Woo! just had a good inspiration day with thexlittlexmixette :) watching FT and Anime and having a laugh :') sorry i havn't been updating, i forgot to say i was visiting family in Ireland over my birthday :D ahh! thanks Jordanna13 for that amazing comment! 3 yeah i really do need to proofread my work *sweatdrop* ahahha so i'm going into my last year at school so i will either be posting a lot or a little, depends on how bad i'm procrastinating :) hah gotta love yall for still reading and reviewing 3 and yes this is actually officially my first fanfic, a wee success no? ;)

thanks yall 3

Last time~

Lucy pov~

"i don't know. but she was scary. like lushy was"

"like who?"

"Lushy!"

"ohhhh"

their voices faded away as i walked off but the last thing i heard was

"you mean Luigi" a boyish laugh rang out "lucy hated me calling her that"

Timeskip, Lucy Pov~

we were once again in the library of sabertooth. we returned to our original positions and left Freed to drag up a chair, he insisted on his team on being there so they leaned against the bookshelves, apart from Evergreen who was on vacation with a certain beast mage. I grabbed my notebook and opened it to the page with the symbols and runes. "i'm sure you can de-code this" I stated as I slid the book in front of him. he opened his mouth but I threw a magic light pen and it hit him square between the eyes. "sting, Rufus, stay here to make sure he gets any help and resources he needs" i said as I stood.

"what about me?" Rouge stood and met my eyes. I shrugged and walked out of the library, him following behind moments after.

We were walking down he slope to the town when he started to match my steps beside me.

"uh, hey" he began, looking down at his little furry companion. was he... nervous?

"yea?" i replied, looking out over the town below, watching it slowly gain in size as we approached.

"you know, i never knew you were a part of the guild before now" he said slowly, raising his arm so Frosch could flutter up and onto his shoulder.

"i see, You and the master were away when i joined, and whenever i came back too" i said sadly, gazing at the oranging sky. we stopped and stood together facing the sunset at the edge of the path, a sheer drop inches from our feet.

"h-hey, did you ever meet a girl.." Rouge paused and i tore my eyes from the sunset and looked at him. he was still looking ahead. the wind picked up a little and his hair ruffled, disturbed birds flew behind him, black against the color of the sky. the orange washed him in a glow that was almost surreal. i continued studying his face, i remembered it all and slowly my walls began to chip and crack. "she" he continued, pausing.

"she was a member here. i- i don't know if she still is" sunlight glinted and his eyes were shining.

"Rouge" Frosch mewled softly.

"i didn't mean it, i was just upset, i mean... you see, before sabertooth, she was a member of Fairy tail. and when we went there i.. i thought i might see her again.. i thought i could apologize.. but" he stopped short and the strands of grass hushed around us in the wind, like a mother who was soothing a babe.

"she wasn't" i barely whispered.

"yeah... is she.. is she still in Sabertooth?"

"who?" i asked, fearing i knew the answer. then, his eyes slowly turned to me, only just realizing i had been watching the whole time. we stood a moment before he broke his gaze and stared down at the daises and the long grass surrounding us, his mouth a grim line.

"Lucy" he whispered "lucy Heartfilia. The winged Tiger"

i stopped and turned to the sunset, watching the small black birds fly away and into the now blue hue. i didn't know what to say. he- he wanted to apologize to me? why? i was the one who needed to apologize.

"i-" i stopped short. it was better like this. i turned to him and opened my mouth to say something but one look at his now lifted face made me stop. my facial wall broke and i smiled softly. my body moved on its own, my hands reached out slowly to cup his face and soon his hands reached up to touch my wrists, my hands were being wetted with a few stray tears and my face twisted slightly before i drew him into a hug. his legs bent and we were kneeling on the ground.

"its ok, You'll find her" i said as i looked over his shoulder and at the now dark sky, freckled with stars. he pulled away slowly and stared up at the sky. a comet ran an arc through the sky above us. "go on, wish for her" i said as i too watched the comet go.

i stood slowly, as if my limbs were melting. "h-hey, thank you" he said, his crimson eyes locked onto mine."i-i don't even know your name" he laughed weakly as he rubbed his eyes furiously with his sleeve.

"in time," i turned slowly and strode off down the path, leaving Rouge clutching his best friend and rising to stand.

i smiled to myself and walked home in silence. by the time i got to the gates of my home the smile had faded and my vision blurred, i could hardly get the key in my front door. i stumbled in and sank against the wall, staring down at my iron boots.

"he didn't mean it lucy... he really didn't" i whispered to myself, at that i smiled and looked up at my ceiling.

Timeskip~

that morning, i awoke with the sun stroking my face and burning my eyes. but when my eyes did open i saw nothing but black. i drew my face away slowly and found that it was buried in something i have owned for months. i stared down at it and remembered the night i got it. i could never forget. it was the time i was in the mountains training with rouge. we had disturbed a beast and just as we defeated it, the cliffside had crumbled away. on instinct Rouge had grabbed me and pulled me close, we tumbled down and we had passed out. once i had woken, i was still in his arms, i was on top of him and i could feel his breath on my ear. our legs were tangled and it was night. one by one, lights had started appearing around us. the glow of the grove flowers must've woken him and it took a moment for me to realize as i had rested my head on his chest. the next morning was cold and frosted. i was freezing and Rouge had suddenly grabbed me into a tight hug. he had removed his cape and tied it around my shoulders. he had bought a new one when we came home from training as he refused to have it back. since then its been folded up in my bedside table. i glimpsed at my clock and realized i had slept until midday. i slowly untangled myself from the cape and folded it up, taking in the scent of mint and ferns. i had fallen asleep in my usual clothing so i peeled it off and tugged on a lopsided black sweater and jeans. i swung open the double doors and stepped out onto my balcony.

"i'm not going to the guild today" i said as i stared up at the sky. a row of small black birds peered down at me from my neighbors rooftop. i turned away and picked up the new copy of sorcerers weekly from my doorstep before tugging on my flats and leaving the house.

i found myself in my usual place in the usual cafe, sipping coffee and staring at the cover of Sorcerers weekly absently, still thinking of the night before.

since i was on the end of a bar table at the window, somebody pulled out a chair next to me and sat down. i could smell his coffee from where i sat and slowly took a sip of my own. i glanced up at him briefly.

black turtleneck jumper. black jeans. trainers... my eyes flickered at his face a second and then a third time. black hair with a fringe which seemed to be devouring his face and sharp crimson eyes that stared down at the grains in the table.

"didn't sleep?" i said to him. he jumped and turned to me, he relaxed once he recognized me but i found that he took a while to.

"not really" he stared down at his large coffee "you?"

"i slept a bit too long i guess" i confessed with a slight chuckle.

"not going to the guild then?" i said as i peered down at my hand, i remembered when there used to be the soft pink of fairies, then the blue of the tiger. now it was a dark emotionless black heart of a sabercat.

"not today" he said after also looking down at my hand as i had it on the table. he sighed heavily and then frowned, sniffed again and deepened his frown.

"are you ok?" i questioned, raising a brow when he looked at me with a soft smile.

"yeah, i just realized that you don't stink of iron today"

"u-u-uhh" my cheeks pinkened and my eyes grew wide.

"mint, it suits you better" he looked out of the window with an easy expression. i chuckled softly and sipped my drink again.

"so.. wheres Frosch?" i asked absently

"hes at the guild, he waned to play in the swimming pool with lector" he smiled again. i picked up the small shortbread biscuit and popped it into my mouth.

"uh" i said after a while. he looked down at me with his crimson eyes. "sorry if i've been a bit dickish to you and sting" i say as i look away at the wall beside me.

"its ok, you didn't know who we were." he smiled and had more coffee.

i glared at the wall "m-mhmn"

"ne, Rouge"

"whats up?"

"i'm going to have to pop into the guild now, i just realized leaving sting and rufus alone with Freed, Laxus and Bixlow isn't such a good idea" i stood up and finished my coffee before picking up my magazine. "you jut wanted an excuse to talk to your boyfriend didn't you?" he chuckled. i rolled my eyes and went to walk away but he reached for my wrist and stopped me. "don't let him go ya know, he seems to be a nice guy. don't let yourself push him away ok?" i smiled and i met my brown eyes to his.

"Freed... isn't my boyfriend. he was a teammate of mine once, not that they'll remember, but, i'll remember that for when i do have somebody. thank you, Rouge" his hand went slightly limp and i strode out of the coffee shop with a smile, clutching the magazine to my chest.

Rouge POV~

i watched her leave, her short layered hair bouncing as she then broke into a happy jog up to the guild. i smiled and stood outside the cafe and soon enough i saw her figure, still running, up the road to the Guild.

"hey" i turned and looked back at the Cafe waitress, she walked up and stood beside me, wiping her hands on her apron.

"good luck with her, she hasn't had it easy" i frowned and she nodded. "poor thing, she never meant to hurt anybody. i've spoken to her a lot" i looked back at her figure on the pathway as the woman continued. "she was forgotten and ignored by her family, her own family! she had found friends ya know... but things didn't work out after a while. she had fallen in love with them. however her family were angry with her for who she had accepted as her friends. they tore the five of them apart. bless her, she still loves her family but she can never go back, she says." the waitress shook her head sadly "she lives for the day she can find those friends again and be happy" i turned back to the waitress again

"how..?"

"don't underestimate us old women," she winked. i chuckled softly.

"i wonder" i thought aloud "can we help each other find the ones we've lost?"

"i wonder" the woman repeated, waddling back inside the cafe. i was stood staring at the guild.

"who are you?" i whispered.