"You feeling better, sweetie?"

Three soft pats on my back sooth be down just a little bit more. It was hard and I honestly didn't think it was possible but I cried for ten minutes straight without stopping. My entire body was so numb I didn't feel the pain in my knees until a few seconds ago.

I need to be more careful.

"I'm sorry, Mavis." I wiped my puffy eyes once more. "But I seriously needed that."

A warm smile spread her cheeks. "Anytime, Lucy."

"Damn." A deep voice came from my kitchen. We both glanced over to see her husband opening a cabinet. "How long have you been holding that all in?"

"Six months?" I shrugged. "I honestly couldn't tell you."

If I were going to tell the truth, I'd say it was when I told Natsu I'm leaving the country. But they were there when I left him on his knees and ran out crying.

Then I turned and looked at my third visitor; a senior now in high school with the same innocent smile I remember so fondly. It's just odd though...

"Why are you with them, Wendy?" I blinked.

Zeref came back into the living room with three glasses of wine. "Because we are watching her while her older cousin is off on a pre-honeymoon trip with his girlfriend."

"And because they said they were coming to see you." Wendy added, rolling her eyes. "I miss you Lucy so why not?"

I opened my arms and my old teammate ran straight into them. It's nice to have at least one person who really wants to see me. If I were me, I wouldn't want to see me either. What I did to the team is unforgivable. I had hope they understood I left for myself to evolve.

But it's one of the biggest mistakes of my life.

My pride kept me glued to where I am. I couldn't just turn around and tell them I miss all of them after turning my back on them. They were family.

And I walked away.

"Sit." Mavis jumped onto one of my couches and patted the seat next to her. I followed her command. Wendy sat across from me and moment later, Zeref appeared with a three glasses of red wine and one glass of soda for Wendy before taking his seat beside the little center mid.

"So." The owner of Fairy Tail took a sip of her drink. "I know you must be wanting to know about all the happenings in the club. Go ahead."

The very first question popped in my head and I almost let it slipped immediately.

Is Natsu okay?

But instead of sounding so desperate, I asked a different one. "How are all of you?"

"We're doing pretty good." Mavis sighed. "Ever since the announced hiatus of the infamous Fairy Tail club, everybody just left to do their own things. Wendy is about to graduate high school this coming Spring, Coach Makarov took off with his grandson on a fishing expedition around the world with Mira."

"Wait." I blinked. "Mirajane and Laxus?"

How much did I miss?

Mavis winked at me. "Thanks to me, they're gonna be one very happy couple."

"H-how?"

"Let's just say my wife." Zeref sipped on his wine. "Has a way of bribing people to get together. She offered to buy Laxus a new car if he took his crush out to dinner."

She truly is...a weird one.

I laughed nervously. "What else is going on?"

"Well: Gajeel, Levy, Gray, Juvia, and a couple others started college. They play for the school team just for fun now."

Everybody seems to be loving life. Nobody is caught up in the past...

Nobody misses me at all.

"Natsu is in college, too." Wendy suddenly pitched in, causing my entire body to tense. I was trying to avoid any mentions of him altogether in fears of just losing my composure a second time if he was ever brought up.

"R-really?" I tried to play it off. "That's a shock. The fool has never been good at school..."

Zeref and Mavis exchanged a look, wondering if they should mention something else. I didn't need to look closer to know.

"Whatever it is." I sighed. "You can tell me. It's nothing I can't handle."

Mavis was the one to break the news to me.

"I'm sorry, Lucy but." she shook her head. "Natsu.."

I looked her dead in the eye. "Just tell me already, boss. I can handle."

If my heart wasn't broken before...

It definitely is now.

"Natsu and Lisanna are married."

Over the year I kinda came to accept that Natsu was going to see other people. I wanted him to because knowing if he stayed hung up on me, it's only gonna cause him more pain. I woke up every morning torturing myself into a vision of the love of my life waking up next to someone else, kissing her good morning, holding her tightly in his strong arms.

Eventually the pain became numb...

It became this little fantasy I convinced myself to believe so if I were to ever go home to Fiore and Magnolia, I would be able to handle him hand-in-hand with a woman who can make him happy when I couldn't.

I truly thought I could do it.

I guess at the end of the day, my mindset told me it's all fake because I made it all up. I never really thought I'd have to actually face the news head on.

"Married, huh." Deep breaths, Lucy. Deep breaths. "I'm so happy for them."

Why was that so hard to say?

Mavis, like an older sister to her younger, started rubbing my back to sooth me. I appreciate the gesture so much. I never knew how much I missed having close friends I could turn to and confide in whenever I needed. Knowing that I'm actually cared for and not what I say is going to be blasted onto the media was really nice.

"We know this is selfish after telling you all of this but we wanted to let you know if you decide to come back what to expect." Zeref explained. "My brother wanted to fly out to you so badly but he couldn't travel due to his heart at the time. Nobody knew if he'd ever be healthy enough to fly. So he just came to accept you and him weren't meant to be. He bit his tongue, got on one knee and proposed to Lisanna. They had a small ceremony among close friends and family the following month. Natsu had no idea with the technology advancements and my money we would find a cure."

"He's cured?" I blinked, a huge bubble of relief washed over my body. "He's not going to die?"

Zeref shook his head. "My brother. He never goes down without a fight. It was just a long and hard one he had to fight. If Lisanna wasn't around, he would've been doing it alone."

So that's how Natsu fell for her. I'm actually glad she was around to do what she did. She helped Natsu realize he really wasn't alone and girl really does love him.

"What did you come to ask me though?" I asked.

Mavis cleared her throat. "I am pulling Fairy Tail out of hiatus for this upcoming Co-ed Fifa World Cup tournament."

Huh?

"I know it's much to ask but Fairy Tail isn't Fairy Tail without its Celestial Queen." Mavis smiled at me warmly. "I know it's much to ask -"

"Okay."

"Huh?" All three pairs of eyes widened in surprise.

It's time.

I've lived in my glory for too long. I know I am giving up millions of euros by backing out of my contract but it's not like I'm gonna be unemployed. I always wanted to be a journalist as a little side job anyways and my main career when I hang my cleats.

I had fun here.

But. "It's time to go home."