A/N: Got no words. All I can say is enjoy this damn chapter (;

"Is this really Fairy Tail?" Happy exclaimed.

"Wow!" Lucy was in awe as she stared back at the humongous castle-looking building.

Erza was speechless, Gray was shocked and Natsu was shocked too, but had second opinions about the new guild.

"They already finished rebuilding the guild?" Lucy said.

"They...really outdid it..." Erza muttered, not really complaining. After all, wither go all out, or go home.

They now had an open-air café, a merchandise shop, a pool behind a bar, a recreation hall down below...and people are allowed upstairs now. What a change! What's next? A roller coaster in the main hall?

"Oh, you dunderheads are back." A voice called out.

The mages turned and found Master Makarov, standing next to a familiar girl.

"This is Juvia, a new members of ours." Makarov smiled. "Isn't she a cutie?"

"Juvia." Erza growled.

"Erza." Juvia growled back with such distaste, but then turned cherry faced when she saw Lucy.

"Lucy-sama! Juvia is so glad you're are okay!" Juvia cried, attempting to come close to Lucy. But Erza was in the way, glaring murderously at Juvia.

"Ah, Juvia. You joined, huh? It's a pleasure to have you here." Lucy happily said, oblivious to the exchange between the tow girls.

"Glad to have you on board." Gray commented.

"Romantic rival!" Juvia growled with murderous look on her face, glaring at Gray and Erza.

Erza wanted to teach Juvia who was boss, and who Lucy shall belong to. Gray did not know what was going on, and could care less.

"And there's one other new member. Come and say hello." Makarov added.

"There's another one?" Gray muttered uninterestingly.

Erza, Lucy, Natsu, and Gray turned and found a familiar mage that they had fought, the mage responsible for the destruction of the guild, and was immediately filled with rage and anger.

"Gajeel!?" Natsu exclaimed with a surprise tone, taking stance.

"What's he doing here?!" Gray took fighting stance, wondering why the iron dragon slayer was in their guild.

Erza immediately stood in front of Lucy, and clenched her fists angrily. She did not forget the way he had tortured Lucy...and that he destroyed their guild...Erza will never forgive Gajeel for hurting Lucy.

Lucy was quivering with fear. Just looking at Gajeel reminds her of her father, her ruthless father that cares for nothing...and the fact that he had also tortured her for fun. Things were just getting better and better were they? Damnit all.

'You have yet to move forward. You just need to believe in yourself.' Lucy's Mother's words echoed in her mind, reminding her that she must not let anyone fight for her because she was weak...she must. She must make a stand somehow and not let the fear control her. As much as she feared the man, the fact that Master Makarov was giving him a second chance must mean that he saw something in the metal tin can. Only way to really move forward...

Before Erza could throw insults toward Gajeel, Lucy gently pushed her to the side and slowly limped forward, due to her injuries, toward a smirking Gajeel.

"Lucy?" Erza wasn't expecting the blonde to do anything of the like.

Lucy stopped in front of Gajeel, who was still sitting, glaring at Lucy, his smirk totally gone. Lucy found herself momentarily unable to breathe.

Lucy clenched her fists. "Gajeel...just because you're in this guild now does not mean I will forgive and forget what you had done. I will never forgive you for the things you had done to me and the guild." Lucy could heart her heart beating loudly.

Everybody was silent. They had not expected Lucy to step up like that. They stood in silence and watched the scene unfold with imaginary popcorns by their sides.

"Even though. I would like to say welcome to the guild. But we will never be friends."

Everyone, including Gajeel was surprised. Lucy sighed and wobbled away, away from the crowd. She wanted to be alone.

Then the lights was turned off, and there was a single light beaming down on a particular person. Mira stood at the stage with a guitar and a microphone. She was really eager to start singing in the new mess hall.

Mira began to sing a beautiful song. Everybody was entrance by her voice. Lucy stood at the side, leaning against a wall, thinking about what she had done. Was that the right move? Can that be considered moving forward...not being stuck in the past by facing your fears? Would her mother approve of it?

"Lucy?"

Lucy turned and found a concerned Erza looking at her. "Is everything okay?" She asked. Erza had not expected Lucy to stand up to Gajeel like that.

Lucy sighed and turned back to the stage, feeling disinterested in talking. "I'll be fine."

"Want to talk about it?" Erza offered, wanting to be a shoulder for the blonde to lean on.

"Maybe later." Lucy murmured.

Mira had just finished her song and the light went out again. Then Gajeel appeared on stage with a fancy white suit that does not go with his thug face. Seems he had made himself at home quickly.

Lucy and Erza found themselves dumbfounded at the sight.

"This is a little ditty I wrote called 'Best Friend'. Give it a listen." Gajeel announced before he begun to sing.

Lucy honestly had never heard a song so horrible and it was so off key. Most people had the same opinion, but some had enjoyed it nonetheless, so she won't judge, even though Gajeel was a raging metal monster.

Then Natsu decided that was the best time to but in and insult Gajeel. It didn't take long for the two dragon slayers began a brawl, and soon other people started joining in on the fun of the fight.

Lucy's eyes started to wonder the guild while Erza stood awkwardly next to the blonde, but stood with purpose. Lucy spotted Mira at her bar, already doing her daily routines. No rest for the beauty eh?

Then she remembered something. And she knew that Mira would definitely have the answers. Now that everything had settled in, maybe it was time for the blonde to embark on a journey to learn something that she didn't particularly understand. Lucy gently pushed herself off of the wall and sauntered carefully toward the bar.

Erza decided to stay put, and let the young girl get some space... Unless she decides to fall into the vortex and mayhem of alcoholism.

"Mira." Lucy called out, sitting on the chair, silently wincing from the pain on her sides.

Mira momentarily stopped and looked up, seeing Lucy seated in from of her, her face consorted in pain. "Why are you looking like Natsu just broke another one of your favorite vases?" Mira joked.

Lucy sighed. "I have a huge bruise on my lower back, and my legs are extremely sore...it's a miracle that I had none of my bones were broken." Lucy muttered.

Right on cue, Mira wondered how the vacation at the resort was. But probably was not the best time to ask. Maybe in hour? Or tomorrow?

"I see. How can I help you? Would you like anything?" Mira smiled, already preparing Lucy a large cup of strawberry smoothie.

"I want to ask you something."

Mira paused and looked at Lucy in the eyes, sensing the seriousness in her tone, and gestured her to continue.

"Tell me...what is love?" Lucy asked.

Mira blinked. Had her plan failed? Did the boys get in the way of them? Damnit. The wedding will have to be postponed... "Love? It depends. Tell me, what do you know about love?" Mira innocently asked as she passed the cup of the deliciousness filled with sugar to the young blonde.

Lucy sighed and started to drink her smoothie. "I know about friendship love. I also do think that there is a love that create babies. I heard one of the guys hear talking about that. Though they were drunk off their knockers..."

Mira started laughing when Lucy had said the last part.

"Am I wrong?" Lucy raised an eyebrow, wondering what's so funny.

Mira snorted. "No...that's just a funny way to put it. There's two types of love. Friendship and romantic love." Mentally, Mira was just noting how innocent Lucy was, and it was really adorable. She's gonna have fun hehe.

"Romantic?" Lucy raised an eyebrow.

"For the romantic love, do you think about this person every day?" Mira inwardly smirked, and stared at the blonde expectantly.

"Huh?"

"Is there a person you like?"

"I-I...don't know what you are applying" Lucy stuttered. This was all too confusing. What the hell is Mira going on about?

Mira blinked slowly. "Oh, my. Then let say this, does your heart beat faster when you are near a certain individual?"

"Yes." Lucy automatically responded.

Mira blinked again in surprised. "That was fast for a response."

"Well, it's true. I don't really feel comfortable with other people, so my heart races every time. It's nerve-wracking having to talk to people you really don't know."

Mira sighed. She begun to understand how Erza felt when Lucy does not understand what she was trying to say. Rest her poor soul. Time to help out her old rival huehue.

"Okay...let's talk about Erza specifically then. Do your heart races every time you're near her?" Mira asked, hoping that this specific question would help. It would help to know exactly how Lucy feels about that red headed brute.

Lucy tilted her head a bit. "Are you saying that I'm afraid of Erza?"

"No like in an anxious way, like you're shy to be next to her."

Lucy thought about it for a moment. "Why would I be shy around her?"

"Because you like her."

"...What does it mean to like someone?" Lucy narrowed her eyes, getting slightly serious with the conservation.

Mira sighed exasperatedly. This will be a long night.

...

Lucy asked (persuaded) Erza to go on home without her, but managed to convince her with the promise of a day with just the two of them (no fire-breathing idiot and ice stripper) with no one to interrupt them

The blonde just wanted the time to herself. Contemplating on everything that had happened and everything she had learned. On this cool windy night, with every passing trees, Lucy recalls everything that had happened. The source, the beginning of it all, the encounters with the people she now calls friends, and the conflictions from everything it had wrought. The conflictions that Mira was mumbling about, it almost seems like she was trying to convince Lucy.

Mira kept mentioning Erza, so she definitely had some sort of huehue plan in that little head of hers. Is she doing this just for the fun of it? Or does she know something?

...

The very next day, the two young girls sat in the guild, at the brandish new bar. Erza happily eating her strawberry cake like it was the most precious thing ever.

... The second most precious thing ever. A certain blonde would be considered the most precious thing to Erza. Though she wouldn't confess that until Lucy finally understands her feelings. BUT she has no problem confessing her love for Lucy to the beloved readers that are reading this story (:

On the other hand, Lucy just sat in her chair, staring at the table in front of her, ignoring all of her senses. She was far too caught up in the moment of the disturbances of recent history.

Why does everything have to be so complicated?

"Lucy. Are you okay?" Erza said between her bites of her cake, noting the aura of the blonde and as she stared at the table like she was trying to burn a hole in it.

"Yea..." Lucy muttered half-heartily.

Erza took the last bite of her cake and set down her fork and turned to the blonde. She knew that Lucy was going through something. Especially since the tower. Could it be that she's ignoring Erza because of her feelings? Or is it a different matter all together? What ever the case was, Erza just wished that Lucy would just talk to her and rely on her.

A moment later, a brilliant idea came to the redhead's mind. Seeing that it was that time of the year, she could shift Lucy's thoughts to something happier.

"Lucy, I will be back. Don't go anywhere." Erza said suddenly and left in a flash.

"K..." Lucy muttered, talking to an empty space where Erza stood just seconds ago.

Alone in her thoughts, the thoughts of feeling weak immediately came to mind. She felt weak and a liability during the tower incident, and when Fairy Tail was attacked by Phantom mages

Her thought was suddenly disturbed by a loud familiar voice calling her name.

"Lucy! Want to go on a job?" Natsu hollered, walking to Lucy, already fired up to do some action and beat some mages up.

Lucy turned to Natsu...and mentally facepalmed with a loud sigh.

"Job? I doubt you can even do one. I think the effects of eating the Etherion are still in effect." Lucy observed, seeing how wobbling he was as he tried walking.

"Don't sweat it! I'm all fired up!" Natsu grinned, trying his hardest not to lose balance and pumped his fists together.

Lucy stared at him, an immature idea coming to mind. Fire. She's afraid of fire. Hmm... If she was to face that fear in the face, would it make her stronger? She's desperate to get stronger, she wanted to get stronger so she won't have to rely on anyone else. She's tired of being the weak one.

With a firm resolve, Lucy quickly stood up and faced Natsu, who was surprised by her actions.

"Natsu, use your fire!" Lucy whispered, her own voice failing her as she requested Natsu to do something stupid.

"Huh?" Natsu was smarter enough to not use fire around Lucy. He had gotten PLENTY of reminders of her oh-great-protector. But he never expected Lucy to ask him this. "Why?"

With a hard beating heart in her chest, Lucy took a deep breath, and tried to reason herself to not back out of this. Just thinking about potential fires brought up unwanted memories within her. She just wanted it to stop. She wanted to stop being so damn afraid of everything around her. She wants it to end.

"Just do it. If Erza tries to kill you, I'll stop her. Just. Do. It." Lucy stared into Natsu eyes with her serious tone.

"...Okay?" Natsu raised his fist and lighted it on fire, but not to big.

As soon as the fire came to light, the light in Lucy's eyes shined with fear. Memories colliding against each other filled with torment.

It's just fire. It's just fire. It's just fire.

All of the torment.

And the pain

When will it end?

"Lucy?" A familiar voice called out.

Lucy was snapped out of her sudden trance, and found herself on her knees, hugging herself protectively from the raging fire. Like that'll do anything... Erza was kneeling down, her hands on her shoulders to steady to blonde, worry in her eyes.

"Lucy!" Erza yelled with a louder tone, to get Lucy to be vocal.

"Huh?" That was all that came out of the blonde's mouth. She was angry at herself for not being strong against the fire.

"What did Natsu do? Did he hurt you? Burn you? Hit you? I destroyed him for whatever he did do you. He should have learned his lesson by now. Otherwise I'll have to tear him from limb to limb!"

Lucy turned her head and spotted Natsu wedged into a table in the most awkward way. His naked but was in plain view. Erza really did give him a beating did she?

"Lucy?"

Lucy snapped her head back to Erza, her eyes with clear evidence of concern. Taking another breath, Lucy pushed herself from the ground with painful effort thanks to her damaged sides.

"I'm fine."

Erza studied Lucy as she stood on her feet, leaning against the table. "I beg to differ. There's something's that making you act weird."

Lucy sighed. "I just have a lot on my mind."

Erza stared at her blonde for a second. "Very well. Magnolia Harvest is coming up." Erza said, changing the subject, hoping that this would at least help change the blonde's mood.

Lucy's ears perked at those words. "Magnolia Harvest? I almost forgot about that."

"They're also having a Miss FairyTail Contest. And the prize is 500,000 Jewels."

"500,000?!"

Erza put her hands on Lucy's shoulder. "Lucy. I will win the prize for you."

"Eh?"

"If I win, the prize will go to you."

"Why?"

Erza stuttered..."Oh...I-I....so...you...." She couldn't even find the words. How embarrassing.

Lucy stared at the redheaded knight, trying to think what kind of motives she could have for giving 500,000 Jewels to her. Perhaps that she thinks that Lucy couldn't do it? Not on her own?

Lucy clenched her fists in denial. "I'm going to enter in the contest as well."

"Eh?" Erza blinked.

"I can do it. I can do it. I don't need people to do things for me. I can do it on my own!" Lucy complained.

Erza sweat-dropped and raised her hands in defense. Was it something she had said? "Um...okay..."

Lucy sighed, and calmed herself down. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you. It's just that I saw my mother before I had woke up from the incident of the tower of heaven."

"Your mother?"

"Yeah. As a ghost. She was muttering some stuff to me, something important."

"Is that why you been acting differently? The things the ghost has said?"

Lucy sighed. "It's just that I have a lot on my mind. It's all jumbled up and it's hard to re-sort them. It's confusing me everyday the more I think about it."

"I'm here to listen. I want to help. You don't have to keep the burden all to yourself."

Lucy slightly sighed and looked at her surroundings, thinking of what she should say. Say everything or leave some part out? After a minute of silence, Lucy decided. "My mother had told me that I had yet to grow up."

"What?"

Lucy sighed and looked away. "She said that I was too afraid to move on."

"It's okay to be afraid." Erza soothed.

"She also mentioned something about Love and Hate, and Life and Death. That I must understand what they are in order to move on in order to protect myself and others. Sounds like bunch of riddles to me."

Erza took a moment to collect it in her mind and figured that this was something personal. Probably better for there's not any eavesdroppers (a.k.a Mira) listening in on her conservation that might be too personal.

She gently grabbed Lucy's hand and guided her out of the guild, with the blonde curiously allowing her to. The knight decided to go back to their place and talk it out. No one trying to listen in on us, and no one should be bothering us.

... Unless a drunk Cana decides to barge into their apartment and try to convince Lucy to do a blind date with some random dude for her own amusement. One time Cana presented a weird looking cake that she someone made while obviously drunk, and called it her personal strawberry cake. The word strawberry cake had Erza shut down all reason and ate a bite without second thoughts.

That would be the last time Erza would ever let Cana give her anything, or anything of the like. And she went ahead and installed more security means so it'll be practically impossible to break in.

Seated comfortable in the couch, Erza turned to the blonde, intent on helping giving her advices in any way possible. "Life and death. Life is beautiful. There's emotions, and happiness. For example, trees."

"Like the tree of life?"

"Life can give birth to many things. New life, new emotions, new purpose, new friends. Death on the other hand, deals with the natural order of things. Misfortune and sadness. It comes for us all. Death is very controversial, so it's difficult to know about death in detail."

"Like my Mother dying, and never seeing her again?"

"Lucy. Close your eyes." Erza ordered with a soft tone.

"What?"

"Close your eyes." The redhead repeated.

Lucy did as she was told and closed her eyes.

"Now can you picture your Mother?"

Lucy thought of her Mother, and when she did, she imagined her in a beautiful pink dress. Hair done in a beautiful French bun. And she bore no makeup. With her nature beautiful smile and the twinkle in her eyes. Oh how she missed her Mother. "Yes."

"This is my opinion about death. They may be gone from the living. But if we hold onto the memories that we have of them, they will always stay with us. In our hearts." When Erza spoke of this, she was thinking of the people that had helped her in the past. This had helped her move on, accept the fate of what happened. Because all she can really do is just live for the lives that was lost.

"That's deep. Thanks Erza." Lucy smiled for the first time today, and Erza reveled in the beauty of that smile.

Erza would've added that she got that from a TV show, but she decided to keep her mouth shut and not ruin this beautiful moment with this blonde goddess.

"What about love and hate?" Lucy asked.

"They are on opposite sides of the same coin, polar opposites. Hate, for example, could mean that I hate the way Natsu tries to get in the way of me enjoying my strawberry cake sometimes. But that doesn't mean I hate him. I love him as a friend who I can count on for brute strength. But never for brains."

Lucy snickered. "He is dense. But I understand where you're coming from. Makes sense."

"There's other type of hate, which I'm sure you're familiar with."

"What you mean?"

"Certain people can have this hate, completely void of any aspect of love. Covered in darkness, and is nothing like the hate/love on opposite sides of the same coin."

Lucy nodded her head, getting some sort of sense about the whole hate/love and life/death stuff. Speaking of love...

"Erza, tell me, when you say that you me, what do you think about? Why say it?" Lucy was thinking that this whole love concept was just really complicated and controversial. But she was curious to Erza's perspective about love.

Erza literally froze as Lucy asked that. " "Love...that I talk about?"

Lucy nodded.

The redhead became a blushing tomato and started fidgeting with her hands. "Well I...I love you...in a way...that I want to...keep you close and..." Erza faltered and just couldn't say it.

"Close?" Lucy could see the evidence of nervousness in her eyes as she was opening her mouth and closing it like a fish

Erza turned her head away, anywhere but from Lucy's curious eyes. "Iwanttokissyouandmakeyoumine." Erza quickly spoke, trying to beat her embarrassment.

Silence followed, and Erza was becoming even more tensed as time ticked by. She silently hoped that Lucy didn't hear her words. But she was wrong when Lucy opened her mouth.

"Kiss?" Lucy finally spoke. "Doesn't kissing only applies for those who love each other?"

Erza turned to Lucy with a dumbfounded surprise look on her face. Is she serious? Had she not yet picked up that Erza liked her in that romantic sense?

"Yes..." Erza replied.

Lucy didn't say anything at that point, mostly because Erza was on a love rant, so she didn't really have a choice but to listen.

"Lucy. I love you, a love where I want to kiss you and hold you close and make you mine." Erza wanted Lucy to understand, what her love is and love her back.

Lucy was taken aback. "Huh? Make me yours?"

"Ah... That can be later on in the relationship...but...kissing can be anytime..." Erza fidgeted in her seat as Lucy's eyebrows curled as she learned more. Damnit it was so adorable. So cute.

"Kissing?"

Erza took a deep breath. "Lucy...can I kiss you?"

"Huh?"

"They say that if you kiss someone and you liked it, then you like that person...if not...then you don't like that person." Erza said...trying to find a way to kiss Lucy and teach her about love. That's killing two birds with one stone. The feeling of her lips on hers...

Lucy understood now (sorta?). If Erza really wanted to kiss her, then does she really like her? "Erza...is the love that you speak of, is it the love that create babies?"

Erza choked on her breath, soon followed by a soft chuckle wondering where she got that idea from.

"Mira had the same reaction...why is that?" Lucy murmured with a slight frown.

"I'm sorry. It just...that I wasn't expecting that type of question." Erza spoke between her chuckles. Lucy stared at her confusingly, wondering why it was so amusing.

After a few more moment of laughing, Erza calmed down and stared at her blonde. "As for your question, yes...it's the love that I speak of...where...you make babies." Erza muttered the last part in embarrassment with couple of snickers.

Lucy blinked. "But, we're both girls. Plus I'm sure we can't create babies. If what I remembered form one of your books, you need a di-"

"Please don't finish that sentence!" She yelled, interrupting the blonde.

Erza couldn't help but laugh again with what Lucy was about to say. "Love can come in many forms. Plus, you're right. Girl couples can't create babies. But that's not the reason girls love each other."

"Then what can be the reason?"

"There's a large variety of reasons. For me, I love you because of the way you smile, how safe I feel when I'm with you, your personality, your voice...I love everything about you." Erza could've made 10 pages list of everything that she loved about the smaller girl.

Lucy listened to Erza with the thought of mild understanding. So that's love?

"Lucy...I understand that you don't understand love yet, but I can teach you." Erza wanted so, so, so badly to ask her out. But seeing that Lucy still doesn't understand love, she decided to wait. Again. She rather not take advantage of her innocence.

"Lucy can I?" Erza asked slowly with hesitant in her voice.

"Do what?"

Erza takes Lucy's hand and looked her in the eyes. "I-I...want to..." Erza couldn't say it again, she couldn't...why is that? "Can I hug you?" She blurted, not really what she wanted. Damnit to hell! Erza wanted to kiss her...

...

It was a glorious day for Magnolia Harvest to be hosted, the day of the Miss Fairy Tail Contest. Lucy sat at the bar, anxiously waiting for the festival to start. Not long after, Erza came running in, making a mad dash toward the blonde, like she had some sort of revelation. Plus she seemed a lot more confidence since she basically CONFESSED to Lucy and made it sorta plain clear.

Erza honestly doesn't know how much more dense Lucy can get.

"Lucy!"

"Erza?" Lucy turned her head to see the redhead standing next to her, confidence and resilience seems to power her reasons.

"Lucy. Please don't do the competition." Erza blurted out as soon as she could. She wanted to appeal to the blonde. And try and win the competition for her. Hopefully it'll play a factor in helping the blonde loving her back. One can only hope.

Lucy sighed. "Why?" Lucy asked, seeing how serious Erza was. If Erza was serious, it's probably useless to tell her otherwise. Such a hot headed woman.

"I want to...impress you..." Erza stuttered involuntarily. Why does Lucy's eyes has to be so beautiful. She could get lost in the pools of that chocolate eyes.

"Impress?"

Erza blushed as she nodded. "Yes I want to prove....no...I want you to see how much I...I love you." Erza was trembling from embarrassment as she forced herself to talk.

"That's it?" Lucy wondered if she heard Erza right.

"If I win, you can have the prize. I don't care about the money. I just want you to see, I want to appeal to you...plus...I don't like the idea of men wooing at you..." Erza muttered angrily at the last part.

Lucy chuckled. "So...this is jealousy I see?"

Erza blushed harder and looked away. "I..." She felt like a little kid caught with something really embarrassing.

Lucy sighed and smiled. "So...I want to ask you something first before I agree."

Erza looked back to give her full attention to Lucy. "What is it?"

"If I did enter the contest and if I lost, does that mean I'm weak?" Lucy asked, wanting a serious answer.

"Huh? The contest is for fun. Why would you think that?"

Lucy looked down. "It's just that I want to move on, and not have people see me as the one who needs to be protected all the time..."

Erza takes Lucy's hands in hers and held it gingerly. "You know that's not true."

"This is what my mother had told me. I saw a scene where my guild mates were talking to my younger self even though they are the same age as the current me they still see me as a younger me."

Erza finally pieced couple of things together and it made better sense. "Even so, that does not stop us from wanting to help and protect you."

"If I can't protect myself, then how can I protect my friends? I want to be able to protect my friends, my guild...my family...I want to protect you." Lucy trembled with frustration.

"Then all you have to do is believe in yourself and become stronger..." Erza smiled.

"Mother said the exact same thing." Lucy silently chuckled at herself for the irony. The only problem is that she has no clue on how to get stronger.

Erza studied her as she recollected some thoughts to say. "It seems that you are pushing yourself. I think your mother is trying to say that you should only face your fears when you are in trouble, when you really have to. You shouldn't force yourself."

"Huh?"

"When you faced Gajeel, you stood up against him, during the attack. That's one example. Then when he had joined Fairy Tail, you welcomed him...I say that's a step to becoming strong, a sign that you are growing up." Erza tightened her grip on Lucy's hand. "There's should be no reason for you to be pushing yourself."

Lucy looked down at their intertwine hands as she listened.

"You really think so?" Lucy muttered.

"I say that you had come a long way." Erza smiled.

Lucy smiled back, looking Erza in the eyes. "Thanks..." Lucy muttered through her smile.

Erza brought Lucy in for a hug and held her close. "Lucy...what is your answer for the competition?" She asked, bringing back the previous conservation, serious all of the sudden.

Lucy smiled as she hugged her back. "Alright. I won't enter the competition and I'll watch as you dominate the competition."

Erza was about to say something when a voice called out.

"Lucy-sama!" Juvia came running into the guild. "Juvia will enter the competition as well!"

"Really?" Lucy said as she broke the hug with Erza.

Erza glared at Juvia for interrupting their time. She was about Lucy about possibility of a prize...

"Yes, Juvia will win the competition, so Juvia can reach your heart!" Juvia exclaimed with fire in her eyes.

Erza walked to Juvia, entering her personal space. "I will win. Lucy will be mine!" Erza growled.

Juvia glared at Erza with a menacing aura surrounding her. "Juvia will win, and Lucy-sama will be mine."

Lucy sweatdropped as she watched the exchange of the two, and she wondered if Juvia's love was the same as Erza's love. She also wondered why Juvia liked her.

"Um...Juvia?" Lucy called out.

Erza and Juvia immediately stopped their bickering and looked at Lucy with hearts in their eyes.

"Juvia is listening." Juvia said, hearts in her eye, and blushing.

"Um you say that you like me. Can I ask why?" Lucy muttered.

Juvia blinked and begun to blushed even harder. "Oh...Juvia likes blonde people...and Lucy-sama is cute too." Juvia stuttered, looking away.

"Blonde? Lucy, mind if we dye your hair a different color then?" Erza said, looking at Lucy in the eyes, with a glint of jealousy, and also serious about hair dyeing her hair.

"Eh?" Lucy blinked.

"If we dye your hair a different color, Juvia will not go after you anymore." Erza smirked and Juvia glared at the redhead with intent to kill.

"No! I like my hair!" Lucy complained, trying to cover her hair with her hands.

Erza made a 'tch' sound, looking disappointed. "Very well. Then I will have to make Lucy mine soon as possible." Erza muttered to herself, mentally making herself a note, sending a glare at the rain woman.

"Juvia will make sure that does not happen!" Juvia roared, glaring at Erza.

Lucy sweat dropped, as Erza and Juvia bashed their heads together violently.

A/N: Call me old fashion... because I am old fashioned. And I believe that love is well developed in High school. Elementary school and 6th and 7th grades should only be the place to learn what you want, learn what you need. Don't go out looking for bf/gf even if you are curious.

I'm seeing 7 year olds with gf/bf and I'm like... bOi!

So what I'm trying to say is, don't fking rush love. It's so much worth it and amazing if you are patient. Love is so stressful, and I'm speaking from experience, so if you're single, BE PROUD!

If you're not, I highly encourage you to PM me and I'll convince you are where you are supoosed to be. (Not bibilical). I'm serious. PM me.