"I would like to make this a more regular occurrence." Lucy stared for a moment, turning over the statement in her head a few times.

"How often are you thinking?" She decided to test the waters just in case something was getting lost in translation.

"As often as possible." His voice had softened considerably, yet his eyes stayed serious. "I would very much like to make this a monogamous relationship."

"May I ask why? I mean you could have the pick of the litter, why choose me?" Lucy had pushed herself up on her elbows so she could get a better view of his face.

"My dear, you are the pick of the litter." He reached a hand out to brush her hair over her shoulder. "Can you blame me for wanting you all to myself?"

Lucy took a moment to study his response to her question, heat rising in her cheeks at the easy smile he was directing at her. The sincerity in his emerald eyes was mixed with a warmth from emotions that had never been directed at her before. Her mind was set on the fact that a chance encounter had lead to this, an impossible situation born out of pure luck and copious amounts of wine (god love the man who created the substance). Fear crept up from the back of her mind whispering that something was off, that this was too easy, and that he was far to much of a risk.

Could she handle a long distance relationship?

Was it worth the effort when she barely knew anything about the man laying naked in her bed?

Were there other women with whom he had this arrangement prior to her?

Did any of that matter?

How was he able to set her insides on fire, and make her crave his presence like it was more important than the air she was breathing?

Lucy found herself wanting to show him her world, to share herself on a level deeper than just physical contact. He had gotten under her skin so deeply and now she couldn't imagine it happening any differently. They had all the time in the world to work through the insecurities so long as they both wanted it badly enough.

"Well, when you put it like that, how could I possibly say no." Her words were breathy, as she fought against a wave of happy tears.

Rufus was so pleased with her response that he pulled the woman back into his body, pressing a soft kiss into the top of her golden locks. She was the perfect cure to his brand of madness, and leaving her was going to prove to be an exceptionally difficult task. He worked his way back down to her mouth, leaving a trail of sweet and soft kisses in his wake.

Lucy trembled as he pulled himself up to tower over her a second time, her body was still recovering but as his mouth continued down the line of her jaw the familiar hum of need blared right back to life. Soft gasps and moans filled the room as the intensity of his kisses grew.

"I swear you will never regret this."

Mira-Jane Strauss had seen a lot of crazy things in her years with Fairy Tail, but she had to admit that it was the first time she had seen a young and handsome Guild Master running around like the world was coming to an end. Sting was absolutely frantic even though he had only woken up a few minutes ago. The string of profanity only made the situation all the more bizarre. It wasn't proper to laugh when the situation seemed to be so serious, but it was far too amusing to keep the giggles at bay.

"Where the hell did he go?" Gray tilted his head as he inspected the spot where Rufus had just disappeared.

"Shit! This is bad!" Sting was pulling at his hair too panicked to focus on the scent trail that was leading into the bowels of the guild. "How the fuck did this happen?"

"Sting, shut up." Rogue growled, his thumb and index finger pinching the bridge of his nose in an attempt to battle off the effects of the alcohol. "We need to focus."

"What if he goes all psycho and blows up the town?" Sting wailed. "Shit, we have to find him! The fucking damage costs alone will ruin us."

"Stop whining." Rogue smacked the blonde upside the head. "He has no reason to take the damn thing off if she's still here." Rogue pointed to the mass of blonde hair that was sticking up from behind the table.

"Right, you're right." Sting took a deep breath in an attempt to settle his nerves. Once he was calm enough to think clearly again, he inhaled a second time to shift through the different scents in the room.

"Pri Pri, our time is up!" A puff of smoke called from the spot where a passed out Lucy had just been curled up. Mira couldn't hold back a full bodied laugh as Gemi and Mini revealed themselves to the group. "We're going back now!" They sang happily before disappearing.

"Doomed! We are all fucking doomed!" Sting screeched.

"You don't know that. Calm the hell down." Rogue smacked his friend again, even though he was starting to panic himself. "Rufus isn't completely unreasonable, he wouldn't let her take it off again. (I hope.) We have to trust his judgement."

"I don't trust his fucking judgement when he's like this! You saw it, the damn thing isn't working properly." Rogue's brilliant red eyes widened as the words sunk in.

"We're... dead, aren't we?" He swallowed hard dropping into a seat. "At least it was worth it."

"Was it really worth it?" Sting groaned as he started to pace back and forth.

"What the hell is going on?" Natsu's eyes narrowed as he looked between the two Sabertooth mages.

"Lucy-sama has a favorite." Yukino giggled, not even bothering to try moving. "I won't have to share any more."

"How long have they been gone?" Rogue was attempting to stay as calm as possible, his question directed at Cana. She was the only one to remain conscious after their game.

"I was fooled by the decoy, haven't even got a clue when the switch happened." She didn't seem concerned at all.

Natsu sniffed the air for a moment trying to figure it all out, but what he discovered wasn't making any sense. "Shit, when did she learn to do that?"

"What's your problem now, ash breath?" Gray was scratching his head, trying to figure out when the two had slipped out of the guild.

"Lucy figured out how to cover her scent." Natsu groaned, smacking his forehead with the heel of his palm. "Damn it, what the hell is she thinking? I need to find her."

As if on cue the front door opened and a pair of laughing blonde's stepped into the hall, hand in hand.

"Then they started fighting with each other, again. I really don't know what I'll do with the two of them, they cost me my rent too often." Lucy was making faces, and throwing her free hand around, exaggerating her point to an extreme. "One hundred thousand jewels right down the drain because they can't stop fighting!"

"The mask is still on; I think we're safe." Sting sank back into his chair, wiping nervous sweat from the back of his neck.

"So you still need at least one more job this month?" Rufus leaned against the bar, a lazy smile pulling the corners of his lips up.

"Provided my team doesn't destroy a town in the process, then yes, one more fair paying job should do the trick." She adjusted her skirt before perching herself on one of the stools. It did not escape Mira's attention that, not only were they both sporting wet hair, but Lucy had a completely different outfit on. "I could probably get away in about a week, is that alright?" Rufus had a thoughtful expression on his face as he tapped his chin.

"I think I can handle a week, but any more than that is too much." Lucy openly laughed, as she reached over to run her fingers through his loose hair.

"I think so too."

Cana looked over at the two blondes, deciding that she needed to investigate. She sauntered across the room intrigued by the conversation. With an eyebrow raised, Cana pulled herself up onto the bar with a fresh bottle of wine in her hands.

"Lucy, its not nice to deceive your friends like that." She let out a small laugh escape as her eyes roamed over the fresh love bites that littered both blondes.

"More importantly how the hell did you manage to cover your scent?" Gray asked from a safe distance; he didn't want to get too close just in case she went postal.

"That's my secret." She sent a wink to the half naked man who was in the process of removing more clothing. "And leave your pants on please."

"Why even bother?" Cana laughed as Gray stopped with his pants half way down his calves, cursing himself as he pulled them back up.

"Privacy?" Lucy shrugged her shoulders letting her hand fall into her lap. "I sometimes like to do things without the gossip mill getting all hyped up."

"So you set up a way to sneak out of the guild, on the spot?" Cana raised a brow. Cana was aware of Lucy's intelligent and fast paced thought process, but even then to trick Natsu's nose was nearly impossible.

"Sure, we'll go with that." Lucy's mouth curled into a smug smile.

"You are chalk full of surprises today, aren't you?" Cana decided that she was satisfied with the blonde's answers, and went back to drinking her wine.

"You have no idea." Rufus gave the brunette a lascivious grin that made the woman choke on her drink.

"You're absolutely sure you have to head back tonight, you just got here?" Lucy decided to drag his attention back to her, when she noticed the way his eyes were starting to darken again. She twirled the feather that was tickling her bust line around her fingers pulling his line of sight away from Cana. "They could always leave without you."

"If I stay, you wouldn't be able to take any jobs for a while." As if to prove his point Lucy was transferred into his lap. "I would rather you handle business first, then we can spend as much time playing as you want."

"I guess you have a point." Lucy giggled as she wrapped her arms around the back of his neck.

"Of course I do." His finger tips slid up her back slowly, bringing a series of shivers to make the woman squirm in his lap.

"I guess I won't waste any more time. NATSU!" Her sudden call startled her partner, he just stood there frozen like a statue. Lucy turned her head to face him, practically purring when Rufus started working his mouth up her neck. "Come here, already!" Natsu swallowed around the baseball sized lump in his throat as he forced his legs to carry him over to the two blondes.

"W-what do you want?" He was decidedly uncomfortable again, and really wanted to get out of the situation.

"Pick a job, a good one please." She pointed to the board before focusing her attention back onto the man who was driving her up a wall again. She started working soft kisses up his neck, enjoying the feel of the muscles tensing under her lips.

"Well I think we should get going soon." Sting folded his arms behind his neck as he walked over to collect Yukino.

"Go on ahead, I will give the two of you a head start." Sting and Rogue both stopped in their tracks, eyes wide in horror at the deadly tone Rufus had used.

"Go easy on them." Lucy whispered as she nipped at his ear. "They were extremely helpful earlier."

"Fine." He seemed a little disappointed, but with a beauty in his lap working her way back down his neck there wasn't much of an argument that he could bring himself to voice. "I will make this perfectly clear, right here and now. Lucy is off limits from now on, am I clear?"

"Crystal!" They both squeaked.

Sting gathered Yukino, throwing the giggling woman over his shoulder before he and Rogue made a mad dash for the door.

Lucy couldn't help but laugh as they disappeared.

"Juvia, you can collect now." Cana called to the blunette.

"We had that covered hours ago." Mira informed the others. "As Natsu likes to say recently, bruises don't lie." A sweet smile never left her face as she produced the photo evidence for a second time.

"You are really terrifying some times." Cana shook her head as she shifted through the stack.

"Bets are serious business; now let's get you a fresh mug." She tilted her head to indicate that the pair should have a semblance of privacy. Lucy and Rufus had abandoned all pretenses of secrecy at this point having entered a battle of heated kisses during the conversation.

Natsu didn't want to be anywhere near the two, but Lucy needed to know that he had finished picking a job so he simply cleared his throat. He tried three times before he finally gave in and walked closer, the embarrassment coloring his cheeks intensifying. He licked his lips before trying to speak, hoping his voice would be steadier this time around.

"G-got the mission Lucy." He cursed internally, as she simply held out her hand waiting to see what the mission was without breaking the lip lock. He reached out a shaking hand and pressed the request into hers before retreating to pick a fight with someone, anyone at all would do.

"Poor Natsu." Lucy laughed quietly as she read over the sheet of paper in her hand. "This will take three days max."

"Well then you will have to come visit when you get back." Reluctantly Lucy slide off the man's lap.

"You're absolutely sure you can't stay the night?" He hadn't even left yet and already she was pinning for more.

"Yes, unfortunately I am." He leaned down to press a kiss to her forehead before turning towards the door. "I look forward to your visit Lucy."

Six months passed in the blink of an eye, weekly visits were abandoned for every opportunity they could get. Lucy often searched for jobs that would give her an excuse to stop in to visit for at least a night, if not more at times. Over that time, Rufus decided that the red hat didn't suit Lucy's choice of attire so he replaced it with a blue version, along with a white feather. Even with the replacement, Lucy refused to give back the hat she had stolen the night they had become a couple.

She had it placed right next to the box where she hide the letters she frequently wrote to her mother, as a trophy of sorts.

Every time she came home it was there to remind her that she had been chosen, that she was special.

After a year Lucy had a fair amount of her wardrobe stashed in Rufus's closet. She spent less and less time in Magnolia Town, but it was still enough to maintain her apartment. They attended events together, even sponsored a few to promote guild relations together. They had even topped Sorcerer Weekly's power couple list for for forty weeks running.

The relationship was hard, but satisfying, and they rarely ever had occasion to fight.

That was until Lucy's nomination for the S-class promotions.

Rufus didn't want to take the chance that Lucy would disappear for another seven years, even if the chances of that happening were minuet. Lucy argued that it was an honor to be nominated, and there was no way that she would ever back down.

It was the worst fight they had ever had, and Lucy found herself unable to speak to him for two whole weeks.

When they finally did, Lucy ended up spending a full month where Rufus won't let her out of his sight. He even insisted on taking jobs with her even if it wasn't exactly something that was practiced often. He argued with both Guild Masters that their relationship was far more important than the guide lines of guild procedures, and to make it more beneficial he added that it was in the interest of both guilds. Things had been getting more and more dangerous with threats to high ranking officials and the time for the guilds to come together to work as a whole was more than likely right around the corner.

Two years, it had been two years since the day Lucy's life had chanced, and now it was changing again.

Lucy could only stare at the place she had come to call home with a sense of sadness.

It wasn't fair that the council used them as their scapegoat, disbanding the guild over a conflict that Fairy Tail had given so much to overcome already.

Many hardships fell over their wonderful guilds, wars had been fought and won at the expense of several lives.

Cities were destroyed and rebuilt, foes became friends and yet life never ceased moving forward.

Hadn't they proved time and time again that they were the most capable guild when it came to taking down enemies that the Council itself couldn't even touch?

Tears pricked her eyes as she watched Master Makarov close up the guild doors, and Erza hammer in the nails of a plank that said 'Do Not Enter'.

"Listen up brats, even if the Council has disbanded us, we are still Fairy Tail Mages. Never let that go, wear your emblems proudly and move on into the future. Live your lives to the fullest, and do what you feel is right." Even if the old man's words were filled with strength and conviction, the tears rolling down his cheeks broke Lucy's heart. "Now get out of here." Mira gave him a tight hug, silent tears racking her own body.

Words failed the blonde woman as she stared down at the guild mark on her hand.

"Well at least we know where you're going." Cana adjusted the bag that settled on her hip. "Sabertooth just got a little more badass."

"I guess you're right." Lucy gave the smallest of smiles, leaving her left hand tucked tightly into her pocket. "I never would have even considered it before this though."

"Don't worry Lu-chan, we are mages, we need to work to get paid. It's only natural that you would join another guild." She sighed. "I need to start thinking about that myself."

"I think I'm going to travel, see if I can't catch up with my dad." Cana didn't seem too enthusiastic about the idea, but Lucy smiled and patted her shoulder anyway.

"I bet Gildarts would love to spend getting to know you better."

"So Lucy, are you going to tell us what you're hiding before we all set off?" Mira raised an eyebrow at the younger woman as she approached.

"Cana hit it on the head already, I'm heading to Sabertooth." Lucy gave a warm smile to her female friends. "I really hope we all stay in touch."

Slowly she made her way back to the apartment that she rented on Strawberry street, a pit in her stomach as she thought about talking to her land lady for the last time. Lucy was going to miss Magnolia, along with all the memories that the city held of her days of adventure and the friends that were more like family.

She handed the woman her key along with the last month's rent.

All of her things had already been magically transported so all that was left was the trip.

She smiled down at the ring on her left ring finger, as she pulled her travel bag along the cobbled street.

An era had ended, and it was time to start a new kind of adventure.

The End!