Chapter Twenty One

The transportation the girls tracked down was actually a huge time saver. I was honestly a little irritated at first, there was zero chance I'd get to talk to Lucy in private if the 13 of us were all crammed together in a carriage. But at least Wendy refreshed the enchantment on the troia lacrimas. Man, that little girl was useful. She did warn us though that the more we used them the less effective they'd become so we decided to make sure we only wore them when we were in a moving vehicle. The last thing I wanted was it to wear off in the middle of a bumpy ride and I end up throwing up on Lucy. Talk about embarrassing.

Everyone was eager to get back to Fiore and I couldn't blame them. The guild had been left on its own way too long. I thought I could trust Rufus to not let the paperwork pile up but if he went out on a job with just Orga in charge…I didn't even want to think about the mess that idiot might have left for me. It's been over two months since we arrived in Crocus to help Lucy. Luckily the cart Erza got us cut the trip to Reino from almost two weeks to less than three days. We were supposed to drop the cart off, take the train from Reino to Ermina and get passage back to Fiore. The cart was making up for all the time the group had wasted dragging my sorry ass through the snow.

We had just stopped for a rest and for Gray to repair the cracking rear wheel. We should be in Reino in a few hours. It was early evening but we were eager for home so we decided to just travel through the night. I'd finished lifting the wagon for Gray to fashion an ice lock on the wheel to keep it strong. Man these Fairies had some versatile powers. Not only was Gray good to have in a fight, he could use his powers to strengthen and reinforce objects, not to mention sled my ass down a mountain. I was impressed with the ice princess, and more than a little grateful.

"Hey, man," I said once we finished repairs. "I just wanted to say thanks again, for getting my ass off that mountain."

"Ah don't mention it," he shrugged it off.

"For real, we'd probably still be in the forest if it wasn't for you." He squirmed, a little uncomfortable. Damn, what was with these fairies? Can't take a compliment for shit.

"No big deal," he said. "Besides…Lucy would have kicked my ass if I just dragged you by your leg like I wanted to." I smiled at the thought of Lucy being pissed on my behalf.

"So…uh…you and Lucy huh? For real?" I did not want to have this conversation with the ice mage. From the look on his face he didn't really either.

"Yeah," I said. "I hope so at least." I rubbed my hand through my hair, my familiar comforting ritual. I hoped this would be over soon.

"Well, at least you're an arrogant dragon slayer who knows how to say thanks. Could be worse." He just walked off, leaving me standing there gaping at his bare back. Did he mean he'd rather Lucy choose me than Natsu? I had kinda thought all the fighting between Natsu and Gray was just them joking around. I thought they were partners like me and Rogue. But maybe Gray didn't really like Natsu after all? Or maybe…maybe he just thought I'd treat her better.

I decided to use the remaining break time to go find her and talk to her myself. She obviously wasn't pissed about what happened with Khavary, but something was still a little off about her. I didn't think I'd get a better chance than now to get to the bottom of it. Besides, we hadn't been alone with me actually awake in weeks, there was a lot more that I wanted to do than just talk.

So I followed my nose, chasing after that sweet and tart scent of strawberries and cream. I found her in a clearing a little ways into the woods, next to a small creek. I was gonna go right up to her and pull her close, hold her like I'd been aching to for days. But she wasn't alone. She was sitting on a rock, her feet dipping into the water, and her beautiful mermaid spirit floating above her. I didn't know what they were talking about but Lucy had a sad little look on her face, the mermaid had her arms crossed, glaring down her nose.

My first instinct was to run to Lucy and defend her from whatever…I don't know…scolding, the siren was giving her. But Lucy had been through hell and back to get Aquarius' key and they hadn't gotten more than a minute together during the battle. I decided it was none of my business and I'd better stay out of it. So I quietly backed up into the tree line and made my way back to the cart. See? And people think I'm dumb.

Erza called for a halt to repair a wheel on the cart, everyone disembarked and busied themselves with something. Gray and Sting worked on the wheel, Yukino and Minerva took Lector and Frosch to stretch their legs. Wendy and Carla were hanging out with Juvia, Jellal and Erza, telling a sweet story about something that happened during the month they spent with the Strauss siblings. We'd have to reach out to them when we got back. I decided there was no better time than now to have a conversation that I had been dreading. I grabbed my whip, made sure my keys were secure on my hip and went off in search of some water.

"Lucy? You're going the wrong way." Loke's confident and, lets be honest, slightly smug voice sounded from behind me.

"How do you know?" I demanded. How dare he question my skills? I could find water no problem!

"Because you walked right past that creek three times and haven't even looked at it." I stopped in my tracks and whipped my head around to see where he was pointing. And sure enough, I could see a small stream through a gap in the trees. Stupid, cocky lion. I'd hate his interference if he wasn't almost always right. But sometimes I really wished he couldn't open his own damn gate.

"Thanks," I grumbled, brushing past him and ignoring the smug look on his face. I took a seat next to the creek and braced myself for the conversation I was about to have. I wanted to see her so badly, and I felt like maybe she'd be happy to see me too. She seemed like it, during the brief few minutes I had with her during the battle. She seemed like her usual self. But I was scared that I had betrayed her trust and made her suffer.

"Lucy," I felt Loke's warm hand squeeze my shoulder. I leaned my head towards it, pressing my cheek against him. He was always there when I needed him. Stupid lion, maybe it was ok he could open his own gate afterall.

"She missed you too," he whispered in my ear. "Call her, she wants to see you." And then he left.

I took a deep breath and held the familiar yet new key out in front of me. I traced my thumb over the blue lines, the sacred mark of the water bearer, gritted my teeth and channeled my magic.

"Open, Gate of the Water Bearer! Aquarius!"

A swirl of light and wind appeared over the little creek, churning the water into a miniature cyclone and there she was. My oldest and dearest friend, Aquarius, in all her…fury? Disgust? Whatever it was, she did not look happy to see me.

"Uhh…hi," I said meekly.

"Don't you 'uhh hi' me you little brat!" She crossed her arms and turned away from me. "What the hell took you so long to summon me, Lucy?" She turned back to me, eyes flashing, throwing her hands up in anger or exasperation, I couldn't tell. "What? Am I not your most powerful spirit anymore? You can't use me in a fight?" Oh my gods. She was jealous! I giggled.

"Oh, it's funny to you is it?" She grumbled, turning her back once again.

"No!" But I laughed again. I couldn't help it. I felt such joy just having her near me again. "I'm really sorry, Aquarius," I tried to induce some seriousness into my voice. "Really, it's not that. I just wanted to…to protect you I guess." I looked down, a little ashamed. She'd protected me so often and I had only just gotten her back. It wouldn't be fair to put her in danger again so soon. I had trained so I could fight better beside my spirits. So I could protect them too. Aquarius had sacrificed her key for me and my friends, I would not let Khavary get to her. To use her.

"Lucy," her voice surprised me. It was soft, gentle, loving. "We'll protect each other from now on." I nodded at her, smiling with all the gratitude I could show.

"Besides," she huffed, "I'm not sure I would've liked fighting in someone else's body." She shuddered. "For real though, I told you before not to summon me from inside that skank again!"

I laughed for real now. I knew she wasn't actually mad. She liked Juvia afterall. They had a strange bond, probably because of Juvia's appreciation for Aquarius' element. And I was sure Aquarius knew there was no other way.

"I am sorry though," I told her. "Sorry it took so long, sorry we…we didn't have a chance to speak sooner."
The mermaid let out a frustrated sigh, dropping a little so her tail was just brushing the creek. Oh gods, I hope she wasn't gonna tidal wave me.

"You did what I told you to do, what we had to do to save your friends," she drifted closer to me and I could feel her cool fingers brushing the hair from my face. "It was worth it, do you hear me, brat?"

"Yeah," I said. "I hear you."

We sat in silence for a few moments, I think we were both lost in thought. I knew there was so much more to say to her, but honestly, I didn't know where to start. I wanted to catch her up on the guild and tell her all about the journey I took to find her, about my friends who helped me along the way…about Sting.

"So," I said. "You and Scorpio doing alright still?"

"Why?" She snapped, her eyes narrowing. "What did that whore Libra say to you? What did you hear?"

"Nothing! Nothing!" I held my hands in front of me trying to defend myself from her accusations. "I just haven't talked to you in so long! And I can't have girl talk with Scorpio, that would just be weird." She seemed to accept my reason because I saw her deflate a little as her anger left her, shoulders slumping.

"We're fine," she said bluntly. "It's been tough, no Earthland date nights. But we've been making up for lost time."

"That's so good to hear!" I squealed, excited that my friend was still with the spirit she loved. "Oh! Juvia!" I exclaimed, eager to bring her up to speed on all the gossip. "Juvia and Gray finally got together! So did Erza and Jellal!"

"That's great," she smirked. "I always knew those two would be better with boys than you." I flushed at her insult, even more hesitant to bring up Sting.

"What about you, brat? Did that pink haired idiot finally make a move?" Oh, oh I thought the other spirits would have told her? I really didn't want to talk about Natsu leaving again. I had been doing so well, he's barely crossed my mind these last 3 weeks.

"Well, ummm…" I hesitated.

"Lucy, I'm kidding. Loke told me all about it."

"Oh," I looked down, embarrassed.

"Yes, he wouldn't shut up about it," she sounded angry now, whether at how annoying Loke was or at Natsu for leaving, I didn't know and didn't want to ask.

"I-um-I'm sorry," I told her. She snorted.

"For gods sake, girl, I'm not mad at you." She still sounded angry, but then she pulled me into a fierce hug.
"I'm the one that's sorry," she whispered into my hair. "I'm sorry you were all alone. I'm sorry you only had that stupid feral lion to comfort you." Was she crying? I never thought I'd see the softer side of the water spirit.

"I'm sorry I let you go," I told her, hugging her back.

"Everything's gonna be ok now, you hear me?" She held me by my arms, forcing me to look at her face. She looked stern and beautiful, like always. "I'm back, you won't lose me again. And besides….Don't you have a boyfriend now?" She looked at me with a playful smile and a raised eyebrow.

"Wh-w-what?" I spluttered. Did I have a boyfriend? We'd never said, hadn't really talked about us at all since before the battle. But…he did say he loved me…if he remembered…if he even meant to….

"You can't hide it from me, Lucy Heartfilia! Loke and Virgo told me everything…Shibari huh?" My face flooded with embarrassment.

"Oh no, that never happened!" Stupid Virgo, I was going to kill her. But Aquarius just laughed. She was good at that, laughing at my embarrassment.

"Never thought I'd see the day when hopeless little Lucy Heartfilia could get someone to fall in love with her," she wheezed between fits of laughter. Gods she could be so mean. "Guess you finally got some real sex appeal, huh?"

"Aquarius!"

"What? He's hot, I'm just shocked you could pull someone like that!" Oh gods, I hope Sting never finds out another of my spirits thinks he's hot. That boy's ego was big enough already.

"Hey!" I yelled at her. "Is it really that funny that someone could love me like I love them!?"

That stopped her laughter instantly. She looked at me with a sweet smile on her face and once again I felt her cool fingers on my cheek, a loving caress.

"No," she whispered. "No, it's about time someone did. I hope he always deserves you."

I smiled at that. Sure, she could be cruel, but I knew she really did care about me. She always showed it, in the end.