Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail because if I did, the manga wouldn't suck right now.
A/N: Welcome back guys! I missed you all so much T^T You guys have no idea how much all your wonderful reviews mean to me… Thanks a lot for all the 'good luck' wishes for my exams and for all the support I just couldn't resist coming back, even though I should be listening to my ICT professor right now ;)
Nothing spicy in this chapter, sorry guys
Previously on D2L: and just this one time, she betrayed herself and wondered –
'I wonder what he's – '
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And once more he let himself wonder –
'I wonder what she's –'
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'doing right now' their thoughts coincided… well and so did something else –
"ACHHOO!"
Continue:
"Oi Heartfilia! You sure you're not dying in there or something?" Sting called for the millionth time as he sat comfortably on the said girl's couch, staring at her locked bedroom door in anticipation – glancing at his supposedly 'expensive' time piece every now and then.
"No Sting." She called back sarcastically, "Just wait a few more minutes will you?"
He sighed, "Women…"
And exactly two minutes later, the door swung open, revealing Lucy all dressed up in her black, shimmery evening gown, high-heels and hair curled at the ends.
"NOW I see what took you so long" He joked, smirking at her. She only rolled her eyes in response.
"You know there are going to be some REAL celebrities there" She replied, locking her apartment door.
"So you mean to say I'M not a real celebrity" He asked in an offended manner.
"Well of course you're not. It would take a girl three looks to notice you" Lucy teased, her head held up high in pride as she sat in the passenger seat of his car, not even once glancing at him. Sting just shook his head, smirking – Miss Heartfilia was certainly in high spirits today; whether that was a good thing or not, he couldn't really tell.
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'This is it Lucy…' She told herself, 'after this you won't ever have to look back at your past… you'll have moved on for real.' Taking a deep breath, she repeated to herself, 'yes… this time, I'll forget everything for real'
It didn't matter if it was the truth or not, all she needed was to believe in those words for now, because it was those words that got her out of bed this morning; it was those words that got her into this dress; and it was those words that pushed her into this car that was taking her to where she wasn't sure she wanted to go.
'I'll forget everything…' she continued, 'everything'
'everything…'
'Yes! Everything' she thought again this time forcing a smile. But she was getting frantic. Each time she repeated the words now, her belief in them kept weakening! Adrenaline was pumping through her veins at an incredible rate and if her lungs won't burst at this moment with all that hyperventilating, I don't know what will!
"Lucy? Are you okay?" Sting asked, raising an eyebrow, as he drove. Surely when the person sitting right next to you was hyperventilating like they were having a heart attack, would raise some concern…
'everything?! Do I want to forget everything?!' she asked herself in alarm but just as the thought came in, she slapped it out, 'shut up Lucy'
She fidgeted furiously with her dress but then for some reason she remembered again…Yeah, there was someone who always took her hand in his whenever she did that; right now she couldn't wish more that something would free her hand from her fidgeting right at this moment but alas, there was and will always be only one person who would do that and it was that person and the many things that only that person did and only that person could do, that Lucy planned to forget – yet, she wasn't too sure if she really wanted to. All she knew was she had to because that person wasn't hers. He didn't love her.
"LUCY?" He called her attention, louder this time and finally she turned to him with wide eyes, clearing being pulled out of a trance.
"S-sorry, just nervous." She told him and he nodded.
"I don't mean to make anything worse but you have no choice Lucy, your father and I have a deal and our betrothal was like a seal. If it makes things any better, I'm nervous too" He told her and how she wished he didn't speak like this was all a business deal even though she knew in reality it was no more or less than one.
As they drove through the gate, her anxiety had gotten to overdrive! She felt herself shrinking as the car came to a halt.
'This is it. No Winky-Dinks, no Plue, no puddles, no heart-shaped candy floss, NOTHING.' Was the last thing she thought before she walked into the hotel with Sting. It was ironic, the way the moment they walked in, all that anxiety, nervousness, fear, nostalgia, all was replaced by one thing – void.
It seemed so easy, the way she could shut away all her feelings and emotions and pull up that fake smile and cheerful persona as she greeted all the prestigious guests.
To some extent she liked it this way. She felt nothing – none of the pain, none of the yearning.
"Lucy! What took you two so long? Come, I must introduce you to Ivan-san. He has been awaiting your arrival." Her father greeted her. It seemed like he was putting up his fake smile as well.
"Yes father." Was all she said as she followed her father, meeting one person after the other.
"You have a really beautiful daughter Jude-san!"
"A doctor? That sounds like a very noble profession"
"Do you plan to complete your education in Hargeon?"
"Oh you remind me so much of Layla-san!"
They just kept talking and talking but nothing they said really got Lucy's attention. The words just slipped in through one ear and came out the other…
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Time seemed to pass by so slowly! And what was worse was that throughout the humongous crowd that had showed up, she just couldn't seem to find Yukino ANYWHERE! She sure as hell hoped Yukino didn't happen to fall ill or worse just decided to ditch her.
She continued to search the crowd for her light-haired friend. She remembered that she was supposed to meet that guy Yukino told her about. She didn't know what to expect. She sort of had a Rogue-look-alike image in her head.
She sighed and decided to get herself a drink, she began pushing through the crowd, wondering as she did – 'where the hell did so many people just pop out from'.
She was just pushing through when one of the waiters accidentally bumped into her causing her to trip on her heels and bump onto another person who was seemingly having a very hearty conversation and a glass of champagne when poor Lucy stumbled on him causing the champagne to spill and Lucy to completely lose balance this time. As complicated as it sounds, it really wasn't – the events transpired in no more than a few seconds!
But it wasn't this that took Lucy's breath away; it wasn't this that froze the shattered fragments of her heart; and it wasn't this that caused the world around her to crumble to pieces…
'This is not happening'
'This is not happening'
'This is NOT happening'
It was the softness of the hands that encircled her waist keeping her from falling; it was the familiarity of the scent that intoxicated her; it was firmness of the shoulder blade that she held onto for support; it was the raven mane that was just centimeters from her reach; and oh how much it was those midnight blue eyes that had not yet met hers…But when they finally did… recognition flooded within them…and Lucy could hold in no more, the tears that escaped her orbs as he said that one word that tore down the final barrier between them, "Luce?"
It was then that she knew, this was no dream, this was no nightmare, this was no illusion – this was Gray and this was real.
A/N: Oh my God this sucks. I don't think anything sucks as much as this chapter! *feels ashamed* I'm sorry guys, I've lost momentum It's gonna take a while for me to get used to writing. I totally spoiled what should have been a really teary reunion *sulks in corner*
I promise to get better… and try to update sooner…
NEXT CHAPTER SHOULD BE UP IN MAX 2 DAYS, OR EVEN IN A FEW HOURS IF I CAN MANAGE THAT. BUT PLEASE DON'T FORGET TO SHARE WHAT YOU LIKED OR DISLIKED ABOUT THIS CHAPTER…
PLEASE LEAVE A REVIEW
NEXT CHAPTER: After five whole years, Lucy and Gray are face to face. Will it all be rainbows and butterflies? Or will misunderstandings get the best of their minds?
DON'T MISS IT!
UNTIL NEXT TIME,
JA'NE!