She gazed upon the cradle that stood across from her in the room. It once held something so precious to her, in fact it had been the most precious thing she had ever owned. Now it was gone and this empty cradle was the only thing she had left of it.

"Levy?" She heard the gentle voice of her husband say as he entered the room. He looked just as broken as his wife. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." She ran her fingers over the mantle of the crib. "Can you believe that this is the only thing that survived the fire? Everything else was in ashes except this."

"It is surprising." He said. "Levy I've been talking with your brother and he thinks that we should get rid of it."

"Out of the question!" She cried.

"That's what I told him. I swear it's like he wants us to act like our daughter never lived and died here."

"My baby is not dead."

"Levy please, not this again."

"I know she's not dead! They didn't find a body Gajeel!"

"It burned up in the fire."

"There would have been some remains. It couldn't have all be completely destroyed! She's still out there!"

"Levy don't torture yourself like this! Please! Our daughter is dead! She's never coming back!"

"I refuse to believe that!"

"It's the truth!"

"It is not!"

"In my heart I know my baby is still alive and I can't find her then she'll find me!"

Gajeel hated it when his wife talked like that. When they first lost their child, she spent day and night looking everywhere for her. She was convinced that their precious daughter had not died in that fire but someone had taken her. It had taken both him and Makarov years to convince her to stop searching but nothing would convince her that their child was dead. Gajeel hated this belief because he thought she was just torturing herself with false hope.

"I don't know what else to do Makarov." He said to his grandfather in law, later that evening.

"No mother wants to accept that she's lost her child." The old man said.

"And you think I wanted to accept it?!"

"No. I know that you loved that baby just as much as my granddaughter did. And I also know that you're hurting just as much as she is."

"I just can't stand to see Levy like this. Clinging to the hope of something that will never happen."

"We've tried everything we could but you can't break a person's belief. In time she'll eventually accept it."

"How long? It's been years. So many years. I...I just don't want my wife to suffer anymore."

"I know." Makarov said with understanding compassion. "I can't bear to see her like this either."

...

"Where did your powers come from?" Lucy had asked Juvia.

"I honestly don't know. I was born with them but that's all I know." She answered.

"Oh...Then you couldn't possibly know where mine came from. At least I think they're mine."

"What can you do with them?"

"So far all I can do is just make light appear. Light that's kind of like sunlight. I mean it's bright and hot like it."

"You both have powers?" Natsu said.

"It looks that way." Lucy said. "Though I don't really know what they're for. I'm hoping that my parents can provide some answers for me...If I can find them."

"What do you mean if you can find them?" Juvia asked.

"I don't really know who my parents are. My biological parents that is. So I guess you could say I'm a journey to find out who they are."

"Excuse us for a moment ladies." Natsu said pulling Gray aside. "Alright there's two of them, should we be scared?"

"Maybe."

"You think that we could use both of them?"

"Smart thinking. But how are we going to get the other one to come with us?"

"Leave that to me." Natsu said straightening his hair and walking to approach Lucy. "I have a way with the ladies."

"Yeah a way of scaring them off." Gray mumbled.

"Listen Luce, may I call you Luce?" Natsu said.

"No." The blonde said.

"Okay you want to find your parents?"

"Yes well you're in luck we happen to be visiting the great wizard Makarov."

"The who?"

"Makarov. A wizard who knows pretty much everything about everybody. I'm sure he can help you figure out where your parents are."

"And you actually know this guy?" Lucy asked suspiciously.

"Of course I do. We're like this." He said holding up crossed fingers.

"You don't look like the type of person who would know an all powerful wizard."

"Well I- hey what's that supposed to mean?"

"No offense but you kind of look like a bum."

"That's not a very nice thing to say." Juvia said.

"But it's true isn't it? I mean look at him."

Juvia took in Natsu's appearance.

"I suppose if he dressed better he wouldn't look so unkept." Juvia said.

"And look at his hair. Has it ever once been combed?" Lucy said.

"I think he bathes. He doesn't stink."

"Maybe you're just not standing close enough."

As they spoke Gray fought the urge to burst out laughing.

"Alright that's enough!" Natsu said. "I am not a bum! And we do know Makarov."

"And you would just be willing to help me find him free of charge?" Lucy asked. "I don't buy it. What's the catch?"

"No catch. Really. We may not look it but we're actually good samaritans who like to help people."

Lucy still didn't look convinced.

"Think of it like this what other options do you have?" Natsu asked.

Lucy thought for a moment. On one hand he and his partner didn't seem too trustworthy but on the other hand he did have a point. She didn't really have any other options that would definitely lead her to her goal.

"Okay I guess I'll go with you. But I don't trust you. You or the other guy."

"Fair enough." Natsu said. "Now then shall we be going?"

"Sure."