Jordeng2 here, just wanted everyone reading this to know that I have reworked everything. Same plot and everything, just a large amount of editing and rewriting to make things clearer. Thanks for checking my story out!

I am in love with Natsu Dragneel. Plain and simple. I don't know how it happened or when, but I had finally mustered up the courage to tell him. Today was the day.

The guild was quiet, which was weird for mid-afternoon. Mira was behind the bar drying mugs, Cana was passed out at a table, a barrel of beer between her legs, Levy was sitting with Gajeel in his dark, shadowy corner, totally engrossed in a large spellbook.

"Mira?" I asked, sliding into my usual seat at the bar. "Can I get one of your amazing strawberry shakes, please?"

Mira smiled, "Of course! With extra strawberry?"

I laughed, "Always."

Mira's long white hair swished back and forth as she made my shake. Moments later, the pink drink was in my hands, the straw between my full, pink lips. I don't know what she puts in her shakes, but I've never found a better one.

"So, Mira," I said, twirling my straw around my glass with the tip of a finger. "how are things with you and Freed?"

Mira looked at me in shock, a dark blush quickly rising on her soft features, "What?" She squeaked. The mug in he hands trembled and was nearly dropped. "What are you talking about, Lucy?"

Taking a quick drag of my milkshake, I said around sips, "Come on, Mira! I've told you all about Natsu, now it's your turn to spill the beans!" I paused for dramatic effect, "Besides, Levy and I figured it out weeks ago,"

From across the guild, Levy piped up, "Yep!"

"So there's no point in trying to deny it!" I finished with a smile.

Mira's mouth opens, either in shock or with an actual answer, but at that moment Natsu's voice rings out from the entrance to the hall.

"LUCE!"

I wink at Mira before swiveling in my seat to face a rapidly approaching Natsu. It's the perfect opportunity to tell him how I feel, a little more public than I would have liked, but that how things have played out.

"Natsu!"

He ran up to me, grabbing my hands in his much warmer, much larger ones. I could feel my cheeks heat up, but I tried to ignore it as I focused on his dark eyes.

Those perfect lips of his were moving up and down, forming words, and it took a moment to realize what he was saying.

"I have something to tell you."

My heart started to beat all funny at those words. In a rush I said, "I have something to tell you, too."

"Really?" His face is so cute when he's surprised.

"Yeah, but you go first."

"Okay, umm, well, you see," Natsu mumbled, scratching the back of his salmon colored head with one hand. "I'm replacing you on the team with Lisanna."

That funny thing my heart was doing a moment ago? Yeah, not so funny anymore. In fact, I think my heart may have stopped. I couldn't feel it or anything else, not even Natsu's hands surrounding mine.

I forced a frozen smile to my lips, acting like his words didn't effect me. "Really? Why?"

A light flush rose on Natsu's tanned cheeks and he wouldn't meet my eyes when he said, "We're dating now, so it's only natural for her to be my partner." He looked over his shoulder and smiled at the petite girl. "And now you can go solo, get lots of money for your rent, and get stronger so you won't be the weakest member of the guild anymore!"

He smiled that signature Natsu smile, that split your face in half, grin. The one that used to make me feel all warm and jelly-like inside, now only made me feel cold and fractured.

I could hear Mira behind us, the mug she had been holding, slipped through her fingers and shattered. The guild, for once, was perfectly silent.

"Oh," I respond after a minute, "I see."

Natsu waited a moment, expecting me to say something else. When I didn't he continued, "Now, what did you want to tell me, Luce?"

I studied our hands, where he still held mine. After a moment, I gently pulled out of his grasp. Meeting his eyes, I said, "Nothing, Natsu. It doesn't matter anymore." I could feel the beginnings of tears forming in the corner of my eyes.

"You sure, Luce?"

"Yeah. Just forget it," My voice cracked painfully. Natsu gave me a final quizzical smile before jumping up and running over to Lisanna.

"Lucy," Mira sounded as shocked as I felt. "Lucy, I had no idea."

A crash of thunder vibrated through the guild at that moment, lightning streaking brightly across the windows, illuminating the tears silently running down my cheeks. I didn't respond to Mira. I didn't respond to the quiet murmurs running like fire through the guild.

I pulled a couple Jewels from my pocket and gently placed them on the bar top.

Then, I walked silently through the large hall, weaving between quickly filling tables as the rain drove people inside.

I had a hand on the ornate door handle, when Mira called out, "Lucy! You can't go out in this weather!"

I smiled sadly back at her and everyone else who was paying attention, tears still sliding down my cheeks. "See you tomorrow everyone."

The door closed heavily behind me, cutting off Mira's scream of, "Lucy!"

Rain poured heavily from dark clouds. Cold and bitter, it quickly soaked through my meager clothes as I walked home. It mingled with the tears on my cheeks.

Lightning lit up the sky seconds before thunder rumbled through town. My eyes opened wide. I should have listened to Mira and stayed at the guild to wait out the storm.

I could feel the tingle of electricity on my skin as I picked up my pace, running through town. When my hair began standing on, I really knew I was in danger.

"Princess!" A familiar voice shouted beside me.

Only a few people called me Princess, namely Virgo and, "Loke! What are you doing here?" I shouted over a roar of thunder.

Loke kept pace beside me, "I sensed you were in danger!"

I couldn't hear him, "What?"

Instead of responding, Loke grabbed my arm and jerked me into a small alcove between buildings. A striped tarp hung above us, blocking most of the rain.

"What are you doing out here? Why aren't you in the guild waiting this out?" Loke asked, roughly shaking his head to dispel the clinging water droplets.

Images of Natsu's smiling face filled my mind and tears spilled from the corner of my eyes.

Loke, not knowing what to do with a crying female, simply wrapped his strong arms around my shaking shoulders, holding me tight and waiting for the worst of the storm to pass.

"Come on, Princess. Let's get you home." Loke said a while later.

Rain still fell, though sparingly. It felt good, the freezing droplets soothing my skin.

When we got to my apartment, I handed my keys to Loke and he opened the door, gently ushering me inside, before closing it with a click behind me. With smooth movements, he led me to my sofa and wraped a worn afghan around my shoulders.

Loke squeezed my knee and smiled at me before slipping into my kitchen.

"Here," he says, minutes later, sliding a hot cup of tea into my hands, "Drink this. It'll warm you up."

Silence stretched between us. From the corner of my eye, I saw Loke studying me, a muscle in his face working as he tried to phrase what he wanted to say.

He opened his mouth to speak, but I beat him to it, "I'm sorry, Loke."

He looked at me in surprise, his eyes widening behind his shades, "Sorry? What do you have to be sorry for?"

"I'm so sorry." I said again, my voice barely louder than a whisper.

"Princess, you're worrying me," The panic in his voice is evident as he moved around my small coffee table to kneel in front of my. Reaching out, he brushed my blonde hair from my face, cupping my cheeks in his large hands.

I felt tears drop from my eyes again as I met Loke's, "I'm sorry I'm so weak."

Loke's mouth opens and closes a couple times as he processed my words, "What?" he finally asked, a touch of steel lacing his words.

"I'm sorry you're contracted to such a weak mage -"

Loke sharply cut me off, "Why would you think such a thing?"

"Natsu said -"

"What did he say?" It came out as a growl.

I told him, every word, every action, everything that led to me being outside in the storm. When I finished, Loke looked about ready to burst, his face reddening with anger.

"I'm going to kill him. Damn the consequences," Loke snarled, stalking toward the front door.

"Loke," I called after him, grabbing his arm just as he opened the door. "Please don't."

"Why?"

"Because," I hesitated, not really sure how to finish my sentence. "Because he's my best friend." I finished lamely.

Loke knew I was lying, he could probably see it in my face. A couple seconds of close scrutiny and Loke sighed, closing the door.

"It's late," he said.

"Yeah. It is." I replied.

"You should sleep,"

"Probably."

Gently, Loke steered me through my tiny apartment, settling me into bed. He tucked the sheets around me like my mother used to do when I was little. As he was doing so, he murmured, "You know you're the farthest thing from weak, right?"

"Yeah," I said after a moment of heavy silence.

Loke doesn't believe me, I can tell in the way he moves around my room, closing the door, making sure the window is locked. He returned to my bedside as I was drifting into sleep. I could just barely feel his fingers trail a path from my cheek, round down to my jaw.

"Goodnight, Princess. Sleep well." And suddenly there was no one standing beside my bed. Not my lion spirit, not Natsu, no one.

I didn't sleep well that night. My dreams were different distortions of what happened at the guild today, and all of them left me crying when I woke up.

It was during one of those horrid wake ups, that I decided something. My dreams got better after that.

Morning came sooner than I would have liked. Bright sunlight filtered through my sheer curtains and hit me square in the face. I groaned and rolled over, burying my head in my pillow. When the light didn't go away, and instead got stronger, I finally pushed myself out of bed.

After a hot shower, I was feeling refreshed and much better. The ache Natsu left in my chest having receded. As I changed and packed, I thought a couple things over in my head. Most were Natsu related, but not all.

I felt a stir in the magic around me a moment before Loke's voice rumbled like thunder through my apartment.

"Good morning, Princess. Going on a mission?" He asked, eyeing the bag in my hands.

"Hi, Loke. Something like that." I slip the box containing my letters to my mother to the bottom of my bag. "That should do it."

I was working the bag onto my shoulders when Loke came up behind me and pulled it off. "Hey!" I shouted.

"Let me take it," he smiled, easily slipping the bag onto his well built shoulders. "Someone as beautiful as you, Princess, shouldn't have to carry such a heavy bag." He winked, following me out the front door, and onto the cobbled streets of Magnolia.

"You're a flirt," I laughed, as we made our way to the guild.

"I am well aware," he replied with a smirk, running a hand through his fiery mane of orange hair. "Are we going to the guild?"

"Yep," I stated simply.

"Why?" Loke questioned when I didn't divulge anymore information.

"Because I need to talk to the Master for a moment."

We walked the rest of the way in comfortable silence. I can feel Loke's eyes on me every couple of minutes, until we reach the guild. The guild was practically empty when we opened the large front doors. It was relatively early, so it didn't really surprise me to see only Mira, and a passed out Cana, there.

"Lucy!" Mira rushed out from behind the bar counter and threw her arms around me. "I was so worried about you!" Mira was in full mother bear mode and insisted on checking every visible inch of skin for injury. Satisfied I wasn't hurt anywhere, she locked eyes with me, "Are you okay?"

Knowing she was talking about yesterday, I shrugged my shoulders, "More or less. I think I saw that one coming from across Fiore and just refused to see it."

"So, you're not angry?" Mira asked in surprise.

"Of course I am. That bastard kicked me off my own team."

Mira laughed daintily, "And your heart?"

Sighing, I said, "It will heal in time." With a smile I asked, "Is the Master in?"

"Yes. Why?"

"I have to talk to him about a few things," I respond evasively. Loke followed me to the staircase and we ascend in silence.

I could feel Mira's piercing blue eyes on us the entire way up.

Outside Makarov's office, I turned to Loke, "Please don't say anything while we're inside." I said in a hushed voice.

Loke nodded his head. Satisfied, I rapped my knuckles against the Master's door.

"Come in,"

"Good morning, Master," I said, taking one of the open chairs across from the small man, Loke taking the other.

"Lucy, Loke, what can I do for you this morning?" Master asked, pushing a pile of papers to the side so he could speak with us.

I smiled sadly at Master, and took a calming breath before I said, "Master, I wish to leave Fairy Tail."

Makarov's mouth opened and closed like a fish trying for air out of water. He couldn't seem to find his voice at all.

Loke found his voice before the Master did, "What?! Lucy, you can't! Fairy Tail is your home!"

I held up one of my hands, the one with my guild mark, as a way to stop further protests from my lion spirit and the Master. "I've thought about this and it's what I want." Looking Makarov square in the eyes, I explained, "It's not because I hate Fairy Tail; I love Fairy Tail and everyone in it with all of my heart."

"T-then why?" Makarov's voice cracked.

I studied his office a moment, the documents piled high on his desk, the book lined shelves, the large window framing the rising sun, before answering, "I'm weak." I met his wide eyes, "and I want to become stronger."

"You can't do that here? With your family loving and supporting you?"

I shook my head sadly, "No. I need to do this, Master. Please."

Makarov's eyes were sad, tears brimming along the edges as he came around his desk to face me. He offered me his hand and I took it. He covered my guild mark with his other hand. A pale green light shone from where he had my hand sandwiched between his. A moment later, the light was gone and he stepped back, releasing my hand.

"Will you be back?"

I study my hand, twisting it this way and that in the light. Nothing but my pale creamy skin stared back at me. I had grown so accustomed to seeing the pink guild mark that looking at my bare hand brought tears to my eyes.

I smiled down at Makarov, "Of course, I love Fairy Tail. I could never just leave it behind."

Loke watched silently as I hugged Master, no, Makarov, goodbye, wiping the tears from his face and mine.

I stood on the threshold of his office a moment, Loke behind me, "I will be back, I promise." Then I let the door close with a soft click.

I could hear Makarov's voice through the door, "You will always have a home here, my child."

I smiled sadly at that. I nodded to Loke, who squeezed my shoulder before walking down the wooden stairs.

"Everything okay, Lucy?" Mira asked, polishing her mugs, just like always.

I couldn't help but think I was really going to miss this, her.

I pulled her into a quick hug, "Lucy?" she asked.

I move back just far enough to see her expression go from slightly confused to full out concern as she caught sight of my hand, sans guild mark.

"Bye, Mira," I said.

"Lucy?" The barmaid blubbered, tears springing to her eyes.

I smiled lovingly Mira, then I turned and walked out of my home. I didn't turn back. I couldn't. If I did I would see Mira's crying face and I wouldn't be able to leave.

"Where now, Princess?" Loke asked as I wound our way through town.

"The train station."

"And from there?"

"I don't know, Loke." I said honestly. "For now, I want to be as far away from Magnolia as possible."

Loke thought on this a moment, but when I glanced over at him, his jaw was tight and his eyes were hard.

Sighing, I said, "You're not happy about this." It wasn't a question.

"No. I don't think I could be happy about this. Fairy Tail is your home, our home, and you're just leaving everything behind." He responded as we boarded the train, I didn't look to see which one.

"You need to understand, Loke. I'm doing this to get stronger. We will return one day." I said quietly.

Loke lets out a breath from his seat across from me. "I know," he said eventually, his voice losing all traces of anger.

I watch out the window as the train clicked down the tracks.

It hit me then that I have no idea where we were going. "Do you know where we're going?" I asked Loke.

He smirked knowingly at me, "Somewhere very far away from Magnolia. I think you'll like it."

"You're not going to tell me, are you?"

"Nope!"

I gave him a look before returning my attention to the flashing scenery outside the window.

"You'll help me, right, Loke?"

"Always." Was his soft spoken reply.