Lucy stepped away from the two flame heads; if they were to have their bodies identified no one would be able to. Both of them were huddling by a tree, protecting the one area Lucy didn't abuse. To say they were terrified was an understatement.

The blonde sighed and walked up to the two of them. They flinched when she drew nearer to them. "Should we call it a day and go to bed?" The Queen asked. Both men straightened up and released each other. "Yes, we should. You still remember where you sleep, Lucy?" Igneel cocked and eyebrow. Lucy huffed. "How could I forget?! You hurled me at it on my first day of training!" Lucy screamed. Natsu looked between the two of them, he was confused. "Lucy, it was just for training purposes. Anyway, Natsu you share with Lucy. I'll be in the cot if you need me." Igneel turned on his heel and stocked to his cot. "Come on, Natsu. It's a ten minute walk." Lucy stalked away from him and to the heart of the fire island.

Lucy stopped in front of a volcano. Natsu stopped in front of Lucy, his eyes wide, mouth touching the ground. Lucy looked back and chuckled. "Welcome home, Natsu. Make yourself comfortable." Lucy said as she climbed towards the heart of the volcano. Natsu was still in shock at the base of the volcano. "You live here?!" He heard a chuckle. "Yes, Natsu, I do. Now you do as well. As long as you train here with Igneel this volcano will be your home. Once the day ends you come here and climb to the pinnacle of the volcano. C'mon I'll show you." Lucy beamed a smile as she was close to the top. Natsu climbed his way to her.

Natsu P.O.V.

Natsu and Lucy stood on the edge of the volcano, their eyes were locked on the sunset. Well, Lucy's eyes were on the sunset. Natsu's were locked on Lucy.

Her head glowed in the fading light. Her eyes and skin appeared golden. Natsu wanted to hide her away from everything and everyone. He wanted to but knew he couldn't. Despite how much he loved her, he knew listening to his Dragon instincts was the wrong thing to do. They needed her for this oncoming war.

Anyway as the sunset so did his feelings. He didn't know how she felt for him, he couldn't risk losing her. So for now he'd bury his feelings until this war was won. "Natsu?" Her sweet honey suckle voice said. His gaze immediately averted. "Yeah, Luce?" His voice was thick with what he wanted to say. "Isn't this sunset beautiful?" You're beauty is far greater, Lucy. "Yeah, it's beautiful. C'mon let's go to sleep." With that Natsu lowered himself to the ground and fell asleep before he could potentially lose his best friend.

Lucy's P.O.V

Lucy looked down at Natsu, a blush staining her cheeks bright ruby. She hadn't missed the look he had given her. Her heart felt like it could burst. It was no secret she loved him, everyone knew that tidbit of information. But not everyone knew how the pink haired man felt about her.

She had decided if she had somehow lived through the war she would confess her feelings. She doubted she'd survive though. Zeref possessed one spell that would end both of them. It was Sensory Link magic. He could choose to end himself which would in turn end her. She knew he knew this magic. He had created it after all. Shaking the thought from her head Lucy followed in Natsu's footsteps. She curled her body into a ball and fell asleep. Her back to Natsu's front.

Igneel's P.O.V

Igneel switched to his human form, creeping stealthily up the volcano. He had plans, plans that worked best when woken in the morning.

He finally touched down on the rim of the volcano. The sight before him gave him pause. His son had his arms wrapped around Lucy's waist. Her arms lay on top of his. Natsu was holding Lucy so tight he was surprised her bones weren't broken.

Alas the Dragon had to wake the unofficial couple up. He did have to train his son. As well as make sure his queen had kept her skill levels up.

Deciding not to wait any longer Igneel picked up both sleepy heads and chucked them into the volcano. He watched as Lucy burst into the sky dripping lava. While Natsu was trying to jump out of the sticky goo. "Really Igneel?!" Lucy yelled from the sky. The man smiled at her. "Training, princess!" Lucy sighed and lowered herself to the ground. Natsu finally burst up from the volcano once the word training left Igneel's mouth. The man chuckled at his eager son. Though the first he was going to teach him was how to use the lava as a healing magic. A magic Lucy herself had mastered an hour after completing her first fire dragons roar.

Natsu's P.O.V

Natsu stood in front of the volcano, he was still dripping lava from his unexpected dip. Igneel was in front of him, Luce standing far enough away from Igneel to ensure she wouldn't go swimming again. "Natsu! Focus!" Igneel roared. Natsu snapped back to attention. Lucy chuckled. A sound Natsu found utterly adorable. He shook his head again and faced his father. Igneel sighed and continued with his lesson plan. "Today you're going to use lava from the volcano to heal yourself. This spell requires focus, if- at any time - you lose focus while casting the lava will turn toxic and kill you. So don't try eating it, lava technically isn't an element of fire. As of now you will begin lava training, princess, if you will." Lucy sighed and nodded her head. She stepped forward, flashing in front of Natsu, and punched straight through his body.

Natsu gaped at his partner. Her brown eyes were hard and cold as steel. His own onyx eyes traced to her arm sticking out of the right side of his body. Blood creeped up the back of his throat and out of his mouth. He coughed up a large amount onto Lucy.

She pulled her fist out of him and gave him a shove into the volcano. Natsu felt his body splash into the warm lava. His vision darkened l. The last thing he saw was Lucy with her bloody arm looking down at him with cold eyes. Why, Luce, why?

Lucy P.O.V

Lucy watched as Natsu's body sank into the lava. Much like hers did when she began training. Now it was up to the lava to accept him.

A strong hand -much like the one who's blood covered her body- held her shoulder. She turned around and lay her head against her surrogate fathers chest. "It will be okay, princess." His voice mumbled against her head. "He's going to hate me for doing that to him." Igneel wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "No, princess, it's impossible for him to hate you. Besides, it had to be done. Nothing fuels a person better than the damage inflicted on them by another trusted individual. I did it for you, you had to do it for him. Did you really have to pierce his body like that?" Lucy lifted her head. "That's rich coming from you. I didn't go all the way through him. Just halfway, unlike you, who pierced both parts of my body. Anyway, I need a bath. Let me know when he pops back up." Igneel grunted his answer.

Just as Lucy was about to walk away a fist met her cheek. I'm tired of being a punching bag. Mainly she was tired of Natsu's punches. Just because he couldn't cause real damage to her didn't mean his punches didn't hurt.

Lucy turned on the balls of her feet and kicked the stupid flame brain. An irk Mark on her forehead. "Lucy you weren't meant to knock him out again!" Igneel hollered through his laughter. The idiot was currently sprawled out on the ground. It was his fault for punching her again. Lucy sighed, spun on her heel, and stalked for the waterfall.

The hot water did wonders to soothe the blonde's aching muscles. However, relaxing didn't last long. She had to make sure her friends were doing good with their training. So far Erza and Levy had improved, as did the rest. Her only concern was Freed. He was Levy's left hand to this whole plan. His runes were still too basic and breakable. She wouldn't pay him a visit, just instruct Horologium and Old Man Crux on what he needs to learn and master.

Anyway, Lucy sunk deeper into the hot water. She hugged her knees and began to strategize on how to defeat her twin. Basic magic won't work, he'd easily deflect that. I could try a Unison Raid with Demon and God slaying, but that's difficult even for me. Maybe the Ultimate Unison Raid, that'd do the job. Only downside is how vulnerable I'll be. The Celestial King is a no option. Lucy heaved a sigh. I'll just have to wing it. Maybe I could train with all the Dragons again. She shook her head. It'd take up too much time. Again, Lucy sighed, their was no perfect strategy to defeat her brother.

Their was one way. The consequences for using that technique were too high to pay. Besides, it was a magic created by Zeref. He'd know the way to counteract the magic. No, she wouldn't use that technique.

Lucy was so deep in thought she didn't hear Natsu jump in. "Lucy! Luuuuuucccccceeeee!" His voice snapped her head up and eyes open. Lucy's face blushed a thousand shades of red. Natsu's own face was inches from hers. "Yeah, Natsu?" Her eyes trailed down his bare chest, locking onto the new scar. The scar she placed their with her own fist. She remembered how unearthly hot his blood had been as it ran down her arm. The same went for the glob that had been coughed on her chest.

Natsu's eyes followed Lucy's down to the newly caused/ healed scar. He knew what Lucy was thinking about. Natsu placed his hand underneath her chin. He lifted her head until her brown eyes met his onyx ones. "I'm sorry, Natsu." Her voice came out weak and hushed. Natsu smiled gently at her. "Igneel told me why you did it. I don't blame you, though. In fact I know you have a matching one. One my father put their. He plans to teach me the same way he taught you." Lucy smiled. Good luck. If Igneel taught his son like his queen he'd need all of the luck in the world. Luck on not dying.