What's up guys? Hope everything is going well. I have a couple days off so I'll probably be posting a lot of chapters soon! Today is definitely going to be a double post!

Things are going to start picking up really soon in the story! If you have any suggestions, please let me know! I love hearing what you have to say, and there's a good chance that I will use it in future chapters!

Ten years ago

Lucy's POV

"They get along so well," Layla whispered to Lilith, not bothering to hide her laughter as Thomas chased me around the garden. I screamed in earnest, frightened by the little boy. My short dress swished around my tiny legs, and my heels clicked against the pathway. Michelle was squeezed tightly against my chest since I was protecting it from the teasing child.

"Oh they do!" Lilith gushed, fanning her face quickly. Being overweight and in the heat never seemed to benefit the gargantuan woman. It always seemed too hot to her and these walks around the gardens always left her far more fatigued than it should. However, as she watched us running around the fountain, her mind was preoccupied for moment away from her piteous state. "I can't wait for them to be married!"

My mother made a small sound that sounded close to a moan of displeasure. She was not fond of the Bennet family, but she tried to hide her distaste for them for her husband's sake. Lilith had not heard the noise, or at least pretended not to as she continued to watch her son.

"Stop it!" I whined, my breath ragged from the strain of escaping this boy. He must of the lungs of the dragons Mama always told me stories about!

Thomas replied with a laugh and a roar, as he lifted his toy that resembled something cross between a bat and a lion into the air. Since his father was the owner of a toy business, the little brat was always making demands for new and erratic designs. "I'm going to eat you!" He was so weird! And I had to marry this creep one day? Just the thought made my stomach curdle.

With my mind distracted, I hadn't been paying attention to my footing, and my foot caught the edge of a brick. I wailed as I went down, but my grip on Michelle never faltered. I'd rather risk a scrape or two than let anything happen to my precious little sister. I landed hard and pain shot through my arm. I moaned and heard gasps as I sat up. Tears stung at my eyes, but I fought them back when I caught Thomas looking.

Our mothers raced forward to check out my injuries and help me to my feet, but my eyes never left the boy's. He was extremely upset over something, and when his mother put her arms around me, I instantly registered it as jealousy.

A few hours later, we had retired indoors, and Thomas and I were exploring his house. When we found the library, I was overwhelmed by the vast volumes lined on what seemed like endless shelves. I wowed, at all of them, and Thomas took my hand to show me a secret room. He led me to a door far in the back of the library, shrouded in the shadows large bookcases. He opened it for me, but before I could ask what the secret was, he slammed the door and locked me inside.

With all my might, I knocked, clawed, and screamed desperately, terrified that I would never be free, and no one would find me back here. I hated that little kid, and some day, I would get my revenge unless no one found me. Then, I would die in this back room, alone and in the perpetual dark. New fear struck through me, and I doubled my efforts at the door. It never budged, and I screamed until my throat was hoarse.

It may have only been hours, but it felt like years until Thomas led them back to me. He claimed that we were playing a game, and he didn't know my whereabouts until he heard the screaming. Bastard! I should have punched him right then and there, but my energy was long gone. Father and mother gave an apologetic smile for the trouble we had caused, and we traveled home. Father chastised me in the car about needing to learn manners while at a guest's estate. I didn't listen to him. My mind was in a different place as I stared out the window.

I was sent straight to bed as soon as we arrived home. The servants helped get me ready for sleep in silence, and then left quickly. I sat erect, still gazing out the window when Mother came in. She sat in the bed next to me and apologized for Thomas.

"I know the little boy had locked you in that closet," she said gently, brushing my hair with her fingertips. "My darling, I only wish I could have found you sooner, and I'm so sorry. Do you forgive me?"

I nodded and snuggled into her warm embrace. "Tell me a story."

She did. It was the same tale every night about the princess being locked inside the tower and her prince coming to her rescue. He had to fight the mighty dragon guarding the princess, but no matter what slight change she made every night, the conclusion was always the same. The prince and princess lived happily ever after.

She kissed my forehead, and I yawned as she tucked the covers around me. "Mama?" I asked sleepily.

"Yes?" she asked, laughing at my tired voice. It was a game we played every night. After the story, I'd ask as many questions as I could until I fell asleep. It was my way of asking her to stay a little longer, and her way of complying.

My eye lids started to droop, and I knew I didn't have much longer. "Why does the dragon guard the princess?"

Her chocolate eyes smiled warmly at me. "Because he loves her."

Slowly, I started to fall into the darkness, a small smile reflecting hers. Before I finally succumbed to the dreams wanting to take over, I said, "I want to be rescued and live happily ever after with a dragon, not a prince."

Present

Lucy's POV

It was such a simpler time then, being enveloped by my mother's love and being told wild stories about the princess being saved by her prince. Though my statement had been the wish of a whimsical child, I couldn't help but think how twisted fate must be now that I found myself enraptured by a dragon and not a prince.

My indifferent gaze stared back at me from the reflection on the carriage's window. Past them, I could see the glittering lights of the mansion being lit by twinkling candles and thousands of dazzling lights mimicking the stars in the night. My dream from the other night floated into my thoughts, and images of chandeliers and wine glasses popped into my mind. I sighed. So I had returned to this. Tonight I would have to pretend to not be Lucy of Fairy Tail, but Jude's beautiful and available daughter.

Memories of Thomas sent a chill down my arms, and a voice perked up beside me too happily. "Cold, Lucy? Come to me, and I will warm you up with my love."

My fists clenched at my sides, and I had to will myself not to knock the lion unconscious. "No, Loke. Just be a good boy and pretend you're only my escort tonight, or else I swear by the spirit king, I'll kill you." I shook my head and looked back out the window, dreading our destination. "Besides, I can't be seen flirting with you."

"Ah," he purred and placed a warm around me despite my warning. "All the more reason to get out all our flirting now…" I punched him in the gut and threw him across the carriage.

Juvia's POV

Gray-sama looked striking in his black suit and crimson shirt. Though I had urgently insisted he wear a bow tie, he only agreed for a few moments, and then seconds later, he was picking at it absentmindedly, his bad habit starting to show. I had turned around to fix Jay's matching outfit and tie, but when I had turned around, Gray's bowtie was tossed among the bushes and he was nowhere to be found. Jay escorted me inside, and ladies crooned how adorable it was seeing a young man helping his mother.

Gray-sama and I have a son!

Even with him holding onto my arm, I could not believe that we had finally conceived a child. After more than a year of hiding our relationship, it was odd to completely expose it, especially for Gray. He was taking it harder than I was, but then again, he was the only way that hid it to begin with. Jay suddenly bowed and held out his hand. "Can I have this dance?" he asked, and I nearly melted.

We spun around the room, enjoying each other's company. It was so nice to have a son who shared the same interests as me and was not ashamed of his feelings. The way he pursued Nashi…it was so romantic!

Our laughs echoed off the marble ceilings, earning us a couple glances from other dancers. I shot them a cold glower, and they quickly looked away. The music started to reach its climax, and Jay spun me a few more times and then ended with a dramatic dip as the soft notes of the orchestra came to an end. Claps roared around us, and looking around, I noticed they were for us. Jay beamed up and me, and I blushed as we walked to the outside of the dance floor.

"Ah! So this is your lovely wife and son?" a man's voice boomed to our left. My eyes darted towards the sound and landed on a heavy set man. He was gripping folds of his too expensive cashmere suit, with a golden chain slung down from a pocket on the inside of his jacket.

Gray-sama smiled beside him, holding two glasses of bubbling champagne. His eyes usually so cold and calculating, sucked me in with their sudden warmth and mirth. He chuckled once before he strode over and placed a quick peck on my lips. My heart nearly leapt out of my chest. "Hello, beautiful," he whispered against me and handed me the glass. My knees began to buckle, but he placed a warm hand on my arm and shot me a warning look.

"What about me?" Jay complained, eyeing the glass with obvious want and drawing the attention away from the awkwardness between his parents.

Gray laughed. "Sorry, bud," he apologized, rumpling Jay's hair with his hand. Jay grumbled a complaint, and this made the man laugh.

"This young man must be Jay," he said, his voice so loud it was almost shouting. He offered my son his hand, and Jay shook it earnestly, glad to have respect from someone. "Glad to see you're in top shape kiddo! I saw you dancing with your mother out there, and it looks as if you had a full recovery."

"Yes," Jay answered diplomatically. "I do what I can to celebrate the brief life that I do have. The doctor's say the illness could return at any time, so I'm taking advantage of every moment."

"Ho-ho! Spoken like a true philosopher!" the man jested, slapping Jay on his back. He cringed under the might of the man's gesture, and I could barely stifle a giggle. "But where are my manners," he barked, looking me up and down suddenly. Under his gaze, I shifted uncomfortably, but his eyes soon stopped roaming, and he returned to my eyes. He grabbed my hand and kissed the top, and I nearly gagged from the saliva he left behind. Beside me, Gray tried to hide a devilish smile in his champagne glass. "My name is Rudderick van Richards. I've already had the pleasure of meeting your husband, Gray Lobster."

Gray grinned. "Of course! I—"

He stopped short when he noticed the music strike again, and a certain pair of pink haired partners joined the festivities. A particular obnoxious laugh made Gray shudder with fury, and I touched his forearm. "Perhaps we should dance?"

Rudderick glanced between the two of us, and Gray composed himself quickly. "Of course." He gave the man a knowing look. "Excuse us, sir, but I am at my wife's whim."

He laughed and waved us off. We placed our glasses on a table nearby, and as we walked away, I heard Jay engage him in a heated conversation about television shows that would be big in the future. Poor Rudderick had no idea that Jay was really talking about shows that were famous. When we were out of ear shot, Gray sighed, and his shoulders drooped. "Thank you," he said as his arms positioned themselves around me in the proper form of a waltzed. "That pyro is going to piss me off. Seriously, even at an event like this, he has to act his goofy self."

My hands caressed his face, and I pulled the shocked ice mage down for a kiss. He was still stunned even when we had started dancing. I rested my head on his chest for a moment and said, "Gray-sama shouldn't worry about the dragon slayer because he has Juvia and Jay by his side."

Gray sighed and kissed the top of my hair. "I won't then," he answered. "Because you're right. You are all I need."

Nashi's POV

"Cmon, Papa!" I tugged gleefully on his hands, begging him to join me for a dance. I had never had the pleasure growing up to learn how, but if I was playing the innocent girl with her single father tonight, I needed to make a scene to draw everyone's attention. What better way of doing that was there than dancing?

Papa complained at first, but when he saw the fire in my eyes, he started to mirror my own giddiness. Soon, we were on the ballroom floor, laughing and spinning in circles until we got dizzy and motion sickness struck him. Once he composed himself, he lifted me up and placed me on his toes so that we could waltz like everyone else. A few nonchalant glances around the room and I knew the plan was a success. My midnight blue dress was the same color of Papa's vest, but it complemented his white suit well. He had ditched his jacket when we started to dance, and his sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, emphasizing his muscles beneath. Ladies would be all over him soon.

I beamed up at him, and my heart jumped in my chest when I realized we had the same smile. We both laughed, coming to the same conclusion simultaneously. He continued to walk me in a slow and graceful dance, careful of how my dress swayed around him. When I finally got the hang of it, I stepped down and began moving on my own. Good thing I learned quickly because next, he brought me into a turn. It was awkward at first, but I picked up on it as well and soon our movements were flawless.

"How did you learn to dance so well?" I asked, recalling his distasteful expression ta the guild when Erza mentioned we were going to the ball as well.

He spun me again and opened his mouth to answer, when a small chuckle bubbled from beside us on the dance floor. He searched around for the source wildly, but I found it before he did. Mama was adorned in a silver dress that hugged her midsection, exposing her every curve, and fell gracefully off her hips and to the floor. Her hair was pinned up in an intricate bun, and two curls caressed her cheeks. She smiled brightly at the stranger she danced with, and her eyes sparkled like the glittering stars.

"Luce…" Papa murmured beside me, and I could hear his heartbeat skipping quickly at the exquisite sight of her. I grinned as I looked at the knowing glaze he was giving her, and happiness wrapped around me like a warmed blanket. He loved her so much!

"May I have this dance, my lady?"

I whipped around to the man suddenly beside us, and when I saw him, I nearly shouted in glee. However, remembering where I was, I tried to contain myself, but still, I couldn't hide my powerful grin. "Lion-man!" Loke looked at me confused, but I shook my head. Of course he wouldn't know me. I released Papa's hands and started to dance with the spirit my mother loved most. She would never admit it, but I knew it was so. Papa watched me, but only hesitated a second before he darted into the crowd. I smiled knowingly after him, glad he caught the hint.

"It's strange," Loke started, pulling my attention back to him. "When Lucy mentioned that she had a daughter, I could hardly believe it, and yet here you are."

"Here I am," I agreed, smiling. I was sure I had never smiled so much in my entire life. "I know you love Mama."

Lion-man flinched, and his eyes darted to Mama before looking back at me. He smirked all too confidently. "Well, you are from the future," he said. "I wouldn't be surprised if you knew a lot more about me than just that." He spun me quickly away, and then tugged me hard against him. "Now tell me something important…"

I sigh, knowing what his answer is. We twirl a few more times in silence as I contemplate my words carefully. Finally, I tell him, "It took a lot of time and heartbreak. There was more blood than tears spilled at some points. Enemies were erased quickly, and there was minimal contact. However, when you met me for the first time, everything changed. It's like you accepted it finally, and after that, everything returned to normal, except you were more protective of me than her in the end. When my parents were killed, you kept me hidden and silent until it was safe. When they were gone, you looked after me."

I could feel tears start to form, and I tried to push these emotions of pain down. Loke suddenly embraced me, freezing in the middle of the dance floor. A few suspicious glances were shot our way, but neither of us cared.

"I understand that it wasn't easy…" he whispered softly. "Lucy told me about it on the way here, and I'm glad that even after everything, that I was still able to help you when she couldn't. I know she would have wanted that, for someone to be beside you. I'm not even close to being ready to let her go yet…but I'm glad that I have you with me in the future."

I sniffle and wrap my arms tightly around him. "Of course! You're my big brother Loke!"

I could feel his smile, and before I could enjoy our reunion, the song ended, and he escorted me away from the floor. He bowed to me and excused himself to go think about my words. I bid him farewell just as a cold yet warming hand slip into mine. Goosebumps crawled pleasantly up my arms, and I heard Jay ask, "Dance with me, my love?"

I turned to him, another bright smile on my face. He was striking in his dark suit, and I was already pulling him into a dance before I answered excitedly. "I thought you would never ask!"

Lucy's POV

Clapping erupted around us as the third song this evening concluded. I curtsied low to my partner and thanked him for a lovely time. He murmured a likewise compliment before he drifted into the sea of people inspecting the dancers. I had not spotted Thomas or even Lady Bennet yet, but I'm sure their dramatic entrance would be made shortly.

The gently tug of harp's strings signified the beginning of the next dance, I noticed the song from one of Lyra's many tunes she used to play me back before I had first joined the guild. It was a beautiful song about passionate love and heroes. I found myself swaying to its gentle rhythm, my eyes closed as I listened. I could barely recall the lyrics, but it had always been one of my favorites.

Warm hands glided against my skin, and with my eyes still closed I felt my feet gracefully moving with theirs, my hands, sliding up the steely muscles of their chest, and looping around the capacious shoulders. With each movement and touch, his body shuddered, and I bit back a laugh. My hand traced his chest, and I felt his heart beating rapidly against his chest. The dance pulled us together, and I nuzzled into him, the comforting smell of spice and smoke surrounding me. We separated, and I opened my eyes as the dance made us switch partners. I linked arms with a stranger with blonde hair, and he looked hungrily down at my chest. Ignoring him though, I only stared back into the onyx eyes of my partner.

The stranger and I spun once more and we shifted back to our original pairs. As I approached him, I felt something in my chest stir. My heart was flying, and a strange heat started to spread through my body like wild fire. When our hands intertwined, it only intensified, and I found myself unable to look away from his tanned face and beautiful eyes. I could sense the same unwilling desire coursing through him. The tempo began to quicken, and I was snatched away again by a partner, but our eyes still held. I could feel cold hands against my skin, but I didn't register Gray even when he mumbled, "You two need to get a room."

My partner fought his way back to me, such as the song suggested. This was the dramatic part of the song when the hero came for his lover, but she was being taken away from him. I switched arms with many different men, but I couldn't look away from those eyes. The song paused a moment, and suddenly I found myself before him. The harp plucked delicately and softly caressing its dancers with its song. The hero finally found his love, and it was almost a dream.

His hands reached for me and traced my cheeks, wiping away a tear I did not know had fallen. He stepped closer, our bodies barely touching. His eyes were heavy and spoke years of his longing. After the adventures we had, and the stories we made together, it all came crashing down to this moment, it was felt too surreal. The song was our life. Our searching and needing struggle we both shared, and we both never realized until this moment that everything we had been searching for was right in front of us the entire time. He needed someone who would stay with him. I needed someone who would be there for me.

Isn't that what love was?

Lucy, he whispered through the bracelets.

Natsu, I all but whimpered back, needing him to feel my longing for him.

His eyes flickered to my lips, breaking our connection for the first time since we started this dance. Without knowing it, I too looked down at those smooth lips slightly parted. His warm breath spilled over my cheeks as he descended towards me. I close my eyes, and lean forward, wanting more than anything to show this dragon how much of a fool I have been for not realizing it sooner. For not saying every day since the day we met that I—

Trumpets blared across the room, and I nearly jumped out of my skin. Natsu searched around, his fists clenched and ready for a fight. He looked at him curiously, and then he looked back at me, a blush on his cheeks.

He laughed through the mind connection and said, I guess this lack of magic is making me a little crazy. He scratched the back of his head, shooting me a grin before he shot into the crowd to find our daughter. I fumed. Dammit! This tension between us has got to end soon!

If we had made a scene earlier, no one seemed to notice or remember any more. Their attention was stuck only on the double descending stair case at the front of the room. How I had missed this when I entered the mansion was beyond me. Then again, this place looked a lot different when I was ten. At the top of the stairs stood the stars of the ball: Lady Bennet and Thomas. At the sight of him, my stomach started churning, and I wished more than anything to go back a few minutes ago and finish what I had started.

Lady Bennet's voice echoed across the grand ballroom as she welcomed everyone for attending. She introduced herself and then her son. Thomas nodded and bowed uncomfortably. While his mother still looked the same as ever, Thomas had grown to be a half decent looking man. It was a stretch, but he wasn't too terrible to look at. A grin played on my lips as everyone cheered, and the two walked down to join the rest of the guests. Thomas's head was bent low, and even at this distance, I could see his ears and cheeks starting to turn pink from all the attention. He was always shy when we were kids, even if he was a dumb manipulative bastard. Hmm... a good looking woman meets a shy boy with low self esteem? This was going to be too easy.

I started my descent towards the Lady and her son, confidence shining brighter than the jewels on my neck. Through my silver bangle, I sent everyone one message: It's go time.

Here we go... finally! Some action! Let's see if Lucy can use her seductive ways to charm her old nemesis. Maybe even get some payback for ten years ago? And I wonder if Natsu can take his mind off Lucy long enough to concentrate on his objective. Will he screw this up? Or will Gray be the one to start a commotion? Will any of this even happen?

I don't know! You'll have to read to find out hahaha