Sighing Lucy moved deeper into the store the smell of wood, finish, and turpentine filling the air and making her stomach knot up as it did every time that she came here. It wasn't the smells, no she loved the scents, it was the owner of the shop that had her nerves frayed by the time that she left. He was a very lovable man, one of the most friendly personalities, but it was the air of power that surrounded him. That and the fact that no matter what time she came here there were always burly men whom glared at her whenever she came within speaking distance of the owner, and then there was the knowledge that he literally knew everyone and if she said or did one thing to upset him he could quite literally send her shop into the dust with one measly phone call. With that being as it was Lucy had demanded that Virgo remain outside and under no circumstances was the woman to enter the shop.

The woman had already managed to rile up several store owners who were known to have the calmest of tempers. All while she had stood there with a bored expression on her face, her tone implying that the shop owners were incompetent in their professions.

Sighing again she rubbed at her temples as she frowned the feeling of an impending migraine making her wince. "Eeek!" She squeaked as she ran smack into something solid and unforgiving, staggering back Lucy flailed slightly the folder holding all of her plans landing on the floor with a clatter some of the papers scattering across the cement floor as she herself landed on her butt with a thud, pain shooting up her wrists as she caught herself with her hands behind her. Looking up with wide eyes she stared into glaring obsidian eyes, his hair just as spiky and wild and pink as it had been last night in the fire light. She stared up at him silently, no doubt all the color draining from her cheeks as his expression darkened even more.

"Why are you staring at me as if I'm going to rip you apart?" He snarled startling her so much that she jumped.

"I-I, u-uh... u-um..." Lucy stuttered not knowing at all what to say.

"Do not frighten her Natsu." An deep yet soothingly comforting voice said and Lucy's head snapped in that direction.

"Warrod." She breathed in relief a beaming smile spreading across her face. "I'm sorry for the sudden intrusion."

"It is quite all right Lucy, dear." The older gentlemen said making his way towards her as Lucy scrambled to her knees and gathered up her plans before she pushed herself to her feet and backed away from the glaring man, steadfastly avoiding looking in his direction. "I heard what happened to your shop, my condolences my dear, that must have been quite a blow."

She sighed and shook her head as she hugged the folder tight to her chest. "It's still bleeding but I have faith that it'll heal and be even better then it was."

Warrod reached out and lightly brushed her hair out of her face from where it had escaped the bun she's put it into that morning. "And am I right to assume that is why you brought yourself to my shop?"

Lucy nodded and blushed in embarrassment. "I might have stayed up a bit to late drawing up plans for the remodel of the shop. Though I went way overboard but I, well, I was wondering if you and Elfman would like to make some new pieces for it since the ones that I purchased were unfortunately destroyed."

He stared at her a contemplating look on his face. "Come, dear, show me the plans that you drew up and I will make my decision."

Lucy let out a silent sigh as he turned away to lead the way to his private office, this had been the main battle that she had come in to this shop to fight. It was one thing to ask to buy a wood-work done buy Warrod Sequen but it was a whole other ball game to request a commission of not just one but several pieces. Though now she had to fight the battle to gain his interest in creating the pieces that she desperately wanted for her shop, she did however have faith.

Squaring her shoulders Lucy followed the older man towards the back, never noticing when Natsu's brow arched at the sudden invitation Warrod had extended to her so warmly. It was clear tha the exchange had interested him as he followed behind the two, taking the chance to look over the blonde as she moved with silent grace and a quietly timid confidence through the shop.

Warrod shot him a quick look but remained silent as he allowed Lucy to pass him at the doorway to the smaller conference room. "Now, dear, show me the plans you made."

Nodding Lucy set the folder onto the table and pulled it open, sifting through the papers until she found the ones that she was looking for and spread them out, lining up the ones that went with the others. It took her two minuets to line them all up so it showed certain parts of her shop that were heavily trafficked as well as several other sports that were very obviously for those whom frequented the shop and tended to stay and read in the small nooks that Lucy had strategically placed around her shop.

"These are all the spots that I was thinking of asking if you would like to make pieces for them." She said as she finished laying them out, straightened she looked them over and nodded slightly.

"Whoa." Natsu murmured in surprise at her skillfully drawn pictures.

"Lucy," Warrod said and she turned her head to look at him and he stared at her, for once not smiling. "This totals thirty five pieces that you would like to commission."

She blushed and shook her head. "Oh no, you can pick however many you guys would even want to make." Turning she looked over her drawings. "Like I said I went way overboard on my plans, but there's so many new possibility that I can do now that the slate has been wiped clean, so to speak. I wanted to make the shop feel more like...home, for lack of better words, and since I can afford it now I though why not ask if you would like to help me with it." She said and clasped her elbows as she turned to Warrod with a smile. "So, what do you think?" She asked slowly, almost hesitantly.

He stared at her then looked over the drawings. "What did you have in mind for each place?" He prompted.

"I'm leaving the creative decision up to you guys here." She said and chuckled slightly at his stunned expression.

"You want us to have complete creative decision over the designs?" He demanded.

"Mhmm." She said nodding then paused. "Though if Elfman does make a piece I would like for him to be reminded that my bookshop is a family frequented establishment. But other than that you all have compete and total say so as to what you all are going to make for each location."

Warrod was silent for a moment. "Do you already have someone whom is going to be rebuilding the shop?"

"Yes." She said and reached into her purse to pull out a business card and pass it to him. "My adoptive brothers Sting and Rogue are heading the project. They surprised me this morning by showing up at my door to announce that they were taking over the remodeling, though with me making the blueprints." She grinned. "They're awaiting your calls."

Warrod narrowed his eyes at her. "You assumed that I would agree to this?"

"No," She said and shook her head. "I just told them that I was coming to see you to see if you would be interested in taking on this project and if you agreed you would want to contact them."

He sighed and turned back to the table stroking his chin thoughtfully. "This is going to take quite a bit of time. I am going to have to pull everyone in order to have all thirty five pieces done by the time that your brothers finish the remodeling."

Lucy stared at him. "Huh?"

"Oh, that's right they wanted me to surprise you." Warrod said then motioned towards the door and she turned her eyes going wide.

"Sting? Rogue?" She asked taking in the blonde haired blue eyed man leaning against the doorway his arms crossed with a devilish smile on his lips while a slightly taller black haired and red eyed man with a softer smile as he stood behind the other man his hands at his sides. "Y-you planned this?"

"Well duh." The blonde said and chuckled. "Virgo called us up in a frenzy last night, that woman is scary crazy when she's worried about you."

"Sting." She murmured then launched herself forwards, once again not Noticing Natsu's shock as she rushed past him as if not noticing him. "You two are so amazing!"

Sting wrapped his arms around her, his eyes locking with Natsu's black ones and he glared at him hatred in his eyes, hatred that Natsu returned full force with a baring of his teeth. If there was one thing that Sting and Natsu shared in common it was their sheer hatred of one another that was quite literally off the charts.

Pulling away Lucy turned and wrapped her arms around Rouge. "Gods I missed you two!" She chirped happily.

"And we you." Rogue murmured.

"Now my dear," Warrod said instantly gaining her attention and she turned towards him her eyebrows raised in question. "This is going to take some time, are you willing to wait for them all to be finished before we place them?"

Lucy nodded enthusiastically. "Yes! If you are willing to make them all I would gladly do anything!"

He chuckled. "Do not make open promises my dear, things like that can get you into trouble. But all that I ask is that around the time that we are going to be placing the finished products you remain away from the premises until everything is placed and ready for you to view."

Again she nodded hurriedly. "Deal!"

"Good," He chuckled again. "Now, I'll consult with my wood-smiths and we will get back to you on the rough estimate of how much this is going to cost."

"Don't worry about the price, Warrod." She said and shrugged when he arched a brow in question. "I've been saving up for a rainy day and I figured that this counted for at least a dozen of those so, spare no expense in the masterpieces that you and your team is going to create."

He smiled and walked forward, cupping her cheek gently he pressed a kiss to her forehead. "You my dear are far to pure and innocent for your own good. You play at the hearts of those whom are heartless."

She blinked up at him in confusion. "Huh?"

He laughed softly then motioned towards her brothers. "I am assuming that they have much work to do and that they are here to collect you to take you off to approve of something."

"Yup." Sting said with a chuckle. "C'mon Lucy, we've already wasted several hours trying to coax this old geezer into accepting this massive task."

Lucy made a choking sound before she whipped around. "You apologize!" She growled, her cheeks tinging pink. "Warrod is the best wood worker in all of Ishgar!"

Sting stuck his tongue out at her. "Make me!" Cackling he pushed himself off the door frame and raced through the shop with Lucy hot on his tail.

Rogue sighed softly and shook his head, moving into the conference room to collect his sisters belongings. "We do appreciate you taking the time to make all of the pieces that my sister is asking for, we did not know that she would want this many."

"Your sister is an amazing young woman." Warrod said as he followed Rogue through his shop at a slower pace as they watched Lucy attempted to get her hands on Sting through the large front window. "She never hesitates to offer her aid to anyone whom needs it no matter if it hinders herself. She is far to naive for her own good, and yet she is incredibly brilliant all at once. She has gained quite the reputation throughout the city, let me reassure you that it is a good reputation, I have seen to that." He said and rested his hand on the younger man's shoulder. "But be warned, somehow she had been pulled into the much darker scenes of this city, I do not know how since I have been keeping a rather close eye on her but it has happened. I do not think that she knows this though, so I would like for you and your brother to look after her closely since I cannot. At least not without drawing more undo attention to her."

Rogue nodded slightly. "We appreciate you looking after her for us, Warrod. It has been far to long since we talked face to face."

"Do not make yourselves strangers now," Warrod said as they continued towards the door. "Your parent's were dear friends of mine and it has been far to quiet since you young ones ceased coming for the monthly dinners."

Rogue smiled and shook the older man's hand. "Agreed, take care Warrod."

"You as well Rogue, look after your brother he seems to be more a trouble maker then he was when he was younger." He said and turned back to move deeper into his shop, his smile fading as his expression flat-lined and he locked eyes with the pink haired Natsu where he leaned against the door frame to the conference room, his arms folded across his broad chest as he frowned at Warrod.

"She's different." He stated bluntly.

Warrod nodded. "She is the biological daughter of the late Jude and Layla Heartfilia."

"That's that title pipsqueak?" Natsu demanded shoving himself off the door frame surprise and intrigue filling his eyes.

"Yes," He said and folded his own arms across his chest and narrowed his eyes at the younger man. "Why are you suddenly showing interest in this one particular woman? It has been years since she opened up shop next to the bar."

Natsu looked away and shrugged not entire sure himself as to the sudden peak of interest. "Haven't really run into her much, seen her passing on the street a time or two always with her nose shoved into a damn book."

"Perhaps that's because she is a bookshop owner." Warrod pointed out with a chuckle. "She is constantly reading new books to see if they are worth her time putting them on her shelves. Lucy is a very complex individual."

"Really?" Natsu snorted. "She seems pretty simple to me."

"No, that is only because you have not stopped to carry a conversation with her. She is easily distracted at times, friendly, loyal to those she trusts, incredibly intelligent, and yet incredibly stupid. All of this is mixed together and presented all at once when you carry a normal conversation with her."

"She wasn't like that just now." Natsu pointed out with a smirk. "She was simple just now."

"Because this was extremely important to her." He sighed and motioned for Natsu to follow him so they could continue their conversation in a much more private setting. "There are two sides to Lucy, her every day life and then her business life. The two are very distinct and different sides of Lucy that you have yet to encounter. And I do not want you to encounter them."

"Why the hell not?" Natsu demanded, turning his head to glare at Warrod when the older man stopped and turned to face him.

"Because, Natsu that girl if far to pure to be dragged into the lifestyle that you and I are currently buried in." He said and shook his head. "It is bad enough that her brothers are stained with this perpetual darkness. They, as well as her three guardians, fought hard to keep her from ever having to deal with the life that her parent's were trying desperately heart to emerge from for the sake of their daughter before they were killed. As it is now Lucy doesn't remember much of the life her guardians kept her from."

"That's why she doesn't remember me." Natsu said with a frown, not at all liking the notion that the blonde beauty had forgotten him.

"You did not remember her Natsu." Warrod pointed out dryly.

"Yea but I hardly remember anyone whose not in my day to day life. Besides I just didn't recognize her," Natsu retorted with a sneer. "It's been what? Seventeen years since I've seen her? She ain't the little brat that I remember her to be."

Warrod's eyes widened. "You remembered Lucy Heartfilia after all this time?" He demanded.

"Yea." Natsu snorted. "Why the hell wouldn't I? The little pipsqueak followed me everywhere and wanted to help me with everything that I did."

"But you yourself were only six years old when you two were introduced. You only knew her for a year before the death of her parents." Warrod said in a rush, horror filling him.

Natsu turned his head and grinned at Warrod, but it was nothing more then a challenging baring of his unnaturally sharp canines. "You can say that in the short time that I spent with her, Lucy Heartfilia branded herself onto my soul. And knowing that she forgot about me is insulting so now I'm gonna make her remember me at all costs." He chuckled as he turned and headed towards the front of the shop. "See ya later Warrod, I'll send the Ice Prick to see you later today."

Warrod stood there in silence. Natsu, whom never remembered anyone he didn't have constant interaction with for more then a month, had remembered a small shy child he had only spent one year with seventeen years ago. And not only that but when he spoke of her his voice softened, his glare gentled, and the sneers he gave turned into genuine smiles. It seemed that Lucy Heartfilia was caught in the sights of the Salamander and unless Warrod and the other's acted swiftly and carefully she was going to be swept into something that someone so pure as her should never be caught up in.