It was the next day at the Guild and everyone had requested to see another Nalu video, despite Natsu and Lucy's obvious discomfort. So they were.
"I brought the popcorn!" Wakaba cried, handing Mira packets upon packets of microwave lacrima popcorn.

"I brought the booze!" Cana yelled.
"Food there!" Mira yelled cheerfully.

"Can't we start the video?" Gajeel muttered.

"Sure thing," Mira said, popping a piece of popcorn in her mouth.

"Oh come on, can't we watch something else?" Lucy begged.

"No can do Bunny Girl," Gajeel chuckled. Lucy frowned. "I didn't think you were into the gossipy stuff Gajeel," she said with a smirk. Gajeel grimaced. "I ain't into no girly gossip stuff I just like makin' fun of Salamander," he protested.

Levy snickered. "Sure Gajeel. Sure."

"Start the video!" Gajeel grumbled.

Mira, with a giggle, complied.

Natsu was lying asleep on the ground after the big brawl in the guild. He must have been having a good dream because he started giggling in his sleep. Lucy, who was kneeling next to him, smiled. 'You know, he's kind of cute when he's sleeping,' Lucy thought to herself.

"Fai!" Natsu muttered in his sleep.

"Hm?" Lucy asked with a giggle. The boy had drool escaping from his mouth as he smiled and laughed in his dreams. "Fah! Fai!"

Lucy closed her eyes and giggled again, but suddenly she was being punched. The last thing she heard before she erupted through the ceiling was "Fire Dragon Iron Fist!"

There were a series of different reactions through the Guild. There were gasps, hysterical laughter, chuckles and shouts. Lucy covered her bright face in embarrassment. Reedus took note to add the colour to his palette.

"You called him cute!" Lisanna gasped in delight, taking the place of her sister who was at the moment to paralysed to move.

"You punched her through the ceiling!" Gray shouted, tumbling off his chair in laughter.

"That looked like it hurt," Levy winced.

"When did that happen?" Natsu murmured. No one missed the faint blush on his cheeks but he turned to Lucy and scrutinised her cheek for any sign of bruising. She shoved him away with a frown. "It happened ages ago," she told him.

"That explains the hole in the ceiling," Makarov grumbled. They all laughed and turned back the lacrima screen.

"Thanks but I'm busy right now," Lucy grumbled, clutching her papers to her chest. "You're big boys, you can handle a job without me this once!"

"Sorry no dice," Natsu replied with a smile. "Three of us are a team, remember?"

"Aye!" Happy added.

"We can't go without 'cha. It wouldn't be the same!"

Lucy's annoyed face melted and she turned to them with a touched smile. "How sweet!"

Suddenly Natsu fell dramatically onto her chair, clutching his stomach. "And we haven't eaten all day!"
"Got any scraps we could chow on?" Happy yelled.

Lucy huffed. "GO EAT OUT OF THE TRASH YOU BUMS!" she yelled as she kicked them out onto the street.

There was an eye roll from the girls. "Way to ruin the moment!" Carla sighed in exasperation.

"Natsu, don't you ever stop eating?" Gray taunted.

"Shut up Ice Princess - Oh sorry. Ice Queen. I apologise your Majesty," Natsu smirked.

"S-Shut up," Gray snapped back.

Natsu hit the wall with a bang, immediately followed by a feminine scream. He sat up quickly, rubbing his head. "Ugh, thought I heard Lucy… That's weird- and I can smell her!" He leaned forward so the invisible Lucy was directly underneath him, her face millimetres from his. Suddenly his concentrating look turned into a delighted smile. "It really is you!" he said, reaching out to give her a hug. His hand touched something with a honk and he was quickly slapped in the face. "Watch where you're touching perv!"

"Does someone have a boob fetish?" Gajeel said cheekily. He got a slap from Levy and a punch from Natsu. "Shut up Metal Head, it's not like I could see her!"

"That was the day we almost lost you Lucy," Erza said, grabbing Lucy's head and slamming it against her metal covered chest in a hug.

"Wasn't it Natsu that remembered her and brought her back?" Panther Lily said with a cattish smirk. The whole guild lifted their heads in realisation. "It was wasn't it?" Wakaba cried.

"Ahahaha," Natsu said sarcastically. "Can we get on with the video?"
Lucy smiled softly at him.

Natsu had an arm slung over Lucy's shoulder who was obviously supporting him. Despite that, he managed a grin. "Way to tell 'em!"

"That's right!" Lucy said. "Fairy Tail members listen to what's in our hearts!"

"That's right!" Erza said approvingly, through a mouthful of cake. Natsu reached for a strawberry but pulled back a very hurt hand.

"I'll help you!" Lucy cried, reaching for the gloved hand. Natsu quickly pushed her back. "Stay away from her!"

Imitatia, previously known as Michelle, gave his a cold stare.

"Natsu's protecting her!" Levy sang.

"Oh my heart!" Mira screeched.

"Michelle," Lucy remembered sadly.

Natsu looked at her and with a grin, playfully punched her on the shoulder, causing her to fall off her seat. "Stop being so sad, weirdo!"

Lucy grumbled as she climbed back onto her seat.

Natsu froze. Then he turned towards the window where Lucy stood, the sunlight streaming in and shining around her, giving her an angel like appearance. Her eyes were shining beautifully and she was smiling with such radiance even the brightness of the sun couldn't outshine her.

"Natsu," she whispered. Then louder. "Everyone! I'm back!"

Natsu grinned as she ran forward to hold hands with Levy and laugh.

"Wah Lu you're so pretty!" Levy yelled.

"Awh Levy, you're prettier!"

"No I'm not, Lucy."
"Ask Gajeel he'll agree!"

Gajeel paled exponentially.

"Gajeel?" Levy asked shyly.

"U-Um, ah- what're you asking me weird questions for shrimp!" he said. "Natsu fight me!" he threw himself at Natsu who looked all too relieved to comply.

Levy giggled.

"Do you think that's how Natsu sees Lucy?" Mira wondered aloud. Lisanna mused next to her.

Edolas Lucy stared after the monster she had just defeated. "You'd think something that big would have put up a fight," she grumbled.

"May I ask what brings you here?" Carla asked politely. Edolas Lucy immediately blushed, glanced at Natsu, who smiled at her, and looked away.

"Uh- I-I wasn't worried about you, just so we're clear!"

"Was that Edolas me?" Lucy exclaimed. Natsu nodded.

"Wow she's so bad ass!" Gray exclaimed.

"Are you saying I'm not badass?" Lucy asked, a tick forming on her head.

"She's plenty badass!" Natsu said defensively. When everyone smirked at him he blushed, scowled and turned away.

Lucy smiled at Natsu and Happy who were walking ahead of her. They had just found her after her 'I'm going home note' and were relieved she was back to say the least.

"Happy here was cryin' like a baby!" Natsu snorted, his hands behind his head in a relaxed gesture. Happy looked at him slyly. "You cried just as much as I did Natsu!"

Natsu ducked his head and blushed. "Psh no I did not!"

"He was too!" Happy exclaimed, remembering the argument. "He wouldn't stop cryin' after we found that note and Gray had to punch him out of it!"
"I can confirm that!" Gray said with a smirk, only to be pushed out of his seat.

"That's… so sweet," Lucy said, touched. She turned to glance at Natsu who was scowling in embarrassment.

Lisanna stood in her wedding gown for the Blushing Brides Competition of the Wizarding Tournament. She put a finger on her chin and playfully looked away. "Remember when we were kids, we used to play husband and wife-"

She was cut short as Loke sent Lucy barrelling into Natsu, sending them both to the ground.

Natsu groaned in pain. "Why did you do that?" he complained.

"Whoops. Sorry," Lucy groaned.

Lisanna watched them in surprise, then giggled.

Lisanna laughed at the memory. She had only been playing around, but after that, she only shipped them together more.
"Fate dealt a hand in that one," Mira sighed.

"You're so pretty in a bridal dress Lucy!" Wendy gushed. "You too Lisanna!"

Lucy closed herself into the coffin like wardrobe and Natsu smirked, seeing a white knob on the side. "Huh! Kay, here goes," he said, smirking evilly.

Purple light began to shine out of the machine, and Lucy opened the door.

She opened it in a blue, tight fit one piece with black lace stockings, red boots and bunny ears to boot. She grimaced and closed the door.

She opened it again to appear in an even tighter purple alien suit with weird webbed wings and a horrible head piece.
She quickly closed the door again, opening it to find herself in a bright floral ukata with a bright orange ribbon on top.

Finally, she emerged in a plain, navy one piece swimsuit, complete with a pink floaty donut and braided hair.

Natsu was in tears, laughing at her hysterically until she karate chopped him on the head and shoved him in the wardrobe. "Stop playing around!" she hissed.

With an evil laugh she turned the dial.

Natsu emerged in a blue bunny suit and lipstick with fishnet stockings, a bright, uncomfortable, purple alien suit, an orange ukata and bow, and finally a blue swimsuit with pink floaty donut.

"What was that about not playing around I mean-"

The guild was in hysterics. Macao was down somewhere beneath the table with Wakaba laughing loudly, Gray was wiping tears from his face, Wendy was giggling, Levy was covering her face adorably and even Erza was choking on her cake momentarily.
"N-Natsu!" Gray chuckled. "N-Natsu you looked l-like such an i-i-idiot!" He didn't resist much as he was kicked to the floor and a very embarrassed Natsu sat back down, glancing at Lucy who was chuckling herself. When he saw this, he couldn't suppress a grin. When he did, there was a bright flash and he turned, baffled to see Lisanna with a camera. She winked. "For the books."

Natsu swung at Imitatia with flaming fists. "ANSWER ME!" he screamed.

"No STOP!" Lucy cried desperately.

With a lurch, Natsu stopped his attack with wide eyes. Imitatia gave him one hard look and swung back with a powerful blow. Lucy nursed his head in her lap, looking at his unconscious face with tears in her eyes.

"You actually listened to her," Lisanna said in bafflement. "You. The Natsu Dragneel of Fairy Tail actually listened to someone when they told you not to hit someone! Lucy you are meant for him!"
They both blushed furiously and Natsu scowled at his 'basically-sister' in embarrassed annoyance.

"I won't argue there," Gray chuckled before somehow ending up on the floor again. "Put on some clothes!" Natsu yelled as he sat back down, only to be dragged into a brawl with the icy stripper.

"Here, you might want this," Lucy said, gently handing Natsu his scarf. He looked at her and grinned. "It is a little chilly!"

"Too cute Lu-chan, too cute," Levy muttered.

"Hey," Natsu said gently. "Are ya feeling any better?"
Lucy smiled at him from her hospital bed. She slowly sat up and winced. "I-I'm getting there. Is your match about to start?"
"Yep. And I'm gonna win it for sure!"

"Natsu?" Lucy whispered. Natsu blinked.

She said some words that couldn't be picked up and blushed. Natsu smiled gently back at her and nodded.

"WHAT DID YOU SAY?" The entire guild yelled, turning to her. "What did you say to him!"
Lucy shrieked and ducked under the table. "I don't remember!"
"She said, 'thanks for always being there when I need you,'" Natsu told them with a smile. Slowly, Lucy rose back into her seat. "Y-you… remember that?"
"Well of course! Why would I forget?"
"Cos you forget everything Salamander," Gajeel chuckled getting a slap on the arm from Levy.

"Well I'm gonna have to punch a wall to feel manly again," Macao murmured.

"Punch a wall?" Wakaba snickered. "You couldn't even punch a quilt without breaking your fist."

"Shut up."

Natsu floated in blackness, but he still could think, his thought reverberating through the emptiness that was chaos. "Please, just wait a little longer Lucy. I'm coming to save you!" The desperation in his voice was raw and emotional. Lucy could hear it through the ships consciousness. "Natsu," she whispered.

Natsu only looked pained when he remember that moment of pure helplessness. Lucy smiled sadly when she remembered his need to save her pulsing through the ship which was her consciousness. Juvia wiped a tear that was threatening to spill.

"Looks like he found us!" Natsu said seriously, turning towards the door. The camera zoomed out on him, showing him still in the blue one piece swimsuit, a silly look on his face. "You can't sound cool when you look like a pervert! WHY AM I STILL IN THIS STUPID SWIMSUIT! Now change me back before that creep gets a peek!"

Natsu suddenly went tense, locking eyes on Lucy. Lucy started to look nervous. "Hey, what's with the staring?"

Natsu's face stretched into an evil smirk. "I just figured out how we're gonna beat this guy!"

The tense moment from before was gone and the guild laughed at their antics. "That's our Lucy," Erza chuckled, spooning cake into her mouth.

"I'm sorry but did anyone catch Natsu eying Lucy in a swim suit?" Mira yelled.

"You're delusional!" Lucy and Natsu screamed.

Lucy sat on the stadium floor after her drastic lose to Flare in the Grand Magic Games. She sobbed and wiped her eyes, trying to ignore the stinging yells from the crowd. Suddenly, Natsu was in front of her. "You- were amazing. You proved that seven year gap means nothing! We still got a fighting chance! Zero points- sounds great to me! This is our chance to make an epic comeback." He reached a hand out to her.
"Yeah," Lucy sniffled, holding onto his hand. She looked up at him, still crying. "I'm all fired up now!"

"Pretty sure the entire city shipped them at that moment," Lisanna commented.

"What is this shipping?" Evergreen asked in irritation.

"It's when you want to people to become a couple when they haven't become a couple yet. When you want them to become canon. And canon is when the couple is official. At the moment Nalu is only semi-canon, which means it's hinted."
Everyone blinked. "What?"
"Hinted by who?" Lucy yelled.

"Duh, whoever made this video silly," Lisanna giggled.

"How do you even know all these weird words?" Carla asked. "Sounds like sailing business."
"Ugh, ships," Natsu said, already beginning to look sick.

Natsu stopped in front of Erza and Elfman.

"Is Lucy doing alright?" Erza asked.

"Yeah, she seems fine," Natsu said with a nod. "Says she wants to take a shower. I can go check on her again if you'd like!"

"No way are you crazy! You can't do that now!" Elfman said, flustered.

"But why not?" A lightbulb flashed above his head and he turned with a blush and a manic laugh towards where Lucy was. Erza grabbed his scarf.
"Don't even think about it."

"I remember that!" Natsu said dreamily.

"Natsu!" Lucy screamed, appalled.
"What?" Natsu shrugged back. "We've all seen it before." He earned a punch in the face.

"Pervert," Evergreen sniffed in contempt, fanning her face.

"Aren't they all," Cana snickered, downing a drink.

Elfman shifted uncomfortably at the memory and Evergreen petted his knee appreciatively for his anti-perv reaction.

Natsu laughed. "And who wouldn't want that, right?"

Lucy laughed, a small blush and smile gracing her face.

"Aw, Lucy's smiling!" Wendy gushed. "Are we cheering you up?
"Yeah, I can't help but smile when everyone's being so silly!"

"Well good cos there's no point in broodin'!" Natsu said lazily, hands tied behind his head.

"You know what they say, fortune comes to those who laugh," Carla said.

"Ain't that the truth!" Happy declared.

Lucy put a hand over her mouth and blushed, hiding her smile. "Are you actually trying to cheer me up?" she giggled.

Natsu turned away to hide his blushing face. "Don't go getting used to it."

"Natsu could use a lesson in flirting," Gray chuckled.

"What? Them's fighting words!" Natsu growled, throwing his head against Gray's.

"I'll take you on right here!" Gray growled back.

"Were you angry that Gray said you needed flirting lessons or that he was implying you liked her?" Cana thought out loud.

"I just wanted to fight Gray," Natsu muttered with a blush.
"You are so dense," Carla whispered in cattish annoyance. Natsu just glared, his enhanced senses picking it up, and the white cat bristled.
"He likes her," called a voice from behind Natsu. He started and fell out of his chair in surprised alarm, getting up quickly. He turned to glare at Virgo who sat expressionless as always, with her hand in the popcorn.
"Virgo!" Lucy demanded. "What are you doing here?"
The maid simply shrugged. "Sorry Princess, Loke sent me to check on your progress."
"Pro-" Lucy trailed off. "That damn cat!"
Virgo stiffened as if she was listening to something before relaxing. "Big brother says that he is not a cat, he is a lion."
"Some lion," Lucy retorted childishly, to the guild's amusement. She turned back to the video.

Everyone from the Fairy Tail Guild began to walk away, laughing and joking together. Meanwhile, Lucy was pinned with the unconscious Natsu. "Hey wait! Are you guys gonna make me carry Natsu?" His head lolled over her shoulder and his breathing was tickling her neck uncomfortably.

"Don't you worry Lucy! I'll be here to cheer you on!" Happy yelled encouragingly.

"So you'll cheer but you won't help carry him," Lucy said sweat dropping.

Happy got a whack in the head from Carla. Everyone else laughed a little guiltily for just leaving Lucy to carry Natsu but Lucy laughed too so they didn't mind too much.

"I don't remember that," Natsu muttered. Lucy rolled her eyes. "Duh, you were unconscious."

Lucy sat in her hospital bed and remembered her last conversation with Natsu. "Is your match about to start?"

"Yep. And I'm gonna win it for sure!"

"Natsu?" she whispered. Natsu blinked.

"I believe in you. And I always have, from the moment I joined the guild." She blushed but kept eye contact with a gentle smile.

Natsu blushed. "T-Thanks! That means a lot to me!" And he meant it.

"Now if that isn't a moment, I don't know what the hell is," Cana declared, takin a swig of her drink. Lucy blushed at the memory, being mostly out of it at the time due to Porlyusica's intense medication. And Natsu simply smiled fondly.

"What did you do?" asked the creepy man in the weird one piece suit.

"What did I do? Hold on!" Natsu flashed back to his fight with Imitatia. "Lucy!"

In a flash he had the man by the collar of his weird rubber clothes. "WHERE IS SHE?"

"Listen pal! The only person we've seen besides the guards is you when they tossed you in here! And you were alone!"

"There was no one else with me? Answer me!" he bared his teeth and they all backed up against the wall in fear. Natsu scowled and punched the metal bars. Hard. "WHAT DID YOU DO WITH LUCY?"

Lucy clutched her heart. Had that actually happened? She turned to look at the boy beside her and blushed hard but he just continued to eat his chicken as if nothing had happened. She could feel her blood warming and her heart tightening. No one had ever gone to such pains to protect her before. Except… him.

"Natsu did you assault that poor man?"

"I guess that's whatcha call it."
"Good. He killed my memory." She was referring to the flower the man had farted on when they had met during the clock piece ark, but Natsu had no idea what she was talking about and stared at her in confusion. He turned to ask Lucy is she had any idea but found a pink faced blonde sitting very stiffly in her seat. He decided to leave her alone.

Natsu pressed himself up against the metal bars and growled. "If you so much as lay a finger on Lucy, I swear, You're gonna pay. I'll burn you all into a PILE OF ASHES!"

Lucy's heart began to pump again and she got the urge to hug him suddenly.

"Wow, so protective," Mira said, giving him a look.

"Yeah, it's kinda hot," Cana slurred. She got an elbow in the ribs from both Strauss sisters.

"L. O. V. E!" the brown haired night sang in delight.

Natsu's face was red with anger and fire licked up and down his body. "WOULD YOU STOOOOOPPPP!" Natsu roared, sending a ball of fire towards him.

"Mavis that guy was annoying!" Natsu said, slamming his face onto the table.

"Looks to me like you were jealous," Erza said with a laugh.

"Oh Erza, not you too!" he groaned.

Lucy stayed quiet.

"L. O. V. E!" The knight sang again. Flames roared to life on Natsu and he glared at the man again. "I can't take anymore of this lovey dovey stuff are we gonna duke it out or what?"

Michelle sweat dropped at his reaction.

"More jealousy!" Mira sang, Cana, Levy, Juvia and Lisanna laughing along side her.

"That guy is kind of cute though, maybe I should kind of ship them together," Cana said teasingly. She got a scathing glare from both Lucy and Natsu.

The rest of the guild laughed along.

Natsu ran as hard as he could to catch up with Lucy who was twirling through the sky towards the ground, like a shooting star. He stumbled and fell, rolling along the rocky floor, before getting up and running again.

Lucy's eyes widened and a tear escaped when she saw this, and Natsu finally leaped, closing the space between them and catching her.

He fell to the ground and created a crater in the dirt, her sitting on top of him. But when he looked up, he smiled at her. She just gave him a grateful, happy, but oddly sad smile in return.

Ichiya, Romeo, Erza, Gray, Coco, Happy and Elfman all watched on with smiles on their faces.

'By the time I came to, both the Infinity Castle, and the Neo-Oraceon Seis were long gone. And so, the journey that began with the hand of a clock and all of the confusion and chaos caused by key of the starry heavens, finally came to an end.'

"I remember that!" Wendy said enthusiastically. "It was so sweet! And everyone was there- me, Gray, Erza, Happy, Carla and everyone else!"

"It was quite cute," Erza said, her memory going back to a certain blue haired boy who had also been present.

Lucy smiled at Natsu and took his hand to squeeze it and he grinned back.

Natsu slammed his fist into the table as the guild watched on.

"All that matters is that they stole from Lucy. I swear Luce, we'll get back what rightfully belongs to you!"

Lucy only nodded, sadly.

"So angry," Carla mewled disapprovingly.

"It's good to see you!" Lucy told the tattered and battered Natsu from her hospital bed.

"You're not gonna ask how it went?" Natsu grinned.
Lucy shook her head with a gentle smile and blush. "I don't need to. I told you I believed in you. Since the very beginning."

Natsu smiled tenderly back at her. "But this still ain't over. We're just getting started!"

"Do I see a blush?" Cana teased.

"Juvia approves of her love rivals bold moves," Juvia said teasingly.

Lucy pinkened. "Juvia!" she whined.

"Wow, that's so kawaii," Wendy whispered cutely. Cana rolled her eyes.

"Can't help lookin' at Natsu's abs though," Cana said matter-of-factly.

"It's like something outta the romances we used ta watch together Al," Bisca said, kissing her husband's cheek. He smiled, remembering the movies she'd always pick that he would pretend to hate.

Minerva laughed as she hung a battered Lucy from the water sphere of the Grand Magic Games. She wasn't conscious and she definitely wasn't moving. Minerva had gone too far. Natsu hung himself over the banisters. "LUCY!" he screamed.

"You're so protective of her Natsu," Lisanna said with a giggle.

"Aw, it's over," Mira whined in disappointment.

"Don't worry we can watch the next one some other time," Erza said, spooning the last of her cake into her mouth. Natsu and Lucy both matched the colour of Natsu's hair as they stood from their seats. Natsu was quickly back to normal but Lucy avoided all eye contact, which worried him. He figured she was just tired and smiled fondly after her retreating back as she left the guild.

…

Hey guys sorry I took so long! I've had exams and homework and all that annoying school stuff to keep me busy so I just found this spot of space to put this down. Enjoy and please review!