So, decided I'm going to try and update this as regularly as I can to stop myself from going on a hiatus again. Anyway, here we go. But first of all, addressing the reviews:

JustSomething: So, you'd be right in assuming the roommate is Natsu, considering he's obviously a major part of the story. But I'm afraid he's not the hooded figure. Nice guess though! And there will be more action in future chapters so hopefully you enjoy.

Reignashii: There's more! Glad you seem to be enjoying the few chapters so far, so here you go.


"Look, I just need someone down to check this out by three. Is that too much to ask?" It seems Lucy asking to relax is like asking a fish to walk, it wasn't going to happen. At least not for a long time anyway. Years and years and- you get the point. In fact, she sometimes missed her old life in Crocus. At least there the pipes in her bathroom didn't make a sound that sounded as if they would burst any second. She really didn't think she could afford it. Not now. Not with everything going on anyway. And she really didn't need the extra stress of her apartment collapsing all around her. It was just too much to handle.

Squeeeeeeeeaak

The pipes made another, higher pitched scream (it was more of a groaning but in Lucy's mind it was a scream) and she huddled further into the wall, half expecting them to end up poking through the wall plaster and start spitting water everywhere, probably drowning every piece of carpet, furniture and Lucy with it. "Please?! Is there anything you can do? Anything at all?" The noise had been around for a couple of weeks now, being barely noticeable in the beginning, but it had gradually gotten worseover time. She was so worried one day she'd nearly be crushed by something falling from the ceiling or the walls or wherever else. This place was an accident wating to happen and she would be the victim.

Crrreeeeeakkk

"Eep!" Lucy whimpered when the groans came from the ceiling above her. The concerned voice of her landlord's assisstan came over the phone's speaker, to which Lucy felt incredibly guilty for practically screaming at her in response. The woman passed it off to her fear but that didn't make Lucy feel any better. "Alright Miss Heartfilia, I'll see if she can get someone out soon. We can't have our most dependable resident scared of her own home now can we?" Their chuckle at the other end wasn't reassuring at all. But hey, at least something might go right for once. The sooner these pipes were fixed the sooner she could live in her apartment without fear. She had a few hours to wait before the repairman showed up though, that was even if they did, so she had to find some way to kill time.

This is the perfect time to work on that novel you keep "forgetting" about! "Oh shush you. No one asked for your input." Yes she was talking to herself, or rather the voice in the back of her head. It was a habit she'd developed as a child and something that just stuck. Obviously it was only when she was alone and it wasn't very often, but it could still be worrying if anyine heard her. Good thing she lived alone!

Actually, that might be a bad thing. Oh well.

Now, she couldn't start her novel without first brewing herself a fresh pot of coffee even if it was only to get her through the rest of the day. Not only had the pipes kept her up all night, she'd also had that dream again. This time though it was different. Instead of being outside, surrounding by flaming orange sky and burning trees, with the wind biting at her skin and fiery fury raining down from the Heavens, she was in her own apartment. In the dark, cowering underneath her desk:

She was silent, daring not even breath for fear they would find her. Her whimpers were muffled as she hid her head behind her knees. Nature howling outside also helped to hide her, though she somehow doubted it would do much good. The rain was pouring in from the hole in her window and creating a small river that trickled down the wall, behind the desk and slithered down her arm. She had to bite her fist to not scream out when she heard her front door open, slamming against the wall. It was soo hard that plaster crumbled off the wall into a miserable heap on the floor.

"Lucy! Oh Lucy, come out now. I ain't gonna hurt ya." Wicked, twisted, vicious, that was how she would descibe her invader's voice. The sickly pleasant smile she could hear in their words suggested they took pleasure in doing this. How many had she told herself she would be safe in this city? Looks like it's coming back to bite her. The tears fell before she even realised and stained her skin.

Oh how she wished there was some kind of light so she could at least see what they looked like before she was caught. There was no way she could run, not while they were blocking the door, but a part of her hoped that someone would come bursting through the door and save her. Maybe she was finally out of luck. Lucky Lucy Heartfilia wsn't so lucky anymore.

"Come on now little lady. Don't make this any harder on yourself. Don't want to get hurt now do we?" His tone became even more sinister with every word he spat. She bit her lip as he turned and slowly walked towards her desk. When he stopped, and his boots were clearly visible even in the deep void of her living room, she knew it was over. A hand suddenly strangled her ankle as she felt herself being dragged from her sanctuary, a blood curdling scream ripping from her throat.

Lucy had woken in a cold sweat at that point and hadn't been able to get back to sleep. She had tried, desperately in fact, but it was no use. There was no point in trying anymore when she saw her clock strike six and she decided enough was enough. So as she began searching her cupboards for even the slightest crumb of the divine caffeine product, she frowned upon the memory. Aquarius, her boss, had given her a dream catcher upon learning of her problems but it had only seemed to make her dreams worse. Oh well, Lucy appreciates the effort.

To her dismay, she found that she was all out of the beverage she so desperately craved and so that meant a trip to the store was in order. The weather was beginning to become the type that painfully stabs at your skin the longer you're out there, meaning she obviously didn't want to be out there too long. Was the coffee really worth it though? I mean, she could just go another day. Apparently, the house wanted her out more than she thought when the pipes once again cried out dangerously above her. "Alright alright, I'm going! But you better be in one piece when I get back!" She yelled to no one in particular before grabbing her jacket to leave.


"What're you chuckling at?" Gray peered over at his companion as he looked up from his phone. The man seemed didn't even look over at him, choosing instead to continue finding amusement in whatever it was he had originally. "The pipes."

"The pipes?"

"Yeah, you can hear them across the hall. Neighbour don' seem too pleased though."

Gray raised an eyebrow. His roommates astounding senses never failed to amze him. "Whatever you say, idiot."

"Oh yeah, says the guy who always has the air con on full whack! In the middle of autumn!" This time he rolled his eyes, choosing to ignore the man in question. What a weirdo.


Lucy sighed as she finally re-entered the building half an hour later. The frost and ice had gradually built up on her shoulders in the short time she'd been out but at least she had procured her chosen beverage at last. All that was left to do was go up to her apartment and- oh. Right. The pipes. The thought of trying to fill the kettle and having to listen to that infernal rattling almost out her off the idea but she decided she could live with it for now. It would all be worth it again when she was sat cosily at her desk again.

The elevator doors had never looked more appealing as she made her way over to them but stopped before she could press the button. It seems her neighbour had gone out some point after her. How did she know? Well, he'd left something behind in the lobby.

She looked at the discarded white fabric in disdain, realising just what that meant. Somewhere out there, wandering there public streets, her neighbour was without his shirt. Again! So nothing had changed there then, but she would have hoped that with the cold weather rolling in he would have at least have gathered some control over his odd habit. Was it too much to ask from him? Apparently so considering she'd found his shirt draped over a plant pot in the lobby. How no one had noticed it until now was beyond her.

Oh well. It couldn't hurt to drop it off for when he gets back. Although, that didn't stop her grumbling all the way to the elevator and jabbing the button every five seconds until it came down to her level. God it was slow. And old. Those two adjectives seemed to describe this place perfectly.

Lucy stood in a huff every second she was in the metal deathtrap, all the way up to the seventh floor that housed her apartment. Why her? Why this ancient excuse of a building? Why Magnolia? Sometimes she wonders what life would have been like if she just stayed in Crocus. Maybe it would be a bit more exciting there, at least there wasn't a dangerous criminal on the loose. At least there she had somewhat of a decent social life. Her only friends now were her colleagues at Starry Heavens and even then most of them lived in the city, not on the outskirts like her. Sometimes she just felt so lonely, and today was a perfect example of that. So for now, she would just have to wait until the day she either dies alone or finds that special person. Just waiting...

And waiting...

And waiting...

Or she could just give up. But Lucy Heartfilia doesn't give up very easily.

She was a stubborn, caring and independent woman...who just happened to dream about becoming a successful writer yet was working as a waitress in a failing cafe. But that was just a minor set back. Right?

When she finally realised that the elevator had stopped, she was already half way down the hallway. The thin fabric of the shirt was still clutched tightly in her left hand but it took her a minute to remember why until she spotted the unmistakable oak wood of her apartment door. Being the only one of a chocolate hue and with an identifiable scratch running from the top right hand corner to centre left, it easily stood out. And right across from it was a simple, pale pine door upon which she rapped her knuckles three times.

There had been some obvious shuffling about going on in the apartment before she had knocked but that all ceased when whoever it was heard her calling from the other side. Strange. If Gray's gone then...A small crash came from the room followed by some rather colourful, albeit muffled, curses that made Lucy snort in amusement before the door opened just enough to allow a single crack of light out of it.

"Can I help you?" The voice was a new one and so she guessed this was the roommate. Though this was definitely not how she pictured their first meeting, and she certainly hadn't imagined the sharp tone they held to their words. This didn't really fit the picture of the man Gray had complained about so many times to practically everyone in the building about. No joke, there wasn't a week that went by that he didn't threaten to file something new against him, or Lucy heard one of their regular arguments. "I said, can I help you?" Their tone was a bit more impatient, which made her wonder how long she'd zoned out for.

"I'm...err...returning this." Lucy gestured to the shirt, to which the other person must have seen for the next question they asked was, "What makes you think it goes here?"

The blonde couldn't help but roll her eyes, "Oh please, who else in this building has an uncontrollable habit of stripping at the most inappropriate of times?"

"...Fair point."

An awkward silence fell over them for a while, "So..."

"What?"

"You gonna take it or not?"

"What- oh!" The door suddenly slammed rather abruptly in Lucy's face, which in itself was a shock, and she heard the chain on the other side sliding out of it's holder. Curious, Lucy was left simply waiting outside. Moments passed and still nothing before it suddenly swung open again, once again surprising the woman in front of it. In it's place stood someone who looked to be the complete opposite of the other man she usually spoke to. Naturally tanend skin and deep onyx eyes immediately set him apart from the paler complexion of his roommate, as well as the fact he was still fully clothed. In fact, maybe a bit too much considering the scaled scarf wrapped tightly around his neck as if it would suddenly fly off any second. The most unusual thing about this new person though was the brightly coloured excuse for hair that they possessed. Sure, she'd seen pinkettes before, Aries and Virgo being prime examples, but seriously? Surely she should have noticed him by now then, what with the easily distinguishable feature as well as living across from her for months now!

Come on Lucy, pay more attention to these things!

"Say... what's your name again?" Oh that's right, she was speaking with a complete stranger whom she is only seeing for the first time. Of course she'd forgotten to say her name. Anyone would think the way she was brought up was a lie. "Lucy. I live across the hall."

"Oh, yeah! Your the one who's always complain'n about us!" The embarrassment was clear on her face. It wasn't so much them she complained about, it was the noise. But maybe she had been a bit too hard on them..."Anyway, nice talkin' to ya Luigi!" He made to close the door, a brighter tone to his voice, but was stopped by Lucy purposely jamming her foot in it. Ow, ow. Bad idea! "What did you call me?" She hissed through gritted teeth, masking her pain through her anger. Luigi? She literally just told this guy her name. Was he really that much of an idiot? "You heard me, Luigi." The pompous expression he held was enough to tip her over the edge.

Ok! Now she knew he was joking around but she still wanted to punch him square in the jaw!

"Who the hell do you think you are? My name is LUCY! L-U-C-Y!" She stomped her foot for extra measure but honestly, it made her look like a small child who wasn't getting what they wanted.

"Aw, cute." Now he was mocking her, "Blondie's throwin' a tantrum. What's wrong? Daddy not here you to stand up for you?"

How dare he! Sure, the guy didn't know anything about her but he shouldn't say that."You son of a b-"

"Hey, hey hey! Language!" He snapped, as if he hadn't just been a complete jerk towards her, "Sorry, that was probably a bit too far. I've actually heard somethings about you floating around this place." The pinkette rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly before holding out his hand for her to take, "Start over?" She glared at him but there was somethin that stopped her from saying no. Taking his hand, she realised it was a lot colder than she was expecting. Maybe too cold. But that was probably because she could feel the cold air of the apartment (the door was still sltightly open) slipping into the hallway. That was probably the reason.

"So, it's nice to finally meet you Miss Lucy," He smiled as he finally said her correct name. Lucy was still on high alert around this guy. He was so...weird.

"You to err..." Crap, what was his name? Did he ever tell her? Apparently not as realisation dawned on him.

"Oh yeah! Knew I was forgetting something. My name's Natsu, I'm your neighbour!


Surprise! Nah, you knew it was coming sooner or later. Right, I promise from now on it might possibly get a bit more interesting now that Natsu's been introduced. I'm not giving up on this! There are actually people who seem to be reading this and so I hope you're all enjoying it. If you seemed confused about some aspects now, I promise everything will make sense eventually. I've got it all planned out. Actually, that's a lie. I have mot of it planned out, but that's my fault for changing some parts around.

Anyway...Thoughts on this chapter? The interesting stuff and the action will come later because I do actually have to build up to it, but we're getting there. Slowly but surely. Hope you're all enjoying this, thanks to those who are reviewing this and to everyone for reading and I will see you next chapter!