A/N: So in Japan, July 26th is NaLu day for the Japanese NaLu shippers. I didn't know this, and I find it amazing.

To blue-espeon, thank you so much for sharing your thoughts and thank you for the compliments. I can't really say too much about Erin, because I haven't given him too much screen time, but I'm happy you're enjoying Falling Stars so far!

Thank you, natachoco. I'm trying to keep it paced well, but I'm not sure if some readers may not like how slow some things may be going, so thanks! Also, thank you for the compliment. It means a lot. For cocopuff123, even in a couple of words you make me smile. Thank you! x

THANK YOU, Ebon fire Red waters I'M SORRY FOR THE ANGST BUT AT THE SAME TIME NOT REALLY HAHA. It's kinda a feel-y time for Lucy at the moment… glad you enjoyed? Also, thank you clumzybeans as well!

Finally, to pikaace, on a simply note, thank you. I might've freaked out when I read your review. Maybe. I love your enthusiasm and THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING! Your words truly mean a lot.

What's On Your Mind?

"You humans are an especially horrendous bother."

The comment was spoken with obvious distaste as Porlyusica returned home to find five Mages and two exceeds that hadn't been there previous to her departure. They'd only arrived recently, after all. It'd taken some time to drag Natsu and Happy out of bed so early in the morning and to find all of Grey's clothes before they arrived. How the man's shirt had ended up halfway across the Guild, one could not comprehend. Nevertheless, after gathering everyone and making sure they were dressed, the group found themselves on the pink-haired woman's doorstep and let themselves in. As Lucy was asleep, Wendy had decided to attempt to heal her, yet unfortunately all she could do was take away the girl's fever, nothing more. And now, almost over thirty minutes later, the blonde had not stirred and her friends were being stared down with an intensity that made Happy shiver.

Porlyusica fixed the group with a sharp glare as she passed by them, roughly bashing her arm against Levy's during the journey towards her kitchen without so much as even a glance in the girl's direction. The Solid Script Mage pouted slightly, absentmindedly rubbing at the stinging area as she followed Fairy Tail's Medical Advisor's movements with her eyes. Carla folded her arms with a frown upon her lips as she muttered how rude and improper the action had been under her breath. Wendy hurriedly scolded her, whispering that the healer might've heard her and then thrown them out. Happy then reminded the Sky Dragon Slayer that he was quite sure that Porlyusica would do no such thing, and the rest of the group, Natsu, Grey and Erza, that was, remained silent.

As the elderly woman had realised that these stubborn wizards wouldn't be easily moved from Lucy's side during their frequent visits, she had given up on her attempts to drive them out while waving her broom in the air in a way that made it seem like a method of torture. And as death-by-broom did not seem likely to achieve on Makarov's brats, Porlyusica had simply decided to let the humans be. This, however, was not without making sure they knew of how irritated she was having them inside her home with every chance possible. Despite this, her horrid hospitality didn't waver them often, as Nakama would stay by one another's side, no matter what.

"I assume her condition has not changed during my absence." was the second thing Porlyusica said.

"It hasn't." Erza answered before glancing to the short girl beside her. "Yet Wendy did heal her of her fever."

"I tried my best." The young Dragon Slayer murmured quietly.

"Hmph." The unimpressed noise that left the healer's lips was the only response that was given before the subject was dropped.

"Will she be home soon?" Grey then asked.

"Soon." Porlyusica muttered. "All she can do for now is rest and regain her strength."

"But all she's been doing is sleeping!" Happy complained, saddened at seeing Lucy this way. He had taken a seat on the pillow that her head rested on as he watched her. "Can't she do anything else?"

"If you had lost as much Magic Energy in the same circumstances she had, cat," another sharp glare was sent the exceed's way, "you would not want to do much else. You should be grateful that she is still alive."

"That's correct," allowed Erza, "we should all remember that."

"Lu-chan…" Levy stepped closer and crouched down beside the bed, peering anxiously at her friend.

"She'll be alright." Natsu assured, folding his arms as he too stared down at the blonde with a sense of fondness in his eyes. "She's pretty tough, she'll be right in no time at all." He then turned his glance to Happy, grinning brightly. "And we'll go on a ton of missions, right, Happy?"

The exceed began to smile as well. "Aye, Sir!" He cheered with glee.

"Hey, don't go forgetting about us." Grey chuckled.

"That's right." Erza was smiling too as she stepped closer to her comrades. "We're a team, after all."

"You guys always hog Lu-chan!" Levy teasingly sang with false despair. "When she's recovered, I'm spending the whole day with her before any of you!" She was laughing as Lucy's teammates stared at her in mock horror.

"Like hell!" Natsu raised his fist as if looking for a challenge as he grinned. "Happy and I were her first partners, so she'll be catchin' some thieves first day back! I'd bet you a hundred jewel!"

"Well the next instalment in a series the two of us are reading is out in a few days!" Levy giggled. "So I think we'll be off buying it together!"

"No, I was thinking of teaching her some fighting skills," Grey pretended to drift off into deep thought when Erza butted in.

"The cake I ordered Lucy to celebrate her grand achievement against the Razor Fang Guild will be in any day now!" The scarlet-haired woman cried, eyes gleaming with delight. "So we'll be-"

"Um, everyone," Wendy said with slight awkwardness, timidly glancing back to Porlyusica, whose temper was rising alongside the volume of the wizards. "You're all being a little loud…you might wake Lucy up, and…" she pouted, seeing they weren't listening.

"They do enjoy to banter, don't they?" Carla let out a soft sigh, shaking her head although she was smiling at their childish antics.

"You guys got it all wrong!" Natsu hollered. "Lucy will be hanging out with me and Happy, fair and square!"

"Don't get too far ahead of yourself, Natsu," Erza warned in a joking way. "I think she may be growing tired of you and Happy after all the times you've broken into her home…"

"She's never really been fond of you two doing that," Levy added with a wink.

"Careful, now," Grey laughed, "or she'll get sick of you altogether!"

"NO~!" Natsu and Happy dropped onto the floor as they cried out in despair.

With that, the group burst into laughter as Porlyusica merely continued to glare at the overjoyed Mages.

The corner of Lucy's mouth quirked upwards just slightly, as if she could sense they were there.

"How about a compromise?" Carla suggested, in hopes that her proposition could calm the group down. "Everyone can stop squabbling like children and all spend time with Lucy together after she's recovered."

"I agree," Erza nodded as she looked to her friends.

They laughed and slapped each other on the back in their own good-natured ways, quietening down for the sake of their slumbering friend.

"As I said," Porlyusica said, "you lot are an especially horrendous bother. And exceptionally noisy too." She grumbled under her breath in annoyance. "Stupid humans…"

"I wonder what her deal is…" Natsu muttered to his Guild Mates.

"Maybe she ate some bad fish," Happy whispered back.

"Ah, that's probably it," said Natsu.

"Be quiet, you two." Erza hushed as they began snickering under their breaths. "Do not forget that we are guests here."

"It's not like we have an exceptional host, though," Grey murmured as he glanced to the healer across the room, who was busying herself with a large amount of medicinal herbs.

"Nevertheless, we will still show at least some respect." Erza responded.

Carla nodded.

Silence soon ensued, yet it was quickly broken by a peculiar sound that apparently came from the Fire Mage of the group.

Natsu grinned sheepishly and Grey rolled his eyes.

"Don't tell me that was your stomach," The Ice Mage groaned.

"Are you actually hungry, Natsu?" Levy questioned with disbelief. "I swear you ate just half an hour ago."

"I think you're mistaking him for when Erza and I were eating at the Guild this morning." Grey said.

"We picked Natsu and Happy up along the way here, remember?" Wendy added.

"Oh, yeah, I remember now." Levy laughed.

"Natsu and I haven't had anything for breakfast yet!" Happy wailed. "You guys are so cruel, waking us up without giving us any fish!"

"I'm starving over here!" Natsu cried as he gripped his stomach.

"Aye!"

"Well, we might as well feed you two before you cause a ruckus," Erza decided with a sigh. "Come on, now."

"FISH!" Happy screamed as he flew from the cottage.

"We'll be back soon, Porlyusica," Erza called as she followed after her friends.

"Hmph."

"I guess that's her way of saying goodbye," said Grey as he beckoned the scarlet-haired woman to follow. Erza didn't comment of his words, but merely shut the door behind them as they left.

After a few moments and deciding they were out of earshot, Lucy hesitantly opened her eyes and glanced around the room to assure herself that her friends were gone.

"I'm unsure as to why you'd keep something that's bothering you so deeply away from your companions."

Lucy turned her head, meeting Porlyusica's cold, scarlet irises that withheld any readable emotion. She didn't know that the healer was aware she'd been awake this entire time, nor how she also knew she was battling her own thoughts deep inside.

"If you cherish them as much as they seem to cherish you, it wouldn't be wise to hide anything that troubles you." the elderly woman continued. "Remember that." Her words were spoken with a tone of finality, and in a resigned manner that left the blonde staring thoughtfully for just a few moments.

Then she remembered her own emotions at that moment, and why she'd spent the morning giving the illusion that she was still in slumber when her friends had been crowded around her bed, waiting for her to wake.

The memory caused her chest to tighten.

LINE BREAK

"How is she?"

It was the question asked whenever Lucy's closest comrades returned to the Guild from one of their visits, being asked yet again. However, this time the query left Fairy Tail's latest recruit's lips before anyone else had the chance to ask themselves. It wasn't odd, either, in his new Nakama's eyes. She'd practically gotten revenge on them for the pain they'd put so many people through for him. This was a fact that he wasn't going to forget any time soon. No one was sure how he was going to repay the apparent debt he had, but all they knew was that he was going to find a way.

"Maybe it's a trait," had been Evergreen's take on the newcomer's actions, "that all Dragon Slayers have all that determination in their veins."

A few murmurings of agreement were heard soon after, yet Erin had said nothing in response.

Back in the present, Erza answered his question with a simple remark, "She's been asleep the entire morning." She glanced briefly at the boy before she headed towards the bar. Her sharp gaze rested on the Guild Master residing there, and the emotion occupying a space within her sienna irises was unreadable. "Master Makarov, I wish to speak with you." Her words were spoken in a tone that allowed a sense of uneasiness to blossom within the chests of those around her. Whenever their Titania used this manner of speaking, the matter at hand was one of strong importance. Many eyes fell on the S-Class Mage as she approached the Third Master. He simply nodded in a way of acknowledging her presence before him and her request, and rose from his seat. With a swish of scarlet hair, she followed after him, only a glimpse of her serious expression seen before she and Makarov disappeared into his office. The click of the lock was the cue for curious mumblings beginning to stir between the wizards who had just watched the strange reaction.

"I wonder what that was all about," muttered Max, propping his elbows upon the table he sat at, resting his head in his hands as his gaze flickered to those beside him. Jet and Droy both shrugged, their eyes focused on Levy, whose head was buried in a book as soon as she returned to the Guild. It was the tome that Lucy desired to read like nothing else, the ancient hardback with pages of golden lettering in an unreadable calligraphy. If the Solid Script Mage wanted anything, it was to help her best friend understand the last message her mother wanted her to receive. So she stayed quiet and immersed herself in translation, equipped with her Gale-Force reading glasses, ignoring the world around her.

"You know how it goes when Erza's looking all serious like that." said Nab. "I say we better look out about getting on her nerves anytime soon."

"Then we should probably get those two to stop," said a weary Laki. The few wizards near her followed her gaze and found it rested on Grey and Natsu, who were, once again, in each other's faces and ready for another showdown.

"Well, who would want to get in between Grey and Natsu?" Warren looked uneasy as he thought about Erza's reaction if she exited the Master's office to find her team mates fighting.

As if on cue, his question was answered as Fairy Tail's front doors opened and revealed Gajeel and Juvia, arriving back from a mission they'd departed for over two weeks ago. At the sight of the two former members of Phantom Lord walked in together, Grey and Natsu paused to stare at them in slight confusion. Although the two once worked together in their previous Guild, it was just…odd, seeing them side by side like they were.

"Oh, welcome back, you two," Mira greeted in her usual good-natured way, waving to the wizards, glad to see they had returned safely.

"When did you guys go on a mission?" Grey asked, directing his question towards the Dragon Slayer of the duo as he attempted to dodge an oncoming Juvia racing at a speed he didn't find natural.

"Did Grey-sama miss Juvia in Juvia's absence? Juvia missed Grey-sama, yet Grey-sama may now welcome Juvia back!" The Water Mage all but cried as she leaped towards Grey, who immediately backpedalled to escape before she grasped hold of him. His efforts were in vain as she clutched to him tightly, refusing to let go while none of Grey's comrades came to his aid, despite his desperate begging. Ignoring the chaos off to the side, Natsu stepped closer to Gajeel and narrowed his eyes.

"Yeah, Metal Head, why haven't I seen you around? And why did you go on a mission with Juvia?" queried Natsu as he stared the elder Dragon Slayer down. "You've missed out on a lot lately."

"Like I'd give a damn, or tell you what I'm up to, idiot." Gajeel muttered. "Juvia and I just went on a mission, I needed the cash, after all." He shoved past Natsu and hollered at Mira, "Get me some coffee!" He sniffed the air, then, and noticed a new scent among the mix. Following the smell, he found himself staring at Erin, who was watching in return. "We got a newbie, hey? What type of Dragon Slayer are ya, kid?" He yelled gruffly.

Erin frowned. "I'm nineteen, I ain't a kid." He didn't seem to like the metallic scent of the man shouting at him across the Guild, and scrunched up his nose. "You're Redfox, right?"

"What if I am?"

"Nothin'." shrugged Erin with a chuckle. "Just try to keep the peace, hey?"

"What did you just say-"

"Oh, Dragneel, I forgot about something." He rose from his seat and headed straight past Gajeel, stopping in front of Natsu. "Are you visiting Lucy again today? Sometime later this afternoon?"

"Of course we are!" Happy called from where he was attempting to hand Carla some fish.

"Yeah." Natsu said. "Why, d'you wanna come with?"

"Not exactly."

"He's quite dead set on this, isn't he?" Mira said to Lisanna, who had just reached the bar to talk to her sister. The elder Take-Over Mage lifted a hand to her mouth, hiding the cheery smile that had settled upon her lips as she watched the Earth Mage.

"Please," Erin continued, lowering his gaze, "give these to her, it's the least I can do." In his hands laid a bouquet of flowers, tea roses to be exact. He fidgeted with the coloured paper the blossoms were wrapped in, fingertips running along the smooth surface in a nervous manner. "I'm not sure if she'll understand the meaning of them, but…"

"If you wanna thank her, why don't ya just go visit?" Natsu questioned as he took the flowers, tucking them under on arm. He cocked his head to the side. "And what d'you mean?"

"Tea roses." Erin sighed, slapping his forehead. "In my town, everyone knows that each flower has a meaning. I picked these out for Lucy because of what she's done for me?"

"So what do these mean?" Natsu asked, looking down at the roses he held.

"Ah," smiled Erin, "they mean 'I'll Remember Always'."

LINE BREAK

.

"The letter you received was written by your mother a mere fourteen months before she passed away."

..

"It is written in an ancient script for the fact that it is for your eyes only."

…

"You must understand that great power is within your reach, and that you only need to grasp hold of it."

….

"…this journey is only yours to travel."

…..

These soft-spoken quotes lingered in the air around Lucy, grasping onto her and never allowing her space to breathe. She could remember each word perfectly, how each syllable rolled off the Dragon's tongue as she delivered her message before vanishing right before the Celestial wizard's eyes. It was almost as if the confrontation was haunting her like a spirit never laid to rest. The memory would not leave. Over and over, she would live through the conversation each time her eyes closed. Pondering over the vision – if it was even appropriate to call it such a thing – for hours on end was how the youngest Heartfilia had spent the day, and all it did was tighten the knots in her chest even further.

Were they visions, or was her imagination spiralling this entire mess into something completely out of the ordinary? Was this her subconscious answering her questions or was she just going mad?

The stars gave her no answer on this night, as they merely twinkled from their places in the dark sky above. The moonlight gave off a soft, white glow that illuminated the girl as she curled beneath her sheets, glassy eyes staring up at the heavens for nothing more than comfort.

Her lashes were damp with tears as they fluttered, yet even as she tried to blink the droplets away, more would appear and slide down her cheeks. Lucy closed her eyes tightly as a last resort as she pressed one hand against her lips to muffle the sound of crying. Holding feelings like these back would only make everything worse, she had found out over the years, and locking away her emotions would only delay the time they'd surface in the long run. So, she allowed her shoulders to tremble in her grief. The stress of this entire situation was eating away at her, as well as the horrid helplessness she felt. She normally had a love puzzles and cryptic messages just waiting to have their secrets unravelled, but the same adoration was not there this time. She just wanted the solving part of this equation over and done with.

Warmth flared against the palm of the free hand which she'd clenched into a fist in frustration. Her eyes widened and focused on her fingers as she uncurled them, only to find Stellaria's key resting there, something she did not remember grasping hold of. Her features softened, then, as she felt the gentle heat radiating off of the key, alike to the way Loke's or Plue's did whenever they sensed her discomfort even from the Celestial Spirit Realm. It was identical, the way in which this Spirit showed that it was with her when it wasn't physically near. She whispered the Dragon's name, and the light grew brighter. And as its jewels shimmered, Lucy realised that her dream had not been something of her mind's own creation.

She really had a Celestial Spirit's key in her possession.

However, if she attempted to summon it again it would likely kill her.

Lucy sighed then, reaching over and resting the key upon the end table beside her bed, watching the light fade until the room was only illuminated by the stars in the sky.

Brushing away her tears, she settled back down on her back and let her head fall onto her pillow. As the Celestial Mage yanked the covers up over her head and hugged herself beneath them, she was unable to see the gentle light on her bedside table, a soft yellow glow, barely visible yet still entirely there. It wasn't coming from any Celestial Key, that was for sure. All Lucy was aware of was the faint throbbing at the back of her head that she guessed was the indication that another headache was forming.

However, this was wrong.

It was something else entirely, merely a sign that the unknown magic slumbering in her veins was beginning to stir, starting its long journey into wakefulness.

In a tumble of stardust, the parchment beside the girl glowed as it did, a cluster of the various foreign runes upon the paper shifting, changing with a sense of mystery. They danced across the thin material, swirling until the light abruptly vanished.

When the girl awoke, she'd find a small percentage of translation completed with an ability she wasn't aware she possessed.

.

..

…