Sorry for the delay, the academic year's started and so have my MA studies. Even though I had it ready, I couldn't post the chapter earlier.

Thank y'all for the follows, favs, and reviews. Especially those two Guests who didn't reveal their names but leave me some sweet reviews - THANK YOU!

We've lost it

Chapter 5

All in all, Sting managed to make the bluenette text him when Lucy would be alone at home. He was rather hopeful after hearing that his wife still loved him, yet, he also was well aware of that he destroyed something far more precious; her trust.

Two day later, Sting received a message from Juvia, saying that she was leaving for a day. Shaken up, he waited a while before going out and to the women's flat. On the way he bought some flowers, knowing it wouldn't be wise to go barehanded. Ideally, someone was walking out of the staircase and let him in; he expressed his gratitude and hurried up on the third floor. Eucliffe stopped in front of the door and took a deep breath. He was nervous and unsure of what he wanted to do now. How should he begin… Maybe he should just repeat everything he told Juvia at the bakery?

Finally, he sighed and rang the bell, then hid himself behind the posy. The man was trembling, anticipating. He was going to see her again.

Suddenly, he heard steps and that someone was leaning on the door, probably looking through judas. The woman sighed and opened the door. "God, again? And you're still not telling me who they are from?!"

"Do you really need that answer?" Sting replied gently and revealed himself from behind the flowers. "Lucy…"

She froze, seemingly speechless. She was gapping at the guest with widened eyes, completely stunned. The man experienced a real wave of emotions and he decided he really must have been in love with her. Thus, he was waiting… Until the blonde turned around and closed the door right into his face.

He flinched. Sting knew it was not going to be easy, but the action hurt. So, he said in a pained tone:

"Lucy, please… I need you to listen to me."

"No! Go away, don't… Just don't…"

Sting sighed. She was sobbing. "Lucy, please. I'm sorry. So fucking sorry. Please."

"No."

Having said that, her sobs and heavy breathing disappeared, followed by another slam of the door. Sting clenched his jaws and hit the wall beside the entrance. Fuck. Knowing he had nothing to do there anymore, he left the flowers and went down, leaving the building.

"Well, I guess the first attempt failed…" He mumbled and, putting his hands into the pockets, walked away.

Meanwhile, Lucy escaped to her room, crying. She was scared to see her husband under Juvia's door. What had he been doing there?! What did he want?!

After a while, she returned to the door and checked out the place; he was gone. Lucy opened the door and found a posy laying there. She glared at the flowers and left them in the corridor, too proud to accept them. She sat on the couch and curled into a ball, pondering over the whole situation and the possible reason Sting wanted to talk to her now.

Sting Eucliffe was the last one to give up on what he cared about. During the following month, he was stubbornly coming over, claiming he just wanted to talk to her. But Lucy was constantly sending him away, which was making her feel terrible.

"Juvia? Am I a bad person?" She asked one day.

"God, why?!"

"Because I don't want to talk to my husband…"

"Come on. He mistreated you first. You have every right to be mad."

"Still, maybe I'm exaggerating?"

"Lucy. You need to deal with it alone. If you feel you're ready to face him, then do. Just do it. I know you can."

Lucy mused. … Finally, she decided that the next time Sting caught her alone, she would let him in.

Two days later, he came an hour after Juvia's leaving. Upon hearing the doorbell, Lucy took a deep breath and slowly strolled to the entrance.

She unexpectedly opened the door — perfectly in time to see her husband with a shocked expression.

Her insides twisted. She felt like when she had first met him — and each time they had been meeting later on, be it on the dates, or then normally, just to finish at the wedding. She bit her lip to not burst out crying; she missed him terribly. And, although still extremely handsome, he seemed to be preoccupied and tired.

Lucy reached out and grabbed his jacket's sleeve, then pulled him inside, closing the door with trembling hands. She leaned on the wooden piece, her forehead pressing against it; she was scared of turning around and waited for him to do the first move.

"Lucy…" Sting spoke up hoarsely, with emotions. "You… You let me in…"

"Yes." She whispered weakly.

"Baby—"

Lucy flinched and squinted her eyes, turning around, then rushed to him and slapped him as hard as she could. She started hitting his chest with her fists, crying. "How dare you call me that after all of that?! For over a month you separated yourself from me and pretended that I don't exist! And now you think that flowers and presents will take that all back?! All those tears, that pain?! I hate you… I hate you… A-and I hate that I can't really hate you…" She sobbed, her punches weaker and weaker.

"Shh… I know… I know." Sting whispered, catching her and pulling to himself, embracing the woman. She was scuffling for a while, but eventually stopped, giving in. "I know, Lucy. I know."

"I hate you, Sting… Even though I still love you…"

"I can only imagine. And dream about you loving me again."

Her head jerked up. "W-what?"

"Will you listen to me?" Eucliffe begged and grimaced, looking at her with an overwhelming mixture of emotions. "I have no right to ask that of you, but I need to tell you something."

The woman stared at him doubtfully; she was not sure whether she could trust him anymore; the last time they talked she ended up at Juvia's in a mental mess and a state worse than ever. However, he had been though all that trouble just to get to her and he did embrace her on his own… Could it be…? Most importantly, was she ready to face him already? Duh, face him alright, but to forgive him?

"Is it a bad something?" Finally, Lucy closed her eyes and shivered in his arms, on which he reacted with a soothing caress on her back.

"No. Not this time."

She raised her teary eyes on him. Was he serious? Or was it just a trick to make her listen to him? Either way, she decided she could not stand it without any support. She let go of him and said, taking a step back. "Let's sit down."

"As you wish."

They sat down in an uncomfortable silence, avoiding each other's sight. Lucy was not sure whether she wanted to run or stay there and listen to her husband… A million what-ifs was storming in her mind. Still, she knew what she had to do. Thus, she nodded at him to show the man he could start speaking.

Which he did immediately.

"Lucy. I'm so, so sorry for all of this. None of that would've happened if I weren't an asshole." Sting sighed. "I acted like a terrified teenager and got scared of handling you, handling love, our life… When, apparently, it takes only a little bit of effort to actually be quite happy."

The woman was listening, her lips trembling.

"I've made the worst mistake of my life: I let go of you. I know I don't deserve you and I know I should be punished for my idiocy…" There, Sting raised his head and gazed right at his wife. "But I realized that I need you. I need you in my life. My heart and my surroundings. I am empty without you. I-I love you and I can't live without you. I've tried and almost died of missing you."

"But it's you who tried to chase me away…" Lucy whispered, not trusting her own voice. Nor did she raise her eyes.

"Yes. And I regret it horribly. I should've thought it over — or give myself a kick in the ass. But never let you go." He took a moment to think about his next words and slid down on his knee where he pleaded: "Please. Give me one more chance. I love you. And I want you back, forever. I'll not promise not to do you wrong because there are always better and worse times, yet…"

By that time, Lucy had her face half-hidden under her hands that were not covering the tears entirely. She was hyperventilating, barely believing her eyes and ears.

"A-are you serious?"

"Of course I am."

"Sting…"

"If you need time, fine." He lowered his head. "I can wait for you… For the whole last month, only the thought of you being here, behind the door was keeping me alive. And now that I saw you… And talked to you… I'll endure some more. Just… Think about it."

Lucy stared at her husband with amazement. He was willing to give her time…

But did she need it? Would she hurt so much if she did not love him?

She already knew the answer. So, she stood up and threw herself at him, hugging him with all of her might. The man embraced her tightly at once.

"No more wasted time." She gasped, crying again. "No more stupid thinking! I know what I want: you. I love you. I'm in love with you, Sting! You're all I've ever wanted."

The man cried along, listening to her words. He was so idiotically lucky to have the most forgiving woman for a wife; if it were any other female in the world, she would have dumped him straight ahead; yet, with Lucy it was all different.

Suddenly, her hungry lips found his and he gladly responded. The rest of the world stopped existing; there was only the temperature of her body, their clothes, his greedy hands, and their growing need for each other.

Yet, when Sting started laying her down on the couch, she broke the kiss and shook her head, caressing his cheek. "No, honey. We must go to my room, Juvia'd kill me."

"Can be done." Sting grinned and lifted them both, rushing to the separate room.

Juvia returned to her flat an hour later. She decided that something was off; it was too silent… Until she approached Lucy's room where she heard her making some noises. Thinking that she was crying again, she did not bother knocking and opened the door…

And went on her friend and her husband making love, both looking at her with surprise. Juvia squealed and quickly closed the door, crying: "Sorry!"

She heard laughter and blushed even harder.

Thoughts?

I didn't want to torture them too much.

There's only one more chapter to go :)