If Lucy thought her troubles would end when they left Hargeon than she was mistaken. They had rented a horse drawn cart to help moved the crate of stone slabs. When they left early in the morning it was already raining and didn't show signs of stopping. They left Hargeon and headed northeast into the mountains. It was a miserable hike and it only got colder and wetter as they went.
It was shortly after they left the town that Lucy slipped in the mud and twisted her ankle. It hurt like hell but Lucy was sure she would be fine with a little rest. She was now riding on the cart with Erza while the boys were walking along side and Happy was inside hiding from the rain. The higher into the mountains they went the colder it became. Everyone was soaked by the time the rain stopped in the late afternoon. They found a clearing near a mountain spring to make camp at that night.
Lucy's ankle was feeling better by that time and she was able to put a little weight on it. They set up two tents to sleep in and Lucy had Aries fill both tents with her warm wool to add a little insulation for the cold night. With the sun gone and everything damp from the rain the temperature was dropping fast. The wood around the campsite was to wet to light, even Natsu couldn't get a fire going. Natsu was able to boil some water from the spring so they could have hot soup to warm up with but that was the best he could do.
"This is turning into a miserable job. Who's bright idea was it to go into the mountains in winter?" Lucy asked, looking accusingly at Natsu. She was sitting huddled around the flame he was producing in his hands with Erza across from her and Happy in Natsu's lap. Gray was taking the first watch tonight.
"I don't know what your complaining about. It feels fine to me. I mean the rain sucks but it's not that cold out." Natsu tried to defend himself. It's not like he was the one that picked the route they would be taking.
"Yeah, I'm all toasty warm myself." Happy added from his spot between the hot fire and hot fire slayer.
"That's easy for you to say! Natsu is a human furnace." Lucy snapped at the Exceed. She really hated the cold, at least she hated cold weather.
"If you're so cold then sleep with me tonight, Luce. I'll keep you warm." Natsu said with his boyish smile.
"I don't …" Lucy started to object, thinking this would just make things more awkward, but Erza cut her off.
"I think that's a splendid idea. We shall all share to conserve warmth." Erza declared, her tone leaving no room for argument, not that it ever worked with Erza anyways.
A few minutes later found the four of them all in a tent meant for two people, trying to sleep. Happy and Natsu fell asleep quickly. Erza seemed to have no issue sleeping with her back pressed into Natsu's side and was out almost as fast as he was. Lucy tried to find room to lay that didn't involve her being pressed against her friend but Natsu was easily taking up half the space in the tent and it just wasn't possible. She ended up laying in a position similar to Erza on Natsu's other side.
Gray came in to get Erza when it was time fore her watch. When he opened the tent, it let cold air in and both girls moved closer to Natsu, Lucy rolling over to curl around him. Gray felt some jealousy seeing them like that. It was more over the fact that he couldn't help warm her, but there was some basic jealousy over the fact she was snuggled up with another man. Gray tried pushing it aside and woke up Erza for her watch. They both left the tent, leaving Natsu, Happy and Lucy together. Gray went to lay down in the other tent so he wouldn't make Lucy too cold.
Natsu had the watch after Erza. When he was woken all he could smell was Lucy's strawberry vanilla scent. He loved that smell, it was the main reason he would break into her apartment in the mornings. He had never been woken with the scent so strong and when he opened his eyes he realized why. Lucy was laying across his chest, her head was tucked under his chin and she had a leg and arms tossed over his body. He figured he had to still be dreaming, but Erza's voice dispelled that notion.
"Natsu, it's your turn to stand guard." She told him, talking in a harsh whisper as to not wake Lucy.
"Five more minutes." Happy whined, curling into Natsu's shoulder on the oppose side as Lucy.
"Come on little buddy." He carefully untagged himself from Lucy, doing his best not to wake her, and picked up Happy to go to their guard duty. The scent of strawberries and vanilla clung to him.
The rain women had been watching the group all day. She hadn't meant to make it rain but seeing her beloved leaving town with her love rival had upset her. She now saw how the women was clinging to the fire slayer. How dare she spur the affections that the water mage would kill to have? Maybe she could use this to help in her plans. IF she could not get her love rival away from her beloved perhaps she could push her into the arms of another.
"I saw you getting cozy with Lucy." Happy teased once they were in the covered wagon with the crate.
"I was just helping keep her warm." Natsu argued. That thought did make him wonder if she would be alright. Erza was staying with her and he had left the tent fairly warm, but he didn't want her getting cold. He knew how sensitive she could be too cold weather.
"Sure you were." Happy was smirking at him. "It looked like a whole lot more than that to me."
"It ain't like that. Me and Luce … We're just friends." Natsu told him, trying to keep a light tone so his disappointment wouldn't show. Happy knew him to well for that to work.
"Natsu …" Happy's tone was suddenly serious.
"Just drop it Happy, please." Natsu didn't mean to snap at his friend and immediately regretted it. He sighed and pulled Happy into his lap. "Get some more sleep, buddy."
"Aye" Happy didn't have his normal excited tone but he curled up and drifted back to sleep.
Lucy had the last watch of the night, taking the early morning shift. Loke came to wake her and luckily, she was in winter weather pajamas and there wasn't a repeat of the flashing incident. She got dressed and the two of them went to relieve Natsu and Happy. Her ankle had swollen up some overnight and it was still painful to walk on but she refused to let that stop her. Natsu and happy both were excited to see Lucy and ran off to see if they could catch some fish for breakfast. Lucy never understood how Natsu could be such a morning person.
"Is you leg hurt, Princess?" Loke asked, having noticed how she was limping.
"I just twisted my ankle in some mud yesterday." She explained, stretching out her sore leg to get a better look at it. Loke quickly grabbed hold of it to examine it.
"It don't appear to be broken." He said as he gently probed it. He than switched over to massaging her foot, ankle, and lower leg, rubbing in some pain relieving suave. Lucy was going to object but once he started it just felt to good for her to stop him. Instead she laid back and closed her eyes. She didn't even realize the small sounds of pleasure she was making until she heard Loke snickering.
"How long I have dreamed of hearing you make those sounds at my fingertips." He told her with his cocky smile.
Lucy felt herself go red and she tried to pull her foot away but Loke held onto it. "I am not above kicking you."
"I always knew you were kinky, carrying that wipe around. Virgo will be so proud." His tone was playful as he went back to his massage.
Lucy's anger faded away under his touch, his hands were just that good. "I swear Loke, I'll call Lionetta out to control you."
Loke just laughed at her empty threat. If she was going to summon the little lion it would be to fix her ankle, not to bother him. At least that's what he hoped. Just in case he kept his mouth shut as he worked on first the injured leg and then her other, making sure she was relaxed. It was his job to take care of Lucy and that included making sure she didn't overwork herself with these long walks.
The water mage was just waking up when she saw the celestial mage with her spirt. The women was getting close to two men on top of the ice mage she loved so much. How could he tolerate such behavior? She would never do that to him. She had never looked at another man since the day he showed her the blue sky. He deserved better then this woman, she would make him see that.
The sun was starting to come up and it was already starting to feel warmer out when Gray and Erza started to stir. Natsu and Happy came back with plenty of fish for them to share for breakfast. After thanking Loke for staying up with her, Lucy sent him back to the spirt world. Natsu cooked up their fish while everyone else broke down camp. Within the hour they were packed up, fed, and on the road again. They had lost time yesterday due to the rain and had to move quickly to make up for it.
It wasn't raining today and that made the trip easier. Lucy's ankle was feeling much better thanks to Loke and she was walking alongside Gray for most of the day. She loved her team but being alone on the road for long periods was not normally a good idea for them. It didn't take long for the bickering to start between Natsu and Gray. This time it was over what was going to be for lunch, Natsu wasn't fish again, Gray wanted anything else. Erza ended up getting involved just for the sake of fighting. Lucy knew the real problem was the team was bored and this was their way of entertaining themselves. It drove her crazy though.
"Could you three stop fighting for two minutes!" She yelled as the verbal fight started to become physical. No one was listening to her.
"I said knock it off!" She shouted louder and everyone quieted down as her voice echoed off the walls of the surrounding mountain side.
"I didn't know you could shout like that Luce." Natsu said from where he was pinned down under one of Erza's swords, she had a second sword to Gray's neck.
Lucy felt a little proud of herself, she was actually able to get the group to stop fighting. That feeling was short lived however as a thundering sound filled her ears. She only had a split second to look up the mountain side and see the rockslide heading right for them. She was suddenly swept off her feet but not in time to avoid all the rocks as one slammed into her arm and pain clouded her vision.
"Ice-Make: Shield!" Gray shouted and covered the team in an ice barrier to protect them from the falling rocks. Lucy was in Natsu's arms but he dropped her once they were safely under Gray's protection. His shoulder was bleeding and looked unnatural from where a boulder had hit him. Lucy cradled her arm to her chest as they waited for the rockslide to finish. It could have only lasted a minute but it felt like a lifetime. Once the last rocks fell Gray lowered his shield.
"Is anyone hurt?" Erza asked, looking over her team. Natsu's shoulder looked bad and Gray was holding one of his wrists. Luckily the rocks missed the cart, the horse having run a little way down the road to safety.
"Where in the world did that come from?" Natsu asked, looking at the pile of rocks littering the road around them.
"The rocks are soaked. The rain yesterday must have loosened them." Gray said, examining the rocks around them.
"Yeah and Lucy's loud mouth knocked them down." Happy said as he flew over to the group. He had been scouting ahead for them when the rockslide happened.
"You can't blame this on me, you stupid cat!" Lucy shouted at him.
"Oh, then what do you think caused it?" The Exceed counted.
"It's the stupid curse." She spat out as she fumbled for her keys. She had promised to call Lionetta no more than twice a week, this seemed like a good time to call her.
"Curse?" Happy looked freaked out and tried hiding behind Natsu.
"You don't really believe that? Do you?" Gray asked, helping her get her keys out without hurting her arm.
"I was almost taken out by a pile of rocks." She pointed out.
"What is this curse?" Erza asked, looking interested.
"The old fishman said the rocks are cursed. Everyone what touched them has died shortly after." Gray explained to them.
"But Curses aren't real, right Natsu?" Happy said, looking to his friend for comfort and Natsu looked pale and frozen in place. "Oh, no, Natsu's down!"
Lucy sighed and summoned Lionetta. The little girl appeared in a flash of golden light and curtsied to her.
"Lady Lucy, Daddy told me you hurt your ankle. Why didn't you call me sooner?" The young girl scolded her, hands on her hips.
"I didn't want to bother you for something so small, but now …" Lucy started to explain but Lionette cut her off with a gasp.
"What happened, Lady Lucy?" She asked, taking in Lucy's arm that was still cradled to her chest and the injuries to Gray and Natsu.
"Who is this girl, Luce? Did you get a new spirit or something?" Natsu asked, giving the girl a confused look.
"This is Lionetta, of the little lion constellation. I guess you haven't meet yet." She told Natsu, using her good arm to make inductions. "Lionette, this is Natsu and Erza, the cat is Happy, they are my team mates."
"Knight Erza." Lionetta addressed the warrior women with a curtsy and turned to Natsu and Happy. "Sir Happy, Sir Na … Natsu" She said, stumbling over her words and blushing as she looked him.
"There was a rockslide." Gray said, getting the girls attention. "Lucy and Natsu got a little beat up, can you help?"
Lionetta turned a glare onto Gray. "You're suppose to keep Lady Lucy safe."
"Gray kept most of the rocks from hitting us." Lucy told her, kneeling in front of her. "Will you please help us?"
"Anything for you, Lady Lucy." Lionetta reached out and touched Lucy's arm. There was a golden glow and Lucy felt the pain floe from her body, in a matter of seconds her arm felt good as new. After that Lionetta fixed Lucy's ankle too. The dull pain that had been there all day faded away and the bruising vanished.
"That's cool! Me next!" Natsu declared, moving forward. Lionetta blushed again as she reached up and healed Natsu's shoulder. She didn't look at him as she healed him and moved over to Gray when she was done.
"Sir Gray, I can heal you're wrist if you like." She said politely and took his wrist when he held it out. After everyone was healed she turned back to face Lucy. "Daddy is worried about you, Lady Lucy. He asked me to be available for you at all times until you return to Magnolia."
"Oh, I couldn't do that to you." Lucy tried to protest. "It would be asking too much."
"If you want to make it up to me, you can let me and Daddy have a play date when we get back home." The little girl gave Lucy a hopeful look.
Lucy smiled, Gray actually chuckled. "Who is the father you keep mentioning?" Erza asked the girl.
"Leo, of course." Lionetta said like it was obvious, which if you thought about it, it was. Gray and Lucy both burst into laughed to at open jawed looks of shock from their three team mates. They had probably looked the same way when they had first heard that news.
"I promise you and Loke can have a whole day to play together when we get home." Lucy said, and being a promise, she would make sure Loke made it happen.
"Thank you!" Lionetta screamed and threw herself into Lucy. Lucy had been expecting the flying hug and only staggered a little. After everyone had thanked Lionetta for her help, Lucy sent her back to the Celestial world where she was sure the little spirt was telling Loke all about their upcoming playdate. That's what the man gets for teasing her.
They started back on the road after that. Happy was muttering to himself as he rode on the back of the cart. Apparently there had been something important he had meant to tell them but he couldn't remember now. It was typical for that Exceed. Lucy figured it was probably something to do with food knowing how the Exceed thought and ignored him.
That night they were camping higher up in the mountains, snow was on the ground. Without really discussing it, it was agreed that they would have the same sleeping arrangements as the night before. Guard duty was rotated so Erza was up first followed by Natsu, Lucy and Gray last. It was a little strange for Lucy to go to sleep with it just her, Natsu, and Happy in the tent, but she was so exhausted from the day she fell asleep quickly.
When Erza came to wake Natsu for his watch she found them in the same position they had been in the night before. Natsu was holding Lucy to him this time with his face in her hair. Erza found herself in a slightly awkward position. She had thought Lucy was with Gray but now it seemed maybe she was with Natsu, or maybe Lucy was just more physical with guys than Erza was and she simply hadn't noticed before. Erza decided she would have to have a talk with Lucy, for the good of the team. Tonight, she just woke Natsu for his watch and laid down. Natsu made sure to fill the tent with hot air before he and Happy left.
Loke woke up Lucy for her watch like he had the night before and he stayed with her for it. At first, he had tried to talk her out of the playdate with Lionetta but he knew it was pointless to try and talk her out of a promise. Lucy Heartfilia did not break promises, especially those made to little girls and her spirts. After that had failed he wrapped one of Aries wool blankets around her and helped her pass the time until her watch was over.
Lucy went to Gray's tent to wake him while Loke stayed for guard duty. When she went in she found him in his boxers laying in the wool blankets Aries provided. She wasn't surprised to see him comfortable in this temperature. She reached out to shake him awake but stopped as she got a better idea. She leaned down close to him and whispered in his ear. "It's time to wake up." Before she pressed her lips against his.
Gray had been dreaming about his training with Ur when he heard Lucy's voice. He couldn't make out the words but he knew the voice. He was slowly woken by the feeling of lips pressed against his. Opening his eyes, he saw it was Lucy that was leaning over him, slowly moving away as he woke up. He quickly reached up and pulled her down into another kiss, this one stealing her breath away. Being on this job with her was turning into it's own form of torture. He was growing to hate being so close to her and having to restrict his behavior. He especially hated that she was sleeping in a tent with Natsu and spending her watches with Loke. He poured his frustrations into this one kiss.
Lucy was blushing when she finally was able to pull away and catch her breath. Gray was smiling at her as he sat up. "Good morning."
"Mor … Morning" Lucy stuttered. Her blush grew darker as Gray pulled on his shirt.
"I think I'm going to like you waking me for my watch, Lucy." He said, a little smirk on his face.
"I just thought … I mean … it can't be easy four you. Me sleeping with Natsu, I mean." She told him, looking at her hands in her lap.
"It's not." Gray admitted and Lucy flinched. He reached out and took her hands, waiting for her to look at him. "I just wish I could be the one keeping you warm, that's all."
Lucy smiled shyly at him. "Will be out of the mountains soon. Then you get to deal with Natsu's snoring."
Gray laughed as he finished getting dressed. "Maybe we can talk Erza into bunking with him."
"Or we can hang him from a tree?" Lucy offered and they both were laughing. The tension that had been forming was lifted. Gray gave her a kiss to the cheek before leaving the tent for his watch. Lucy went back to the warmth of the tent with Erza, Happy and Natsu. She laid down and was quickly back to sleep, thoughts of Gray filling her head and her dreams.
