Ok folks, in reaction to Chapter 416, here's a little NaLu for ya. Approvesport started sketching an amazing NaLu drawing of them after the time skip and I just couldn't resist doing a quick little thing for it. So here it is. I hope you like it.

Reunion

Lucy walked slowly down the cobblestone street, her heals clicking over the rocky surface as she made the trek from Erza's place back to her own. It had been over a year now since Natsu and Happy had left and there hadn't been a day yet that she hadn't thought about them… or Gray and Juvia for that matter who had left the same day.

Besides the letters that she received on an almost a daily basis from Natsu, there'd been no contact, not even a quick visit to say hi. But she supposed she understood why. Like so many others, he was trying to get over what had happened, regardless of the reasons he gave for leaving. Sure, he probably was trying to get stronger… that's how he is, but she knew that wasn't the main reason. He was trying to deal with his grief. And the fact that he thought he'd needed to do that alone was the one reason Lucy was having such a difficult time with it all. Why hadn't he come to her? Why hadn't he felt like he could share it with her? Did he think so little of their friendship? She'd lost someone too and as much as she'd wanted to confide in him, he'd not been there. They could have dealt with their grief together, supported one another. But instead he'd disappeared, leaving only a short little note behind.

She turned down the last street that led to her small apartment, feeling the ever present sadness that came with seeing her place and knowing that no one would be waiting there for her. As much as she'd complained about Natsu and Happy barging into her place, she'd never really meant any of it. And she knew he knew that which was why he'd never paid her any mind. But now it felt empty whenever she walked inside and found everything just as she had left it. She no longer found half empty cups of juice on her counter, no longer found dirty plates on her table, and it was depressing as hell. She missed the laughter, missed the crazy antics. She wanted her best friend back and every day that went by just made the hurt in her heart even worse.

The sun was nearly gone now as she neared her place, her shadow dancing over the ground with every step she took. A lone figure stood motionless near her house and she found herself gazing overlong at the strangely familiar profile. The hair wasn't right and the build was quite a bit thicker and taller than she remembered but there was something… something about his self-assured posture, standing there with his hands on his hips, that just rang bells inside her head. She knew that stance, just like she knew that thick bit of fabric that was wrapped around his neck, dangling over one shoulder and hanging halfway to the ground.

She took a few steps closer and suddenly stopped when the light caught his face. It was him… it was really him. Her hand moved over her gaping mouth and she just stared at the figure, emotions clogging her throat and making it raw and uncomfortably tight.

He took a step towards her and she whimpered, holding back a choked sob while taking a step backwards.

"Lucy…" the voice said, taking another step closer.

She shook her head, disbelieving that it was really him and took several more steps back.

"Lucy? Are you ok?"

He stopped advancing and Lucy stopped as well, both her hands half-covering her face. Her eyes started to cloud up, tears pooling and overflowing to streak down her cheeks. She couldn't believe it was him. He was finally back. After what seemed like forever, he was finally back.

She let her eyes travel over him, finding his hair several inches longer than it used to be and pulled back in a half-ponytail. His jaw was harder, the bones in his face more prominent but his eyes still seemed to hold the same open expression that they used to. Looking further she could tell that his shoulders had gotten broader, as well as his chest which was thick with muscle to go along with the biceps that were easily almost double the size that they'd been. As he stepped hesitantly closer, she noted that he also seemed taller than before, making her head have to tilt back slightly to be able to see him as he stopped directly in front of her. "Lucy…"

She stared up at him, letting the tears dissolve on her cheeks. Her heart started to beat erratically inside her chest, pounding in her ears. Her best friend was back. There was so much joy and relief just seeing him again but in the next moment, when he quietly asked, "How are you?" that joy turned into anger.

"...How am I?" she finally responded, pursing her lips and narrowing her eyes. "How am I?" She advanced on him, stepping forward with her finger pressing into his chest. "How dare you ask how I am! You… you LEFT me! You left me here with just a stupid note telling me good bye. How the hell do you think I am?!"

Natsu's eyes were wide with shock as he stepped back. "But Lucy, I…"

"But Lucy what? Did you think I'd just forgive you for that? Did you think I'd be ok with my best friend up and leaving without even talking to me first? Did you really think so little of us?"

His lips moved ineffectually, not a single sound passing through them.

"Do you know how hard that was for me? Do you know how many times I cried because of you?" As if on cue, her eyes started to fill up with new tears and she quickly swiped at them with the back of her hand, sniffling as she continued, "I needed you. I needed you so badly and you weren't there!" A sob broke free and she turned away.

Behind her, Natsu stared at Lucy's back, his eyes downcast in grief. "Lucy," he said, stepping up closer to her back. He moved until he was pressing lightly against it and sighed before saying, "I'm sorry."

It was all he could think to say. The whole time he'd been gone, he truly had been sorry for the way he'd left her. But he'd known no other way. What he'd had to do, he'd had to do alone. And though he hated what he'd done to her, hated what she'd had to go through… he didn't regret it. In the end, it had all been for her. Everything that he did now, was for her. And it always would be.

"Lucy…" his voice was gruff and he swallowed thickly before placing his hands gently on her arms. "I'm so sorry. I missed you so much."

He felt her body tremble beneath his hands and he moved closer, pressing tighter against her back. There were no more words. He knew there was nothing he could say to make it all better. All he could do was hold her and hope that she would someday forgive him.

They stood that way for a long length of time, a few people passing them curiously on the streets. Neither was willing to move and slowly, Natsu wrapped his arms around her body, laying his head against the top of hers as he listened to her quietly cry. It broke his heart hearing that sound and he vowed at that very moment to never, ever, make his Lucy cry again. No matter what it took, he would never let her shed another tear in grief again.

The moon was high in the sky when Lucy finally spoke, her voice soft and slightly broken, "Natsu…," she said, staring off in front of her at the canal, "I missed you."

Her chest ached but a warm glow was rapidly healing it, filling her with warmth that she hadn't felt in so long. All the pain was still there, all the sadness, but the loneliness was gone, vanishing as quickly as the darkness once met by the sun. The light seemed to be clouding the sorrow as well and she was struggling to hold on to it as she stood there. She didn't want to forgive him so easily. She wanted him to feel the pain that she had; wanted him to experience the heartache that had kept her up night after night.

But her body wasn't cooperating, sinking further and further into his warmth which was enveloping her like a freshly dried blanket. It felt so good. She'd missed his scent, missed his heat, missed the way he, unlike anyone else, could light her up from within with just a glance.

"I want to go home," she muttered, trying to get away.

She didn't wait for a reply, just turned and started walking. She didn't get far before Natsu arrived at her side. "Great! Do you have any food? I'm starved!"

Lucy stopped dead in her tracks and turned towards Natsu, a look of astonishment on her face. "Are you kidding me?"

Natsu shrugged, a huge grin spreading over his face. "What?"

Lucy rolled her eyes and smacked his arm, pushing him away. "Go home." She couldn't believe he'd just said that. Of all the…

"I am home," he said and grabbed her shoulders, pulling her against his side. His lips swooped down and took possession of hers, stealing a kiss that left her dizzy and swaying against his side. "And I'm never leaving again."

The End

Actually, I think Lucy is going to catch Natsu before he leaves in the manga (crossing my fingers) but I wanted to write this anyway. I hope you all enjoyed it. Let me know your thoughts.

And reminder… check out the picture for this on Approvesports Tumblr. It's simply breathtaking.