Lucy was walking home to her apartment on Strawberry Street later that day, completely unaware that she was being followed by three shadows. The snuck threw the streets behind her as she walked along with Plue at her side, pressing into the shadows around the walls and corners. Suddenly there was a loud crashing noise and Lucy spun around, reaching for her keys. When her eyes focused on the cause of the crash she sighed a relaxed. Natsu was sprawled across the concrete, Gray and Gajeel were peering around the corner.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

Gajeel and Gray came around the corner fully, looking guilty while Natsu stood up and brushed himself off. "Hey Luce," he smiled. I was then Lucy realised Natsu Gajeel and Gray where not in their school uniform. Gray was wearing a pair of black shorts, and to Lucy's shock he wore nothing else. Gajeel was wearing a lot of black, layers of the stuff. Natsu was wearing a black vest over the hard abs Lucy had only been able to guess at before, a pair of white baggy trousers and of course his ever present white dragon scale scarf.

Lucy forced herself to pulled her eyes away from Natsu's abs and frown, "'Hey Luce,'?" she cried, "is that all you're going to say?"

"Urm…yeah." Natsu nodded.

Lucy wanted to punch him and kick him…and hug him…kiss him…No! she stopped her runaway thoughts, what was she thinking Natsu was the densest guy she knew, not to mention she'd only met him and few week ago. She took a deep breath, "Why are you all here?"

"I followed your scent." Natsu said.

"Sorry Lucy," Gray said before Lucy could start shouting at Natsu about the invasion of her privacy. "Natsu said we had to make sure you were al right after that thing with Flare and her stooges."

"We had to follow your scent because the shrimp wouldn't tell him your address." Gajeel added.

"Levy wouldn't?" Lucy asked, slightly impressed with her best friend.

"Shrimp said…" Gajeel cleared his voice and started talking in a high pitched squeak, "if Lu-chan wanted you to visit her she would give you her address herself." He crossed his arms and pouted before standing normally again.

"What was that?" Lucy asked.

"An impression of Levy," Gray said, "I think."

"I think Levy would have killed you if she'd had witnesses that." Lucy said, "It was terrible."

"Shrimp couldn't take me." Gajeel laughed.

"Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned." She told him. All three guys looked blankly at her, she sighed. "It means, there is nothing scarier than an angry woman. We might not be strong sometimes but we can do sneaky." She turned away "Freed would have understood," She muttered.

Both Gajeel and Natsu heard this. Gajeel winced glancing at Natsu. Somewhere deep inside Natsu something clenched his heart, and it hurt. "I'm going home now," Lucy told them, walking away.

When they continued to follow her she slowed down and waited for them to catch up. When she reached her house she let them in and got them drinks, they arranged themselves each sat on one of her three sofas. She collected from things from her draws and went into the bathroom to change into her blue skirt and her blue and white top and to text Levy and Juvia to come over. Once she was ready she walked into her main room again and sat beside Natsu, trying to ignore her mind that was telling her to star at his abs. when the bell rang she got up. "Are you expecting someone Luce?" Natsu asked, on the defensive, in case it was Flare, Sting and Rouge.

"Yep," Lucy said as she opened the door for Levy and Juvia.

"Lu-chan!" Levy hugged her; she was wearing a short orange dress with a white bow by her chest.

"Hey Levy, Juvia, come on in." Juvia was wearing a black dress with white faux fur around the neck and four gold buttons on the front.

Juvia spotted Gray almost instantly and gripped Lucy's arm, "Juvia didn't know Gray-sama would be here." She said.

Lucy just smiled and propelled her friend into her apartment. Gajeel smiled at Levy, "Sit down shrimp." He said, she dropped onto the sofa beside him.

"How do you guys know where Lucy lives, did she give you her address?" she asked, looking accusingly up and Gajeel.

"Natsu was worried about her," Gajeel said defensively holding up his hands, "S we tracked her."

"Juvia, why don't you sit down." Gray suggested, Juvia gingerly sat beside the half-nude Gray, blushing red.

"Gr…Gray-sama, where are Gray-sama's clothes?" she asked.

"He was like that when I met them." Lucy smiled appearing and handing Juvia her drink before moving to give Levy hers before she sat back next to Natsu. "Hey Natsu, where's Happy?" she asked him, missing the cheerful yet insulting cat.

"With Wendy, Carla and Lily." Natsu said.

"They're with Wendy a lot." Lucy said.

"Yeah, recently he's been leaving me to go with them," Natsu frowned, "Maybe Happy doesn't like me anymore."

"Don't be silly Natsu." Lucy squeezed his shoulder.

"Lu-chan is right, Happy just likes Carla, he like- likes her." Levy said.

"What's that?" Natsu asked.

"Ok… so when Happy is with Carla he is really happy." Levy said.

"And when Happy is with Carla his heart will beat really really fast." Juvia added. "And he wants to protect her, which everything he has."

"And no matter if he's with her or not if she'd nearby he'll always be aware of her." Levy said.

"Oh, so that's what is like, but why is he like that?" Natsu asked, recognising the weird thing that had happened to him around Lucy.

"Natsu, didn't Igneel ever teach you about love?" Levy asked softly.

Gajeel sighed, looks like he should explain it to the dense idiot, it was fun while it lasted, "Dragons call their other half mates." He said, "Dragons and Dragon-Slayers alike only have one mate their entire lives and only ever have those kinds of feelings towards that one person."

"Oh yeah, mates." Natsu nodded, but let Gajeel continue.

"Metalicana told me that sometimes we feel these feeling right away when you meet her, you'll notice her and not want to looked away." Natsu heart jumped, that was how he had been when he met Lucy.

Oblivious to Natsu's thoughts beside her Lucy was listening with interest to Gajeel, "However, we don't get the feeling's until later, and in some cases Dragons and Dragon-Slayers have hurt there mate before they realised who they were, that that person was they only one they'd ever love." Lucy noticed the slight glance at levy that Gajeel tried to hide. Levy hadn't seen but yet she was blushing. Levy had told her that when she had first met Gajeel he had beaten her and her overprotective but not strong cousins, Jet and Droy. Lucy smiled.

"Juvia wonders what happens is the person does not love the Dragon-Slayer back."

"Our instincts allow us to choose the person perfect for us and for who we are perfect for, so that rarely happens." Gajeel said.

"They do you just say I outright?" Lucy asked, "If you found your mate would you tell her?"

"Metalicana also told me that Dragons and Dragon-Slayers and Cowards when it comes to matters of the heart." Gajeel smiled, "And I guess we are scared I mean, tour a girl Lucy, wouldn't you be a little taken aback if someone came up to you and told you you were the love of her life and they would never love anyone else but you?"

"I guess so." Lucy laughed. "So when you find you mate it's like when we normal people fall in love."

"Not really, with us we learn everything, the way she looks, the way she smells even the way her voice sounds when she laughs. If she's in the biggest crowd of people, we can pick out the one voice, hers." Gajeel said, "Do you get it?"

"Yeah," Lucy nodded.

Beside her Natsu was look at his hands, everything Gajeel had said had related to him when he was with Lucy. He wanted to protect her, his heart beat faster when she was around and he was happy, and her could recognise her by sight, sound and smell. Did that mean Lucy was his mate? She when she had spoken about freed he was…what was the word, Erza had used it once when he had come strawberry cake and she didn't… jealous, that's it, jealous.

Gajeel could see the gears turning in Natsu head, his fun was over for now, but it would be funny to watch him try to understand or even act on his feelings. He glanced sideways at his own mate who was talking to Lucy. He couldn't tell her, he's nearly ruined her life when he beat her as badly as he did. He was glad they were friends but he knew he wanted her to be happy.

In his daze Gajeel didn't notice Levy finish her conversation and turn to him, leaving Juvia to talk to Lucy. "Gajeel, are you ok?" she asked startling him.

He looked down as she gazed up at him with wide eyes. His eyes trailed to her lips but he had to drag them away to avoid the impulses to kiss her there and then. "Sure shrimp, I'm fine,"

"Are you sure, I hope you didn't feel pressured into tell us about your personal Dragon-Slayer stuff." She said,

"Nah, it's probably a good idea Lucy know beforehand anyway." He smirked, "But he's really stupid so I don't know how long she'll have to wait."

"Do you think she likes him too?" Levy asked.

"I dunno, maybe we should set Mirajane on her, or maybe Cana can get her drunk enough for the information." He looked down at her, "But you're her best friend, she'd tell you right?"

"Maybe, but I wouldn't be able to do anything, Mirajane would have to know, she'd more manipulative." Levy smiled, she desperately wanted to ask him if he had met his mate, but she was too scared he'd say yes and it wasn't her or that he'd say no because again it would be that it wasn't her. She'd fallen for him a long time ago, after he'd spent years protecting her, trying to repent for what he did, she saw all the good he had hidden inside, and had forgiven him.

Gajeel smirked down at her, "Mirajane will have a field day."

"Yep," She nodded. Gajeel wanted to run his hand though her soft blue hair that fell in front of her eyes as she nodded, but of course he didn't.

"Ok!" Lucy called, "as your guys can see I am not in any way in danger and I think we've established Flare, Sting and Rouge haven't followed my home." She said. "I hate to sound rude but can you three guys leave, Levy, Juvia and I can't talk girl talk with your ear hovering around."

"My ears aren't hovering," Natsu said, gripping them to make sure they weren't about to float off his head.

"Stupid," she muttered with a small laugh rubbing his head. He wanted to purr again, but he felt it coming and suppressed it.

"Ok we'll go." Gajeel said standing quite quickly. So quickly that the slight down ward hill Levy had adjusted herself to sit on disappeared before she could react and she fell sideways. Gajeel noticed this and smiled, "Easy shrimp," she told her pulling her upright.

"Thanks," she said, his hands were still gripping her arms and she was trying to suppress a blush, but her cheeks were still tinted in a pink glow. Gajeel quickly removed his hands and turned away quickly, was he blushing, Levy thought, of course he was, but Levy would never be sure.

Gray got up "Later," he said.

"Good bye Gray-sama." Juvia said.

"Let's go Natsu." Gajeel said the pink hair Dragon-Slayer suddenly leapt to his feet. "What's wrong with you?"

"Got to go see Happy." he said and before anyone could stop him he leapt clear over Lucy bed and out the window.

Lucy ran towards her bed and leant on her bed as she leant out the window. "Use the door idiot!" she cried after him, but he was already halfway up the street.

"What and idiot," Gray sighed, "Well anyway, thanks for the drinks Lucy." He said as he and Gajeel headed for the door.

Lucy walked to their side and held open the door, "No worries, but next time if you want to walk me home because you worried, just say so."

The two guys laughed, "Sure." They nodded.

"So girl talk Lu-chan?" Levy asked.

"Levy, I noticed something when I first met you all, but I didn't want to say until I got to know you better." Lucy said.

"What is it Lucy?" Juvia asked.

"Levy, you like Gajeel don't you?" Lucy asked.

"Levy!?" Juvia cried, "You like Gajeel?" Gajeel was Juvia's childhood friend, so to find out one of her best friends like him was amazing.

Levy was blushing bright red and she tried to cover her face with her hands. "Lu-chan how did you know?!" She cried.

"I first noticed when you blushed at lunch our first day, when Gajeel said you were prettier than Freed." Lucy smiled.

"And you're always around him, and you've blushed several times today when he was here just now." Lucy said,

"Ok, ok," Levy sighed "I do like him, but that doesn't matter."

"Why not Levy?" Juvia asked.

"Because of what he just said, he only has one mate; I should try to get over him." Levy said.

"But Levy, he looks like he likes you too." Lucy said, "He has a cute nick-name for you, he help you up and didn't want to let go of you and he's always by your side, what was it Juvia said, Always wanting to protect?"

"Juvia did say that." Juvia nodded.

"He protects me because he feels guilty about that time." Levy sighed, "I only wish it was because he liked me."

"Well I'm going to be keeping a close eye on you both." Lucy smiled.

"Then I will be watching you and Natsu," Levy grinned "He went really quiet when Gajeel was explaining everything, I think he had someone in mind and he's been acting weird since you got here."

"You mean he wasn't always weird?" Lucy asked.

"Well yeah, but I mean he's been extra weird, around you." Levy said.

"Juvia will watch both Levy and Lucy's love lives and will work hard on Gray-sama." Juvia said.

"Yeah Juvia I noticed Gray seems closer to you?" Levy said.

"Does Levy really think so?" Juvia asked.

"I thought that too." Lucy nodded, "He offered you a seat."

"That make's Juvia happy." she smiled.

"We'll be watching you too." Levy promised.

"Any other couples we should look out for Lu-chan seeing as though you noticed my crush?"

"Elfman and Evergreen, I sense a lot of…sexual tension between then when they're agreeing." Lucy said. "And maybe Cana and Luxas, he's always giving her these looks, and I saw him whisper something to her that made her blush once. At first I thought they were dating but then no-one said anything so I presumed they like each other."

"Juvia is impressed with Lucy's knowledge." Juvia said.

"What about Mira?" Levy asked "Since she always medalling I wonder if she had someone she likes."

"I dunno, I'll keep an eye out." Lucy laughed, she stood up "Do you want another drink?"