Okay so this is short, and I apologize for the long wait just for this little bit. I'm just kind of trying to gather exactly how I want the next bit to go. I'm excited to get to the mystery man unveiling but I don't want to rush anything! the struggle is real!

It was a whole week before anyone came to check on the celestial mage. Cristoff showed up in the middle of one of her training sessions with Loke and Capricorn. He propped up against a tree on the outskirt of the clearing they were tearing through. He was impressed with the tenacity the blonde showed. She was absolutely ruthless in her pursuit of the spirits. When one would get knocked to far out of range, the other would seamlessly step in to keep the flow of the fight going. Kicks and punches were exchanged, all three taking their fair share of hits. Cris wasn't really sure what que he missed but suddenly the flow of battle changed.

Loke came at Lucy with a savage roar, hands glowing in his Regulus magic, while Capricorn charged in with a determined gleam in his eyes. Lucy stood with her eyes closed in the middle, looking as calm as could be. When they got within range, Lucy dropped into a crouch punching upward into Loke's stomach and knocking the lion spirit out of range. Spinning up out of the crouch, Lucy rose with a kick out at Capricorn. The goat man deftly blocked it but he wasn't expecting the flip she incorporated into the motion which put her heel smashing into the underside of his chin and her landing in yet another crouched position. She didn't have much time to rest before Loke was on her with glowing fists again. Lucy met him full force and the shockwave from the colliding forces almost knocked Cris off his feet. He looked at the space the who had met and saw them in a standstill, both fists shining and neither budging an inch.

"Ah, Miss Lucy, you have a guest," Capricorn interrupted as the two leapt away from one another. The blonde seemed to have to shake herself out of the haze of battle.

"Cristoff, what are you doing here?" Lucy asked as she took a towel Virgo popped out to give her.

"Everyone was worried so I volunteered to come check on you. Plus, I thought you'd want an update on what's going on." The lunar slayer watched as the blonde began to stretch herself to keep her muscles loose. It was almost like watching a weed wave in the grass sea, the fluidity she moved with.

"Honestly, I'm not sure if I want to know. I'm sure I've been handed blame for quite a bit that went on, and I know everyone is alive, I'd have been informed otherwise by now." She had a downcast look when she thought about the people she'd come to enjoy blaming her for something that honestly wasn't her fault. Yes, Laxus left with her, but he was going regardless. At least this way, he wasn't going to be alone. Oh well, if they wanted to be upset with her, they could. She was in such a weird state mentally she didn't really care.

For the past week, she'd felt like she'd been watched. Her spirits assured her that everything was fine and that there was nothing to worry about, but she couldn't shake the feeling that there was indeed something out there. One night, she was having a nightmare and was on the verge of full consciousness when what felt like a large body slipped in the bed around her and soothed her back to sleep. She'd thought it was Loke, until he assured her the next morning that he was with Aries the night before.

"Well yeah, everyone is alive. Freed is doing better, Emzadi has been fawning over him like a mother hen. She's done a number for his confidence and he's seemed to ground her a bit. They really do make quite the pair," Cristoff started rambling on, even though he could tell something about it all was bothering the blonde. "Laxus and Xally have been taking things slowly. They'll sit on the back deck most days and just talk. I don't think Laxus is quite ready to mate but he's not rejecting her, so that's always a good sign. We think," Lucy cut Cristoff off right then.

"Can you tell me something?"

"Well yeah, what is it Lucy?" She had a look that said she was completely lost. Like she knew what she wanted to ask about but not quite how to say the words.

"How do you know?" At the questioning look from the dragon slayer, the blonde clarified. "How do you know you've been around your mate? I know the feelings are a tad different for the non-slayer, but what exactly are they?"

Cristoff was stumped by this. Lucy had been around all the slayers enough that if she were someone's mate, they'd know for sure. She wouldn't be having to question him now.

"I know it sounds crazy, but what if there's another slayer?" Cristoff was stumped. Though it was slim, there was always the chance of there being another slayer. Hell, no one knew if all the dragon lacrima were accounted for. It was highly unlikely, but not impossible.

"I wake up every morning like I'm missing some vital part of myself. I've been having nightmares as well since everything happened. Mostly about losing Aquarius, but some nights, it's like a presence comes in and just soothes all that pain away. Then, the next morning I wake to my pillow smelling like damp earth and I'm in a bed that's way to warm for just one body. My heart breaks a little each time I wake up to find that I really am still alone. It's like I know someone is there and they're supposed to be there, but they don't stay. Am I not good enough?"

Cristoff had to run to catch the blonde as she slowly dropped to the ground in tears. What she'd just described was exactly what a mate would go through if their slayer didn't stick around to solidify their bond. They'd get teases of the process and the break period would hit them harder and harder until they broke. Cristoff was determined to figure out what was going on, otherwise it could very well be the end of the woman he was holding in his arms.