Hey my sweethearts. I wish you all a happy new year. Hope you got good into the new year ;)

Today, there's part. We're coming closer to the end. Hope you like this part. Flufftime :3

Part 4

~~ 6 weeks after the hospitalization ~~

"Natsu ... are you going to visit her?"

He looked up and looked at Erza, his colleague, then nodded as he pounded the last data into the keyboard. He was tense, his nerves were blank and he did not know if that was really such a good idea. But he had permission to visit Lucy at the clinic.

"Yes ... now five weeks have passed and the doctor said she is making good progress on the withdrawal," he said, saving the data. Then he leaned back in the swivel chair, stretched slightly and ran his fingers through his hair. He smiled at Erza and she sighed slightly. There was a knock and then Lisanna pushed into the room with a coffee, smiled at Natsu and set it down on the table.

"I-", she began, but was immediately interrupted by Natsu.

"Go back and take the coffee with you, Strauss."

His words were cold and condescending, dismissive and he did not even look at her. The narrow young woman winced as if he had hit her and pulled her shoulders up. Erza narrowed her eyebrows, gave Lisanna a sympathetic look, but made a head movement that Lisanna understood all too clearly. Nevertheless, she stopped and did not move. She pressed her lips together and looked at the linoleum floor.

"So, you prefer a junkie?", she asked into the silence and Erza hissed in a breath. Then Natsu rose and his eyes fixed on Lisanna, cold and calculating.

"You have nothing to do with me anymore. The only thing that connects us both, Lisanna Strauss is the job as a police officer. And you're not even a cop, just a receptionist. Now, get out of here before I forget myself!", Anger blazed in the dark eyes and Lisanna stared at him with wide, dilated eyes. Natsu ... was so mad at her. She had only wanted to remove him from Lucy. That's the only reason she'd made sure Lucy slipped. Sure, she had not thought that blonde bitch would be so into drugs and jump right into that shit, but she'd hoped if he would realize, how bad she was, how stupid and brainless. And basically, she'd just told an old buddy he has to give her a joint.

"I wanted …"

"I'm not interested. Out!", he hissed angrily and she saw the hatred in his eyes. Fear filled her senses and she backed away. Tears formed in her eyes and she ran crying out of the room. Natsu clenched his fists and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath.

"My godness ...", Erza said. Natsu fixed his colleague and friend from childhood days.

"Erza ... it was she who sent Lucy off the hook first", he growled and Erza smiled sadly. They all knew it, thanks to Mira, who had confessed to her sister's act in tears. He glanced at the clock hanging over the door, then stepped to the clothes rack, took his jacket and put it on.

"I'm off then. If anything is coming up, just call me", he said and left his office. His steps were safe, even if he was not. He would meet his best friend again for the first time in five weeks. How did she feel now? Sure, he had learned from the doctor that she was probably in the third phase and thus already had the craving. But he did not know anything more. Only the rough. Colleagues greeted him on his way to the garage, where he got into his car. He paused for a moment and pulled out his cell phone, looked at the lock screen, and his jaw clenched.

He stared at an old selfie from Lucy and him. At that time, they were still in high school. It had been a nice afternoon, her eyes seemed to shine and she was beaming next to him right into the camera. He swallowed slightly. Was she already in love with him then? He stifled a violent curse. Everything had been so much better then. If only he had been more attentive! Then it would never have come this far. Then he would never have come together with this false snake.

But he had been blind, had not seen Lisanna torturing Lucy, torturing her with her relationship. Sighing, he pushed his smartphone into the holder, so he could concentrate on driving, started the engine. Then he would visit her. His Luce.

"Heartfilia, you have a visitor."

She opened her eyes and shivered slightly. Her heart stopped for a moment, only to re-insert faster and she stood up shaking, swallowing. The shirt and the long sweatpants lingered on her body, but she did not care. She stared wide-eyed at the helper as he beckoned to her, then followed him out of the common room into the foyer.

Nervousness crept into her limbs and she clasped her left hand with her right hand, tugging on the elastic band that hung from her wrist. Everything was arranged harmoniously. The walls were painted in light creamy tones, the floor was bright and cheerful, and warm sunlight filtered through the glass doors. A sitting area in white caught her attention. And then she stopped jerkily.

He wore a black suit, had a magazine in his hand, and looked around disinterestedly. His pink hair was wild as usual, and he looked tense. She stared at him with wide eyes when he had not noticed her yet. Her throat tightened, and she had the feeling, like she could not breathe. A tremor ran through her body and before the helper could turn to him, she sprinted towards him and literally jumped on him, wrapped her arms tightly around his neck and clung to him. He was thrown backwards by the momentum and laughed softly when he returned the hug.

"Well, obviously you know each other. You have two hours, then the visit is over for you today, Heartfilia", said the helper. Words which Lucy did not even notice. She clung to him and never wanted to let him go again. The horror of the second withdrawal phase seemed to be forgotten. The nights when she had hallucinated of Lisanna. The nights when she had been tormented by their poisonous words seemed forgotten.

"You're here", she whimpered, sniffling as tears of joy ran down her cheeks. He laughed again and stroked her head and she enjoyed the touch. She felt like he nodded.

"Naturally."

He had been placed in the waiting room and told that they would bring Lucy. However, he knew that they did not have much time together. But that did not bother him. The only important thing was that he could visit her. Everything else was unimportant. He had been worried about the drive here, but by now those worries had completely disappeared. He still loved her, had always loved her, and would not just drop her now. That had become clear to him in the last few weeks. When she threw herself at him, he was startled, but then he had hugged her and now he hold her tight.

She cried because he was here and that made his heart beat faster. He realized that she was thinner and pushed her away, so he could look at her. Didn't she eat enough? Gently he stroked the tears from her cheeks. Her cheekbones came out more clearly and her skin was so pale.

She looked so lifeless and it scared him, but she was withdrawing and she was probably pretty exhausted. He could look at her. She had become so much thinner. He swallowed lightly and then she cupped her cheek in his hand and beamed at him. He pulled her closer and grinned slightly at her.

"And ... how ... how are you?", he asked cautiously, stroking the blond, straw-colored hair. Apparently, they did not get enough care and he did not like it. He did not know how much he loved her, whether it would be enough for her. Because so far, he had always seen her as his best friend. As a solid part of his family. Someone who was always there. But as a woman? She returned the grin with a smile. And he realized that it was not as radiant as it used to be.

All this shit had left a clear mark on her. And it hurt his soul. Would she ever again become the strong Lucy Heartfilia he had met? The girl who had not been afraid of him when the other children avoided him? She who had simply befriended herself with him? He ran his fingertips over her skin again. She looked rough and pale, not as soft and rosy as before. Following an impulse, he rested his forehead against hers. Like the old times, if he had gotten in fights, when she cried, when he wanted to comfort her, when her parents threw her out. Her eyes widened and then her eyes filled with tears and ran down her cheeks. He smiled, broke away from her and kissed her on the forehead. Then he leaned back.

Natsu had brought her something. She knew this item meant a lot to him and they both knew he had never given it away. And yet he reached beside him where there was a parcel packed in brown paper. He handed it to her and smiled as she reached for it with trembling fingers. He hoped that would give her the strength. She had about 3 weeks left.

With large, tear-stained eyes, she pulled the paper apart and when she recognized the white fabric and knitting pattern as her fingers remained over the soft fabric, her heart seemed to stop for a moment. She looked up at him and saw him watching her expectantly. A shiver ran through her body and she shook her head.

"I cannot ... not ... y-y-your scarf ...", she whispered and kept faltering. She could not take his scarf! This had been the last gift from General Igneel Dragneel. His father. Her lower lip trembled as he leaned closer to her again, removing the soft fabric from the paper and then wrapping it around her.

"But this should help you to get through the rest. You're in the third phase now, Luce. I want, you to do that and I cannot be here ... ", he said and fell silent. She reached into the fabric and her eyes became gentle and wistful. But then she looked up, blinking slightly, confused.

"Why ...", her voice broke and he heard the fear, saw her in her eyes. He immediately knew what she wanted to ask and smiled slightly, then looked to the side and then rubbed his neck.

"Why I can't come here more often? From the day after tomorrow I'm on a case in Crocus for 5 weeks", he said then and shrugged. He smiled lightly at her and ruffled her hair. And then he noticed that she was now sitting on his left thigh. She was not heavy, she was too light and he hadn't noticed it. He was clearly distracted.

"So ...", Lucy fell silent and was a bit clueless. Uncertainty was in the pale features and she lowered her eyes, swallowing slightly. She didn't know what she could say to this. Would he pick her up? She couldn't stay here five weeks, could she? She was here for another three weeks and then? Her heartbeat quickened and she bit her lower lip. Her senses hummed and then she looked up at him again.

"So, you do not pick me up?", she asked cautiously and even she heard the uncertainty in her voice. The brackets. He sighed slightly, then straightened his posture a bit and pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her. He knew she needed that warmth, that affection. It used to be normal between them. Natsu leaned her forehead against hers again and the contact made her smile reluctantly. He stroked her hair, stroked her skin tentatively.

"Luce ... it's my job. If I could, I'd like to pick you up, but ... ", he said got quietly, biting his lower lip, pausing. She nodded slightly, then took a deep breath of his scent. Enjoyed the warmth of his body. She had missed him so incredibly. His presence was like balm for her broken soul.

"Natsu ...", she began hesitantly, and blush spread to her cheekbones. Her heart was biting her neck and he frowned.

"Yes?"

"Um ... do you think ... a-a-are you thinking about my words?", she then whispered, narrowing her eyes, burying her glowing face in his scarf. She wanted to know. Wanted to know if he might feel more, even if that was probably absolutely wrong at this time.

His eyes widened at her hesitant, uncertain words. Heat rose to his cheeks. He knew exactly what she meant. How could he not know that? After all, all those weeks ago, she had confessed her love to him and he had asked her to prove it to him. And that's exactly what she was doing. She was fighting. His heartbeat speeded up, and a light smile spread on his lips. He did not know it, still not, even if he had a hunch. He again broke the contact from forehead to forehead, leaned forward and pressed her a kiss on the lips. Then he leaned back on the couch, pulled her to his chest and smiled slightly. She fit perfectly in his hug. Even if she was still too thin for him. She clearly had to eat more.

"Yes, I think about it and I think ... when I come home, and you wait for me in my apartment and start studying again ... then I can give you an answer", he said in a low voice. Silence fell over both of them and he looked outside. Slowly the sun went down and he hated that the time run like sand through his fingers.

"Is that okay with you, Luce?", he asked carefully, breaking the silence. She nodded slightly, then carefully straightened up. A deep blush lay on her high cheekbones and he saw that she was happy. That she should wait for him in his apartment as soon as she was outside, that he would think about it. His hands were coarse and warm on her narrow back, he could feel the ribs and his gaze wandered again over her thin form. His lips twisted into a grin.

"Oh and ... Luce?"

"Yes?"

"Eat more. I don't want you to fall off the meat and become a skeleton. I like you better with more curves", he said and she became even redder, buried her face in the scarf, looking away, then nodded. He laughed softly.

"Heartfilia, the visit is over!", the cool voice of the staff reached his ears and he straightened up. Lucy got unsteadily, and he followed her example. They stepped away from the sitting area and he looked down at Lucy, leaned toward her and gave her another kiss on the forehead.

"See you in five weeks, Luce", he said, grinning at her. She looked up at him with bright eyes and he saw the love in her brown eyes. She beamed at him and then nodded eagerly.

"See you in five weeks, Natsu", she replied, stroking the fabric of his scarf.

"And take good care of my scarf."

"I will."

And part 4 is over. Flufftime with NaLu. How do you liked it? To fluffy, or not? Let me know your thoughs.