I'm sorry this took so long! I have been spending a lot of my spare time drawing and working on my new NaLu fic ehehe but worry not my friends! I will certainly not forget about this story~ Though I do wish more of you would review so I can know whether or not people are enjoying the story!

Really, the Afterlife was beautiful.

Once Wiatt showed up to help guide her, the empty space that had been around her before was no longer quite so empty. In fact, it was quite the opposite. Now, they stood within an incredibly colorful forest. The flowers that grew were nothing like anything that Lucy had ever seen nor read about. There were colors that she wasn't even sure she had ever seen before. All she could do was look around with her mouth agap.

She felt completely stunned by the things that she was seeing.

"The Afterlife is different for each soul," Wiatt explained after several long moments passed, effectively shocking the blonde woman out of her admirative state. He watched as her amazement shifted into grief when she remembered where exactly she was. "You, my dear, are quite the lover of many things. This is but a small taste of what awaits you here."

Lucy's sad eyes looked to the ground. Even the grass was an incredible shade that she wasn't quite sure she had ever seen. A part of her wanted to sit down and enjoy the feel of the grass against her skin, though another part of her couldn't fully appreciate the beauty that surrounded her.

"How can I enjoy a paradise like this without him?" She asked softly, not truly expecting an answer. Her heart ached, though she knew that couldn't be the truth. Did she even have a heart anymore? She was more than likely just an ethereal form, so why was it that her chest felt so tight?

Wiatt watched her with knowing eyes and she jumped a little when he patted her on the head a few times, effectively drawing her attention back to him.

"It is never easy at first, I cannot begin to tell you how many souls have been in your exact state of mind right now." He spoke with such a sincerity that Lucy couldn't help but wonder again who or what exactly this man was. Despite the fact that he had known her for all of what felt like five minutes… he seemed to genuinely care about how she felt.

"Life on Earthland is short, though the bonds that are formed within the time that you are there… they can be quite powerful. In fact, they are a bit on the unpredictable side. I'm sure you've heard the term 'soulmate' before?" When Lucy nodded he smiled softly, "The soul is a very… impressionable thing. The effects that different souls have on one another are really very impressive.

"Do you know what a soulmate is? I'm sure you understand the general idea, but do you know what it takes to be a soulmate to another?"

Lucy hesitated for a moment before she slowly shook her head.

"I always thought that a soulmate was supposed to be your other half," Lucy began, "That a soulmate was the person who you are meant to be together with. As though it was written in the stars." She swallowed hard, trying to get rid of the lump that had formed in her throat.

Wiatt nodded, "That is the belief that most Humans have come to. Which is good and fine, because you aren't completely wrong." Lucy watched him with wary eyes, she wasn't quite sure she liked where all of this 'soulmate' talk was headed. Why did she need to know all of this now? She was dead. It wasn't as though any of it actually mattered.

"There are different kinds of soulmates," he explained despite Lucy's uncertainty. "They aren't all romantically bound. There are a few rare instances where soulmates get together in decently sized groups. Some of these groups even name themselves." He raised an eyebrow at Lucy, "Can you see where I am going with this, Lucy?"

Lucy's eyebrows furrowed as she thought about it before slowly, her eyes widened and she swallowed nervously. "D-do you mean…?"

Wiatt smiled again, Lucy was a very intelligent person. He wasn't surprised. "One of the largest groups, goes by the name of Fairy Tail. Have you heard of it?"

Lucy's knees buckled and before she knew it, she was on the ground.

Sobs wracked her small frame as she hugged herself, the ache in her chest grew and she oh so desperately wanted to be with her friends again. Her family. Natsu. "Wh-why are you telling me all of this?" She gasped between sobs.

Wiatt watched the blonde cry for a moment before he looked away.

"Had you not met those people, you wouldn't' remember your life on Earthland so clearly right now, Lucy." He said gently, "It would take you a bit of time before you would remember the life you lived, it's all part of the adjustment process."

Lucy sniffled loudly but didn't say anything.

"You are not doing a very good job Wiatt-san." The new and familiar voice shook Lucy to her core and she froze. "She only just arrived, why must you torture her so?"

Slowly, as though she believed that if she moved too quickly the new person would leave, Lucy looked up from her tear drenched hands and her lip trembled when she recognized the woman who stood no more than five feet from her.

"M-mama?" She whispered.

The blonde woman above her smiled brilliantly and held out her hand, "Hello Lucy, it's been a while." Her voice was so warm and filled with love that Lucy couldn't help but jump up and throw her arms around the woman whom she had missed for years.

"Oh my," Layla Heartfilia chuckled softly as she began to pet Lucy's hair, "it's good to see you too dear."

Wiatt smiled at Layla before he bowed his head, "I'll return shortly."

Then, the two Heartfilia's were alone.

"You weren't suppose to come see me so soon sweetie," Layla was saying as she tenderly rubbed her other hand over Lucy's back. "I wasn't expecting you for at the very least another sixty years." Her voice was gentle, though her words brought the tears back to Lucy's eyes.

"I-I know mama…" Lucy sniffled, "I wasn't st-strong enough…"

Layla stiffened a bit before she pulled back and placed both of her hands firmly on Lucy's shoulders. She forced her daughter to look into her eyes.

"Lucy Heartfilia," she said in such a way that only a stern mother could manage, "You have always been strong enough. Don't you for a second tell yourself otherwise, do you understand me?" She waited until Lucy nodded before she continued, "Do you think that most people would have the courage to do what you did? I think that you don't have enough faith in your abilities sweetie, do you think it's normal for a Celestial Spirit Mage to be capable of summoning three spirits at one time? It absolutely isn't!"

Lucy could feel her cheeks warming at all of the praise that her mother was giving, she felt so warm as she smiled at her mother.

"Yeah… I know. I guess it's just a little bit difficult to remember all of that when I…" she trailed off before sighing a little.

"Lucy, what you did may have been reckless… but there is no changing what happened. The sooner you realize this, the easier it will be sweetie." The woman's voice was firm, though Lucy could hear the underlying emotions.

Layla was sad.

"Now, how about you tell me a little bit about this Fairy Tail that I have heard so much about?" Layla smiled down at her daughter, "Or perhaps… about Natsu?"

Lucy swallowed nervously before she began to speak, expecting it to be difficult.

Though once she got started, the words flowed easily and soon… she was telling her mother all about the adventures that she had gone on with Natsu. She was talking about all the trouble that he had dragged her into, about how she secretly had enjoyed every minute of it.

For the first time in years, Lucy was able to tell her mother these things face to face.

For now… that was enough to keep Lucy in tact.

x-x-x

"I see, I certainly have a pretty firm grasp on who Lucy was." The brunette young woman said after the Dragon Slayer finally paused.

"Wait! I didn't tell you about the time when-"

"No no, it's okay." The girl held up her hand to stop Natsu from continuing, "I didn't ask for her whole life story, you know."

"Who are you anyway? You know so much about us now," Gray glared pointedly at Natsu before turning his skeptical gaze back onto the brunette who sat in front of them, "You never gave us your name."

Natsu blinked before he realized that Gray was right. He had been so eager to get to Lucy that he hadn't even thought twice before handing over the keys, suddenly he felt like an idiot. Though at the same time, he didn't really believe that this girl had any malevolent intent.

The girl seemed surprised by Gray's sudden suspicions, though she closed her eyes.

"My name isn't required for this process… though if you must know, it is Lilith." Her pink eyes opened and she stared at Gray, "I can understand why you may be hesitant to believe in what I can do, most people are despite the magic filled world that we live in." She then frowned, "But do you really believe that I could actually manage anything against either of you?"

The question took Gray by surprise, though he just scratched the back of his head and turned his gaze elsewhere. Lilith took his lack of response as a sign to continue and she gripped the keys in her left hand before she reached down and plucked one of the slips of paper that were floating at the end of a rope that was tied around her waist with her right.

The characters on the piece of paper changed from '狐' to '人間'.

Slowly she stood and gestured for Natsu to as well

Throwing the piece of paper to the ground, it landed and in a flash a bright green and yellow magic circle surrounded them.

The light took everybody by surprise, though when Natsu's eyes were able to adjust, he could see that Lilith's lips were moving. Though he couldn't hear anything that she might have been saying, which made him believe that she wasn't actually speaking.

Was this it?

Lilith then held out her hand that had been holding the keys and released them.

Only, they didn't fall.

They floated in midair.

"Now, call to her, Natsu!" Lilith commanded as she held her arms out and tipped her head back with closed eyes. "You are connected!"

"Lucy?" Natsu didn't even hesitate before calling the blondes name, "Lucy! Can you hear me?!"

x-x-x

'Lucy! Can you hear me?!'

Blonde hair bounced as Lucy's head jerked around in surprise at the somewhat distant, yet familiar voice called out to her.

"What is it?" Layla asked, clearly surprised by her daughter's sudden distress. Lucy had only just calmed down, so she was genuinely shocked by her sudden behavior.

Lucy then looked back to her mother with wide eyes, "You heard that, didn't you?" She asked with a frown.

'Lucy! Please!'

There was no longer a doubt in her mind, that was Natsu.

"Natsu?!" Lucy exclaimed, unsure whether to feel relief or dread. How was it that he was here? Had he…? Had he…? She shook her head in denial. There was no way Natsu was dead, that just wasn't possible. Natsu couldn't die!

Then, she was running.

Though no matter what direction she ran, the voice never grew or decreased in volume. Which confused her.

"Where are you, Natsu?!" Her squeezed in her chest as she searched frantically.

"Lucy!"

This time, it was her mother who was calling to her. Lucy stopped running and turned to face her mother who had just caught up. "Mama, I hear- Natsu he-" Lucy couldn't even finish her sentence. She had no idea what to say about what was happening.

"Lucy, I can't hear it because he is calling from within yourself."

Lucy's eyebrows knit together in confusion as she struggled to try and understand what her mother was saying. What could she mean 'within yourself'? Though, the second Lucy thought about it… she began to search internally.

'... Natsu…?' she thought, completely uncertain about what she was doing. She actually felt like she was being stupid.

'... Lucy! I can't believe it- Lucy! You need to come here!'

Lucy flinched when Natsu replied to her, she felt as though she'd been slapped. Her heart beat frantically and she clutched at her chest as her lips trembled.

"Lucy… it's okay, I'll be here when you get back." Layla was smiling gently, encouragingly?

Lucy looked at her mother with wide eyes, when she got back? What on earth was going on?

'Lucy!' Natsu sounded frantic, 'You gotta hurry! I don't think there is a lot of time!'

"I love you, mama." Lucy whispered before she nodded and closed her eyes and turned her full attention onto the voice that was screaming her name in a way that made it impossible for her not to smile. The memories came flooding back and she could feel the tears threatening to fall despite the fact that her eyes were closed.

Searching, Lucy followed Natsu's voice until she could feel a foreign warmth beginning to spread through her whole body. She couldn't find a proper way to describe this feeling. It was as though light was beginning to fill every inch of her being.

She felt tingly.

Soon, the tingling faded and she had a feeling that something was… different.

Audible gasps proved that she wasn't wrong and her eyes snapped open.

The area was bright with a light that neither seemed natural, nor artificial. It didn't take too long for her to figure that it was magic.

The first person she saw was a brunette woman whose eyes were closed. Her long hair seemed to float as her palms faced the sky, she couldn't help but feel as though all of this was her doing.

"Lucy…" Natsu's voice, and it wasn't in her head this time.

Spinning on her heel, Lucy's long golden hair flashed in the light and she stared tearfully at the rose-haired mage who stared back with what appeared to be the same feeling of awe.

How was it that it could feel as though years had passed… yet also feel as though no time had passed at all?

"Natsu." she breathed.

Alright, so I'm going to explain a bit of the kanji that you saw in this chapter.

狐 means 'fox' or rather 'kitsune' if I am to be exact and 人間 means 'human' or rather 'ningen'.

Lilith's magic revolves around the summoning of spirits that belonged to creatures and humans who once lived.

Please be sure to review my friends! I need to know what you think, its a little bit difficult to feel motivated to write a story if I can't tell whether or not people actually like it :p