"Lucy..."

"Momma...?"

"Lucy...."

"I'm here Momma. Momma! Where are you?"

"Lucy dear.. I'm sorry..."

"Momma?... Momma!"

Tears welled up in her closed eyes. Her heart clenched with longing for her mother. An overwhelming dread was growing in her chest.. and Lucy couldn't bear it. Her eyes shot open and she gasped for air. Tears began to stream down her face. She blinked the tears out and rubbed them away with her fingers.

Sitting up, Lucy looked around her. Sniffling, she tried to calm herself down and found that she was in her own futon. The men in theirs, placed around her in a square.

She got up gently and left the room.

Walking silently towards the hotel balcony, she brought her keys out and looked for Capricorn's key.

"Open the gate of the Goat. Capricorn!"

"Lucy-sama.." Capricorn appeared and bowed.

"Capricorn..." Lucy said weakly with her back against the spirit.

"Is everything all right?" he frowned in concern.

Lucy turned around to face him. Capricorn's eyebrows rose up. He rushed up to her and held her shoulders gently in his hands.

"Lucy-sama... why are you crying?"

"Capricorn.... I'm scared..."

Lucy looked up at Capricorn with pleading eyes.

"I... I've been feeling really weird lately.. I haven't told anyone because I thought it wasn't something to be worried about..."

"What is wrong? Did something happen?" Capricorn was getting nervous now.

"I've been getting these chest pains and my body will feel weak.. and last night.. I had a nightmare about momma.."

Capricorn flinched.. but quickly recomposed himself.

"Lucy-sama.. I am sure its just because you've just been overworking yourself. You need to take better care of your health."

"No that's not it Capricorn. I have been..."

"Lucy-sama. I assure you. You are just feeling tired from all the missions lately. Probably even more stressed with the visitors around. And about your nightmare.. I am sure it is from the alcohol from last night."

Lucy tried to recall last night's events... but couldn't remember anything.

"Ugh..." Lucy began to feel the hangover that was bound to come.

"See. Everything is fine.. You need to rest and eat healthy. I'm sure it will all be better soon."

"Okay Capricorn. Thank you."

"Then I take my leave Lucy-sama. Call if you need anything." He bowed and flashed away.

She stared into the space that Capricorn once stood. She had an odd feeling. That Capricorn was being awkward and distant. Or maybe she was overreacting. Lucy walked up to the balcony railings and put her face in her hands.

Sigh....

"Momma...Pappa... please watch over me."

In the hallway.... Gajeel stood away from sight. He had followed after Lucy when he found it safe to go undetected. The minute he smelt salt.. he had woken up from his sleep and found that Lucy was crying in her sleep. He knew that something important was definitely going to happen soon.

But after hearing her conversation with Capricorn.. he knew. He wasn't ready for this. He didn't know this side of her. Never fathomed this side to her.

He clenched his fists...

"Dammit all..."

Gritting his teeth, Gajeel walked back to their room.

After a couple hours, the team set off on foot towards Mount Goyang. The job request was simple. The mountain had an overwhelming number of cats and the mission was to find the cause of the phenomenon. The mayor of the town at the base of Mount Goyang had sent the request months ago. However all mages who took the mission were never able to complete the mission. In fact, they never returned.

"I can't believe you can't remember a thing Lucy." Gray said laughing.

"heh.....I'm so glad I don't..." Lucy turned red.

"ugh... never again! Lucy!" Natsu glared at Lucy. "YOU ARE NEVER DRINKING EVER AGAIN!"

"hai hai..." Lucy rubbed her slightly hurting head.

"Natsu... you sound like you're her dad." Laxus said with a straight stern face.

"HAHAHAHA! You might even get dad-zoned." Gray was clutching his stomach now.

Natsu and Lucy yelled out loud together.

"WHAT?! LUCE WOULD NEVER!"

"EW NATSU AS MY DAD?! NEVER!"

While everyone was having a good time and laughing, a certain dragon slayer was keeping silent. He watched Lucy carefully, observing her every movement.

As the end of the forest came, Lucy couldn't help but gasp.

It was beautiful. Green hills blanketed with flowers of all colors rolled as far as she could see. Her eyes widened and a wide-open smile lit up her face. She walked off road and into the green grass. The wind picked up her hair gently and cooled her skin.

She looked back at the men behind her and found them staring at her. She smiled warmly at them. The men spoke softly to each other for a bit and then they all smirked. Seeing their smirk, Lucy felt goosebumps and a feeling that she should run.

And that is what she did.

"LUCCCYYY!" Natsu ran after her smirking.

"WHY ARE YOU CHASING ME?! WHATEVER YOU GUYS ARE PLANNING I DON'T WANT TO BE A PART OF IT!" Lucy ran frantically.

A shadow appeared in front of her. She couldn't stop. Colliding with the shadow, the two fell over and rolled to a stop.

Opening her eyes, she found herself staring into a pair of beautiful ruby red eyes. His mask had fallen down and she could see his face clearly. His masculine jaw.. his metal piercings... his yummy looking lips... that weirdly became a smirk?

"Did you miss seeing my handsome face bunnygirl?" Gajeel smirked smugly at Lucy.

"What...NO!" Lucy blushed madly and sat up. She was too preoccupied with her embarrassment of getting caught admiring Gajeel's face that she didn't notice that she was on top of him.

Smirking smugly still, Gajeel lifted his hands and put them under his head. He lifted an eyebrow at her. Quickly, Gajeel pelvic thrusted upwards once.

To Lucy's horror... she felt herself being pushed upwards by the ground she was sitting on. She looked down hesitantly and found herself sitting at Gajeel's hip.

"KYAAAA!" Lucy quickly got off of Gajeel and crawled a few feet away.

All the while, Natsu, Gray, and Laxus had been watching. They were infuriated when Gajeel cheated in their race to Lucy by using magic. But having seen Lucy's breasts bounce from Gajeel's thrust, they were just glad to have witnessed that.

"GAJEEL! WHAT WERE YOU THINKING!"

"You were the one who sat up."

"YOU WERE THE ONE WHO CHASED ME! ALL OF YOU!"

"Hey hey bunny. You ran into me. It's not my fault you don't pay attention to your surroundings." Gajeel said as he leaned up on his elbows.

"HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO TELL YOU WERE GOING TO BE THERE. YOU'RE TOO FAST! YOU JUMPED RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME."

Gajeel got up from his spot and walked over to Lucy. She was fuming angry and was glaring Gajeel down.

He squatted down towards her and looked straight into her eyes.

"You need to be able to sense magic better bunnygirl. You need to be more aware of your surroundings. Don't give me the excuse that your opponent is faster than you. You need to be smarter than your opponent at all times. 2 steps ahead." Gajeel stared into her eyes. He was serious.

Lucy's eyes softened and she began to feel guilty. It was true. She did not pay attention to her surroundings well. Getting kidnapped.. getting into situations like last night with Laxus... not noticing danger... like at GMG with Asuka and Flare....

Oh she knew... she knew very well. Lucy clenched her fists. It hurt to believe she was weaker than most at Fairytail... and so careless...

Seeing the change in her eyes.. sorrow.. Gajeel sighed. Ruffling his hair..

"Your training begins now."