Hours later night had started to fall and we set up camp in the middle of a forest. Quietly we all sat around the campfire, Dux was sitting at my feet.

"Still can't believe we're wasting our time-"

"Gray be quiet," Erza said harshly. Her eyes met mine and she smiled softly. "So where to next."

"I don't know," I answered returning my eyes to the fire.

"You don't even know where we can go to find them," Levy asked, anger still showing in her voice.

"Levy," Erza snapped. Zo said something about Roaring Skeleton's old master, but she made it sound like there was a new one, but, they were destroyed by, I thought myself.

"Unless," I said softly as my thoughts all gathered. "But that would mean, they would have a new leader, most likely someone stronger than him."

"What's Lucy rambling on about," Romeo asked.

"Beats me," Gray said looking away from us. My eyes widened as I drew the conclusion that Zo wanted me to draw.

"Felden," I said softly jumping to my feet, which scared Dux.

"Felden, why the hell would we head there," Gray asked. Our eyes met, fear in his eyes. I remained silent, and looked towards the others in the group, they had no idea why we seemed scared of Felden.

"You guys should get some sleep, I'll have first watch," I said walking over to a tree that was farther away from the fire. No one objected to me, and slowly they all went to sleep except for me and Dux.

Several hours later Erza awoke and walked over to me. "I'll take over, you seem pretty tired," Erza said taking a seat next to me.

"I'm fine," I answered looking towards the three that were still sleeping.

"Okay."

There was a long pause between us, the only sound of the wildlife around us. Dux was finally asleep at my feet and I was looking towards what remained of our little fire.

"Erza, why did you come with them," I asked looking towards the sleeping group of people.

"Because they need someone who can think logically," Erza answered. "As you saw earlier they just want to find them, they haven't once since we left thought about how to find them. I had to threaten them to follow me, and even then they were resisting my help." I nodded in agreement and remained quiet.

"Why are you searching for them alone," Erza asked after several silent moments. I looked towards Erza who was looking at me with caring eyes, her armor shimmering in the moonlight.

"I feel responsible," I said softly returning my gaze to the others.

"You're not responsible for their disappearance Lucy," Erza said softly.

"If you knew the things I do then you would blame me too."

"No I wouldn't," Erza's voice was sincere, and comforting. "Is that why you're not telling us why we're going to Felden."

"You saw Gray's reaction to just the name, if he knew why, he might just snap."

"He won't, he's strong-"

"Not that strong, none of us were," I said cutting her off, I pulled my knees to me and set my head on them. I tightened my grip on the machine attached to me, Erza noticed this action but remained quiet. "And now, they're suppose to be even stronger than then."

"And you don't think we can defeat them." Silence again filled the air, and for several long moments neither of us spoke.

"But we have something they don't," Erza said, breaking the silence.

"And what would that be," I said with a soft laugh.

"The motivation to save our friends," the way she said it, so confidently, sternly, stirred something in me. I smiled at Erza's words, the way she still had hope, that things would be set right. "It's been awhile since I've seen your smile," Erza said with a laugh.

"Shut up," I muttered, the remains of a smile still on my face. Erza stopped talking, but continued to smile. Together we sat, looking towards the stars, the only sound of the wildlife around us. "Thank you," I said softly.

"You don't have to thank me."