Here it is ;) So, I was thinking of two updates a week at least, so I hope that suits you. I'm some chapters ahead and can barely wait to share them! Also it might come off as a little depressing in the start, and I'm sorry for that, but it will get better! Promise! Also I must apologize if some characters come off as a bit ooc, especially Gray (if you feel that way), but it was a challenge to write from his observations and as you will see soon, his POV. To put myself in his shoes, so to speak. But this is fanfiction (everything is possible, hehe) so let's move on to the first chap :D Oh! And I do not own Fairy Tail!

R&R

Enjoy!

Chapter 1:

It was after the GMG things started to happen with Team Natsu. Due to requests that involved only certain mages, the team was barely on missions together anymore. Erza started up with S-class missions again, sometimes with Wendy tagging along and other times together with Mira, when requested. Natsu often ran off with Happy. Sometimes he and Gray were requested as a team, which never ended that well for the town that hired them.

Lucy then understood – quite early on – that she had to start practicing solo, which she did. Not the easiest task when you were used to having a noisy team with you that destroyed half the town, but it gave her an opportunity to train. After her two battles in the GMG, she still felt like a weak mage. Well, she was good enough, yet she was not. Her self-esteem in that department had not exactly risen. She knew she was smart; however, she could not only use her brains on a mission, especially when it came to that she had to fight.

Then the after effects of the GMG started to cool down and requests came as normal, just it was no longer limited to a requested person at all times. Lucy tried to get Team Natsu to go on missions again, but Erza kept being busy and suddenly Natsu started to act strange. He started to avoid her and it hurt. He was her best friend and she was not sure what to do without him. She was so used to having him around and bothering her, no matter how annoying it could get. So she kept going on solo missions.

Weeks passed and there was no telling what was going on. Even Gray had started to take some few missions with Juvia. Much to Mira's delight and much to Lucy's annoyance. Was she not good enough? Could they not take a mission together for old times' sake? She came to a decision. She approached Master and said that she would officially off of Team Natsu. It was simply not for her anymore and she had no other option.

Returning to her apartment now felt empty. Like returning to sorrow. It was as if a dark shadow cast over it and she could drown in that darkness when alone. It was no longer lively. No longer noisy. No longer filled with such happiness.

Yet there might be something positive out of it, or so she thought. She had grown closer to her spirits in a very short amount of time considering she summoned them much more often, and Loke you did not even have to ask. He, Virgo and Capricorn were the ones popping out at the most bizarre times. However, they also came when she needed them, without asking. She could talk to them. She had friends. She even had friends in the guild, that much was obvious. So was it wrong to miss the time when she was with Team Natsu? With the best of friends she could get, or so she thought.

Five months it took. Five months for her to quit the team. Was it wrong to feel free? She no longer had to feel guilty over taking solo missions. But then again, why in the world did she feel guilty? She never had a certain answer. Just her feelings.

"Who would have thought it would take so long?" Lucy whispered to Plue in the darkness of her apartment.

Silently she made her way to the kitchen and looked through the fridge. Finding what was needed for her dinner – a one-portion dinner now without the team – she got to work while Plue was watching her silently. Shivering like usual.

Her eyes fell on him after a moment and feeling guilty that she was such lousy company she found a lollipop and gave it to her friend.

"I can't believe I am depressed." She chuckled silently. "Me of all people." She shook her head. "I guess it was bound to happen. I can't always stay strong, can I?" She looked at Plue again. Her face was grim and he was staring at her. "I am sorry. I'm not the best these days, am I?"

"Pun-puun."

"Ah, trying to cheer me up," Lucy muttered with a small smile. "Thank you."

"Puun."

Then he disappeared. A golden light cleared the room for just a moment and then another spirit had made appearance.

"Virgo," Lucy said surprised.

"Punishment, Princess?"

"No, of course not. What are you doing here?"

"Your dinner is about to get burnt," Virgo answered with her monotone voice.

"Oh, no!" Lucy panicked and moved the food off the stove. "Thanks," Lucy breathed.

"Princess…" Virgo trailed off as she noticed the faraway look on Lucy's face. "Moment, Princess," she then said and disappeared.

Virgo appeared at the guild, meeting many surprised faces. Most of all Mira's worried one.

"Virgo, is something wrong? Did something happen to Lucy?" Mira asked, a bit of panic coming through.

"Not at all. I am looking for…" She kept looking around when she saw him. She made a hole in the floor and made her way under the ground towards him. Then she made another hole by him and grabbed him by his arm. Hurriedly she went through the Celestial world and then appeared again inside Lucy's apartment.

"Virgo, is that you?" Lucy called from the bathroom.

"Princess, I have brought you a friend," Virgo said and met dark blue eyes with a stern gaze.

He looked surprised and a little bit suspicious, but nothing said that he would leave again. Feeling satisfied, Virgo took her leave as Lucy opened her bathroom door.

Feeling the air change as she opened the door she stopped mid-swing. Who did Virgo bring to her apartment? No one came. No one would. So why had the person yet to leave? The air was cooler than usual and her eyes narrowed as she stepped out.

The door closed behind her and she saw nothing within the darkness. A light came on and Lucy could only stare in disbelief.

"Gray?"

Gray was not sure what to do anymore, especially with the news that Lucy had just quit Team Natsu, and Natsu himself seemed relieved that she did. Erza was not exposing any emotion on her face. Happy was looking confused to the situation all in all.

"If Lucy is out, so am I," Gray muttered and turned to leave.

A firm hand landed on his shoulder and a tight grip held him back.

"You will not leave the team Gray," Erza said low and calm. However, her voice was firm and was hinting to that it was no avoiding it.

Gray's feelings started to boil and he felt himself getting angry. He would never had stayed on the team in the first place if it was not for Lucy and now she was gone. She did not want to be on the team anymore. With them. With him. So why would he stay?

"Trust me, I will. You cannot stop me, Erza," Gray muttered darkly. He got out of Erza's grip and made his way to Makarov's office.

He did not even bother to knock. Just made his way inside and told Makarov he was officially leaving Team Natsu as well. That no one could stop him. And to be honest, Makarov had not much to say in response. So he turned on his heels and made his way down to the guild hall again. Shaking his head when noticing Natsu and Happy going out the guild doors yet again. Those two would never change.

However, it did not take long before he was in another place entirely. Facing the maid. Virgo, one of Lucy's spirits. She was staring at him while talking to Lucy on the other side of a door. What had happened to her voice?

How had he not noticed before now? The smile that was usually in her voice when she talked was gone.

Her apartment was covered in darkness and only for a moment as the bathroom door opened, he could see light. Then it got dark again.

He found the closest switch and turned on the light and the sight in front of him shook him.

Lucy looked like a living zombie. Literally. She was pale. Her eyes were dull. She had more muscles on her body, but she was too skinny now. Her lips parted while a tiny spark lit her eyes.

"Gray?" she whispered. As if she could not believe that he was standing right in front of her.

Confused he nodded with a small smile.

Arms surrounded him and a strong hug were given, while her face was hidden in his chest. He could feel her tears.

"I thought it was time for a visit," he said a bit nervously as he let his arms rest on her back.

She barely pulled away, smiled the brightest smile in a long time, and nodded. She really could barely believe it. Gray was there! Right in front of her.

"I left Team Natsu as well," he then added.

"Why?" she asked and frowned.

He felt like he got the greatest of ideas and pulled her onto the couch. He kept a relaxed smile seeing as it obviously made her feel better and he did not want to see her sad. No, no longer sadness.

"I thought that it was time we started to work together," he said and grinned. "Besides, I am much better than flame-brain," he added and winked. Causing her to giggle in response. "But I am serious. The two of us should form a team."

"Are you sure?" Lucy asked and looked down into her lap. Guilt filling her. She did not want to be useless again.

"Why wouldn't I be sure? You are one of the strongest mages in Fairy Tail, Lucy," Gray said sincere.

Lucy's eyes nearly popped out and her eyes narrowed right after. "That's not true."

It was Gray's turn to frown. So this was still a problem, huh? "Of course it is. Who else in the guild can summon a door to another world entirely? Or several at a time? You might not see it yourself, Lucy. But your magic energy is on line with mine-"

"That's not possible."

"Then ask Gramps if you don't believe me. Come on Lucy. Let's form a team together." He was sure he looked determined as he met her eyes. He had to be able to convince her somehow.

"What about Juvia?" Lucy wondered and she could swear the temperature dropped even more.

"What about her?" Gray asked, his tone changed.

"I thought you mainly were going on missions with her now."

"Are you jealous of Juvia?" Gray wondered incredulously.

"What? No! Just, I thought…"

"The missions were requested by Master seeing how they were fit, but I would never go willingly on a mission with her. Why can't people get that?" he complained.

"Because she is fairly obsessed with you," Lucy pointed out.

"Keyword, obsessed," he answered.

Then neither could hold it anymore, both started to laugh of the whole silliness of the situation and both were stuck with wide grins in each other's company.

"So what really happened?" Gray then – after a moment of silence – dared to ask.

"Natsu started to avoid me," Lucy muttered and her arms hugged around herself and her smile faltered.

"You were…?" The question hung in the air.

"What? No!" Lucy yelled. "Nothing like that! With him? Are you crazy? No…never…but we were best friends. How can that change so fast? Erza started to do S-class again, you went solo and then I went solo as well. However, I never knew it would make me depressed!" her voice was nearly hysterical and he hurriedly brought her close. Holding her. "None of you. I only had my spirits on missions. Then the guild started to turn back to normal and… and… I thought we could start going on team missions again, but with Natsu I knew it was no longer possible, so I quit." Her voice was barely above a whisper. "However, I miss all of you every day. No matter how much you went on my nerves." A sad laugh. "I thought I was doomed. But here you are."

The smile was back in her voice. Gray felt relieved. Now he knew that his mission was to keep her happy and smiling. She would not have to fall again. He would help her with her confidence. So a new team would be a great start. Only the two of them. He could only kick himself for somehow forgetting about her in the chaos after the GMG.

"I am here for you Lucy, always. I just wish you had spoken to me sooner. I can't have the guild's sunshine whither, can I?" He had pulled apart and was holding her shoulders, making her look up at him. He smiled. Only for her.

"The guild's sunshine?" she asked curiously, as she wiped her eyes.

"Everyone calls you sunshine, Lucy. You bring happiness into the guild with your smile every day. But if we all look, we can see right now that it is not reaching your eyes. That must change." He was back to his relaxed self and he leant back on the couch, making himself at home. "You don't by any chance have anything to eat?"

Lucy snorted but her smile got brighter. "Let me make you something, ok?"

"Tea sounds fine too you know!" he yelled after her.

Lucy laughed and she felt great. It was getting better already and she could not wait to spend more time with Gray. It was going in the right direction again.

From the Celestial World the spirits watched their friend truly smile and laugh again. It was refreshing to see the change within her and they were all excited for her. Even Aquarius smiled at the image in front of her.

They had all seen how Lucy had suffered and how she slowly had fallen into depression. She did not see it herself at first. She truly tried to make every day worth it, but sometimes she would freeze and get a faraway look on her face. Stare at nothing. And she could go on like that for hours before either Loke or Capricorn snapped her out of it.

She tried to stay happy for their sake. Then slowly she understood what was going on, but yet she could not pull herself out. Maybe this new partnership with Gray the Ice-Maker mage would drag her out. It was already working.

Loke stood by the Celestial King as they took notice of Lucy's smile as she cooked for herself and Gray. Both spirits smiled.

And it was not only them, because the rest of Lucy's spirits could feel her true happiness again. It excited them all.

They could hardly wait for the next adventure.

This was the first chap. What do you think?

Oh, forgot to add, there will not be any character deaths (directly anyway), 'cause then I would have made it a tragedy, which it is not.