Lucy sat watching the waters, "What the fuck!" Lucy covered her mouth, "Since when have I used profanities…" Lucy groaned and hung her head. "Why me? What's so special about me?"

A deep voice purred from the darkness, "You're the only celestial wizard left, of course both Dragneels would be interested in you. Zeref is more than likely planning to sacrifice you for one thing or another and Natsu… What else would a demon want with a beautiful girl." The voice proceeded to laugh.

Lucy stood up quickly. "Whose there?!" Lucy found herself bound in a leather strap covering her mouth.

"You talk to much." The voice cackled. Lucy squirmed and grumbled as loud as she could but to no avail, no one could hear her. Her keys lay on the ground one of the black keys began to glow as Loke summoned himself.

"Lucy! Help is coming! I hate to admit it. But I had to call him!" Loke ran towards the beginning of the leather strap binding Lucy.

Natsu walked alone silently through the city as a flash of a person went past him, "Zeref?" Natsu narrowed his eyes, "Time to settle the score!" Natsu chased after him.

Lucy's keys lifted from the ground and began to glow, Lucy watched in horror, "Oh no… What's going on now?"

A familiar voice called out, "Open, Gates of the Zodiac Guardians!"

Lucy looked around, "Zeref?! He can use my keys? He's not even using my magic energy… Well… I guess he is primordial magic…" Lucy shook her head, "What the heck?!"

Zeref cut the leather strap, "Open, Gates of the Dark arts!" Zeref took off behind Loke with a small army of celestial and demonic spirits.

Lucy fell to her knees, "He's not even winded… I've got a long way to go." Lucy looked at her keys and grabbed them. "Well, may as well keep them from being mad at me, Zeref summoning them is enough to make Aquarius angry."

Lucy stood up to start following only to be snagged by Natsu. "Come on, Lucy, can't let him get away!"

Lucy started kicking, "Are you crazy?! He's helping me! That or he just stole my spirits and is never returning them." Lucy teared up.

Natsu laughed, "He's a real jerk but… I think he likes you more than that." Natsu closed his eyes pained. "Either way, neither one of us are any good for you!"

Lucy swatted the back of Natsu's head, "Now is not the time to be talking about that!"

Natsu laughed, "You're right! Let's finish whatever you have started first!"

They entered a clearing where Zeref was bowing to Lucy's celestial spirits. "Thank you for lending me your strength."

Natsu put Lucy down and she ran up to the spirits, "Hang on! Zeref! I never get this chance!" She bowed to her spirits as well. "Thank you for always being there for me and being my family!" All the spirits smiled at each other. "Aquarius, please don't hurt me! I didn't mean to drop the keys… Or for a particular wizard to take you guys and keep running!" She bowed several more times.

Aquarius smiled, "Lucy." She grabbed her ear, "Not only am I not in water! But you dropped me again! But, on the circumstances that you might actually get a good looking boyfriend I won't smash your face in." Aquarius winked at Zeref causing him to awkwardly turn around blushing. Lucy blushed, "Tell you what. If you can manage to actually get that one on a date I won't punish you." Aquarius folded her arms grinning.

Lucy turned beet red, "What?! Aquarius!"

Zeref reluctantly stood next to Lucy, "In the spirit of not watching your spirit kick your ass, do you want to go out with me to dinner?"

Aquarius grinned, pleased. "Have fun, Lucy."

Zeref blushed brighter, "Ah, jeez! Close, Gates from above and so below!" Lucy blushed and watched all her spirits be dismissed. Zeref narrowed his eyes, "You too, Lion!"

Loke glared, "No! I'm taking Lucy out to dinner!" Lucy's eyes widened.

Natsu roared, "Don't ignore me!" He swung a powerful punch and hit Zeref on the side of the head. He gracefully landed on his feet.

"Oh! That's it!" Zeref grabbed Lucy by the wrist and dragged her away.

Lucy squeaked, "Why meee!"

Loke and Natsu stared at each other. Loke shrugged, "What was that?" Natsu asked.

Loke laughed, "Apparently Aquarius is enough to scare even the big bad wolf himself… Or."

Natsu shook his fist breathing fire, "Or what?!

Loke laughed harder, "Well, Aquarius is scary, but not, 'Scare Zeref' scary, maybe he just was looking for a way to ask her out."

Natsu punched the ground pushing fire out of his nose, "I'll kill him!"

Loke held his hand up. "Hang on. Think this through… Eh. I just told Natsu to think. Anyway, think about it, it's kind of messed up to think this way, but if Zeref is hung up on Lucy. FariyTail won't be decimated in his wake."

Natsu stopped, "But… Anyone but Lucy…"

Zeref held his hand over Lucy's mouth and whispered, "Is that what this is about?"

Lucy shook her head and bit Zeref's hand then whispered back irritatedly, "You're the one who dragged me into the bushes!" Lucy blushed, "But, no… That's not why… I do actually like you. You're my friend." Lucy hugged Zeref, "I'm drawn to you, I'm sure a lot of people are, but I don't want your power… I want you, I want to be your friend."

Zeref closed his eyes, "Lucy…"

Lucy sat close to Zeref, "You really don't have to take me to dinner. She'll never actually kill me… I hope. She always teases me about not—" Zeref placed a kiss on Lucy's lips causing her to blush.

"I want to, I just… There's a lot of things I've done." Zeref sighed.

Lucy smiled, "But, if you didn't. I would never have known Natsu, or even be a wizard, no one would have, the guild… None of this would exist, I'd be some rich brat married off for fortune. So, thank you, Zeref. I know it's a little selfish of me." She put her hand on Zeref's, "But my life, everyone's life is because of you."

Zeref gave a pained smile, "You have a sick sense."

Lucy laid back, "So. You really don't have to take me anywhere."

Zeref stood up and held his hand out. "Tomorrow at 1600, be ready. Dress nice." Lucy blushed and took his hand.

"W-well. Alright. If you insist." Lucy smiled as they were being yelled at by Natsu.