19| HEARTSTRINGS

The morning had passed by in a quick blur that Lucy didn't remember happening before the guild's disbandment, but nothing less it happened and there's not much she could do about that. Still, Lucy could be honest to say she was surprised that Natsu still dared to break into her new home with Shuu and Yuma and try to act like nothing had changed. She didn't think he would do that, but he had.

Yet she knew that the person to struggle the most with change would always be Natsu. He wasn't a fan if something or someone changed, and Lucy believed it was because Natsu was scared of being left behind again. Even if Igneel hadn't really abandoned him, the nights of believing he had scarred Natsu somehow subconsciously. Shuu and Yuma on the other hand hadn't been too understanding.

Warmth was the one thing she felt over everything else. Sure Shuu was warm with his body heat mixing with hers under their covers, but this was just too warm. A warmth she hadn't felt in a while next to her in her bed before yelling and kicking at him. Slowly opening her eyes, Lucy's eyes searched for Shuu's blonde hair or his blue eyes. Only Shuu wasn't in bed with her since the spot he was in when they fell asleep was empty with ruffled sheets.

Sighing softly, Lucy looked over her shoulder where a warm breath on her neck was all the more tangible. Familiar pink hair poking out, the feel of a nose burying itself into the crook of her neck while inhaling her scent, and the protective arm around her waist. Lucy could recall the days she would have loved waking up like this, the times it made her flustered, and how those days seemed so long ago now.

"Natsu." Lucy says softly, nudging his ribs with her elbow trying to rouse the fire dragon slayer.

The opposite affect took place instead with Natsu holding her closer, "Luce."

Yet before Lucy could successfully wake Natsu up to remove him from her bed, the bedroom door opened with a loud bang. Brown eyes meet blue, who looked at Natsu with a scowl. Yuma rose an eyebrow at his cousin, who merely shrugged.

"He used to sneak into my bed before, remember?" Lucy offered, knowing that in a moment Shuu was going to argue with Natsu, so she used all her might to turn around and shove Natsu. A satisfying thunking noise followed suit as Natsu hit the floor.

"Luce?" Natsu called again, groggily.

Lucy leaned over the bed, blankets wrapped around her since she was in Shuu's shirt the was two sizes top big for her. It was nice wearing her boyfriend's shirts to sleep in. Natsu laid on the floor looking up, offering Lucy a grin seeing her face peek over the bed frame. Yet before he could say anything, Natsu felt himself being lifted up by a pissed off looking Shuu.

"Boundaries are a thing you need to learn, ash face." Shuu muttered.

Natsu frowned, "I came to get Lucy for our mission."

"In her bed?" Yuma questioned incredulously. "Where she sleeps with her boyfriend?"

"I thought it was fiancee?" Natsu says, earning an eye roll.

"That doesn't make a damn difference." Shuu growled, tossing him by the door. "My girlfriend or my fiancee means you don't go into our room, in our bed, and wrap yourself around her."

"She's my best friend." Natsu argued, standing up.

Yuma rubbed his temples, "Let me make this clear to you, Dragneel. You can't come into our apartment to after we are asleep or to get in bed with Lucy. How the hell did you even get in here?"

Natsu pointed at the window by jerking his thumb over his shoulder like it was the most obvious thing, "The window."

"The window." Both Yuma and Shuu repeated, looking over to the window the was three stories off the ground floor.

By now Lucy had already gotten dress and grabbed her bag, along with a blue exceed who was asleep on the small couch in her room- which answered Yuma's and Shuu's question on how Natsu gotten up to the third floor.

"I'll talk to him." Lucy tell the two vampires, giving a kiss on Yuma's cheek and a quick kiss to Shuu. "See you when I get back."

"Be safe." Yuma offered, and Shuu merely nodded.

Lucy knew Shuu only was putting on a touch guy act in front of Natsu and chuckled before tugging Natsu's ear. "Come on, let's get to the station before Erza and talk about boundaries again."

She had made sure Natsu understood that he couldn't be sneaking into her room when he knew Yuma and Shuu weren't there. There was no more sneaking into her bed through the windows. That there was no more curling around her and cuddling her in her sleep, because now she had a boyfriend who didn't appreciate other men coming into his bed. The hurt that had been in Natsu's onyx eyes almost had Lucy taking her words back. Almost.

She knew that Shuu didn't like it, and after their talk he deserved her at east making sure Natsu understood he could no longer do that. As a girlfriend, she owed Shuu that much respect. Natsu had only given her a nod of comprehension before dragging her off towards the train station. For a moment, Lucy even wondered if he would listen and came to the conclusion that he probably wouldn't.

It was as if nothing had changed at all with Natsu's head in her lap like old times, her fingers tangled in his pink hair while her eyes looked over out the window as tree passed by in a blur. His motion sickness seemed to be as bad as ever, and a part of it was endearing to Lucy because it meant one thing hadn't changed. Natsu would always Natsu, and she could depend on that constant.

"Lucy." Erza called to the blonde, watching as she leaned against the window and effectively gaining her attention. "Can I ask you something?"

Lucy nodded, "Of course you can Erza."

Erza had been bothered with this situation since Shuu had taken Lucy back to get a blood transfusion. There was never a good time to actually ask about it since Lucy was busy making sure everything was going smoothly and getting settled into their new homes. Erza wanted more than anything to trust Lucy's judgement, but she had to know the whole truth.

"Who attacked you that night?" Erza asked, watching as Lucy's body tensed with her hand stilling in Natsu's pink locks. "No one had answers to why you were bitten, and even now no one brings it up."

Lucy took in a breath, willing her suddenly racing heart to calm down as her nightmares flashed before her eyes. The crazed look of Kino's ruby eyes, the sinister grin, and the binding pain of his fangs digging forcefully into her neck in a way she was sure he would literally tear her throat out.

"Please don't over react, Erza." Lucy softly requests, unaware of Gray and Natsu listening in now while they kept their eyes closed. "That night I was attacked by a brother I never knew about, Kino Sakamaki. Understand that they all don't have the same mother, but their mothers lived as unhappy sister-wives."

"And is Kino apart of this contract?" Erza's worry spiked up, but her underlying anger was what broke through.

"No." Lucy says, looking Erza in the eyes. "Kino is an illegitimate child that Karl Heinz, their father, never claimed nor wanted. I didn't know this at the time, but it was because of that a hate grew inside Kino for his father and brothers. A hate so strong it scared me."

"Lucy." Erza wanted to reach out and grab her hand, but refrained when she saw the far away look in Lucy's brown eyes. A haunted look that she never seen before with Lucy before she snapped out of it as quickly as it came.

"Yui came to the Sakamaki's as a sacrificial bride, something that was called the Adam and Eve project that Karl Heinz started. I learned through Ruki that it was a project in their world to create a new race, where "Eve's" blood would choose an "Adam", who would be able to obtain the power to control the world and their descendants would change the world." Lucy let it spill out, a weight leaving her chest.

"That's what they want then? To destroy the world?" Erza's eyes widen, but Lucy shook her head.

"No, they don't want that. Not anymore." Lucy's hand began to move through Natsu's hair gently again. "Like I said, they've changed since I first met them. They are trying to be better people, so don't you think they should be given that benefit of the doubt? They are not their father, just like I'm not like mine nor is Laxus like his."

"Why you Lucy?" Erza asks, knowing Lucy was chosen for a reason. She was always the unlucky one.

"Kino wants to destroy the vampire race, and so I found out about Project Zodiac. A project where I'm the Eve," Lucy admits, yet she didn't let her emotions take over. This was something she'd have to deal with eventually. "Though Kino had other plans in mind."

"Other plans? Like what Lucy?" Erza's voice held her tension, the thick worry that washed over her. Yet Lucy other sent her a reassuring smile, like everything was going to be okay.

"What happened that day was completely suppressed by my subconscious, which is why nothing was told- because nothing could be told. I couldn't remember at first, but everything has been coming back through the nightmares."

"You've been having nightmares again?" Erza frowned.

"Yeah but that's not the point. The point is I can remember, more than before." Lucy corrected, glancing down at Natsu who she had no doubt was listening along with Gray. "The Zodiac Project was a plan to create a new race."

"A new race? That's not possible." Erza frown only deepened and Lucy was sure she'd get wrinkles.

"Karl Heinz knew of this world's magic, and how the purest form of light and good was magic from the stars, my magic. He wanted obtain the power of this world, create a victorious species that balanced light and dark. To create a race of a child of the stars and a child of the night." Lucy recited Kino's words exactly how they echoed in her head. "A child of a celestial mage and a vampire."

"You can't go through with the contract Lucy, that's giving him exactly what he wants." Erza hissed at the blonde.

Lucy tilted her head slightly, twirling a piece of Natsu's hair in her fingers, "He doesn't know we know. I'll let you know that the one thing the Sakamaki's hate more than rules is their father, and giving him what he wants is the last thing they'd do. For now we have that advantage."

"That doesn't explain Kino." Gray's voice joined the conversation, not being able to just listen anymore.

"Kino attacked me because I refused to help him and his offer," Lucy's face scrunched in disgust thinking about him asking her to join him. "He wants to end the vampire race, like I said before, but he thinks I can help. He wanted me to join him, basically be by his side to overthrow his father and brothers."

"You're not the Eve to the Adam and Eve project, but the Zodiac Project."

Lucy could recall that forceful kiss that tasted like blood of those woman he harmed, who he killed. She wanted to gag at the memory but refrained from it seeing how the tension in their train car was more than serious now. She didn't want them to know, but as her friends and family they deserved to know. They were her team, they should know.

"Shit Lucy, why is it you who always get the short end of the stick? You've been keeping this from us the whole time, well since you could remember." Gray muttered, leaning back in his seat. "What the hell are we going to do about this Kino bastard."

"We are going to do nothing, well more than you won't." Lucy's tone was firm, stern. "This isn't a guild matter Gray. It's a family matter."

"Bullshit it isn't Lucy!" Gray snapped, his eyes narrowing on the blonde feeling her pushing them aside again. "We are family, even they are family due to being in the guild. If you're in danger, then we are involved!"

There was no doubt in Lucy's head that Natsu was wake, but it didn't matter now, "They'll kill him."

"What?" Four voices echoed at the same time that belonged to her team.

"What the hell do you mean kill-ugh." Natsu groaned feeling the train hit a bump, taking away his serious tone.

Lucy merely ran her fingers through his hair again, feeling comforted by the action, "If Kino Sakamaki and Karl Heinz become too much of an issue, they will be killed. It's not uncommon in their world, because it's an act of hierarchy."

"That's not normal Lucy." Erza shook her head, not agreeing.

Lucy smiled sadly, "I didn't think you'd like it, but I can't control them. They won't hurt anyone here, but if it comes to it they will kill their father and brother."

"Kill their father? What kind of bastards do that Luce? Monsters do that." Natsu growled, earning a sharp tug of his hair.

"That man is nothing good Natsu." Lucy whispered, recalling the time she met him. "You had a good father, but not everyone gets that loving father figure you had in Igneel. My father was cold, he basically sold me and tried to repent. Laxus's father was manipulative. Their father was cold, calculating. He never has nor will care about his sons."

"I don't like it Luce, they're killers." Natsu muttered, peering up at the blonde.

"Whether or not I was in Fairy Tail, if I'd never have met any of you, I'd still be here in this situation. " Lucy softly says, looking across at Erza and Gray. "You don't have to understand, or agree. I'm just saying, if it came down to it, they would take that route. We may never cross that road."

Yet as Lucy looked out the window, done with the conversation and as Erza shared looked with Gray and Natsu watched- they all knew the truth. That road would have to be crossed inevitably, that route would be taken, it was the only reason Lucy warned them. They would have to make the choice of letting members of Fairy Tail kill the new enemies on the horizon, to stop them or turn a blind eyes and let it happen for the sake of Lucy's safety.

Though that sense of Lucy not being the same came again to all four of them, and they've tried to understand and accept it. To accept her. Erza knew that time could change people, that pain and greif could make or break a person. Yet to see Lucy so reserved in her emotions, to see her not panic at the idea of being a target or to see her have completely faith in people who weren't them made things clear.

Lucy may not be as physically stronger or stronger magic wise, but mentally she was. She'd grown as a person, her mind matured and she saw the world with a new set of eyes that took darker turns. She saw past being optimistic and saw things for what they were, accepting that some things couldn't be changed at all no matter how much she wanted them to be different.

It was the first time they all really felt like maybe they didn't know Lucy at all anymore. The Lucy from before was there at times, but she was different. Her being colder and blunt was new, but she was still their Lucy.

No matter what, they would make sure she was safe and with one shared look of understanding between the three mages, it was clear that they would keep her safe from herself and her ideas.

Shuu would rather be asleep in his bed at home, but somehow Yuma had managed to drag him out of bed again after Lucy left with that idiot pink haired partner of hers. Honestly, Shuu had no fucking clue how the hell it happened, and maybe it started when they really started to live in the apartment but somewhere it happened. That being, dare Shuu say it, a bromance with Yuma and himself.

It was weird as fuck and neither one of them really spoke about it but it was clear to see that they just got along in a weird ass way. The only other person to ever achieve this was when Shuu had been a child, and that was only ever Edgar. Which brought Shuu back to the topic in his head he didn't try to think too much about because Lucy had called Yuma by the name of Edgar the first time her bright eyes landed on him back in the old Heartfilia Estate.

Simply it unnerved him then, and it unnerved him now. Before he had never thought of asking Lucy about it, knowing she knew him here as Edgar but the truth was that Shuu was convinced Yuma was Edgar. Back then, when they first meet Edgar had been his first and only best friend who lived in a small village with his parents, and he was human.

Edgar's parents had been on the poorer side, but they were hard working people. They met on complete accident, since Shuu was merely running in the woods close to that small village to get away from the mansion to escape from the restrictions and pressures his mother had been placing on him just for a little bit. They were fast friends right off the back, with Edgar teaching Shuu how to hunt, raise apples and spend a night without a fire.

Back then Shuu avoided telling Edgar what he really was, because somewhere deep down he enjoyed the normality of having a human friend who wasn't scared of him, wasn't pushing responsibility on him and gave him a sense of freedom as a child. When Reiji had found out, that all ended abruptly.

Shuu still didn't know the exactly justifications of Reiji's reasonings, but he destroyed Edgar's village in a fire because of his temper and whatever set him off. Shuu hadn't been able to really stop Edgar from wanting to save his parents, from stopping him from going back into the fire. Shuu believed he'd died, and now he had a good reason to believe Edgar was Yuma, and the reason he had no memories at first was due to his father.

Yet if Yuma was able to remember Lucy, then Shuu wondered if he remembered him. Though, now that he thought about it, if Lucy were to find out that Reiji had caused Yuma harm what would she do?

His blue eyes widened a bit, because Lucy had said she lost both her cousin and aunt. The possibility of Reiji killing Lucy's aunt was high, and if she found out then would that change her views of Reiji? Would she forgive him? Shuu was giving himself a headache just thinking about this all, which was why he never really tried to think it over. Not much he could do now.

He knew the reasoning for him and Yuma actually getting along for once, minus the lost story between them, was because of Lucy. The blonde mage played a big part of everyone's lives she touched, but between the two of them Lucy was their world. Shuu knew Yuma would kill him if he hurt Lucy, and for once Shuu wouldn't disagree with that reasoning.

After this morning of going to talk to Reiji about Kino, they came to an easy agreement. Simply to kill him, which Laito only giggling to himself. They all hated Kino, but Shuu was sure Yuma was the one who wanted to kill him the most.

"You know how we are engaged?" Lucy asked, sitting at the table with a pencil in hand as she does a crossword puzzle.

"Yeah?" Shuu says, unsure.

"Maybe we should wait?" Lucy says looking up with a calculating look in her eyes. "With Kino and everything, may we should just try dating? We already live together."

Shuu rose an eyebrow, "You don't want to get married yet?"

Lucy sighed softly, "Honestly, it's all going so fast. I'd like to date, call you my boyfriend and you call me your girlfriend. I want to go on dates and you to pick a ring out and propose. Even though I know we are getting married, I just want the experience."

She was being so nonchalant about it that Shuu had to nod his head and think of his words. "You just want the experience?"

"Yeah." Lucy nodded, going back to her crossword, hardly leaving Shuu any room to have a say.

It was like they were married already.

Reiji had agreed though, when Shuu told him this morning Lucy wanted the dating experience and wait on getting married. Simply because that was giving their father what he wanted from them and that with Kino around, it was unsafe. Kino had to be dealt with, then their father. Then everything would fall into place the way it should.

"Let's go to the guild." Laito pipped up, earning an eye roll from Ayato.

"You only want to see your new best friend." Ayato pointed out, looking as bored as ever.

"Yui's working with Mira." Kou added, and that was all it took for Ayato to be out the door.

Shuu only stared up at the ceiling, a bad feeing in his stomach that something would disrupt this sense of peace soon enough.

The mission, as Lucy came to find out as Team Natsu walked towards the client's house, was to be high end security for an upper class social elite event. Which meant they had to blend in with dresses and suits, which would be an issue for Gray not to strip them off and for Natsu not to rip them trying to fight Gray. Lucy was already counting her lucky stars, unsure if they would get the reward in the full entirety.

"Why would a fancy party like this need security with mages?" Gray asked, looking at Erza as she read over the mission flyer again to make sure she didn't miss anything.

"Apparently this has been an annual event at the client's, Ethan Kaine, home. It's a high end party, but it says a few weeks ago he lost his wife in an accident involving a magic wagon collision." Erza rolled the flyer up, "He thinks that maybe bandits might think this time would be a time to strike since the family is emotionally unstable right now. Maybe even target his daughter and try to exploit him."

"Makes sense." Lucy chirped in, holding Happy. "It makes sense to put more security in place of a party, but you don't think someone will try to take your daughter without some sort of reason beforehand."

Gray saw Lucy's point in that logic, but still couldn't wonder why the client couldn't just say that in the mission statement. Lucy was the only one good around kids, so she would probably be on babysitter detail while they keep an eye on the guests.

The Kaine Estate was an impressive size to the group of mages as they walked up the main pathway to the front door, like instructed on the mission flyer. Around them, the gardens were in full bloom with different flower mixes containing Zinnias, Alstroemerias, and Lilies. Thus making this garden a little more unique.

The group of Fairy Tail mages walked in silence for once, and Lucy couldn't help but wonder why Gray and Natsu were so well behaved. She was half expecting some arguing from them, stupid pointless arguing that didn't seem to be brewing. Yet she knew that they probably were still comprehending what she said on the train, because the reality is they deserved to know. Her secrets, the one she shared the both Mukami's and Sakamaki's, would al eventually come to light.

And she was okay with that. Fairy Tail, she knew, whether they liked it or not would stand by her in this time. Fairy Tail was about family, forgiveness and second chances- and the vampires deserved that. They might have a questionable past, but they were doing their best now to try to make up for that. As long as they tried to strive to be better, then that's all anyone could ask for really.

"Welcome to the Estate! Master Kaine is waiting in his study for you all." A small woman wearing a simple maid outfit greeted them at the door, a bright smile plastered on her face.

Erza was the one to lead the way after the maid who walked with a pep in her step. The inside of the home was beautiful, Lucy would admit that. There was a personal touch on the home that added character, that brought out a warmth in the atmosphere that made it seem welcoming. Even the pictures on the wall showed a happy family, and in more than one.

The walk down the long hallway was short as they soon came to a stop in front of a red cherry wood door that was labeled office. The maid knocked on the door with a gentle rapture, but it was loud enough as a voice called for them to come in.

At the desk sat an older man, who was maybe in his late forties or early fifties with dulling red hair and baggy eyes from a lack of sleep. Even as he sat up straight to greet the mages coming into his office, ready to thank them for accepting the request, it was plain as day to see the raging grief in his green eyes.

"Ah, Fairy Tail!" Lucy could detect the false tone in his voice, the mask quickly snapping into place. It made her heart hurt. "Thank you for accepting the job so quickly and on such late notice."

Erza merely smiled at the man, "It's our pleasure Mr. Kaine."

Mr. Kaine chuckled, "No it's mine. How about we get to it? The job is for the night, since tonight they are holding the annual social gathering where different business personal meet and strike ideas."

"You're also concerned with your daughter's safety? Any reasons to have that concern we should know about beforehand?" Gray asks, blunt like always.

A sigh left Mr. Kaine's lips, "Not in particular if that's what you mean. It's more of a caution thing, since people can be unpredictable. My wife recently passed, and maybe someone would look at that as a chance to try something. My daughter's safety is my first priority."

Lucy respected this man, and maybe that was because deep now she was biased based on her own experience of losing her mother and not having her father care like this. Seeing that the little girl in question was truly loved let Lucy know they would be okay.

"Then she'll be our first priority as well, Mr. Kaine." Lucy promised, smiling at the older man.

Mr. Kaine could only smile at that statement, "Then will you be the one to watch over her tonight? I can send you her way and fill in the rest of your team on the security part."

Lucy could see Erza gearing up to object, getting ready to say that they were a team and should all know the plan, and Lucy would normally agree. Yet there was a part of her that saw the worry in Mr. Kaine's eyes deflate just a little that she couldn't help but smile and nod.

"I'd like to get to meet her before hand. I'm sure my team can fill me in later before the event." Lucy says, looking back at Erza who gave her that stern stare that would normally send shivers down her spine. Today she didn't flinch, only feeling a small victory when Erza nodded.

"I'll call for a maid to come and get you to lead you to her room." Mr. Kaine says, and Lucy only smiled at her team as she exits the office.

Waiting in the hallway, Lucy only looked over the photo frames on her wall as she waited. She didn't notice the ones hanging when she came in, at least not the smaller one's that were further down the hall than they went. Even through the photos Lucy could feel the love from both of the parent's to the cute little girl that was smiling widely at the camera without a care in the world.

"Your not my mommy."

The little voice startled Lucy, causing her eyes to snap away from family photos on the wall. Her brown eyes glanced down at the little strawberry blonde girl who wore a dirty pair of pants and an equally dirty shirt with muddy footprints tracking behind her. Lucy couldn't help but smile and kneel down to her hight.

At first Lucy could only wonder why the girl would think that she was her mother, but it made sense when realization settled in. Mr. Kaine is a red haired man, and Mrs. Kaine was a blonde haired woman. As young as she was, the mistake was easy to make for a child.

"No, I'm not sweetheart." Lucy said softly, seeing the tears in the little girl's green eyes as the hope died down. "My name is Lucy."

"Then why are you here Miss Lucy?" She asks, her voice cracking.

Lucy kept her warm smile, "I'm here for you. You're father hired me and my friends for the party he's having tonight, but I get to watch over you for the night."

The small girl's eyes looked Lucy over with suspicion in her eyes, pausing when they looked over her right hand and guild mark. It made Lucy's grow warm watching the excitement flood into her eyes and the smile stretch on her face, the sadness gone for the moment. No child deserved the pain of losing a parent.

"You're a Fairy Tail mage!" A cry of excitement was loud enough to cause Mr. Kaine to come out of his office with Erza, Gray, Natsu and Happy, just in time for her to throw herself into Lucy to hug her close.

Mr. Kaine was horrified seeing his daughter, who was dirty, throwing herself onto Lucy and dirty the blonde mage. "Claire!" Mr. Kaine called, being pleasantly surprised when Lucy laughed and patted Claire's head with adoration in her brown eyes. It was the first time in weeks he had heard his daughter's laughter, or even seen smile the way she was smiling now.

"How about we go get cleaned up before the party starts?" Lucy asks, standing with Claire's in her own. "I'm sure your father doesn't mind since I'm in charge of your wellbeing tonight."

Mr. Kaine couldn't oppose as Lucy walked with Claire leading her away, animatedly talking and asking the older blonde different questions, even as the maid came to take Lucy to Claire's room. He knew now that his daughter was in good hands for the night, giving him one less thing her had to truly worry about.

"I knew Lucy was good with kids, but I never really knew she had a motherly instinct like that." Gray commented, since Lucy's maternal instinct kicked in with Wendy and Azusa.

Natsu grinned, "I knew Luce was perfect to watch the kid. She's a natural!"

Happy could only nod in agreement, "Yes, she always gives me fish!"

"That doesn't mean she's a mom!" Gray argued, causing a laugh to leave Lucy's lips as she turned the corner.

Staring at the dress in front of her, Lucy couldn't help but think of her time back at the Heartfilia Estate. She was trying to not think of her old home, where she grew up and compared it because the reality was that this place was the better out of the two. Yet instead of the pink dress that had her lace and frills that she grew up wearing, she was greeted with a dark blue gown that was form fitting.

"Claire was insisting that we dressed you in this blue dress. She was very convincing saying it was one of your favorite colors." The maid, Rosa, says gently as giggles came from the restroom where Claire was taking a bath.

Lucy laughed lightly, running her hand over the silk fabric of the dress. Claire had asked her what her favorite color was and the first color to pop into her mind was blue, but a specific shade of blue. Her favorite color was the light shade of ocean blue, the same blue that light up when the sun rays it the surface. The same shade as Shuu's eyes that she woke up looking into every morning.

The very pair of light blue eyes that she somehow fell in love with and brought her comfort. She had been surprised, because for such a long time she was in love with the color pink. Growing up she deemed it her favorite color, hell even her Fairy Tail guild mark was pink as were her old apartment walls, and even Natsu's stupid hair.

Pink was the color associated with things that hurt her- like her childhood, fairy tail's disbandment and Natsu's leaving. Yet light ocean blue not only reminded Lucy's of Shuu, but of Aquarius. It brought her hurt and comfort, but it brought her love as well. It was because of Aquarius everyone was alive, and it was because of Shuu she was alive.

"It's beautiful." Lucy said softly, smiling as she went to grab her keys to summon Cancer out when she realized how much she's neglected her spirits.

The smile on her lips fell, recalling that she hadn't called any of her spirits out for a while and that they hadn't come out. Yet she couldn't blame them because she always sent them back, especially Loke because he hated her around the brothers so much. She had been selfish, neglectful, and that was wrong on her part. It went against everything she stood for.

When Loke felt his gate open, he was sure that Lucy was in trouble and was already in a fighting stance to defend his Princess's honor, but he was surprised to be greeted with Lucy bowing to him.

"I'm sorry for how I've been." Lucy's voice was soft, but sincerity in the tone made Loke's heart waver.

"I have no reason to not believe Lucy is safe, in capable hands because she has people who are there, and even if Layla didn't want this for her, Lucy will find happiness." Loke couldn't help but smile at Lucy, because Aquarius had been right with her words that echoed in his head everyday he sat in the Celestial Realm, since Lucy needed her own time. She needed the time find herself again, and that was something she had to do for herself at her own pace.

It just took him sometime to accept that, because to him, Lucy was everything he breathed for. He owed her everything for saving his life before he was her spirit, and he was her loyal lion. He would make sure she stayed safe as best he could, and he would be there for her until the very end.

"There's no reason to be sorry, Princess." Loke replies gently, ruffling her hair before slowly lifting her head up with a careful finger under her chin to look into Lucy's brown eyes. "It took us time to put aside your safety and to respect your choices, even if we didn't agree. Especially me. I didn't want you more hurt than you were. I was scared to lose you."

"Loke.." Lucy whispered, her eyes watery but a smile on her lips as she threw herself onto his body and wrapped her arms around him. "I missed you."

Loke could only hold her back and kiss her forehead, inhaling her scent that was now mixed with Shuu's. A sad smile twitched on his lips, but as long as she was happy and if it was her choice, then Loke would support her. He didn't like what they were, but Aquarius was right. The Sakamaki's did save Lucy from herself, a part Loke didn't want to ever see. If they wanted to kill her then she wouldn't be her today.

For that, he was grateful.

The mission was simple and easy for Team Natsu, and luckily nothing really happened. Which Natsu and Gray weren't happy about, which made the mission boring for the two as they deemed it. Erza was glad there was no property damage, and that everything had run smoothly. There was no one trying to take advantage of Mr. Kaine's current issue of his late wife, which was a relief for the widowed man.

As for Lucy, she never ended up leaving to go down to the party from Claire's room.

"Claire, are you almost ready to go down stairs?" Lucy called, brushing a strand of her curled blonde hair over her shoulder as she checked on the strawberry blonde girl.

Only she found the young girl sitting on her bed with her head bent down, her little fists rubbing at her eyes harshly as little sniffles drifted towards Lucy's ears. Lucy could only frown seeing the little girl cry alone, and for a moment she saw herself in Claire.

"Hey, what's wrong? Why are you crying?" Lucy asked softly, kneeling down to look up at Claire's face. "Are you hurt?"

Claire only sniffled louder, "I miss my mommy, and so does daddy."

Lucy couldn't help but painfully understand what she was going through. To lose a mother was like losing a part of yourself, and it hurt even more at a young age because now all the life milestones would be missed. Yet Lucy knew how lonely it felt when no one reassured her that everything was okay, leading her to gently brush Claire's eyes.

"It's okay to be sad, to cry out loud and to miss her Claire." Lucy tells her, gaining the girl's attention. "She may be gone from this world, but she will always be here and living on in your heart." Lucy says, placing her finger carefully on Claire's chest- over her heart.

"Really?" Claire questions, tearful eyes growing wide.

"Yes." Lucy smiles, "She will always be a part of you Claire. She lives on in your memories , your heart and your father's. Just like my mom lives on in my heart and my memories. One day, a very long time from now, you'll see her again when the time is right."

She knew that a child might not understand what she meant, but Lucy knew it could help or bring comfort. Which it did as Claire launched herself at Lucy and hugged her close. She buried her head into the crook of Lucy's neck and cried there with Lucy rubbing soothing circles into her back.

"Would you like to stay here and play games?" Lucy asks her, earning a small nod but never once did Claire let Lucy go.

Mr. Kaine and the rest of Team Natsu had gone to check on both Lucy and Claire when neither of them came down for the night, only to find them both asleep in Claire's bed. Lucy had an arm over Claire with a book in her hand, and Claire was snuggled into Lucy's arms looking at ease. Which was why Mr. Kaine let them be, knowing somewhere deep down his daughter needed someone.

That next morning, Lucy had left a letter for Claire to read when she needed comfort. A reminder that everything was okay before heading out to Mr. Kaine's office with Team Natsu to collect their payment, which happened to be enough for half her rent. Yet now she knew that Yuma and Shuu were there to help finically, she wasn't as worried as before.

"I don't know what to tell my daughter. How to even console her." Mr. Kaine admitted softly as he walked them to the main door, looking somewhat small before their eyes. "Claire was close to her mother, and I'm scared I'll lose her if I say they wrong thing."

Erza took a step towards the older man, trying to console him, "There's never a right way with dealing with grief. It's important to remember that everyone deals with it in a different way than each other. That she just needs you now, even if she doesn't know it."

Mr. Kaine nodded, looking at the floor with unshed tears. It broke Lucy's heart to see the man in tears that were no doubt mixed with the reasons of losing his wife recently and the fear his daughter would reject him. Just like how she had with her own father once he drowned himself in business when he dealt with grief. Yet she knew how much Claire needed her father right now.

"When she's older and she can understands more, tell her that it's gonna hurt, it always will." Lucy's voice called out softly, gaining her team's attention again. "Tell her that some days will be harder than others, but eventually she'll remember the good times. Tell her to hold onto those because it's the key to getting through the heartache."

"You've lost your mother?" Mr. Kaine questioned gently, noticing the sad tone in Lucy's voice.

"I have." Lucy nodded, a small sad smile on her lips. "I lost her when I was young, and back then I didn't have the father I needed. It hurts to lose the one who carried you for nine months, and to lose the one you've loved for years. From personal experience I didn't have, I can tell you that as long as you two have each other and love one another, keep Mrs. Kaine's memory alive- then you will be okay. You will always have her with you."

Lucy then looked up at the window Claire was staring out of, waved and turned away to walk. She didn't need a reply and Mr. Kaine didn't need to make one. She could only laugh when Natsu slung an arm around her shoulder's as Erza, Gray and Happy caught up.

"See, you'd make a good mom with how you read both of you to sleep." Natsu grinned, earning a slap to the head. "You missed out on the most boring mission ever."

"I'm to young to be a mom, Natsu!" Lucy argued, but she could only laugh along with her team than be mad.

What a long chapter! I only added a little bit of the Sakamaki's in this chapter, since it was a mission chapter. I totally messed that up because while I wrote it, my idea for the chapter went a different way than intended.

Also, since classes have started back up for me where I live, I won't be updating as frequently. I will try to, but updates won't come as fast sadly. Hopefully I can do a chapter at least twice a month, hopefully.

Anyways I hope you liked this chapter! Let me know your thoughts :)