I was the last person to leave the guild hall who wasn't planning to get shit faced later tonight. I didn't want to be kissing the floor or hugging the porcelain bowl this evening. Believe me I've had my fair share of it already even if it wasn't intentional.

I still hadn't lived down the last time I don't remember most of it but it was hard to forget the wake up mostly naked with Levy's also nude and unconscious body wrapped around mine. I wasn't sure how we had gotten that way or what we had done the night before. My guess was we had done our best stripper impersonations and then passed out together. All the males in the guild who were awake enough to notice us were practically drooling over the sight. All of them except for Gajeel who had just gotten back in town from a job that morning. Through my hazy vision and throbbing head I could still see the pure wild rage in the iron clad dragon slayer's eyes. He threw his shirt over her tiny shoulders and attacked the source of our drunkin activity, Cana. I honestly think he would have killed her if he had gotten a hold of her not that she was sober enough to care. Nothing would have happened if she hadn't opened her mouth an commented on on Levy's scandalous state. It took Elfman, Gray, Natsu and even Erza to hold him down. He stopped his advancements only after Levy had woken up and called out for him. I remember the anger seeping out of his eyes and the tension fading from his body. He embraced her and the two of them stayed like that for a very long time. At some point Natsu draped his vest and scarf over me claiming that I looked cold. Let's just say that Levy and I no longer except drinks from Cana. Gajeel doesn't really get along with her anymore but then again he never really gets along with anyone. Levy and I can't really hold a grudge it's not like she was trying to get us drunk she was just giving us what she was drinking.

I waved goodnight to Bisca and Alzack who was cradling a sleeping Asuka in his arm and headed for home. I walked along the stone paved streets of Mongolia glancing around at the sleeping shops and cafes intermingled with the cottages and homes. These streets would soon awaken filling with people busying themselves with their daily lives. The old woman wrapped in her worn out shawl would be out selling flowers while singing her old folk song about dead roses. The coffee shop owner would soon slave away in the kitchen making the morning's pastries. My favorite magic shop would be stuffed to the gills with wizards and wanna-bes and the cashier's whiskered faced smile. I've truly grown to love this town just as much as I've grown to love Fairytail. To me everything was still new even with the seven years I had lost. I made my nightly walks rather enjoyable.

My pace tonight was slow. I wanted to travel slowly to enjoy the evening; however, a sentimental stroll wasn't the only reason for my pacing. My right leg was badly injured on a solo job I had taken along with my right shoulder blade. I had only returned home a few days ago and I was doing my best to ignore it which wasn't an easy task. My leg was stiff and raw with pain making movement difficult and awkward. I limped slightly and kept moving with clenched teeth and a stream of curses. When I reached the river I didn't hop on the stonewall to do my usual balancing act. I kept to the center of the walk and waited for the cat calls of the boaters to come and I smiled when they did.

"Hey Lucy," they shouted, "You're gonna fall in one of these days." You think they would have come up with a better line by now but they were still singing the same old tune. I smirked they are as reliable as ever.

When I opened the door to my house. I felt exhaustion crashed into my body. I closed the door lightly and slumped into my desk chair. I winced when my shoulder hit the back of the chair. Damn it, this was taking some getting used to.

I picked up my favorite pen and managed to write a letter for my mom. I told her about the job and it all flooded back to me; the stubborn decision to go alone, the pain from the fight, and the gratefulness to just be back home in one piece. I know that everyone is worried especially the Master. I should have listened to the Master and waited for Natsu to come back from his fishing trip and taken him with me. To be honest, there was a lot of things I should have done but I'm a member of Fairytail too and I wanted to prove that I can do things on my own. The wizard I encountered had an insane power that I never could have predicted. The fight didn't leave me with open wounds. He had damaged the muscles and nerves in my body without braking skin. I couldn't let him hurt my spirits so I never summoned them until Loki showed up on his own. It turns out that his magic didn't work on the celestial spirits. It made me feel like a real prized champ. The Master was right I should have taken someone with me. Natsu and Erza would have made minced meat out of her and Grey would have turned her into a frozen dairy snack.

It's a fact that a part of me hates.

After I finished inscribing the last few letters on the page I placed it in its envelope and slowly made my way to the bathroom.

I drew a bath hot enough to steam up the room and carefully climbed in. It felt wonderful against my skin as the heat worked to relax my muscles and eased my wounds. I let my exhausted climb over me and gave way to sleep. I woke me sometime later when the water around me had grown cold. I shivered and got out running a towel through my hair and then wrapping it around my body.

My room was dark and quiet. I could clearly see the bright stars through the open windows. Wait, open window? I saw it then the lumpy arrangement of sheets and the blue tail of that annoying cat.

"Natsu!" I shouted as I kicked him with my good leg. In the back of my head I knew that I should be greeting him nicer since I hadn't seen him since he left but would it kill him to use the front door.

"Oh hey Lucy," he said yawning and rubbing his eyes, "What took you so long? I thought you were never gonna come out of there."

"Well you could have just gone in after her." Happy said.

"Don't give him ideas cat. I was bathing."

"So, who would want to see you naked anyways?"

"That's it," I lunged at Happy trying to get him so I could whip that stupid grin off his face but the winged freak flew out the window before I could get to him. "Damn cat," I shouted irritated.

"Uh Lucy," Natsu said softly. It was when he spoke that I had realized that in order to get too Happy I had to go over Natsu. My body was pressed against his chest with nothing but the towel and the sheets between us. The towel lay underneath me falling off my backside to expose my raise rump to the air.

"Natsu," I blushed seeing the look in his shocked look in his eyes. "Don't look," I asked almost squealing as I attempted to have some shard of decency left.

He smiled his big toothed grin and said, "Sure thing Luce." He turned his head to the side looking away trying to ease my embarrassment. I smiled at him and thanked him on the inside for simply being Natsu. I couldn't help but feel at ease with him around. He always looked so sweet and innocent when he smiled. I grabbed the end of my towel and sat up next to him sitting on the bed.

"Why are you here?" I asked in a kinder voice then the one I had used on Happy.

"Well I just got back and I thought I could hang out and spend the night."

"Natsu you know I don't…"

"Luce," his voice turned stern as he spoke, "Gramps told me what happened." I could feel myself tense. I was hoping to be the one who told him. It must have been aweful to hear it coming from another person. "I came here cause I was worried about you," he continued with a hint of unmovable resolve in his eyes.

"You were worried?" I was more surprised by his tone then his declaration.

"Duh of course I was Lucy. You're my friend," he said me sounding highly defensive, "You should have taken me with you." No, he wasn't being defensive it was something deeper than that. He was acting protective and he almost seemed scared about something.

"I.."

"I don't want to hear any excuses the next time you've got a job I want you to tell me about it cause I'm coming with you."

"Well what if I don't want to tell you? What if I want to do stuff on my own? I'm a Fairytail mage just like everyone else and I can take care of myself," I let the frustration and anger slip into my voice as I spoke. I was tired of being protected and taken care of by everyone. I need to return the favor. I must prove that I am a someone that they can rely on.

"I know you can. It's not about that. We are a team."

I stopped. Here it comes the argument that I had no answer for. The sweet and over innocent philosophy of togetherness that Natsu held so dearly to him. Hell the whole guild lived by it but it didn't make it anymore realistic but it did make us who we are as a group. I couldn't argue with it unrealistic or not I loved it this way. "I know Natsu but..."

"But nothing. You and I are a team and we're sticking together," his mannerisms changed to something softer as he continued, "Because I don't ever want to see you hurt."

I wanted to fight him and say more in my defense but I couldn't. I settled for saying thank you to him for being so concerned.

When he spoke he spoke softly and his face held a gentle expression, "Don't thank me. I just care too much about you."

Our eyes met and my face flushed a deep red. "I…I care about you too more than you know."

I shook my head. "I'm sure you don't."

"Oh yeah, I bet you I do."

That's just like him everything has to be a contest. I rolled my eyes, "Prove it."

He starred at me for a second than lightly took my hand in his and with the other hand he hooked his thumb and forefinger under my chin slowly turning my head. A moment passed like that as he stared at me but it felt like an eternity. He closed the space between us and gently brushed his lips over mine hesitantly and cautious. He pulled away with checks colored the same bright pink color of his hair. He kept his eyes squeezed shut tightly. I lightly returned the kiss with the same gentleness and middle school-like awkwardness that he had used.

Our lips parted as I breathed his name and placed my hand on his check and weaved my trembling fingers into the loose strands of hair. His face still held its heat and his mouth was slightly parted with the intake of breath.

"Natsu," I spoke again as I leaned my forehead against his. His eyes flew open at the sound of my voice. The dark orbs of his eyes were filled with passion and love. His voice came out deep and horse, "I love you, Lucy."

Those were the words I'd never thought I'd hear from him. The words that I wanted to hear. "I love you too," I smiled widely," I really do love you." He kissed me again less cautiously. His lips were sloppy and warm filled with a spirited happiness that was fitting for Natsu. As the kiss continued his happiness broke and somewhere from underneath it came a primal instinct full of raw want that seemed to take a hold of him.

He quickly broke away from me and nervously grasped the sheets in his fist until his knuckles turned white. "I should go," he told me and already made a move to leap out the window.

"Don't go. You can't just do that and leave."

"Lucy, you don't understand."

"Yes, yes I do. I feel the same way about you. I want you to hold me...to touch me. I want the same things you do. I've wanted them for a long time." I voiced what we had both know for awhile. I don't know when I knew I loved him. Perhaps it had begun when we fled the port city of Hargeon as it went up in flames right after Natsu and I met. I had known it before he did but there was defiantly something between us that we had both silently acknowledge. Through the secret touches, the way he looks at me and comforts me, and the way I always did my best to fight by his side I know that it is love. It isn't something that I want to pretend didn't exist in conversation but know it was real in my heart. I am tired of that game and I'm sure he is too."Please, stay Natsu. I am tired of pretending."

"If I stay I won't be able to control myself," he said gruffly.

"I don't want you to," I told him taking his hand in mine. He slid his hand down to my wrist and used it to pull me down into the sheets. His body leaned over mine as he kissed me. His other hand gripped my waist tickling the exposed skin. He licked up the line of my jaw lightly grazing it with his teeth working his way up to my ear and biting it lustfully with his fangs. I drew a sharp intake of breath as my ear started to throb with pain. He caught my open mouth in a deep kiss his tongue forcing its way inside gliding over mine. I broke away and tried to speak, "Nat.." he didn't let me finish swallowing my worlds whole. My throat let out small sounds of protest but he ignored it as his mouth continued to work against mine. I tried to focus on the kiss and on the way out bodies pressed against each other but I found it hard to keep my head straight. I couldn't. It was hard to believe that this was happening let alone that it was Natsu doing it. How could I be having trouble keeping up with Natsu? Wasn't he the same guy who pretended to think that coodies was a real disease you could contract from getting close to girl? Wasn't he the one that always claimed friendship kept him from getting closer to me? And more importantly why in the name of good god was he so great at this? Maybe he had been closer to Lisanna than all of us had realized.

Natsu pulled away from me and stared at me with intense eyes, "What is it Luce?"

"Umm I don't know what you mean."

He leaned his body back over mine and whispered in my ear. "I can feel every change in your body and I can smell your desires. Don't try and lie to me."

It felt like a silly question now but I asked anyways, "Where did you learn to kiss like that?"

Natsu chuckled and smirked at me before resuming his trail. "It's simple," he said, "I'm a dragon slayer."