Chapter Five.

The Girl I Used To Love

Sting's POV

Sting watched as what was once a blood red rose shriveled out of existence, turning into dust as it made its way through the ten year olds fingers. He couldn't believe the power this little girl possessed, the kinds of things that she was capable of. This wasn't the Lucy he had grown to love so many centuries ago, no, this little girl was nothing like her.

He watched as her eyes almost sparkled in satisfaction at the fact that she had just ended something life, albeit it was not another human beings, it was something far more insignificant, but all the same. The Lucy that he used to know, well she could never harm a fly.

That's what he liked to believe anyways.

'You...You killed it.' The blonde man whispered as he stared at the small blonde haired girl, had her lion spirit really thought that he wouldn't want to know about the kind of power his old lover possessed.

'As I've said, I don't enjoy using this power, but it does give a kind of rush...Papa, he said that this power would help me, would help him in some way, he didn't explain further.' Lucy stated as she moved her eyes from the dead plant and back to the blonde haired boy.

'Listen, I know I've said already that I've been searching for you, but the truth remains that I don't remember you as well as I used to, I know you were someone who once held my heart, and I know that I love you, but the facts are staring you in the face are they not?' The small girl questioned, placing her hands behind her back and balancing on the balls of her feet. Sting was confused, didn't they just have a heartfelt moment before she showed him his power? Wasn't she confiding in him as well?

'I'm not the same person that I was before. I've lost something, somewhere throughout all of these lives, I've lost what I was before. I still love you, I know that, and I know that I want to spend this last life of mine with you, but I need you to be aware, that the Lucy Heartfilia that you knew from so long ago, well, she's not who I am, not anymore.' The small girl paused to take a breath, not bothering to look at the white dragon slayer who was near tears. Of course he knew that she wasn't the same, anyone would be a fool to think that this little girl was the same one he had fallen in love with.

'It seems, in this last life of mine, that my memories of our time together in our previous life, really are fading. I can barely remember anything about you.' Lucy stared solemnly at the fire that burned and crackled in the hearth as she finished talking.

'I'm truly sorry that I'm forgetting you. After all this time...I didn't think it was possible to forget someone like you.' Sting silently came up behind the small girl and placed a large hand on her bony shoulder, she jumped slightly at the touch and looked up to see the man she had previously loved looking down at her with teary eyes.

'I'll just have to make you fall in love with me again then' he whispered gently a small, sad smile on his face. Lucy was surprised at this, for in this life no one had taken such an interest in the likes of her. After all no one wanted to care for the child of the Night family. No one.

'I don't want to waste this life without you, I've searched everywhere for you, I'm not about to let you get away from me. Not ever, I'll be with you forever.' Sting said gently as he moved to put the fire out, he was absolutely exhausted, they had time to talk tomorrow, he hoped her memories wouldn't dwindle more by then.

The small blonde gazed at the man before her with wonder. Of course some of her memories were still there, she could still remember the warmth of his voice, the care and love he held for her in his heart, she knew that this time around it was still there, and he wouldn't be deterred in pursuing her, even when she had bluntly told him not to. For who was to say if she would remember him at all come morning?

But instead of telling him that, she decided to play along, to take a chance with him.

'Do you promise me that?' She questioned, becoming every inch the ten year old that she really was. Sting turned and saw how unsure this small version of Lucy truly looked, as if the answer to her question was a terrifying thing, she had red rimmed eyes, unshed tears and she was bunching her night shirt up as if it was the only comfort in the entire world.

He knew the answer to that question of hers, it was simple, it had always been the answer, to everything. He used to tell her all the time the same thing, back in their previous life together. He didn't know how a simple word could become a pathway to everything he's ever wanted, it was the word of promise. It was the last thing he had ever whispered to her.

So why was it so hard to say it now.

Lucy looked up to him with those emerald green eyes that definitely were not his Lucy's, but at the same time this small, frail child in front of him was what he was waiting his entire life for. She was and will always be his entire world, whether she forgets or not, she would forever be his one and only.

So with tears in his eyes and a smile on his face, he whispered one word.

'Always.'