Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail.

Chapter 5

"Hey Blondie, come sit with us. I have a couple questions for you." Laxus said, and she followed them to the table.

"Okay, what questions do you have?"

"Should one of us act as an escort for you, or all just body guards? Also do we have to wear a tuxedo?"

"No, you guys won't act like body guards to me, but body guards towards Alastair and his house. Yes, you will have to wear a tuxedo. I also will not have an escort. Oh, and do not eat or drink anything offered to you, if this is a trap just to get me, there is a chance something will be put in the food and drink to knock us out. We will go out to eat before the ball. Then just keep a flask on you with something to drink." Lucy said.

They nodded their heads in agreement. They all sat around and talked about training and joking around with each other. Lucy looked out the window and noticed that it was getting dark outside.

"Hey guys, I'm going to head home. I'll see you all tomorrow for training." She said as she waved to them. They all told her to have a good evening and they would see her tomorrow.

When Lucy got home, she took a bath, and worked on her novel some. She also wrote a note to her mom, telling her how her day went. She laid down to get some sleep.

-Time skip, two weeks-

Lucy was going through her apartment to make sure she had everything packed and ready for tomorrow. Virgo has my dress for the ball stored in the spirit world already. I have the shoes and jewelry to wear with it. I'm glad we don't have to stay in his house, that would have been torture. Once Lucy was sure she had everything ready, she called Virgo to hold her bags in the spirit world. Her lacrima started to pulse on her desk, she went and picked it up.

"Hey Lulu! Are you all ready for tomorrow? Do you think your spirit Virgo could hold my dress and bags in the spirit world? I hate to ask, but this is just too much for me to try and carry."

Lucy giggled, "Of course I will send her right now to pick them up, if that is okay."

"Of course it is! I have everything ready and by my door." Lucy nodded and called Virgo to ask if she could go to Ever's and hold her bags as well.

"Of course Princess. Should I also get the bags from the others?"

"Let me call them and ask. While I do that can you go get Ever's and then come back here and I will let you know about the other bags." Virgo bowed as she left. Lucy called Laxus first to ask him, and he agreed to let Virgo get his bags. Next she called Freed, he was surprised and humbled by her asking. She said Virgo would be there shortly to collect his bags. She called Bix last, and he said that would be awesome if she could hold his bags.

"Princess, do I need to collect the gentlemen's bags as well?"

"Yes please Virgo, if you don't mind." Lucy said with a smile.

"Of course not, I will collect the bags and then just call me when you need them." Virgo said and then disappeared. Lucy was nervous and excited about the mission. Maybe if this mission goes well, I can ask them to go on another with me before deciding if I want to join their team. Lucy decided that she would go to the guild and get something for dinner. Lucy waved and smiled to everyone as she walked to the bar to order something to eat.

Out of the corner of her eye she seen someone come sit next to her, she didn't need to look to see that it was Natsu. She kept looking forward to see if he was going to say anything.

"Luce, please don't leave the team. It was wrong of me to not tell you that I found my mate. I should have also told you a while ago that you are only kin to me. I never meant to hurt you."

"Natsu, you are still my best friend, but I can't be on the team. I need time, please allow me the time I need."

"Hey Mira, can you put my food in a box to go please?" Mira nodded, and smiled sadly at Lucy. Once she got her food, she got up to go.

"Just give me time, Natsu. I will see you in a couple weeks. I'm going on a mission tomorrow." Natsu could only nod and look down at the bar.

Lucy made it half way home before the tears started to fall, quickly trying to wipe them away.

"Oi, Blondie are you okay?" Lucy looks up to find the Thunder Legion standing outside her apartment. She smiles at them, but it definitely doesn't reach her eyes.

"I'm okay. Would you guys like to come in?" They nodded and followed her into her apartment. She put her food in the fridge. "Would you guys like anything to drink?"

"Lucy-sama, we actually came to see if you would like to join us for dinner." Freed said.

"Where you guys going to eat? I just got back from the guild with some food, and I don't want to go back there." Lucy said as she looked down.

"We were going to go to a little café down the street. But we understand if you don't want to come Blondie."

"I would like to come, I can save my food and eat it for breakfast. Just let me use the restroom quick."

"What do you think happened to make Cosplayer upset?" Bix asked.

"Not sure, we will ask her about it during dinner, but won't push her to tell us." Laxus said. They all nodded in agreement. They have all grown close to Lucy over the last few weeks of helping her train. They were excited about going on the mission with her. Lucy came out of her bathroom, looking a little better. They all followed her out of her apartment so she could lock it up. They walked in comfortable silence until they reached the café.

"Have you ever eaten here Lulu?" Ever asked. Lucy shook her head no. She told them how she doesn't get to eat out much due to usually not having the money to enjoy it. She explained how destructive team Natsu was and they usually lost most or all of the reward. They were shocked to hear about her struggling with money, and wished they had known sooner.

"Well Lucy will you allow me to pay for you? It would be an honor as a friend." Freed said. Lucy smiled and shook her head.

"You don't have to do that Freed, I have some money on me."

"I don't mind at all." Freed smiled.

"Okay, then you guys will have to let me take you out to dinner after the mission, and it will be my treat. It would only be fair." They said they would agree to that. They were shown to a table and given menus.

"Blondie, what had you upset earlier?"

Lucy looked down for a second trying to decide if she should tell them. She looked up and decided to tell them.

"After I had everything packed, and asked you guys if you wanted your bags stored in the spirit world, I decided to go get some dinner. I was sitting at the bar waiting on my food, and Natsu came and sat by me. He asked me again not to leave the team, and that he was sorry. That he never meant to hurt me. I asked Mira to put my food in a box to go, I couldn't stay there. I'm happy Natsu found his mate, and yes that hurts, but what hurt more was him not telling me he only thought of me as kin and kept leading me along."

"I knew flame brain was dense, but I never thought he would do something like that." Laxus grunted.

"Lulu I'm sorry you had to go through that, I am here if you ever need someone to talk to. We are all here for you. You are the first to truly forgive us for what we did." Ever smiled, and the guys nodded in agreement. They all continued to talk and laugh while eating. They decided to meet at the train station at eight in the morning.

As Lucy walked home, she thought about how nice it was to hang out with them, and how happy she was. She was happy with team Natsu but it seemed that they had been slowly drifting. Gray was starting to take missions with Juvia, getting to know her better. Erza did her solo S-class missions to meet up with Jellal. Now Natsu had his mate Lisanna. She knew they would all still be friends and nakama. Once home she changed into pajamas and laid down. Her last thought before falling asleep was; I think I maybe ready to join the Thunder Legion. But I will wait to see how this mission goes.