He looked down to the unconscious blond in front of him. Natsu refused to leave, that eventually Grandine made it so Natsu's leg is hooked up to the ceiling. That way Natsu could stay with her. She's been like that for a week, and still Natsu hasn't left. He ordered food for her everyday incase 'Luce wakes up. She's gunna need her strength'. He would say with a smile and a squeeze of her hand.

When Erza walked in the day after the collapse, to say she was shocked was an understatement. She was almost murderous!

The scarlet haired girl burst into Lucy's room talking about Jellal and their second date. She looked from Lucy and back to Natsu.

"WHAT THE FUCK HAVE YOU DONE TO HER, DRAGNEEL?" She yelled and reached for her pole, which wasn't there. Lucy was still yet to give it back to her.

"I'm guessing this is yours?" Natsu handed over the pole, too lazy to think what he has just done.

"Awhaa, Thanks" She said sweetly, more of a sickly sweet, "Now, answer me, Dragneel!" She held it so the tip was at his throat. Her eyes following his Adams apple as it bobs with a gulp.

"Look, Luce collapsed. She did yesterday. I didn't do anything." He sighed and looked angry, "I didn't fucking do anything!" He growled, if he was standing he would have kicked a wall or something.

"You brought her here, Natsu. If you were any later, her situation would be worse. She might not have woken up if you didn't bring her in." Grandine spoke softly to her son. She was worried for Natsu, he wasn't eating as he usually would, and he was sleeping less. Still, Grandine couldn't be more proud of her son for putting the safety of Lucy before his own injury, without knowing of Lucy's situation. If that doesn't prove against Lucy's worries, she didn't know what would.

Natsu mumbled, still wishing he could have done more. Wondering why she didn't tell him.

"Mum, why didn't she tell me? We're Best friends! I could have protected her" Natsu asked with pleading eyes. Never before has Natsu seemed so weak and Erza, a childhood friend, noticed that too and smiled softly. Erza forgave Grandine for not telling her about Lucy's collapse for she now knows that Lucy is in the safest hands.

"You're going to have to ask her that when she wakes up. Now, what does she want to eat?" Grandine asked, now knowing that Natsu orders her food. He looked at the menu, concentration painted on his face.

"Humm...Steak. Defiantly the steak!" Natsu weakly grinned back, trying to put on his usual grin but failing. One thing that sparked Ezra's attention was...

"Why order steak?" She asked.

"Lucy loves steak. With peppercorn sauce otherwise it's too chewy. She always complains that her jaw is too small. Also, when she wakes up she's going to need protein." Natsu told her. Erza smiled and went to leave. Lucy was defiantly in safe hands. She walked out with Grandine. Natsu quickly yelled.

"MUM, MAKE SURE IT'S WELL DONE." Erza could have sworn she heard him mutter, "I don't know why she doesn't like it rare... weirdo" Erza smiled once again. She would get answers sooner or later, for now she'd let Lucy rest.

"Hi Luce, Mum says you might still be able to hear me. I think you can. I know you; you won't give in so easily. I've been thinking, I know. Me thinking! You've been rubbing off on me. Anyway, remember when we first met? I kinda ate all your chilli chocolate. Sorry about that, that's beyond the point. I told you about a woman who got hit by a car outside the hospital and I laughed. Now I know it's your mum, I want you to know I wasn't laughing at her death! I thought it was ironic that she died outside a hospital. You know what, that evening I was worried you weren't going to visit me. I thought you hated me and I didn't know why, now I do, I wouldn't blame you if you hate me." Natsu looked down running his hand though his hair. He then whispered, "Happy's here. He was worried, he is hidden under my jacket say, say 'Hi' happy." Natsu smiled, and then Happy let out a small meow. "Anyway Luce, I'm sorry. I'm sorry you're like this. I should have known. I should have protected you." Natsu put his head in his hands as he looked at the hairless, pale, sickly blond.

"You gone soft, Flame-Brain?" A raven-haired boy walked in, in only his boxers.

"Shut up, popsicle, and I'm pretty sure hospitals don't like strippers walking in to visit the sick." Natsu snarled back, making Gray mutter 'shit', as he got dressed again. A young trainee nurse walked in handing over Gray's shirt, with a slight blush.

"I-It was in the l-lift, please be more c-careful, sir." She stuttered, quickly glancing at his chest before she left.

"How the fuck was this in the lift?" Gray spoke to himself.

"What are you doing here, Ice Princess?" Natsu practically growled, and tried to obscure Lucy from Gray.

"I'm here to visit Lucy, idiot ash for brains." Gray retaliated.

"How do you know, Luce?" Natsu continued to growl protectively, he didn't know what came over him, as a dragon would protect a Princess, Natsu wanted to stop this 'Ice Queen' from hurting Lucy.

"We're friends from schools idiot." Gray sighed, not wanting to argue in a hospital.

"Why would someone like you be friends with Luce?" Natsu backed down a little, he was sure Lucy will kill him is she woke up to them arguing.

"We were both track runners. We trained together often." Gray shrugged, sitting down on the other chair available.

"She ran track? I didn't picture her as a sport star. Just a nerdy book type." Natsu chuckled.

"She didn't just run track. She was the best. She was amazing." Gray thought back to memories of her running, then images of her last race flashed into mind. Seeing her collapse to the ground half way through the race. What was worse was the 5m jagged run before she collapsed, everyone knew it was going to happen. They didn't think it was cancer.

Natsu didn't like the way Gray said she was amazing. The protective bubble was ready to pop again, he grabbed Lucy's hand out of instinct as a way of showing possession and to hold himself back from attacking Gray.

"Oh and she was the nerd..." Gray trailed off noticing the hand, and started to smirk. "When did this happen?" He raised his eyebrows smugly.

"What happen?" Natsu asked, still clutching onto Lucy's hand.

"Oh, how would Mira put it... NaLu?" Natsu was thinking. He didn't get it straight away! NaLu... Natsu... Lucy! He thought, looking down at his hand, Lucy's reflex curving round his, just like a small child's would. He abruptly let go.

"NO!" Was all he could say, a small blush on his cheeks that didn't go unnoticed by Gray.

"So, when did you become an item?" Gray asked.

"We are not together. Why would I want to be with this weirdo? S-She's just my best friend. That's all." Natsu told Gray. He could feel a warm bubble in his stomach, as if he was going to breathe fire. He didn't quite understand. He looked at Lucy and genuinely smiled.

"Gray," Natsu spoke Gray's name for one of the first time. Despite being rivals, they would consider each other good friends. They would often play video games when they were kids, probably still would be if Natsu didn't break his leg. "Why didn't she tell me about the cancer? Mum won't tell me."

"Easy, Lucy hates pity. I remember when she first moved here, her folks just split up and this kid, Sting, was all like, 'I'm so sorry for what happened' etcetera." Gray smiled at the memory, it was the day Lucy became friends with the gang. Knowing her current situation pains them all, Lucy is such a great person. It was thanks to Lucy he met Juvia and despite her obsession he has a soft spot for her. Not that anyone but Lucy knows.

"What happened?" Natsu asked, curious about Lucy. Ever since her found out about the cancer, he felt like he doesn't know her at all, which is a lie. He just can't help but feel that way. Gray laughed.

"She pushed him to the ground, spat on the ground next to him and screamed 'I don't want your pity, bastard.'" Gray and Natsu chuckled. What Gray didn't mention was that ever since that day, Sting has developed a thing for Lucy. He liked her fierce side, a hell of a lot.

"Sounds like something she'd do. Stubborn and aggressive. I'm guessing she's whacked you one too?" Natsu asked.

"On multiple occasions. When you out of here?" Gray asked, he honestly did miss playing video games with the flame brain.

"One week. I have to use crutches though. Mum said I could a couple of weeks ago." Natsu then looked away a faint shade of pink on his cheeks thinking of the reason he didn't leave this boring hell hole earlier.

"Why didn't you leave then, walking radiator?" Gray smirked, he was pretty sure the answer was Lucy.

"Well, I got time off school you know and I woke up at noon for-" Natsu cut himself off.

"Noon for what, tobacco freak? You always wake up way beyond noon. Even as a kid." Gray's smirk couldn't be more obvious, and Natsu knew it.

"Fine, Lucy visited." Natsu growled, looking away. It wasn't like he liked her like that. They were best friends or so Natsu thought. He looked down at her, When will she wake up? Natsu thought, still smiling. It's been a week. At least she looks peaceful, it's like she glowing... not in a weird way or a like like way. Just glowing. He tried to convince himself.

"You're staring at her like a mad man, dude. You've fallen hard, ash brains." Gray laughed.

"No, I haven't I-" He got cut off by a small groan. Natsu's head snapped to look at Lucy, her eyes slowly opening. He jumped up, ignoring the cast on his leg, pressed the button to call the nurse.

"LUCE!" Natsu yelled, throwing his arms around her in a huge hug.

"Natsu?" She asked, her eyes still groggy. She took a while for her eyes to adjust then she remembered her situation. "Shit" She murmured to herself.

A/N: See, I told you more chapters more often because of the Easter holidays. Told you so! :P Anyway, good news. Talking about 6th form, I spoke to the 6th form leader and change Psychology to Sociology and got in! YAY! (Also, update on Special Circumstance to come soon. I'm unsure of the next chapter and re-writing it, bare with)

Thanks for all the favorites and follows you've been amazing. Reviewers too, I love you guys so much *wipes tears away*. I'd appreciate it if the follows, favorites and ,especially, reviews continued.

Until next time friends,

-THEBEASTHUNTER