I do not own Fairy Tail..

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Chapter 3

EPHEMERAL LOVE

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"Gray!" Lucy's voice echoed. She just can't believe it, Gray is dead. Gray died right in front of her very own eyes.

"I'm sorry, Lucy…" Loke mumbles as he disappeared back to the spirit world. Lucy can do nothing but hide her face on her hands and cry. A life without Gray… No way…

"Lucy, are you alright?" came a familiar warm voice.

"Natsu!" Lucy looked up to the fire wizard. Natsu was holding the still knocked-out Gray. "Gray!" she gasped, happiness flooding her eyes. "What happened?"

But before Natsu could even speak, a thunderbolt hit them and Lucy was thrown into something wet. Water? Quickly, she glanced and saw a river.

"Gate of the water bearer I open thee: Aquarius!"

"Tch! I thought I told you never to call me for a month 'coz I'm with my boyfriend, idiot!" The water bearer turned a killing stare to Lucy. The mermaid was so ready to sweep the celestial mage away.

"This is an emergency!" Lucy protested.

"I don't care!" And with a single sweep of her jug, the whole place was flooded. Needless to say, the enemies were defeated with Aquarius' killing tsunami that sweeps enemies and allies alike.

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"Lucy…" No matter how hard he tried, Loke can't erase from his mind the expression that Lucy had when she saw Gray falling to his death. "How could you be so numb Lucy? How can you not feel my overflowing love for you? Has your heart turned into ice?"

He held out the vial that Aries gave him. "Lucy. I will melt that ice and clad your heart with light."

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"Gray…" Lucy was crying her eyes out on Gray's chest. Team Natsu were already heading back to Magnolia. The mission was successful and they were paid and none of them had a serious injury. Gray, on the other hand, wouldn't let go of her crying girlfriend. He was running his fingers through Lucy's blond hair and man, he's just so glad that he was still alive. His whole life was revolving around that crying celestial mage.

"It's a good thing those people did not know that you're actually a fire wizard, Natsu," Erza chuckles. But the fire dragon slayer was too dizzy to answer, his transportation sickness attacking him again. They can't walk back to Magnolia, can they? That's why they boarded a train despite Natsu's fiery protests.

The cult had first 'sacrificed' Natsu into the magma not knowing that fire won't harm him. But the fire wizard had been knocked out before he was tied and it was Lucy's voice when he called Gray's name that wakes him just in time to save the falling ice mage.

"But Lucy, I wonder why Loke didn't do anything to help you that time…" Happy asked, concerned. So that cat saw what happened.

"Maybe he knew it was too late… Or maybe he already sensed Natsu." The now calm Lucy answered.

"You called that idiot?" Gray asked, tightening his hold to Lucy.

"I just can't think of anyone to call that time, Gray…" the princess defended. "I panicked when I realized you're gonna fall in a few seconds."

"But you could have called Sagittarius, or Cancer, or Scorpio! You can call anyone but Loke!" Gray's blood was boiling, "he'll do anything to get rid of me."

Lucy gasped. "How could you say such a horrible thing to Loke? It's true he's always being too sweet but it's just his usual self and you know that Gray. You've been guild mates for 3 years!"

Lucy looked at him with her honey eyes and again, his anger fades. Damn! She's just so irresistible!

"I'm sorry…" was all Gray said and gave her a light kiss. He felt a strong stare and turned to Erza. The armored mage have this I-told-you-it's-not-good look.

The ice wizard's blood boiled even more. How could his team mates not realize Loke's true intentions? Have their eyes already been blinded by a fake light? If so, he will surely tear that blinding light and show them the cold truth about the lion.

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"Congratulations, Lu-Chan!" The white-haired Mira smiled at Lucy. "I heard you did a great part during your last mission."

"Thanks, Mira-Chan," Lucy smiled back at the take-over mage. "But you don't know how scared I am when I thought Gray died."

"I also heard it was Natsu who saved you Gray," The beautiful Mira turned to Gray who was sitting beside the celestial mage.

"Nah! It's not like I was saved by Natsu. I'm just too lucky." Gray murmured, unable to accept defeat over his rival. Indeed, there was luck. But who wouldn't be lucky? Lucky Lucy of the Heartfilias is his, anyway.

But Gray's excuse doesn't escape the fire mage's sharp ears. "What d'ya say, jerk?" Natsu snorted.

"You heard it flame brain, and I ain't repeating myself!" Gray growled back. And the usual chaos returned to Fairy Tail thanks to the inevitable clash between the ice mage and fire wizard while the other members joined the brawl.

The rest of the girls, except Cana who was busy with her 4th beer barrel and Erza who was joining the chaos, can't help but laugh at their silly yet funny guild mates.

"I can't live without these people from Fairy Tail," Lucy thought. "Finally, I'm home."

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The sun was setting and most of the people of Magnolia were already in their own houses preparing for dinner. Lucy, on the other hand, was already walking back to her own apartment. Gray couldn't walk her home due to the injuries he got from their fights at Fairy Tail, he fell asleep and as usual, Lucy decided not to wake him.

"It's dangerous for a princess to walk alone," came a soft yet cool voice beside Lucy. "I knew it. Gray is a useless boyfriend."

"Loke…" Lucy stared at him with cold eyes. "I don't want you talking like that about Gray."

But the stellar spirit just shrugged his shoulders, "I'll walk you home, princess." He straightened his suit and offered his hand to Lucy.

Lucy thought about Gray and hesitated. "Thanks, Loke." She smiled without taking his hand, turned, and started walking. How painful it is for Loke but he walked by her side anyway. An awkward silence hung over them as they walk.

"Thanks for walking me home, Loke." Lucy smiled at him when they arrived at her apartment. "Well then, uh, see yah!" And Lucy closed the door.

Loke bowed down his face and covered it with his right hand. What pain… He had been enduring this pain for a year already and he decided this have got to stop. He had to have Lucy, no matter what. With his left hand, he felt the vial in his pocket and a grin appeared at the lion's handsome face.