Leo

by

Lou.D

A/N: I'm very happy and excited today. I got inspired again to write a new story, when I uploaded my sexy Leo fanart on DeviantArt. Boy, my head is full of ideas now! And I'm already thinking about illustrating this chapter! Oh the fun that I will have drawing them all and Jellal in particular!

Summary: Lucy Heartfilia is a rich young heiress and an aspiring writer. On her mother's 15th death anniversary, she receives a very special heirloom. Little did she know that her life was about to be turned upside down forever!

Disclaimer: I don't own the Fairy Tail characters. I wish I had Leo :)

Chapter 1: The Will

Today was a sad day for the Heartfilias and their in-laws. They gathered from all around Fiore to commemorate the death anniversary of Laila Heartfilia who passed away 15 years ago.

The families were sitting and talking inside a large guest room. Candles were all around the place. A big portrait of Laila could be seen in the middle of the room, surrounded by bouquets of flowers.

Lucy Heartphilia, the daughter, was talking to her cousin Jellal Fernandez, a promising politician. She bore a striking resemblance to her late mother. However, the 25 year old had shoulder length blonde hair, and sexier brown eyes. Lucy was also different, character-wise: she was passionate, stubborn, and a go-getter. Qualities that were a constant reminder of her father, Jude, a stoic millionaire and a renown magnate.

Lucy hated this day with all her guts. She was only ten years old when her mother died. Still a child, but she remembered everything. It made her loath the death anniversary year after year, as time passed by.

Now at the age of 25, she was already a successful manager of her publishing house United Stars and a rising writer herself. Like her mother, Lucy loved writing. She was simply passionate about communicating her ideas and dreams to the big world. Writing stories was what she did often in her tender years. Years down the road, she graduated from a reputable business school and pursued her dreams, much to her father dislike. Now, Lucy enjoys publishing the works of others as well as writing her newest novel.

"So, how are things going with you? Jellal asked, interested.

"Business is good. Busy month, too! Levy McGarden has shown interest in the house! If things go as planned, I should be able to snap her up! What luck!" she explained.

"You're lucky, Lucy! Levy Mc Garden herself!" he shook his head, then added, "tell me! Are you still working on the novel?!"

Lucy sighed suddenly. "Yes, but I'm having a writer's block! Don't tell anyone, Jellal! I think I have been jinxed!"

Jellal almost erupted in laughter! His lips tightened. "Lucy dear, you still believe in those old wives tales?!" he shook his head bemused. She might have changed a lot, from the cute little girl, to the rebellious teen, and finally into the sexy vixen everyone knows her now, but some things never change.

She huffed, "well! You know who I got all of this from! Old habits die hard!" She smiled flirtatiously at her cousin. "You should never mock the ancients! I could never live if something bad happened to you!" she said, as her manicured fingers were tracing his tie.

Jellal gave her a knowing look. There has always been this tension between them: they were attracted to each other like magnets. Whenever they would meet, they would flirt countless times, sometimes unashamedly in front of their other cousins. They just had something special between them, an unspoken bond. He knew that he wouldn't wait much longer before he would ask for her hand! He could feel it, and it excited him to finally have the curvaceous blonde.

Not far away, Erza Scarlett and Juvia Lockstar, other cousins to Lucy and Jellal, sat together watching the flirting blonde.

"How scandalous! She hasn't changed a bit! I hope she won't put her paws on Gray!" Juvia spat venomously.

"Juvia! She is our cousin! You can't talk so horribly about her!" Erza chided, upset with her.

"Oh, please! She is all over Jellal! It's disgusting how she can flirt like that on a day like today! And she knows you like him! You should make your move soon, Erza! Or, you'll lose him for good!" the hydraulic engineer said a bit harshly, watching her redhead cousin.

"I know! It's just that Lucy has always been popular! She's direct and a big flirt! And I'm not like her!" she sighed.

"Humph! Who would've known that a tough lawyer like you would chicken in front of her! If I were you, I would stalk him, declare my love, and give Lucy a piece of my mind! Come on girl! You can't just let her have him! She always gets what she wants! And it's about time someone put an end to it!" Juvia crossed her arms, annoyed, her eyes narrowing at the pair.

Erza nodded, feeling dejected. She watched Jellal put an arm around Lucy's waist, and her heart ached. Juvia sighed heavily, feeling pity for the gorgeous lawyer.

Juvia was about to comment when Gray and Natsu walked in. Juvia was now feeling hyper excited. Erza noticed her sudden change in behavior and looked on to see their cousins approaching.

"There you are, you too! Always together, just like an old couple!" Erza teased, happy to see them.

"Erza! You never change! I swear!" Gray said. He looked at Juvia who was blushing madly, and smiled nervously. The navy officer knew what she was thinking about! In fact, she'd been crushing on him since their early teens! "Juvia, Aunt Claire is looking for you!" he said quickly.

"Oh! I'll go see Mom! Thank you for telling me, mon cher Gray!" she sang.

Gray sighed miserably. "I hate it when she does that! So persistent!"

Natsu laughed. "Why don't you tell her, then?"

"Tell her what?! Juvia is my cousin! Besides, she's too sensitive! I can't just go and tell her in the face! I have been hoping that she would get a clue one day! But No! She is still clinging! If I upset her, I would never hear the end of it from Aunt Claire and Uncle John!"

Erza smiled. "You like her Gray! I can't believe you're still in denial, after all these years!"

Gray blushed slightly. "Where's Lucy anyway?" he asked suddenly, changing the subject.

"She's over there with Mr. All Mighty!" Natsu replied. The Managing Director at Dragneel Motor Group didn't like his pompous cousin much. "Let's go and greet her, Gray! Erza, you're coming?!" he asked.

"Oh, no! I'll go see what the others are doing! If you'll excuse me!"

Her cousins nodded. Gray followed her with his eyes. He sympathized with his love-struck cousin.

After the dinner, Lucy was summoned to the Study. She knew that this year's anniversary was slightly different, but she didn't know why. Isn't it strange that they are calling for me now?! I wonder what father is up to this time! She thought. She had been catching up with Gray and Natsu when their butler approached her, announcing the calling. It was a strange thing to do on a day like today.

Closing the door behind her, Lucy noticed that her father, grandmother and a foreign man in a suit, who was standing next to her father, were all talking.

Her grandmother, Amelia Heartphilia, welcomed her warmly. "Come, Lucy dear! Sit by my side!" she held her wrinkled hand out for her granddaughter.

Lucy smiled at the older woman. She loved her grandmother with all her heart for she was the one who brought her up in her long lone years. She sat down, and held her hand tenderly.

Jude decided it was time. He addressed his daughter, "Lucy! This is the new family lawyer, Mr Justine. He is here today to read your mother's will."

"Miss Heartphilia!" he greeted, smiling at the blonde.

"Mr. Justine!" she said, smiling too before asking, "I wasn't aware that my mother had left a will!"

"She did! Her will has been saved for the last fifteen years within the family's vault. As specified by the late Mrs. Heartphilia, her will wouldn't be read until fifteen years would have passed since her death, and in the presence of her only daughter, Miss Lucy Heartphilia," he explained.

"15 years?! This is a long time!"

"I'm afraid I do not hold the answer to your question. But, I believe it is time to open the will and read it as wished by your late mother. The conditions are met!"

Lucy nodded watching him as he sat at her father desk, and opened his briefcase. He put on gloves, before he retrieved a brownish envelope, an intact traditional red wax sealing it. She recognized her mother star-like seal.

The lawyer then spoke, "this is the will. As you can see, it is in a good shape and the seal has not been broken. These are proofs that the will has never been read, tampered with, or touched before."

The three nodded.

Gracefully, the green haired man opened the envelope with his paper knife. Putting it on the desk, he carefully extracted a single piece of paper. He held it out for them to see. Then, he put it on the desk, and read it quickly. Looking back at them, he said, "now that I have verified the content of the will, I will read it:

Magnolia, year 770.

To my beloved daughter, Lucy.

I am writing this will, as I lay severely ill in my bed. I do not believe that I have much time left, before I will leave this world, my dear Lucy. My daughter! How I would give anything to see you grow up by my side! As, I gaze upon you now, Lucy! So tender, and small, still in need of my love and protection. Alas, fate has another plan for me. Another journey is awaiting me.

This is my will to my only daughter, and heiress to my love and heirloom. In the passing of fifteen years, I wish to have my long treasured Golden Key to be passed through to my only daughter, Lucy. The Key is the beacon of happiness. Treat it with love, and the heavens shall fill your life with joy. Cherish it, and treasure it, for it is a divine gift.

I hope that by the time you read the will, Lucy would have grown into a refined, graceful young woman.

Thank you Mother Amelia for being with me throughout my ordeal. You have always been a kind soul. Thank you, Jude, the love of my life for loving me and being my dearest husband. I have always loved you, and shall love you for eternity.

With all my love to you,

Laila Heartfilia."

Lucy broke down in tears. She still missed her mother, even after all these years. She felt her grandmother's hand rubbing her back, soothingly. Lucy, wiped her tears then, and squeezed her grandmother's hand.

"Thank you, grandmother," she wiped a tear and kissed the wrinkly cheek.

Freed Justin allowed them their moment of sorrow. He stared at the onyx box that was inside his briefcase. Looking back at his audience, he realized that they were now waiting for him to speak.

Jude, who was still sad, only nodded.

"Now, miss Heartfilia. I shall hand you the box that has been preserved with it for fifteen years!" he said as he walked towards her.

Lucy watched as Freed gave her the black box. She stared at it in awe. Opening the box slowly, she gasped. Between the red silky folds, she saw the most beautiful golden key she had ever laid eyes on. "So beautiful!" she breathed.

Her grandmother was amazed too. "Indeed, my dear! What a beautiful heirloom!"

Lucy couldn't help but smile. She picked the key, and felt its weight. Looking closely at it, she noticed the sign graved on the bow and the gravings at the end of the blade. They looked like a roaring lion. She traced the gravings with her finger, feeling the delicate work. Looking back at the sign, she wondered for a moment where she had seen it before. "Leo!" she whispered, amazed.

Suddenly, she felt a burning sensation in her hand. For a split second, she thought that the key glowed! Lucy's eyes widened! She brought the key closer to her face, staring hard at it.

"What are you doing, Lucy?" her grandmother asked, slightly embarrassed by her weird behavior.

Jude noticed the smiling Freed and coughed. The lawyer quickly gathered his stuff. He put the will inside the envelope and handed it to Lucy.

Lucy stood up quickly. She flushed slightly at the smiling lawyer. Holding the envelope, she thanked him, shaking his hand. "Thank you, Mr. Justine!" she said.

"The pleasure is mine, Miss Heartfilia!" he replied. Looking at Jude, he added, "I will see you tomorrow, Mr. Heartfilia! Good night, sir, ma'am, my lady!"

As soon as Freed left, grandmother Amelia spoke, "what a polite young man!" she held her handkerchief, a soft smile was gracing her lips.

"I didn't know mother was interested in astrology?!" Lucy asked, all out of the blue.

"She was, Lucy," her father explained. "She was very 'gifted' as she used to say, she had pursued it vehemently until we met!" he added a bit somberly.

"Why didn't you tell me?" she asked, her eyes shifting between the two.

"We thought it was better not to mention it to you! It is unheard of in our lineage!"her father explained, his eyes were hard.

Her grandmother, on the other hand was softer, "Lucy, my child! Please, do not be stubborn!"

"I'm not! It's just that you have kept something like this a secret from me all these years! I'm disappointed in you both! "

"Show respect, young one!" her father replied, tone rising. "What good would it have done you, if I had told you? Would it have made of you the one who you are today?! Tell me?!"

Lucy flinched. She shook with anger and hatred. He was the one who polished her personality, and gave her everything. She could never deny these facts, but she hated his controlling self. "No! But it would have been better still to know about it! This is my mother's past we are talking about! I am not interested in astrology, and I don't know why mother was! But I would have loved to know more about her! Can't you understand this!" her voice thickened, as she started sobbing suddenly.

"Lucy!" the old woman hugged the crying blonde. "You know that we love you, my child! We would never hurt you! But, we never thought highly of her practices. Even your aunts didn't approve of her 'hobby'. We didn't want you to grow up learning about astrology, or worse practicing it like your mother used to! We only wanted the best for you! And your mother agreed! She never spoke or taught you anything about it. You should understand this!" she defended.

Sighing, Lucy nodded. She wiped her tears quickly. "I understand grandmother! I apologize for my behavior!" she sighed again looking at the key, "don't worry! I'm not interested in pseudo sciences! I could never be an astrologer! I'm a business woman, and a writer, not a star reader!" she smiled at both of them, missing the faint glow of the key.

Lucy walked into her room. It was late now; her guests had all turned in for the night. She put the box and the envelope on her desk and started getting undressed, when an idea crossed her mind. Clad in sexy black lingerie, the curvaceous blonde walked to her desk, opened the box, and retrieved the key. Looking at it, she said, "what am I supposed to do with you?" Her fingers traced the sign of the key, "Leo," she breathed.

Suddenly, a golden glow emanated from the key. Lucy screamed and threw the key away, scared. It can't be! It glowed! I've seen it with my own eyes, for real! What the hell was that?!

Minutes passed by, the blonde was now pacing in her room, still in shock. "I have seen it! Oh my God! "She exhaled loudly. "Calm down, Lucy!" the poor blonde told herself. She looked at the key again, and called, "Leo!"

Lucy tensed when she saw the faint glow. "It's real!" she gasped again! Slowly she picked the key up, her heart was beating wildly in her chest. She swallowed hard, then whispered testingly, "Leo?" and the key reacted again, although weakly this time.

"Amazing! A magical key! It has to be!" she declared, excitedly. "My mother has left me a magical key! Oh my God!" she caressed her face, still in shock.

She grabbed the box quickly analyzing it over and over again. "There must be something! A hidden message or anything, like in the movies!" she said, poking the box everywhere.

When she couldn't find anything, she sighed in frustration. How the hell, am I supposed to use it? All that I know is that it reacts to me when I say Leo and… Lucy's eyes widened slightly when she noticed the familiar glow again. "Holy…, it reacts to my thoughts too! Oh-my-God!" she gulped.

"If you can really read my thoughts, then I will put the theory to test!" she said out loud, not realizing that she was actually talking to a key! She thought about the name again, and was excited to see the desired reaction.

"So, you do read my thoughts! Wow! And to know that mother had you before! I wonder what she did with you?" she looked at the key, thinking. "I wonder what you are truly used for? What do you open, key of Leo?" As soon as she asked, she noticed that the key glowed more brilliantly than before.

Lucy stared in shock at her golden key. "Hold on a sec! You didn't shine like that before! Could… could it be because I said those words?" but the key didn't react this time.

Lucy sat at her desk, and quickly wrote down the key words. "Interesting! If I'm going to find your secret, then I'll need to get the right words!" she put the key on the desk, and started writing.

She thought about all the words that have activated the key so far. "Open, Leo, key" she uttered, observing the key simultaneously, but nothing happened. Lucy furrowed her eyebrows, annoyed. She tilted her head, thinking hard, "what did I say back then? Oh yeah, open key of Leo!" she said. The key glowed this time, as if encouraging her.

"Yes!" the blonde yelled again in victory! She repeated the words for a couple of time, watching the same reaction over and over again. But Lucy was getting bored already, "still I don't know your purpose! I wish mother left me something! Another message!"

She grabbed the will and skimmed through, looking for key words, but she didn't find any. "humm, let's see if I can find anything online!" she grabbed her Ipad, and plopped on her bed. Typing the keywords quickly, she scrolled down, reading the results.

Time went by. Lucy was still searching, but to no avail. She gave up in the end, sighing heavily. "What are you exactly? I couldn't find anything about you on Google, or on Fiore National Library's archives!" she rubbed her temples, feeling tired.

She held the key again, above her sleepy eyes, "maybe I'm just over analyzing the words! Now that I think about it, I wonder what you really open? A door?" she asked; no reaction.

Lucy yawned, "no? Hmm, maybe a portal, like in that old T.V series." Still no reaction.

She was now drifting to sleep. "Or…. a gate?" she mumbled, eyes almost closed now. Suddenly, the key glowed. Lucy felt a strange surge in her hand. Her eyes fluttered opened, as she looked at the glowing key.

"Holy stars!" She watched the glow dimming quickly. The words made sense to her. Lucy was fully awake now. She looked at the key again and gulped. She was scared!

What if something scary will appear now! Like aliens in Star Gate! Nah, what am I saying! This is Leo, the Zodiac sign key! Leo means Lion! Oh no! What if a lion will end up here in my room, like in Jumanji! Don't be silly! Leo isn't a lion, it's a constellation; stars! But what did mother use it for! She said that if I loved it, the heavens would bestow me with happiness. I have to know! I trust my mother's words! No harm should reach me if I use this key!This is why she left it for me in the first place!

Leaning on her elbow, she observed the magnificent piece, before she summoned her courage, "open gate of Leo!"

Instantly, a blinding golden light shone from the key. Lucy closed her eyes, unable to see. She felt warmer which was strange, considering that she was still in her underwear. Opening her eyes slowly, Lucy looked on to see a man standing nearby, watching her with interest.

"Finally, we meet!" he said seductively.

Lucy stared at him for a second, before she screamed her lungs out, waking up everyone in the manor!

I hope you have enjoyed the beginning. Long chapter jut to get the ball rolling :D

Thank you for reading. Don't forget to review ;)

Lou.D