Chapter Two: Familiar

"Open up, you stupid Gate! Stupid! Goddamn! Contraption!' Gray yelled, pouring his frustration out on the thing that took his teammates away.

"Calm down Gray," Erza suggested, her voice though belying how she was as bothered as he was.

Wendy's brows furrowed worriedly, and she held Lucy's keys closer to herself. The pouch had been the only thing that was left behind, lying at the very spot where they had seen Natsu and Lucy vanish right before their very eyes, and she swore to protect them until she could finally hand them over to Lucy.

If she could.

The thought distressed her enough to inch closer to Erza in fear, turning to look over her shoulder towards her exceed as she did.

Carla was currently consoling an understandably very distraught Happy.

Despite the Titania's scolding, Gray continued to pound his fist onto the gate. "Curse this -"

"They are safe," a voice echoed and his movements stilled immediately.

"Your friends are safe. For now. But it is up to you to save them, I cannot hold on for too long."

Erza was sceptical of the voice, though familiar, not wanting to succumb to hope, lest it be false.

As she took a moment to deliberate, Wendy looked around, and noticed how it was only the remainder of Team Natsu along with Levy and Freed who seemed to have heard the feminine voice. The rest of the guild and its allies present didn't seem to have heard the straight-to-mind transmission.

"Erza-san," the little dragon slayer said, putting two and two together, "I think only those close to the Gate can hear the voice."

Erza had also noticed this and was about to respond with a request for the voice's identity when -

"What do we do?" Gray called out, shocking Erza. He was usually the most cautious one of the team and yet here he was, trusting a random voice. What if it was a trap?

But there was no doubt in his mind. This person had twice already saved his life and it would seem like his debt to her was only on the rise.

"What do we do?" He called again. "Talk us through, Ultear!"

'Don't say anything unnecessary. Nothing about the future. Nothing about my magic. Not a word,' Lucy strictly reminded herself over and over again, hoping desperately that if she did, it would minimise the effects of her involvement in his life.

Hope, being the key word. There was no way of knowing for sure what was to happen now that she already had.

But then she couldn't leave this Natsu alone either. It almost physically hurt to see him alone and afraid.

She had been deftly avoiding all mentions of fathers or dragons or the like to ensure the little boy didn't go down that chain of thought.

All the while also working on doing her best to hide her own distress over everything that was happening.

Lucy took her naked ankles out of the stream she was sitting near and pulled her knees closer to her chest, remembering how she couldn't find her key anywhere near her after waking up. It didn't help that she couldn't even sense them or even her own magical reserves. She only hoped and prayed that her keys were safe. That her only means of seeing her other-worldly friends was secured.

'The guild must be so worried as well...'

"You're making weird faces again," Natsu reminded her from over his shoulder. Lucy had already been given three notifications of the same before, and she would have been lying if she said it wasn't getting annoying.

"Well, that may just be how my face is," she grumbled at the boy who was now knee deep in the rivulet, fishing.

"Nah, you're usually pretty," he said matter-of-factly, not even looking up from where he was scanning for their dinner.

Lucy only blinked for a moment, letting his words sink in. And when they did, she felt her face heat up. She was aware of her beauty, and had been informed of the same often enough.

It was just that this was Natsu. And he had just called her pretty. She couldn't remember the last time Natsu had actually complimented her on her appearance and Lucy wasn't sure what to feel about him doing so now.

"T-thanks," she mumbled, knowing he'd be able to hear anyway.

Natsu simply shrugged, before chucking a fish at her.

Which landed straight onto her face.

Lucy spluttered, and Natsu burst out laughing, the boisterous sound so much like the one she was used to hearing.

Not to be outdone, Lucy stomped into the stream, and - without warning - began splashing an unsuspecting Natsu, drenching him.

Natsu stood still for a moment, before stalking towards her with a very devious grin.

They spent the next hour in splash wars, actually managing to catch some fish by total accident in the process as well.

When the sun looked like it was setting, they realised they were tired (and more importantly hungry), and so they trudged out of the river all set to get a campfire ready and make dinner.

It was then that the logistics of being soaked to the bone, with no extra clothes nor any access to her stardresses occurred to Lucy.

Natsu on the other hand, was dry five minutes after getting out of the stream.

"Could you maybe dry my clothes too, Natsu?"

"Sure, take them off and give them to me, they'll be dry in a jiffy!"

"N-no. While they're still on me please?" Lucy squeaked.

Natsu's brow furrowed. "I've never done that before. You could get hurt because of my fire."

Lucy sighed, realising that this Natsu wasn't nearly as experienced as her best friend was. "Why don't you try and the moment I feel like I may get hurt I'll let you know?"

Natsu took a moment to mull over the suggestion before nodding seriously, his face screwing into an expression of absolute focus as he raised his hands to generate some of his fire.

Lucy smiled at the effort he was putting in for her. "I trust you, Natsu," she whispered and - unbeknownst to her - that was exactly what he needed to hear.

Focusing even harder, Natsu gently wrapped his flames around Lucy, close enough for the heat required to complete his task, but far enough to not burn her.

Lucy remained perfectly still, taking in the feeling of warmth Natsu's fire generated, relishing how it pleasantly kissed her skin, not once giving her any cause for concern.

And all too soon, it stopped, giving way to far cooler air. Lucy was surprised to find herself... disappointed that it was over so soon.

"That okay?" Natsu enquired carefully.

Lucy patted her clothes and, fair enough, it was mostly dry; definitely enough to no longer pose a threat to her well being. The last thing she needed with everything happening just then was to come down with the flu.

"It's perfect, Natsu. Thank you!" she smiled gratefully and Natsu beamed at her reply.

It wasn't long before they had manually set up a campfire, and begun roasting the day's catch, greedily digging into their meal.

"You wanna try some of the camp fire too?" he offered mid bite. "I made it real nice this time!"

Lucy paused while chewing her fish to giggle at the offer. "I'm sure you have, but I can't eat fire."

Natsu's jaw dropped and the fire spilled out of his mouth in the process. "How come?"

"Well I'm not a slayer. Only people with slayer-type magic can eat their element. Like, if you were an iron dragon slayer, you'd be eating iron instead."

"Ew, gross," he replied scowling at the unpleasant thought. "I'm happy with fire."

Lucy smiled at that, thinking of times at the guild when he'd compare his fire to Gajeel's iron and talk of how it tasted so much better.

"What's your name?" he asked suddenly.

Lucy blinked. 'That's right, he didn't know yet.'

"Lu-" and suddenly she remembered how he shouldn't know of 'Lucy Heartfilia' just yet, responding with the first other name that came to mind. "-igi. Luigi yeah," she cringed internally.

Of all the pseudonyms she could have chosen. That's what she went with. Yeesh.

"It suits you!"

It took every effort on a very annoyed Lucy's part to not argue about what he meant by that.

"So why were you asleep in the forest?"

"I umm, I got lost."

"You're not very smart are you?" he commented offhandedly.

Lucy had to remind herself that he was a little boy and unaware of the world. Or her fury. But damn him if he wasn't annoying. Instead, she chose to quietly chew, surprised at suddenly being unable to taste a thing.

Huh, weird.

"Were you searching for your friend?"

"Mm-hmm," she replied, more concerned about what could be stopping her ability to taste. 'My nose isn't blocked or anything…'

"Do you think you'll find him?"

The tone of his question had Lucy's attention snap right back to the conversation. Understanding what – whom – this was really about, she set aside her own worries to give him the answer he needed to hear.

"Yes, I will."

"How...how do you know? What if he got lost because he was bored of you?"

'Oh, Natsu,' she sighed internally, hurting at the insecurity so painfully visible in his eyes.

Having bated her time chewing, she swallowed and answered, "I know because he's someone I trust unconditionally," she said smiling at the fact that she wasn't even making any of this up. "He knows I want him well and with me as soon as possible, and until we meet again, I will ensure to take care of myself for the same reason."

Little Natsu took a few moments to process that.

"So... maybe...Dad didn't leave me because he wanted to?" he whispered hopefully.

Lucy bent so that she was looking straight into his big, dark eyes. "Natsu, I'm sure your Dad had a reason to leave the way he did. I doubt he would have wanted to make his beloved son sad."

"Yeah," he breathed nodding, "you're right. He wouldn't have."

"See? So what you should do is move forward. Become even better so when you meet Ig-your Dad again, he will know how much you've grown."

Natsu watched her with wide eyes as she spoke, grinning as she completed her suggestion. "Yeah!" he stood up pumping his fists in a show of determination. "Just you wait Dad! I'll be even bigger and stronger when we meet next!"

He turned to Lucy grinning ear to ear. "And you know what Luigi? I'm not gonna wait on my butt from him to come to me. I'll find him."

Lucy clapped at his declaration, happy with the announcement. While she knew where Igneel was just then and for what cause, she understood that he hadn't told Natsu for a reason and that she was in no place to alter Natsu's idea of things.

So while he continued pumping fists into the air, Lucy took the chance to lean back and close her eyes, breathing in a deep, reassuring breath as she willed away painful memories of Natsu kneeling before the his father, seeing him after so many years, and then watching him die so soon after.

The rest of dinnertime went in relatively quieter discussions about fish, Lucy sorely missing Happy the whole time, before they extinguished the campfire and rolled over onto their backs, finally calling it a night.

From the little clearing in the foliage above them, a small patch of the stars were visible. Lucy took solace in their little twinkling, silently thanking them for being as constant as they were.

"Um, Luigi?"

Lucy's eyebrow twitched at her "name" subtly. "Mmm?"

His voice, coming from a little ways to her left, was barely a whisper. "Please don't go away in the middle of the night."

Lucy turned and propped herself on her elbows, catching a glimpse of his troubled expression. She bit the inside of her cheek.

"I'll be right here when you wake up, Natsu," she said, loud and clear despite the emotion clogging her throat. "I promise."

Natsu rolled to look at her from the corner of his eyes for a moment, as though gauging her sincerity, before he scooted so that he was lying right beside her. He wrapped his arms around one of hers and nuzzled it, murmuring a quiet thanks.

Lucy gently lay down next to him, running her free hand through his hair. "Hey, how about a story?"

Natsu's head immediate popped up and the way he looked expectantly at her was all the response she needed.

Giggling, she launched into one of her favourite stories as a little girl.

Before long, Natsu was fast asleep curled up at her side, and Lucy watched the little boy with a soft smile, before looking up to the stars once more, with a deep sigh.

She still didn't know how she reached here or why. Or where her Natsu was. A pang of fear rushed through Lucy at the thought of her partner possibly being in trouble, but Lucy shook of the thought as soon as it came. She would trust Natsu and in him being okay.

'He has to be okay,' she thought, thinking of the many people relying on that fact being true.

When Lucy eventually fell asleep, it was a troubled one, full of visions of worried friends and a lost partner.

Natsu patted little Lucy's head as she slept. She had cried on his lap, telling him how much she missed her Mom and of fond memories she had of her.

"Umm, I have a question," she began hesitantly mid-sniffles, eyes still brimming with tears.

Natsu gently nodded to prompt her into continuing.

Lucy took a deep breath, not meeting his eyes. "Do you think I can be really happy again, without Mama? I miss her so, so much already and it hasn't even been two days."

Natsu's fists clenched as she resumed crying, before gently pulling her tiny, quivering frame closer to him, wrapping his arms around her protectively.

"Y'know, I asked myself the same question once."

Lucy looked up to him. "Y-you did?"

"Yeah."

"I'm sorry, you shouldn't have had to."

Natsu took a second to appreciate how she could feel for someone in the past while she was currently going through so much grief herself. Gently patting her head, he continued, "I lost my Dad, and for some time I wasn't sure how I could be my normal happy self again."

He then smiled and looked towards her, "And then I would remember something he told me. He said, 'Always think of the future,' and that's exactly what I did. There isn't a day when I don't miss him. But I also know he's out there somewhere looking out for me. And I want to do him proud."

Neither of them realised when she had stopped crying till Lucy pulled away enough to see his face properly, eyes puffy but resolute. "I'll look to the future too! I'll take really good care of Mama's keys and she will be so proud of me!" she declared with conviction and Natsu grinned at her.

Minutes later, the need for sleep caught up to her, and Lucy asked him to stay by her side. So he pulled her in close as he lay next to her, warming himself up a little so that even in her sleep she would know she wasn't alone.

"And Mr Dragon?" she murmured drowsily.

"Hmm?"

"I'm sure your Papa is already really proud of you."

Natsu was glad she wasn't looking as he teared up once more.

Natsu had always known Lucy had been close to her mother, she had even mentioned her from time to time. But never had she actually cried over her in front of him that way.

It saddened him to see her like that, especially since she was currently so little, but Natsu stayed there, ensuring even if all he could do was lend his shoulder for her to cry on, that he would be there for her.

Natsu vaguely wondered what was happening and why he was where he was, but decided not to question it. He hoped he was the only one seemingly stuck in the past and that wherever she was, Lucy was okay.

He already missed her so much.

…

The next morning, Natsu was surprised to find himself on a super soft bed waking up. The sheets felt really soft to the touch and only the right amount of sunshine trickled into the huge bedroom.

In an instant, the past day's events came crashing down on him, and he tumbled off the bed, reeling in all that he was feeling.

Getting up and rubbing his sore butt, Natsu looked around the room. It looked and smelled so Lucy. And not like her at the same time? While this may be how she really had grown up, Natsu never really associated opulence with her. Maybe it was her perennial rent issues.

Or maybe it was because of how down-to-earth she was.

Natsu smiled at the thought, his eyes landing onto her pile of soft toys. He was beginning to feel creeped out with all the toys staring back at him, when he heard the door open.

"Oh you're awake," she smiled softly and Natsu found himself struggling to reaccustom to seeing such a teeny Lucy.

"Mornin'," Natsu grumbled still a bit disoriented.

"Good morning, Mr. Dragon," she replied with a smile. And Natsu could told from miles away that it was a forced one.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

That seemed to startle her and Lucy just shook her head in response. "Nothing! I just wanted to know what fruit would you like since I can't get an entire platter of food here and I do apologise for that, unless you want to come to the dining room, but I don't know how - "

"Lucy, why are you faking that smile?" he interrupted, though not unkindly.

Lucy frowned, before silently turning around, closing the door and walking to sit gingerly in front of Natsu on the floor, speaking only in hushed whispers.

"Papa called me to his office his morning," she confessed. "He told me it wasn't expected of me to still be crying. And that I must limit my mourning to the nighttime when no one is around to see it. As of now, I am only hindering people in their work."

Natsu seethed.

"Stay here," he growled, making sure to shut the door behind him keeping her inside.

He let his nose do the searching, and though the scent was mild, he managed to reach his destination, stomping over to Jude Heartfilia's office and slamming the door open in his anger. "I've got a bone to pick with you, you sorry excuse for a father! Is that how you treat your daughter right after she freaking lost her Mom?"

Jude started at the loud noise, his eyes darting to where Natsu was, looking for an extra moment, before sighing and continuing his paper work in earnest.

"The heck? You ignoring me?" he yelled.

Apparently he was. Pissed even more, Natsu walked around his desk, thinking about how burning an important looking paper would be reminder enough to never cross a dragon slayer, just as a knock came at the door.

"Ah, Eustice," Jude wished standing from his seat and walking to the man at the door.

Stepping through Natsu in the process.

Having a person go right through you was an extremely weird experience and – to his horror – Natsu could now testify to it.

Shaking his head, Natsu ran over to where Jude was talking to a balding man about floral arrangements, and Natsu tried catching the man's attention by grabbing his collar.

It alarmed him to actually see his hands go right through. He attempted once more with Baldy.

At some point it occurred to him that they were not just unable to see him but couldn't hear or feel him either.

Panicking, Natsu ran back into Lucy's room, feeling immense relief wash over him when he saw her respond to his entry.

And with that his inability to help her cemented even further.

"Where did you run off to?" she demanded, clearly miffed at having been locked inside her own room.

"Meeting my other dragon friends," still reeling from panicking before, he fibbed, uncomfortable with the lie, but not wanting her bothered by his worries. He knew she needed cheering up and an effort in that direction would be an effective distraction from his inner turmoil. "And they said that you could have this dragon as your horse for the day!" he declared, hoping this would appeal to her the way it did to Asuka.

Lucy blinked as Natsu got onto all fours. "Get on!"

"B-but where will we go?"

"Anywhere you want!"

Lucy's little face scrunched up in thought. Natsu wondered if there were any cuter sights out there.

"I cannot think of any place," she said, sounding disappointed with herself.

"Then I'll take you to Fairy Tail!" declared the dragon-horse.

"Fairy Tail?" Lucy echoed questioningly, climbing aboard his back.

"Yup! It's the best place on earth! It's my home!"

Lucy was already enthralled. Natsu began running all around her room stopping to explain about the other residents of the mysterious-seeming place - including The Ice Loser, The Cute Little Healer, The Monster Ladies, The Metal Head, The Lightning Dude - each character getting their own little introduction.

He had had Lucy's attention the whole time and she would often pause the ride to ask questions of the many people he talked about.

At some point the two of them rolled onto the bed, Lucy letting Natsu rest from constant running around and talking.

"Hey, Mr. Dragon?"

He didn't bother reminding her that he had shared his name. Besides, Mr. Dragon sounded pretty cool.

"Can I come to Fairy Tail someday?"

Natsu didn't even flinch. "Of course you can! I'll take you there someday! Everybody's waiting to make friends with you!"

Lucy's face lit up in the most precious of smiles. "I've never had friends before! Well...not including Spetto-san and the staff people."

Natsu's eyes widened. It had never occurred to him before how Lucy never had friends her age till she ran away from home.

The urge to comfort her was almost a reflex now.

"You have me!"

Lucy giggled. "You're not my age Mr Dragon. I know that much."

"Dragons are ageless beings," Natsu shot back. "So that can mean we're both the same age."

Lucy giggled more. "That doesn't make any sense!"

"It doesn't have to, I'm awesome!" he boasted proudly.

Lucy laughed in response and not for the first time in his life Natsu vowed to protect that laughter.

"Say, aren't you hungry, Mr. Dragon?"

"I think an apple should do," he told her after a pause and she nodded excitedly and stepped out of her room to fetch it for him.

Natsu let his frown show once she left, realising that he wasn't hungry at all. Which was weird considering he hadn't eaten in over twenty four hours. At least.

He couldn't talk to people who weren't Lucy, they couldn't see him and his voracious appetite was non-existent. He didn't even smell Baldy approach near he was when he should have.

What in the name of Happy's fish was happening?

I hardly expected the response the first chapter received and for that I am so grateful to every single one of you who read this! I hope you enjoyed this early update! :D

Question: Are you enjoying Lucy and Little Natsu's interactions more or that of Natsu and little Lucy more? I'm curious.

As always, I'm all ears for anything you have to say!

Special thanks to Srae13, CrystalRavenFairy, FireDragonPhia, AnnabethAlAbbas, Kauia, , Guest, Zombified16, ashinsky, T-tawny and FelicitousVixen for all your lovely reviews and to everyone who favourited and followed! :D