Chapter Seventeen: Realisation (Alternative, Part Two)

Lucy's POV

I stared up into the plain darkness of my apartment as I lay in my own bed. It felt strange now. I had been sleeping in a tree and on Natsu after all. My apartment hadn't been touched by some miracle, except from my old clothes neatly folded and placed there by Virgo.

Natsu had returned me back to my apartment and, feeling like I owed him something for his unfaltering kindness to me, I invited him to stay the night. He slept soundly on the floor beside my bed and Happy curled up on the end of my bed. I moved quietly and slowly, making as little to no noise as possible. Natsu moved slightly and I froze, but then he just turned around and started sleeping again. Happy's ears twitched but he remained a statue. Slowly getting out of bed, I walked quietly to the window and looked out. The cathedral clock stated two in the morning. I grabbed a jacket and suitable clothes, wearing them before I went out, leaving the apartment building. After just one night of shadow summoning, I would definitely not give up until I could get the shadows to respond to me.

As I walked through town, it was dead silent. Everything was dark and the only light was provided by the moon. The buildings looked dark and menacing and I let out a breath I hadn't realised I'd been holding as I left the town and went into the forest. It was exactly the type of mood for some sort of serial killer to jump out and assassinate me in the town so I was relieved to be in the forest. I walked a bit farther into the forest until I realised I was standing in the clearing of Juvia's place. It was peaceful and made me feel safe. Besides, there was a river there. If I happened to lose my direction, I just had to walk along with the river until I reached some familiar place.

I breathed in and out and finally focussed my magic power again, letting it out, like I did before. As expected, an explosion of light erupted from the ground but nothing really happened. I sighed and kept at it, being persistent.

I will definitely make them respond! I thought determinedly.

Gray's POV

I sat on the rocky surface of the mountain. I had practically spent a part of my life just on this mountain now. I liked it though. It was peaceful and calming and allowed me to think.

About Lucy.

Had it been a mistake to let her go? I thought. I had repeated that saying in my head all day, thinking of no right or wrong answer. On one hand, I wanted to fight for her. If she hated me, I just wanted to win her heart somehow. On the other hand, I had been rejected. Maybe I should just accept that and move on like a normal person and not try to force myself onto her like some possessive psycho. The same arguments went through my head over and over again and I was really frustrated by them and tried to go on missions to clear my head but there were never really many missions suited for me such as translating a book or spell, etc.

Instead I wondered if I should just spar with someone. Although I could never find Natsu nowadays. He wasn't at his house and most of everyone else was busy and Erza and Mira were on a mission together. I was pretty sure Gramps had better things to do as well so I was stumped for things to do to keep my mind off of her.

Suddenly, a column of blinding light shot up, right in front of me.

"HOLY—!" I began shouting but then I remembered to calm myself. If it was some sort of enemy down there, I didn't want to alert them of my location. Quickly, my mind worked to come up with strategies if it was an enemy and I was glad to be thinking like a mage again. At least I wasn't getting frustrated with myself over her. Slowly and silently, I made my way down until I was on a rock ledge above where the light had exploded from. Peering into the darkness, I saw a figure there, but couldn't make out who it was because it was so dark.

Lucy, my instincts suddenly told me. I trusted them but I was confused. Why was Lucy out at two in the morning? Although, I quickly shoved that thought away. It was none of my business to know every single thing she did. Though I decided to stay put and watch so no Vulcan came and attacked her or something.

As I watched, she released light column after light column yet nothing was happening as far as I knew. I couldn't understand what the heck she was doing. I had enough knowledge to know she was unleashing magic power but why she was using such huge amounts of it one after the other without anything happening, I had no idea.

This isn't going to end well if she keeps doing that, I thought, glaring in frustration, about to jump down and stop her. But I didn't know what exactly she was doing. Maybe there was some point to it.

After about twenty minutes of releasing magic power, Lucy seemed to be pretty tired. I was tired watching, I couldn't imagine what it was like for her. But being stubborn, she continued to do the same thing over and over. Finally, she became too tired and drained of magic power, barely standing up.

Is she… OK? I thought, immediately answering that, Well, that's pretty stupid; it's obvious she's not OK.

I continued watching though as she panted and pinched herself to stay awake. Then she finally gave in to the tiredness and started falling. And I ran out from my hiding spot.

Lucy's POV

During the entire practice, nothing had happened. I was extremely sleepy and tired, plus I was feeling a bit numb too. It was colder than I expected and my thin-ish jacket didn't really do much for my warmth. As I got colder and my tiredness began to win against me, I finally gave in and collapsed…

…into someone's arms. I was surprised and tried to open my eyes, but I was too tired to see who it was. I could tell the person was human though since I couldn't feel any fur or anything against me and he wasn't snorting or making any animal noises. So I relaxed against his arms and fell asleep.

Gray's POV

The second I was holding her, something seemed to click in me and I didn't want to let her go. It was like finally coming home after being lost: recognition, happiness and relief to have found it again. Or if I had amnesia and suddenly everything came rushing back to me in a second.

By the time I came to my senses, I realised I was clutching her tightly to me and she had fallen asleep. I smiled at her sleeping face, peaceful and happy. Then I began walking towards her apartment the long way so I could hold her longer. She was light in my arms and I tried to keep her as still as possible so I wouldn't disturb her sleep. In a way, I was glad she was asleep. If she did hate me, at least I wouldn't have to see it.

But… what was that feeling back then? I thought as I had nothing else to think about. It had seemed like amnesia and suddenly remembering, coming home after being lost or having an 'eureka!' moment. I couldn't understand why.

"Is my body… telling me something?" I murmured aloud unintentionally, wondering. It seemed fairly possible and I always trusted my body's instincts since they'd gotten me out of many life-threatening situations.

But… I've always understood my body signs… And now I don't know what it's trying to tell me…

"Gray…" Lucy suddenly mumbled. I nearly dropped her right then by surprise. I looked down but she was not awake, in fact sleep-talking.

I paused for a second, allowing her to get back to sleep. What I wouldn't give to be able to see what she was thinking about… Then I had an idea. Maybe if I played along in the conversation, she'd reveal what she's thinking about.

"Nani?" I asked.

"Gomenasai…" she said sleepily but sounded as if she were greatly upset in whatever dream she was having.

Why is she apologising to me? I thought but I decided to keep playing along, "What for?"

"What I did to you…" she replied, still asleep, "Demo… I still…"

"Lucy! Found you!" shouted a voice suddenly. I looked up and noticed Happy flying over towards me and Lucy.

"Did you find her, Happy?" yelled an all-too familiar voice. I looked up and saw Natsu bursting from the trees.

"Natsu?" I said.

"Hey, did you find Lucy? Where was she?" asked Natsu.

"She was unconscious in the forest," I replied easily. I realised I had no idea what Lucy was doing in the middle of the forest so early in the morning and since Natsu was dense, it would be a waste of time to try and explain her releasing huge columns of magic power for no reason as far as I could tell.

"In the forest?" Natsu frowned, "Did someone kidnap her?"

"I didn't see anyone," I said and then cut him off before he could ask any more questions, "Anyway, the important thing is we get her somewhere warm. We're both pretty much fine out here but Lucy isn't."

Natsu seemed to consider this and then nodded, running ahead. I followed after him, jogging slowly as not to disturb the Sleeping Beauty. We arrived back in town in minutes and slipped inside Lucy's apartment through the window.

"Well," I said as I lay Lucy back down, "I didn't see anyone in the forest but maybe there was someone. Do you think you could check to see if any person's after Lucy with your sense of smell?"

"Yeah, it's probably a good idea," nodded Natsu, falling for it gullibly, "You can stay here and look after Lucy."

I nodded and he and Happy leapt out of the window. I smiled slightly. Even if Natsu sniffed to his heart's content, the river would have wiped out most scents or if not that, the morning mist which was settling in so no innocent person would be blamed for 'kidnapping' Lucy. I walked over and pulled the blanket up so it covered her and knelt down next to her bed. Natsu would be back soon so I had to be quick.

"I love you, Lucy," I said quietly while laying my hand over hers which lied on the bed.

As I turned to leave, I was on the windowsill when suddenly, a quiet voice, like a whisper of wind sounded, "I still love you, too."

"!" I let a surprised sound come out of my mouth and I quickly turned back around but she was sleeping as peaceful as an angel and showed no signs of having said anything. I pinched my face and strained my ears to hear something. Maybe I had heard something else and misinterpreted it for… that.

But I couldn't hear anything. Had… she said it? I shook my head and spread my wings, launching from the windowsill and flying away. I saw Natsu dashing down the street as I flew so he would arrive back in time to start protecting Lucy for me.

The words kept echoing in my head, I still love you, too. Was it possible Lucy still possibly loved me?

Lucy's POV

My dream was strange. I was in a dark place, pitch black and the only person who stood opposite me was none other than Gray. I looked at him. His face was stoic and emotionless.

"Gray…" I said, the sadness clearly shown in my voice.

"Nani?" said Gray.

"Gomenasai…" I said.

"For what?" asked Gray after a short pause.

"For what I did…" I said, "Demo… I still…"

Suddenly, Gray disappeared and I blinked, in the darkness by myself. I ran around, seeming not to get anywhere, looking for Gray. I seemed to be running for hours with no success. Suddenly, a hand laid over mine. I looked beside me and saw Gray.

"I love you, Lucy," he said. I widened my eyes, surprised but then smiled as he lifted his hand and began to walk away.

"I still love you, too," I said just as he disappeared again.

"!" I gasped slightly, sitting up, before sighing, "A dream, huh?" I didn't remember much but then I realised I had fainted in the forest. I was somehow back in my bed. Natsu lied next to my bed, sleeping soundly again. I got out of bed and went over to the windowsill, staring into the sky, if only it were true… that dream…

The next morning…

I woke up bright and early and for once, I was quite happy instead of grouchy as I usually was when I woke up in the morning. As I went through my usual routine and was brushing my hair, a note suddenly caught my eye. I picked it up, suddenly panicking, it better not be some other ransom letter…

But when I opened the note, it had simple and plain text written on it. The handwriting was familiar but I couldn't put my finger on whose it was. I read the message briefly and was surprised and what I read.

I have to talk to you. River, 11am.

What the hell… Gray? My imaginative mind suddenly thought up. I shook that thought out of my head. Gray didn't even have the chance to get into my apartment. Besides, he hated me. Like he would want to talk to me at the river about anything. I shook my head, but stuffed the note into my pocket. I would ask at the guild if anyone wrote it. I also glanced up at the clock which stated 9:30am. I had an hour and a half to figure out who the anonymous note writer was. I walked out to go to the guild.

As I left the apartment, suddenly, a shape suddenly fell down and stood in front of me, beaming happily.

"Lucy! Ohayo!" yelled Natsu, grinning, hands behind his head casually. Happy was nowhere to be seen. Spending time with Charle, I assumed.

"Ohayo," I smiled back and wondered whether or not to tell him about my dream. It was weird but strangely realistic at the same time. I decided against it. It didn't seem right to suddenly mention strange dreams you were having on a bright and happy day. And especially to your not-so-bright, but still happy now-boyfriend.

"So… just to say this straight, did something happen to you last night?" asked Natsu, immediately shattering my good day.

"I…" I began, but weirdly enough, I didn't want to share what I'd actually been doing, trying to summon shadows. Maybe I just thought Natsu would start going on about how dangerous it was, like every other person had been. I didn't really believe that, but I thought there was no other explanation and I am supportive of honesty in a relationship but there were exceptions to every rule.

"No," I finally answered. I hoped he assumed my hesitation was just me trying to remember something, "Why?"

"You were fainted in the forest…" said Natsu, scratching his head, "Well, that's what Gray said at least but…"

"Wait!" I said, "What… did you just say Gray?"

"Yeah, Gray. He found you in the forest, fainted and brought you back. What the hell were you doing anyway? Did you sleepwalk?"

Like anyone can sleepwalk that far, "Yeah, I guess," I lied easily, "What was Gray doing…?"

Then I suddenly remembered I was just below his special place. He could have found exactly where I was, what with the huge columns of light I was releasing.

"Never mind," I said, "The point is I'm fine. I don't know what happened but it won't happen again," with you knowing, anyway, "so… anything else new?"

"Oh yeah!" said Natsu, taking out a paper sheet, "It's a mission for us! Since Erza and Mira are on their own mission and Gildarts is never here anyway, we can't take S-Rank missions," he pouted at that, "so I just grabbed one. We can do it," he smiled.

"OK!" I agreed before I knew what I was saying. I was thinking too much about that note. Had Gray wrote it and meant to give it to me? Well, that was obvious, it was in my apartment but had he wrote it? I had meant to ask everyone at the guild but since I had agreed already, there was no pulling out now.

"There's not too big of a reward but it isn't too hard either," said Natsu as he walked down the street, looking at the paper, "We're helping an old lady bring supplies into her house."

"That doesn't sound too bad," I nodded; glad it was something simple and not too crazy like the kind of mission I expected Natsu to get.

"Here's the place," said Natsu, stopping in front of a nice building despite its small size. It was made of bricks and an elegant looking old lady was standing in front of the building. Her hair was in a messy fish-tail plait resting on her right shoulder, coloured light brown with a hint of grey. She had a few wrinkles and wore a red blouse, black skirt and black leather flats. Despite being old, she stood up quite straight so she had good posture and didn't need a walking stick.

"Are you the two mages come to help with the mission?" she nodded at the paper Natsu was holding.

"Yeah," replied Natsu, "I'm Natsu and she's Lucy."

"Nice to meet you," I smiled.

"Same to you," smiled the old woman but she seemed distracted by something, I noticed, "I'm Celina."

"Anyway, I have a few things that need moving and things that have to be put away."

"OK!" grinned Natsu, bounding inside. I started to follow him but then I noticed Celina was looking at me curiously, seeming concentrated on something. I pretended not to notice and walked inside. I didn't want to confront Celina about her staring, especially since she was a client. Also, maybe after time, she would stop.

But even as I was moving furniture items and small figurines and boxes filled with who-knows-what, I could feel her eyes on me as she moved the less-heavier objects herself. Natsu bounded about, lifting the heaviest items. Celina didn't seem to be staring at him at all, only me. I felt uncomfortable but still managed to move everything without many catastrophes.

As we finished moving everything, Natsu sat down on the ground and began panting, exhausted from moving so much furniture.

"I'm tired!" groaned Natsu, lying on the ground.

"Thank you for your hard work," praised Celina, "Here." She placed some notes next to his head, the reward. Then she said after a short pause, "Could you please take this one last thing upstairs," she gestured to a small table, "I'll throw in an extra 3000 jewel, how about that?"

"OK!" said Natsu, shooting up and lifting up the thing, running off with it.

As soon as he was gone, Celina sat down on the seat across from mine with the coffee table between us.

"Lucy?" said Celina hesitantly. I looked up, "Yes?"

"I did not tell you or Natsu this but I actually tell fortunes for a living," said Celina, "My senses are more sensitive than a normal human's. Anyway, I sensed something as you arrived. I sense you may have an important encounter soon with someone incredibly important to you. At… 11 o' clock. You have something to tell this person. This will be the best time to say it and also, don't worry about it. It's always better to get your feelings across in the long run. You also have a big decision to make soon and you think about people's feelings. It's up to you whether or not this is a good thing. You also have to follow your heart, as cliché as it sounds. And something you've wanted for a while will appear when you least expect it but it's not as great as it seems. You were an interesting person to practice fortune telling on. One of the most interesting and complicated readings I'd ever had."

"I… See…" I said. Even the fortunes weren't on my side. The fortune didn't seem particularly… fortunate to me. Then I remembered the meeting. I glanced at a large grandfather clock ticking loudly in the corner of the room. It said five to eleven. I hadn't even realised how much time had passed when Natsu and I were doing the mission. I was sprinting towards the door before I realised it, "I'm so sorry, I have to go! Tell Natsu I had to go somewhere! It was an emergency!" With that, I ran out and down the street towards the forest where the river flowed. I didn't know why, but it seemed like the right place to go and where Gray had meant.

As I tore through the trees and ducked under branches and leapt over roots sticking out of the ground, I could only think of one thing. I would have to tell Gray I loved him. It must have been the important thing Celina was talking about, because nothing else seemed important in comparison.

I burst into the clearing before I even knew it and it was empty. I looked around for that navy head which I couldn't find. Suddenly I felt a presence in the clearing. I turned my head and Gray stood there. For the first time in a long while, I realised, his eyes were not tortured, but instead determined.

"I assume it's your note then," I said.

"Yeah," said Gray, "Look, I don't think you feel the same way anymore… I mean, if you ever did. But… I love you, Lucy. I always have."

My eyes widened but then the greatest happiness swelled in my chest and I felt better than I ever had in a long time, "I… I love you too, Gray. I've had, for a long time."

Gray was surprised but then he smiled and wrapped an arm around my waist, pulling me to him. I smiled and didn't resist at all. Then his lips touched mine. It felt amazing and I knew right then, when our separate worlds united again. Gray was the only one for me but then… My mind conjured up the feeling I had with Natsu when he kissed me. It had been as equally as good so… what did that mean?

"What's wrong?" asked Gray, separating himself from me. Suddenly I heard a noise and immediately turned around, widening my eyes, "Natsu… I… How…"

"I followed your scent," explained Natsu, looking away, his eyes narrowed, "Why, though, Lucy? With Gray…?"

"Natsu—" I began, but Gray cut me off.

"Look, Natsu. I thought Lucy hated me. If I had known she still loved me, I would never have let you have her."

"What are you implying?" asked Natsu, his voice deadly.

"You can't have her, obviously," said Gray bluntly, standing in front of me, "I had her first. I loved her just as much as you do."

"That's not fair though," replied Natsu, "Lucy's already my girlfriend so… no."

"Nani?" said Gray, pushing me aside at that moment to safety, "Fine. Let's fight right now. Whoever loses gives her up."

"All right," grinned Natsu although it wasn't a particularly nice one.

"What? NO!" I protested, running between them so they couldn't attack each other, "I don't want anyone to fight! Or even argue for that matter!"

"Lucy, get out of the way," said Gray calmly but with a small hint of explosive anger underneath it.

"Do you love me, Lucy?" asked Natsu.

"I...I…" I stammered, not sure what I thought anymore. I loved Gray, but was it possible I loved Natsu too? It was possible to love two people at once, wasn't it? Besides, I felt something when Natsu had kissed me that night? I couldn't take that out of consideration.

"Lucy…" said Gray.

"I… do love you—" I said only to be cut off by a shadow jumping over my head towards Gray.

"Then that's all I need to hear," said Natsu, smiling for a second before he barrelled straight into Gray and they began fighting.

I froze for a moment and then realised what was happening. I ran to them, screaming, even nearly crying, "Stop it, you two! Stop it!"

It wasn't anything like their non-serious, even playful fights. This was a full-on death match as if they really wanted to kill each other.

"Out of the way, Luce!" shouted Natsu, knocking Gray aside into the river where they continued fighting seriously. The current wasn't strong enough to sweep them away but it was enough to make them lose their balance a little as well as slow their movements.

One slow movement could cause a terrible injury. Or even worse…

"STOP IT, YOU TWO!" I shouted, thinking of their deaths… on my hands. I didn't want it to turn like this ever. I didn't want them hurt or to hate each other like this.

Suddenly, a huge blindingly white light exploded, much brighter and shinier than my other attempts. It blasted through the sky, straight up to who-knows-where and a humongous snow white magic circle with a gold outline opened beneath my feet. I knew right then and smiled.

They're finally responding…

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And this is where we came in! :D

Sorry if you were expecting the continuation of the story! I promise it'll continue after these two chapters though! Hope you enjoy these though~