Chapter 11

Notes: I'm back! This one is all taking place at Lucy's place. I'm working on getting you where I want to go. It takes time. Which seems to be at a premium lately but eh what can a girl do? I do have other story ideas poking through my head...when I will have a chance to write them? I don't know. Hopefully when I can see the light at the end of this tunnel such a thing will happen. I haven't even managed to post a profile yet. Want to do that soon. Oh well he're's the latest installment. I couldn't think of a better chapter title. Sorry. Maybe I'll change it later.

Sunday 11:45am

Lucy comes down yawning. Having stayed up half the night cleaning her guns and talking with the girls she was running on fumes. Thankfully her coffee maker runs just fine and with it being her technical day off she can lounge around a bit. She had a lifesaving cup of brew in her gun handled mug. She opens her front balcony doors and walks out and yawns gently. The faint but cool breeze on the wind telling her that the sweltering heat of summer was breaking under the gentle but insistent push of fall. She wears her hair in a braid pulled over one shoulder. Since she'd stopped bounty hunting she'd allowed her hair to grow longer and was only slightly shorter than Bisca's at below her shoulder blades. Absently she tugged her braid in thought as she looks out over the town lost in thought.

She's startled out of it by the sound of a bike echoing off the street. She looks down watching a blood red bike painted with a black silhouette of a dragon painted on it. While not a bike girl she could certainly see the appeal of it from both a mechanical and aesthetic point of views. Leaning over the rail in she watches it in open admiration which turns to surprise as it pulls up in front of her shop. She eyes the aura and blinks in surprise. He wasn't supposed to be here until two o'clock...why Is he here early!? Pulling off his helmet he grins up at her a bit sheepishly. "I know I'm early but I stopped to get lunch as an apology. I couldn't take my roommate so I came over early...I brought Chinese?" He holds up a large to-go bag from one of her favorite little shops. "YOU KNOW OF THAT PLACE TOO!?" she gasps out the first thing that comes to mind. Ugh yeah. Real smooth...

"WHO DOESN"T!?" he responds with genuine excitement.

"Wait...did Levy tell you?"

"No. I just like to eat...and because of that I've eaten at every restaurant in this town. Unfortunately they know me really well too...made it to several walls of fame...been banned from a few..." She laughs. "I'm coming downstairs I can smell that from here!" she runs back inside and pads down the stairs. Opening up the garage door she peeks out. Natsu ducks under the door and blinks down at her. "Flaming wheels...Cute." Lucy blinks and looks down at herself. Mens boxers (With the flaming wheels) and tank top ( it had ironically the Monty Python Bunny on it holding a leg in it's mouth OH and did I mention that I also sleep in no bra? Yeah...classy) and flip flop wearing self. She sighs. So much for being cute...oh well. What the hell anyway?

"Oops. Sorry. I was about to get dressed...uh...if you don't mind waiting in my kitchen for a bit I'll come back out more decent..." To her amusement he simply chuckles. "Whatever makes you comfortable. I'm here on your off day anyway." Lucy eyes his colors out of the corner of her eyes curiously as she closes the gate behind him. He actually doesn't seem too bothered. She shrugs. "Is that coffee I smell?" Lucy blinks. Her coffee had been in the pot for over 45 mins...it's smell certainly isn't that strong and would not be reaching down here to any intensity. "I...did have some made a while ago...w-would you like a cup?" He grins and nods eagerly. She shakes her head. She goes to offer to help with his bag and he easily steps aside motioning her to lead the way. It was so smoothly done that if she hadn't seen the tell tail flash in his aura she would've missed his firm refusal of the idea of her carrying it. Part of her wants to be offended...the other is kind of giggling happily. Just because she COULD doesn't mean she didn't like it when a man offered and did carry heavy things...

Gods I'm weird... She leads him upstairs within a very closed in stair way. The one Levy disappeared into yesterday, if Natsu remembers clearly. He notices that below them in the stairway is another door. "Closet?" he asks absently. Lucy looks down. "No...that's the basement apartment." Natsu blinks. "Huh?" Lucy shrugs. "You never know when you might need it." Storing that information away for later he decides not to comment on it. She leads him out into a very nice and modern styled apartment, all sleek lines, blacks, grays and blues. Very...boring. Very...cold. Nothing like her. Rather like she was intentionally keeping herself out of the design. Or she works so much she doesn't have time to decorate. The kitchen showed more use and a bit more of her personality with the strangely cute motif of baby chicks done on the curtains and dish rags. The grenade salt and pepper shakers and the gun handled coffee mug make him chortle a bit. She pulls out another mug this one with a handle that had a set of brass knuckles as the handle to pour his cup of coffee in to. He blinks at that mug. "I have to get one." She grins. "Freed gave me hell about buying both of these but I love them. Make yourself at home, I'll be right back..." She hurries off to a closed door down a small hall. "OH the cream is in the fridge in the small pitcher and the sugar is on the table in the little engine." He hears the door click shut and frowns down at the little ceramic engine. "So...*that's* what's in this thing..."

In her room Lucy looks down at herself deep in thought the nagging thought now being. "Why the hell did I just let a strange man into my apartment while in my sleep clothes!? Oh god I'm just asking to end up on the back of a milk carton...but Levy trusts him and I see no malicious intent in him. So I should be OK right? Besides, if I act and talk like one of the guys I'll be regulated to that area. MAYBE that's why I let him in so easily? He's already just like another one of the guys like Freed or Bickslow." Confident that that is the way of the world she feels more secure in herself and her pulls out a t-shirt and some yoga pants to wear...and real underwear. Not that push up lacy bullshit. Sports bra. Because there is no point in trying to look cute for just another one of the boys right?


1:45pm

Freed pulls up to the shop to chaperone grumbling the whole way. He slams on breaks when he sees a bike already parked outside the shop. Parking quickly he runs to the machine and places his hand over the engine. Cold.

He's been here already? For a good minute too. I thought he wasn't supposed to be here until 2...Frowning he looks into the front window. No one. Appointments are always held down in the showcase area for neutrality sake...

"No..." Freed suddenly gets a cold chill. She wouldn't be stupid enough to allow him into her apartment would she!? Freed hurriedly lets himself into the back door and tears up the stairs. "LUCY~!? LUCY~!?" Bursting through the door into her living room as he looks around frantically. Lucy is looking up from the floor over the back of her sectional. "FREED? What is it!?" there are papers all over the coffee table and her laptop is hooked into her flat screen giving her a large monitor to work with. He takes a deep breath. "OH...thank goodness are you..what ARE you wearing?" Lucy blinks. "Yoga Pants and t-shirt why?"

Freed looks disappointingly at the shirt. It was one of Laxus' old sponsor shirts and was stretched out and never stayed up on her shoulder, clearly showing one black sports bra strap. With her hair up in a messy ponytail she was comfortable. But Freed was not so happy with the outfit. Lucy is a very attractive girl and though she might be dressed as 'bummy' the outfit would be very alluring to the right crowd... Maybe if she didn't let him in and he isn't here I have enough time to get her to change... Natsu's head pops up from the floor area as well. Dammit to hell...she did and he is

"Your appointment was at two." Freed intones coldly.

"Yeah, well something kinda came up and I brought lunch as an apology. I meowed at the front door to be let in early." Natsu smirks responding to the unspoken challenge with one of his own. If she didn't want me here I wouldn't have been let up. The older man glares. Lucy looks between the two and sighs. Men and their pissing contests...

"Natsu, This is Freed Justine. He works as my accountant and Nurse maid."

"Funny." Freed glares

"I thought so."

Lucy stands up. "Well I'm going to get something to drink, want anything?" Natsu looks at her and smiles. Freed's frown goes ever lower. "Maybe a pop or something?" The Captain answers. Lucy hops over the cord connecting her computer to the TV and running towards the kitchen she frowns at Freed giving him "the eye" to follow her into the kitchen. Natsu smirks so he does plan to stop me. Funny. I wonder who will win this battle?

"Freed! I don't want you to start! Nothing happened. He's just like one of the guys. He's nice and very polite, look! He brought lunch for us too!" Freed looks over. "Oh...this bastards good. Even brought her favorite place's Chinese...AND the Pork Buns. It's like he's doing this to gain her regard... Bastard.

Lucy sighs. "NO he didn't get help we just happen to like the same things..."

"I don't like him. He's up to something."

Turning from the fridge she frowns at him. "Alright. You have to make a decision Freed. Either you want me to make more friends and POSSIBLY in the future have a romantic relationship with some mythical man that can actually put up with my quirks. OR You want me to have to spend my entire life parading every friend past you for your approval and with your over protective tendencies, me ending up more alone than before. Which is it? I will warn you there is a wrong answer." Freed frowns. Of all the time for Lucy to get stubborn. "Lucy look he is apart of a dangerous bike gang."

"Head of it, actually. Continue. Is Earl Grey alright with you? I feel like tea."

"That sounds lovely. It's a gang well-known for the violence of their brawls."

"They never have killed."

"But the victims are usually so terrified that they never even think to raise their hands to them again."

"That just means their good at what they do."

"Or violent and dangerous and might I add probably twisted as hell."

"Sounds like my kind of people." she laughs.

The sound of a tea kettle beginning to whistle merrily is heard followed by a firm thump the counter by Freed. "I am not playing Lucy."

"Neither am I. I do not sense such horrible things about him." Water is poured into a tea pot.

He shakes his head. "You are naïve." This time the kettle is nearly slammed down on the stove top. Lucy's anger rising. "This is about you isn't it? Like your tattoo the one you refuse to tell me anything about?" She looks at him. "You know how many times I've looked that symbol up on the net? Hundreds. And Though it's everywhere in this town I cannot find anything about it on the net. Neither can Levy, now why would that be? Tell me, Freed and maybe, just maybe I'll believe you! I have also noticed that Natsu shares the same symbol." she hisses softly.

Freed leans back in surprise as he actually can *feel* the push of Lucy's anger against his 'bubble.' It had been quite a while since he felt that and it was just as disconcerting now as it was the first time before she learned to control it. steeling himself he willed himself to calm down. If she continued to absorb his irritation and anger...well bad things would happen. The woman before him didn't just absorb vibrations. She sometimes, when feeling threatened, could absorb the emotions being thrown at her and ball them up, amplify them and would either end up going off her self which was very bad. Or, a possibly worst case scenario was that she took the denser more concentrated version of your own vibrations and throws them back at you in a very nasty attack. He'd only seen the results once and the man was still in counseling even after being let out of the hospital. It wasn't until that moment that he had realized why Lucy called them 'vibrations' rather than 'emotions.' If she only felt emotions she would've simply been a empath. But she had with that victim also felt that he was sick and when she amplified and shoved his vibrations back at him had made him deathly ill as well as in the emotional state that made him virtually useless. Though this is largely a subconscious thing it makes it unpredictable and highly volatile. It's yet another reason Freed kept her circle of friends very small, only those sensitive to auras where typically allowed in and even then they had to be aware of their own just in case such a thing begins to happen. It's really for everyone's safety and Lucy's mental health. She was getting better at controlling the feel of when she was doing it but since she, for obvious reasons, does not practice the skill, she is only learning controls by bits and pieces. Taking a deep breath, allowing the Bergamont to soothe his senses, he calms his anger and pushes it back, and back again behind his usual stoic shield. "Lucy.." he starts off softly. "Easy...look I'm just trying to look out for you. I don't want you hurt. Just...humor me...and let me stay today?" he allows his concern to rise to the top and carefully keeping her stubbornness from twisting it into anger. Tentatively he reaches out his hand to her arm. "Ne~e? Hoshi-chan?" he pulls out the little nickname he and Laxus had given to her as a small child. Instantly the push eased up and dissipated leaving her looking only slightly frayed around the edges but nothing that she herself couldn't heal quickly. She sighs gently. "Alright...just please, try not to be an ass. He really does seem like a nice guy and I think given some time you two would get along." The older man just looks skeptical.

Outside from his seat on the floor Natsu chuckles. Despite their soft voices he still could clearly hear them and looked down at his list. He'd had Grey's help to ask for some pretty obscure parts...many 'off market' and possibly a few black market ones. He made sure he'd be here a while to hash things out. If Freed was going to stay he'd just have to deal with him being here. He had a goal and though she didn't see him romantically, yet, she did see him as possibly "one of the guys." And that was a long way from simply the customer he was yesterday...

Looking up from his papers as Lucy comes back in he fights a frown at the faint strain he sees around her edges. "Sorry for the wait I suddenly wanted tea." She hands him his cold drink, their fingers brushing ever so slightly. And if he didn't know Lucy so well he would've missed the way her eyes immediately calmed and seemed to smooth out a bit. "Freed has a good bit of experience with locating hard to find parts. He might be able to help us." She says smiling now genuinely almost as if the little altercation never happened.

"Sure. It would be great if you could help." he smiles offering his hand. Freed takes it as it would be rude not to..."I look forward to seeing your finished product." Natsu hands him a large schematic. "I had a friend help me with the technical drawing. But all the specs are my work. It took some time to make sure that everything would not only work well together but look good." Freed is reluctantly impressed. "How would you know this?" The pink haired man shrugs. "I've worked on bikes for some time now."

Lucy looks over. "That's right when we first met you mentioned working on bikes." He nods. "Yeah I'll just need a place to assemble this guy when I get all the parts." Lucy thinks. "Well I usually only use one of my garage's at a time maybe we can work out an arrangement?" Freed looks as if he's going to argue but for some reason backs down. "I would request that If this occurs I am here." Natsu slides his eyes towards his elder gauging his mood. Huh, still going to try and make sure your a shield between us eh? Too bad I'm not going to give up that easily. Freed, perhaps reading something of that there glares back. Back off whelp. You are not worthy. Lucy looks up from her laptop and glares at both of them. "You two, play nice. Do I need to bring squeaker toys out for you to play with?"

"Can mine be a duck? I like ducks that squeak." The biker's response was quick catching both of the other occupants off guard. Freed isn't sure how to take it but Lucy can't fight the laugh that bubbles to the surface. A real one. The green haired man looks at her then to Natsu with dubious and reluctant respect. He glances down at Natsu's tattoo and lifts a brow. Natsu notices his look and pointedly looks at his left hand. Freed immediately attempts to hide it and glares at him. Natsu looks up at him in surprise before squinting at him speculatively a look that clearly said: "We need to talk."

Freed couldn't agree more.

Sunday 7:59pm

It wasn't until Natsu was leaving, after Freed was duped into cooking a dinner for them, that a private moment was obtained by the two men. Freed just 'happened' to be leaving too so he decided he would 'escort' Natsu out. Watching the head in front of him on the stairs Natsu grins slightly to himself. He had gently ribbed the man most of the time and was certain his next comment would get a reaction. "So, do you think Lucy will ever rent out the basement apartment? Been thinking about moving to a new place." He watches in faint amusement as Freed tenses. Natsu isn't sure that he'd be able to get any tighter...he's sure the man will have a knot in between his shoulder blades tonight. They continue in silence until outside. That was when Freed rounded on Natsu, anger clear in his face and fist. Thankfully Natsu had expected something similar and sidesteps. Unfortunately Freed was much more skilled than Natsu expected because it was quickly followed up with a deadly roundhouse that hurts more than it should followed by a hand forcing him back against the shop wall. Natsu was no slouch in a fight often able to hold his own against Erza. But this caught him by surprise and this man knew how to use such things to his advantage, very well. He was stronger than he looked and had experience behind his eyes. He fought like a...damn. Shouldn't have poked him that hard... Glaring at him. Levy didn't mention...heh. Didn't need to know, huh? Good one Midget... Natsu looks up at him and laughs. "Does she know?" The question causing his attacker to Freeze. "You shouldn't be here."

"Not what I asked. Does she know?" Natsu grabs the hand holding his shoulder hostage against the wall to reveal the green tattoo on his hand. The immediate response of letting him go was answered with a nasty scowl. "She doesn't need to know."

"As I just found out what I don't know can hurt me."

"I don't like you. Your too impetuous and aggressive. She does not need someone like YOU in her life." Natsu just shrugs. "Yet it's perfectly alright for her to have a N-gage sleeper cell member as a co-worker and one as a best friend's husband across the lane? ALL without her knowledge? Makes me wonder if that whole thing wasn't just a ploy to try to flush you guys out." Freed freezes. He hadn't thought of that. Nor, to be honest, had Natsu until he had just said it...and now that he had...

"Oh shit..."

"Oh piss."

That meant that they where watching and now thought that Lucy and Levy where the sleeper unit. Damn Natsu looks up at Freed who suddenly looked like he was having a moral break down. "You've been here for years...damn. I wasn't trying to put her into MORE danger." Freed glares. "What DO you need from her?" Natsu smiles and decides to keep some of his more...questionable needs regarding Lucy to himself. The man was already a bit high-strung and though he now knew that he could probably take him in a one on one didn't really feel like getting into a fairly bloody battle right below the girl's window he was currently attempting to woo. Though it rankled him and went against most of his instincts...he backed away from temptation. "She's a top drifter right?" Freed actually blinks in surprise not expecting such a thing but quickly straightens and lifts his nose in pride. "The second only to her brother. Right now there is no one better in Magnolia"

"I need those skills. At least once to make a good showing for Fairy Tail at the first race at the end of the month. Especially now with this idiots trying to start fights. We need all the info and shows of strength as possible." Freed looks a bit irritated though not at all agreeing with Natsu's presence he could not argue with the need. "I don't want her to do it."

"Think she could train someone to be decent or better in three weeks?"

"Hell no. We'd have to make sure their car could handle the stress and if they even knew how to handle that kind of outfitted car. Lucy's already got her's made and the skills...*sigh* so she would be the best choice..." Freed slumps in slight defeat. "It is dangerous..." Natsu looks off. "It's dangerous here now, if you want to be technical." he nods to the dark car that's been sitting in an alley across the street. "it's why that unmarked* has sat there at least since you arrived."

damn...I hadn't even noticed. I'm getting lazy, Laxus would never forgive me... Natsu smirks "And I plan on coming around even more until I feel I can ask her for her help. I can also act as a sort of deterrant. Grey, Gajeel and I are well known in the circles...most don't want to mess with us on principle. Think of us as the front men and you are there only if shit really goes down the crapper."

"I don't like this. Lucy will attempt to kill us if she finds out about protecting her without telling her."

Natsu shrugs. "We'll deal with that when we get there. For the moment, though, I simply want her to trust me." I want to be a fixture in her life. Like you...only much more than 'one of the boys' or a 'brother.'

The older man looks hard at Natsu. "Laxus used to mention a boy named Natsu a lot. He was hot-headed, loud, abrasive, and oblivious. Always looking for a fight... You seem to be none of those. But it is certainly you."

"People grow up and learn. I'm still all of those but not at the same time anymore. And usually only when I need to be." he shrugs.

Heat was his weapon and it permeated his entire personality often having lead to fights, physical, usually, and childish like displays of temper and violence. It just felt like a well within him would bubble up at a moments notice and over run him and what he was thinking, knocking it all out-of-the-way in favor of anger and fighting. It's not that he was 'stupid' he just had a very hard time paying attention as similar to fire and heat he wanted to be active and be hands on. The martial arts their master forced him into had helped a bit...he became a slightly quieter volcano. But it was still very easy to get him to blow his top. It wasn't until his first year of college did he finally understand that all of that was just a manifestation of his power and that to truly control it he had to hone it and his mind into better weapons as well as his body. Particularly hot fires used in weapon forges burn out impurities and create a stronger product. So Natsu figured why not he do that with himself? Focus that searing heat inwards for a while? For 4 years, all through college, he proceeded to 'forge' himself, he kept a schedule of Mixed Martial Arts and serious meditation. Finally, he had his tendencies better handled. But that didn't mean he was any less hot-headed, he just hid it better. Focused it. Used it.

Freed looked at him a little more closely. "Yes..you are different, now. Fine. I won't...stop you from visiting, but I will not stop being around when you do." Natsu shrugs again as he walks off towards his bike. His side was smarting, he'd have a bruise tomorrow...of that he was sure. He stops right before stepping off the curb he looks back at him. "You know, the best protection would be to simply have her join Fairy Tail." Freed who has opened his car door stops and stares at him, "No it would only cause more trouble that way, especially without her brother here. If he was here...maybe. She is dangerous to us without her even knowing so. I'm here for her, as per master wishes. I keep watch over her to prevent, issues."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Pray that you never find out, Captain," and with that the car door is shut behind him and the white Volvo drives off leaving Natsu deep in thought.