I Object

♡ 3. Realizations

The next day Makarov gathered everyone into the guild and looked down upon them with solemn eyes. 

"I am sad to announce that our fellow nakama, Lucy Heartfilia has left Fairy Tail permanently." He bowed his head under the shocked cries and tears and yells of the guild. 

"Why did Lu-chan leave?" Levy cried. 

"She didn't even say goodbye!" Cana yelled. 

"Where did she go?" Gray asked, once again shirtless.

"Is it because of—" Bisca began. 

"What happened?" Mira asked her eyes wide and hands over her mouth. 

"QUIET!" Erza bellowed, tears in her eyes. "Let Master explain." 

All eyes turned to Makarov again. "She asked me not to tell you the reason why she left or where she is going but I can tell you this: she is safe and sound right now and she will continue to be and… she loved you. All of you." 

"I DON'T BELIEVE IT!" Natsu roared. "LUCE WOULDN'T DO THAT! SHE WOULDN'T JUST PACK UP AND LEAVE!" Beside him, Lisanna put a hand over his shoulder in an attempt to comfort him. 

Makarov turned away and started crying harder. 

Below him, Natsu had started rampaging, tears streaming down his face. Lucy was—no, still is his best friend. She couldn't leave. Not after all they've been through! He roared, a jet of flame billowing out of his mouth before he collapsed into a heap on the floor, crying uncontrollably. Why…why couldn't he have prevented her from leaving…

'Why did you leave me? Come back Luce.'

♡~♡~♡

Lucy tiredly walked up to the gates of the Heartfilia mansion, dragging her suitcases behind her. Ahead, the white mansion glowed with the setting sun. 

Suddenly the doors burst open and a man rushed out towards her. It was Jude Heartfilia. 

"Lucy… I'm so sorry," he said as he enfolded her in a hug. 

"It's alright… Father," Lucy said as she returned the hug. Unknown to him, a tear seeped out of her eye and disappeared into his suit jacket. 

♡~♡~♡

Back at the guild, everyone sat in miserable silence, shocked at the disappearance of their favorite celestial mage. Natsu was especially depressed as he sat next to Lisanna, who was trying to cheer him up. Truth be told, she was a little glad that Lucy left so that she wouldn't have any more competition with the beautiful golden haired mage, but she also loved the girl and she hated to see her boyfriend so upset. 

"Cheer up Natsu," she begged. "I'm sure Lucy's gonna be fine." 

The dragon slayer said nothing but slumped even further down in his seat. In front of him, sitting on the table, Happy stared morosely at his fish. "I miss Lucy," he whimpered. 

Mira looked at the blue Exceed with dull eyes. "We all do, Happy," she whispered. 

♡~♡~♡

Lucy sat on her room in her bed, which was about two times as large as her entire apartment, staring at a photo of Team Natsu, with Natsu's arm casually slung around her shoulders and Happy in her left arm with Erza on her right with her arm looped through the armored mage's left arm and Gray on Natsu's left while attempting to knock Natsu down with his Ice Hammer. 

"I bet you guys are partying right now," Lucy whispered. "I bet you all don't miss me at all. Maybe you guys don't even know I'm missing…" Even as she said those words, she knew in her heart that they weren't true. She started to cry, crystal tears dripping down her cheeks. 

Her bedroom door suddenly opened and a maid stepped in. She turned and saw the mistress crying on her bed and quickly walked towards her. 

"Oh, Mistress," the maid said sadly. 

"S-Spetto-san," Lucy sniffed. "I miss them. I miss Fairy Tail." 

"At least you will see them soon," Spetto tried to comfort the young heiress but she continued to cry. 

"And I don't want to get married," the girl sniffed. "But Papa… and Natsu…" 

Spetto knew something was wrong. "What happened?" 

"I fell in love with Natsu, but when his childhood friend Lisanna came back to the guild they started dating and he kicked me off his team and I couldn't take it anymore so when Papa asked me to marry Lord Nakamura I had to agree. I just couldn't take it anymore," she confessed. 

Spetto-san was silent. "I could see you loved him very much, but running away isn't always the answer." 

"I don't want to ruin their happiness." 

"Do you think they're really happy now that you're gone? Even worse: when they find out you left them to get married to someone you don't love?" 

Lucy looked down. "I don't know… But I promised the Master I'll invite them to the wedding but besides that… I really don't know…" 

Spetto-san stroked her hair. "If only Layla-sama was still alive. She would know what to do." 

"I wish Mama was alive too," Lucy sniffed. "Can you please leave, Spetto-san? I'm sorry, but I need some time alone." 

"Of course, Lucy-sama. I'll tell the Master that you will be skipping dinner." 

"Thank you, Spetto-san." After the maid left, Lucy changed into comfortable pajamas and crawled between the covers, lying down and staring out the huge windows to the star-studded sky beyond. She lay like that for a while, tears streaming out of her chocolate brown eyes to the poufy pillow under her head until she fell asleep out of exhaustion. 

♡~♡~♡

Dae ♡