Makarov watched his guild sit in sad silence. Since Lucy had left things had become too quiet around the place. Not even Natsu and Gray fought, sitting together in a silence that spoke volumes about how much they missed their blonde friend. He sighed, wishing he could bring her back, but knowing that unless she learned how to control her newly discovered magic that it would be impossible. He frowned as he continued watching. Even those that rarely spoke to Lucy seemed quieter and more subdue and he couldn't help but wonder if his guild would be this quiet from now on. He surprised himself by hoping that things would return to normal eventually.

"Fairy Tail sits too quietly," Mavis whispered, appearing before him.

He nodded, sadly, "Without Lucy the guild is very subdue."

She turned and looked at him with saddened eyes, "Yes, but she is safer there where she can learn to control her powers without coming to harm from those that would view her magic as evil or tainted rather than the gift it is."

Makarov was torn between agreeing and wishing that the light of his guild could come back and bring her light with her. He watched as Natsu stood, punched the table, and headed out with Gray and Erza following soon after.

What are those youngsters up to? He wondered.

"We have to find Lucy," Natsu snarled as soon as he was out the guild doors. He didn't understand how the Masters could let her go like they had, but he was too angry with them to ask.

"Maybe it's better if Lucy is away from us," Gray argued, but his defeated tone gave away the fact that he too missed the blonde.

"How can you say that?" Natsu demanded. "Lucy is our nakama, our family. Without her we're not whole and without us, she's not whole either. She needs us."

Erza nodded her agreement at Natsu's words.

"Yes, we need Lucy," The red-head stated simply.

Gray looked between the two in exasperation.

"What Lucy did - no other person, even Wendy, could do. And she doesn't even know how she did it. She would be in danger if she stayed here," Gray pointed out. "People would turn against her once word got out that she has that kind of magic. Not only that, but don't you think people who missed their loved ones would demand that she bring them back. She would be pressed on all sides with people who wanted her bring others back and people who thought her magic was unnatural and she should be executed or something. She's safer wherever she is."

Natsu clenched his fist, but not even he could argue with that. Lucy was the most important person in his life, but Gray was right, if she came back and people learned what she could do she would be hunted by one party or the other. He sighed, deflating a little, then brightened.

"Well, then we will just have to learn where she is and go to her," He replied, the first smile since Lucy had left appearing on his face.

Erza nodded her agreement and Gray sighed, knowing those two would never see reason in any argument he gave them against that.

"I will ask the Master and see if I can get answers," Erza decided. "Gray, you talk to Levy and see if she knows something. Natsu, you knew Lucy best, go to her place and see if you can find any clues as to where she went. We have to be with her."

Natsu nodded eagerly, heading to Lucy's place, which he had decided to keep up the rent on for when Lucy returned. She would want her old place back after all, and so long as they kept the rent up the landlady didn't mind keeping the apartment open for her.

Gray sighed and headed back into the guild, wondering if the bluenette could really know anything about their best friend's disappearance.

Lucy sat alone in what had become her favorite spot on the island, right by the lake. She had sent Loke home, seeing that he really needed rest, and had come down here to think. She was starting to get used to the quiet, though she missed her friends dearly. She was so used to the quiet, in fact, that she literally jumped when she heard a twig snap behind her.

Whirling she came face to face with a person. Her mouth gaped for a moment, surprised that someone was on the island with her, then she remembered what Mavis had told her about Zeref being locked away on this island and her mouth snapped shut, turning into a grin as she stood.

"You must be Zeref, I'm Lucy," She said with a wave.

The dark-haired man looked at her with sad eyes for a moment.

"Yes, I know," He replied. "And yes, I'm Zeref."

Lucy's grinned widened, Zeref didn't look like an ancient evil mage. He looked more like a boy of her age, lost and lonely. She decided that she rather liked this boy, despite what history said about him.

"Well, I'm here to be your friend," She announced, her head tilting to one side.

Zeref blinked in surprise, hearing the last thing he'd ever expected anyone to say to him.

"My friend?" He questioned, his head tilting in a mirror image of hers.

She nodded eagerly, wrapping an arm around his.

"Come, sit, and tell me about yourself," She demanded, pulling him toward the lake.

Zeref was so surprised that she touched him without dying that he didn't even realize that he'd followed the blonde until he was sitting beside her, his head resting on her shoulder. She smiled softly down at him and for the first time in a very long time, Zeref smiled back.

Mavis told me she was the Light of Fairies. Now I understand why. Lucy, I hope you stay.

AN: I've had a few requests to see how the guild reacts to Lucy being gone, so I'm going to try to incorporate their side as well. We'll see how it goes.