Warning: Contains SPOILERS for some of the more recent chapters, especially chapter 257. If you haven't read that far in the manga, then you might not want to read this otherwise it might not make much sense.

Anyway, I'm a little mixed about the whole thing, but my main thought about it is what Loke was possibly doing during those seven years that everyone was missing. I was kind of hoping he would've played a part in finding them. Then, after reading chapter 257, I had a weird idea of Loke and Jude interacting. I'm not sure why, but I decided to try it out.

These are just meant to be little snippets of the intervening seven years. Hopefully the story's all right, even though the in-betweens are kind of short. Enjoy!

Filling In

The entire island was gone; nothing left of it but a gaping hole that was quickly filled by the ocean. No matter how hard or how long people searched, they could find no traces of it…or of the people who were there when it disappeared.

But even as the remaining members of what was once Fairy Tail gave up, Loke continued to watch on from the Celestial Spirit world. He watched the sea, watched the land, watched and waited for a sign of their return…and hoped that they would reappear soon.

Because he knew that, of course they were still alive. And as long as his contract with Lucy remained unbroken, he would continue to hope until she was back safely.

When he heard of no progress concerning the disappearance of Tenrou Island with members of Fairy Tail, he forced himself to calm down and be patient, to wait for something to turn up. But when the search was stopped altogether, Jude just couldn't accept that.

It had taken him a while, but he had finally earned enough money to purchase a boat for himself. It had to be a decent boat; one that could withstand several days on the water. And he knew that it would be rather costly. But it would be worth the purchase. He would find his daughter, and nothing would stop him.

Not even the punk in a suit that was blocking his way.

"Heartfilia-san," the stranger said. "You'd be better off saving that money instead of spending it for something so futile."

His eyes narrowed in suspicion. He was certain that he had never seen this man around before; the unruly ginger hair was too distinct to ever forget.

"What business is that of yours?" he demanded, taking a step forward.

The man remained where he was, his hands sliding into his pockets. "You honestly think it'll make a difference? Do you think you will find anything when no one else could?"

His fists clenched tightly. "That's…!"

The figure glanced up, light reflecting off his blue-tinted glasses. "Don't be a fool. For everyone's sake, you should just stay home where it's safe."

"What would you know?" he spat out. "How could you possibly understand? I…I have to find my daughter! Even…even if…" He turned away, unable to speak the rest of his words on the tip of his tongue.

Even if it's just to put her to rest.

"There's no need for that," the stranger replied calmly, drawing back his attention. "She's still alive."

His eyes widened. "Wh…what?"

"Lucy. She's still alive."

His heart pounded rapidly, sending a rush of energy coursing through his body. Before he realized it, he ran forward and grabbed the man by the lapels of his suit. "Where? Do you know where she is?"

The man seemed less confident somehow, and he pushed his glasses farther up the bridge of his nose. "…Unfortunately not."

"Then how…? How could you know?" His grip on the man's suit tightened. "How do you know my daughter?"

The man's eyes flashed with a dangerous light. "I'm a Celestial Spirit. She's my keyholder, and I'm bound to her as long as she lives."

The words didn't answer all the questions racing through Jude's mind. But somehow, for now, it was enough.

"Onii-sama."

The lion spirit turned at the familiar voice calling him. "What is it, Virgo?" he asked casually.

Though the woman's expression did not change, her eyes seemed to study him with a critical gaze. "Are you leaving for the human world again?"

Loke frowned at the question. "Briefly. I won't be too long."

"You have been visiting that world quite often lately," she spoke again, just before he could take his leave.

He glanced at her curiously. "Yeah. So?"

She was silent for a moment, as though considering her next words. Then she spoke, the concern in her tone belying her impassive features, "What you're doing…You must understand that it will not bring her back sooner."

Loke winced slightly and looked away. "Yeah…I know," he admitted. "But…even if it's just helping her father…I have to do something, y'know?"

Because if he didn't, it would only serve to remind him of how useless he was. He hated that feeling. And more than anything, he hated just doing nothing.

"So how do you know Lucy?" Jude asked.

The Celestial Spirit didn't reply at first, considering his answer as he drank from his mug.

He felt a bit awkward asking; though the two of them met like this a number of times, they never really spent the time getting to know each other. They were both perfectly comfortable with silence.

But while his knowledge about Celestial Spirits was limited, he had a feeling that there was more to this one's story than that his daughter simply found a key.

Placing his mug down, the spirit pushed his glasses up in an almost protective manner. "She saved my life," he finally replied.

Jude couldn't help the smile that touched his lips. Yet the words confused him slightly. "Can spirits die?"

"Under special circumstances."

The other's tone indicated that it was no longer up for discussion, so Jude let that subject drop. Instead, he asked, "So…how did you meet Lucy?"

The man glanced at him with a risen brow. "I was a member of the Fairy Tail guild when she joined."

"Oh…" Jude looked down at the table, suddenly uncomfortable. "Were…were you a member…at that time?"

"Yeah."

"…I see."

An unease settled over them, suffocating them, and they both silently agreed that future conversations between them would be about Lucy only.

Even after all this time, Loke still hadn't really forgiven that man for all the things he'd done.

It didn't have much to do with the attack on Fairy Tail…although he had been as angry as the others for all the trouble Phantom caused them back then. And he had been willing to fight for the people who had been hurt.

But perhaps of anyone, Lucy had been hurt the most. Not only had she been attacked herself, but she had taken on a tremendous guilt, believing that she had put the whole guild in danger. And as one who understood the pain and the weight of taking such a burden on one's shoulders, he knew that Lucy should never have had to feel anything like that.

And it had all happened because of that man.

That, along with the man's treatment of Lucy during her childhood (as he discovered after…persuading Crux to tell him), was enough to convince Loke that such a man could never be forgiven.

Yet regardless of his own personal feelings, the man was still Lucy's father. And no matter what she said about him, Loke knew how much she still cared for him. The time that she had rushed to aid the guild Love and Lucky because she thought her father was in trouble was proof of that.

So he continued to go down to the human realm and visit the man. Because he couldn't take care of Lucy right now, so he could at least watch out for her father in the meantime.

"You're going to send another present?" the spirit asked skeptically.

"Of course," Jude replied. He sent one every year, so why wouldn't he? "It's her birthday, after all. And it should still be celebrated, since she's still alive…right?"

"Of course," the Celestial Spirit echoed, and there was not a trace of doubt as he said it. "I just wasn't sure if you still had a place to send it to."

He looked at the other curiously. "Why's that?"

"She was renting her home, wasn't she? After a few years, is that place still even hers anymore?"

"I wrote to Lucy's landlady. She's agreed to keep the place under Lucy's name."

"Ah." The spirit shrugged stiffly. "That's nice of her."

Jude looked at his companion. The other's tone didn't sound too thrilled about the idea. "What?"

The other laughed without humor. "If it's still under Lucy's name, then that means she's still had to pay rent. After all these years, it must've been building up." He shook his head. "Lucy had a bit of trouble paying her rent normally. How much more difficult will it be when she gets back?"

Jude said nothing, and instead continued to fill out the birthday card before him. Now that was something to consider…

"Leo."

Loke was a bit surprised to see the old cross. They hardly interacted, even within the spirit world. "What, Crux?" he asked.

The cross was unable to meet his eyes, weighed down by his somber mood. "An accident has occurred…Lucy-sama's father…"

Loke never heard the rest. He was already gone for the human world.

oOoOo

Jude wasn't sure how long he'd been in the hospital. But he was all too aware that he would be leaving it soon.

A few people he had gotten to know from the guild stayed with him, and he was grateful to them. But the one he wanted – needed – to see…the one who he was glad when he arrived was the Celestial Spirit…Lucy's friend.

"H-hey, just hang in there!" the spirit said. "You'll be okay."

He knew that wasn't true. So he motioned the Celestial being to come closer, and when he was near enough Jude handed him a brightly-colored package and a thick envelope.

"Send this…" he murmured, his voice ever weak, "when…she finally…returns…"

The spirit looked at him, his glasses reflecting a flurry of emotion. "Please…just hang on. What about Lucy? After all this time…! Don't you want to see her again?"

Oh, how he wanted to. But he knew it was too late for that. He could only comfort himself with the idea that, this way, he would always be able to watch over her.

And he felt better knowing that she wouldn't be alone.

"Take…take care of her."

With a shaky sigh, the Celestial Spirit nodded.

Jude smiled, secure in the fact that his daughter would be protected. It was the last thought that drifted in his mind as he closed his eyes. Just as the darkness began to enclose around him, he thought he heard Layla calling his name.

The End