AN: Hello everyone, how has your days been? Good? If not I hope this chapter brightens that day even the smallest bit. Have a good read guys! (warning... it's a bit of a long one this time around)

Lucy sighed depressed… She'd had a plan originally… it was to go to work despite having the day off so she wouldn't think about Natsu leaving, but her feet took her somewhere else. Lucy's hand ran over the countertop as a soft wind gust fluttered by the window that she'd had Loke open for her. The room was clean with the exception of the sandy shoe prints trailing past the living room into the dining room.

Her dark brown orbs resting on a picture that was stuck to the fridge by a magnet. It caused her lips to pull back into a slight smile. It'd been a photo taken by Natsu and it was of Lucy and his mother as they sat over this very counter making a cake. A cake she had remade for him just days ago. Lucy breathed in the comforting scent the house gave off, it smelled like them… it smelled like him. "I'm so stupid…" she muttered under her breath.

"No, you're not," Loke started as he walked beside her, leaning his back against the counter's edge, he pulled his right hand back slightly resting it over hers, "It's not stupid to feel sad when someone you love leaves." He told her. His blunt declaration of her own feelings for Natsu making her blush and before she could even retort, "Don't even try to deny it, Princess. All of us can feel how you feel about him; after all, our power derives from your emotion."

Lucy looks away, playing with her hair that hung over her shoulder. It wasn't that she was unaware that her powers fed off her emotions. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out the stronger the emotion felt at the time the stronger the spirit became. It was just a little embarrassing to have people that could read her like an open book without even trying! "I know…" she replied her eyes finding the happy picture again.

Loke frowned, "Lucy, I'm going to be frank with you. This depression your feeling is not helping you. What if god forbid something happens and your father finds out you're here? How can we possibly oppose him when we're worried about you and if you're alright? How are we supposed to protect you Princess?" he questioned his eyes not leaving the scene beyond the open window.

Nodding Lucy looked his way, "I'll get through it. I just need a minute to breathe." She explained. From the moment she came to the surface it'd been one challenge after another and constantly learning about how to live within this new environment. She was lucky to have run across nice people the moment she arrived here who soon became good charitable friends that she hoped she could keep close for the rest of her life.

Loke smiled sadly, "I don't know if we'll ever get that minute Princess." He replied as he gave her hand a light pat. It was true… Any minute now her father could attack them and if he did… everyone would be in trouble, "I know how you feel Princess, but we have to be ready! Because you know and we know that your father won't give two shits about these people and he will attack them as a means to get you to reveal yourself."

Lucy nodded again remembering Natsu's words from earlier…

"I refuse to ever lose you again!"

Just those words caused a happy but dreadful feeling to swell within her chest, "Yeah." She agreed. Pushing herself off the counter deciding it was time to head back home.

~oooOOOooo~

Lucy walked down the street passing by rare clusters of people as she neared her home so thankful that she'd left for Natsu's house all geared up just in case despite the lack of rain. Upon rounding the last block to get to her home slow beads of rain began to drop on the umbrella that Loke held for her as they walked. Loke stopped in place as when a drop hit his skin, "Princess," he started jerking his arm under the umbrella.

Lucy forced a smile already knowing what he was going to say, "He knows." They both muttered under there breaths. Seconds later the short drizzle just stopped completely. Loke looked at his master, "Don't worry Loke I always knew… I couldn't hide from him." She told him looking down at her feet.

Loke frowned, "Lucy," he whispered her name. Something he hadn't called her by in a long time. He didn't like it when she forced her smiles… and until they'd come here that was almost all he'd seen since her mother lady Layla passed on.

"But you know what?" Lucy began the look in her eyes steadily changing. Determination reflecting within her dark brown irises as she turns to look at Loke with a bright real smile, "I think I'm just about done with sitting curled up in a corner like a scared little girl." She tells him as she takes the umbrella from Loke and closes it. before grabbing hold of the top of her raincoat pulling the cover from her head, "Yeah," she nodded, "I think I'm done running." She told him.

Loke stared at her blankly for a long moment, 'S-She's finally done running.' He thought in amazement. He'd never suspected she'd start fighting for what she wanted so quickly after coming to this world. He'd expected them to lay low, for her heart to be in constant turmoil because of the unfulfilled promise her mother left with her.

"I think mom would agree. If I don't fight to have my own life now, I'll never be able to have my own life… He'll constantly try to rule it with decisions that aren't mine. It's time I start making my own decisions!" Lucy said a soft glow radiating from her waist that she'd yet to notice. Looking away from Loke Lucy shifts her gaze up to the sky where raging clouds had slowly begun to shift and gather.

Loke's lips broke out into a smirk as her collarbone glowed with a mark of acceptance in the shape of an 'M' the legs of it striking up in a 'V' like pattern before slightly circling off at her shoulder. It was only there for but a moment before vanishing and his master hadn't at all noticed it, but it was there. She was there… 'You care for Lucy even more then you let on huh.' He thought with a chuckle. Remembering how much bickering the blue-haired water maiden would do after her small visits with Lucy when the girl would snatch her mothers' keys and summon her for weird reasons. Loke nodded with a smile, "Yes-Yes Princess." He agreed with her.

Lucy felt startled when she noticed the glow as it began to fade away, her eyes widening at the sight of the mark, "Aquarius?" she mumbled touching a hand to her chest as power pulsated from the mark. As if Aquarius was telling her to stop worrying so much. Lucy nodded with watery eyes, "Thank you."

~oooOOOooo~

Loke opened the entrance door for her allowing her to enter first. People shot her strange looks as they often did. Kylie, Mary, and Nina had once told her to ignore the looks because it was something that came with their profession. There were many who disliked even hated individuals that did the things they did because it was and is improper. Lucy's eyes narrowed stopping before passing them, "Got a problem?" she asked daring them to open their mouths that were probably lined with more insults. The two held each other's stare for a long moment when the person said nothing she spoke again, "Good, cause the next time you look at me like that I'll be charging you a fee."

The person just rolled their eyes and went back to minding their own business. Loke snorted at the display before holding out his arm for her to take, "Wow Princess!" he chuckled as he led her down the hallway.

Lucy blinked in confusion, "What?" she questions not understanding why he was laughing at her. Had she done something funny?

Loke shakes his head, "Just wow." was all he told her causing her to pout as they entered the elevator a contraption she is still trying to understand how to figure out… Lucy glares at him for leading her to the confusing machine, "What you gotta learn it at some point. Might as well be now right?" he said with a lighthearted chuckle as they entered, and the doors closed behind them.

Lucy groaned letting go of his arm to 'study' the panel on the wall. Loke sweatdropped when a few seconds turned into a minute and a minute turned into a few minutes. Loke tried not to laugh as the doors opened and a tenant stood there just staring at her in confusion as to what she was doing. When she began muttering to herself the young man that'd entered the elevator with them walked forward reaching out and tapped a button in her field of vision causing her to jolt back in surprise.

Lucy's face turned a crimson red, "Oh ah, sorry I've never used one of these, so I was trying to figure it out!" she apologized mentally cursing Loke for not telling her someone had come into the elevator with them. Lucy's eyebrow twitched, 'Jerk.' She thought glaring at Loke who was too busy trying to hide his own laughter at the bewildered face the young man had on his face. The elevator dinged, the door opening with a loud clap as it retracted back, the young man sigh stepping to the door putting his foot between the door and the floor to keep the elevator grounded.

He looked towards her going a little red in the face after he realized how cute she was. Shaking his head briefly he points at the panel, "These buttons with numbers on them represent the floor numbers." He told her shifting his finger to the second-floor button. "If your apartment is on the second level of the building you push this button to get to it otherwise you chose one of the higher ones. If not, then you would be on the ground floor and would have no use for the elevator." He explained.

Despite her face being nearly as red as a radish Lucy listened and stared at his hand thoughtfully as she processed his words, "Oh, so that's how it works." She mumbled. When she stepped forward again crouching down to the panel, she pressed the button she'd seen Kylie and the girls push quite often when they would come back after leaving. The man quickly looked away with a flustered position at the revealing angle at which she was sitting in. Deciding he should probably walk away before he got caught taking glances at her exposed cleavage, "Oh ah, thank you for the tip!" she said in a hurry as she noticed him leaving.

Rather than turning around the man just nodded and held his hand up, "No problem." He told her before the doors closed cutting off her field the sight of him. She felt kind of bad that she didn't properly meet him considering he'd just helped her, but what could she do? After all, the doors were closed… was there a way to reopen them? Him up and leaving after helping her without introducing herself seemed terribly rude…

"Plan on chasing him down?" Loke asked as the machine began to move.

Lucy frowned shaking her head, "There would be no point… Even if I did, he's probably long gone by now." She explained. Still, though she felt horrible… The guy had just gone out of his way to help her learn something new about this world… The least she could have done was introduce herself, right?

Loke smiled softly, "You shouldn't frown so much Princess it'll give you wrinkles!" he began pointing at said areas where the wrinkles would appear. "Wouldn't want Natsu to see that right?" he teased earning a mild childish glare from his master and a light elbow to the gut as the door chimed and opened again. Another couple joined them inside the elevator but chose a lower level button.

The older woman giggled a Loke who was rubbing his sore side while apologizing for teasing her, "You two make such a cute couple!" she commented.

Lucy froze at the comment but Loke grinned throwing an arm around Lucy's shoulder, "Aw, why thank you!" he chuckled as his master shot him another glare.

Lucy shook her head, putting her hand to Loke's face while Loke hugged her entirely too close giving him a light push to make a gap between them, "Nah, we're just really good friends." She corrects.

Loke groaned, "Aw, come on Princess don't be like that!" he whined as the door dinged and opened on the next floor.

Lucy crossed her arms over her chest walking out in a huff. Taking notice of the difference in the color of the sky. It managed to put a slight smile on her face as she wonders where Natsu was right now and how he was doing. She was debating on calling him like he'd told her earlier, but she didn't want to be a bother.

"That's such a shame, I think your two are adorable together!" The woman tells them as her significant other wrapped his arm around her shoulder as Loke rushed out after Lucy. The woman's words causing both to get just a little flustered before the doors shut cutting off them off from the couple.

Lucy came upon the door of her apartment and fished out the strange shiny object Kylie had told her to make sure to never misplace. Plugging it into the door just as Kylie had shown her on more than one occasion and giving it a slight twist of the wrist. She heard a soft click and with a light push, the door opened revealing a darkened entryway.

Loke and Lucy entered slipping their shoes off at the door, Lucy hanging her purse on the side wall while Loke hung his suit coat on the wrack beside the door. Loke made sure to lock the door behind him as Lucy entered the dark apartment that was lit by nothing more than the moonlight seeping in through her uncurtained living room windows.

When Loke heard a soft breathless gasp escape Lucy's lips he rushed forward, "Princess! What's…!" he started only for Lucy to whip around clapping a palm over his mouth to muffle his loud volume. Loke calmed when he looked in the living room finding Natsu sitting upright on the couch, his elbow resting on the armrest with his fist propping up his chin with a little drool glistening down his face in the soft blue lighting.

"Sorry Loke," Lucy muttered quickly closing his gate so Natsu didn't wake and get the wrong impression. Besides… what was he doing here in the first place? Shouldn't he be on his way to his other place? That was what he said wasn't it? So… why? Lucy wanted to wake him and tell him to lay down properly and get some rest, but at the same time, she knew he would probably need whatever rest he managed to get!

Natsu's eyes cracked open looking at her with a groggy stare for several seconds, "Your home." He said with a loud yawn. He reached out for her, startling her a little as his arms rounded her without warning. Natsu turned his body so he could lay across the couch taking Lucy down with him. Lucy's face was beet red at the closeness, her cheek resting against his chest and her ears rang out with the sounds of his heartbeat. Carefully readjusting herself on top of him she let herself be consumed by his welcoming warmth, "I was starting to get worried." He told her softly causing her to tilt her head up to look at him.

Lucy smiled slightly as he held her securely so she wouldn't roll and fall off him, "S-Sorry I had no idea you were here. You said you had to leave remember?" She explained nuzzling her cheek back down into his chest. Lucy felt so light being surrounded by this scent and this warmth. It felt so insanely comfortable that she felt like if she closed her eyes even for a second, she'd fall asleep.

It was then that Natsu did something that relieved her of any kind of doubt that she'd never see him again. Natsu chuckled, "I know, and I was going too, but I just couldn't leave without seeing you. Besides... I should still be able to make it in time even if I sleep here tonight." He told her placing a soft innocently spontaneous kiss on her forehead, "Would it be okay if I come to see you tomorrow too?" he questioned.

Lucy blushed several hundreds of shades of red. It was amazing to her. How could he with such simple words and an even more simplistic gesture manage to wipe away all the worry inside this head of hers? Lucy didn't vocally answer him. She currently didn't trust her own voice to be able to form any type of intelligent words instead she nodded and gave a light hum of approval.