"I´ll find you Lucy."

"Natsu…" she whispered before she fell back down in her bed, and fell asleep in exhaustion. She felt like she hadn´t slept at all.

Disclaimer: Not owning FT, if I did I wouldn´t have written a fan fiction about it :P


Chapter 8

When Lucy woke up, she remembered the dreams she had had and felt like crying. But then she remembered that their Master had survived. And then she felt like crying a little less, but she still wanted to cry for the for the people in the dream she had, because she didn´t know them anymore. Because she didn´t know him.

She now believed in what the letters had been telling her was the truth. And it completely broke her heart to know it.

She flung the covers off her body and went to her desk where she took a piece of paper and a pen, once again, and wrote.

Dear Mama,

I know now that it has to be true. I believe it, I was a mage in another life. I miss the people I see in my dreams. And last night, I had the most horrible dream so far, but I´ve partly been dreaming it before, both when I was sick and before I was.

The master of the guild I was in died, and me and this other guy traveled back in time to change fate so the master wouldn´t die. But somehow, it got wrong and the two of us, me and the one I traveled with, got separated when we should have been together. And now I´m not a mage anymore. I wonder what we did, that could change so much? That changed me being a mage?
Have you heard of anything called the Celestial Spirit Realm? It was mentioned in the latest letter and it had something to do with the type of magic I had…

I miss him, Mama. And I don´t know his name nor face. But I believe he´s the one who´s been sending me the letters… no, I´m certain it´s him. I can´t understand why I just can´t remember him! I can remember most of the others, even if there were some people who haven´t been shown in my dreams. I want to see them, even just for the sake of seeing them, literally. But I don´t know which guild it is, and there´s a lot of mage´s guild in Fiore. How would I know where to begin when I don´t have a clue?

I really whished you could give me some advice.

Lucy put the pen down and looked at the letter. Her handwriting was much better this time, because this time she was much less upset and confused, and much more determined. She knew what to think and believe now, and as long as nothing else came in the way and confused her, she would be fine.

Lucy did the same with this letter – put it in an envelope, sealed it with wax and wrote Mama on it – before she left it on the desk. As Lucy left her room to get some breakfast, she wondered what day it was. Did she have lessons to attend?

She really had no idea. She had had a "break" and then she got sick, but now she started to wonder when her classes was supposed to begin again. She hadn´t seen her teacher for a long time. Since he was the librarian too, she usually saw him around, but now she hadn´t. She wondered why, like all of the people who worked in Heartfilia Konzern, he lived there too.

Maybe I should ask one of the maids? They usually know the latest of what´s going on at the mansion.

As Lucy exited her room, in her nightgown which was very unusual for her to do, she saw that the corridor was completely empty.

Okay, that´s not so strange… they´re usually one or two maids around, but maybe they´re supposed to clean later…

As Lucy headed for the stairs to the next floor, she still saw no people around. And as she reached the floor below, she didn´t meet anyone there either. She was starting to feel a bit uneasy, usually there would be some maids around, even if they simply would run by with a slight bow, heading for another destination. There were always someone around or close by, she would at least hear footsteps from the maids. Lucy sighed. She was probably just being paranoid and nothing was wrong.

Lucy headed for the kitchen to ask Aed if he could make her something to eat, but he wasn´t there either. And that was really strange because the man practically lived in the kitchen.

She was getting really worried now, but since she was very hungry, she decided to cook something for herself first. She ate it in the kitchen, still wondering why it was so silent everywhere. She looked to a window, only to discover that the curtains were all drawn, blocking the view out, which she now realized they had been on every floor. That was extremely unusual, as her mother preferred to have them out of the way, letting sunlight shine in. That was the moment it hit her.

Mama!

She ran out of the kitchen and to Layla´s room, but it was empty. She ran back down the stairs, ignoring the pain in her chest as she grew tired and couldn´t breathe properly.

Mama… please, no! Don´t take her away!

She ran through every floor, listening for people. Where Layla was, there were sure to be other people too.

She was getting better…

She ran down another couple of stairs.

She was going to be okay. The sickness was on its way to leave her.

She busted the doors to her father´s study open, but it was empty.

Everybody said she was going to be fine! Everybody believed she would recover!

Lucy felt tears rising in her eyes as she ran. But she wouldn´t cry, not yet. She needed to find her father first. She ran down another couple of stairs.

I believed she was going to recover! Everything was supposed to turn into how it used to be! With Mama by my side, healthy and teasing me!

The tears overflowed her eyes and started running down her cheeks. She stroked them away with her sleeves as she ran, frustrated, sad and afraid.

She was supposed to be Maid of honor at my wedding. She and Papa would play in the garden with my children. Mama would teach them about the constellations and beauty in the world, and Papa would teach them business when they got older.

Lucy could barely see anything anymore, but she refused to stop. She ran with her hand against the wall so she could feel when a turn was coming up. The truth was that she knew this house as well as the back of her hand and she couldn´t get lost. She knew exactly where she was.

Lucy suddenly heard voices, muffled since they were on the other side of the door, inside the living room. She stopped and tried to catch her breath as well as to streak away her tears before she opened the door. She wanted to look collected and somewhat calm, just like her mother would have been in a situation like this.

When the doors swung open, Lucy got a good look at the situation before most people in the room turned their eyes towards her. All maids and employees, except the guards, where standing by the walls, leaving much space to the doctor who was attending the patient who was laying in the sofa. Ms. Spetto was standing close by the doctor, obviously acting as an extra hand to him. And she also supported Layla who looked more fragile than ever.

"Lucy", Layla said in surprise as she met her daughter´s gaze. "Weren´t you asleep?"

"I recently woke up", Lucy answered flatly before she asked: "What´s going on?"

The doctor spoke up. "Lucy-sama, there is no need to be concerned as I just explained to your mother. Heartfilia-sama collapsed due to stress, but my recommendation is that he won´t work the coming days and just relax – maybe go to a spa or similar. Either way, Heartfilia-sama will be just fine."

Papa?

Lucy went over to the sofa, where her father lay, sound asleep.

"He lost consciousness earlier, but there is no need to worry. Just let him rest. I suggest we all leave the room so we won´t disturb him, and the curtains should stay drawn. However, someone should check on him now and then to make sure that he´s fine."

Everybody in the room nodded and Layla rose with the help of ms. Spetto. Lucy immediately went to her mother´s side and supported her.

"Ms. Spetto", Layla said as she looked at the woman who was slightly older than herself, "would you mind being the one who checks on Jude for me?"

"Of course not, Layla-sama."

Layla smiled and looked at the doctor. "Do you have any instructions she need to know, I suggest you take them now. All of us should leave right now", she mostly addressed the maids as she said this and she was the first out of the room, with her daughter by her side of course.

"Should I take you to your room, Mama?"

Layla smiled weakly. "Would you mind? I think I need to rest."

"Of course I don´t mind, I suggested it myself", Lucy said as she smiled gently towards her mother.

Layla giggled. "Oh, how forgetful I am. I´m just worried about your father."

"I know, Mama… but you heard the doctor, he´ll be fine if he just gets to rest."

She sighed. "Yes, but as soon as he has rest, he will continue to work as hard as before, won´t he?"

"I don´t know", Lucy mumbled.

Layla laughed sadly. "We both know that´s a lie, Lucy dear."

They reached Layla´s room and Lucy opened the door, leading her inside and to the bed.

"Why have you cried, honey?" Layla asked.

"I was worried something had happened to you. I thought that was the only reason everybody could be missing at the same time."

"And then it was your father", Layla smiled sadly as she lay down on her bed.

"How are you, Mama?" Lucy asked concerned.

"As good as ever", she said, smiling with her eyes closed. "Don´t worry about me, Lucy. I´m fine."

Lucy nodded and bent down to kiss her forehead. "Rest well, Mama."

Layla didn´t answer as she was fast asleep. Lucy exited the room, and as soon as she did one of the younger maids came rushing to her.

"Lucy-sama… I have a letter for you. Ms. Spetto told me to give it to you right away."

"Thank you, Mai", Lucy said and smiled as she received the letter.

She looked at the envelope and knew right away who it came from. She could recognize that hand-writing anywhere by now. Another letter had come.


Okay, so I apologize for this chapter as it kind of is like a filler chapter, and please don´t hate me (too much)… no tomato-throwing! This dress is white!

Ehm, sorry. Since it´s kind of a filler chap that doesn´t really move the story forward, I´ll post another chapter very soon as compensation.

I hope you´ll still think it´s an okay chapter, even though the next will be better (well, it does contain another letter…).

Take care everybody, and you´re welcome to review as always – I would love to hear what you think anyways, but if you have nothing to say, I can understand that. Just a bit curious – did you guys believe something had happened to Layla or not?

Take care and see you guys next chapter! ^-^