A/N: Warning, characters may be OOC (Out Of Character).
Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail.

"I can't Igneel." She sat across from the older gentleman, on the other side of his desk. He sat leaned back with long legs crossed He was a tall man with tan skin and red hair. He was in mid fifties. He was CEO and one of the founders of one the biggest companies in all of Fiore, Fairy Tail Enterprises.

"Lucy I know your concern. The last thing you want is to be in another relationship, but this is the only way I can protect you." Igneel said as he stood from his seat and made his way to her. "He can you protect you from him." He sat on the seat next to her.

"Wait, does Natsu know about him, about what happened?" Lucy worriedly asked. The last thing she wanted was for someone else to know about him, her past.

"No, I have yet to tell him. I figured you didn't want anyone else to know." He looked at the blonde seeing her concern fade away. "Honestly, I haven't told him about his arranged marriage to you…"

The worried look came back to her face. "He doesn't know?! Igneel, how can I agree to marry him if he hasn't even agreed?" Lucy buried her face into the palms of her hand. Oh why does he never think things through.

"He will agree Lucy." Igneel said as he took her hand causing her to look up at him.

"What makes you so certain he will agree to this? Besides I haven't spoken to Natsu in over 3 years. He will never agree to this." Lucy sighed.

"He will agree to this. If he wants to take over this company once I retire, then he'll have to agree."

Lucy gasped. "You're willing to threaten your own son?! What if he ask why he has to marry me. I don't want anyone else to know what happen. So how will you convince him? It can't just be a random excuse." She began to feel worried again. She was already planning on saying no to this arranged marriage.

"Lucy, you're the daughter of Jude Heartfelia, my late business partner," the blonde felt a pang in her heart when she heard her father's name. Jude had recently past away 2 months ago due to an incurable illness. He died a week after she was finally free from him. The day she thought everything will finally going to be okay. But it was like life wasn't done with her misery.

Igneel noticed her distress and held her hand tightly and continued on. "It only makes sense to want to marry my son to you. Natsu will believe it's a business move and as I said before, if he wants to take over the business he will have to marry you. Besides, Jude left his share to you. I know you just want to give that to me, but I cannot accept it unless you marry Natsu." This made Lucy ease up a little.

He always knew exactly what to say. She thought. She gave him a small smile. But I still don't think this would convince Natsu knowing how hard headed he is.

"Lucy" Igneel said interrupting her from her thoughts. "You're part of our family, you always have been. I will not hand over the company to my son if he cannot protect his family. You and Natsu you use to be so close." Lucy frowned at that. She and Natsu did use to be close. In fact, there was a time when she was in love with him. But that was a long time ago, before she met him. "He will agree Lucy. Trust me."

She gave him another small smile and shook her head. "Igneel, I-"

"Before your father passed, he asked me to protect you no matter what. This is what he would wanted." A tear began to form on the corner of her brown eyes. She stared into black orbs, and the tears began to fall. Igneel pulled her into strong embrace. "So please, let me protect you."

She let him hold for a while longer. Igneel had always been like a second father to her. And its been so long since so long since someone had held her woth so much care she didn't want to let go. "okay." She sniffled as she began to pull away. She looked into his eyes once more. "I'll agree. Only if Natsu agrees to this as well."

"Thank you Lucy."

The blonde got up from her seat, wiping the tears from her eyes. " Well it's for me to go or else your whole office will be flooded with my tears." They both chuckled. "So when are you going to talk to Natsu?" she asked.

"Well," a ping went off on his phone. He looked at the screen and smiled. "He's actually on his way right now. He's in the building. Natsu should be here any minute now."

"Seriously? Natsu's already coming over here?!" She said her voice full of worry. Why didn't Igneel tell her he was coming earlier? She did not want to be there when Natsu finds our about their arrangement. If there was anything Lucy knew about Natsu, its that he hated being told what to do. She knew Natsu would never agree to this, she had only agreed to make Igneel happy. "Igneel, why didn't you tell me he was coming earlier?"

The red head shrugged, "I didn't think it would take so long to convince you Lucy." Oh how he was so much like his younger son.

"Okay well, I should get going then," she said as scurried towards the door. She turned back around to face him. She gave a wide smile. "I'll see you later alright. Let me know goes!" She waved goodbye. He simply smile back at her. The blonde opened the door to his office and let her self out.

Igneel took a seat in his office chair. She has really grown up up hasn't she Jude? I hope you approve of my way of protecting her. I promise you I will not let any harm come to her my old friend. I know that she will find her happiness with my son. This I promise you Jude. A escaped his eye as he thought of his best friend. Oh how he truly missed his. He quickly wiped it away and waited for his son to arrive.

Outside Igneel's office, Lucy took a deep breath. She never expected to have this conversation when Igneel called a day prior asking her to come to his office. She knew Natsu would never agree to an arranged marriage. Especially since they haven't spoken in years, let alone seen each other. But what if he does agree?! The blonde thought as she walked away from the office. She walk to the elevator and pressed the button. When the elevator got there, she stepped in and pressed the button to the lobby.

No, there's no way he would agree. But what if he does? i had only agree to make Igneel happy, but what would I do if Natsu actually agrees to this!? Her thoughts were interupted when the elevator doors opened to the main lobby. The lobby was crowded. It was around 1 in the afternoon so everyone was just getting back from there lunch break.

She stepped out the elevator and that's when she saw him. He was just coming in from the entrance. His salmon hair stood out from the rest of the crowd. He wore a grey suit with his white shirt unbuttoned. She stood there frozen for a brief moment, staring at his tall and well built physique. His tan skin went surprisingly incredibly well with his pink hair. He just as handsome as she remember, perhaps even more.

Her heart began to beat incredibly fast as she remembered the feelings she once had for him. She came back to reality when she saw a silver haired, fair skin woman clung to his arm as they made there way to the elevator across from hers. Disappointment filled her head as she watched the pair talk and laugh with each other. She shook her head and began to walk to towards the exit again. She looked at Natsu once more and that's when he turn his head towards her. His olive green eyes made contact with her chocolate brown ones for a brief second before she turn away from him and focused solely on getting to the exit with out making another glance at him.

Once outside the 20 stories glass building, she took a couple deep breaths and put her had to her rapid pacing heart to try to calm it down. No. There's no he would agree. He already has someone. She thought as she remembered the silvered haired woman holding his arm, smiling and laughing with him. They seemed happy. Of course he has someone, he's Natsu Dragneel. He's so good looking and kind and just amazing. Wait. Why am I feeling so worked up about this?! It's like we had something before. But why is my heart pounding so hard. I need to calm down

Once calm she started to walk towards her car across the street. She looked both ways before crossing. She looked to her right, no cars coming. She looked to her left and froze. Her whole body began to shiver as she saw a a pale skinned oranged haired man on the left side across the street. Her body went numb. No. It can't be him. What is he doing here. I thought I was away from him! She shut her eyes praying that would make him go away. When she opened them and the man was no longer in sight.

She signed in relief and crossed the street to her car. She got inside the vehicle and started the ignition. Maybe it was just my imagination. It couldn't have been him. I'm far away from him now. There's no way it was you...

Loke.