"A heart that always understands gets tired sometimes too."

The toothbrush scraped absentmindedly against my teeth as I mulled over the contents of the day. Only twenty-four hours had passed since the last time I saw her, but already, Ultear looked so much worse for wear. Her frame had begun to collapse in on itself, shrinking and shriveling as it became something otherwise unfamiliar to me. She insisted, of course, that she was fine, that everything was fine; that Meredy and I had nothing to worry about. Meredy unwilling accepted the lie as I pumped myself full of half-truths. You'll be fine; it's not like you needed her before to survive. You'll be okay. You'll be alright. She'll slip out of this world that has caused her so much pain and finally be at peace. But I could not escape the reality that faced me.

Ultear was dying.

Naturally, she'd already accepted her fate, and with a great sense of fulfillment about her, she went about her remaining time on earth. In truth, she almost seemed relieved that it would be finished soon, thankful that she had given her life for such a noble purpose.

I was not so willing to accept the truth. My time was spent divided between the national library and Ultear's room, occasionally visiting the palace to meet with a skilled healer or historian or wizened old mage or politician. Someone. Anyone. Anything.

But there were no answers, and the pocketful of 'I'm sorry's and 'good luck's I'd been traded in exchange for my—for Ultear's—precious time did little to sooth the crack that was suddenly appearing in my heart.

Ultear was dying.

I focused, pulled back to the present by pain or by some sort of pressure to go on. My reflection stared back at me with a tired—no, exhausted—countenance. I had enough baggage packed underneath my eyes for a journey all the way to Magnolia and back again. It wasn't the dark circles that haunted me, though; it was the redness that plagued them. I'd been crying. If the tear tracks and red veins weren't evidence enough, then certainly the salty tang now tainting my minty toothpaste gave it away.

I spat into the sink, rinsing my mouth and splashing my face with cool water.

There was a sudden knock at the door, and I sighed as I lifted my weary voice, "Come in."

The door handle turned ninety degrees and the lock slid open with a click. A familiar figure pushed the entrance open a crack, leaning in with a stocky shoulder and proud frame. Laxus watched me with fatigued eyes, his expression close with an exhaustion similar to my own. He was probably even more worn out than I was.

"You can come in all the way, you know," I offered. "I don't bite."

What would have normally been a coy, teasing statement had little effect. I didn't smile, and the words elicited no amusement from Laxus either. He simply pushed into the bathroom, dog tired and defeated. My gaze raked over him, observing faintly bloodied hands and filthy, dirt caked skin. He sank down onto the side of the raised bathtub behind me, and I frowned, something inside of me aching a little. He remained there for what must have been a minute, deep in thought, and I watched him all the while. It was unlike Laxus to say nothing—usually he came to me hankering for a fight or at least some titillating banter. Never camaraderie. Never companionship.

My body moved before my mind did. Reaching under the sink, I grabbed a cloth and, in a swift, mechanical motion, splashed it under the stream of water spilling from the faucet. I moved to him, dabbing the rag against his dust-covered forehead before I registered what I was doing.

"…Alexandria?" His voice was slow, confused, suspicious. I didn't have enough gas left in me to argue with him. And judging from his appearance, I figured he didn't either.

"What?" I asked, perhaps a little sharper than I should have. My arm hung, suspended by his face like a drop of water on a spider's web, and I debated with myself whether or not to pull the towel away. "I've been taking care of people a lot the past couple days," I said, a picture of Ultear floating to mind. "You looked like you needed taking care of too."

Laxus did not respond, not at first, because he likely knew it was true and he would never admit as much. Since the disappearance of the dragons and everyone's return, my guildmate had been assisting in Crocus' reconstruction, using his lightning magic to animate several different forms of machinery and knit together any crucial power lacrima throughout the city, though that was the easiest part of his work. Mostly, he worked with non-mages and soldiers as they cleared rubble with brute force alone.

I didn't want to admit it, but he was very good at taking care of others. Not so much, though, when it came to taking care of himself.

"We found another one, today," he finally said, his voice hollow. I knew what he meant without asking him to clarify, and I turned my back to him to wet the cloth once again with warm water.

"Who was it?" I asked in a small voice and wrung the towel in the water, working out some of the dirt and grime that had already built up on it from his face. Again, Laxus paused, and I went back to his side, this time sitting beside him and taking his hands in my own.

I began to wipe some of the blood and grime from the torn flesh of his fingers. He shouldn't have pushed himself so hard. They were clearing rubble; it wasn't urgent work. Anyone left alive had already been found and salvaged. But he must have found something reassuring in it, either way. Perhaps it was the sense of closure.

"A little girl," he said, finally, and I could tell from his tone that it had affected him greatly.

I placed my palm tentatively against his shoulder then closed my hand around it, testing. He did not flinch away from me, and so I gave him a little squeeze, the gesture meant to be reassuring. This time, I felt him jump a little, but I left the offending hand where it was and watched him.

We remained like this, sitting like emotionally constipated ducks on the edge of the tub. I wanted to push him for information, but I had neither the will, nor the drive to fight with him afterward in the argument that would undoubtedly ensue. Instead, I changed the subject.

"They're, uh," I coughed, clearing my throat, "putting on a big banquet tomorrow." The words were no more question than they were statement of the facts. I opened my mouth to continue, but before I could proceed to put a foot in it, Laxus opened his.

"I'm not going."

His tone was so final it sounded almost as if he had rehearsed it. For all I knew he had. Perhaps, he'd been preparing himself to face Makarov's wrath when his grandson announced he would not be attending a gala being held in their honor, to celebrate their achievements in front of all of their colleagues. Perhaps he'd been waiting for his friends to pester him about it. Perhaps he'd been expecting me to bring it up.

"What?" I blurted, "Why not?"

"Wait, you're going?" He asked, eyebrows lifting but only slightly so. "That's surprising. I didn't really picture you to be the dancing type."

"I'm full of surprises," I said. "Anyway, Meredy wants to go, and I want to introduce her to everyone here. I may not enjoy myself that much, but it'll still be sort of fun." Besides, I thought, it beats killing myself trying to find a cure for Ultear that fails to exist.

"Since when did you think of something like that as fun?" Laxus retorted. "I thought you hated other people and the government. Besides, we both know the King's just putting it on as a media stunt. Make the people and the press happy after everything we went through."

I rose from his side and folded my arms. "There's no reason to be such an awful stick in the mud, Laxus. For all we know he could be doing this out of the goodness of his heart."

"I'm right and you know it," He said, scoffing. "And I'm not about to go rub elbows with a bunch of rich bureaucrats. They might want to congratulate us now, but I know how they work."

"Ever the people's champion, aren't you, Laxus?" I sneered. "Stay here in protest, then. I, for one, will be enjoying my night."

He scowled. "Enjoy it then. See if I care."

For some reason the way he said those words rubbed me the wrong way, and I glowered at him.

"Fuck off, Laxus," I snapped, and he stared at me in surprise.

"What's your problem?"

"What's my problem?! You're the one who's acting like an arrogant prick."

"The only one who's being arrogant is you," he blurted. "Besides, should you really be going to this ball in the first place? You aren't exactly known for your diplomatic grace."

I stiffened. "Excuse me?"

He folded his arms. "Don't think I didn't read about the exploits of your guild," he deadpanned. "The Minstrel Crisis? Everything that happened with the Midians? Yeah, we were the ones who had to go clean up after that—or at least, Gramps did, and he'd always make me go along with him."

Now I stared at him, my jaw agape and my cheeks burning. How could he possibly know I was involved? We'd worked so hard to cover our tracks, and Ultear had been the one who took care of Minstrel's government, not me.

My mouth opened to say something foul, to really put that idiot in his place, but I shut it on second thought. Was Laxus' stupidity really worth ruining my relationship with him? Okay, yet it probably was. Stupid question. Still, I wouldn't let him get the better of me tonight. So, I swallowed, tightened my fists, and glared at him.

"Forget I ever mentioned anything about it."

I flung the washrag at him with as much strength as I could muster, hearing a slick, satisfying slap in my wake, and stormed out of the bathroom, entering the small and—thank the gods—vacant room Fairy Tail Team B still shared with each other. Shoving my feet into a pair of boots, I exited the apartment, making sure to slam the door behind me. Ignoring the fact that I was still in my pajamas, I made my way down the stairs and into the lobby below, steam billowing behind me as I went.

What was his problem? I tried to be nice to him, tried to offer an olive branch so we could at least be friends. But every time I did he threw it right back in my face. One minute it seemed like he cared about me so much, then the next he was treating me like I meant nothing to him. It didn't make any sense.

I gritted my teeth. Why did he have to be so confusing? Were we friends? Were we something more? We had hugged each other, what, four times? Not that I was counting, or anything… But rivals didn't embrace, did they? Would friends hold each other like that?

"Alexandria?"

I looked up, the voice tearing me from my thoughts. Laxus stood several feet away from me, arms folded and eyes watching. My lips turned down in a frown.

"What the hell do you want?"

"Look, I didn't mean to be such an asshole to you—"

"Go away, Blondie."

"Alexandria."

"Leave me alone."

"I'm sorry," He breathed—looking sad, looking defeated—but I turned my back on him. Something inside of me felt empty, felt broken.

I could tell he wanted to follow me; I could taste his angst in the air. But he stayed put, and I weaved my way through the lobby and out into the busy streets of Crocus, clothed in my pajamas and looking a little worse for wear than usual.

"I'm thinking a pale pink—"

"No, gold.

"How about a forest green?"

"No, no. Green is too much, forest or otherwise. Something light would look far more elegant. White or blush would suit her better. Maybe a princess pink?"

I laughed at my friends. "Do I really look like the princess type?"

"When we get done with you, you will."

I turned to the seamstress with a smile. "No pink for me, please." Evergreen stuck her lower lip out in a pout and I chuckled again. "Can I at least have some say in this?"

Levy grinned, "I, for one, think you'd look stunning in a gold dress."

"Gold?"

Cana scoffed from my side. "Jewel tones people. Jewel tones. I mean just look at Xandria, it's pretty obvious to me that something bold would do best."

"This is a ball, Cana, not a bar," Evergreen retorted. "We're trying to look sophisticated, not tacky." The alcoholic beside me stiffened but chose to hold her tongue, and I released a sigh of relief.

It truly was a beautiful castle. On behalf of the King (or, more likely, on behalf of Princess Hisui), all mages had been invited to the palace to be fitted and dressed by a royal seamstress. The women of Fairy Tail had jumped at the chance to play dress up. I had jumped at the chance to be clothed in a gown free of charge.

So Evergreen, Levy, and Cana had dragged me to the home of the King when our time finally came, and we received our attire for the next day. Or, at least, they received their attire. Between their bickering, I hadn't been able to try on much yet. Luckily, the seamstress came to my rescue.

"Let's get you dressed, dear," she said, smiling at me with a face finely lined like a carefully embroidered fabric. She ushered me behind a set of screens which hid little more than a mirror and a raised platform on which to stand. I tilted my head as I watched the servant, who took a series of quick measurements of my hips, waist, and bust before she bustled away.

I moved to the mirror while I waited for her return, lifting a hand to meet that of my reflection—palm to palm.

The seamstress reappeared, a pile of white garments in her hands. She placed several in my hands, and I frowned at her.

I lifted one particularly flouncy stretch of fabric, examining a wide lace frill on what looked to be a pant leg or sleeve. I glanced at my companion and motioned to what I held in my hand. "What exactly are these supposed to be?"

"Those are your drawers, dear," she stated, as if it were obvious.

"Drawers? Why do I need drawers if I'm wearing a dress?"

She sighed slightly, an almost exasperated laugh. "They go underneath, dear."

"I've got underwear on," I blurted. "Is that not enough?"

She chuckled. "You won't be needing a pair of panties or a brassiere for these dresses. I've given you all the undergarments you'll need. Now, change into these and call for me when you're finished. And don't worry; I'll help you lace everything up."

With that she was gone, and I was left with a bad taste in my mouth (who said panties?) and a handful of clothing I had no idea what to do with.

I stripped and tried to figure out what went on first. I pulled on the drawers she'd provided me with, sticking my feet through the two lace-rimmed leg holes and marveling once I had them on. They were ridiculous, but there was a nice breeze.

The most logical thing would have been to put on a bra next, but I was only able to find a corset. I flinched and picked the garment up. Reinforced stitching with a whalebone frame. I could hear my lungs crying as I looked at it.

I wrapped it round me and the seamstress returned, helping lace me into it and then adding the remaining layers to my costume. Atop the corset and drawers went an underskirt, then a crinoline (which was just a fancy word for a cage I had to wear around my body to keep the actual skirt up). A petticoat followed, which, again, was a lofty term for yet another layer of skirt.

By the time the seamstress finished I was ready to fall over, and I hadn't even put on a dress yet.

I spoke between breaths, "I don't… think… I can do this."

"But, dear, you haven't even tried on a dress yet. At least let me—"

I shook my head. "No, I definitely can't do this. I appreciate everything the King has offered us, but I'm not wearing this," I motioned to my body. "It's ridiculous, and I can't breathe. Thank you, but I'm leaving."

A fog of anticipation hung over the streets of Crocus, and I could practically taste the tension as I wound my way down the streets. The entire city waited with fated, bated breath for the arrival of a dance that was sure to be the talk of the town for weeks and weeks to come.

The day was upon us, and everyone was in motion for the night that was to come. I spent my morning at Ultear's bedside, her condition progressively worsening and my worry growing stronger and stronger still. Eventually, she managed to shoo me and Meredy out, encouraging us to "have a good time tonight" and not to worry about her. I didn't make any promises.

My hand in her own, Meredy guided me through cobblestoned streets and crowds humming with excitement. We'd already visited two spas, a bathhouse, and a salon, and my skinned glowed—hairless, lotioned, and cold. Little more than an hour remained before we had to arrive at the castle, and neither Meredy nor I had found a dress yet. To say we were cutting it close would've been a gross understatement.

"Come on, Lex!"

I laughed and gave her palm a squeeze. The mood of the city was beginning to affect me, and I could feel my spirits lifting with every step I took. The humid night air danced around us and sweetened the world like wine, nursing early revelers and loosening the restraint of everyone on the streets. Even Meredy seemed more buoyant than usual, beaming at passersby and bouncing with every turn she took.

Finally, we arrived at a suitable shop—the second one so far. I squinted at the windows and took in an elegant lace wedding dress and a swooping yellow gown. Perfect.

The store was quiet, a testament to the fact that Meredy and I really were lunatics for shopping so late. As soon as we entered a clerk bustled over to us, her eyes taking in our painted faces and elaborate hair and knowing immediately what we were here for.

We were ushered back with a sort of unspoken urgency, and I could tell that the women who worked here meant business. Over our heads hung the silent promise that they would find us dresses and get us to the ball before our time was up. I felt like Cinderella.

I was first brought a red ball gown, complete with intricate golden embroidery and a full skirt. I took one look at the dress and knew I would never wear it. Too fluffy.

"Would you rather browse our selection and see if you find something you like there?" The attendant asked me. I nodded, and took a turn about the shop.

Many of the dresses presented were large and fit for royalty, much like the dresses the royal seamstress had presented me and my fellow mages with. I skipped over these, looking for something less silly. After examining several garments, my eyes fell upon a stunning blue gown that clothed a mannequin. I knew I shouldn't have, but still I asked for it.

"Could I try that one on?"

"Of course."

The clerk disrobed the model and brought it to me, and I pulled it onto my body, inhaling audibly when I saw how it looked. It was a flimsy garment, not like the sturdy dresses I'd put on before. This one, instead, was made of a fine satiny silk that clung to my body and spilled over my figure like water. I marveled at the color, a dark, midnight blue that shimmered and gleamed in the light and contrasted well against my skin. The neckline hung low, clinging to my arms and leaving both the tops of my breasts and my shoulders exposed to the world.

The dress came with a pair of matching opera gloves, which I slipped over my fingers and up my arms with something akin to awe.

I walked out, and Meredy squealed when she saw me.

"That's it! That's the one!"

I grinned. "I think so too."

She gave a quick nod, already clothed in her white gown of choice, and we both went to pay, choosing to carry our former clothes in plastic bags instead of vice versa. We were already pushing our chances at arriving to the ball on time.

The clerk rang my dress up first, "That'll be one hundred thousand jewel, Miss."

I almost choked when she said the price. "What?"

"One hundred thousand jewel."

I swallowed. That was a lot of money. My account was running dry enough after paying my mortgage and staying in Crocus for three months, but I supposed I could pay for—

"I'll take care it," Meredy said, and I blanched.

"What? No, Meredy, I can pay for my own—"

She rolled her eyes. "I tried telling you earlier but you wouldn't listen to me. Ultear wanted to buy the dresses for us."

"She what?" I blurted, and Meredy nodded.

"She said it was to make up for seven years of birthday presents. Lex, she wants us to have a good time and stop worrying about her."

I sighed and shook my head. "Fine, if that's what she wanted, then so be it."

"Glad you agree."

Meredy paid the attendant and we both walked out of the store, which I noticed for the first time, was named Fairy Godmother's.

A/N: And so the ball is upon us! So excited for this next chapter (Laxus+Alexandria+Dancing+Angst+Feelings?) and what I've got planned for it, though it might take me longer than usual to write (read: two, maybe three weeks) since I've got a lot coming up. Thank you all so much for your sweet reviews last chapter! Totally made my week! Hope you all enjoy this one and, as always, drop a review if you enjoyed it or have some constructive criticism! Love you all, and happy early Valentine's!