This story is already rated T and this chapter pushes those boundaries, not much...but just enough.

I'll bet you'll be cursing Sage in the first part of this chapter and for the second...you'll have a huge grin on your faces.

Lucy frowned.
"Come on babe, don't have such a sad look. You know, most guys wouldn't want to take you back after all those pranks you and your friends played on us. But then again, I'm not most guys."
"No, you are not. Most guys won't cheat on their girlfriends twice."
"Babe, the first time was not my doing and there was no second time."
"I told you before, save if for someone who cares. I didn't come here to discuss our relationship."

"Alright, why did you come here?" Sage said standing up.
"I want you to leave my friends alone. This is between you and me. No one else."
"Won't your friends the ones who started this whole thing. Remember, Natsu came to my house and attacked me."
"And your friends attacked him. Then you sent those snakes to us."
"You didn't seem to mind that. Kept 'em as pets."

Lucy smiled at that but then swallowed becoming serious. "It doesn't matter who started it. I'm ending it. I want you leave them alone."
"Why do you like those bums so much."
"It's none of your business."
"Do you like one of the guys?"
"I say it's none of your business!"
Sage grinned. "You do like one of the boys. Who is it?"
"I didn't come here to talk about this."
"Is it Laxus? Or maybe Gray?"
"Yeah right." Lucy rolled her eye. "Enough of this."
"Is it Natsu?" Lucy stiffen. "It is Natsu."
"It's none of your business why I stay with Fairy Tail. I just want you to leave them alone." Lucy snapped. Sage held up his hands in defense and took a step towards her.

"And…what would I get in return for leaving them alone." Said Sage. Lucy sighed knowing this was coming.
"What would you have me do?"
"I think you know what I want." He placed his hand on her waist. She slapped it away and retreated a few steps.
"You know I'm not going to do that." Lucy said sharply.
"But Lu, don't you want to protect your friends…" Sage said dangerously. "I mean, it would be a shame if something were to happen –"
"The boys would never let you touch –"
"The boys can't be around you forever. I would hate something to happen… if you and your friends all alone. If we were still dating me and my guys would happily come protect you any time."
"We both know you don't want to date."

Sage laughed and placed his hands on Lucy's waist. She tried to push him off but her held on tight.
"If you want that kind of relationship I won't complain." He said simply. Lucy slapped him causing him to let go and stumble a few steps back. He put his hand to his face, his lip was bleeding.

"You little bitch." He swung his hand catching her along the jaw with a backhand that sent her to the sand. Before she could blink the spots out of her eyes she felt a weight on top of her. She shook her head and tried to push Sage off her. He grabbed her hands and held her down.

"You could end this silly fight right now. You might even find you'll like it." Sage grinned at her. She squirmed under him but he was too big and too strong.
"Sage let me go."
"Why? You said you want to talk."
"You don't have talking on your mind."
"I never understood girl's obsession with talking. That's for business deals. In a relation it's a waste of time that could be put towards other pursuits." He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. She twisted her head and tired again to break free of him.
"Let me go. Now."
"I don't think so. I'll make you a deal. One night with me and I'll leave your friends alone for the summer. Of course after a night with me you might want to leave your friends too."

"I'm not going to do that."
Sage shifted his gripped on her hands so he had both pinned over her head by one hand. With his free hand he held her jaw. "You sound like you have a choice." He grinned at her and leaned down again kissing her neck.
"Get off me!" She squirmed against him. "Sage you won't do this. You can't do this!" She tried to pull away from him but her wouldn't let her. Her mind was racing. She couldn't let him do this.
"STOP! SOMEONE HELP ME!"
"Crying for help, not very attractive."

Tears were leaking from the corner of her eyes. A cry ripped from her throat. "NATSU!" She wasn't sure why she called him. He was too far way to hear her. But his name still escaped her mouth. Sage pulled back and looked her.
"Well that's the first time a girl I was with called out another guy's name. Don't worry you'll be singing another tune once I'm through. His hand found the first button on her shirt. She tried to bite him but he only laughed.
"I like feisty." He said undoing the next two buttons quickly.
"Please, stop." She cried.

It happened so fast Lucy missed it. All she knew that Sage's weight was gone. Sage didn't even know he had been knocked off Lucy until his face hit the sand. He wasn't even up properly when a fist smashed into his face. He was knocked clean off his feet. Another fist crashed into his jaw and he swore his teeth rattled. A hand grabbed his shirt and lifted him to his feet. He had one second to make out Natsu's face before a fist smashed into his nose. His eyes waters and he covered his face with hands. He knew his nose was bleeding.

"How dear you touch her?!" Natsu screamed at him. He brought his foot up, lashing out. It collided into his gut. Sage fell in knees. He searched the sand around him quickly grabbing the first thing he could.
He brought up a large rock and flung it at Natsu. The rock hit his shoulder, splitting the skin. Natsu stumbled back.

Sage leapt to his feet with tackled Natsu pinning him to the ground. Sage delivered an elbow strike that probably would have knocked anyone else out. But Natsu had too much adrenaline in his system. He kicked Sage off him, his knee smashing into the boy's nose. He knew he had broken it. He jumped up and was about to punch him again.

"I give! I give!" He cried holding his hands up in surrender. Natsu was seeing red. He was ready to rip Sage apart but there was something more important he had to take care off right now. He grabbed Sage by the hair, bring him close.
"If you ever touch her again I'll rip your arms off." He snarled and threw Sage in the sand. The boy scrambled to his feet running off as fast as he could.

Still breathing heavy Natsu turned around his eyes searching for Lucy. He found her sitting on the sand not far way. He ran over and pulled her into a hug. She hugged him back, holding him tightly. She was shaking slightly.
"Did he hurt you?" Natsu asked. She shook her head. He pulled back looking her over as if making sure for himself. He gently re-buttoned the top three buttons Sage had undone. "Are you sure?" He asked holding the side of her face.
"Y-yes. He hit me, but it's not that bad. I'm just glad you came when you did."

He pulled her back into a hug. "Don't scare me like that again. Not ever. What were you thinking, coming here alone?"
"I was trying to make him stop. I didn't want you all to get hurt because of me anymore." She said softly.
"Lucy, you are the bravest, kindest person I know." Natsu said with a smiled. "Let's go home." He lifted her up gently. She didn't complain that he was carrying her. She tucked her head against his neck enjoying his warmth.

When they walked into Fairy Tail he gently placed her down. "Are you sure you're okay?" Natsu asked.
"I'm fine. You, on the other hand, aren't." for the first time she noticed the severity of the cut on his left shoulder. The rock had left a gash up his shoulder. "We have to clean that." She pulled him into the kitchen and made him sit on a chair. Even without turning on the lights she found the first aid kit with the moon light coming from the glass doors and walls (even if there wasn't any moon light everyone in Fairy Tail could find the first aid kits with a blind fold on). She sat down in front of him and pressed a clean cloth soaked in rubbing alcohol to the wound. Natsu winced.

"I'm sorry. Does it hurt?"
"Not that much." He said. She cleaned the cut then took out a length of bandages from the kit.
"It's not that bad."
"If we don't cover it up you'll bleed all night." She pulled her chair closer to his and gently lifted his hand. Natsu watched her steadily while she wrapped the bandages.
"Natsu…how did you know I was in trouble?" Lucy asked suddenly.
"I don't know. Something just told me to go after you."
Lucy smiled at his comment and said, "Something told you. You always seem to know when I need you." She tied off his bandage.
"I'll always be there for you Lucy. No matter what happens."

Lucy looked up at him. He held her gaze. There were only inches between them. Lucy leaned back blushing. She started jamming things randomly into the first aid kit. Natsu placed his hand over hers without a word. She looked back at him. Her heart started pounding when she realized he was leaning towards her. He stopped less than an inch from her, their noses just barely brushing. She looked into his eyes. She leaned forward and their lips meet.

It a soft kiss but seemed to last forever and at the same time ended all too soon. When they pulled away neither said anything. They just looked at each other. Then as if a silent signal have gone off they both got up and closed the distance between them. Natsu had gotten up so fast his chair toppled over.

The chastity of the first kiss was gone. This one was faster, filled with a hunger. They walked back until her back hit the walk and Natsu pinned her there. He held her hands against the wall, weaving their fingers together. She moaned into the kiss and he responded with a deep growl.

He broke the kiss to trail down her jaw and neck. Lucy bit her lip trying to bite down the moan that threatened to escape. Natsu's hands slid down the curve of her body coming to rest at her waist as he found her lips again. Her hands circled his neck pulling herself as close as possible to him.

She gasped when she felt the warmth of Natsu's hand against her skin when his hands slid under her shirt pressing against her back.
"Natsu…" She said, but it was lost in the kiss.

"Whoa!"

Natsu and Lucy jumped apart and saw Gray standing in the threshold between the common room and kitchen. He grinned at them.
"Thought I heard some noises, I'll just go outside. You two can carry on." He walked out of view. Lucy and Natsu looked at each other. They were both out of breath and very red in the face. They laughed a little bit.
"Stupid Gray…" Natsu muttered under her breath. "I'll kill him in the morning. You should probably go to bed."
Lucy nodded noticing for the first time how tired she was. She hadn't slept at all that night and now it was 1:45am.
"Come on, I'll walk you upstairs." He said. They walked in silence. Lucy was still flushed and didn't help that Natsu was right behind her. Every second that passed sent a new surge of red to her face. They stopped outside her room. Natsu poked at carpet.
"Am, what does this mean for…us?" He said quietly. Lucy looked at him and smiled.
Talking softly she said, "I'm pretty sure you know what this means," She kissed him lightly. "But we'll talk in the morning." He grinned and nodded stealing one more kiss before heading back downstairs.

She slipped into her room and closed the door quietly. She leaned against the door and slid down the floor a huge grin breaking out on her face. Her heart was still racing. She closed her eyes tilting her head back. She tried to remember every moment of the kiss, wanting to preserve the memory forever. She had never had a kiss like that before. Just thinking about it sent jolts through her body. She bit her lip to stop from yelling in joy.

She had kissed Natsu. Natsu! And it felt so….right. So unbelievably perfect. She was lightheaded and room seemed to be swaying slightly. How could she be lightheaded if so much blood was rushing to her head…or maybe the blood was just going to her cheeks?

She shook her head trying to clear it. Getting up quietly she walked over to her bed. Erza and Levy were still sleeping. She could tell them in the morning. Hopefully by then she would be able to think about the kiss without grinning like a fool, going lightheaded and red in the face. Oh, there she went again. The smile was back on her face and she was blushing…and…yes, lightheaded too.

She crawled under the covers trying to calm down but her heart still raced. She curled up with her dragon smiling. She took some deep breaths and her heart rate slowed somewhat but was still hammering in her chest. The last thought she had before falling asleep was about the kiss.

Did I win the bet?

Nardragon~ until the next page.