I hope everyone's holidays were great and Happy New Year! This chapter took a bit longer than the rest because I took some time off from writing during the holidays. Please don't be too angry with me.

During the time off, Wendyhamlet created an amazing trailer for this story. Please check it out on my Tumblr page (in the AOG section) and give it lots of love. I was freaking out for days over it.

Enjoy the chapter!

Chapter 9: Cracks of Ice

"How long are you going to be gone for?" Meredy asked as she wiped her hands off on her soot stained apron and then brushed a few hairs away from her sweat dampened face. They were in her workshop, the heat from the forges making the normally hot summer air even more scorching but the neither her or Jellal seemed to pay it any mind as they were both used to it after countless conversations in the same situation.

The blue haired man leaned comfortably back against a pillar, crossing his arms over his chest and answered, "Not sure. Couple days… maybe a week."

"Have you told Erza?"

Jellal scratched the back of his head, his face falling slightly, and sheepishly replied, "No, not yet."

"Why not?" Her tone was straightforward and so was her gaze as she waited for his response. They'd been friends for too long to be uncomfortable no matter what they were talking about. She couldn't even count the number of times she'd found herself helplessly looking to Jellal for answers to some problem that clearly wasn't something a guy was supposed to have to explain. But he'd never once complained or ever made any lame excuses to get out of it. He'd done his best and when it came to a topic he absolutely had no clue how to answer, he had always found some other way to get the answers she'd needed. But that didn't seem to be the case when it came to talking about Erza which was evident in the way he even now was completely closing up, his eyes downcast and his expression turning apprehensive. "Well…" she pushed, lifting a brow at the length of silence.

He seemed to struggle with something as he stood there, fidgeting with the strap dangling off the leather bag he had slung over his arm. His blue hair lay limp over his forehead, almost concealing his one eye where the burgundy tattoo stretched over the side of his face. Dark brown eyes stared pointedly down at the ground in front of his feet and he breathed a heavy sigh as he finally answered, "Things have been...," he hesitated for a moment, deciding how to say it, "thing's have been strained between us lately."

Pulling her apron over her head, Meredy turned and hung it on a nearby hook on the wall before inquiring further, "How so?"

Jellal kicked a nail that had fallen to the floor and watched it roll across the wooden floorboards till it disappeared beneath a heavy work desk. "I don't know," he said, his tone despondent. "It just seems like every time we see each other, neither of us know what to say. We just stand there, awkwardly forcing casual conversation and even though I want to say so much to her, nothing ever comes out."

Meredy grinned and hopped up on the work table, taking a seat that had her legs dangling over the edge. Her eyes were alive with mischief as she asked, "Why don't you just tell her how you feel then?"

His eyes shot up to hers briefly and then quickly flitted away, his cheeks turning a shade closely resembling the color of Meredy's hair. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Ha!" Meredy laughed and then shook her head with a smile. "You are such a bad liar. Do you think I'm stupid? Anyone with eyes can see that you have feelings for her."

His face flamed even brighter and Meredy watched as his hand began to absently pull on the strands of hair covering the side of his face. She'd noticed this about him as well. Whenever he became really nervous or anxious about something he would try to cover the tattooed side of his face, yanking on the blue strands till they fell halfway down his cheek. "I umm…," he mumbled and continued to pull on his hair. "You don't think…" Meredy laughed at his stuttering and shook her head.

"No, I don't think she knows," she finished for him. "Don't worry. She seems as oblivious about her feelings as you."

His eyes lifted slowly to hers, one peeking through the strands of hair, "What do you mean?"

She sighed heavily and hopped off the table. "It doesn't matter what I mean. I need to get going. The match is about to start."

"What match?"

"The twins. That's probably where Erza is as well. You should come with me."

Jellal straightened and started walking out of the small room, watching as Meredy closed up her little shop. "I think I'll just head home and start getting ready for my trip."

"Seriously, Jellal?" Meredy said, her eyes narrowing as she turned to her friend after locking the door behind her.

Jellal stopped and turned, his gaze fixated on the ground in front of him. "You know I can't."

"That was almost ten years ago. I doubt anyone even remembers it, much less could pick you out of the crowd."

Without a word he pointed to the side of his face, his eyes staring sadly at her.

"You're not the only one with a mark like that," Meredy said, sighing as she looked up at him. She knew she'd lost that battle. The resignation was clear on his face and she felt a wave of sorrow pass through her for her friend. That incident had been so long ago but yet it still seemed to haunt him. And could she blame him? He had a constant reminder staring back at him whenever he gazed into a mirror.

"Fine, I'll tell her you're leaving," she said morosely, shoving her hands inside the pockets of her saggy pants.

"Thank you," Jellal answered, pausing a moment as if wanting to say something more but decided against it and turned and left, tugging the hood of his cloak over his head. He slipped through the narrow alleys of the streets, passing unseen more out of habit than need. There was a time when danger had lurked around every corner, when he'd had to be on constant alert for fear of being caught. But like Meredy had said, that time had passed long ago. Unfortunately though, the memories didn't fade and instincts refused to die.

Jellal slipped inside his small rooms and started packing up the few things he would need, regret gnawing at him. He would have liked to have seen Erza before he'd left. There was so much in his head that he would like to tell her, so much that he would like to share with her. But whenever he saw her lately he just closed up. He didn't know why and he hated being so awkward around her. Sometimes he wished they could go back in time, back to when he truly could just tell her anything without a moment's hesitation. But for some reason, that time was lost; hidden behind a layer of uncertainties that kept getting thicker and thicker.

He knew Meredy was right. But the thought of coming right out and telling Erza his true feelings scared the heck out of him. What if she didn't feel the same? Would she feel betrayed? Would she lose all trust in him? He absolutely couldn't risk it. But was the pink haired girl right? Could Erza possibly have feelings for him as well? Was that why they were so awkward together now? It was almost unimaginable to him that she would be unsure of anything. She was always so confident about everything she did. But Meredy had said she seemed just as oblivious to her feelings as he was. Why did she think that? Had Erza said something? Did she do something that he didn't know about?

He wanted to believe it. More than anything, he wanted to. So much so that by the time he was finished packing, a small smile was lifting the corners of his mouth. Maybe it wasn't such a bad idea to confess to her. Yes, maybe… just maybe, when he got back from this mission, he would finally tell Erza his true feelings.

"You have got to be kidding me," Lyon groaned, staring across the arena with his brother at his side. Walking steadily towards them was a monster of a man, tall and built like a bear with a full bronze helmet covering his head all the way down to his shoulders. He wore a bronze plate of similar design over his chest and back, the metal stopping halfway down his overly large belly which hung a good six inches over the waistband of his dirt-caked loincloth. His legs were as thick as tree trunks, covered in a thick layer of dark brown hair that peeked through the joints of his leg-plates, all the way down to his huge feet which were strapped inside a pair of thin sandals.

Although his size was startling, enough to make most men pale at the idea of fighting him, this wasn't nearly the most terrifying feature he possessed. Arms as thick as an average man's thighs thinned down into fleshy stumps at his wrists, his non-existent hands replaced by sharp axe-like blades that swung heavily at his side with every step. They were secured there by a series of chain and leather straps wrapping around his large forearms and buckled behind his elbows. He looked like some sort of beast that had escaped from the underworld; an experiment gone wrong by the God's who'd decided to cast him aside into the world of the living.

Overhead, clouds dotted to sky, blocking out the sun for small spaces of time before it blazed through once again, leaving shadowy spots all over the arena floor. The large man stopped in the center of the Colosseum and lifted his arms into the air, raising the metal blades to the sky before banging them loudly together, sparks flying with every crash. A deep rumbling bellow exploded from his mouth and the crowd erupted in noise, some shouting in excitement while others booed and hissed.

Somewhere Gray remembered hearing of this man before, how he'd been a thief, caught and enslaved for his crimes while also receiving the loss of both of his hands. His name was Gorudon and he'd become a big celebrity in the lower arena's, earning many fans who were enraptured by the terrifying figure he posed due to his unique hand accessories and enormous size. On top of that was the rumors of his savagery, slaughtering opponent after opponent in the most gruesome and grotesque ways.

Both twins looked at each other, an unspoken communication passing between them as they simultaneously tightened their grips on their weapons. In Gray's hand he held a large, long sword with a flamboyant hilt wrapped in a sky blue leather cloth. In the other was a large, mostly black circular shield with light blue bolts of lightning streaking through the darkness. His brother held matching twin short swords, slightly longer than daggers but only half the length of his brother's sword. Both men wore light armor, mostly thick leather with only metal plates covering their shoulders, their thighs, and their shins.

The crowd was hushed now, only a few mumbled words breaking the silence as they waited to see who would make the first move. Somewhere within the mass of people a chant started, the sound so quiet you could just barely make out the words… "Black Ice… Black Ice…" The sound grew in intensity but soon another chant joined in, competing with the other… "Gorudon… Gorudon…" Gray and Lyon walked cautiously forward, separating once they were within a dozen steps of the giant, creating an arc around him like he was some sort of wild beast they were caging in.

With a barely perceptible nod from Gray, Lyon lunged forward, his short swords swinging low at the large man's legs. At the same time, Gray moved forward as well, his shield raised high as he stabbed forward with his sword, crashing loudly against one of the axes in harmony with Lyon's daggers that were also finding the metal of an axe blocking them.

In sync they spun and Lyon watched his brother move in front of the man, his shield receiving several hard crashing blows as he struggled beneath the weight of the attacks. At once he went to work with attacks of his own, slicing at the man's back which was heavily armored. His blades clinked loudly against the metal and then he ducked down, aiming for the sliver of an opening between the man's thigh plates only to have him turn at the last moment and knock him backwards with a heavy swing of his axe.

Lyon rolled over the ground, spinning himself away and glance over at his brother who was also jumping up from having fallen. The giant of a man faced Gray head on and Lyon leapt up, moving beside Gray who had his shield covering them both.

"Are you ok?" Lyon asked, his breath coming out quick and loud.

Gray nodded, his eyes assessing his brother while they both ducked down beneath a swinging axe. "Ready?" the dark-haired twin asked and received his brother's assent. "On the count of three… one, two, three!"

Lyon sheathed one of his swords and grabbed a hold of the shield. Both brothers grit their teeth and barreled forward, their heads hiding behind the shield as they knocked into the man and sent him reeling backwards. Instantly Lyon released the shield and pulled out his sword, jumping through the air and slicing both blades in an X across the man's chest. The metal scraped loudly and Gorudon fell back, stumbling over his feet and crashed to the ground.

A loud roar erupted from the crowd, people shouting and cheering but Gray didn't pay it any attention as he sprinted forward, his sword ready to come down on the man at the same moment as his brothers. At the last second though, Gorudon lifted his arms and swung them like upside-down pendulums, making the twins leap back to avoid getting hit.

The man rose to his feet with surprising agility and Lyon looked over at Gray who was bent over, breathing heavily. He made the first move and charged forward, pulling the man's attention away from his brother who seemed to need a moment to regain his strength.

He dove away from a swinging arm and hopped back to his feet, avoiding another blow as he ducked to the side and then swung towards the man's thigh, catching bare skin which split open in a rush of red.

Gorudon bellowed loudly and stumbled back, his axe hands swinging wildly in the air.

Gray reached his brother's side just in time to block a blow aimed at his neck and winced when pain raced from his shoulder, all the way down his arm.

"Are you hurt?" Lyon questioned, parrying an attack with his swords and then kicking the man backwards.

"I'm alright," Gray answered. "I think I just dislocated my arm though." Sweat dripped down his forehead and stung his eyes, causing him to wince and rub his forearm over his brow.

"C'mere," Lyon said and grabbed Gray's arm. He held on tight and lunged forward, stabbing at the man while at the same time yanking his brother's wrist.

"Ahh fuck!" Gray screamed but then groaned as his arm fell back into place. He didn't have time to enjoy the moment though because Gorudon was advancing towards him, his steps heavy on the dusty floor.

Gray raised his shield high and knocked the man back, adjusting his hold on his sword before pursuing him. "Lyon!" he hollered and pointed to his side where his brother quickly appeared. Wordlessly they attacked, their swings in perfect harmony as the man struggled to withstand the flurry of blades coming at him. "Now!" Gray shouted and then lunged forward, aiming his blade at the man's shins.

At the same time, Lyon leapt into the air and stabbed at the man, one of his swords finding hard armor while the other sliced easily through skin on the man's upper arm.

"GAH!" the man roared and then drove his arms down, striking Gray's shield with a deafening thud. Lyon heard his brother grunt in pain but before he could give it more thought he saw an axe flying towards him.

He feinted to the side, narrowly avoiding the sharp metal and then caught a glimpse of Gray kneeling with his shield propped up on the ground in front of him, his hand resting over his shoulder. "Gray!" he shouted and then watched in horror as Gorudon kicked his brother and knocked him over.

Pain lanced through Gray's arm as he tumbled over the ground, his fingers releasing their hold on his shield which slid a good half dozen feet away. He tried to lift himself up but his arm gave way on him, sending him sprawling once more on the gravely sand. A shadow crossed over him and he turned his head, just in time to see an axe come screaming towards him...

Wide-eyed, Gray stared up at the scene before him, horror contorting his features as he watched his brother leap in front of him and then drop heavily to his knees. Lyon's mouth was open on a strangled scream, his eyes strained with pain. Gray caught his limp body and clutched it to him, anger filling him swiftly while dark red seeped into the corners of his vision.

Rage possessed him and he set his brother down on the ground, rising determinedly to his feet. All thought to his own body was completely forgotten and there was no longer any pain, only a fierce determination that set his skin prickling.

His feet were steady as he advanced on the man and almost as if in a trance he attacked, his sword swingy wildly but at the same time, precisely. Gorudon deflected each blow but soon Gray's attacks were coming too fast, finding small slivers of skin time and time again until soon his body was covered in shallow gashes.

Blood seeped over the bronze armor, dripping in streams through the crevices and leaving tiny puddles on the ground. Gray continued his assault, ignoring the few blows the man was able to land on him. Behind him he heard his brother stir and a wave of relief swept through his body, fueling his desire to end things quickly.

He parried a swing and then stepped lightly to the side, catching the man unaware as he kicked him in his hip and sent him sprawling to the dirt. Gray leapt on him in a heartbeat and wrapped his arm around his neck, yanking his head back as he placed the sharp edge of his sword against the exposed part of the giants neck.

The crowd erupted in noise, people screaming and yelling in a mix of excitement and astonishment.

Gray sighed heavily and released the man, stepping back in a daze as reality set back in. Lyon was struggling to rise to his knees, a huge gash slicing diagonally across his back, splitting the leather of his tunic which was stained a horrible crimson color. Gray hurried over, dropping to his knees beside him and threw an arm around his shoulders. "It's going to be ok. You're going to be ok," he mumbled, more for his own sanity than his brothers who turned his head slowly to face him. A weak smile lifted the corners of Lyon's mouth and then he grimaced in pain.

Suddenly the sun disappeared and the crowd went wild, panicked voices shouting across the large space. Instantly alert, Gray acted without thought and jumped to his feet, finding Gorudon hovering mid-swing just a step away. In a flurry of speed he knocked the man to his knees, kicking at his shins and then plunged his sword through the back of his neck, stabbing down till the tip of the blade exited through his grotesquely large gut.

He watched in horror as the man fell lifelessly to the side, his heavily armored body thudding loudly against the hard ground. The crowd was eerily silent, watching on with wide eyes until suddenly there was a resounding whoop and the entire place erupted in noise.

Gray stared at the carcass in front of him, feeling a wave of nausea roll inside his gut. Flashes of blinding sun filtered into his vision and as quick as a blink he found himself standing in a large field littered with fallen soldiers, screams and moans filling his ears.

He fell to his knees, his black hair clinging to his sweat-dampened forehead. The world started spinning in a sea of red and gold and he struggled to breathe as he knelt there, gulping down the rising panic inside.

A heavy hand jolted him back, the Colosseum reappearing in his vision just as a voice started speaking beside his ear, "Gray… GRAY! It's over. Snap out of it!"

He blinked up at the figure kneeling beside him and felt hot tears streaking down his face. "Lyon…" he breathed, the sound barely more than a whisper as it rasped between his dry, cracked lips. His brother was hunched over, his face sickly pale. Pain contorted his usually smiling features and in a rush Gray snapped back to reality and grabbed Lyon's shoulders. "Lyon! Are you ok?"

The fair-haired twin smiled weakly and nodded.

A moment of relieved silence passed between them and they looked at each other, unspoken words traveling with ease between them before Lyon's eyes rolled into the back of his head. His entire body went limp and on a long, drawn-out sigh, he collapsed, falling into his brother who caught him and rose to his feet, carrying his twin out of the arena without a backwards glance.

"Look at this. I'm still shaking," Lucy said, holding her trembling hand out in front of her.

"I know. I can't seem to stop trembling either. I'm so worried about Lyon. Do you think he'll be ok?"

Lucy bit nervously at her bottom lip and shook her head as her shoulders lifted in a shrug. "I don't know," she said, her voice shaking with emotion. "But I'm sure Erza will take care of everything."

Levy nodded, her mood lightening. "You're right," she said, her shoulders straightening. "You're absolutely right. Lyon will be fine. Erza will take care of everything. She always does."

The two women made their way through the heavy crowd, exiting the packed Colosseum which was still alive with noise. Worry still gnawed at them but they struggled through it and continued on, knowing without a doubt that Erza would make everything right again.

Eventually the excitement that fairly sizzled in the air caught up to them, people on a high from the match while kids ran around playing wildly on the streets and drunken men laughed loudly from inside open taverns. Vendors shouted their goods and wares and the smell of meats and herbs wafted through the air. The sweet aroma of yeast and honey caught Levy's attention and she tugged on Lucy's blouse and pulled her to a crowded wooden cart. "Sweet rolls!" she cried, nearly drooling as she stared at the round rolls glistening with melted butter and honey.

"Oh they look so good," Lucy said, equally as entranced by the smells coming from the cart.

They each bought one and headed back out onto the street, stuffing their faces as they walked.

"Are you nervous about tonight?" Levy asked and then ripped off a piece of the bread and popped it into her mouth.

Lucy swallowed and then cleared her throat. "Not really nervous. But I really wish I didn't have to go."

"Why?"

"Well," she began, sighing as she ate another bite, "I don't really know."

"I bet I know why," Levy said, finishing off the last of her sweet roll. "It's because of that pink-haired guy, isn't it?"

Lucy glanced over at her friend, a slight flush creeping over her face. "Natsu?"

The blunette nodded as she smiled. "You don't want to meet another guy because you have a crush on him, don't you?"

"Hey guys!" a familiar voice chimed in, interrupting the two women. Lucy finished licking off the honey from her fingers and turned at the sound, smiling as she saw Meredy running over to them. "I'm glad I ran into you. Have you seen Erza?" She was short of breath and her eyes seemed wild and worried.

Both Lucy and Levy shook their heads and Meredy frowned, her brows wrinkling as she eyed the area.

"Is something wrong?" Lucy asked.

Meredy quickly waved her hands, the oversized sleeves of her shirt flapping with the movement. "No, not at all. I just have to relay a message to her and I haven't been able to find her since the match ended." It wasn't a lie but it wasn't even close to the real reason she was so panicked to find the woman. She knew Erza would be with Lyon and she was desperate to make sure he was ok, even if she had to use the lame excuse of having to give Jellal's message to Erza just to catch a glimpse.

"She's probably taking Lyon somewhere to get his would treated," Levy suggested.

"Do you, by any chance, know who they would go to?"

"Actually, I might," Lucy said, standing with one hand on her hip and the other plucking at her lip in thought. "If I remember right, there's a woman on the outskirts of the city who is a healer and I think Master Makarov goes there when he gets sick. I bet that's where Erza would take him."

"Where is it?" Meredy asked abruptly, barely waiting for Lucy to finish.

"Umm," Lucy began, pursing her mouth. "She's somewhere on Tiber Island. I'm not sure where though."

"What's her name?"

Lucy was a bit startled by Meredy's rapid questions but she ignored it as she tried to remember.

"Oh! I think I know who you're talking about," Levy cut in. "She's that older lady, right? Porly… Porlyu… something."

Lucy nodded excitedly. "Yea, that's her. Porlyusica."

"Ok, thanks guys!" Meredy yelled and took off, disappearing inside the crowd within seconds.

"Wow," Levy said, "Must be an important message." Out of the corner of her eye something caught her attention and she walked distracted over to a vendor, finding a multitude of long strips of fabric lining the table. One in particular stood out, a midnight black color with swirls of dark blue mixed in and speckled with smoky grey. It reminded her of the color of Lily's fur and as she fingered the smooth fabric she imagined what it would look like on the lion, wrapped around his thick neck as he nuzzled his face against her.

Without another thought she bought the fabric and shoved it into her satchel, smiling sheepishly as she found Lucy eyeing her strangely.

"What is that?" Lucy questioned.

"Oh, it's nothing. I just thought it was pretty," she answered and knew from the look on Lucy's face that her friend didn't believe her.

"Nothing huh… why don't I believe you?" Lucy asked and the two started on their way again, skirting a cart overflowing with vegetables.

Levy smiled and then giggled. "I have no idea why you don't believe innocent ol' me."

Both girls laughed and a few minutes later Levy nudged Lucy's side, a question on her lips. "Have you found out who the guy is yet that you're meeting?"

Lucy nodded, groaning as she remembered the short conversation she'd had with her father the previous evening. "Yea, his name's Loke. His father is Senator Seireio, the current magistrate of the Senate."

"Ah, I see," Levy said and then tried to lighten her friend's mood. "He didn't seem all that bad the other day. Actually, he looked kind of cute."

Lucy only shrugged in answer, not knowing what else to say. She knew Levy was right. He actually was quite handsome from what she could remember. But whenever she thought about him a feeling of dread washed over her and she didn't know why.

As they approached the road where they had to part, Levy grabbed Lucy's hand and gave it a quick reassuring squeeze. "Don't worry too much about it," she said, smiling as she let go and stepped to leave. "It's only the first date."

Long shadows stretched over the ground as Lucy walked slowly along, the soles of her sandals scuffing against the marble path that wound its way through a lush garden. Even in the dark moonlit night, helped by the light of burning fires peeking through the windows, the colors were vivid; bright orange and yellow alpine lilies half-closed lining the surrounding wall, purple crocus's following the pathway while deeper within an abundant vegetable garden grew with zucchini, squash, large red tomatoes and much more that Lucy couldn't see. The rich scent followed her at every turn, some aroma's growing stronger while others dimmed with every step.

Beside her, walking casually with his hands clasped behind his back was Loke, the man with whom her father deemed the perfect match for her. His hair was brownish-orange with thick spikes that somehow managed to look wild and untamed while at the same time seemed perfectly put together. His eyes were a rich hazel color, sometimes deep brown while other times they were more of a piercing green. As much as she would like to deny it, she had to admit that he was quite handsome with his boyish smile that somehow was sexy and handsome at the same time. On more than one occasion she had caught him casting that stunning grin at a passing maid who had inevitably started giggling while a bright flush had spread across their faces. One girl had even spilled half the contents of the pitcher of water she'd been carrying after he'd whispered something quietly in her ear.

As if on queue, Loke turned to her with that same handsome grin, one corner of his mouth turning up slightly as his eyes twinkled almost naughtily. "It looks like it'll be a beautiful night… almost as beautiful as you," he said, his words dripping like the honey that had been on Lucy's sweet roll earlier that day.

Lucy smiled and cast her gaze up at the starlit sky, inwardly rolling her eyes at his attempt at flattery. She disliked men like that. Their words, though sweet and nice, always seemed disingenuous to her. But she gave him the benefit of the doubt, thinking he might just be trying to make conversation in an awkward situation.

Their pathway ended at a tall wooden gate covered in green ivy which Loke pushed open and held wide for her, leading her out onto the dark street. A few people were still out but only a scattering, the shops closed and the events at the Colosseum long over. For some unknown reason, she found herself looking at every guy on the street, checking to see if he had the pink hair that lately seemed to never be too far from her mind. Unfortunately, but not surprisingly, none of them fit the description in her head and when Loke spoke again she cringed, realizing she hadn't heard a word he'd said.

"I'm sorry, what did you say?" she asked, pulling her wrap tighter over her shoulders. The day had been hot but with the sun gone there was a biting chill to the breeze that crept through the city.

"I was just saying that I was glad our parent's arranged this dinner tonight."

"Ohh," Lucy said quickly, nodding her head. "Yea, it's been nice." She wasn't really sure what she was supposed to say. She didn't like lying but she also wasn't about to tell him that she'd hated the idea of having to meet him. It wasn't his fault that her father was forcing this on her.

"Did you enjoy your food?" he asked, keeping the conversation going.

"I did," she replied. "But I think I ate too much." She remembered watching the wait staff carry in tray after tray of sweet desserts and her stomach turned in her gut at the memory. They'd been irresistible; lemon cakes, honey and nut bars, bowls and bowls over-flowing with grapes and berries, and her favorite- a cream tart with raspberry swirl. They'd all been delicious and she'd had more than her share of it all by the end of the evening. "I'll be paying for it tomorrow I'm sure."

Loke laughed, the sound rich and smooth. "Then I guess I'll have to bring over some mint tea for you tomorrow."

"Mint tea?"

"Yea. It helps to settle your stomach."

"Ahh," Lucy said, nodding her head as they continued to walk slowly down the street. She didn't miss the fact that he'd just invited himself over the next day. It was a good thing she didn't plan on being around much.

Somewhere in the distance she could hear raised voices and what sounded like a scuffle going on. It wasn't an unusual thing this time of night, people out at the bars after the festivities or just drinking with friends. There was another loud crash and Lucy realized the sound wasn't as far away as she'd thought, especially when they rounded a corner and found themselves less than fifty yards from where someone was sprawled out on the ground.

Beside her Loke lightly grabbed her arm and began steering her in the opposite direction. "Let's head back Princess," Loke said, his grip tightening on her arm.

Lucy ignored him and took another step closer to the ruckus, staring intently at the figure that was crouched down on one knee. His body was shadowed in the darkness and she watched him swipe his hand beneath his nose before rising to his feet once again, facing half a dozen men wielding sticks and iron bars. At his feet lay another form but she couldn't make it out well, the darkness making it difficult to see against the ground.

"It's just a drunken brawl. Leave them be." Loke tugged harder on her arm but Lucy snatched it away.

"No. We need to help them."

She watched as one of the men swung his club but missed when the other guy leapt to the side. In that swift move Lucy was able to catch a glimpse of light hitting the man's head, recognition hitting her instantly.

"Natsu…" she breathed, her body instinctively stepping forward as she watched another man knock him to the ground and kick him in the side.

Loke snatched her arm and yanked her back, looking down at her with wide eyes. "Are you crazy? What are you doing?"

"Let me go!" Her voice was even but stern, her gaze fixed on his face as she yanked her arm from his grasp.

"But Lucy…!"

She didn't wait for him, just turned and started sprinting down the dark street. Vaguely she could hear footsteps following her but she paid them no attention as she darted in front of the group of weapon carrying men, her arms outstretched. "Stop!" she yelled, her breath coming in quick pants.

The men froze for a brief moment, surprise on all of their faces till one of them laughed and stepped forward. "What is this?" the man said, hitting the palm of his hand repeatedly with the large stick he was carrying. "You better get out of the way sugar cakes before you get hurt."

Lucy straightened her shoulders despite the fear that was currently assaulting her. "No. I…"

"Pardon but uhh…" Loke cut in, positioning himself in front of Lucy, "I'm going to have to ask you men to please leave."

The man who seemed to be the speaker for the group laughed and took a threatening step forward. "Oh? And what are you going to do about it if we don't?

Behind her, Lucy heard Natsu standing up but she didn't turn around as she continued to watch the men.

"Ah well, it would be a shame if you didn't. I'm more of a lover than a fighter but if you threaten my girl again, I guess it just can't be helped."

The group of men laughed and then one of them jumped forward and swung at Loke. Lucy barely had time to gasp before the man in front of her reacted, his hand grabbing the man's arm as he spun to the side and knocked him down, the club falling out of his hands. Another came forward and Loke ducked just in time from a heavy swing but stumbled over the guy getting up from the ground and fell hard on his back.

Lucy watched as more men joined in and without thought she grabbed the club the first guy had dropped and stepped over Loke, holding the weapon in front of her as she eyed them all. "You better back off now or else?"

"Or else what?" A round of laughter passed through the men and Lucy glared at them all. "We all have weapons too."

"…Or else I'll tell my father, the High Prefect of Rome." She hated using her father but considering the situation, she didn't have much choice. She was no match for these men. She was no gladiator or even a fighter.

A few mumbles made their way through the group and a few of the men started backing away.

"The Prefect?" one man muttered and then the main guy crossed his arms over his chest, staring intently at Lucy.

"What exactly would the Prefect be able to do now? He's nowhere in sight."

Lucy gulped audibly, her knees suddenly feeling like water. The man stepped closer and suddenly a fist connected with the side of his face and he fell instantly to the ground, clutching his jaw.

Wide-eyed, Lucy stared at Natsu in front of her, his clothes a tattered mess with dirt stains covering nearly every inch. Loke stood to his feet as well and moved beside Natsu, both men glaring at the group who was slowly backing away.

"This isn't worth it anymore," one guy said while he grabbed another's shoulder.

"Yea, he needs to double his price," said another and then the guys took off, leaving their fallen leader who was moaning on the ground, still rubbing his jaw, to crawl away by himself.

Lucy sighed heavily in relief and dropped the club to the ground as she turned to face Natsu. "Are you ok?" she asked and then noticed the other figure still sprawled out face down on the ground. Being closer now she could see he had shortish black hair and she instantly knew who it was. "Gray!"

She crouched down beside him and grunted with effort as she pushed him on to his back. Her hands moved up and cupped both sides of his face and she leaned over him, wincing at the sight of the blood streaking down along his hairline.

On the opposite side, Natsu crouched down as well and glanced over at Lucy. "I need to get him home."

"What happened? How did he get this?" she asked, indicating the wound over Gray's head.

Natsu's eyes glanced several times at the man beside Lucy and then he turned back to her, "One of those guys came out of nowhere and smashed a board on the top of his head. He was knocked out instantly."

"How far are we from your place?"

"Not far," Natsu answered, concern clear on his face which quickly turned into surprise when Gray started to moan groggily from the ground.

"Gray!" Lucy exclaimed, leaning over and looking down at his face.

"Wha- What happened?" he mumbled and blinked painfully up at the three figures above him.

Natsu scoffed and answered, "You let yourself get hit on the head."

"I let myself? Who…"

"Gray, we need to get you home. Can you stand?" Lucy asked, interrupting the two.

Gray turned his attention to Lucy and shrugged, "I think so." Slowly he rose to his knees and then, wobbling, stood straight up.

"Are you ok?" Lucy asked, holding on to his arm as he swayed.

"Yea, just a little dizzy."

She watched Natsu move up beside him and put an arm around his waist then Loke did the same, moving to the opposite side.

"Let's go," Natsu said and the small group made their way down the dark street. It didn't take long for them to get to the large manor house and by the time they reached the entrance, Gray was mostly walking on his own.

"Thank you," Natsu said, scratching the back of his head, "… for helping us."

A slow smile lit his features and Lucy felt something constrict inside her chest. She smiled as well and turned her gaze fixedly on her toes. "It was no problem. Are you going to be alright?"

He nodded, his pink hair falling over his forehead. "Yea, I'll be fine. They're just bru..."

"Alright Princess, let's get going," Loke interrupted and took a hold of Lucy's hand, threading his fingers through hers and pulling her down the street.

Natsu watched the pair, his eyes narrowing at the sight of their hands clasped together. He wanted to snatch her back and walk her home himself but what right did he have? He wasn't her boyfriend. And for all he knew, this man might be. It sure seemed like it from the way he was holding her hand and touching her. But for some reason, he didn't think that was the case. Something about the way Lucy kept looking back told him that she'd wanted to stay with him as badly as he'd wanted her to and that made it all the more difficult to watch.

"Bye Gray!" Lucy called out, waving her hand in the air. "Get some rest and feel better," then a second later in a quieter voice she said, "Bye Natsu."

Lucy watched Natsu for as long as she could, her steps bringing her farther and farther away. They approached a bend in the road and sadly she watched as Natsu disappeared from sight. When, she wondered, would she be able to see him again? It had been chance that had brought them together this time. But would it happen again?

"Wait!" Natsu's voice called out, halting her abruptly. Hope blossomed inside of her and she waited anxiously as the sound of Natsu's footsteps came closer.

Loke stopped as well but the moment he saw Natsu jogging around the corner he released Lucy's hand and instead threw an arm around her waist, pulling her close to his side.

"Lucy," Natsu said, stopping a few feet away. His eyes immediately went to the hand resting on Lucy's hip and he felt heat simmer in his gut. She looked at him with wide eyes and he felt his stomach flip inside his gut. He completely forgot what he wanted to say and instead he just backed up a step and waved, saying simply, "I hope you get home safe."

to be continued...

FINALLY FINISHED! Omg, not only did I take time off but I had a hell of a time finishing this. Stupid, stupid brain! Why can't it work whenever I want it to?! Oh well, anyway... please, like I said earlier, check out Wendyhamlets trailer. It's really great!

Also, Approvesport will be working on pictures for this chapter over the next few weeks. She has other responsibilities right now that are more important but she'll get to this chapter when she has time :)

Thank you all for reading!