Hey guys! I am super sorry that I haven't been updating my other stories but school has been hectic and I am going insane. Why did I ever think that being the prez of the debate team was a good idea again? Never mind that, to compensate my failure as a writer, I present to you this angsty, not-so-cliche 'lucy leaves fairy tail' fanfic! Enjoy!

A/N : This story will be a canon-verse AU where the War is over, and Fairy Tail has won and reformed with a few additional members. Some characters will seem to be a tad OOC but please, bear with me. :)

Tap, tap. Her fingers danced nimbly across the counter top.

'I'm sorry, Lucy, your mother died last night. Master Jude has requested that you keep yourself locked in your room until the funeral.'

'Not now, Lucy, can't you see I'm busy? Go back to your room at once.'

'Your insufficiency at being a proper lady is disgracing our family! Layla would have been so disappointed in you!'

Tap.

'Damn, that blonde bitch sure has a nice rack, eh? Hey, girlie! Wanna have some fun with us?'

'Lucy who? You mean that weak newbie Natsu adopted?'

'And Lucy Heartfilia is down! This match goes to Raven Tail's Flare! Looks like the Celestial Mage wasn't strong enough to complete her spell!'

Tap. Tap.

'You've been gone for seven years, Miss Lucy, I'm so sorry to tell you that your father had died a month before your return.'

'Hey Luce, Lis and I are going on this mission tomorrow! There have been reports about this huge, fire-breathing demon, so of course I'll have to fight it!'

'Why would you think you're coming with us? It's somewhere on top of a mountain and you always whine about how tired you are! Plus, I haven't seen Lis in years! We can take another mission next month, yeah?'

Tap.

'You have to break my key, Lucy.'

'How long are you going to keep acting like a spoiled brat! You're the only one who could save your friends! So stop being a baby and do it!'

Thud. The wood begins to crack and the surface of the counter starts to splinter. Blood stains the wood but her fingers continue tapping, unperturbed, unfazed.

'Goodbye, Lucy, I'm going to miss you.'

'Yo Luce! Me and Happy are gonna go train for a year! Promise to take care of the guild for me, yeah?'

'Fairy Tail is officially disbanded. It is time to spread your wings, my children.'

Crack. She doesn't know if that is the sound of the wood finally cracking or the distant echo of a key breaking.

She wonder vaguely if - perhaps - the sound was coming from her. A small, vital piece of her that's cracking and cracking and cracking and yet nobody notices. She doesn't mind. She's used to the silence. She tells herself she is fine.

.

.

.

.

.

But a part of her whispers, help.

Lucy stares at the wood of the counter top, her eyes burning with emotions she couldn't name. Her slightly bloody fingers traces the familiar pattern of the surface of the counter as the dark memories she had buried in the deepest recesses of her mind resurfaces and plagues her all over again. The noises of the on-going brawl behind her and the concerned stare of a certain barmaid goes unnoticed by the blonde.

'A new key has been born again. It's somewhere on Earthland. But don't expect me to tell you where it is.'

Natsu told her that he had things he wanted to do the moment the war with Alvarez was over and done with. He had said it with the brightest grin on his face and Lucy couldn't help but smile back.

She didn't tell him that she had plans too.

Plans that would take her far, far away. Not Crocus, not Bosco and most definitely not Hargeon. Natsu and Gray and Erza will track her down too easily, she thinks. But will they really? Will they really take the time and effort to look for her?

Lisanna's back.

Juvia's alive.

Jellal's free.

They don't need her anymore, do they?

'Ah, Natsu, you don't know who Lucy really is, do you, dear brother? And you, Lucy Heartfilia, don't even know that the man you wholeheartedly placed your trust in is the very person who caused your mother's death.'

Lucy clenches her jaw. She shouldn't blame him. She knows that it wasn't his fault. It wasn't anybody's fault, not her mother's, not Grami's, not Anna's. It was her fault. Lucy didn't miss the slight bitterness in Aquarius' voice when she told her and Brandish about Layla's illness. The blonde knew at that moment that she was the one who had ultimately killed her mother. To be able to summon all the golden keys at once as well as using her own life force to make up for the missing key...Layla had so much power. It should have weakened her, yes, but not cause her death.

Aquarius said that Layla had always been fragile...physically, not magically. She wouldn't have died because of magic deficiency, Lucy knows her mother is much stronger than that, the only reason Layla Heartfilia died is because childbirth had taken too much from her...

...and given back too little.

(Lucy remembers how awful she was to her mother. She was never an easy child. She was whiny and greedy for affection, and she would scream at her mother often whenever she didn't get her way. Now that she's older, she finally understands why Jude hated her so much in the past. She was an ungrateful, naughty, ill-mannered and absolutely horrendous child, so unlike her beautiful, strong, confident, perfect mother that even Lucy herself can't help but hate the person she sees in the mirror.)

'You have great potential, kid. The First told me about what you did in the war and she asked me to help train you. I'll give you some time to think it over first. Your full training will probably take 2 years or more, I guess, so take your time to decide, okay?'

The moment Zeref had activated E.N.D., all Lucy could remember was the soul-chilling scream that ripped through her. Natsu had been in so much pain. He was screaming and crying and fighting so hard to stop the monster inside him just so he could protect everyone - just so he could protect her - and yet all she could do was fucking cry.

DO SOMETHING! her brain had screamed. She had wiped her tears away and stumbled towards her strong, powerful, beautiful Natsu, a watery smile on her lips as she said his name, hoping to wake him up. She knew Natsu was in there. She knew. But nobody believed her. They said he was E.N.D. but she knew better. He was Natsu. And all he needed was a smack on the head and a smile to fix things.

She was so close to waking him up. Even as those horrible horns and wings started to grow on his body, she could see the light in his dark eyes, fighting to get out of this nightmare. Even when he started to become a monster in front of her eyes, her Natsu was there. He was still with her.

So she reached up and caressed his bruised cheekbone. He blinked and for a second, she swore the demonic markings on his skin faded and glitched. He stared at her in confusion. She smiled back. 'Natsu,' she had whispered, her trembling hand still on his cheek. 'Time to come home.'

His onyx eyes focused on her and suddenly, he was back. She could see it in his eyes, they were so bright and Nats-

Everything went black.

When the war was over, a Rune Knight found a severed arm on the ground where the final battle took place. The proud mark of the strongest guild in Fiore decorated the back of its hand.

When Lucy woke up, she was lying in the infirmary, her magic depleted and her right arm missing. She screamed when she realized Natsu was in the bed with her. He immediately woke up, a smile ready on his lips as he prepared to greet his favorite girl...only to realize that she was staring at him in horror, her heart racing with fear and her eyes wide in betrayal as her memories of the fight flooded her mind.

He had opened his mouth to say something but Lucy's scream stopped him. She had yelled and cried and begged him to leave her alone while cradling the stub of her missing arm. The dragonslayer obliged, whispering meaningless apologies as she screamed in betrayal.

She didn't hear the soul-wrenching sobs that racked a dragonslayer's body when he stood outside the infirmary, battle-worn hands tearing at his hair as her cries of pain filled the empty guild. She didn't notice the small ring lying on the mini cabinet beside her bed. She didn't read the letter he spent months working on.

She didn't hear the 'I love you's whispered to her when she fought her demons at night.

Lucy's fingers taps the counter even faster as her mind races with her memories. She subconsciously dodges an approaching chair. Mira notices the way she touches her keys, now a mind-blowing total of fifty-five keys, including all of the keys owned by Yukino(the silver-haired mage had decided to quit her career as a mage and travel the world with her sister)as well as the ones gifted to the blonde by the current Queen Hisui.

Mira remembers how Hisui had stormed into Fairy Tail with frantic guards behind her, demanding Lucy to accept the keys owned by the royals of Fiore as a token of appreciation for what the blonde had sacrificed during the Alvarian War. It was the first time Lucy had smiled in days. The guild watched with bated breath when she brushed her fingers over the intricate patterns of the Platinum Keys, all of them hoping to see even the tiniest glimpse of the old, cheery Lucy whom they'd missed so dearly. Mira knew a certain someone had even higher hopes than anyone else in the guild.

Lucy had reached her hand out hesitantly to hold the keys when they suddenly flew around the blonde, forming a glowing circle around her. It was the most breath-taking, ethereal sight Mira had ever seen. Lucy looked like a true goddess of the stars when she started floating upwards with all thirty or so keys encircling her body, glowing with a soft golden hue while emitting a comforting hum. Oh how Mira had cried when she saw the genuine smile on Lucy's face - something she hadn't seen since Lucy woke up to the realization that she was forever crippled.

Lucy had opened up a little more after accepting the Queen's gift, her new spirits succeeding in doing what everyone couldn't. They helped break down her walls faster than anyone in the guild, and piece by piece, everyone could see that Lucy was getting better each day.

(It didn't come as a surprise when they noticed that Erza's signature armor, Natsu's scarf and Gray's chain necklace had mysteriously 'disappeared' a week after they heard Lucy's soft laughter echo in the guild. Their belongings were returned a day later, with a small lacrima containing a private message from the Queen herself.)

But no matter how much her condition has improved, Lucy was no longer the unbreakable Light of Fairy Tail. Lucy was no longer the gentle, affectionate, trusting, naive girl everyone knew; the war had changed her, just like how it changed poor, innocent Wendy, and turned the Celestial Mage into someone else...someone quiet and harsh and unpredictable and broken.

She had shown them that even the brightest of lights can dim and fade away when engulfed in too much darkness.

But Mira is determined not to let that light fade. If only the blonde would let them help her -

She snaps out of her thoughts when Lucy abruptly stood up. The barmaid watches worriedly as the blonde makes her way to the second floor of the guild before entering Gildarts' office. She - as well as the other S-Class mages, with the exception of Erza - had been informed earlier of Gildarts' proposal to train Lucy for the next S-Class trial. She didn't liked the idea of letting that old fart take her beloved surrogate sister away then and she sure as hell doesn't like the idea now.

But as she watches the brawl that was taking place in the guild, Mira can't help but think that maybe - just maybe - this is what Lucy needs - an assurance that she deserves to stand as a proud Fairy Tail mage despite her physical disabilities. And no, she's not claiming that the Celestial Mage is weak. In fact, Mirajane herself knows just how powerful Lucy can be if she's at full force, after witnessing what she did during the final battle.

Being able to purify the most powerful demon ever known in history with a magic she created on the spot...even the invincible Titania herself didn't possess the amount of magical energy and skill needed to perform a spell of that caliber.

Not the mention the fact that Lucy had only begun using her magic as a means of defense after she had joined Fairy Tail...meaning that the blonde had never been given proper training to master her magic potential until she was seventeen. And even after she had joined the guild, Lucy never did do much training at all. She was always too busy going on missions with Team Natsu or fighting to survive alongside Fairy Tail.

To think that Lucy had performed a spell that S-Class Mages couldn't when she had barely tapped into her magic potential...Just imagining what the skilled Celestial Mage could do if she was trained under a professional had Mira shuddering. Lucy would be even more of a demon than Erza or herself.

Mira jumps when a hand suddenly lands on her shoulder. She turns around to give the perpetrator a glare, only to sigh when she realizes that it's only Cobra. The barmaid forces a smile on her face as she looks at the guild's newest member. 'Cobra! How can I help yo-'

'Cut the bullshit.' Mira suppresses a scowl, instead she opts for a cold smile, her full lips stretching into a thin line. 'Whatever do you mean, Cobra?' she asks, hoping that the Poison Dragon Slayer won't see through her facade. She knows that it wasn't likely though. Being a Soul-Listener, Cobra is naturally observant, especially when it concerns the people he cares about.

Cobra's single amethyst eye bores into Mira's soul as he growls. 'Don't act innocent. Something's up with Lu and you,' he emphasizes, leaning forward until their noses are nearly touching. 'are telling me exactly what is going on.' Mira glares at him, their lips mere centimeters apart.

Make no mistake, this is not the affectionate touch Natsu shares with his partner; this is not the soft caress Gray shares with Juvia. This is a battle between a monster and a demon. And Mira is determined to live up to her name of the 'She-Demon'.

'Tell. Me.' Cobra hisses, wisps of poison leaking past his gritted teeth.

'Fine,' she sighs, a lie forming on the tip of her tongue. 'Cana's birthday is coming up and Gildarts asked her what present would be suitable for his precious girl, okay?' Mira expects the man to walk away or scoff. But Cobra doesn't move an inch, in fact, his gaze becomes even fiercer.

She gulps almost imperceptibly. Mavis, help me. Everyone knows that the Seis had unofficially adopted Lucy as one of them almost right after joining the guild. She had been the first to accept them into the guild, after all. And from what Mira has heard from Kinana, Lucy had already been in contact with the Seis a few months before they joined the guild. According to the purple-haired barmaid, Lucy had given her old mansion to Crime Sorciere as a permanent place to stay whenever they weren't busy eliminating the remaining dark guilds after Tartaros' defeat.

It may not seem like much, but to the former criminals, Lucy Heartfilia had given them a home - something they've never had the luxury of possessing. Even though every one of the Seis treated Lucy like a little sister (especially after knowing what had happened to her during Tartaros and the Alvarian War), Cobra and Angel - surprisingly - are the most protective of the blonde, although Angel swears on a near daily basis that it was only because her baby sister idolizes the Heartfilia fairy.

After hearing Mira's answer, Cobra spares her one last glance before taking one step back. She lets out a sigh of relief when Cobra backs off. He turns his back on her and starts to walk away.

'You truly are a demon, Mirajane Strauss.'

Mira stiffens when Cobra starts to speak. 'So willing to see your own sister off on a journey that'll take her far, far away from your beloved. I bet you're so relieved, huh? The Lightning Plug does carry quite an obsession with Lu after all, and with her charm and skills, I'd be worried if I were you too. She's beautiful, strong, mysterious, witty and she saved Earthland from Zeref single-handed when all of you were standing on the side, gaping like fucking idiots.' he spits out, his voice laced with venom. Mira trembles as he rips out the darkest secrets she keeps in her heart one by one. And the worst thing was the fact that she couldn't deny any of it.

'I thought you Fairies' he hisses. 'were a huge, happy fucking family. First, you lot abandon her and force her to deal with her shit alone. Then, some of you go and rip her fucking heart out along with her goddamn arm before leaving her alone again. Just so she could have some 'space'.' Cobra swivels around and begins to walk threateningly towards the paralyzed barmaid. Fury and pain burn in his single amethyst eye as his voice drops to a whisper. 'You didn't even bother to ask her what she wanted. What if all she wanted was to have someone to fucking care for her, you lowly, selfish piece of-'

'Erik, that's enough.' Both Mira and Cobra turns around in surprise to face the blonde who'd spoken. Her golden hair frames her face and covers her left eye. Soulful, brown eyes look at them in disappointment.

Cobra backs away from the guilty Take-Over Mage and reaches out to his sister. 'Lu, it's not enough. I know what's going on and no way in hell am I letting my own sister leave me for two fucking years-'

Mira watches as Lucy raises her left hand to touch Cobra's cheek, her fingers brushing over the scar on his eye. She wasn't smiling, but Mira could see the clear affection shining in her eyes. 'Five.' she whispers, causing Cobra to pull back in surprise. She tries to smile at him, to reassure the man who had been there for her when he couldn't. (Mavis knows how much she needs to leave and be stronger if she can barely even think of his name without breaking down.) 'I'll be gone for five years, drotere.'

Cobra frowns when he hears Lucy slip into the Old Tongue. She has only started using it after forming the contracts with her new spirits. The Platinum Keys were the oldest keys as well as the most ancient form of magic in Fiorian history, so it didn't come as a surprise to him when his little sister started to talk in the Old Tongue in order to converse with her spirits easier. But Lucy only ever speaks in the ancient language with him or anyone else whenever she's troubled.

This piece of information doesn't soothe Cobra's worries.

His frown deepens when he hears her soul but nods all the same when Lucy tugs on his hand. 'Not here, not now.'

'Fine, let's go home then.'

The small smile on her face when she hears him refer to her apartment as 'home' causes him to sigh and ruffle her hair. She shakes her head, bids Mira 'farewell' and drags him through the guild. Her smile never falls until they're out of the guild and Cobra thinks that it is odd how she's trying to reassure him with a smile, when she normally hums in her head to calm him.

It was after they walk out the guild doors does Cobra realize that the smile was not meant for him.

Not for the first time, Cobra hears a familiar soul sing in tune to the pain in Lucy's soul. But it is not so much of a song than it is a cry of longing.

Their love was meant to last forever. She loves him. He loves her.

It should have been simple. But it wasn't.

Because she can never sleep in his arms again without doubt lingering in her heart. And he can never look into her eyes without pain and sorrow in his.

Lucy cries that night as she takes out the photo album Natsu made for her after forming Team Natsu. She puts it carefully into the pack she was going to bring for her trip with Gildarts...only to stop at the last second. Her hand trembles as she places it on her lap and opens it.

She flips the pages, so detailed and so full of memories that her heart hurts to think of all the time she spent with him. As she glances at the photos of just him and her (the one they took after winning the Grand Magic Games), she can't help thinking that she's going to miss him the most.

Her fingers trace the worn corners of the photo and she takes it out from the album. Lucy slides the photo of the two of them into her bag, promising that she'll come back one day. And when she does, she swears to all 88 constellations as her witness that she'll tell him.

Maybe when she's gone, he'll be able to heal too. Maybe he'll find a way to forgive her for leaving just like how she forgave him. Maybe he'll finally see that she loves him, more than she'll ever be able to love anybody.

A part of her whispers that maybe he'll tell her that he loves her too and he'll laugh and spin her around like those fairy tales she used to read-

An image of Natsu stradling Lisanna's hips as he tickles her mercilessly flashes in the blonde's mind and her heart constricts so much it hurts it hurts it hurts.

Another memory of Natsu plagues her and she shuts her eyes, slightly thankful that Erik wasn't here to see her break down again.

'Why do you think you're coming with us?'

'I haven't seen Lis in years!'

'Wow, Luce, did you know Lis got so much stronger? She has this awesome Hybrid Take-Over and it's way cooler than that stupid Lion Dress you hav- OW! LEGGO OF MY EAR! LUCE!'

'Lucy? What are you doing here? You should stay at home, we can go on a mission when your, um, arm feels better, yeah?'

'Oh, um, hi Lucy. I've gotta go.'

Lucy's brown eyes blink away her tears and she rips the picture of the two of them out of her bag. He doesn't care for her. If he was really her best friend; if he ever loved her...he would have been standing beside her even after what happened during the War, she tells herself bitterly. She reminds herself once again that she doesn't need anyone; that she is Lucy Hearfilia of Fairy Tail and she'll come back stronger than ever.

She reminds herself that there is no use pining for a man who loves another. Love has taken its toll on her and she is sick of waiting for her dragon. This time, she'll be her own goddamn knight in shining armour.

Her resolve hardens and she shoves her clothes into her bag as fast as she could before rushing out the door. She can't help feel a wave of deja vu as her legs carry her to the train station. This was the very path she took to the station the night Natsu left her. It was the place where she realized that she wasn't as important to her partner as she'd thought.

She shakes her head and continues running to the station. It was nearly midnight and the train would be leaving soon. Gildarts was probably waiting for her already.

As she dashes onto the platform of the train, a cloaked figure catches her eye and she quickly rushes over. She calls his name and waves in greeting. The older mage grins at her and beckons her into the train compartments.

Lucy takes one last look at the place she once called home and smiles softly.

'Sayonara, Fairy Tail.'

Okayyy, how was it? Leave a review or pm me to let me know if you want this to be a two-shot. I have already written a second part to this which ends happier, but I wasn't sure if it would be too confusing. So...remember to review, fav, follow if you liked it, kay? Hugs and kisses to everyone who did! 3 Clary out!

P.S: Hope you guys liked the CoLu bromance in there! If you are a CoLu fan, do check out my other works and tell me what you think! :)