I'm here once again! Have ya missed me?

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Enjoy!~

A.~


Previously on Key to My Heart

"What do you mean, are you gonna give me his name so we can go kick the crap out of him?"

"No. I'll leave FairyTail." She murmured before vanishing in front of him.

"Wai-" He let out a growl that escalated to a roar. "Dammit!" He snarled, punching the wall.

Now…

Loke burst out of the broom closet, making his way to the exit as quickly as possible, prepared to track Tessa down and scream some sense into the stubborn tiger, but his key holder and friends blocked his path.

"What happened? Where's Tessa?" A very pregnant Kaia wondered. At the mention of the spirit's name Loke growled.

"I have to go now, I'll explain things later, but right now I have to go, please move." He tried his hardest to be polite, they didn't deserve his anger.

"But where's Tessa? Why do you seem so mad?" Lucy wondered. He opened his mouth to reply but Mira, who was carrying a tray of drinks and overheard their conversation, began to giggle.

"Oh no, don't tell me she got you all worked up and then left?" She teased.

"Mira!" Loke exclaimed indignantly.

"What!?" the blonde practically screeched. "What were you two doing in that closet!?" She demanded.

"They were kissing, quite passionately if you ask me." Mira gossiped at the same time Loke shouted out "We were just talking I swear!"

"Mira you promised not to tell!" He practically whined.

"You were kissing Tessa!?" Kaia and Lucy both gasped. Loke opened his mouth again to reply but Lucy pointed a scolding finger at him.

"If you so much as think about lying I'll force close your gate mister!" She warned. Loke growled and huffed in frustration.

"Look I don't have time for this I gotta find Tessa!" He snapped.

"What do you mean? Where'd she go?" He wanted to hit something.

"I don't have time for questions! I gotta go!" He jumped up on the empty table beside them and jumped back down behind them before running out of the guild. Lucy watched as he left and huffed.

"Were they really kissing?" Kaia asked Mirajane.

"Oh yes, they were all over each other!" The take-over mage laughed.

"Ha! Lucy you owe me ten jewel!" Kaia exclaimed in triumph. Lucy pouted but handed over the money.

"The things that Loke does to get tail." Gray shook his head and chuckled at his own pun.

Back with Loke!

He ran through the streets of Magnolia, following the turns he had to make in order to get to Tessa's apartment. Even though he'd only been there once it was burned into his memory. He got to the building and ran up the stairs to the door, trying to yank it open even though he knew it was locked. Then he remembered he could just magically open his gate inside where he wanted to go. He moved into the Celestial world and then pictured his door opening in front of Tessa. He envisioned it, and then saw it in the one way doorway before him. She was in her apartment, back turned to him and hunched over her bed. When she moved away he noticed the suitcase she had opened on the bed. Hurriedly he stepped through the gateway into her apartment.

"What are you doing?" He asked. She screamed, whirled around as clothes spilled from her arms and her hand flew to her chest over her heart.

"What the hell is wrong with you!? You don't go sneaking up on people like that!" She exclaimed as she realized it was only the Lion spirit, not someone intruder.

"You were serious about leaving FairyTail?" He asked, looking at the suitcase as she bent to get the clothes she'd dropped. She looked up as he looked back at her and tried to tuck her hair behind her ear away from her face. Some of the tresses were too short to be contained and ended up falling before her golden eyes again. But she still saw the look he'd tried to conceal. He looked hurt. She stood up straight and glanced at her suitcase.

"Yes. I'm completely serious." She mumbled.

"Is it just because I want to help you, to protect you and your friends?" He asked.

"It's because the way you want to do it is all wrong! You'll end up sacrificing yourself and your friends for me and mine, and that's not something I want to have happen! I won't let it!" She was near hysterics by the end of her sentence. "Because you and Lucy and Natsu and Kaia and Gray and Erza and Wendy and everyone else in FairyTail are my friends to and I don't want any of you sacrificing yourselves for me, and I don't want to have to fight you! If you do manage to do this, I'll have to fight you and I don't want to do that!" She exclaimed as tears pooled in the corners of her eyes and spilled over. Loke nearly stumbled back, he had no clue how to deal with crying girls! Stepping forward he approached with extreme caution, hands partially raised to show he meant no harm and Tessa gave a sardonic laugh as she tried to wipe the still flowing tears.

"You look like you're approaching a wild animal." She muttered in explanation to his confused look. "I figured you'd know how to deal with girls." She scoffed.

"Mad, happy, flirty, and other things yes. Crying, not so much experience." He said sheepishly. She laughed.

"Sorry." She sniffled. He shook his head and moved forward, taking her arms and pulling her into a hug now that she was more calm. It still surprised her and she stood frozen as he hugged her.

"Don't apologize for having emotions." He chuckled. She decided not to reply and they stood there for a second, him holding her. Hesitantly she wrapped her arms around his middle, her hands going under the parted sides of his suit coat to press closer to his warm skin. "I want to protect you Tessa. I feel more protective of you than anyone else that I can remember and I can remember pretty far back. I don't want to see you keep getting hurt when there's even a slim chance I can prevent it some way." He murmured, dropping his head down to press a gentle barely-there kiss to the top of her head. She smelled like fresh summer rain, and though he hated water he loved the subtle scent of it in her hair.

"Leo.." She sighed and he thought for a brief moment that he felt her hold on him tighten, her face press closer to his chest, but he knew it was his imagination as she pulled away a moment later. But she paused before she could pull back completely, like he'd expected her to do. He looked down at her as she looked up. Her arms drew back from him and reluctantly let her go, but froze when she reached up and cupped his face in her small hands. "Now you know exactly how I feel about you and the rest of FairyTail. You can't challenge him alone because he'll kill Lucy and take your keys. And I don't want you tell everyone and have them join because I don't want to fight my friends." She murmured. Loke looked at her for a moment, and he saw how desperately her gold eyes were pleading him to listen to her. He sighed softly and one hand came up to hold her palm to his check, the other rested on her hip.

"Fine." He agreed. "I won't do anything, but if he hurts you that bad again, all bets are off." He warned. She smiled and it was bitter sweet.

"You know it'll happen." She said, deciding to be truthful.

"And that's why that is all I can promise." He chuckled and she shook her head lightly.

"You impossible lion." She murmured as a small, almost nonexistent, smile graced her lips. And Loke couldn't take it any more, he leaned down and pressed his lips to hers softly in a gentle kiss.


Come back next chapter to see how she reacts! Also REVIEW! Cause I love, love, LOVE hearing from you guys!

UNTIL NEXT TIME MY LOVELIES!

A.~