading it through. i didnt want to be too detailed since a lot is going on at once. the story starts a little sad and a little slow i know but the next chapter will be a little happier. my story is actually untitled at the moment so i just made up a temporary one. please take the time to review, even if it is just one word, i would really appreciate the feedback*