I had this dream, although it was more like a nightmare. I was walking and walking, trying to find something but I didn't know what. There was just this sense of desperation hanging in the darkness around me. With each step I took a strong wind would pick up around me. I started to run, faster and faster, wanting to find some kind of light. But there just wasn't any. Then I heard Levy call my name. I turned around to find her and Gajeel, Natsu and Gray, Lisanna and Mira, Loke and even Helen stood in the darkness with me. They began calling me over, smiling and waving their arms. But as I ran forwards something grabbed a hold of my waist, pulling me back. "Help!" I would scream but they didn't move, they just watched on with such indifference. The invisible force that had wrapped itself around me tossed me in to the air and I was falling. I stared up at my friends as I fell further in to the darkness but they just stared back, blank and emotionless. After what felt like an eternity of falling and screaming, I finally hit the ground.

"No!" I yelled as I jerked awake.

"Whoa, hey. What's wrong, Lucy?" Gray asked. I remembered then that my head was laid in his lap. His hand was still rested on my back and he was looking down at me with a concerned expression. I noticed that I was clutching tightly at his jeans, probably because of the dream I had had.

"Bad dream?" Loke asked.

"Um, yeah. Sort of." I said as I sat myself up. I rubbed my eyes, still feeling pretty sleepy and stuck my head out the window to breath in some fresh air.

"Well, luckily for you we're just pulling in to your road." Loke said. I hadn't even recognised where we were, that dream really shook me up.

"Already?" I asked.

"You were asleep for about two hours." Gray said.

"I was? I'm sorry." I blushed. Poor Gray. He had to sit with my head in his lap for the whole drive home, I hoped I hadn't given him pins and needles or something like that.

"It's fine, don't worry about it." He smiled.

Loke pulled in to my drive way and turned off the engine. We all sat there for a minute just looking around at eachother as if waiting for someone to say something, it was a little awkward.

"Well, thanks for the drive home." I said. "I had a really good weekend." I smiled, but that wasn't strictly true. It had certainly been an interesting weekend, to say the least. I began to open my car door, when all three boys did the same. Loke, Natsu and Gray hopped out the car and made their way round to the trunk.

"It's okay, I've got your bag." Loke said as he opened the trunk of his car.

"Thanks." I said and began walking up the steps of my porch. Again, being followed by the boys. I opened my front door and swung it open before turning around to the boys, who were lingering on the bottom step, to say a final goodbye for the weekend. They were all looking at me expectantly and I wondered what they wanted. "Do you guys want to come in or something?" I asked, not necessarily inviting them. Their faces lit up immediately.

"Well, since you asked." Loke grinned, moving past me and entering my house, my bag slung over his shoulder.

"I wouldn't mind." Natsu smirked as he sauntered past me too. I sighed, this was going to be a long afternoon.

"Gray, you wanna' come in?" I asked as Gray remained at the bottom of the steps, staring in to my house.

"I guess I have to, since Loke's my ride." He said.

"Gee, sure. Come on in." I said sarcastically as I closed the door behind us.

Loke dropped my bag to the floor and flung himself on my sofa. Natsu wondered off in to the kitchen and Gray relaxed in one of the arm chairs.

"Hey, Lucy. Where's all of your food?" Natsu asked as he peered in to the empty fridge.

"I need to go shopping." I said.

"But you don't have anything for dinner." Natsu moaned.

"That's okay. I'm not hungry." I said.

"I kind of am." Loke said.

"Yeah, me too." Gray chimed in.

"Well, go home then." I said in a huff.

"Don't be like that." Loke winked.

"Lets get take out!" Natsu suggested as he wondered back in to the living room.

"Okay, sure." I said as I noticed the pile of cash that Helen had left for me just like she always does. There was more there than there normally was, probably because she was going to be gone for a lot longer this time. The guys ordered a feast. They couldn't agree on what to get so they ended up ordering something different for each of them. There was pizza, Chinese, Indian and all kinds of fizzy drinks. I watched as they scoffed it all down like it was the last meal they would ever have. It made me laugh a little. They would offer me this and that but I honestly wasn't hungry in the slightest. After a while, Loke discovered my movie and collection and the four of us laid about in my living room watching movies in to the late hours of the evening. I must admit, it was fun. I never really thought of myself as the kind of girl that could hangout with the guys like this, but I fit in with them so well. I felt surprisingly comfortable around them. The last movie finished at around nine O'clock and we decided to call it a night, we did have school the next day after all.

"Are you gonna' be home alone?" Natsu asked as we stood on my front porch.

"Um, yeah. My aunty's away at the moment." I said.

"Do you need anything?" Gray asked.

"Nope, I'm good. Thanks." I smiled.

"Okay, well, we better get going then." Loke said as he made his way back to his car.

"See you guys later." I said as I watched the three of them walk down my driveway. I didn't want to watch them leave, so I turned around and went back inside. The house felt so empty now. Just moments ago it had been full of fun and laughter, but once again I was on my own. I sighed heavily and flopped down on my sofa when I heard a knock at the door. Maybe one of the boys had forgotten something.

"Hey!" Natsu grinned as I opened the door. I noticed he had his camping bag in his hand.

"Uh, hey." I said. I peered around and saw that Loke's car was gone.

"I didn't feel right leaving you on your own." He said as he moved passed me and made his way back in to my house without even asking me first.

"Wait, what?" I asked, a little confuse.

"I'm staying the night." He smiled.

"But-"

"No buts." He said. "Now, where shall I sleep?" He asked as he began making his way up the stairs. Something told me I wasn't getting rid of him so I just went along with it and showed him to the spare room. Maybe it would be nice having him here. I was a little sad when they left.

"I'm still pretty tired, so I'm gonna' go to bed." I said through a sleepy yawn. Natsu was in the spare room changing in to his pyjamas and I was talking to him through the closed door.

"Okay, want me to sit you for a bit?" He asked as he opened the door.

"Sit with me?" I asked.

"Yeah, till you fall asleep. I could read you a book or something." He smiled. I gasped suddenly as the realisation set in. "What? What's wrong?" He asked.

"You're baby sitting me!" I said with a pointed finger.

"What are you talking about, Lucy?" He asked.

"You come back when you find out I'm alone; You demand to stay the night; And you want to read me a freaking bed time story!" I said accusingly. You might be asking yourself why I was getting so worked up about it. Well, honestly I'm not too sure myself. I just felt a little stupid, I guess. I didn't need to be looked after, I didn't want him to think of me in that way. But it was too late. The second he saw me hanging off that cliff, I became this fragile girl he couldn't trust to be on her own.

"Don't be stupid, Lucy. I just wanted to sit you for a while." He said, completely calm and collected- Unlike me.

"But, why are you here?" I asked quietly. He looked at me thoughtfully, like he had done in the woods. He was really pondering what to say.

"Okay. I was worried about you. I didn't think you should be alone after everything what happened this weekend." He explained.

"I'm fine." I said shyly and hugged my arms to my chest.

"I don't want you to feel babysat. I just want to be here for you. You know, if you need anything." He said. I felt bad for getting angry at him now. He was just trying to be nice but I wasn't used to people caring about me like this. I didn't know how to handle it. I'd have to learn to accept it eventually.

"I'm sorry." I said with a smile.

"Don't worry about it."

I turned around and walked in to my room, leaving the door open behind me. I turned off the main light, leaving just my fairy lights on hanging from the wall above my bed. I climbed under my covers and stared at the doorway, waiting. After a minute or so, he appeared. At first he just stood there, leaning against the door frame. But then he wondered further in. I felt that flip in my stomach again. My cheeks must have been turning rosy too.

"Can I sit?" He asked.

"Yes." I shuffled along in my bed and made room for him to sit beside on top of the covers. We sat in a silence for a little while, but it wasn't awkward like you'd imagine. "I just remembered." I said.

"What's that?" He asked. The two of us were speaking quietly and calmly.

"Thank you for saving me." I said.

"You're welcome." He smiled down at me. I smiled back and rested my head on his shoulder.

"I am glad you're here." I said, shutting my eyes.

"Yeah, me too."

"Can you tell me something?" I asked sleepily.

"Tell you what?" He asked.

"Something about yourself." I said after another yawn. He laughed to himself a little.

"Okay, let me think. Well, I live with my grampa." He said.

"You do?"

"Yep. And our cat." He said.

"You have a cat?" I asked. I was feeling more and more sleepy but I wanted to keep talking until I couldn't stay awake any longer.

"Yeah, his name's Happy."

"That's a cute name." I mumbled with a sleepy smile. He laughed again.

"Time for bed, I think." He said.

"No, no." I protested. "Tell me something else."

"Uh, okay." He sighed. "I'm glad I met you."

"You are?" I yawned. I was too tired to fully take in what he was saying, I wish I had of been more awake.

"Yep."

"I'm glad too." I whispered before eventually falling asleep with my head rested on his shoulder.

x :) x

AN:

This was a little chapter to move us on to the next phase of this story. This is where Natsu and Gray's fight for our girl Lucy really begins. I hope you guys are looking forward to the roller-coaster we're about to get on! Also, quick question: Do you guys enjoy when there is a lot of dialogue between the characters? Like the little conversation between Lucy and Natsu at the end of this chapter, or do you find that boring? Please let me know :)