A/N: Ice here! This was written for litashe's Fairy Tail Writing Challenge; as such, this is unbeta'd. I dislike how this came out, but I couldn't come up with anything better in time for the deadline, so bear with me. My writing muse has been dead for… pretty much forever.

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Dreaming is a wisp of thought, a slow exhale of your soul that resonates from within like a breath of fresh air, even as you are drifting…

The first time Lisanna sees her, two thoughts immediately spring to mind.

The first is that the blonde is unquestionably stunning, and Lisanna feels an uncomfortable twinge in her chest when the girl smiles at Natsu. Perhaps, Lisanna thinks to herself, it's just her imagination, because she's never felt anything even close to… to-

-but a second twinge that tugs on her heartstrings forces Lisanna to grudgingly acknowledge the feeling that is threatening to spill out and flood her chest. Natsu returns the girl's smile, his face beaming, and Lisanna thinks for a moment that she might break.

The second thought is a consequence; it is the aftermath, the turmoil left behind from the first thought, and it is that Lisanna is utterly, completely, irrevocably jealous of this golden-haired, beautiful girl. This girl and Natsu… they are but comrades thus far- a slayer of dragons who chanced upon a caller of stars one fateful night at a harbor- but Lisanna knows Natsu better than she knows herself, and she can already tell that there is something between the two mages, not quite tangible, but a wisp of a promise that threatens to explode into a bright and colorful reality, filling the space around them with happiness and lo-

It's not easy to place her finger on the connection that is so obviously there- what is it, exactly?- but Lisanna knows that it's there; its essence is quintessential, a base of all that is Natsu and her, and it makes her squirm, makes Lisanna want to scream out that it's unfair, that she's not dead, and that she doesn't want to be replaced.

They're walking away from her, smiles glowing brightly on their faces- Natsu is walking away from her, leaving her, forgetting her-!

Lisanna wakes up with a cold sweat covering her body and a chill running down her spine despite the torrid heat of the sun that is beating through her window and shining into her eyes. Still, even the heat of the sun is unable to scorch the mental image of the smiling girl from her dream, the irradiance and… and blithe perfection of her.

Lisanna doesn't realize that she is shaking until her sister (no, her sister's counterpart) comes to the side of the mat, and hugs the younger alabaster-haired girl so tightly that the shaking stops and Lisanna is suddenly overcome by the warmth that emanates from Other Mirajane's body, reminiscent of his heat. Hot tears begin to spill from her cheeks, and Lisanna clenches a delicate hand to the warm, comforting arms around her, choking back a sob as she starts to cry.

"Shhh," Other Mirajane coos. "It's alright. Bad dream…?"

Lisanna only nods and refuses to think about the oppressing feeling that is hovering over her head like a dagger poised to kill; and if only it were merely that- a bad dream.

She knows the girl is real, and it terrifies her.

Lisanna is on the top of a tower, and she is watching.

The girl is falling, tumbling to her death. Lisanna's breath catches in her throat on the edge of a scream as the golden, sunny strands fall about the girl's face as she plummets to sure doom, because she may not know the girl, but she seems important to Natsu, and if the girl is important to Natsu, then Lisanna must put forth an effort to accept her as well.

Then again, it's impossible not to accept the girl. Lisanna sees the blind fear on the blonde's face, sees naked, raw emotion flickering in the depths of her chocolate orbs, and realizes. In that odd way of knowing things as one does in dreams, Lisanna knows that the blonde girl may be vain and conceited at times, but she is also honest and kind and loyal and good, and the girl will always be with Natsu, for better or worse, watching over him from the sidelines just like she always used to…

The panic that grips her is released when a flash of pink enters her peripheral vision and Natsu shows up to save the day, leaping up in one great bound to slam against the girl, his muscular arms encircling her body, and Lisanna feels a surge of something that is both jealousy and relief.

She wakes up with a bitter taste in her mouth.

The next dream doesn't involve Natsu at all, but the girl is there, tauntingly, jaw-dropping beautiful in an elegant dress that she dons in a genteel manner, and Lisanna wonders to herself how she's never noticed the grace this girl exudes despite the chaotic atmosphere of Fairy Tail.

Lisanna silently trails behind the blonde, watching the stunning, fuchsia fabric brush the floor of the quiet halls as they approach a large door. The girl halts, takes a deep breath, and presses the doors open.

Lisanna hangs back with uncertainty, feeling as if she is about to intrude on something important, but follows anyway, curiosity winning out over caution. They step into a large room, where a man is sitting, broad shoulders stiff and jaw taut, refusing to acknowledge the girl. The beautiful girl's delicate lips part, utter a single word:

"Father," she begins, and the scene that follows nearly blows Lisanna away.

A surge of pity and pride wells up in Lisanna's heart as she watches the girl stands her ground against this man who is undoubtedly intimidating, her resolve and faith in Fairy Tail shining through like the stars she commands. Lisanna gives a start when the gorgeous dress is suddenly torn to shreds, but she can't deny that the girl is still stunning, her spirit adorning her body in a much more flattering manner than the dress could ever hope to achieve.

The girl leaves with her head held high.

Lisanna awakens with a dim, budding understanding of what it is about this girl that Natsu finds so magnetic.

And the time after that, and after that, (and after that, and why won't it stop?) that dim understanding blossoms into full-out comprehension. It strikes Lisanna, unwilling as she is, that this girl will wait for Natsu to overcome the here and now of matters like Igneel and dark guilds and missions before confronting him with more complicated things like young love.

She knows Natsu better than she knows herself; as such, Lisanna recognizes it. Perhaps he doesn't know it, but he's in love with this girl, and not with her anymore, because she's gone, and, and-

-perhaps it's not really a matter of being 'replaced', but more that this girl allows Natsu to forgive and forget and just live. Lisanna understands the feeling of living in the moment (of being in a parallel universe, of being surrounded by those who are your comrades- and yet, not quite- and of wanting to shrug away problems and just exist).

The girl knows that much, Lisanna knows. Lisanna watches the two as the dreams (glimpses into a distant reality) become more frequent. Lisanna feels a rather grudging amusement through some of their sillier adventures together (ranging from being sucked into a magical book to comical misunderstandings) and twists in her chests observing some of their more sullen, quiet moments.

And somewhere within her, Lisanna breaks.

This time, when Lisanna opens her eyes, crystalline sapphire meets with warm, melting orbs of chocolate.

The girl is in front of her, standing right in front of her, and they are walking on nothingness, and yet this doesn't seem to bother either of them. In this dream, their only purpose is each other's presence, somehow.

Lisanna looks at her. She looks back, an unreadable expression in her eyes.

"You're Lisanna?" The girls says to her, a small ghost of a smile gracing her lips.

"You're…" the name comes to her, sudden and alien, but it feels… right. "Lucy."

Lucy nods slowly, bites down on her lip, and hesitantly murmurs, "Are you… dead?"

Lisanna bites back a sharp response, stops herself, questioning her answer and its consequences. Finally, a tense moment passes, and then, "Yes," Lisanna says stiffly.

Lucy's eyes fill with… pity- wait, no- is it… understanding? She nods her golden head, accepting the answer without acknowledging its underlying meaning.

"I love him," Lisanna simpers faintly for a second before all traces of happiness vanish, and she corrects herself. "I… loved him."

"I know," Lucy says simply, and the dream ends, her pale rouge lips mouthing three simple words that are brimming with plain, simple truth.

"So do I."

She knows, somehow, that this is the last of the dreams, because Lucy's resolve is strong and feels final. It radiates off from the blonde as she crosses the threshold to her abode and shrugs off a bag, smiling faintly at a snoring Natsu who has sprawled himself on her rug.

Lucy's smile, Lisanna notes, is overflowing with warmth and understanding and patience and love. It makes her want to mourn, it makes her sad; it makes her… grateful that there is this girl that can accompany Natsu while she is not around, and the truth aches almost physically.

Lisanna closes her eyes, waiting for the dream to end (for the reality stop), and takes one last glimpse of Natsu, taking in his sleeping form with hungry eyes. He's the very picture of obliviousness and ignorance, and it makes her want to laugh as she begins to cry.

Her lips move of their own accord. "I love you, stupid," Lisanna whispers.

Synchronous, Lucy mouths the very same, and turns off the lights.

A/N: Commentary and criticism is welcome, as usual. I'll be honest- this makes me want to crawl in a hole and die. Or something.