A/N Hi all, welcome to my first Fairy Tail fan fic. It's not AU but it is set when the characters are older (somewhere in the 20's will work out actual ages in later chapters) mainly because this works better with the plot. It is OC so I will be explaining them in greater detail as I go. Think that was all I needed to say for now... enjoy :) - Quinn

It wasn't raining.

This, of course, was not unusual for summer in the desert but Lilia still couldn't help feeling a little put out by the weathers apparent apathy towards her situation. What happened to pathetic fallacy? It always rained in stories when something bad happened to the hero and she couldn't even get a damn drizzle! Then again, she wasn't the hero. In the story of her own life, she probably wasn't even the main character.

What would the story of her life be? A romance? Not unless you considered a string of one night stands and marrying a gay guy romance. An epic? Hardly. Romantic comedy? She hadn't noticed a charmingly naïve man chasing after her, engaging is a series of misunderstood attempts to garner her affections. Besides, she very much doubted her life story would end with '…and they lived happily ever after'.

Lilia was so lost in her own musings that she failed to notice the rock that sprang from the sand to trip her. Sand went in her mouth as she fell face first onto the desert floor. She glared at the demon rock that had come from no where and maliciously attacked her. If looks could kill, the rock would have rolled over and… well, probably stayed a rock. Just upside down. The sound of a man's laughter provided a background to the growl that rumbled through her chest and throat.

"Perhaps more of a tragic comedy?" A masculine voice offered as a hand appeared in her vision. She grumbled her discontent at Dean's amusement but took the offered hand anyway. His biceps bunched as he easily pulled her to her feet, sand sliding back to fill the dip she left.

"Thanks," Lilia murmured, meeting his dark brown eyes only briefly before focusing on brushing the sand from her clothes. Dean reached one hand across and ran it back along her hair, dislodging sand.

"Relax, it doesn't matter that it turned out to be a dead end. We knew the lead was a long shot and there will be others." He spoke with no inflection, simply stating the facts. He knew she was just frustrated – she didn't need sympathy, she needed to snap out of it. "Let's just get out of this desert and we can start the hunt again. You said last time we visited Magnolia that you could feel the pull strongly," He tilted his head slightly and gave her a lopsided grin, showing straight white teeth. "There's no need to go taking your anger out on some poor unsuspecting rock, Lil." Lilia sighed at his nickname for her and mumbled something about assassin rocks. He was the only person who could call her 'Lil' and walk away with no bruises. His grin widened.

"Being married to you has to have some perks," He said as he poked her in the ribs and carried on walking. Lilia frowned at his back, calling him names in her head, knowing he could hear them. He just chuckled again, the deep rumbling sound that always soothed her temper. She smiled slightly and jogged to catch up with him.

"We won't be married for much longer. At least, not legally. The divorce should have gone through by now," Lilia titled her head to look up at his face, her deep green eyes sparkling with amusement rather than anger. "What's the first thing you're going to do as a free man?"

"I'm hardly a free man! I think Cas will be dragging me to the alter as soon as he can." Deans grin grew soppy as he thought about his other half. The two hadn't seen each other in months, though that wasn't uncommon. Castiel was a Lieutenant for the royal army and was often away and Dean was always with Lilia, carrying out the mission they had been set so long ago. Dean had received word only a couple of days ago that Cas would be in Magnolia for a few weeks which neatly coincided with the disappointing (and violent) end to one of their leads. That was where the two were heading now. They would pick up their divorce papers and Dean would spend the next few weeks with Cas whilst Lilia tried to pick up the trail again. She thought back to that morning when they had arrived in the location the lead had said he had heard a dragon roar. Turned out to just be one very pissed of demon but it put up a good fight. Lilia could feel bruises forming on her legs and stomach.

She was unconsciously rubbing her sore stomach when Images of Cas in various stages of undress crowded her thoughts. She groaned and shouldered the large man next to her.

"Dean, reign it in or block the link." He smiled cheekily down at her. Dean was a large man, over 6ft tall - all biceps, corded muscle and tattoos. He was a rather intimidating man. Well, until he smiled, then his kind heart shone through. Those crooked smiles combined with the expressive brown eyes and dark sandy hair that fell across his eyes when he looked down at you were what made people fall in love with him. It was what made Lilia fall in love with him. A part of her always knew he was gay, even before he admitted it, but she married him anyway. Perhaps she was selfish but he was her closest friend and if she didn't marry him she would have been forced into an arranged marriage. Arranged marriages were common in her clan. As Hunters, they married not for love but to create a bond. A bond that strengthened the magic of the couple and aided them in their Hunts. Love came later, if at all. If she hadn't created that bond with Dean she would have been made to create it with another. Someone the matchmakers deemed a good match for her. Thought the matchmakers were often right in their pairings (thought no one would tell them if they weren't) Lilia still couldn't bare to create the Link with someone she didn't know and trust implicitly. She had too many secrets.

Part of the bond that Hunters created was the Link. A sense link strong enough that they could hear each other's thoughts as though they had been spoken aloud. It allowed for easy communications during battle and prevented split second delays that could be deadly. Lilia tapped her chin thoughtfully. "I wonder if the Link will still be as strong when you marry Cas."

Dean put an arm round her shoulder, "I think it will be. Even if we aren't legally married, even if we marry other people – you will always be my wifey." She wrapped her arms round his waist and hugged him back. Even if they weren't in love romantically, they were closer than best friends and loved each other dearly.

"Well, I suppose we will find out shortly. I expect to be Maid of Honour, you know." Images of her slim build in huge, pink, puff-ball dresses were her only response from the man next to her. She scowled. "Hell, no. I don't do pink and puffy."

"It's my wedding, you wear what I pick."

"You know, for a gay guy you have terrible fashion sense."

"Says the woman walking through a desert in a leather cat suit." He raised one eyebrow and pointedly looked her up and down. Lilia stuck her tongue out at him and crossed her arm over her chest.

"It's not like I feel the heat." Besides, the suit was standard issue for Hunter women. It may make her stand out amongst normal people but it was comfortable and protected her in fights more than regular clothing but allowed for more movement than armour. The suit was made of black leather, worn dull and flexible after years of use. It zipped up the front from the waist right the way to her neck, though it was currently undone slightly, revealing the top of her chest. The sleeves ended just before her elbows, a pair of leather bracers, topped with metal plates covered her fore-arms. She carried 'normal' clothes with her but hadn't bothered changing after the last Hunt, she would change when they reached Magnolia. Dean, on the other hand, was wearing a pair of jeans, worn bare at the knees and had stuffed his collared t-shirt into his pack, opting to go shirtless in the desert heat. His tanned skin shone slightly with sweat and Lilia couldn't help but chuckle when he scowled at her.

"Not all of us are so impervious to the heat, you know," He huffed.

"I might not feel the heat but the pace you're setting is making me sweat," Lilia complained as she wiped her forehead with the back of her hand. She glanced down and noticed that even though Dean had opted for his civilian clothes, he still wore his black boots. Identical to hers (apart from the slight heel she had retro-fitted to her own pair) they laced from the middle of the foot to the middle of his calf, hidden under his jeans. The steel toe cap shone brightly in the sun.

"I'm eager to get to Magnolia, it's not far away now." He didn't need to explain, she could feel his excitement as the first buildings came into view.

"You just want to be rid of me," Lilia teased. He gave her an exasperated look out of the corner of his eye and started walking faster, forcing her to quicken her pace to keep up. She knew that wasn't wasn't why he was in such a hurry, really. Lilia could see his thoughts clearly and they were all of Cas. She smiled slightly to herself, she was glad her best friend had found someone he loved so dearly. Lilia knew the pain he had gone through, coming to terms with who he was. Their clan was very old fashioned, they didn't approve of gay relationships. Perhaps that was why he had proposed to her? Maybe he was selfish as well. If a couple got together on their own, as long as the matchmakers deemed it a good fit, they could circumvent the arrangement process. Despite having been married for 3 years, they had never really spoken about why they had both entered into the marriage, despite both knowing Dean was gay. It wasn't like either believed it could stay a secret for long. As soon as the Bond was made, she would be able to hear his thoughts and would have discovered the truth, even if he hadn't confessed. Lilia supposed it didn't really matter now. She didn't regret her decision and knew he didn't regret it either. The marriage had brought them closer and allowed them to create the Bond with someone they truly cared for.

Dean ignored her inner musings, focused solely on the buildings ahead. Once they reached the desert town they could get a train to Magnolia and be there within 3 hours. He felt bad for pushing them so hard and felt even worse for making Lilia get on a train. Her greatest weakness was probably her motion sickness. It crippled her completely from the moment she stepped onto any form of transportation. He glanced at her, seeing the tail of the dragon tattoo on her right arm that peaked from under her clothing. She hadn't recovered enough magic after this mornings fight to avoid using the train. Still, Dean knew she wouldn't complain. Lilia, if anything, was loyal to a fault and cared too much for everyone else. She would put up with the motion sickness without a word because she knew how excited he was to get back to Cas. He knew it was selfish for him to ask this of her but it had been 3 months and 6 days since Dean had last seen Castiel and knowing he was so close made him selfish.

She caught his eye and she grinned at him, her sharp canines flashing, strands of rich, brown hair fell around her face. "If taking the train puts a stop to all those mushy thoughts I will smile as I throw up out the window." She snickered, mirth filling her laugh. Dean smiled back at her, he really couldn't wish for a better friend or, he supposed, a better ex-wife. She nodded along with his thoughts. "And don't you forget it!"

The pair carried on walking in silence, reaching the first few buildings in no time. As they walked through the streets towards the train stations, Dean couldn't help but notice the number of heads that Lilia turned. It wasn't surprising, her choice of outfit aside, she was a very, very pretty woman. Her slim but toned figure and beautiful chocolate hair usually turned heads, even if she was in sweats. Lilia snorted and looked up at him, forest green eyes narrowing. "I highly doubt it is me drawing all the attention. You are walking around with no shirt on." Dean cast his eyes about and caught the stares of quite a few women and, he noticed with smug satisfaction, quite a few men. He straightened his back, walking a little taller and making his ab muscles flex. Lilia laughed at his preening but said nothing. When they reached the station, Dean pulled his t-shirt from his pack and slipped it on, the temperature considerably cooler in the shade of the buildings. He looked down at his partner who hadn't moved.

"Aren't you going to get changed?" He asked as he hoisted his pack onto his back once more. She shook her head.

"No, I have a feeling I will need it," Lilia stretched her arms above her head before glancing around. They still had about an hour before their train was due to depart and she was starving. Spotting a small café not far away, she motioned Dean towards it with a nod of her head. He followed, glancing around himself.

"Here? I don't sense anything?" He queried in a low voice.

"I don't know. I don't sense it yet either but I can smell something. It smells wrong, dark." Dean nodded, he knew not to second guess Lilia's sense of smell. "I think it may be hiding. No, I won't approach it first." She answered his unspoken question. Dean sighed with relief. His partner could be reckless in her Hunts. This didn't normally matter but the town was busy and there was too much risk of civilian casualties. The pair entered the small café and ordered, Dean picking up the scent from Lilia's mind. As the scent grew stronger, they noticed a man, brimmed hat pulled low over his eyes, walking towards the station only a short distance from the café. Dean grinned, his heart rate picking up. It was a powerful one, it was masking its magic so as not to be detected but nothing could fool Lilia's nose. The Hunt would begin the moment it tried to attack the pair, and it would attack. A high level demon like that was almost certainly out to gain a promotion through attacking the two Hunters. Lilia looked up at him.

"What's the plan?" She sipped her water, totally calm, waiting for him to come up with a strategy. Dean leaned his elbow on the metal table, placing his head in this hand and thought, a hundred different scenarios playing out before him.

"We wait." He said finally. "We can't risk drawing it out into the open with this many people around and it's almost definitely here looking for us. I reckon it will follow us onto the train and we can lead it to somewhere more secluded when we reach Magnolia. Then we attack and send the bastard back to hell." Lilia nodded once, her eyes following the movement of the man, taking in his gait, his posture, looking for anything that could give away which demon he was. A young waitress placed their food in front of them, giving Dean a flirtatious smile.

"She's young enough to be your daughter." Lilia smirked as she spoke to him through the Link, her voice in his head slightly different than it was out loud. It was how she heard herself speak, slightly higher pitched with a stronger accent – it wasn't as nice as her actual voice.

"She's got to be, what, 15/16? Only 8 or 9 years younger than us. Don't be so jealous." He chided and she grimaced. Even though he was gay and seeing another man, she could still get wound up when women attempted to get his attention. Personally, Dean thought it was rather funny and kind of cute. She wrinkled her nose even more. The waitress left, giving Lilia a strange look.

"You can be just as bad!" She exclaimed, "You get really protective if guys hit on me."

"That's because guys are assholes."

"You're a guy and you're dating a guy – I don't think you can say that."

"Gay guys are different."

"So you want me to be gay too? Or do you want me to marry another gay guy?"

"That would be preferable."

Lilia gave a humourless 'Hah!' at this and said aloud; "Well, tough. I like males, preferably ones who like females." Dean smirked and shook his head.

"Whatever. Eat up, we have a train to catch." And just like that, Lilia's face paled and took on a sickly shade of green.

The train arrived in Magnolia 3 hours later. There had been no sign of the demon on the journey but Lilia assured him through bouts of sickness that she could still smell him on the train. As they exited the carriage, Lilia pushed through the crowds and launched herself at the platform, grinning madly at being on still ground again. Dean exited the carriage a couple of moments later and walked to stand beside her. Her smile had slipped slightly and she looked perplexed. Dean could feel the strange pull in her chest through the Link.

"It's never been this strong before. Even when we were here a few years ago, it wasn't this strong. It was almost as though the Lacrima was reacting to an after-image back then. Now it's stronger, whatever it is that is pulling it," She looked up at him, green eyes searching his brown. "I have a feeling the end of the trail is here." Her voice was low, almost a whisper but the excitement and nervousness shone in her eyes. Dean put a hand on her shoulder. Part of him was desperate to believe her, to believe their mission might finally be at an end, but part of him dreaded it too. He knew that once Lilia completed their mission, she would return to the clan and he would not. Lilia placed a hand on top of his.

"Don't think about that yet. I could be wrong, this could be another dead end." Dean followed her line of sight to the hill behind the station. That was where the pull was coming from, he could feel it. That was where the end of her journey was.

On top of that hill, overlooking Magnolia, completely unaware that fate had just pulled into town, Natsu grinned, happy to be home.