Okay, so I know it's been forever since I updated...well, anything, but I am happy to say that I think I'm finally coming out of my writer's block. YAY! FINALLY! Also, I am still in school, and that has taken a massive amount of my time, especially lately as I am now in the toughest part of my education. But, don't be alarmed. I am still working on each of my stories. They've been coming rather slow because of the aforementioned writer's block, but I am definitely not giving up. I WILL finish them. It just may take me a bit longer.

So thanks for sticking with me, for forgiving me for my absence, and for being so understanding. You guys are the best, and I couldn't appreciate you more. Now, without further chitchat, here's the latest chapter of Fate's Choice. Hope you enjoy!

Also, just a reminder in case you forgot, Hiro Mashima owns Fairy Tail. Not me. (sadly)

CHAPTER 26: ON MY MIND

The next morning dawned bright and hopeful for Lucy. In spite of how Gajeel had left her the night before, she refused to see the moment they'd shared as anything other than a good thing. She had no delusions about why he'd left. The man had been fighting for months to be rid of this tie between them, but last night had shown her that even Gajeel's stubbornness couldn't hold out against Fate. They were destined for one another, and sooner or later, he'd have to accept that.

She hoped.

And honestly, she could wait. She'd never been an instant gratification girl. No, she'd always felt that anything worth having was worth working for. And that's how she chose to look at this situation with Gajeel. She could give up, live her life as she had up to this point - only halfway. She could hide away, ignore her feelings for Gajeel and let this opportunity pass her by. It would be easier in so many ways. No fights with him, no jealousy from Levy, no conflict of any kind. She could get by with sharing a guild with him, gaining enough energy to survive just by being in the same room every now and then.

It would be a shit life, but she could do it. But she wouldn't. She was tired of putting herself aside. Like Lily said - she deserved to be happy too. And that happiness was all tied up with Gajeel. She could imagine their life together, the one they could have if Gajeel only gave her a chance, and she wanted it. She wanted it more than she'd ever wanted anything else.

And she intended to fight for it. Somehow, she would convince Gajeel she was right for him. She didn't care how long it took. Her mama always said that patience was a virtue, and Lucy had it in spades.

Nodding her head decisively, she climbed from her bed and headed toward her dresser, pausing about halfway to glance over at the wall he'd pressed her against. A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth as she remembered the way he'd kissed her, touched her. For the first time since this had all begun, he'd seemed just as affected as her, just as desperate. And while she knew it was the Mating bringing them together, she couldn't help but feel that it was as it was supposed to be.

Still, she didn't expect things to change over night. They'd been ripped from their respective lives and shoved together in this incredible situation. Neither had been given a warning that life was about to turn everything upside down, so of course it would take time. And Lucy was ready for that. In that way, their relationship was actually oddly normal. Love didn't happen fast. It was a progression, and that was something they had in common with any other couple.

Even though Gajeel was reluctant, they could still grow to be something real. She knew it. And until then, she'd just have to deal with the highs and lows he put her through. She could do it. Honestly, it was all understandable. Even his anger. Had someone suddenly told her that she was effectively tied to someone she didn't love in a romantic sense, she wouldn't be thrilled either. Especially considering how she felt about Gajeel. She could only hope his feelings for Levy didn't go so deep.

Shaking away the depressing thought, she drew on a pair of leggings and a loose sweater and focused on what she'd gained the night before. He'd come to her. Regardless of what had brought him out of his room, he'd made the first move. And that, in her book, was cause for celebration.

Feeling a damn sight more optimistic, she all but danced into the kitchen only to find that Lily had already started breakfast.

"Morning Lily!" she chirped, then leaned forward to peek around the corner into the living room. Seeing the room empty, she asked, "Gajeel?"

"Already gone," the enlarged cat answered, facing her with a sly grin. "You seem chipper this morning. Sleep well?"

It took only that for Lucy to realize he must have heard the progress she'd made with Gajeel the night before, and instantly heat bloomed across her cheeks. At the time, it hadn't even occurred to her to be quiet, and they'd gone at it with her door wide open.

But no matter how embarrassed she felt, her smile remained. It was as if her happiness refused to be hidden. Still, Lily surely hadn't deserved to be subjected to overhearing her tryst with Gajeel.

"Um...I feel like I should apologize," she offered lamely, ducking her head in mortification even as that goofy grin persisted.

Lily chuckled, stepping over to pull her into a short hug. "Don't worry about it. Just maybe shut the door next time."

"God, this is awkward."

"You're telling me," Lily joked, turning back to the stove. "The things I heard..."

Flushing a deep crimson, Lucy lifted her head to apologize once more when she noticed the large cat's shoulders shaking. "Lily!"

"Sorry," he laughed. "Couldn't help myself. You looked so appalled."

His reaction making her feel better, Lucy giggled. "I was until you decided to make fun of me! Now, you can forget about me shutting the door next time!"

The words were out before she could school her thoughts, but even as Lily's eyes widened, she couldn't regret them. Because she hoped that wouldn't be the last time. With everything she had, she hoped Gajeel would continue to come to her, even if in the beginning, it was just about sex. At the very least, it might give her a way into his heart, and that was her ultimate goal.

Lily shot her a wry smile, coming closer with a question. "Next time, huh? I take it you're feeling hopeful?"

"I am," she agreed, flushing lightly at the direction their conversation had taken. "Now that we..." She paused, her cheeks deepening in color, "...that he approached me, I'm hoping it'll happen again." All at once, she realized what she was telling Lily and felt her skin heat to uncomfortable temperatures from head to toe. "I...I mean..."

Groaning, she dropped into a chair and let her head flop down onto the table.

A deep chuckle reached her ears a moment before she felt a heavy paw on her shoulder. "I understand what you're trying to say."

"Thank God one of us does, " she mumbled from where she'd pressed her face against the table. Thoroughly embarrassed, she lifted her head. "I swear I couldn't have made this more awkward if I'd tried."

"This much is true."

Pursing her lips, Lucy muttered, "Thanks for that."

Lily laughed again. "I'm just messing with you."

"Yeah yeah. I know."

Turning back around, Lily turned off the stove and reached for two plates, dropping a stack of pancakes in the center of each. Already, Lucy could feel her stomach grumbling and her mouth watering. She'd apparently worked up an appetite, and it smelled so good.

"Mmm...pancakes. You're forgiven."

Her furred housemate let loose a snorting laugh as he set a plate and silverware in front of her along with the container of syrup, then sat down himself. "Shouldn't I be the one forgiving you. You know...for subjecting my ears to things I should've never had to hear?"

The blonde all but snatched up her utensils and began cutting, quickly shooting Lily a pout. "I thought we agreed to not talk about that anymore."

"When did we agree to that?" he asked with a grin. He took a moment to stuff a bite of food into his mouth and chew before tipping his head up at his companion. "And you might want to eat faster. Gray and Wendy will be here in about 45 minutes to walk you over to the guild."

Her eyes widening, Lucy looked up at the clock and cursed. "Damn, I can't believe it's already so late."

"Must have been really tired." Lily's lips pulled up into a wolfish grin, sending Lucy into another groan. "Oh, I was thinking, how do you feel about a movie night?"

Lucy rolled her eyes as she stood, gathering her dishes and moving to the sink. "In response to the tired comment, you suck. And yes to the movie night. Marathon?"

"That's what I was thinking," he laughed, ignoring her first comment.

"Okay sounds good. You going with us to the guild?"

Lily nodded. "Yeah, figure you could use the backup."

Drying her hands, Lucy sighed. "Thanks. Let's just hope it's not that bad."

Nearly an hour later, the tiny group came to a stop outside the Fairy Tail guild hall. Well, Lucy stopped, her face apprehensive as she eyed the double doors in front of her, and because she'd quit moving, so did the rest of them. Gray studied her for a moment, along with Lily and Wendy, and then he moved beside her, throwing an arm across her shoulders.

Squeezing gently, he said, "You've got nothing to worry about. We're right here beside you the whole time."

She swallowed hard, glancing up at her teammate. "But what if they're still mad at me?"

"Lucy," he scolded gently as he brushed a strand of hair from her vision. "They're not mad at you." Seeing her knowing look, he shook his head. "Levy's a special case, and Gajeel is...well, he's an idiot."

And wasn't that the biggest understatement Gray had ever uttered...

As far as the ice mage was concerned, Gajeel was an outright moron. Any man would be lucky to have a kind, thoughtful, not to mention gorgeous woman like Lucy in his life. She was the the most generous woman he'd ever known, and because of that, she'd spent years alone with the knowledge that she was in love with her best friend's man. That, to Gray, was the epitome of sacrifice.

It was just like Lucy to put everyone first. She did it on a regular basis, and for the most part, he adored her for it. But there were times when he wished she'd be a little selfish, when she'd think of herself before anyone else.

Finally, it seemed like she'd decided to do just that, but he'd be lying if he said he was happy about the circumstances involved. It was great that she was finally making choices based on her own happiness, but to him, Gajeel wasn't worth the effort. He'd already proven that. He'd abandoned Lucy to deal with a situation his heritage had essentially caused all on her own and with no understanding of what had happened or why. For Gray, that put Gajeel squarely in the slack bastard category.

But Lucy loved the sorry jerk. And Gray would do anything to make his friend happy. So if Gajeel was what she wanted, he'd help her any way he could. And if she ever decided that the dark-haired dragon slayer wasn't the one, Gray would be happy to give him his walking papers, along with a fist to the face.

The thought brought a slight smile to his face, and he was pleased to see an answering one on Lucy's. "You ready?"

Drawing in a slow breath, Lucy nodded, then took the first of a handful of steps that led to the pair of doors she'd been studying. Gray reached for a door, and as one, the group moved through the entryway. Sound dropped quickly in the room once people began realizing who had just walked in, and Gray felt Lucy's body go stiff at the sudden attention. No one said a word for several long seconds until Natsu hopped up from his seat in the back corner with a call.

"Luce!"

The pink-haired man charged toward her, sweeping her up in his arms like he'd done the day before, and Lucy laughed as he spun her around. It was an oddly touching scene, and Gray found himself appreciating Natsu in a way he never had before. Though childlike in a lot of ways, the fire mage had proven himself to be an incredible man over the last several weeks, and more so now that Lucy was home. He seemed strangely adept at knowing what to do in every situation that came up regarding Lucy - dealing with Erza, talking to Levy, strong-arming Gajeel, explaining things to their guildmates - and on top of all that, he knew just what Lucy needed to feel safe and comfortable.

Slowly, voices began filtering in, a few brave ones calling out a quiet greeting to the blonde in Natsu's arms, and Gray wondered if she'd answer. In her place, Gray wasn't quite sure he would. For weeks, he'd struggled with his anger. When he'd been out looking for Lucy, it had been easy to ignore. He'd pushed it aside, because for him, nothing had been as important as Lucy. The same was still true, only now that he had time to spare, all these different emotions were beginning to clamber for attention.

He was trying to deal with it, but the truth was he still didn't understand. He wasn't sure he ever would. Time had passed, time that he'd hoped would provide some clarity, but it hadn't happened. In fact, it had only made things more difficult. He wasn't as forgiving as Natsu, or even Lucy. He'd been through things that had changed him, made it impossible for him to retain the hopefulness his pink-haired friend had in spades. And that lack was preventing him from moving past it all.

Maybe it would help to talk to some of them. If nothing else, it might show him what they'd been thinking, but he hadn't been able to bring himself to do it. The fury swirling in his gut kept him from really caring about their reasoning, and in the end, he'd convinced himself he was justified in waiting for Lucy to decide. It was she they'd hurt, so it seemed her right to make the choice for him. As Natsu said, he'd follow Lucy's lead.

The only difference between him and Natsu was that it wouldn't just be with Erza; Gray fully intended to follow Lucy decide his relationship with everyone.

The spiteful part of him, the one he'd always tried to bury, secretly hoped she'd keep her distance, at least for a while. They deserved to feel her rejection. Just a few days would suffice. Then maybe they would know a fraction of what life had been like for her. It was cruel, he knew. And he hated even having the thought, but seeing her lying in that bed, slowing dying had nearly destroyed him. He'd nearly lost her because his friends, their friends couldn't take even a moment to think of Lucy.

Anger pulsed within him, and he fought to push it down. This wasn't the time or place. He had to get his shit together, because today wasn't about him. It was about the girl who was even now reaching for his hand.

Forcing a smile to his face, Gray folded Lucy's hand into his own and let Natsu lead them both to their usual table in the back. There, waiting for their small group, sat Lisanna, her eyes bright with unshed tears. Her gaze swept over each of them, then stopped on Lucy and held. Gray watched as her mouth opened and closed, almost like she was trying to find the words to speak. Then, without even a word of greeting, she drew in a sharp breath and looked up to her mate.

Gray wondered for a moment if Natsu would press Lucy to acknowledge Lisanna. The fire mage had told Gray all about Lisanna's regret, and the ice mage had seen it firsthand. He didn't for a moment doubt her sincerity, but still, he hoped Natsu wouldn't push the issue. He had to know Lucy might not be ready.

To his relief, Natsu simply looked back at their blonde friend, his expression soft with understanding, and tugged her down into the seat next to his. No one spoke while Gray, Lily, Wendy, and Charle dropped into the remaining seats, and as the silence built around them, Lucy squeezed Gray's hand. He looked down at their entwined fingers and realized she was shaking, and with a quick glance over at Natsu, Gray pulled her hand into his lap and sent an answering squeeze back.

He hated that she felt so nervous here. This place used to be home to her, and it broke his heart that things had changed so much. They'd all been close, a family, and now...now, one of Fairy Tail's brightest members felt like an outsider. It pained him that he couldn't fix it for her, that he couldn't go back and erase what had happened. If there was a magic out there that could grant such a wish, he'd pay any price to do it. He'd do anything to give her back the life she'd had.

But that wasn't possible. Life wasn't quite so kind, and he had the scars to prove it. All he could do was be there for her as she fought her way through everything that awaited her. And that's just what he intended to do. No one would so much as get near her with ill intent. He'd see to that.

The thought had barely wisped through his mind when a shadow fell over his side of the table. Lucy immediately flinched, her shoulders hunching in on themselves as she sank lower in her seat. Just that slight reaction had his ire rising until he saw who had come over. A split second later, he relaxed, a smile stretching across his face. "Hey guys, come to see Lucy?"

"Duh," Cana crooned before squatting down between him and the blonde. Her lips quirked into grin, and she took no time before pulling her friend into tight hug. "Damn glad to have you back, girl."

Laxus, for his part, didn't get overly emotional. Just dropped his hand haphazardly onto the top of her head and gave a little pat. "Yeah, what she said."

A soft, snuffling sound rose from behind Cana's shoulder, and then Lucy's voice chimed, "It's good to be back."

As the two women pulled apart, Lucy glanced up at the hulking man behind her and smiled. "They told me you helped look for me. I...I mean before." At his nod, she beamed and added softly, "Thank you...for believing in me."

It was at that moment that Gray realized the room had gone eerily quiet again, and a glance around let him know that everyone had heard what Lucy had said. There wasn't an easy expression in the crowd. In the deepest part of his heart, he knew they regretted what they'd done, the snap judgement they'd made, but the rest of him was grateful they'd been listening in. He felt like they needed a reminder of just how much they'd let her down.

Maybe that was cruel. Looking over at Mira, he knew it was, because the tears in her eyes were real. The agony clouding her face was real. The Take Over mage had spent her life trying to do the right thing, trying to love and care for everyone. She wasn't the type to be mean. Gray knew that, and yet he couldn't completely erase his anger at her or anyone else. He'd nearly lost Lucy. And he wasn't quite sure what to do with how he felt at that loss.

As if Lucy realized she had everyone's attention again, her head ducked, and almost surreptitiously, she scooted closer to Gray. He'd seen her toss a glance in Natsu's direction like she would move closer to him, but once her eyes hit on the white-haired woman at his side, she'd changed her mind. And that action didn't go without notice. Both Natsu and Lisanna looked on with twin expressions of sadness, the latter dipping her head as tears filled her eyes once more.

Lucy's face instantly pinched with remorse, and Gray felt his heart catch.

It was so Lucy. Here she was, the one who'd been hurt by nearly every friend she had, worrying about how someone felt because of her own actions. Sighing, the ice mage tugged at Lucy's hand. "Lucy, you don't have to..."

"It's okay."

And there it was, the moment he knew without a shadow of a doubt that she would forgive them all. It was just the way she was - something he found both wonderful and completely frustrating. He loved that her heart was so big, so generous, but he'd never wanted it at the expense of her wellbeing. She had a right to her anger, but as their eyes met, he could see she wasn't mad anymore. At least not enough to really want them all to pay. She was too sweet, too kind.

She was just too damn Lucy for that.

And he supposed he loved that about her...even if she was stubborn as hell.

It was nearing 9 when Gajeel finally made it to his front door. He'd spent the entire day away from home, trying to not only erase the feel of her from his mind, but also to avoid seeing her or his feline roommate. He'd gotten up this morning feeling pretty good only to remember what he'd done the night before. Instantly, his mood had tanked. He'd fucked her again. And if that wasn't bad enough, he'd done it where Lily could hear.

Just what the hell was he supposed to say when the large cat asked him about it? Gajeel wasn't stupid enough to believe Lily would let it go. He'd want to talk about it, slave over the whole damn thing until Gajeel was sure he'd be ready to gouge his ears out. And it wouldn't end there. That nosy ass feline would take every fucking opportunity to claim it was a sign that he should accept Lucy.

And that sure as shit wasn't happening.

Only problem was his mind refused to cooperate. Every other second, his brain would conjure some memory - Lucy pressed against that bedroom wall, her head tipped back, her chest heaving. Over and over again, the scenes assaulted him, replaying every sexy little whimper she'd made when he was plowing his way into her tight body.

He could admit, at least to himself, that the woman was hot. He wasn't a complete moron, after all. But she'd never really been on his radar, at least not like this. Now, he couldn't seem to not notice her. Every breath, every hum, every goddamn movement of her body. It all sent his senses into an uproar.

He was a damn dragon slayer for fuck's sake, his control unparalleled! And yet, there he was folding like a cheap umbrella.

It was unheard of. His control had never been so weak! But once he'd caught the scent of her arousal in that hallway, he'd literally lost his mind. It was the only thing that made sense. Cause he'd had no intention of fucking her again. Only, when the time had come for his hard-fought discipline to save him, it had shattered quicker than a cheap sword.

In the end, all that hard-fought discipline couldn't save him. He'd fallen on her with only one thing on his mind, and in that moment, nothing could have stopped him from getting it. He just had to have her.

And that was exactly why he'd stayed away today. He wasn't sure he could trust himself with her yet. The Mating urges had been pulling at him all day, trying to lure him back home, back to her arms. There were times it had damn near left him breathless with its intensity. Now, he could only hope that staying away all day had helped to ease the effect she had on him.

Well, that or that she'd be in her damn room and he wouldn't have to see her at all. Honestly, at this point, he'd take either one.

Sighing, he reached for the door knob and silently swung the door open only to be greeted by a pair of chattering voices and the overwhelming aroma of a home-cooked meal. He drew in another deep breath and felt his stomach clench in painful anticipation. It was then that he realized that he'd gone all day without bothering to eat. He hadn't thought a thing about it. He hadn't thought about anything at all actually, not even where he was going. He'd spent the entire time wandering around town.

Okay he may have stopped in a bar or two somewhere along the way, but who the hell was counting?

He paused just inside the entryway and listened for a minute, his lips tipping down at the sound of laughter coming from the next room, and couldn't help wondering what they were up to. The curiosity instantly annoyed him. He didn't want to be curious about anything Lucy was doing. They were nothing to each other but a pain in the ass. Still, he couldn't seem to stop his body from moving in their direction.

And when he turned the corner, he found himself wishing he hadn't, because there they were in the living room, cuddled up under a blanket in the center of the couch, watching a movie. A large bowl of popcorn sat between them, and they looked for all the world like the oldest of friends.

Something he and Lily had once been.

It hit him hard, harder than he would have ever thought something like that could. They just looked so happy, like everything in life was just right, and then there was him. There was no happiness for him, no peace. No, his life was a mess.

Suddenly a voice called, breaking him from his train of thought. "Oh Gajeel, you're home."

The dark-haired man barely had time to realize that Lily had spoken before his female companion piped in. "We're watching a movie. Would you like to join us?"

Warmth burst in his chest at her invitation, and that part of him that couldn't get her out of his head tugged at him to move forward, to slide in beside her and do exactly as she'd asked. It was the same urge he'd had all day, the one that reminded him constantly of what it had been like while they were together. And he knew if he went to her, that part of him that had been raging all day would calm.

And damn if she didn't make him want to. She sounded so damn hopeful. That little hitch in her voice sent a shiver of awareness sailing through his body, and before he knew it, he'd taken a step toward her. All at once, she smiled, and he felt the weight of her happiness like a kick to the gut.

It pulled at him, this insane desire to keep that smile on her face, to do whatever it took to make sure she never stopped looking at him like that. His heart jolted in his chest, and suddenly, he found himself struggling to swallow.

What the hell was going on? What was she doing to him?

His anger spiked, and just like that, the spell was broken. Scowling, he whirled around and stalked back out of the room. "Not a chance in hell."

By the time he made it into the kitchen, he was breathing hard. Whether it was because of how close he'd come to falling into her trap or because he was just plain pissed, he didn't know. All he could say for sure was he needed to be away from her. She was dangerous. She might look sweet and innocent with that gentle smile, but she was anything but. For once, Gajeel felt like the sting of playing the part of prey, and he hated it. He was a dragon slayer. He was the fucking carnivore, not that little pixie in his living room.

Still, he wasn't sure he was ready to face her right now. His control had been on the fritz all day, and he couldn't take the chance he'd fold again. Better to step back for now and come back stronger tomorrow. He wasn't too proud for a tactical retreat.

But first, he needed something to eat. He'd never be able to sleep with his stomach like this.

It was then he saw it, a wrapped plate with napkin and fork setting right in the middle of the counter. And it smelled fucking amazing. He glanced back toward the room he'd just abandoned before moving toward the food and found a note just beside it. There, in neat swirls was a message that could only be for him: "Thought you might be hungry."

His jaw tightened. It didn't take a genius to see who had written it. Lily's handwriting was nothing more than a scrawl. That left only her.

He thought about throwing it out. He really did. And if he hadn't gone all day without eating, he probably would have. But the pain in his belly just wouldn't let him do it. With a growl of annoyance, he snatched up the plate and fork and headed for his room.

This, he promised himself, would be the last time. He'd throw the next one out. Cause something told him there would be a next time.

He was almost sure of it.