Lucy watched Zeref as he slept soundly beside her, his arm wrapped protectively around her. She smiled softly, remembering another young man who used to sleep just the same way. She was surprised at how much the dark haired man next to her was like her pink-haired best friend. She couldn't reconcile the boy in front of her with the image that history had painted of him. This was not an evil mage, just a scared and lonely young man who needed a friend. She shifted slightly and felt his arm tighten around her, as if he was afraid she would disappear as he slept.

Thinking about it, he probably was afraid of that. After all he had been alone on the island for four hundred years, so he probably thought she was just a figment of his imagination while he slept. She sighed and settled into his arms, trying to still her racing heart. Though they had known each other for only a couple of months, Lucy could feel herself starting to care for this strange mage. She smiled once more as she drifted back to sleep.

Zeref awoke to the feel of a soft body against his own and immediately his fears that Lucy wasn't real were alleviated. Slowly he opened one eye, smiling brightly as a mass of blonde hair greeted him. Even though it had been two months since he started living with Lucy, the sight of that golden hair never failed to lift his heart each morning.

He had been surprised when she had insisted he stay with her and even more so when she'd asked him to sleep in the same bed as her. At first he thought the girl was trying to seduce him, but it quickly became evident that she was just used to having someone sleep beside her at night. She moaned in her sleep, something he was used to.

"Natsu, it's too hot," She whimpered, shoving away from him.

Zeref froze. Natsu? Natsu's the one that's been climbing into her bed at night? Images of the two of them together flashed through his mind and he stood quickly, pushing them aside so that his jealousy wouldn't consume him and cause him to do something that he would later regret.

He hurried out of the cave and away from the blonde celestial mage. He had to get away before the magic exploded out of him and harmed the only living being he cared about.

Lucy awoke to find Zeref gone, which was unlike him. Normally he woke before her and would sit at the foot of the bed in silence. Sometimes he would be meditating, but usually he was playing with Plue or studying her keys intently, waiting for her to summon the dog spirit. Today he was just gone.

Hurrying outside, she noticed the way the flowers and grass seemed to wither. Healing the trail of decay as she followed it, she found Zeref sitting in the spot where they first met, his eyes fixed upon the lake. He didn't look at her as he spoke.

"I'm sorry," He whispered.

"For what?" She asked, gently, sitting down beside him.

"That," He gestured, turning to see the destruction he'd caused only to find that everything was exactly how it was before he walked by.

His eyes widened in surprise as he turned back to her.

"I don't understand."

Lucy shrugged, her heart clenching as she was reminded once more as to why she had been sealed away with this man.

"It's simple really," She replied. "I was sealed away here just like you."

Zeref was surprised by that. Lucy was the gentlest and kindest girl he'd ever met, including Mavis, so he didn't understand why she would be sealed away with him.

"Why?" He asked, his brow furrowing in confusion.

Lucy sighed, "Long story short, I have recently come into possession of a very powerful type of magic that I cannot fully control. My Masters thought it would be best if I were to stay here at least until I learn to control it. The problem is, with nothing and no one to practice on, I will never learn to control it."

Zeref nodded, knowingly, "My magic is the same way."

Lucy grinned at him, "I know. In fact, my magic does the exact opposite of yours."

Zeref's heart lifted at those words. Now he understood why she could get close to him without dying, she could regenerate faster than his magic could kill her. That was why, even though he could sense his magic exploding around him at times, everything remained in a healthy state of life. She must be subconsciously using her magic to keep the island alive.

He surprised both of them when his lips touched hers. He hadn't meant to kiss her, he had just been so excited to know that she was safe around him. Then she surprised them both by kissing him back, before quickly pulling away, blushing furiously.

Natsu stood at the head of the ship, his eyes straining to see Tenrou Island when he wasn't busy throwing up over the side. Erza stood beside him as Gray, Wendy, and Levy lounged in chairs on the deck. The Solid Script Mage looking decidedly nervous about the whole thing.

"Look, we're not going to get to the island any faster with you two standing there, straining to see it," Gray said in annoyance. "You might as well sit and -"

"That's it," Natsu interrupted, excitedly. "I see it."

Erza nodded a few minutes later, "Yes. We're almost there. I can't wait to see Lucy again."

Even Levy could agree to that statement.

Zeref was the first to sense something was wrong and Lucy stiffened a few moments later before the two exchanged concerned looks.

"Someone's here," Zeref said, his eyes narrowing to slits.

Lucy nodded her agreement, "Everything's gone still."

"You take the northern half, I'll take the southern half. Meet me at Hollow Cave in an hour," Zeref instructed as they both ran down the path that lead to the ocean.

Lucy nodded in agreement before splitting up with him, running the length of her stretch of coast. The island was small enough that an hour should be plenty of time to run from one half to the other unless you met up with some serious baddies along the way. They were both confident that whatever or whoever showed up would be either a member of Fairy Tail, and therefore welcome, or someone whom they could easily take care of.

So it was only slightly surprising when Lucy skidded to a halt upon seeing her closest friends disembarking from the ship. She waited until they were all safely off before finally speaking.

"Wh - what are you guys doing here?" She asked, tentatively.

They whirled in unison, running toward her.

"Lucy!"

"Luce!"

"Lulu!"

She would have fallen backwards at their weight if they all hadn't been hugging her to them, tears streaming from every face she looked at. She laughed quietly, before slowly disentangling herself to give each one a proper hug, lingering on Natsu's hug longer the rest.

"I've missed you guys," She laughed.

"We've missed you, too," Erza announced, pressing Lucy's head against her breastplate in happiness.

Lucy chuckled, "Same old Erza, I see."

They nodded, then a fell into an awkward silence before Natsu broke it.

"So what have you been doing around here? It seems like it'd be pretty boring when you're not beating up monsters," He blurted.

Lucy shook her head, "Actually, I don't really see a lot of monsters. Occasionally I'll see something that seems monster like, but so long as I stay away from it's territory it doesn't bother me too much. I've been spending most of my time with -"

Lucy cut herself realizing that they wouldn't understand if she told them that she spent all of her time with the darkest wizard in history.

"Lucy," Zeref's voice called from her left and they turned as a group to see the mage running toward her with worry in his eyes.

"You!" Natsu yelled, stepping in front of Lucy. "You're the bastard that tried to kill me!"

Before anyone could say a word Natsu swung his fist, fire lighting up around it as it connected squarely with Zeref's face.

AN: Don't hate me for the ending! It's plot, okay? I promise everything will be fixed in the next chapter!