"Lucy!" Erza quickly approached her blonde friend who's standing a bit far away from where they are sitting. "I'm glad you made it, and you're early." She said.

"Well, my boss didn't come back at his office, and he didn't leave orders before he left. So, I just thought of catching up with you instead." Lucy told her, avoiding to mention 'Natsu'. If only she knew where Natsu was as of this moment. She waited Natsu to come back for hours. She couldn't do anything because Natsu just left his office right away without leaving orders for her. "Umm, where's Nashi? Is she behave?" She asked.

Unaware of what Nashi encountered, Erza just answered, "She's fine. She is with Jellal, shopping groceries." Then, added, "And, earlier, she just entertained the girls. But I haven't told them that you are Nashi's mother." Lucy started to think whether if it is the right to tell them Nashi is her daughter. She can't just keep making up white lies all the time! It's not like she doesn't want her old friends to find out she had a child with Natsu, but- she doesn't want Natsu to find out about their child. How can she ensure that none of them would tell Natsu about Nashi? After all, things these days easily spread out, and sometimes some of them are even sensationalized on other people. "Do I really have to meet them right now?" Lucy worried, thinking of backing out with a made up reason.

"Lucy, they're your friends!" Erza insisted. "You built a good friendship with them before, and you can't keep making them feel like you forgot about them already just because you flee the country. Besides, they're all mature enough to understand your situation." Until, Lucy couldn't do anything, since she already brought herself in that situation. "Alright, let's go." She just shrugged. Erza quickly dragged her and skipped excitedly towards the open area of the mall where the girls are sitting on the benches.

As they finally reached the area where the girls are sitting, Lucy couldn't avoid studying their faces and looks. After so many years, all of them absolutely transformed into bombshells from being a not-your-typical girl during their high school years, like Erza who used to be boyish. "Hey, girls. Look, who's here with me." Erza spoke, all the girls who are chatting was stopped and obliged to look at Lucy. "Umm, hi." Lucy greeted them in a civil manner.

"She's..." Mirajane, white-haired girl stared her, doubting if ever it was really the girl she's thinking of.

"Oh my gosh, it's-" The blue-haired girl with long wavy hair gasped surprisingly, Juvia Locker.

"Lu-chan!" The other blue-haired girl who is short in height, squealed in surprise. Then, in split seconds, she just jumped off from sitting in the bench to give her old friend a hug. "Lu-chan, I can't believe it's you!"

"Lucy, is that really you?" Mirajane repeated questioning herself and Lucy as well, still surprised to reunite with each other. Lucy just nodded to respond at those repeating reactions she receive from them.

Instead of doing their friendly reunion at a crowded area, they just decided to go to a café inside the mall. Every one of them ordered snacks and beverages to eat while chatting. Lucy felt awkward, but not that much when they decided to sit and eat at a cafe. She could tell the girls' faces are filled with unanswered questions after she left all of the sudden. It's fine for her to ask questions why she left. She decided that from now on she won't make up lies anymore about Nashi and her situation years ago. As long as it's not Natsu who'll interrogate her.

As they sat on a round table good for six persons, silence took over their atmosphere. Of course, Lucy started to feel awkward like she felt earlier. But, thank god, Erza cleared her throat to break the awkward silence. "Girls...I know you all thought that Lucy forgot you all this time when she left. But, I am telling you, she didn't. So, anyone, please?"

"Lu-chan..." Levy sighed in an apologetic manner. "I never had the chance to comfort you after the incident at our prom. I'm sorry about what-"

Lucy cut her off in a nice way, "I know, Levy. Thank you for your concern, but you don't have to be right now." She smiled. "I mean...it's been what- seven or almost eight years? I got over it already. You know-! I can't stop myself from living my life because of that- incident..." Levy just nodded.

"Lucy, can you tell us what happened to you? Why did you left all of the sudden, without telling us or trying to contact one of us afterwards?" Mirajane asked in a civil manner, avoiding to say something offensive to a girl who had a dark past.

Lucy bowed her head and exhaled deeply before starting to explain her side, "I'm sorry, Mira, girls. I wanted to. It's just that...I was so shattered after that night. I don't know whom to trust and talk to anymore. My own father forcibly kicked me out of our house, abandoned me."

"You should have asked help from one of us. We would help you, especially we know it was you whose been stepped on." Juvia said, forcing a smile on the girl she used to see as her 'love rival'. "But, what can we do? It already happened, and nothing can ever change that. Even so, for me, the most important thing is you managed to rise up once again despite what happened to you. " Finally, their orders were finally served on the table. They took each of their ordered foods and beverages. Then, continued talking. "What happened to you? I mean, tell us more of why you actually left?" Mirajane asked once again.

Lucy stuttered at her first sentences, unsure of how to properly start telling and explaining everything further from the beginning up to the present. "Natsu and I...slept with each other weeks before the school dance of Fairy Tail, I'm sure you all know about it already. I stupidly trusted him that night..." She faked a laugh in a joking way. "I gave myself to him, and I didn't even know...he was recording what we're doing that time. And, the prom night, I finally confirmed that he didn't loved me at all...that it was all because of some- fucking bet!" The girls looked at her with sympathy. "And...and...the reason why father actually kicked me out of our house is because...Natsu...got me pregnant." She revealed. The girls, except Erza, gasped with their jaws almost dropping on the floor.

"What-?!" Levy gasped.

"D-does he know already?" Juvia quickly asked.

"N-no...not yet." Lucy answered.

"Y-you have to tell him!" Mirajane said.

"What?" Lucy protested. "N-no, I won't!"

"Why not? Don't be selfish, Luce. It's his child, too." Mirajane retorted, in a polite manner though. "What about your child? I'm sure he or she has been longing for a father all these years."

"You don't understand." Lucy rested her forehead on her palms with her elbows on the table. "I don't mean to be selfish. I know my child has been longing for a father. I-i know someday, whether if it is two decades later, Natsu will find out. After all, no secrets could be hidden forever. It's just that- I'm not yet ready." She started to become teary-eyed.

"It's okay, Lucy. Go on." Erza comforted her by patting her back.

"I want Nashi to have a father, of course. But how can I explain to her that the man who gave her life was also the one who almost destroyed my whole life?" She continued. "Maybe, I'll tell, Natsu. But, not now! I'm not yet ready to see my daughter be in good terms with that horrible monster." Then, images of the Natsu she saw after seven years flashed back into her mind. How he glare at her intimidatingly. How he keeps messing up with her. And, how he forced her to give up herself to him once again.

"I'm sorry, Lucy. Y-you'r right." Mirajane apologized, then patted her back as well. "I mean...it would't also be good for Natsu and Lisanna if they found out about- Nashi? So, Nashi is your daughter?" Lucy nodded. "Especially, Lisanna...she wouldn't like to discover Natsu's child out of the knot."

Lucy was suddenly stopped, wondering. "Wait...is Lisanna...dating Natsu?" She asked, recalling the girl who is actually the reason why she was publicly humiliated and degraded.

"D-don't you know?" Juvia asked.

"I haven't told her, I'm sorry. I also just knew these past few days." Erza said, shaking her head slightly.

"What? I don't know what?" Lucy wondered.

"Umm...that Natsu is married to my sister Lisanna already, like two years ago?" Mirajane revealed. Lucy suddenly felt her heart consistently skipping a beat every time Mirajane's words kept echoing inside her.

Natsu is married...

Natsu is married...

Natsu is married...

It's not that she is dismayed because she can no longer continue her disastrous love story with him! It's just terribly wrong, what she got herself into. She allowed something to happen between her and Natsu twice. She did it in exchange of repaying his father's debt and money for paying hospital bills as well, that keeps raising and raising higher as his father remains asleep in the ICU. She allowed Natsu to dominate her in that way, without even knowing he is already married with another woman. Doesn't it make her a mistress already?

No, she can't.

She never dreamt and intended to have her dignity as a woman lower than dirt. She almost did, when she gave up herself to him. But what's worse than sleeping with a man who's already married?

"Luce, you okay? You seemed...surprised." Mirajane says. Lucy's expression remained shocked , but she didn't want them to doubt or wonder why she had that kind of reaction. "Y-yeah! I-i'm fine." She faked a smile.

"Are you sure? You're not hurt to know Natsu is married already? What's with the shocked reaction?" Juvia asked, in a joking manner though.

"No!" Lucy laughed sarcastically. Then, started to stutter for a bit, and denied what she really felt about some things about Natsu being married. "Why should I be?! I mean- do I even give an effin' shit about him, until now? I got over the show he and Lisanna pulled on me years ago. And, if he ain't my daughter's father, I would no longer look back at him."

"Yeah...he's not worthy for you, anyway." Mirajane just shrugged. "You deserve someone who'll truly love you, respect you and take care if you." Then, added, "Not just because of a bet started by a group of morons! I swear, if I find out who thought of that bet or whoever Natsu is with that bet, I will cut off their balls and feed them to dogs!", creating a good vibes in the atmosphere.

"Yeah, they made your senior year a tota nightmare, Luce. If I were you, I would have hunted each of them, and I'd save the best for the last, for Natsu." Juvia added.

"Come on, girls. Let karma do the revenge. Don't commit something terrible as Natsu and those stupid boys." Erza says. "But I was just wondering, whose group of friends of Natsu thought of that bet?"

"I was also wondering. Anyone else think it was Gray and the other boys who thought of it?" Levy agreed.

"N-no! Gray-sama won't do such childish thing!" Juvia defended her beloved 'boyfriend'.

"Until now, you still like him?" Lucy giggled softly.

"FYI...Juvia is already dating him!" Juvia announced to her, with imaginary hearts around her. "Oh- that's amazing! Congratulations, s-since when? I'm glad you finally succeeded in capturing his heart after wooing him since high school." Lucy gasped in surprise. "We just dated officially about eight months ago. I'm sorry for treating you as my love rival back then." Juvia said.

While the girls had a blast chatting and catching up with Lucy, Nashi approached their table with the doll she got from Natsu, running, with Jellal who's chasing her. "Mommy!"

"Oh, Nashi!" Lucy quickly embraced her.

"Here's our little bundle of joy." Mirajane said, while watching the two embracing each other. "Such a sweet and wonderful daughter you have, Luce."

"Thanks." Lucy responded.

Erza turned to Jellal. "Did you bought everything I told you to?" She asked with a bit of her scary glare. Jellal gulped a little, "Yeah, everything on the list, honey." His girlfriend happened to be a terrifying type of woman.

"That's good." Erza smiled. "How was with Nashi? How does it feel to take a kid on a grocery?" She asked.

Jellal and Nashi started to exchange looks. Nashi sticked her tongue out at Jellal. "Bleh! Gay!" Then, rolled her eyes at him. "Whoa! What seems to be the problem? Nashi, don't be like that to Jellal." Lucy shushed her by covering her blabber mouth, feeling a bit embarrassed from Erza and Jellal. "Uncle Jellal is accusing me of stealing this doll from the grocery store." Nashi cried.

"You did?" Lucy turned to the blue-haired guy, giving him a guilty-feeling look.

"N-no, it's not like that!" Jellal started to explain. "Nashi, here, is telling me that the owner of the mall gave her that doll. I just wanna make sure if she was telling the truth or not. Because what if she is just saying that the owner of the mall gave it to her?"

Levy guessed "Was it Zeref? Mavis is here, so maybe Zeref also came here to see her, and just happened to crossed paths with Nashi."

Lucy made Nashi sit on her lap. "I know Nashi. She won't make up stories. And, how come you didn't see Nashi when she found that toy?" Lucy wondered. Jellal gulped and met Erza's scary glare. "Yeah, I didn't see her because-"

"Because he allowed me to go on all by myself to the toy section. And, because he is a lame adult who doesn't like kids." Nashi blurted. "And, when I arrived at the section where he told me to meet him, he is busy talking to this girl, Ultear-"

"Nashi!" Jellal widened his eyes on the little girl, ordering her to shut his mouth. Erza was suddenly stopped at the moment as she heard her boyfriend's ex-girlfriend's name once again. The girls also looked at her, waiting on how will she react based from what the little girl saw. "Jellal...you may go wherever the boys are. Have fun" Erza forced a smile. "But be prepared to talk late when we get home."

"Busted." Mirajane muttered, and just went back in drinking her cappuccino.

After accompanying their other Mavis Vermillion at the bridal shop, they took Nashi at the kids' arcade. Lucy just stood behind Nashi and Mavis who are obviously having a blast playing an arcade machine. Then, again, she was smiling alone just by seeing Nashi happy over small things.

Levy stepped forward to stand beside her. She watched Nashi and Mavis as well. Juvia and Mirajane accompanied Erza at the washroom for a moment to comfort her. Well, after finding out Jellal has been communicating with his ex-girlfriend once again. "You had a wonderful child, Lu-chan." She said.

"Yeah, I know." Lucy agreed.

"You think Natsu would be delightful to see her?" Levy suddenly asked out of the blue. Lucy looked at Levy, wondering why she brought Natsu up again as the topic. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-" She quickly apologized.

"No, it's okay." Lucy sighed.

Levy reasoned out, "I'm just really curious- of what Natsu's reaction might be if he finds out he had a daughter with you."

"Well, in case he finds out, and feels happy to have Nashi despite being married, I'm happy as well. As long as he won't ever plan on taking Nashi away from me. I swear, I could start a world war if he does that."

"I don't think he'll do that." Levy said. "We know Natsu. He may be the worst boyfriend, but he is a very nice and kind guy."

"How'd you know? Natsu changed. You never know what might be running on his head." Lucy scoffs. Levy looked at her with wonder. "Why? How can tell that? Have you seen Natsu already? Did he changed?"

Lucy suddenly felt nervous. "N-no! Not yet! What I mean to say is that what if he changed after many years, and we cannot exactly tell what could he do."

"Yeah...but...I hope Natsu didn't really change that much based from what Gajeel and the boys say." Levy sighed. Lucy, once again, turned to her. "Why?" She asks.

"Actually, Lu-chan...Natsu haven't spoke at us, even the boys for years already. Well, there are times one of them crosses paths with Natsu, but they don't tall for long. Natsu became- aloof? The last time we've been with Natsu, as in wherein we chat, eat and hang out, was like seven years ago. Most probably the day before the school dance. After that night, we hardly knew Natsu already." Levy explained.

"W-why? Why would he be aloof? I thought he loves all of his friends, like what he always say?" Lucy asked once again.

"Well, ever since that night, he completely changed..." Levy answered, some dark images from the past started flashing back in her mind...

"Levy! Levy! Please, help me! Ughhhhhhhhhh!" Natsu's scream echoed inside her mind.

"Night?" Lucy wondered if she was referring to the school dance night when she officially broke up with Natsu.

"Umm, some unforgettable night for Natsu. I-i'll tell you soon." Levy answered in a stuttering voice, and turned away from her. "But, all I can say Lucy is...Natsu did love you- before though."

Lucy scoffed at her once again, but she did it in a joking way. "Really? What makes you believe all of his sugary words before? Remember, it was just a bet."

"Yeah, it was. But, believe it or not, Natsu loved you. I witnessed and proved it. You were the one who taught him how to love. It just happened that...Lisanna came back into his life, and everything fell apart in one blink of an eye."

"If he did love me, he would have done everything he could just to reach out to me. But he didn't! The last time I saw him was the night I broke up with him." Lucy cried.

"He did, Lucy." Levy said.

Oooooooooooooooooooooo

A/N: Helloooo! Thanks for those reviews from the last chappie :) I got motivated to write an update because of it. But, this is one crappy chapter again T_T. Forgive me for the bad writing and narration, I am not feeling well when I was writing this chapter. If you spot some spelling errors, sorry :( My phone keypad is trying to mess up with me again. But when I get better or have enough time, I'll edit all the grammar and spelling errors in my story.

Now that we're on chapter nine, I'm gonna start putting up clues for the twists in the future chapters :D What was the night Levy was talking about? And how did she say that Natsu did love Lucy? Keep in touch with the story to find out :))

Please review and let me know what you think *hugs and kisses*