This chapter is for the wonderful ErzaDLaw! I hope you all enjoy it! :)

"Stop glaring at me, Lahar."

His eye twitched as he stared balefully at the back of the blonde's head. She had been pointedly ignoring his hateful gaze the entire journey so far, instead taking great interest in the scenery out the window as it passed by.

Lucy sighed and turned to face him, but he continued glaring.

"Look, I know you see think this is worse than death itself, but I think it will be good for you. If you put up with being a Fairy Tail mage for a year, you can go right back to Era and continue on with life as it was. You can go right back to your job."

"You don't seem to understand, Miss Heartfilia. I have to live my life for the next year doing something and being with people that I loathe with every fiber of my being. I was prepared to lose my job. I would've preferred it, honestly." He said, pushing his glasses back up his nose.

Lucy gave him a small smile. "I understand that more than you think, actually. But you need to understand something about Fairy Tail."

"I highly doubt that, but what would that be?"

"I'll tell you about it someday. Maybe." She shifted in her seat and looked him in the eye. "Right now, all you see us as is a group of reckless idiots. What you don't see is that we're a family. Fairy Tail accepts everyone with open arms. You hurt one of us, you've hurt us all. We support each other, we take care of each other. Yes, the majority of us are a little crazy, but that just makes everything better."

Lahar kept her gaze for a moment. She spoke with conviction and he couldn't help but scoff.

"You're all delusional."

It was her turn to glare at him.

"You know what? If you would just loosen up a little, let us in a little bit, maybe you would learn a thing or two!"

He rolled his eyes. "And what exactly would you all teach me, pray tell?"

"How to be yourself! Your true self! You will learn about who you really are, and you know what? I guarantee that we will accept you for whoever you turn out to be! You will learn what a family is really about!" She declared, her small hands clenched into tight fists.

But she didn't stop there. She rose to her feet, her fists on her hips, to look down at him with fiery brown eyes.

"I know you will learn these things! I just know it! Even if you keep us all at arm's length, even if you push us away, I bet you will discover who we really are. I bet you will learn things about us and yourself that you'd never expect! I bet that you will learn to love us, even if you don't realize you do."

Lahar rose to his feet, easily towering over the fuming blonde. "I think you couldn't be any more wrong if you tried."

He expected her to back up, even a little, at their new proximity but she remained firm. Her expression and stance unwavering in defiance.

"What if I'm right?" She asked seriously, as though she believed what she said would indeed happen. Which it absolutely would not.

"Then by all means, I'll stay a member of Fairy Tail." He said with equal seriousness, knowing without a doubt he would never lose this little wager. "But what if you're wrong?"

He watched as her eyes became thoughtful, pondering his words.

"Then I will leave Fairy Tail."

A flash of golden light startled Lahar, and he tensed awaiting an attack.

There, standing next to the arguing pair was a tall man in a pristine black suit, red tie, and sunglasses. His hair was a bright orange and was pointed in places that made it look like he had animal-like ears…

The man ignored his presence completely, moving to grasp the small blonde's shoulders and giving her a slight shake. Lahar was about to question his sudden appearance and ask that he removed his hands from his traveling companion, he may not like the woman but he was still a gentlemen and women were not to be manhandled like this, but the man spoke first rather urgently.

"You cannot be serious!" He growled.

Lucy sighed, taking a step back and smiling at him. "I'm completely serious, Loke. I'm confident that I will be right, so there is nothing to worry about."

"You can't know for sure! I know how much Fairy Tail means to you. What if you're wrong? You know you can't go back on your word. What if you really had to leave?" Loke asked, finally acknowledging the ex-knight's presence with a heated glare.

"At least I'd have tried. I want people to see us for who we are, Loke." She smiled sadly at the both of them, before turning to what Lahar was now realizing was one of her Spirit's questioningly. "How are you here on your own like this, anyway? We haven't renewed our contract yet."

The Spirit smiled brightly, looking proud. "My case is a little different, Princess. I've promised to be by your side and protect you for life, remember? Nothing short of death would separate this love."

Lahar was rather confused at this point. Where they together? It would be rather strange for a Celestial mage to have a romantic relationship with someone who was bound to serve them.

Lucy lightly smacked his arm. "Quit being a pervy lion!"

Loke raised his hands in surrender with an unapologetic grin that turned into a frown when her face fell.

"Do you know… are they mad at me?" She asked quietly.

He concluded that they were in fact not a couple, but now he was confused as to who would be angry at her and why. Something niggled in the back of his mind, but he brushed it off to continue listening to their conversation. It seemed as the both of them had forgotten he was still standing there next to them.

Loke's face softened and he gathered Lucy into a tight hug.

"Of course not, Princess. They are all aware of what happened and are patiently waiting for you to call them to renew their contracts. Even if you had done something terrible, we all love you so much we would still stand by your side. None of us has ever had such a wonderful master, and we would never let you go so easily." He stepped back and chuckled. "There is one Spirit that you should call as soon as possible, however. In a warm Jacuzzi. With rose petals. And candles. And maybe a wetsuit."

Lucy shuddered, but Lahar suddenly realized what they were discussing. She had warned him that her contracts would be broken upon her arrest.

Lucy looked at her Spirit with a watery smile, and he couldn't help but feel a little guilty.

"I will summon you all as soon as I get settled back home. Please tell the others how much I love them and appreciate them for understanding."

Loke bowed and kissed her hand. "Of course, Princess." And he disappeared back to his own realm.

Lucy turned back to him, eyes still watery yet determined. "So, that is the deal. If you truly become a Fairy in the next year you are stuck here, you will stay a Fairy. And if you don't, I will leave the guild."

She stuck her hand out. "Deal?"

Hey eyed her warily for a moment, before grasping her smaller hand in his and shaking it. "Deal."

They both nodded to themselves and returned to their seats, settling into silence for the remainder of the journey home.

Completely unaware of the small bluenette relaying their conversation to the even smaller old man a few compartments over.