Day 1: Aquarius

Lucy walked into the Fairy Tail guild and smiled. Even after it had disbanded for a year, with her keeping tabs on everyone all the previous members were now once again members. She sat at a table with Natsu and Gray and forced a smile. Even after a year she still missed Aquarius greatly. But she knew they worried about her too much so she always forced herself to smile while in the guild.

"Oi! Blondie, come help me with paperwork!" Laxus called and Lucy nodded with a smile before standing. After bringing Fairy Tail back Lucy and Laxus did paperwork together often. Since Lucy had trained for being an heiress doing paperwork was actually enjoyable for her. And what was better was that while doing paperwork with Laxus she didn't have to force herself to smile.

She walked into his office after getting her normal Strawberry milkshake from Mira and sat in her normal seat for doing paperwork. But it didn't seem like there was any paperwork. "What's going on Sparky?" she smirked when he frowned at the nickname.

"Just wanted to make sure you were ok." He shrugged leaning back in his seat and eyeing Lucy.

"I'm fine." She forced a smile once more.

"No, you're not." Laxus told her flatly. "That fake smile may be enough to convince everyone else, but I can tell you're not ok. Haven't been ok for a while, now tell me what's up."

Lucy sighed, she had never told anyone but Natsu what had happened. "during the fight with Tartaros. I knew we needed the help of the Sprit King. But the only way to summon him is to sacrifice a key of the Zodiac." Lucy wiped at the tears that had already started falling. "I sacrificed Aquarius's key to summon him."

Laxus fell silent as he watched his golden haired guild member break down. He had studied Celestial magic and knew that without a key a spirit couldn't be summoned. He stood and walked over putting his arms around her in an awkward hug. "Aren't you and the king close? Get him to make another key." He suggested.

"He doesn't have that ability. No one does." She told him quietly starting to calm down.

Laxus fell silent at this and just kept comforting her with whispered words and soft touches.

"I'm sorry." She muttered to him after she had fully calmed down once more. "You didn't need to see that."

"I understand loss, Lucy." He reminded her for once using her actual name. she looked up at him. "Whenever you feel like you're going to break down come see me. I don't want you to mourn alone."

"But…" she trailed off unable to find a reason not to.

"No buts. You've just lost someone who was like family to you. You shouldn't have to ever mourn that loss alone." He told her and held her again.

"Thank you." She whispered and a small smile spread across his face.

"No problem, blondie." He joked successfully making her smile and laugh.

A week later when she entered the guild everyone turned to her and surrounded her leading her outside. "Natsu, what's going on?" she asked her best friend.

"We have a surprise for you." He told her in a whisper.

"A surprise, for me?" she asked but before Natsu could elaborate she was picked up and placed in the front of everyone else.

"What's the deal Sparky?" she demanded after he placed her down.

"Look, Lucy." He told her motioning to the ground in front of her. She looked down and immediately broke into tears at the stone in front of her.

The stone had on the top of it a carving of Aquarius's key and below that writing.

Aquarius

Died in battle X797

Beloved Friend and Spirit

"I thought you might want a way to remember her. And this way she can be honored as part of our family." Laxus told her putting an arm around her.

"Thank you." She whispered to him hugging him tightly. "From me and Aquarius."