Today her apartment felt different, Lucy realized. A sigh escaped her lips. She gazed around her room blankly. The bed was in its place, with the sheets folded neatly. The table was clear with the usual basket full of fruits. The couch was spick and spam and the rug was washed, smelling of jasmines and burnt wood.

Yet she thought, something is out of place. She placed her quill back into the inkpot and stood up from her organized desk. Picking up the letter, she opened the box where she stashed the letters to her mother, and gently placed the letter in it.

She fondly brushed her hand on her dining table. It had been a year since she had arrived in this place, if you didn't count the 7 years, and she had grown to more than love her apartment, Magnolia, the people in it, the guild. And her friends.

She figured quickly what was missing in her home. Her friends, Natsu and Happy. The laughter, the screaming, and all the mess the dragon slayer and the exceed made of her room.

But she wouldn't let the light of hope in her heart die. Even though it was small and flickering, she would never put out the light.

Lucy tossed books out of her shelf in the air. She picked up the bowl of chips she had been eating previously and dropped it all on the table. She slammed the bowl onto her shelf and the sound of the vase breaking into pieces made her smile. Natsu or Happy always tended to break that silly vase. A month back, Natsu got her a replica of the same vase when he broke is for the third time that week. Shaking her head, she told him she had already replaced the broken one, but Natsu had smiled and pushed the vase into her hands.

"The fourth time I break the vase, replace that one with this one."

Lucy didn't.

-x

Even after a week since their clash with Tartarus and everything, Natsu thought that perhaps, the void in his heart was filled. Boy, he was wrong. Leaving his friends behind made him feel as though he were hollow, even though he was leaving them for the better. He would become stronger and protect them all. He had a promise to fulfill, to protect the future.

Natsu and Happy were already in the dense forest surrounding the outskirts of Magnolia. They walked in silence, except the rustling of wind due to the occasional wind and the chirping of the birds. Happy floated in the sky around Natsu, who was unusually silent.

His mind raced, filled with so many thoughts at a time, it made his feel nauseous, as if he were experiencing motion sickness.

Something was missing, he realised. As another gust of wind blew past him he heard a gentle voice, which seemed to call out to him. Shaking his head, he dismissed the thought.

Something was missing. And his exceed who wasn't that stupid seemed to realise it earlier than his best friend. They missed the guild. They missed Lucy. After they moved further into the enigmatic forest, an understanding passed among them.

Natsu faced Happy and smiled, "Do you think it's too late?"

"Rather late, but I guess we can make it." Happy grinned. "Let's take this as a part of the training. Max speed!"

-x

Lucy's heart throbbed endlessly and she felt sweat run down her neck. The place was eerie with silence, even with the number of people being huge. She closed her eyes and opened them again. Her mind went blank, and her eyes stung.

"Fairy tail will disband."

Lucy wanted to believe that this was all a dream and she would wake up to her clock ringing or Natsu and Happy tapping to her window. But she was washed with harsh reality. She felt the light of hope in her heart dim.

The others began protesting, all at once, but Lucy couldn't get even a word out of her lips. She couldn't even hear a thing, and was vaguely aware of Levy shaking her shoulders, with tears streaming down her face.

She bowed her head. She felt broken. Nothing could be done. Master bellowed for silence and everyone complied. Lucy heard Gray mutter, "Where the hell is Natsu when we need him?" And that's when she felt like someone threw a bucket of ice-cold water on her.

The guild would disband. Nothing could be done, as the guild's heart, the beloved and the courageous and fearless optimist fire dragon slayer was no longer in the guild. This day could not be saved, because there was no hero to help.

"Its over." Lucy's voice came out finally as a whisper, but before she could give in to utter despair, she heard the voice that she thought she would not hear today. The light that she thought that was going to die any second now, was burning warmly. They were back. Natsu and Happy were back.

"Who said it's over?" The voice was grinning.

And her cheeks were washed by tears of hope and joy.

-x