"Lucy!" He screamed as he ran into the guild, he was in his suit again but with out his tie or jacket. Lucy was at the bar, her right arm in a cast. He touched her broken arm hoping that his touch would heal her from the pain, from the hurt of her arm and make her smile like the way she used look to at him like when he first became contracted to her. When she would give up her life so long as he would live. Now, she stared at him with cold eyes that plunged into his soul and he found it hurt to breath.

She turned away from him, moving her arm away and bringing it closer to her body like a wounded animal. He took the vacant seat beside her and touched her shoulder softly, as if she was made of glass, well technically she was and she has already shattered and the broken pieces in his hands hurt.

He rubbed her shoulder, her back shaking his head softly, "I'm sorry. I had a date. Are you okay?" Lucy never said a word. He would have preferred if she swore at him, kicked him, stabbed him with his own key, but her silence sliced through his body and he was unable to say anything. He was unable to speak again as he tried to catch his breath from the hurt he felt.

After a while, she did speak, it was soft and sad but full or resolve, "I'm breaking our contract," now he wished she never said anything and remained silent. Anything would have been less painful than hearing that. She had tears falling down her cheek, and he hated it.

"Don't break our contract," he begged her taking her hand. She slipped her hand away and shook his head. "Please. I like being your spirit. Is it because I hit on you? I'll stop. I won't. I'll get Taurus and Cancer to do the same. Please don't do this," he could tell he had a lump in his throat and every time he swallowed, it came back even larger than before. He begged again his voice wavering.

"It's not that. You are never there when I need you. I needed you out there and you I couldn't depend on you. What's the point in having you contracted to me if you are never there. If you have days you can't do you could have said but you said anytime, any place, anywhere, I'll come for you. That doesn't seem to be the case," her voice was going raw as she began to cry out. The other guild members were looking at them but there was only a few, mainly everyone was out on a mission.

They were almost staring in horror at the poor celestial spirit, who was almost begging for forgiveness and to stay, "Lucy, please. Don't do this. I need you. I want to stay your spirit. I can protect you. I do come out on my own will to save you. Please. It was a mistake,"

"A mistake?"

"I nearly died. It would be like what happened to Karen. Thankfully Aries showed up and I only sustained a broken arm. I could have died. I took that mission because I had you. And you weren't there. I needed you," Loke shook his head in shame. Tears were now swelling up in his eyes but he wasn't going to give up.

"I'm your strongest zodiac. You need me. I'm still an official member of the guild and I'm not going anywhere. I can leave on my own will and return anytime. I...Lucy please don't do this," by this point he was crying and he was begging. He turned to see the door open and saw Natsu and Gray standing there. They scanned the room for Lucy and rushed over only to find her crying with a broken arm. Natsu sat on the other side of her and touched her so arm and was stroking it softly, and to her, his touch did heal her somewhat. The ache in her heart faded but the resolve was still strong.

"Close..."

"Lucy! No!"

"...the gate of the..."

"PLEASE STOP!

"Lion. Demolish the bond..."

"I'm begging you to stop. Please stop,"

"...That we once held strong..."

"Stop Lucy! Don't do this,"

"Close,"

Loke lay in a lump as he felt the chain between them break and he was again a free spirit. She took his key off her chain and handed it to him and he shook his head and gave it back to her. He was crying with his head on the table, as she pushed the key back into his hand with force.

He gripped his key and felt someone take it from him and turned to see Gray who was smiling softly at him. Loke stood up and turned to him, gave his a big smile (that being the tiny little corners of his lips up turning slightly, almost twitching.) He walked away with tears pouring from his cheeks and Gray had to follow. They had been friends for year and he wanted to be there for him.

Lucy cried into Natsu's shoulder and he rubbed her back softly. He wasn't good at comforting but had learnt something that Gray had told him. He took a strand of her golden hair and rubbed it between his thumb and index finger and twisted it around his finger.

He got so mesmerised by the actions that he didn't realise she stopped crying over ten minutes ago and was enjoying the feeling of him playing with her hair. She reached up, grabbed his hand and softly linked their fingers with her free good hand.

"Can I stay with you. I've been kicked out from my apartment?" He nodded slowly and lay his head on her shoulder.

"Stay as long as you like," he smiled.

Gray sat on the edge of the canal with Loke sat beside him, "Loke, fancy joining our team. You can continue to protect Lucy and maybe she can see that she needs you and will create another contract with you," Loke nodded his head and lay back on the pavement looking up to the sky.

"I hope to god you are right,"


This will be a small series (like another two chapters. Maybe another one) Hope you enjoyed this. Criticism is very much welcomed.

Please leave your thoughts.