Hello Minna. This is a new story I developed while studying for exams. Hope you all like it.

Hiro Mashima is awesome and he owns all of Fairy Tail. I just get to write the sweet goodness that is fanfiction ;)

Summary: Looking from across the room, there she was. Tall, slender, long golden hair falling all the way down to her waist, and still as beautiful as ever. She was there. She was real. She was home…And he would never be able to touch her ever again.

The Bayou

Chapter 1: Home

"…So…you're over me then?"

Lucy couldn't help but slump against the wall near her bed. Her world had just been shattered, just like pieces of a mirror being smashed by a brick.

"…Yeah…I am" Came the voice on the other line.

Tears started trailing down her cheeks. She closed her eyes, a look of anguish on her face.

"Lucy? Lucy are you okay?" the voice asked.

Lucy covered her mouth to stifle a sob that managed to escape. There it was. He finally said it. He didn't love her anymore. He was well and truly over her.

"Lucy-"

"I understand" she finally said, bringing up her courage to finally return to talking on the phone.

"Oh, okay…I-"

"Thank you for being honest." She let out.

"I know that we have been through ups and downs. I…I just wish we could have fi-fixed it." Lucy was struggling to stay calm, stay strong.

There was a long sigh on the other line.

"Lucy I-"

"Goodbye" and with that Lucy disconnected the line.

The very next day, she was gone.

5 years later

"Hey! If it isn't ice breath!" called a pink haired man from the bar.

It had been a cloudy day in Magnolia. Rain poured down the whole day and made the evening feel dank and grimy.

Walking into the infamous Boars Nest bar, a wary Gray Fullbuster made his way over to the bar, smiling at the bar maid as he arrived.

"Hey Mira, can I have a cup of coffee please? Straight black, no sugar."

"Coming right up hun," smiled the silver haired beauty and set about making the hot drink.

"Why so down stripper? Fell into the bayou again?" grinned the salmon haired man that called out to Gray when he had entered the bar.

"Shut up Flame brain, you try patrolling the borders in this weather!" growled Gray, sitting himself at the bar.

He was shirtless, milky cream skin still glistening from the rain. He flexed his shoulders, showing off muscular arms and twisted his neck to relieve some tension that had built up from being on duty.

After stretching, and at the same time receiving his coffee from Mira with a smile, he relaxed, closing his eyes as he slowly sipped his hot beverage.

Natsu watched him silently, the humour from earlier dying quickly.

"What is it fire balls, quit staring at me like that. It's giving me the creeps." Gray said, eyes still closed and sipping his coffee.

There was silence between the two for a while before Natsu spoke again.

"Erza found another one. He was dead."

Gray immediately stopped drinking his coffee and looked up to see a wary Natsu, giving him a shocked look.

"What did you just s-"

"You heard me Gray." Natsu's usually smile plastered face had turned grim and sullen.

Gray's eyes widened.

"Who was it?" He asked cautiously.

"Don't know. Erza thinks he's from out of town. Poor guy. Couldn't have been more than eighteen years old." Natsu turned back to his half-finished beer and took a huge swig, slamming the wooden pint mug down hard on the counter.

Gray knew that look. Natsu was always affected by the death of anyone, even people he had never met. Life being taken away before their time.

Gray turned back to the counter, just in time to see Mira making her way to both men.

"Hey guys, my shifts over and I start duty in half an hour. Could you please inform Lisanna to lock up when its closing time, her and Elfman are upstairs."

"Yeah, sure thing Mira." Replied Gray.

Mira gave a small smile before disappearing to the back.

Gray turned to look around the bar.

The Boars Nest was full tonight, most probably due to the heavy rain fall and people needing a hot meal and drink to pass the time by.

He returned to see Natsu flip his phone out to read a text message, most probably from Erza.

"Yo"

Gray looked up to see a familiar blue haired man towering above him. The red tattoo covering most of the right side of his face was just as intimidating as ever.

"Hey Jellal, what brings you here?"

"I was hoping my lovely red haired vice-captain was enjoying a pint with her two favourite little brothers." Jellal smiled.

Gray pouted while Natsu turned to face the both of them.

"Erza just texted. Said she'll be here soon. Where did you come from?"

"Just got back from patrolling the east side of the bayou. I picked up a new scent coming from old man Yajima's cabin."

Gray and Natsu's senses immediately went on high alert.

"Why the sudden check up on Yajima-san? Some new blood come to see him?" Natsu asked, his curiosity peaked.

Gray turned to cast a look at him. That's what you get from being a trained hunter.

Jellal looked at both boys, before settling his gaze on Gray.

"It's not so much a new scent but rather an old one that's…changed a bit."

Gray looked at Jellal in confusion, wondering what the man was saying.

Just then a familiar red haired girl, wearing tight black jeans and figure hugging vest walked into the bar, making her way over to the counter. At the same exact moment, Mira walked out from the back of the bar wearing the same clothing as the red haired.

"Good luck Mira. Be careful out there." Erza Scarlet hugged and kissed Mira on the cheek.

"I will. Make sure to get something to eat okay." And with a smile, Mira left the bar.

By this time, all three boys turned to look at the flaming red haired girl as she walked up to them.

Jellal immediately opened his arms, catching Erza as she leapt into them, holding her tightly, inhaling her scent.

"Thank God you're alright. I missed you." He breathed into her hair.

Erza pulled back just enough to look into his eyes, cupping his cheeks in her hands and rubbing her nose against his.

"I missed you too. I wish we could be on patrol together," she breathed out.

"You know we can't do that. It will affect work." Jellal brought her hands to his lips, kissing each finger gently.

Erza smiled and leaned up to him just as he was about to lean down, both meeting half way to share a chaste kiss.

It was abruptly halted when the two heard gagging noises coming from behind them.

"I know you love birds have just mated and stuff, but come on sis, you don't have to show the whole world!" Natsu bellowed.

"And definitely don't' do that in front of us! Its weird." He continued.

Erza looked at Jellal and both laughed, giving their apologises.

Gray looked away from the exchange. He was happy for his sister. She had found her true mate and they were blissfully in love with each other. He had hugged and congratulated her when she told him and Natsu the news, both even more happy when they found out it was Jellal that she had imprinted with.

However, he still couldn't stand to look at love like theirs for too long. Not when he had thought he had found the exact same thing, only to lose it because of his stupid ego.

"Gray?"

Looking up, Erza was eyeing him with concern in her eyes.

"What's wrong?" she asked, her hands entwined with Jellals which were wrapped around her waist protectively.

He looked at the two and gave a small smile.

Now that right there was love. The kind of love that anyone would give up everything for.

That he gave up.

Shaking his head, he looked back up to offer another, more convincing smile.

"Sorry sis, was just thinking about stuff. How was patrol? Natsu told me you found another one?"

Just like that the mood changed, Erza's smile faltering making Jellal tighten his grip around her waist, pulling her even closer into his body.

Natsu and Gray looked at one another before looking back to the couple.

"Yeah. Poor kid. He was just a teenager." She breathed.

"It's alright baby." Jellal whispered into her hair.

"Where did you find him?" Gray asked, concerned with whatever it was that was making his usually tough as steel sister act so defenceless.

"I found him floating on the east end of the bayou, right outside our borderlines." Erza replied, leaning into Jellal's protective embrace.

Gray immediately snapped his gaze to Jellal.

"Didn't you just say that you sensed a new scent coming from old man Yajima's place at the east end?!"

Erza looked up to see Jellal let out a long sigh.

"What is it?" she asked, bringing her hand up to caress his cheek.

He stared into her eyes before fixing Gray with a pained look.

"I said it wasn't a new scent, just an old one that's…different."

Gray looked up at him, confusion evident in his eyes. Turning back to Natsu, he saw that Natsu looked just as lost as he was.

"Go on." Gray urged.

Jellal looked at him, then to Erza before looking back to Gray.

"Just so you know Fullbuster, it was just a scent. It could well be a scent that lingered and may not even be from someone, but from personal things that they could have left behind or…"

"Cut the bullshit Jellal." Gray growled.

"Watch your mouth cub!"

Looking up, Gray saw Erza shift into a defensive pose, though Jellal kept his arms around her, soothing her with calming words.

Natsu just stared at the exchange.

This didn't stop Gray from pressing on.

"You have the best nose out of all of us. That's why you're our captain!" Gray let out to Jellal, receiving a sigh from the man.

"So cut the crap and tell us what you know. You definitely know something. Spill." Gray was getting impatient.

"Yeah come one, my shift starts in three hours and I need sleep before that. Spill it." Natsu added with a yawn.

Jellal kept his eyes fixed on Gray, before continuing.

"…it was Lucy's scent…"

There was a deathly silence that last for a good three minutes between the four.

Natsu's mouth had dropped open and Erza had to lift her leg to kick his mouth shut.

The remaining three than turned their attention to Gray, who had his head down, a shadow cast against his face from his hair.

"What did you just say?" Gray asked without looking up.

Jellal straightened, still holding onto Erza, who was now clutching his arms around her protectively.

"The scent I followed belonged to Lucy. And don't even try to ask if I'm sure it is hers. You know my tracking skills record. That's why I'm your captain."

Natsu looked from Jellal to Gray.

"Dude…"

In a flash, Gray sped to the door of the bar and disappeared into the dark, grimy night.

Natsu stared at the door, while Erza shifted her gaze to Jellal.

"Are you sure?" she asked turning in his arms to hug him tightly.

Jellal held her close, burying his face into her hair.

"Yes." He replied softly.

XDXDX

Running through the marsh and brush of the bayou was always Gray's favourite way of letting go. The wind whipping though him as he cut across it like a bullet in the night. The smell of the earth was like a breath of fresh air that proved to him that nature was still safe, untouched by those who would try to take it away.

Using all his speed, Gray all but flew across the land encased in lily ponds and towering cypress trees that cast their veils of glistening green leaves to provide a curtain that hid away the real world from their world.

After thirty minutes, Gray saw a small cabin come into view.

Smoke was rising from the chimney, the scent of boiling crayfish and baked butterscotch pie flowing through the air. He hid amongst the low brush, downwind from the cabin, making sure his scent wouldn't be caught by any possible enemy.

And that was when he heard it.

Laughter.

A sweet sound, more like singing then laughing. It was light and had an air of gentleness around it.

Gray moved to the side of the house, where a small window provided a view into a room that looked like the dining room of the house.

Coming into his view, someone walked into the room, long flowing golden hair cascading down past the limited view the window could provide. The person's back was to the window.

It was then that he saw the familiar face and form of old man Yajima come into view, holding onto a big dish which he handed to the girl.

And that was when he heard her.

"Thank you uncle. I'll bring the rest."

And that was when he his heart stopped.

Turning around, giving full view of her face, was none other than the girl who had haunted his dreams every night for five years.

"Lucy…" Gray breathed out.

She was so beautiful. She had grown taller. Her figure had become slender, her eyes holding the same sparkle they always had, her luscious full lips surrounding her perfect smile.

His heart ached.

"God, it's her. She's really here…"

It felt like hours had passed by before, forgetting about his surroundings, Gray accidently stepped on a broken tree branch, allowing a loud 'snap' to be heard.

It was then that Lucy looked up from what she was doing to peer outside the window.

"Lucy dear what is it?" Yajima asked, bringing the bread pudding over to the dining table.

Turning back, she gave the little old man a smile.

"Oh, its nothing uncle. I just thought I heard something from outside. I keep forgetting I'm back in the bayou." Lucy smiled.

Yajima smiled at his niece.

"I'm glad you're back love. Now let's eat. I've missed your home cooking."

And with that, both of them sat down at the table.

Meanwhile outside, Gray had changed back to his normal form and peeked out from behind a tree he had ran to before Lucy could spot him. Staring into the house, he saw her and Yajima chat and laugh as they enjoyed their meal.

'That smile…"

He had missed her smile.

Inhaling the air around him, he focused his senses on Lucy's scent and that's when he caught a whiff of it.

Vanilla. Strawberry.

He's favourite scent in the world had come back.

Taking one last peak, he saw her smile again and his heart clenched.

"I've missed you…"

He turned around, shocked to find tears running down his face.

Taking a deep breath, Gray gave one final glance to the house before disappearing into the darkness of the bayou.

Feeling a chill run down her spine, Lucy turned to look out the window.

"Are you alright Lucy dear? You seem to be on edge?"

Lucy peered out the window one last time before turning back.

"I'm sorry uncle. I just thought that there was someone out there."

"Ah yes well, there are alligators in the bayou. But don't worry. They can't come in here."

"Haha I'm not worried uncle." She smiled to the old man, giving one final glance out the window, towards the edge of the lake.

XDXDX

"Ssss….Is é an t -am beagnach in aice le…ssss" (The time is almost near).

Slipping back into the darkness, a slimy hand gripped a nearby branch, while bloodshot eyes stared into the cozy cabin, eyeing the golden haired girl with great interest.

"luath agus Lucy , go han-luath" (Soon Lucy, very soon).

XDXDX

Hey minna!

So I have exams next week and my brain just told me that if I had to read one more line of how vertebrates adapted legs to survive on land, I was going to lose it.

Hope you enjoyed my new story. I'm so sorry that I have not been updating in a long time. This story was originally supposed to be a oneshot, but then I decided to see how it would progress if I put some depth to the story.

Thank you for reading and please leave a review.

Thank you all again Minna. Big LOVE!