Author's Note: Alright, guys. So, just a quick little note here. This chapter (and the next one, most likely) will be told in forms of flashbacks, similar to how the beginning of the story was. I want to keep that theme going through this story since its main focus is time. I understand it can be confusing at first, but I promise, each flashback has meaning and ties to current time. This chapter will touch on the S-class quest, why Gray was chosen to go with Natsu, and what happened between Natsu and Lucy. Enjoy, I'll see you on the other side. *thumbs up*

Chapter 4: The Calm before The Storm

Part 1: The Scarf

Magnolia. Year 792. Fairy Tail Guild Hall. (An hour or so after Natsu and Gray's 'man-to-man' fight.)

Gray's P.O.V

"She's going to love it, you know."

Damn that cheeky bastard. Regardless of how mad the ice mage was at Natsu, he was probably right. Juvia loved gifts from everyone. She especially loved the very rare gifts from "Gray-sama".

Gulp.

Gray walked down the middle aisle of the guild hall, passing Elfman and Evergreen, who were silently sharing a milkshake through two straws, blushing to the point of looking like two ripe tomatoes. The ice mage sighed.

Love was so easy for everyone else to figure out. So why couldn't he?

Taking a seat at the bar, Gray placed the navy blue scarf carefully in his lap, tucking it between his thighs so it wouldn't fall. Can't be too careful now, he thought. Someone may try and steal it again. He drummed his fingers on the wooden bar counter, deep in thought.

Juvia always tells Gray how much she loves him. She can be rather creepy, though. The water mage obviously had no shame since she flung herself on Gray every chance she got. Was it to creep me out? Mission accomplished. Does she really love me like she says she does? That was still unknown to the boy, which pissed him off the most. He clamped his fingers into a ball, slamming them down on the counter.

What the hell is wrong with me? The ice mage slumped into his chair, pouting over the thoughts that collided in his head, wishing he could think straight.

"What's the matter, Gray?"

The small, gentle voice was coming from none other than Mirajane herself. The silver-haired older sister of Elfman and Lisanna was the barmaid of the guild, as well as the poster child of Sorcerer Weekly. Known for her pinup model shots and wicked good looks, Mira was everyone's favorite older sister.

Mira smiled sweetly at Gray as she sat his favorite drink down next to his elbow; 'The cold shoulder', a mixture of vodka, lime juice, and mint ice cream blended to a milky texture.

"Thanks…" mumbled Gray, sitting up with a sigh as he took a large gulp of the drink, consuming about half of it in one go. "I've just got a lot on my mind right now."

"I can tell…" giggled Mira, who was tediously wiping off glasses from her other customers.

The guild was awfully quiet today. Most of the wizards who normally crowded the hall had gone out to enjoy the weather or to take on a quest. Even Juvia wasn't there, which was a blessing and a curse to Gray.

"Mira, how come love is so easy for everyone but me to understand?" asked Gray, finally coming up for air in his sea of milky alcohol. "Like, honestly, I don't get it. People can throw around 'I love you' one minute but hate each other the next. I just don't understand why people waste their time with such an empty emotion…" complained Gray, slumping into his elbow, looking over at the barmaid.

Mira stopped cleaning her glass and stared down at it for a moment, apparently thinking carefully over her response. Gray yawned, starting to lose interest. "Never mind…I'm heading home." Started Gray lazily, leaving a few jewels on the counter. "Thanks for the drink."

"Wait."

Mira set down her glass and rounded the bar counter until she was standing behind Gray.

"This is about Juvia, isn't it?" she questioned.

Gray turned on his heel, going to place a hand in his jacket pocket until he noticed he wasn't wearing one. "Dammit, where are my clothes?"

Mira held up a jacket in one hand, and removed her other hand from behind her back, exposing the scarf.

"Hey, when did you—"

"Did you make this for her, Gray?"

Gray blushed dark red, his hand still outstretched, reaching for his gift. He withdrew his hand and placed it behind his head, turning to the side to focus on something other than the girl in front of him.

"Yeah, so what? She made me one, I figured it was only right to make her one…" mumbled Gray, scratching his head.

A giggle emerged from the barmaid's throat. She tossed the scarf and the jacket at the mage. As Gray caught both items, Mira clapped her hands together. "I knew I was right about the two of you!" she cooed.

Gray's jaw dropped as far as it could without unhinging. "Nanii? You were right about what?" Barked the ice mage. He couldn't hide the blush from his face.

"Gray, if you're so worried that Juvia doesn't truly love you, then why not ask her yourself? Plus, you should really give her that scarf. Especially if you feel the same way." Winked the girl mage.

"When did I—? What do you—? Ugh. Just shut up. Forget I said anything to you!" stammered Gray, stomping out of the guild, scarf in hand.

Mira couldn't stop the tears of joy building in her eyes. "Juvia said something about going to the Sakura tree garden at the town's square!" shouted the girl.

Even if Gray could fool the others in the guild, Mira was no stranger to love, and he knew that. Plus, she was right. If he was so worried about how she really felt, maybe he should just ask Juvia himself.

He smiled, looking down at the scarf.

"She's going to love it, you know."

Yeah. I know she will. But not nearly as much as I loved the one she made me.

As he exited the guild, the ice mage wrapped his grey scarf around his neck. Juvia puts her heart and soul into everything she does for me, and I never do anything for her in return.

That was definitely going to change.

This next part of the chapter I want to dedicate to Mirasuko. Thank you for your lovely review of the previous chapter. A lot of people will read this story and never think to leave a quick comment about what they thought, most think the author doesn't even read them. Well I do read them, and it truly makes my day when someone gives me feedback on my work.

So thanks, Mirasuko. This one's for you *thumbs up and wink*

Part 2: The Flame in My Heart is the Key to Yours

Elsewhere in Magnolia….

Natsu's P.O.V.

"Boy, that fight with Gray earlier sure was something, huh, Happy?" cheered the fire mage.

"Aye! But I heard you lost, Natsu." Smirked the blue cat, casually flying next to his partner.

"Nanii? Who said that?! I'll have you know I kicked that Ice Queen's—"

"Relax, Natsu! I was kidding. You obviously won." snickered Happy, slapping Natsu's neck with his paw playfully, getting the fire mage to laugh in response.

The boy and his cat were headed to their favorite place; Lucy's apartment. The cute little house on Strawberry Street was a second home to the best friends, and they often spent more time there than their own home. Natsu was carrying a bag full of goodies; dinner for him, Happy, and Lucy, of course. Happy had packed a few fish in his green backpack that he always carried with him, just in case he didn't get any of the food Natsu bought.

"But there's no way that's enough! Between yours and Lucy's bottomless stomachs, there will hardly be any left for me!" pouted the cat, eying the delicious looking sandwiches that poked out from the bag in Natsu's hand.

"Hey! Watch what you say about Lucy, buddy! It's okay if you bash on me, but don't talk about her when she's not around to defend herself!" huffed the fire mage.

"Awe, look at you, defending her. You Llllllikkkkeee her!" The cat scoffed, puffing his cheeks and covering his mouth with both paws.

"Shut up! It's not like that!" mumbled Natsu, looking towards the canal that ran adjacent to Strawberry Street. Yeah, it kinda was, though.

It had been a year or so since Natsu met Lucy. He was traveling to Hargeon since he had heard from one of his fellow guild mates that a Salamander was seen around those parts. When he heard this, Natsu immediately thought of his father Igneel, a fire dragon that had raised him from a very young age. The dragon was responsible for teaching Natsu Dragon Slayer magic. But Igneel wasn't just a monster or a being to Natsu. He was his father. He didn't care what other people thought about a dragon raising a boy.

Since that time, however, Natsu grew fond of someone else, something he wasn't used to at all. Lucy had always been a friend to the fire mage, but it seemed like after everything that they'd been through, they were more than just friends. Best friends, maybe, he thought to himself. But a warm fuzzy feeling crept up on him every time he saw the blondie. He often found himself shaking, and his palms got really sweaty whenever she looked at him. Sometimes they would be talking and he'd get lost in her deep, brown eyes, and end up at a loss for words.

Happy always said that Natsu liked Lucy. Curious, Natsu asked his friend one day what that was about.

"You don't know what 'loving' someone means?" laughed the cat.

"Shut up! Be serious, Happy! I'm already embarrassed to even be asking you about this…" mumbled Natsu, hiding his face in his white plaid scarf.

Happy landed in Natsu's lap and looked up into his best friend's eyes. "When you love someone, you can't help but think about them all the time. And when you do think about them, your heart skips a beat and you end up acting like a complete idiot in front of them. Sometimes, you stay up all night just wondering if they're okay, or if they are thinking about you the same way…" the cat rested his paw on Natsu's chest. "Loving someone means you'd do anything just to see them happy, even if it means putting yourself in danger or in an embarrassing situation…" continued the cat, "Like asking your best friend what love means…" snickered the cat.

"Happy…I think I love Lucy. If what you say is true, then everything I'm feeling right now must be love. I can't think straight when I'm around her. Hell, I can't even talk normally around her anymore. Is that bad?" asked the boy, scratching the cat behind his ears.

"No…" purred the cat. "It's kinda cute, actually." He smiled up at Natsu.

"Then why are you always teasing me about liking her?" asked the boy quizzically.

Happy laughed again. "Because that what friends are for, Natsu! I know you love Lucy, it's just a matter of telling her how you feel. She obviously feels the same way." He added, curling up in the boy's lap.

Natsu looked out the window of his house, catching a glimpse of the moon over the treetops.

"How can you tell?" he whispered.

"I vaguely remember having a similar conversation with her about the same topic." Teased the cat, swishing his tail playfully.

Natsu grinned, unaware of the fifty shades of red on his boyish cheeks. "Then you must love Charla, too! That's why you act like a dumb kitten around her!"

"Shut up!" Hissed the cat, embarrassed beyond belief.

"We're home!" shouted the duo as they barged into Lucy's home unannounced, like always.

Natsu placed the parcel on Lucy's dinner table and adjusted his scarf, looking around the room curiously. Clean, as always. He grinned as he watched Happy fly around the room, setting the table for their feast.

"Natsu, aren't you going to help?" whined the cat, peeking over his shoulder.

"Yeah, I'll be right back. I'm gonna go check on Lucy." Stated Natsu, making his way up the stairs to the blonde's bedroom.

"Alright, but don't complain when it's all gone if you take too long!" sneered the cat, to which Natsu responded with a wave, trudging up the stairs.

Natsu cleared the space between the stairs and her door in an instant. Without knocking (And thinking), he opened the door to the blonde's room.

There she stood, wearing nothing but black shorts against her smooth, tan body, facing the opposite direction of the intruding boy. Her slender hips were shining in the light that was sneaking through the crimson curtains in her room. She stood rather awkwardly, trying to clip her bra over her plump breasts, biting her lip in concentration. She exhaled softly when she finally got it clipped.

What's that noise? Natsu thought to himself before he noticed the blonde had turned on her CD player.

Music.

'This is happiness, to be everything at once.

Be unblinded, be unlearned, be unbridled and unburned.

This is happiness. I'm fearless and I'm free,

With the open road and the world beneath my feet.'

The upbeat sounds coming from the radio gave Natsu that warm fuzzy feeling in his stomach. Without thinking, the fire mage entered the room as the blonde slid on a faded blue t-shirt. He wrapped his arms around her waist and buried his face into the crook of her neck.

'Oh, to be free like this…'

"Wha—…Natsu?" hummed the blonde, blushing so warmly that Natsu felt it on his forehead when she turned toward him.

"Yo." Grinned the boy, blushing dark red. "Happy and I brought you dinner." He added softly.

The blonde smiled sweetly, resting one hand on her hip and the other into his messy pink hair. "Oh? Why thank you, Mister Intruder." She stated playfully. Though her voice was shaky, her touch was sincere and welcomed by the boy.

"No problem. Whatcha listenin' to?" he asked, turning his head towards the radio that was giving off the sound he really liked.

"Oh this? It's called 'No Parallels" by Hands Like Houses." She answered cheerfully. "Do you like it?" she asked, turning towards him, loosening his grip on her just a little.

Natsu nodded, smiling his big, goofy smile. "Uh-huh. It reminds me of us." He added, breaking his confidence and stepping back suddenly. Shit. I didn't just say that.

"Oh yeah? How so?" the blonde asked, giggling and cocking her head to the side.

Dammit.

"Oh…uh…well, you know, it's cheerful like you, and…"

He couldn't just lie to her.

"…It reminds me of how my heart feels when I'm around you." He added softly, gazing over at her with a stupid grin and flushed cheeks.

"Natsu…" cooed the spirit mage, covering her mouth with her hand like she always did when she got embarrassed. "What are you saying?" she asked gently.

This is it.

Natsu summoned all his courage.

"Lucy…there's something that I've been meaning to tell you. I've been thinking about it a lot recently…why don't we sit down?" he asked softly.

"Sure. Whatever you want." Sang the blonde as she sat down on her bed, teeming with curiosity.

The fire mage took the spot to the right of her, and gently placed his left hand on hers, gripping it ever so slightly.

"Lucy…" he stared into her big, beautiful brown eyes, beating back all his fear. "I'm in love with—"

"Guys, come on! I'm starving down here!" shouted Happy from the bottom of the stairs.

Both Natsu and Lucy jumped off the bed, taken completely off guard. As Natsu hit the ground, Lucy landed on his chest, face first, falling into a heap next to him. They laughed awkwardly as they both absentmindedly scratched their heads together.

"You were saying?" Lucy asked cutely, looking down at the steaming face below hers, their noses just inches away.

"…You. I'm…" stuttered the boy. Frustrated with himself, the boy stopped talking and wrapped his hand around the back of Lucy's neck. He pulled her into a gentle, passionate kiss, putting his entire heart and soul into the simple gesture of love. She sighed happily, running her fingers up his exposed chest and into the curves of his neck and jaw line. After a prolonged moment of pure bliss, Natsu broke away from his other half and smiled, proud of himself for overcoming his stupid fear and nervousness.

"I love you, Luce. I'm in love with you, actually." He grinned, blinking a few times as he peered up at the beauty before him.

"You dummy." She whispered, kissing him again as she ran her hands through the back of his hair. She leaned down and whispered into his ear, "What took you so long?"

Natsu shivered and laughed softly. "Honestly, I was afraid you didn't feel the same way." He shrugged.

Lucy laughed as she rested her head on the dragon slayer's chest, tracing the Fairy Tail insignia on his shoulder with her fingers. "Of course I love you, idiot." She teased. "I figured Happy had told you already and you just didn't know what to think or didn't care."

Natsu face palmed, laughing uncontrollably. "Well, damn. I wish he would've told me sooner."

Lucy sat up and placed her finger over Natsu's lips, leaning down until their noses were touching. She eyed him lovingly, and whispered, "No, this is perfect." She laced her fingers into the rough hands of the man under her. "This is happiness." She added as they locked lips for the third time that day.

Part 3: An Announcement

The next day…

Lucy's P.O.V.

"What's this all about, Natsu?" asked the blonde as she was dragged through Mavis knows where, blindfolded.

"Just relax, we'll be there soon, okay?" assured the fire mage.

Lucy blushed and focused on keeping her balance as the adorable boy led her to the chosen destination. The past few days had been a blur to her, and the turmoil that clouded her mind certainly didn't help her remember them clearly. Out of everything she couldn't remember, there was one thing she was entirely sure of.

Natsu had finally confessed his love to her.

Sheesh, I love him, but damn, can he be hard-headed sometimes, the blonde thought to herself. Even though Lucy considered her pink haired friend to be smart in terms of strategy and in battle, when it comes to simply coming clean with his feelings, he had the intelligence of a rock and the drive of a slug.

Still, she loved the guy with all her heart. It was easy to, after all. Natsu was the most selfless, humble, kind-hearted, and brave individual she'd ever met. Most people would disagree with her on the kind-hearted thing if they'd seen him in battle. He never held back. Ever.

But that was what was so great about the dragon slayer. Everything Natsu did, no matter how big or small it seemed, he did it whole-heartedly. Lucy loved that about the boy. Among other things, she knew that she could trust him and every decision that he made.

He was everything she needed and more in a man. The cute side of him was just a bonus.

Lucy cried out in shock when she bumped into something hard and warm. Before she went into complete defense mode, Lucy went through all the possible outcomes of what it could be.

A robber, an assassin, a dark mage out to get me…a gentle hand gripped the blonde's left palm.

A rapist.

"We're here." Natsu said gently in Lucy's ear.

Oh. Right. It's just Natsu.

"You can take off the blindfold now."

"Right." She choked out, embarrassed of her own internal thoughts.

Lucy removed the black cloth that covered her eyes and blinked back the dark circles that clouded her vision. She gasped slightly as she took in her surroundings like a dry sponge in an open ocean. The sun was high in the sky, so it was close to noon. The blonde pushed back her bangs behind her ear so she could really enjoy the beauty around her. She was standing in a wide open field of golden wheat and barley. The rolling hills that surrounded the town of Magnolia were profitable farmlands, and breathtakingly beautiful if one took the time to admire it.

That idiot is smarter than he looks.

"Wow…I'm impressed, Natsu." Lucy said, nodding and smiling as she turned towards the pink-haired mage.

"Well, it's a beautiful day out, so I figured we could take the time to enjoy it while we can, right?" He said, smiling faintly as he gazed off at the horizon.

There was something off about Natsu. He was wearing his usual black tunic with one sleeveless end exposing his shoulder and guild crest. His white pants peeked out from the rim of his jacket and frayed around the ends. Standing tall, the mage looked confident, yet his voice betrayed his composure. Lucy laced her fingers into his hand and wrapped her other arm around his. Laying her head gently against his exposed shoulder, she asked gently, "What's the matter?"

Natsu's body temperature raised a noticeable level as he laughed softly. "I'm fine. No need to worry about me, Luce." Still not looking directly at her.

Lucy sighed, gazing off into the distance, the town of Magnolia sitting comfortably in the rolling plains, as if it were placed there by the gods themselves. "Thank you for bringing me here. It's beautiful. You know, I've never thought of you as—"

"Lucy, I have something I want to talk with you about…" started the mage, cutting her off rather abruptly.

"O-Okay…what is it?"

At least he was trying. I'll give him credit for that.

Natsu gently brushed off the blonde and led her to a clearing in the field where a lone tree stood against the gentle breeze of the plains. Lavender and vanilla were mixed in with the scent of the air, which provided a calm atmosphere.

The perfect place for two people in love to have a serious conversation.

Lucy had learned over the years to never jump to conclusions with Natsu. If he had something weighing down on his mind, she would wait patiently for him to come to her about it. It seemed like pestering him would only make his thought process slower, and it was already slow enough, in the blonde's opinion. Still, she followed the boy, keeping an open mind about what he wanted to speak with her about.

Natsu sat with his legs crossed under the shade of the tree, leaning against the sturdy trunk. He was still holding onto Lucy's hand when he beckoned her to sit in his lap. Lucy blushed, eager for the chance to be in his arms, and excited about not having to sit on the dirty ground in her new skirt. In one swift movement, the blonde fell gently into the boy's arms, who caught her immediately and laid her against his chest in an overwhelmingly comfortable position. She nuzzled into his soft tunic, taking in the scent of her beloved. Cinnamon, and…cologne. Charming.

Natsu ran his fingers through her hair, causing the blonde to silently cheer since she'd just bought new hair conditioner to make her hair silky smooth. Lucy couldn't help but blush as he laid his head against hers and inhaled softly. "New conditioner…I love it." He said.

Lucy exploded internally.

"Thanks, I bought it at that new designer store in Hargeon when we took that quest a few weeks ago. Figured I'd give it a shot today since I ran out of the usual." She added with a wink.

"Quests…Yeah, that's what I wanted to talk about with you." Natsu said with a sigh. He gently wrapped his arms around her slender body, bringing her even closer than before. "Master informed me of a special quest this morning."

"Oh really? Special, huh? I'm assuming it's an S-class quest." Lucy stated, fully aware of how Master views Natsu's habit of taking on more than he can chew.

"Yeah, you're right. How'd you know?" he questioned, eyes full of wonder, as if half of his worries were floating away already.

"Women's intuition." Said Lucy triumphantly. She giggled and looked up at Natsu. "So tell me about it."

His face hardened, he closed his eyes and sighed. "That's the tough part. I can't tell anyone about it. It's one of those super confidential quests that only those involved can know about. You know I'd tell you about it if I could, and I really, really want to." He added, sensing the curiosity building in the blonde's eyes.

"So then…why'd you bring me here? If you can't talk about the quest, I understand…but why go through the trouble of going somewhere so secluded?" she asked coyly.

"I told you, Luce…it's beautiful today…we couldn't just let it go to waste, ya know? You never know when we'll get another chance like this to enjoy each other and all…" he trailed off, visually hurt by his own words and thoughts.

"Natsu… what is it?" she asked, concerned.

"There's only one thing I can tell you about this quest, and that's what's bothering me the most…" he mumbled, pouting.

Even when he's upset, he's pretty damn adorable.

"Hey…" she reached up and placed her hands on the fire mage's cheeks. The boy shivered as her fingertips collided with his fiery hot skin. He turned his head and looked down into the beautiful brown orbs staring up at him. "You can talk to me…" she added gently, tracing his jaw line with her index finger, leaving a cool trail along the boy's cheek where her finger once was.

"The quest is ranked S-class for two reasons." He raised a finger as he went on, annoyed. "One. It's extremely difficult and dangerous." Duh. Lucy could tell her fiery friend had rehearsed how to say this since he couldn't leak any details. "And two. It will take at least a year to complete…" he stated firmly, though he seemed really upset by it. "Two at the max." he added, to the blonde's dismay.

Lucy stared at him with a look of total shock. "Two years? You're gonna go on a quest for two years?! That's crazy, Natsu!" shrieked the blonde, throwing her hands up. "What the hell are you gonna do for two years?"

"I told you, I can't—"

"Better yet, what the hell am I—"

"Lucy, please—"

"One day you tell me you love me and now you're just gonna up and lea—"

"Lucy. Stop." Ordered the fire mage, gripping her flailing wrists and looking at her in earnest.

Lucy caught her words just as they were escaping her mouth, staring in shock into her beloved's eyes. After what felt like an hour, she could feel the tears streaming down her cheeks. "I don't know whether to be angry or happy for you. Normally, I'd jump at the chance to see you do something so exciting and dangerous since you love doing that so much, but now… after everything…I don't know…I'm terrified…" she added with a sob. "I don't want you to go…"

"I have to, Lucy. This is a special request from the Ten Wizard Saints. You know, the strongest wizards in Fiore?"

"Yeah…I get it…" she huffed. "Still, I can't help but be a little selfish in this situation, Natsu…"

"Why? You've always been cool with stuff like this—"

"That was before I gave my heart to you, idiot." She added, defeated. She let her hands fall to his chest with a sigh, unable to stop the tears building up.

Natsu was at a loss for words until he heard the blonde mumble something. "What was that?"

"Let me go with you."

"What—"

"You heard me, Natsu. I can't just sit and do nothing."

"It's not that simple, Lucy. I can only choose one partner."

"Sounds simple enough to me. Choose me."

"You don't even know what the quest is about. Don't make such rash decisions—"

"Coming from the guy that took on a year-long quest the day after he gets a girlfriend—"

Natsu let out a groan mixed with sadness and frustration. "Look, I haven't decided who I want to choose as my partner. But there is a very good explanation as to why I took the quest." He added before the blonde could protest.

"I'm listening…" blushed the blonde, knowing when she should just shut up.

"The reward is thirty million jewels." Natsu said as he looked away nervously.

"THIRTY MILLION?!" shouted the blonde, scaring a few birds resting in the tree above them.

That's like…eight years of rent.

"Yeah…" mumbled the fire mage, blushing and hiding in his scarf.

"Wait…Natsu." Lucy started softly. "That's a lot of money. What are you…?"

Natsu blushed even more, his ears turning a rare shade of red as his cheeks followed.

Lucy sighed and smiled. "Natsu…" she cooed.

"What?"

"What are you planning?" she sang.

"N-Nothing…I just…I get hungry, okay?" he fidgeted, breaking a sweat in his light attire.

Lucy giggled and nuzzled into the boy's chest. "You know, you can't hide this from me forever. You may get to go off on a quest for a year or so, but when you get back…" she bit her lip and traced her finger up his exposed chest.

Natsu smiled then grinned his big goofy grin. "Guess you'll just have to wait and see, huh?"

"Okay. I'll wait."

I'd wait an eternity if it meant I could spend it with you.

Author's Note: DISCLAIMER: This part has a direct reference to Episode 56 of Fairy Tail Series 2 "Gray versus Doriate". I do not own the dialogue and situation depicted in that scene.

Part 4: The Bond of Brothers

Later that night at Lucy's apartment…

Natsu's P.O.V.

Natsu had been staring up at the ceiling for what felt like hours. He was confused and didn't really know what to think about what happened earlier. He really thought that if he told Lucy about the quest that she would leave him on the spot. After all, if she knew how dangerous it really was….

Natsu yawned and turned his head on the fluffy pillow to get a look at the clock. 11:30 p.m. For some reason it felt much later than that. After he and Lucy had their conversation about the mission, things had really turned around. Instead of being furious with him, Lucy spent the whole day with the fire mage without even mentioning it again. Girls are so confusing, Natsu thought to himself as he peered over at the sleeping beauty curled up against him. She was sound asleep and clutching the crook of Natsu's neck with her head on his bare chest. What a strange turn of events. Somehow they ended up at her apartment after going out to dinner with Gray and Juvia at a fancy restaurant. Luckily, Natsu had made a hefty amount of jewels from his previous quest and was able to pay for his and Lucy's meal without any issues. Afterwards, the blonde was a bit tipsy from the wine, although Gray and Juvia had drank most of it. Those two.

Thank Mavis they were finally getting closer.

If someone asked a Fairy Tail guild member about Gray and Natsu, chances are the first thing out of their mouth would be "They're always butting heads. They must hate each other."

The first part was true, but it wasn't because Natsu hated the ice mage. He respected Gray as much as he respects Gildarts, one of the strongest mages in the guild. The fire mage liked to think that he and Gray were friends, but somehow that just didn't sum up their relationship.

They were more like brothers. On the outside, the boys were constantly fighting and competing against each other. But Natsu knew they were able to work together and accomplish anything if they did the best they could.

It was just like that time at Sun Village.

"Natsu! Everyone, run!"

Natsu heard Gray's voice from behind as he whirled around, putting the frozen mountain of flames to his back as he searched for the source of the cry.

"Gray! What the—"

A bird the size of a house was chasing the ice mage, with Happy and Charla trailing close behind him. Natsu gasped when he noticed the bird had only one eye and had gigantic fangs jutting out in all directions. Lucy, Wendy, and Flare gasped in pure terror as the monster raced towards them.

It was after them. It looked pretty damn hungry, too.

"Gray! Why don't you fight that thing?!" the fire mage shouted, running towards his friends in grave danger.

"This isn't a good time for me to be wasting magic, idiot!" Gray sped up, running towards his comrade at full speed. "I think I can melt this ice and save the village!"

"What? Are you sure?" an astonished Natsu answered quickly.

"I'm not sure…but I'll try! I'll do it!"

"All right!" cheered Natsu, getting closer to Gray with each step. "I'll take care of the bird, you do something about this ice!" He was just a few steps away now. "That mountain over there is the Eternal Flame. Melt it, and we can save this village and all of its people!"

"Roger!" they pasted each other, running in opposite directions towards their mission.

The smacked hands reassuring each other.

(Shouting at the same time)

"I'm counting on you, Natsu!"

"I'm counting on you, Gray!"

Maybe Lucy thought that if she were extra nice to me, I would consider taking her as my partner for this quest. Natsu shook his head, smiling gently. Looking down at her one last time, Natsu placed a soft kiss on her forehead. Lucy hummed in her sleep and pressed her body against his, loosening her grip on his neck in the process. Sorry, Lucy, but it's too dangerous.

The boy slowly got up from the bed, taking careful measures not to disturb Lucy as he did. When he finally got up, the blonde latched herself around a body pillow that the fire mage strategically placed in his wake.

Natsu couldn't stop the blush, or the tears building up. He knew how much his decision would hurt her. He knew that they were finally starting to warm up to each other after years of secretly liking each other. He knew all of that.

But it would all be worth it in the end, he thought to himself.

He found his scarf laying on a chair in the corner of Lucy's room. He took it and stared down at it, the light from the moon shimmering against the soft cloth. Tears rolled down his cheeks as he silently bid farewell to his only keepsake from his father. He folded it up neatly, and placed it on the pillow his head once occupied. He froze, hovered over the bed, tears streaming down his neck and falling to the floor after reaching his bare chest.

"I love you, Lucy…" he whispered to the sleeping blonde. "and when I return…"

He placed his fist over his heart and his other hand on her forehead. "I swear I'm going to make you mine and mine alone."

He knelt over as he kissed her forehead in the place where his hand was.

"Wait for me." Natsu whispered into the blonde's ear before he retreated to find his clothes.

Getting dressed, the fire mage left without another word. His destination was clear. His decision was made.

Natsu hurried out the door and walked towards Gray's house in the still of the night.

All was quiet.

Lucy laid quietly in her bed, eyes still closed. Her eyelids didn't stop the tears from escaping, and her ears certainly didn't block out the words of her beloved. After a long, silent moment, the blonde exploded into sobs as she gripped Natsu's scarf in both hands, unsure of whether she would ever see him again.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR READING, GUYS! MORE TO COME SOON! PLEASE REVIEW!