DISCLAIMER: I do not own Fairy Tail; not its characters, the settings or anything—Hiro Mashima-sensei does. The only thing I do own is the plot of this story. Either ways, please respect our works.

WRITER'S BLOCK: And yes, I have been MIA for a very long (and I mean VERY long) time because I've been so busy with school and I don't have enough money to pay for internet cafes. I'm saving up so that I can write more. Please bear with me and I hope you guys continue to read my fanfics despite the really long time it takes to get it updated. I promise that I won't fail you! I'm so sorry! TT^TT

GUESS WHAT: Don't forget to leave a review so I'd know what you're thinking of~! Well, without further ado, the long-awaited update!

-CHAPTER TEN: "IT'S YOU…"-
"It's you… It was, it is and it always will be…"

Three hundred thirteen. Three hundred fourteen. Three hundred fifteen.

And the numbers went on.

Lucy has been counting the number of steps she took as she walked beside Natsu along the shoreline that night on what seemed to be the longest, and most awkward three hundred and seventeen steps of her life. None of them were talking: Natsu kept looking up at the night sky and she was just looking at the sand on which she walked on.

She stopped counting for a moment and pondered: How long have I wanted to walk on the beach with Natsu?

Too many times, she figured. She imagined them walking hand-in-hand, laughing and blushing at the same time. Then, Natsu would stop and she would too. And their walk would end with a romantic kiss under the moonlight.

But this was just not the same. There was no romance. In fact, there was nothing.

Three hundred twenty five. Three hundred twenty six. Three hundred twenty seven.

At the three hundredth and twenty seventh step, Lucy stopped. She looked back to see that the flame mage was about five steps away from her, staring intently. She wanted to read what was going on in his mind through his eyes, but there was nothing there: no hint of anger, guilt or even compassion. It was empty.

"Why did you come, Natsu?" Lucy finally spoke. She mustered all the courage she had to say those words as calmly as possible. Now she barely found it hard to stand. She waited in silence for whatever Natsu's reply was. In the background, the waves could be heard as they splashed playfully on the sand.

"What happened to you and Lisanna?" she continued.

Still no reply. Natsu was now looking sideways. He looked uncomfortable.

There! Lucy thought. She saw a slight glint of guilt that flashed across Natsu's face.

"If you've come to apologize, there's no need. I'm not angry anymore." She lied.

The flame mage was still silent.

"Well, if you're not going to say anything, I'd like to go back to my room—"

"I love you."

Lucy's lips went dry and her throat felt like something just got stuck in it. What did he just say?

"I love you…" he repeated.

"Wh-what?" Lucy asked, doubting. She wondered whether she heard him wrong or that was some other person saying those words to her.

"Didn't you hear me, Lucy? I just said that I love you didn't I?" A smile, not too grinny and not too compassionate played across Natsu's face.

Lucy could hear the thumping of her heart. She found it hard to move even a little bit.

"And… And you're saying this now, why?" she asked, trying to sound tough and cool. In reality, she was almost bursting with emotions that she didn't know whether to kiss him like crazy or slap him silly.

"Because I was stupid. And I still am. When Lisanna told me that she loved me, I didn't know how to respond. I guess it was wrong that I had chosen her over you—" Natsu's gaze kept shifting direction.

"Uh-huh." Lucy grunted. She wanted to show him how angry and depressed she had been.

"—and you probably want to kill me right now—"

"You're right about that, too."

"—but I just want you to know that I realized how wrong that decision actually was and that it probably was a mistake I'd regret for the rest of my life."

Lucy just nodded and urged him to continue.

"So to save myself from that regret, I'm asking you for one more chance."

Lucy swallowed—hard. Her stomach felt as if a million butterflies were fluttering in them. She wanted to smile and leap for joy. But she stood still, and kept cool: "That's the only reason why you came here? You should know that I didn't want to see you just yet."

Her voice showed pain and anger, which seemed to reach Natsu, since his gaze changed from be imploring to guilty. "I know. But I just couldn't wait to see you again."

Natsu walked toward Lucy. He held her shoulders gently and locked gazes with her: "Please give me this one last chance to prove to you that I really do love you."

Lucy looked away. All of the pain and angst that were supposed to be gone came back at once. The tears she kept in her were now flowing freely from her eyes, not wanting to be deprived of the freedom it deserved.

"You could've proven it to me by choosing me over Lisanna, you know? But you didn't." Lucy said. "It felt so painful: to see you every day with her, knowing you were supposed to be mine, but you, yourself, rejected me."

"I never did reject you, Luce! Never!"

"Then you should've known better than to leave me hanging on to something that never was!" Lucy said.

She slapped Natsu square on the face, something she'd been meaning to do all that time.

"You could've been there for Lisanna as a friend while you were with me but you didn't! You chose her over me!" Lucy's anger was now starting to show. "Am I not enough, Natsu?"

Lucy was now wailing. She found it hard to breath, as if something in her chest was stopping her from breathing properly. It tightened and now she was choking on her own tears.

"How could you? Do you know how much I've been suffering these days? You weren't there when you were supposed to be! And now you're saying that you love me? How do you expect me to cope with this emotional torment? How do you expect me to give you another chance when it hurts so bad just seeing you?"

One after the other, Lucy's hands beat on Natsu's chest.

Damn him for being so insensitive! Damn him for being so stupid!

"I probably deserve to die for what I did to you, and I'm aware of that. I was a coward, not knowing what I should do. And I was being stupid when I chose someone else over you." Natsu held on Lucy's hands tightly as he said those words. He looked straight at her with eyes that were controlling, yet gentle. "But I'm here now and I'm never gonna leave you ever again because I love you, Lucy Heartfilia. It's you… It was, it is and it always will be. Isn't that enough to give me another chance?"

"I don't know… I'm not sure anymore… They say that second chances give room to more mistakes…"

"I don't care what anyone says! Even if you run away, even if you change, even if you grow old and become ugly like the old man, I don't care. I love you just because you're you. I love you because—because it's you… It's you, Lucy! I love you!" he emphasized.

The words seemed to seep through Lucy's skin. All of her strength left her and she fell on her knees. She felt so happy that she was overwhelmed. But at the same time, she wanted to beat Natsu up because he'd been a jerk. And when he can't walk anymore, then she'd give him another chance.

"So how about it, Lucy? Can we start over?" Natsu sat down to look at her properly.

Lucy wiped her tears and gave him a reassuring look. "Okay." She nodded.

Natsu touched her forehead with his and closed his eyes. "Thank you, Lucy. I'll make sure you don't regret it."

what do you think? will you guys forgive my absence?

PLEASE DON'T KILL MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEH~!