Author's Note: Hey guys! As promised, another chapter uploaded! This story is so intense so far, isn't it? Well I hope I don't disappoint with the drama that has been going on thus far! Thank you for the reviews and encouragements! It means a lot to hear from you guys and I'll do my best to keep uploading as this semester is going on!

As another reminder: Every 5 reviews I get, I'll upload another chapter. Also, if you haven't gone to my profile to see the poll I have up to make a sequel and you really want one; just go ahead and give a vote. As stated previously, if I get at least 10 then I will do a sequel for your guys! I have already wrapped up this story and it is written and ready to be distributed every week. So just let me know what you guys think and I'll do my best to accommodate!

The song for this chapter is "Lion" by Undead Hollywood. This was Ryan's favorite song and hopefully you guys will pull it up to listen to it while you get the essence of the story I was trying to convey! Enjoy!

I Am A Lion

~Chapter Seventeen~

Dread filled Lucy as she quickly turned to take off in a dead run back the way she came. Fear coursed through her veins. Virgo was here and she was going to finish the job of killing her off. Lucy let out a scream of terror, in futile hope that someone would hear her and come running to stop any attack Virgo might be planning. Fear coursed throughout every fiber of her being. Her chest was tight and the flight response was kicked into high gear. Their lives depended on evading Virgo; however those futile hopes vanished by the sound of Virgo cracked her whip.

"Go ahead and run slave master!" she laughed menacing. Lucy could feel a cramp in her sides as she kept running for her life. She had to endure if she wanted to ensure the safety of their lives. She ignored the pain until suddenly the ground disappeared from under her as Virgo's whip wrapped around her ankle and pulled her dragging back. Lucy luckily twisted her body around to where she fell on her back instead of on her stomach. She let out a cry at the pain as the ground connected to her. The back of her head hit the cobblestone pavement and everything was dizzy for a few moments as she struggled to figure out what the hell just happened. Virgo saw her opportunity and pounced on her. Lucy let out another blood curling scream as she thrashed about.

People started to hear the screams and rush over. However, it did not matter to Virgo, Lucy was a threat and Fairy Tail had declared war by attacking them. She slapped Lucy repeatedly. Lucy could only cry out and block in her vain attempts to get the spirit off of her. People ran up to stop the attack, but Virgo used her whip and kept them at a distance whenever one thought brave enough to even take a step towards them. Lucy was bleeding now from nose and her busted lip. Already she could feel the ache of bruises on her face as she knew that Virgo did not hold back. Tears were falling in pain and fear. All Lucy could do was feel so helpless and cry.

"Stupid bitch! You could have just stayed out of it! If you had done that, then I wouldn't have to kill you!" she grinned evilly with no sound of remorse; but rather of pure joy, "Oh well, lucky me. I get to give punishment." she started to tickle Lucy. Lucy kicked her legs laughing and screaming terrified at the same time. During her tickling, Virgo felt her abdomen and how it was firm and big. She gave a threatening glare down at it.

"Oh oh?! What is this?!" she narrowed her eyes in realization.

"No! Don't!" Lucy begged.

"I believe I remember our king telling you to rip that abomination out. I believe it wasn't supposed to live were his direct orders to you." she coldly spoke. "I guess I'll have to be the one to carry out his orders since you failed to follow them." she sighed as if this was such an inconvenience to her, but catching Lucy's horrified gaze only made her laughed at the terror the mother expressed.

"NO! DON'T! PLEASE NO!" Lucy thrashed harder crying. She couldn't get her hands to protect her belly as Virgo pinned them. The onlookers could only watch in useless horror as they couldn't get close enough to them to stop the madness. Lucy was sobbing something fierce as she continued her vain struggle. Virgo pinned her more down as she was getting tired of her previous owner's antics.

"This will only sting...a lot." she giggled. Lucy thrashed her head from side to side as she screamed. Virgo brought her hand down ready to cut her belly open, but she suddenly stopped inches with widen eyes as they focused on the mark on the celestial wizard's shoulder. Lucy could only sob in her helplessness. Her body trembled as she felt herself in this situation with no Loke to come and protect her from Virgo's wrath. Virgo reached down and yanked Lucy up to sitting position by her hair. Lucy cried out from how rough it felt. Virgo inspected the mark closely.

"What the hell did you do?! What the fuck is this?!" she hissed.

"I-I don't-" Lucy shook.

"What the fuck are you crying for?! I haven't done anything to you yet! Damnit!" she tossed Lucy back on the ground. The back of her head was already sensitive from the first blow; the second was making her fight to stay awake and not let the darkness consume her. She needed to stay awake; if she couldn't, she was just as good as dead. By now the Master and Lisanna were making a beeline to where Lucy was being assaulted as they were running from the guild. Someone had alerted them to what was going on in the town and they were running as fast as they could to hopefully protect Lucy from anymore abuse. Seeing as Virgo might be outnumbered, she got off Lucy and grabbed her by her hair roughly.

"Sorry, but you aren't getting her. Say goodbye slave master, this is the last time you will see this precious world! Time for divine punishment." she spat bitterly. Lucy struggled to get out of her firm grasp as she heard her name being called out in a panic. She barely got a chance to see Makarov and Lisanna attack them until the thunder of the whip cracking made her close her eyes and she disappeared with the celestial spirit.

~Celestial Realm~

Lucy didn't know when she awoken or where she was when she did. She found herself in a luxurious room with an architect of materials she knew was not of the world she came from. It was a wide and open chamber. Her bed was in the very center of it as there was subtle hints throughout the masculine style room of Leo's personal symbol. There were no walls, but arches all around the circular room that lead out to a balcony. There were no doors and no stair cases. Light curtains swayed from the breeze and hung over the open arches. Lucy looked down at her clothing as she was wearing a celestial style sleeping gown. She pulled the fur blankets off of her and had gotten up. The ground was made of cold golden stone. The whole room was spinning from standing up. She might have had a mild concussion from the abuse Virgo had given her from her earlier assault.

Weakly, she reached over to one of the four bedposts to steady herself. She felt weak and her body ached. What would she give to have Wendy's healing magic at this point? She looked over and caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror above the elegant dresser. She had small stitches over her left eyebrow and bruises on her arms and legs. Confusion heightened her senses as she had no idea where she was and she knew it would only be a matter of time before Virgo came back to torture her. Once she felt that the ground wasn't tilting or spinning, she felt brave enough to wander towards the circular, rounded balcony. The ledge of the balcony came up to her waist and made of ivory in intricate designs. White marble, or what she thought was, was the building's exterior. From the light breeze, the curtains fluttered behind her as she passed through and overlooked the rather large, and regal, estate. It screamed majestic royalty. Lucy could only blink at the sheer amount of wonderment around her. She wracked her brain for where she could possibly be; but it wasn't that hard to really narrow it down.

From what she could already recognized was that she was in the spirit realm and from the 'Leo' symbol, she might very well be in Leo's home. But why would she have received medical treatment from the stitches? Why would she be taken to Leo's chambers alive? Virgo had her on the ropes, so why was she even here? Biting her bottom lip as she did want to stick around to find the answers to these questions, she looked around but there were only balcony and no doors that lead to any exit she could find; much less stairs for that matter. She was surrounded by starry skies and in a tower chamber. Bitterly she couldn't help but think she might be in some bad joke of the story of Rapunzel.

"Where the hell am I?" she spoke dumbfounded as she couldn't help but feel that defeat was about her only option until an opportunity presented itself.

"My palace." came a stern tone. Lucy jumped as she faced the owner of the voice. She saw Leo the Lion in all his regal glory standing in the middle of the room watching her like prey. He wore his obsidian and golden armor with his arms crossed. As he looked at her, his scowl only deepened. Lucy stepped back with fear in her eyes.

"Loke..." she softy whispered.

"I said don't call me so familiarly." he growled dangerously. He stepped forward uncrossing his arms. Lucy stepped back until her back was against the railing. Leo continued his advances on her as he glared down at her with cold eyes.

"D-Don't touch me." Lucy whimpered.

"You are not my master." he ignored her plea. Desperately, Lucy tried to look for a way out, but could not find any options. Her limited choices were to jump to her death or let the lion kill her. She turned to climb on the ledge to jump, but Leo firmly grabbed her wrist, whirling her around roughly, and made her look at him.

"No! NO!" Lucy cried out as she struggled once more, but he ignored her pleas. He yanked her head to the side and moved her hair away from the mark on her neck.

"How did you get this?!" he growled. Lucy had her eyes squeezed tight as she refused to look at him. She was going to die at the hands of the man she loved and it took all she could muster to try and stay strong in her last moments. "I demand an answer slave driver!" he spat angrily.

"You are hurting me!" she cried.

"Liar!" he yelled and yanked her away. Lucy hugged herself as there was a light bruise where he grabbed her on her wrist. Gently, she tried to massage it as to make sure it wasn't broken. "I would never stoop so low as to couple with the likes of you!" he snapped. He shook his head in distain. His long locks were puffed up to the edges in his rage. He started to pace as Lucy could only watch him with cautious eyes.

"Let me go please..." she begged. He stopped and shot her a look of heated disbelief.

"First of all, slave master, you don't get to make any demands." he sneered. "Second, I am the ruler here and I have deemed you to be my prisoner. Learn your place because you do not have anything here that will protect you. You will show me the proper respect before I teach you that lesson." he snapped. At that very moment, Something in Lucy had snapped as she was now seeing red. She had completely had it.

"And what place is that?!" she threw right back at him. He paused as he looked at her in surprise. Whatever reaction he was expecting; it certainly wasn't the fire she was displaying now. "Yeah, I know what I said Mr. High and Mighty! Now you see here! You have been running around here like a big, fucking asshole! I have been man handled, threatened, beaten, and harassed! I am done playing nice with your bullshit! You want to kill me, then you fucking do it! I am so sick of hearing about absolute freedom and about how I'm this 'slave driver'!" she puffed her chest out as it heaved from the blood that was pumping through her emotions. She had yelled at him and her emotions were coursing through her in such speed. She was so over this Loke's antics. Damn her hormones. Why couldn't she have this kind of anger the whole time? She was already on the verge of attacking or crying.

Leo glared at her or a few moments as he registered what she just yelled at him about.

"Fine." he shrugged as he brought up his fist with a dark energy engulfing it. "Dark Regulus!" he called out as he prepared to strike Lucy. Lucy's second wind was gone as her face paled. The only thing she could think to do was crouch in her spot and cover her head as she waited for the end. This was it. This is how she would die. Tears were falling from her face as it was death, not old and gray in a bed or fighting along her spirits, it was death by the one spirit she took a chance on. The one spirit she found true love within. This was their bitter end, she would die and so would he.

As she waited, nothing seemed to happen. It was silent and Lucy braved a peek up at Leo. Leo stood there with a contorted look on his face. He was struggling as his eyes were flashing as if battling with something. His teeth were barred as he groaned in pain. The darkness from his fist were gone and he held his head suddenly as he kneeled.

"Leo?!" Lucy rushed up to him. "Leo! Talk to me!" Lucy gently touched his hands with hers. A golden light sparked on either hand as he threw her back.

"DON'T TOUCH ME!" he shouted at her. Lucy weakly picked herself up. He was fighting himself, but this Leo was winning. He straightened up and glared at her. "Do not EVER suggest I kill you again. I will send another in my place to finish the job." he spoke so coldly.

"Heartless bastard." Lucy glared.

"Watch your mouth around me. My mercy has limits." he snapped. "It is because of you that you are in this mess! You dared to declare war with us celestial spirits and have sent your guild to stop our absolute freedom! Because of this Lucy Heartfilia, you were meant to die." Lucy met his glare with one of her own as she did not back down. "The worst part about this, you stupid, foolish girl, is that you have no idea what you have done. You and I are bound permanently." he shook his head.

"What does that even mean?!" Lucy was confused. The Loke in that hell was sprouting the same thing. That they were bound or something.

"It means, you insufferable girl, that you are essentially going to be immortal. Our lives are forever intertwined as one for the ages." he spat.

"I don't-"

"I will not explain it a second time!" he roared as he was at the last of his patience.

"Just stop yelling!" Lucy felt her sensitive emotions start to kick in.

"Stop that! I will have no tears in my presence!" he growled.

"Fuck off! I am having a day and I'm pregnant! You want me to stop crying, then use the fucking carrot instead of the rod!" she sobbed. He growled, but forced his emotions in check.

"You kept the abomination?" He pinched the bridge of his nose and felt the last of his patience slipping. Lucy backed away from the angry spirit.

"D-Don't you touch my babies!" she snapped.

"Twins? Sweet Regulus, what have we done?" He ran a hand through his mane with a look of pure distraught on his features.

"Takes two to tango Leo and we both know deep down you knew what you were doing!" Lucy frantically tried to wipe away her hot tears as she hiccupped. Could this monster keep cutting her down any deeper?

"Enough of those tears slave driver!"

"I am not, nor ever was I ever one! Why do you keep calling me that nasty name! I never saw any of you as that! Why can't you believe me that I saw you all as family? Even now...after all you have done to me...you still are my family. I would never abuse you! I always fought beside you! Damnit, I love each and every one of you! Don't you know you all are so precious to me?" she sobbed through her passionate tone. Leo studied her for a few moments as her words struck him but alas, he sighed in annoyance.

"Even if that were true, it doesn't matter one way or another. We will obtain absolute freedom. Our circumstances means nothing to our goals; let me clear about that." he stood and spoke without emotion. Lucy shook her head.

"What are you even talking about?! Of course it changes everything! If you do the ritual, then you will only get to live twelve days!" she begged him.

"We are well aware of this. Twelve days is more than spending an eternity in chains." he continued to speak without remorse. Lucy felt frozen as the information sank in.

"Y-you knew...?" she felt sick and the room was getting dizzy as it weighted down on her.

"And because of your stunt, our fates are locked. Lucy Heartfilia, when I disappear and die, so will you." he boldly looked her square in the eye. Lucy's world turned black as she fainted.

~Loke~

Lucy did not know how but she looked around and found herself on Loke's island once more. Instead of the bed that she normally would appear in, she was on the shore with the waves. What shook her was the blood curling roar coming from the hut. Lucy made a dead run towards it as she stumbled in her confusion. "LEO!" she screamed out desperately. Loke was withering in pain on the floor holding his head. Lucy kneeled by him and tried to assess the situation. Physically he was fine, but he looked to be in so much pain. "Loke! Talk to me! What happened?! What is it?!" Lucy felt so helpless to help the man she loved.

"I don't know! Are you hurt?!" he cried out.

"No..." Lucy replied confused to why he would think she would be hurt when he was the one rolling on the ground roaring in pain. She tried to soothe him as the pain was starting to pass. After agonizing moments, Loke began to stabilize. Lucy gently helped sit him up as he panted out of breath from the pain. "Take it easy. I'm right here." Lucy rubbed his back.

"I heard you were getting hurt... I saw you cowering and I was going to kill you. My hand wasn't mine. Lucy, what is going on?" Loke looked up to her worried expression. Then something clicked within Lucy.

"Loke...I think...I think you are trapped inside your own mind." She softly spoke at the realization.

"What!" he shouted confused.

"Think about it, everything here has been inspired by our vacation. you have been in here for months and there was no way out of here. Have you seen or heard from anyone other than me?" Lucy asked. All her points were valid and square on.

"If what you say is true...then...how are you here?" Lucy pondered his question for a few moments as he looked at her.

"Your jacket..." she started.

"My-you still have that?!" he exclaimed.

"Of course I do! It makes me feel safe!" Lucy blushed.

"My magic...it had to have brought you here...that is what is connecting us." Loke was still with his own terms of the reality that he just discovered.

"But I don't know how I am here now." Lucy sighed. Loke gave her a confused look.

"What do you mean?" he replied.

"Virgo...tried to kill me and damn near succeeded. It was beaten pretty badly." Loke's eyes darkened to a dangerous color as he shook under her hands on his back rubbing.

"She...did...what?!" he roared

"Hey! Easy big guy! Getting worked up might hurt you worse!" Lucy scolded as she feared for what Loke might do next.

"No! She has gone too far! Where is she?!" he was on his feet now roaring in pure anger.

"Loke...my Leo, please calm down." Lucy took his face in her palms and forced him to refocus on her as she kissed him. She felt him hum against her in a mix of anger and pleasure as he was pulled in two directions as he was conflicted. At least he stopped yelling and getting overworked. Once she felt him loosen his hold on that anger and stopped shaking from his rage, she let him go.

"Good, now stay this calm as I tell you the rest." she shakily took a breath.

"The rest?" he eyed her.

"I was taken to the celestial realm. I was put in a weird tower room. There were-"

"No windows or doors. That is my personal chamber." Loke finished. Lucy gave him a bewildered look.

"Odd that they put me there..."

"They?"

"Well you did, my wounds were bandaged and stitched when I came to. You did say some weird things like about my mark you gave me." She bite her bottom lip.

"What did I say?" Loke demanded still with his darkened gaze.

"We are connected or something. I might be immortal?" Lucy said cautiously as she wasn't sure what to make of this whole situation. Loke eyed her mark that looked brilliant in the light from his hut.

"Then it must be true..." Lucy blinked a few time as she just took in what Loke just spoke.

"Wait what?!" she cried.

"We are connected. I read briefly on it when I was looking up laws. But essentially, this means your fate is now shared with mine." he reached his gentle fingers up to mark as he lightly traced it admirably. Lucy trembled slightly under the touch. His fingers felt good.

"I'm going to be a spirit?" Loke let out a chuckle.

"No, you will stay this young and beautiful for as long as I am alive. Your magic has been sealed with mine. It takes on the more dominant magic and I am after the leader of the zodiacs." he winked. Lucy did not indulge his flirtations.

"Loke." She spoke evenly. He intertwined their fingers together as he pulled her close.

"I will not apologize. Lucy, you and I are one. There will be no contract to break this. We are stuck together for eternity." he spoke with that loving tone of his. It brought her back to that cottage on the beach with the way he was speaking to her. Her face was flushed as his words sank in. Together for the ages. But she had to pull herself out of that little heaven for the reality was so clear and she had to tell him.

"No it won't." Lucy's flushed gaze turned to one of crumbling sadness.

"Of course it will." he went to kiss her but she stopped him.

"The zodiacs are planning the ritual for absolute freedom. They are going to succeed and in twelve days; we will disappear." Loke froze.

"...What..." he whispered as his eyes were unfocused and wild with the thought of his family once again being pulled from him. An unknown emotion spread throughout him. He was breathing with labor as his mind was going in every direction as it was coming together for one single purpose.

"They are going through with the ritual. I can't stop them... no one can. Loke, in twelve days, it won't matter the connection we share because we are going to disappear." Lucy did not deflect from his wild gaze.

"NO! I will NOT let that happen!" he snapped with a feral growl. Lucy got a sense of uneasiness as she was taking in how Loke was looking. He looked like he was ready to engulf them both in his rage.

"Loke, you are trapped here. How can you...LOKE!" Lucy screamed as he was tense and breathing in a way as power was surging through his body. He was being engulfed in golden light as he was starting to snap. His fingers dug into his skin as blood trickled out of them. Lucy, out of his grasp now, could not see his eyes as they were white out.

"Loke!" she cried his name in fear that he was disappearing from her; but he did not hear her, rather just powering up and then white light engulfed them.