"Your joking, right?" Wendy looked at the two who took her home with a suspicion written all over her face."You guys live together?"

Lucy ignored the look. "Of course, we're partners."

Not sure how to take that, Wendy asked: "Why?"

"You'll see." Natsu answered her.

"Are you two married?" Wendy asked

The other two stopped dead in they're tracks, and as one blurted the phrase that pained them every time they heard or said it: "Just partners."

"Then why do you live together?" The curious girl asked.

"Convince, mostly." Natsu replied a little sadly.

"What dose convenience mean?" Wendy asked

"It makes things easer." Replayed Lucy. "How old are you by the way?"

"Why dose that mater?"

"Because I say it dose, so spill." The words and tone were flippant but her eyes were deadly serious.

"I don't know."

Lucy glanced at Natsu and back. "I'm sorry." She said simply.

"Why are you sorry? I'm the one that don't know."

"Because she knows how hard it was for me when I was younger." Natsu spoke with a slight catch in his voice. "Come on, the sooner we get inside, the sooner we can eat." So they walked to door of the small house, and went inside.

As they crossed the living room, Lucy spoke up saying: "Grey will have to order another pizza, now that we have Wendy with us."

"I won't be staying long." Wendy said, as she began looking for things to steal.

"Actually, we want to talk to you about that." Lucy turned to look the young girl in the eye. "Please, sit down. We may be talking for a little bit."

Wendy sat on the small couch Lucy had indicated, it was warm and soft. Wendy had to force herself to keep her guard up. She didn't know what Lucy had in store for her, and wanted to be able to run.

"Wah'do you want with me?" Wendy asked thinking fast. Lucy's next words stopped all thought.

"Well, we actually have bin looking for an apprentice, and wanted to know if you want the job?"

Wendy was stunned, her? A wet girl? They had to be joking.

"Why me?" She asked finally.

"Because of your talent, and your courage, but mostly because it will help you." Natsu spoke with a little inpatients, but was obviously completely serious.

"Why would you wanna help me?"

"Because I'm a good person." As Lucy spoke she saw that Wendy didn't believe her. So she went with the whole truth. "And I don't want to have to kill you."

Wendy tried to run but Natsu grabbed her before she made it off the couch. She struggled desperately, trying to free herself, but Natsu's hands were like iron as he forced her back into her seat.

"Why would you kill me?" Wendy screamed.

"Because, now you know where to find us, and that cannot be allowed to become public knowledge." Natsu spoke in a flat dead voice. "There's also a standing bounty on all mages, but wet workers are never messed with. But gang rats, your lucky your still alive."

"We would, of course, be much kinder about it than most." Lucy spoke in a matter of fact tone that made Wendy want to believe her.

"I got no choice then?"

"You always have a choice."

"I'll do it, then." Wendy sighed, defeated.

"All right let's go down stairs and and introduce you to the others." Said Lucy as she got up from her chair and went over to a picture, moved it aside and pressed a button.

Immediately a hole opened up in the wall, revealing a secret staircase disappeared into blackness.

Wendy was surprised, again, when Natsu's hand caught fire for no reason!

Natsu grinned. "You'll find that mages can do all kinds of things, and wet workers are the most talented among them." Then he led the way into darkness.