Zeref. He stood in front of the flowers, his robes flapping even though there was no breeze. "It is the fate of all those who know of these flowers to die. Begone."

Natsu screamed, a primal roar. Still holding Erza in one arm, he charged towards Zeref.

"Natsu, be careful!" Gray yelled.

"Roar of the Fire Dragon!" Natsu shot a bright red vortex of magic towards the figure. It went straight through him.

"It's a projection," whispered Erza. Her voice was barely audible.

Lucy frowned. "A projection capable of that level of magic?"

"It's possible," Loke said, "Very, very unusual, but possible. Then again, it's Zeref we're talking about."

"But how do you defeat a projection?" Gray asked. His hands were in a ready position for Creation Magic.

Loke narrowed his eyes. "You don't. We just need to block his magic long enough to gather the flowers, then run for it."

"I don't like running away," Natsu complained.

"You do like living, though, right?" Loke glared at him.

Erza had unsteadily pushed herself out of Natsu's grip. "No one shall stop us. Certainly not a projection." She started rattling off battle plans as though it was second nature to her. To be fair, it was. Erza would be responsible for gathering the plants. Most of the attacks would be directed at her, and thus the others could focus on defending her. It was easier, she decided, than everyone trying to defend themselves. She estimated that she could clear out about half the field—"we shall have to hope that is enough, who knows how many treatments he will need"—before the attacks became too overwhelming.

She requipped into some gardening-like outfit. No one questioned her, but instead set out on blocking the bolts of magic being directed her way the second she set foot on the field. Loke did his part along with the rest of them, although it was hard not to be distracted by the prize before him. If I just bent down, grabbed a few…it'd be so easy…everyone's far too caught up in all this to notice, and it'd only take me a moment…it's a moment that could change my life, and Lucy's, forever…

He had just about made up his mind. The next time blocking an attack forced him onto the field, he'd bend down and grab a few flowers. Simple. Easy. So why was his heart racing so quickly?

Now was his chance! He was bending down, his fingers brushing across the stem of a flower, when he heard a scream. His head jolted up, and he saw Lucy, backed up against the edge of the mountain, a bolt of green magical light headed straight towards her. Gray, Natsu, and Juvia were nearly on the opposite side of the field. Whatever Spirit she had fighting alongside her had disappeared, and the whip she held in her hand would do little to reflect magic like that.

Time seemed to slow down. For some reason, it reminded him of the first attack he had ever saved her from, with Bickslow, what now felt like eons ago.

"Lucy!" he yelled, sprinting towards her. None of what he had been planning to do mattered if he watched her die before his eyes. There was no time for a graceful save today. He tackled her, pushing her out of the way of the light and trying to drag her a little farther away from the edge of the cliff.

Her eyes were wide and she was breathing fast, but she still managed to give him a shaky smile. "Thank you, Loke." He was so grateful to see her alive that he had to resist kissing her in the middle of this battlefield.

"Retreat!" Erza ordered, so instead he pulled her to her feet. They waited for Erza to step off the field—with her arms full of flowers, she could hardly use magic—until they all started running. Magical beams were still following them. Zeref was, in a word, unpleased. Erza stuffed the flowers into a bag, which she slung over her shoulder.

Two of the Mountain Vulcan like beasts were awake again, but Erza insisted they just keep running. "They won't follow us when we get off the mountain. They're programmed to protect it, not to go wandering about town."

Natsu hit one with a stunning blow anyway, which Gray followed up on to seal the deal. Lucy wrapped the paw of one in her whip, managing to hold it just long enough for Loke to deliver a light clad uppercut to its jaw.

Somehow, they made it off the mountain. They tried to slow their gate and walk more normally once they reached the city. It was nearly night, and they wanted to avoid attention. The bag of flowers was not to be brought into the hotel, Erza decided. They would take turns holding it outside while everyone else went in and packed. They would leave tonight. No need to stick around longer than absolutely necessary.

Loke and Lucy sat together on the train ride back. Natsu was out cold, as per usual, Erza was guarding the bag, and Juvia was using all her feminine power to try to seduce Gray. So far, she had only left him very, very confused.

Truth be told, Loke was starting to feel the effects of staying in the human world, but he didn't want to leave Lucy now. Her head was resting on his chest, and he thought she was almost asleep when she asked, "Loke?"

"Yes, love?"

She turned in her seat so she could look at him. "Are you disappointed you didn't get any of the flowers?"

Her voice was calm and steady, yet curious. Loke's mouth nearly dropped open in shock. "W-what?"

Lucy looked down, then looked back up at him. "Virgo told me. She heard you mumbling a lot about in the Spirit World, and felt it was her duty to inform me. For once she was able to accurately assess when something sounded serious and important."

Loke gritted his teeth. "She is so going to get punished the next time she asks."

Lucy laughed a little. "You still haven't answered my question."

"I, um, well…" All of his usual ability to smooth-talk had left him. "I mean, I don't, you see, it's just that, I didn't think you'd necessarily…but the option…and…"

Lucy laughed again. "It's cute to see you like that." Then her face got more serious. "I had my suspicions when we first heard what the plant was capable of. I saw the look on your face. I didn't understand it immediately, but I'd been doing a lot of thinking myself. About how I'm mortal, you're not, about the different worlds we come from." She frowned. "I don't blame you for wanting a solution. Because some days it really does seem insurmountable…Then Virgo showed up and told me she'd heard you muttering about flowers and lengthening my life, and I knew what was going on."

"And you never said anything?" Loke's heart felt like it had dropped out of his body. All he could hear was because some days it really does seem insurmountable…

"I wanted to see what you'd actually do, I guess. And I wasn't sure how serious you were. And I didn't know what to say. How to tell you that…" Her head dropped again, and her forehead wrinkled. Loke wanted to shake the rest of the words out of her, he felt so near to throwing up with worry. Instead he waited patiently. "I love you, Loke. I really do. But I don't think I'm ready to make that kind of decision—it's just, it's just too soon. I'm too young to make such a life-altering decision." To his surprise, she then smiled. "I'd be lying if I didn't say it wasn't tempting sometimes, especially when I'm here with you. I want this to be my forever. I just don't know if I can make it your forever, too." A frown enveloped her face again. "Are you okay? I don't think I've ever seen you this pale. Loke?"

He hugged her tightly, crushing her to him. For a moment she froze, then she hugged him back. "I thought I was going to lose you," he said.

"What?" When she looked into his eyes now, she didn't see an immortal Celestial Spirit. She saw a boy who looked a little confused, a little scared, a little sad, but mostly very happy.

"First on the mountain. And then just now. I thought you were going to say that you'd rather be with someone who didn't force you to make those kinds of decisions. Where you didn't have to worry about what forever meant."

"Loke." Lucy reached out and cupped his chin with one hand. "If love was easy, it wouldn't be worth it. Look at what Erza did for Jellal—a man, I'm sure, who doesn't feel worthy of her love after everything he put her through. A man whom she loves with her whole heart anyway, enough to risk her life for him. We make sacrifices for the people we love because we know it's worth it. Because we know that whatever the alternative is—even if that alternative seems easier—it could never make us as happy in the long run. I know, someday, I'm going to have to confront the idea of mortality again, for you. When that day comes, I'll be ready. It doesn't scare me too much, though, because you're worth it. Understand?" She had a fierce and yet compassionate look in her eyes.

Loke simply nodded. He was so used to being the wordsmith, that he didn't know how to respond to having that turned back on him. "I love you so much, Lucy," was all he could manage before he pulled her to him, kissing her more passionately than ever before.

A/N: Loke can't get all the lines to wax poetic, can he? Sometimes Lucy deserves a moment, too. I know there's a certain air of finality to this chapter, but it's not the last, I promise! So I'll see you in the next chapter.

Also, I wrote another Lolu oneshot/drabble. Super fluffy. You can enjoy that fluffliness here: s/10993800/1/Interruptions ~artemisfang