Hey guys! I'm glad to have gotten such positive feedback! I want to thank you for your comments, and how quickly you've taken to this story! I really love anything to do with Greek Mythology, and although this story doesn't have too much to do with that, it has just enough that I still feel makes sense with the characters. I hope you all enjoy this chapter, and thank you to those who reviewed! (Rivendell101, GoldenRoseTanya, SheblyTheKoala, Monika-chan, lucasvelaguk)

She was surprised to see Lucy actually address Laxus after what had just happened. The sky sorceress gritted her teeth to keep from speaking out, but stood to go stand near Lucy. A large, gloved hand stopped her, and she looked down into guarded crimson orbs.

"Bunny-girl's gonna be fine." he gruffed out. "Don't interfere until absolutely necessary." he told her, before releasing her and turning back to watch the scene unfold. Wendy pouted, but listened to the elder dragon. He had never steered her wrong before.

Lucy watched surprise flicker through Laxus' eyes before he reached out and grabbed her hand in his. His hand was warm, but not like Natsu's. It was different, but she couldn't really explain it. He held her hand a minute, and she realized with a slight blush, that he had kept eye contact the whole time. 'He seems nice.' She thought, going to release his hand. Just as she did, she let out a yelp and she was shocked. Literally. Wide brown orbs stared at Laxus and her hand, cradling the appendage.

"Did you do that?" She finally asked. He shook his head no, looking just as disbelieved as her. However, it quickly morphed into realization, and before Lucy could avoid it, Laxus held her arms tightly, his face close to hers.

"Do you know what this means?" His excitement was palpable, even if his voice was in slight awe, at least until Natsu shoved him off of the blonde mage.

"Don't touch her like that." he snarled. The blonde felt like she was being pulled in too many directions that she couldn't get a hold on anything any more. 'And to think my only problem this morning was Natsu sleeping in my bed.' she couldn't help thinking. She reached out absently to grab Natsu's arm.

"Natsu...what are you-" "What's the matter? Don't wanna share?" Right before her eyes, Natsu snapped, lunging for the older slayer, his fists covered in flames. The guild plunged into chaos. Lucy was left watching, dumbfounded, before she felt small hands grab her arm.

"C'mon Lucy-san. We need to get you to safety." She looked over her shoulder to see who was dragging her, catching bright azure hair.

"Wendy?...wait, what about Natsu? And Laxus? My safety?"

"Now isn't the time Lucy." The sky dragon slayer didn't seem inclined to answer questions, and Lucy had had enough. She pulled her hand from the small girl's tight grip, and stopped.

"NO! I haven't been here 10 minutes, and people are trying to shelter me from SOMETHING!" Wendy stopped immediately, turning to stare at the blonde in shock. For a minute, Lucy was worried that she might have hurt the girl's feelings, but a large hand gripped her shoulder.

"Listen to her, bunny-girl. It's for yer own good." Lucy only stared into Gajeel's ruby orbs, not moving. He sighed, annoyed. "Just trust us!" he growled out, prompting Lucy into moving. Her feet propelled her forward as Wendy once again grabbed her wrist, pulling her towards the exit. Just before they made it to the doors, an explosion sounded right behind them, with something, or someone flying into the wall next to the guild doors.

When the smoke cleared, Lucy watched Natsu stand up, wincing slightly as blood ran down from somewhere in his hairline past his temple. The blonde gasped, trying to cover her mouth. She took a step towards him, but he launched himself back towards Laxus. She watched as fear spiked her heart. With the way they were fighting, they were going to kill each other.

His fury drove him as he tried to find some weakness in Laxus. Some place he had slipped up. None. Time and time again, Natsu was deflected. It had become a cycle, with Natsu getting thrown somewhere in the guild, only for him to return to Laxus and have it done to him again. He knew it was pointless and stupid, but his mind had succumbed to his instincts, and he wasn't thinking straight. It only told him to relentlessly attack until he couldn't anymore. He could feel blood dripping down the side of his face, but he barely paid any attention to it. He barely paid attention to anything else but Laxus. At least until someone screamed his name.

Lucy was panting after screaming his name. She knew that she had to do something, but she was not getting between those two dragons. She watched her best friend look at her, practically snapping his neck, before frowning at what she realized were her tears. Almost as if he had forgotten his fight with Laxus, he started for her. Wendy tried to step closer to Lucy to ward Natsu off, but he ignored her. The celestial mage could see how badly he had been beaten up, and it broke her heart that he could become so mindless and savage. If it were anyone else, she would probably be terrified, but when he looked at her with such care and worry in his large, obsidian eyes, it broke her heart even more if she would've been. One of his hands reached up to brush the tears away that had spilled over, his frown deepening.

"Don't cry Lucy. I'll go beat him up if he upset you-"

His response seemed to cause her to become even more hysterical, as her tears were running freely now. She shook her head roughly, before grabbing him by his neck and bringing him down to hug him.

"Stupid!" She snapped in his ear, "Can't you see how hurt you are?" The last part was whispered, her voice breaking. Natsu was tense in her hold before he chuckled, patting her head.

"Lucy, you're such a weirdo." he breathed, pulling away from her. Her brown orbs were wide and practically livid. Before she could yell at him, he spoke again, spreading his arms out. "Do I seem hurt to you?" Contemplating what he said, Lucy bit her lip. Although he was covered in blood and bruises, he wasn't winded, and he seemed fine. She finally shook her head and he chuckled again, rubbing her head. "Okay then. Don't worry about me Lucy..." he turned to walk back towards Laxus. "I do enough of that for the both of us."

It seemed like she wasn't supposed to hear that last part, but she did nonetheless. She watched him for a moment, before lunging forward to grab his arm tightly.

"Lucy what-" "Natsu, STOP THIS!" She yelled, turning him towards her. His eyes were wide in shock, but he didn't speak again. "Why are you even fighting him?" His brow furrowed, and he cocked his head.

"He has no right to talk about you like that Lucy. Especially not in front of me." Lucy sighed, exasperated.

"Please Natsu. Stop this pointless fight. He didn't even hurt my feelings."

His immediate response to anyone else would've been his back to their face, but it was Lucy. And she was looking up at him with wide, pleading eyes that looked like melted chocolate, and really, Natsu had always loved chocolate, so how could he say no? At least, that's how he explained it to himself as he turned his back on Laxus and sat down at the table that Lucy had walked to, with the other first generation dragon slayers. Behind him, he heard Laxus' guffaw, along with the taunt of "Has the mighty Salamander been tamed by some little girlie?" Lucy glanced to Natsu, who sat with his fists clenched on top of the table. Wendy sat on the other side of him, while Gajeel leaned against the table, across from Lucy, all keeping an eye on the ticking time-bomb that was Natsu.

He had to admit that it came as a surprise when he watched Natsu give in to that girl-Lucy. Simply with just being herself, it seemed, Natsu's mind was made up. The lightning dragon slayer had to admit that his curiosity was more than piqued. First with her being-he shook his head to clear that thought, saving it for when he would go home later that night. He tried taunting his fellow slayer, hoping to get a rise out of him, and he did. He could see it in the boy's tense posture, his clenched fist, he could smell his animosity, but once the blonde laid her hand over Natsu's, he calmed almost immediately. It seemed like she was a calm created to offset the impulsive dragon. Looking over the whole table, his lips quirked in thought. Maybe for them all.

Yeahhh...so that happened. Honestly, the end of this chapter fell unconscious and I had to drag this puppy to get it to this point. Sorry if the end is so crappy, but regardless, please read and review! I'll love you forever! :)