Okay….First, I know I have another story to update but this idea struck me and seriously I couldn't concentrate on my other story (The story of Lucy Aria Huángzú, please check it out). I hope you enjoy the start of another one of my story. Please excuse my amateur skills.

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Me, Myself, and I are holding hands. We promise to work harder and to do are best. My team (full of myself) would like to thank the wonderful people for reviewing me, following me and so on.

Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail, I wish I did, but I DON'T! (I_I)/

After the GMG, Lucy had detached herself from Team Natsu. After being defeated in the GMG, she had realized that her current self wasn't all that strong. Of course, that doesn't mean she thinks as herself as weak but she wanted to become stronger. Her defeat, twice, meant she needed to become stronger because it reminded her that she needed the strength emotionally, mentally, and physically. She didn't want what had happened in the past to happen again… She will become stronger for herself and for all those who care for her.

Lucy quit Team Natsu, because she felt that she needed to focus on training and her team wouldn't be able to help her with that. She reasoned with them that she would only hold them back because she is focusing on a goal and being on a team would distract her from it. She didn't want to burden them either, but that didn't mean they stopped being friends or stopped hanging out together. Though, she did stop them from barging into her house. They would go on missions together but that only happens on some occasions. Lucy still did girl time with Erza, and still hung out with Natsu and Gray but it was crucial that she get stronger….

You see, not only did her defeat make her realize something but it brought back the pain of her past and this time… she couldn't ignore the scars of her past.

After the GMG, Lucy asked Erza if she could her. Erza had agreed and set a certain time period every day. If she wasn't doing that then she'd be searching further enhancements she could make for her magic. She had even asked Loke and Capricorn with her training. The one thing she can't seem to help with is how to deal with her past…

2 months after GMG~

Lucy's POV

It was dark and there was no one but me. Nothing was happening yet my body was tense and afraid…but of what?

Then I realized after hearing the voice of that one person, I knew what was going to happen. I know…

A grunt resounded in the room and I tried to run. I tried.

'You bitch, this is your fault.' I felt excruciating pain in where he grabbed me. I was held by the arm in a tight grip that was surely leave a bruise and cut by the way his nails dug into her arm.

'Stop using your mothers face, you worthless brat! You disgrace her and all she is!' I heard the slur in his words which meant more was gonna come. I cried as silently as I could not wanting to upset him further.

'You are never gonna amount to her. Your ugly, stupid, and have no value other than giving birth for another man!' I was hit physically with every verbal attack.

I was breathing heavily already. 'You were never supposed to be born. I never even wanted a daughter until Layla said to keep you after I suggested abandoning you. I wanted a son and this little shit is what I get! The only purpose for you is to sell you off like the whore you are.'

'I wish you were never born! If you weren't born then Layla would have never died. You killed her, you sucked her life force. You should have DIED not HER!'

No! No! I didn't mama. I –I didn't... 'No! No!'

'You dare speak back to me, you in grateful brat! You only got to live until now because I let you!' He grabbed my face to look at the man that had given me this pain and haunted me every day, reminding me. That man was... Jude Heartfilia, my supposed father.

He reached to grab something to return the insolence I had given him. He was going to punish me. His grip on my face loosened and I turned to run.

BANG

I shot up from bed screaming. I was panting and I was slick with sweat. My heart was pounding against my chest. Tears were spilling from my eyes….. I had been crying in my sleep again and I was now still crying….

A flash appeared in the corner of my but right now I didn't care. I felt arms embrace me into a calming and warm hug. I returned to hug and cried in the chest I sought comfort in. "S-sorry hic L-Loke hic."

Loke shushed me and just stroked my hair in a comforting manner. "Princess, it's okay. Don't worry, I'm right here…"

I had calmed down about 10 minutes later and steadied my breathing back to normal. Loke had positioned me where I laid my back against his chest and hugged my waist from behind. He gave me the comfort of not being alone. All my spirits know of my past and the pain that came with it. They've been supporting me since I got each and every one of them but I never had these reoccurrence of nightmares since I joined Fairy Tail. Fairy Tail gave me the sense that I wasn't alone anymore and I was blissfully distracted by the adventures they gave. The reassurance of them being my family they gave made me feel safe from these nightmares. But lately the fears, dangers, and challenges from those adventures. They have been building up lately, though I have been able to get past them, after two defeats in front of everyone, the stress of all that triggered back these nightmares. There is only so much I can take. That stress caught up to me at night through my dreams.

This isn't the first time I've had these dreams. I had them every night after the Grand Magic Games and got more intense after I quit Team Natsu but this was needed. I can't keep running from it…

Just then, I felt a twinge of pain coming from my left arm. I looked at it and there was a bruise forming and cuts created by nails. This usual happens when I have my nightmares. I inflicted it upon myself in my sleep, unconsciously. I probably gripped my arm in my sleep trying to get the arm that I thought was there off.

I wiped a hand over my face and breathed out a sigh. "Loke, I'm going to take a bath." I clean my cut first before bandaging it.

"Princess, want me to join you?" I sent him a warning glance. "I know, I know. Why don't you call Aquarius to bathe with you like you use to when you were little." I nodded and got out of his embrace. Loke, of course, let out a grunt of disappointment.

"Thanks Loke" I gave him a smile. He smiled, "Any time princess." He disappeared with a poof.

I walked into my bathroom and stripped off my pajamas and pulled Aquarius' key and summoned her.

When she appeared she just sighed and held my hand, leading me to the hot-tub bathtub.

Aquarius POV

I sighed at Lucy. I've been with her since she could use magic. I was her first spirit and her first friend.

Flashback-

Lucy was 7 and it's been a year after her mother died. She was bruised and beaten plus her eyes were red and puffy.

'Lucy! What happened? Did he hurt you again?!'

'It's okay Aquarius. Mama told me everything will be alright. Besides, as long as I have you and Cancer, I'm fine.' She smiled at me.

Flashback end-

Lucy was the only master or rather friend that had seen through my façade. It's a self defense mechanism that I built ever since we were treated like tools and to constantly serve our master. When it's just me and her or just her spirits, I don't act like I do when she summons me with other people. It's a habit. She understands that… and she tolerates my attitude.

Lucy is a strong girl. No matter what's thrown at her she takes it head on and if she falls, she gets back up. But….

I sat in the hot-tub/ whatever you call it. It was big enough to fit five people but I went behind her to scrub her hair for her and massage her scalp at the same time. She was tense.

Lucy scrubbed the rest of her body except her back. I was the one who washed her back but while I was, I noticed something but I'm not sure how she would react.

"Lucy…" She hummed back, questioningly

"Your scars…. There showing again…It seems the cream has worn off…" Lucy tensed before she sighed.

Like I said, Lucy's strong and believes she can't burden her friends of a past they wouldn't want to hear about. She's always been afraid to show anybody her scars. It wasn't scars she received from a great battle. It wasn't scars she received from an accident. It was scars she received from her own father. A man I despised with all my heart, Jude Heartfilia. He had hurt her in the worst way possible, inside and out.

Lucy's POV

When Aquarius mentioned that my cream had worn off, I had tensed. If I don't cover it sooner or later, someone from the guild is bound to see and others will know. They will then question me. I won't be able to answer them as I am now, more like I don't want to. I won't know how to tell them, I'm not strong enough yet. That's also the reason I'm striving to get stronger. If I get stronger physically, it would give me a reassurance that I can do it. That I can protect myself and the ones I love and never fall back to weakness like I had when I was with Papa. I'm also afraid of what will happen after I tell them.

I went over to the mirror in my bathroom and turned around and looked back. It's true…

On my back there was a scar that started from the left of my shoulder to the middle of my back. Another scar intersected that one going the other direction and was half the size of the first one. There were smaller scars, though they were still bigger just smaller than the first two, were in a kinda zigzag pattern on the right near my shoulder but just a bit further down. The last one on my back was a shot scar, created of course by a gun. It was on my lower back on the right.

I turned around and faced the mirror. There was one scar on my lower abdomen about the size of hand. I had a couple more scars but those were minor and faded. I traced the one on my stomach. I ran out of cream and I need to ask Cancer for more. The cream has magical properties. I smooth it over scars and it conceals my scars and moisturizes my skin. The only reason I didn't had more scars than I did was because of Cancer. When I had the power left to summon Cancer, he would treat my wound and make sure they wouldn't scar. But back then, I wasn't as strong as I was today so the scars that are now on my body are the unfortunate accidents with my father that I couldn't recover quickly enough and gather my magic to summon him. I was too weak, if only I had been stronger…

I was too lost in thought to remember that Aquarius was still behind. She snapped me out of my daze when she spoke, "Cancer says another set of cream will be ready by 7"

"Thanks Aquarius not just the cream and the bath, but for everything you've done ever since I met you." I smiled at her.

"If it weren't for you guys, I probably wouldn't be here. I would've probably crumbled…"I couldn't hold it in, tears streamed down my face.

Especially Aquarius and Cancer, they were my only comfort when I was younger. If I hadn't had friends like that then I wouldn't be the person I am today.

Aquarius just hugged me and stroked my back. I giggled a little; Aquarius isn't use to comforting people.

I walked back into my bedroom. Aquarius had gone back, bandaging me before leaving. I slipped my garments on before putting on a tank top and shorts. I looked at the time.

4:54 A.M.

The sun is going to rise soon so I might as well take a little walk to calm myself. Besides, I don't think I would be able to go back to sleep.

I grabbed a cardigan with its sleeve length passing my hand and the cardigan itself reached mid-thigh. I also grabbed her keys and put it in one of her cardigans pocket.

I walked outside and over to the ledge of the river. I walked on the ledge for a little while not noticing the group of people walking towards my direction. I stopped and looked at my reflection in the water.

There was no one boating today so the water is clear. It was reflecting the star and it was breathtaking.

"Lucy?"

I was startled by the sudden voice that snapped me out of my daze and I was started falling into the river.

I was caught by two different hands…

Cliffhanger! Sorry and also I'm putting a POLL FOR PAIRING PLEASE VOTE! Thanks for reading. Until the next chapter….