Chapter One

'That Strange Dream'

I'm overwhelmed by his touch. His heat from his body. I watch with amusement as he looks down at me, with his deep onyx eyes. My hands slowly explore his neck, down to his waistband. A slight chuckle escaping his lips. His hands travel behind my back, holding me close to him before his lips meet mine. There soft, wet and moist, as my own crush against his, a tongue forcing its way into my mouth. I'm in awe, as he continues to feel me with his hands, his body moving with me and tongue exploring my mouth. I am his element. He is mine.

Slowly, he releases my lips and pecks my neck, placing a trail all the way down to my hip. I moan weakly as he rests still at my opening. Is this what it's like to be in love? To feel pleasure? I grip the bed for impact, digging my nails hard into the mattress just as he pushes himself into me, rising back up to face me. He pauses, looking at me for guidance. I adjust myself, releasing my hands from the bed and gripping his own, before moving to a rhythm. He copies me, smirking his famous grin before placing a kiss delicately on my lips. I move faster, as he does the same, our routine colliding together. I moan louder, feeling the sensation rise inside of me. My walls clamp around him and I squeal, gripping his arms. He's not fazed by the pain, once I dig my nails into his skin. But continues to slam into me, my heart pouncing with delight. I can't take it much longer. Sweat dripping from our bodies as I scream louder, moving faster. I look to him and he's smiling wider, enjoying every moment and completely oblivious to the fact I've drawn blood from his arms. I giggle, a burst of excitement and pleasure overwhelming me. Teasing me, I let out a final scream, then slowly turn to rest.

"Lucy?"

"I'm fine…just…" my eyes fall slowly, all the energy I had was discharged from my body. I weakly smile, feeling the impact of his lips on mine once more. "Sleepy" I manage to say, just as my body rushes to its slumber. Slowly, I curl up with my pillow and snooze silently.

"You're Lucy right?" I stare hopelessly at a young girl with deep red hair. I'm amused, as she approaches me, holding a sword that matched her armour. She frowns, gripping her sword tighter. "Lucy…um…Heart filia?" she bites her lip, shaking her head angrily. "I can't remember the name. But your name is Lucy"

"Yes" I say softly. "I'm Lucy Heartfilia. Who are you?" she stills. "You have name don't you?" I wonder. I'm puzzled as she steps back, shaking her head violently.

"My name…it's Ruby. Ruby Fernandes. I am a member of the Fireflies" she sighs in defeat. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have given you my real name" I watch as she drops her sword, falling to her knees with sadness. "I don't really know where I am. Or how I got here. But I'm looking for my comrades, and accidently came face to face with you. Though I know it's not you that I know so well" she stops, tears falling from her eyes. "Heartfilia" she mumbles.

I stare at her, unsure whether to comfort her or to slow walk away. This young girl, she seems so mature for her age, I would say she's about 15 years old but even so, she mentions she knows me well? But I've never met her.

"You said you know me?" I quiver. "How?"

Tears fall slowly down the girl's face as she weakly looks up at me, stunned for words. Was it something she couldn't tell me? I stare at her with soft warm eyes, ones that only I could give and she whimpers more.

"There's so much…" she weeps. "I can't explain"

"Why? You can trust me? I'll try and help" I assure her.

"I do trust you Lucy. I always have" she cries more, her hands cupping her face. "I can't be here…you're not the Lucy I know" without another second passing by, she rises to her feet, running away from me.

"Wha? What…wait Ruby!" I call for her, my legs chasing her down. "Come back! Please!" but it's too late, she disappears into the darkness and my whole body remains still, hearing the sounds of a voice behind me.

"Lucy!"

"Lucy"

"LUCY!"

"Hey Lucy! Wake up!" my eyes flash open, slowly catching my breath. Before me are my friends, who all happened to break in to my home. "Finally, we thought you'd died" Gray coughs, sniggering.

"If we assumed she was dead, I would gladly perform CPR in the matter" Erza smirks, as she sits on the dining room chair, with her leg crossed over the other. I stare in mid-thought, my eyes scanning Erza. Ruby. Did I dream of Erza when she was younger? I slowly sit up, only to have my dressing robe thrown at me in despair by Natsu and Happy who both quickly looked away with a blush on their cheeks.

"Robe?" Oh. I blushed, throwing the duvet up to my neck. I had completely forgotten I was naked, after my little session I had from earlier on. "DON'T LOOK!" I warn them.

"Lucy, we've seen it all before. Besides, we're adults. We will think nothing of it" Erza explains, with great pride. I'm dumbfounded.

"Thanks…" I mumble sarcastically. I dress myself in my robe, and arise from the bed before asking the intimate question. "Why exactly are you all in my apartment?" I look to Natsu and Happy and they both shrug in response. Though, I always expected them to be here. They always had to swoop in and eat everything in my fridge.

But Gray and Erza I was curious about.

"We need your assistance" Erza mutters. "Well, when I say we…I really mean me" I look at her with uncertainty. After all, what did the seventh Fairy-Tail Guild Master want with me?

"Oh…um ok?" I wriggle onto a seat beside her, ignoring the fact that both Natsu and Gray were now snooping my kitchen in hunt for food, accidently locking Happy in the cupboard while doing so. "So what's up Erza?"

"As you are aware of my engagement to Jellal" she twiddles with her fingers, looking away with embarrassment. "I am in need of a Maid of Honour"

To this I jump with excitement. She wants me to be her Maid of Honour! What a privilege that is! My smile grows wider as I slam my hands to the table in front of her.

"Of course I'll be your Maid of Honour!" I cheer. But this causes her to frown.

"Actually-" she starts, lowering her head in shame. "I wanted to know what one was" I stop, my world crushing around me, just as both Gray, Natsu and Happy snigger from behind me.

"Oh…"

"I assumed you being from a high profile background would surely know what one was, and if you could assist me in it?" I sigh at this, placing my butt back down to the chair. Well…perhaps there's hope? I quickly explain to her the basics of being a Maid of Honour and what they do for the Bride, to which she nods at my every word in full desire.

"They plan your hen night, don't worry I'll explain that later, they help you arrange guests, they go bride dress shopping, they do a lot. But it's normally someone whose close to you" I tell her.

"You seem to know a fair bit about it" she utters. "I don't even know what a Hen Night may be" she blushes with embarrassment.

"Hen night is a night when a bunch of your close friends go out to party, it's basically near the last day of your freedom as a single woman" I reveal, feeling extra smart.

"Well Lucy, since you know so much about being one. I wouldn't have it any other way- Could you be mine?"

I sweatdrop at this. Oh now she asks me?

"Yeah…after all, I know how to be one" I smirk. "So have you any idea of who will be your bridesmaids?" she stares clueless at me, again I have to explain myself.

"Oh yes, Mirajane shall be one. Bisca can be another. Um…Levy Mcgarden oh and Asuka!" she chimes.

"What about Millianna? Or Kagura?" I wonder.

"They can be one as well?" she's deeply impressed by my knowledge, and quick enough I'm sitting on the sofa with my notepad in hand and pen. Writing everything that needs to be said.

Mirajane, Bisca, Asuka, Levy, Millianna and Kagura. I open my mouth to mention others, but by this point EVERYONE will end up being one of Erza's bridesmaids.

"Have you got a dress yet?"

"No"

"Then we will look for one tomorrow" I tell her. "Natsu, Happy!" I call out from behind me. "Gray! We're going shopping tomorrow, for wedding clothes"

I turn my head, glancing at the three fat wizards on my kitchen floor who all burped happily. I shake my head. They ate all my food. Typical.

"Why us?" Natsu gurgles.

"Because, that way I know what your going to wear. Plus you can tell me and Erza how good we look when we try ours on!" I snap. Again, all three moan. But I giggle at the response.

"Thank you Lucy, I really appreciate you doing this for me" I'm touched, when she grasps my hands in hers, blinking softly. "You're one of my very special friends. A true one, who I'll always trust with my heart. I will never regret this, I promise you"

I stare into her eyes. There's that word again. Trust. It was what that young girl had said to me. I nod weakly, forcing a smile on my face.

"You're part of my family Erza"

She smiles, releasing me and rising from the seat.

"Till tomorrow Lucy" I smirk at this, as she orders the other three to leave me in peace. I smile, watching as they are dragged by their scruffs through the door.

That's Erza.

"Why did we have to come too" Natsu whines as he drags his feet behind me. Happy heavily sighs, hovering over my shoulder.

"You guys always eat out of my fridge, so you're tagging along" I mutter. I look to the side of me and young Wendy is beside me, smiling sweetly. "Thanks for coming too girls" I manage to say.

"I love shopping for food…" Wendy starts, gleaming. "All the chocolate…it's to die for" she licks her lips and walks through the doors, with Carla following behind. We enter the store and Natsu collects the trolley. He's not too sure of this cart with wheels, but pushes it along regardless, while Happy sits in it.

"THAT'S NOT FAIR! LET ME GET IN IT!" Natsu shouts, "Lucy you push us!" I stare at him in disbelief as he climbs into the trolley beside Happy and urges me to push him.

"Will you grow up?! You have motion sickness" I snap. "I'm not pushing you"

"Fine, Wendy you do it!" the salamander orders. But Wendy shakes her head, walking further down the aisle leaving me to sort this childish situation. "Come on, someone push me! It looks fun!" I smirk at this. If I push him, he'll soon regret it.

Slowly, I step round to the front of the cart, watching Natsu's face light up with joy. But it soon fades as I push him hard down the aisle. His face goes green and bloated, his hands clutching his mouth ready to barf. Stupid fool.

"Lucy, look they have carrots here" Wendy announces, holding up the long orange vegetable. "Grandeeney just to give me these all the time" she smiles, holding it up for inspection.

"Well if you want it Wendy, put it in the trolley" I tell her. My moneys going to run out quicker than I thought.

"She can't, Natsu's stuck in it" Carla points out. I growl. Only Natsu. We pull him out and I slap him hard enough to knock sense into him. And continue our happy family shop. I smile, throwing my food into the trolley.

"I need this"

"And this"

"Chicken's good too"

"Oh look, I could do with this"

I stop, looking behind me. Wendy and Carla were both happily pushing the trolley, admiring the goods I was casually placing inside the cart. But I happened to notice no destruction or laughter. No Natsu and Happy. They must have gotten fed up and went home. I shrug at this, collecting everything on my mental list in my head. Until the tanoy in the store went off.

"Attention: Could the mother of Natsu and Happy please make their way to the customer service desk. Thank you"

I sigh, many other shoppers glancing to the other.

"Natsu and Happy are at the desk…should we go and get them" Carla wonders.

"Wait a minute" I say, avoiding the looks of the shoppers. "Um..right. Let's go" I whisper. I trot off ahead, anger building inside of me. But when I reach the desk, I instantly freeze up.

"Lucy!" They both cheer, holding their lollipops up.

"What do you think you're doing?" I snap. "This isn't a game, now get up and let's get out of here"

They sigh loudly, heads dropping with boredom as they follow me down the aisle where we meet up with Wendy and Carla, who are quick to give them sympathy. I rush to get the rest of my things, and pay up at the desk, before leaving in a hurry. But the rest of the day gets worse.

Carla and Wendy head back to the Fairy Hills, as myself, Happy and Natsu go back to mine. We sit at the table, all staring at the food I had cooked for us all. Natsu and Happy dig in straight away, but I simply push it away. I wasn't that hungry.

I believe Natsu noticed this.

"What's wrong Luce?"

"Nothing"

"Are you sure? You don't normally push your food away" he's curious I could tell. But I sigh lightly, avoiding his eye contact. I look anywhere but at him. My eyes soon travel to the bed, and I blush instantly. I forgot to clean the bed sheets. One of the things I was supposed to do.

I get up, undoing the sheets and throwing them into the washing machine. Again Natsu eyes me. Was there something wrong with cleaning my bedsheets?

"Why are you cleaning the bed for?" he asks, frowning.

"No reason, it just looked dirty" I blush, but I can tell that he knows. He smirks at this, shrugging his shoulders once more.

"It'll only get dirty again" he says, unamused.

"I know"

"Say…Happy, shall we crash at Lucy's tonight?" the fire dragon suggests, smirking. I frown at him, as Happy burps lightly.

"Oh…I was planning to stay at Fairy Hills with Carla and Wendy" he mutters, blushing. "But you stay here Natsu, Lucy can keep you company"

"WHAT?" I scream. Don't leave me with him alone! I avoid his gaze instantly, as he smirks once more. I remembered what happened last time!