As soon as Lucy stepped away from the infirmary door, strong arm caught her and held her close. She took a slow breath and let a smile spread over her face as the familiar smell enveloped her. Her hands landed on the chest she was pressed to and the arms loosened enough for her to look at the smiling face framed with messy pink hair.

"Natsu," Lucy said gently.

He smiled. "I'm sorry. I just missed you so much." He ran his fingers gently over her cheek and moved to twirl a lock of gold hair around his finger. "You look exactly the same. You haven't changed at all."

She smiled, putting a hand gently on his cheek. She took in his wide eyes, his messy pink hair, and the way he looked at her and let out a little sigh. "Neither have you."

He chuckled. "I doubt that. Its been..."

"Thirteen years," she said sadly. "And you've haven't changed, Natsu."

He gave her a sad smile and pressed another quick kiss to her lips before taking a slow breath and speaking uneasily. "Luce... What happened? How did you get here...? How... How are you..."

"How am I alive?" She finished with a sad, but reassuring smile. "It's a little complicated."

Natsu nodded. "I figured." He gently wrapped his hand around hers. "Come on. Let's go sit. I'll grab us a couple of drinks, and then, if you want, we can talk."

She smiled. "I'd love to."

They sat some time later with their finger interlocked across one of the wooden tables on the Hall.

Natsu raised his eyebrows when she was done talking and took a slow breath. "Okay... So you did die that day?"

She gave him a teasingly impatient smile. "In a way." She got comfortable again before deciding to go through it all one more time.

"I knew that day under the tree that she'd done something, but it wasn't until I held Nashi that I started to feel it. I got this sting in my chest and I figured it out. When I died, the Spirits tried to do whatever they could and they realized that there was only one way to save me and it might not even work. It was decided that trying was better than doing nothing, and they tried to make me into a Celestial Spirit. They didn't know if it worked and the whole time, the thirteen years, I was healing and building myself into a new body, my Spirit body. It wasn't until that day that Nashi pulled out the key and used it that I, and the Spirits, realized that it worked. I guess you'll have to thank Loke for that one."

Natsu nodded, watching her for a minute with the words sinking in.

"It was … hard," Lucy added. "I was completely… there while I was gone. I could see you all and the Spirits came and went from the Spirit world, but I couldn't leave. I could only watch and hear the news from all of them."

Natsu nodded, getting up to go sit by her side and put his arms around her. "It was hard here, too. We thought you were gone for good. When that flash showed up and you were just… there… I didn't know what to do or say and Nashi she… she hasn't seen you since she was minutes old and I never knew what I was doing, Luce. I tried to make her okay and teach her and raise her the way you would have wanted, but I always knew you could do so much better…"

She smiled, putting a hand on his cheek, the golden ring on her finger glinting in the sunlight from the doorway. Her thumb brushed away one lone tear on his cheek and she shook her head. "You did good, Flame Brain."

He laughed. "Eh… you haven't seen her when she acts like me. Trust me, you'll change your mind."

"I'm sure I won't," she reassured, pressing a quick kiss to his lips. "I put up with you all that time."

He shrugged. "Hey, fair enough."

"And you guys are stuck with me now. I have the power Loke had to just… come here when I want to," she said with a bright smile. "So, I'll be popping in all the time."

Natsu smiled his wide smile, his big eyes closing.

Their talk went on and on, jokes and playful shoves. People from their tables glanced over and cracked little smiles. They saw it in their eyes and their laughs that it was like nothing had ever changed for them. Today, their little world returned to the same thing it was that cold and quiet day thirteen years ago. Nashi walked out of the room soon after and heard the story for herself.

Quietly, across the Hall, Reedus sat with a smile and painted the scene in front of him. His brush moved in flowing streaks as color awakened on the page. Soon, the paper held a little scene of what looked like a normal family.

Everyone knew better, though.

One more chapter down. There won't be many more, guys, so be ready ^^ I have started the next story (whose story line is linked to this one), and I hope to see you all reading that one, too.

Thank you all for the views ^^ I appreciate each and every one of you, and I hope you are all enjoying the story.

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-J