Recap:

Lucy got up with Natsu. As they walked past each other, Lucy stopped and turned around. "Ne…Natsu?"

Natsu faced her. "Yeah?"

The corners of Lucy's mouth pulled into a genuine smile. "Thank you for listening."


A couple weeks have passed.

At school, the news of the events at the race grew like wildfire and even appeared on television, though Lucy's name was disclosed. Her friends didn't bring it up, and Lucy was thankful for that.

Natsu tried his best to be discreet about where he lived, but Gray was slowly catching on. The excuse that Natsu came up with was that he was busy with work, but when Gray came to see him one day, Bisca said that he hasn't been scheduled to work for a while.

During a weekend evening, Lucy stared out her bedroom window. She watched as the rain poured down from the darkened clouds.

There was a loud knock on her door.

"Luce?" questioned Natsu. "Is Happy in your room by any chance?"

Lucy got out of her bed and quickly pulled her white sweater over her dark tank top. She opened the door and was taken aback by Natsu's panicked face. "No…what's wrong?"

"Damn it!" Natsu cursed. "I can't find him anywhere!"

"Calm down," said Lucy as she stepped out. "I'm sure he's here somewhere. Maybe he's sleeping behind the toilet again."

"I've checked there. Twice."

"Where else could he go?"

"I don't know…can you help me find him?"

Lucy helped Natsu search downstairs. She checked underneath the couch, behind the television, and under the sink. When she straightened herself and sighed, she realized that there was a cool breeze in the room. In front of her, the kitchen window was opened a bit.

"Oh no…" she whispered as she looked out the window. She closed it and then went to go find Natsu.

"Did you find something?" Natsu asked as he finished checking behind the curtains.

"I don't think Happy is in the house anymore. The kitchen window was open."

"Dammit!"

Natsu ran to the front door, slipped on a jacket and a pair of sneakers, and then ran out.

"Wait!" Lucy cried. "It's pouring out there!"

Natsu didn't listen and kept going, leaving the front door open. Lucy grunted. "That idiot!" she cried before following after him. She got on her shoes and grabbed a red umbrella before running out, shutting the door behind her. "Wait up!" she called. The wind picked up, and Lucy's umbrella was forced out of her hand. In a second, she was soaked. She chased her umbrella to the edge of the canal, and was able to grab it before it landed in the water.

When she straightened herself, she considered going back home.

Natsu will probably find him, Lucy thought. She looked back and forth between her house and the area where Natsu ran off. Grunting, she went to go find her pink-haired friend.

"Where did he go?" she asked herself as she tried to see past the haze. She went forward, hoping to catch sight of him and his white scarf.

It's getting kind of cold, Lucy thought as she rounded another corner. Maybe I should go home. Natsu has probably already found Happy and is worried about me.

Lucy turned around. Wait…Where am I? Dammit, I forgot my phone! Lucy grunted and made her way underneath a solid platform where she leaned against the brick wall.

"Meow!"

Lucy shook her head. "I'm already hearing things."

"Meow!"

Lucy walked over to a dumpster where she thought she heard the sound. She waited for another meow, but none came. She went around the dumpster and jumped back.

"H-Happy?" Lucy cried.

The blue cat was cuddling with a white cat, and the two were wet and shivering. They stared at Lucy.

"Happy!" came Natsu's voice from a distance.

Lucy straightened up and called, "Natsu! I found him!"

"Lucy?"

After a few moments of searching, Natsu found Lucy and jogged up to her. His usually spiky hair now stuck to his face. "Where?" he asked. "Where's Happy?"

Lucy pointed towards the two cats.

Natsu blinked. "Oh…Is this your girlfriend?"

Happy meowed.

"Natsu," started Lucy. "They're freezing. We have to get them out of here."

"But what about the other cat?"

"Carla! Carla!" came the voice of a young girl. She spotted Natsu and Lucy and stopped.

"What is it, Wendy?" A boy around Wendy's age appeared with a white umbrella. He turned his head in the girl's direction.

"U-Um," started Lucy. "Is this your cat?" Lucy gestured towards the two cats, and Wendy's eyes lit up.

"Carla!" she exclaimed as she rushed over. "You're okay! I was so worried!"

"You two shouldn't be out here by yourselves," started Natsu. "Especially while it's raining!"

"And what's your excuse?" questioned the boy who crossed his arms.

"And what's your name?"

"Romeo."

"Romeo? As in Macao's son?"

"This is no time for talking!" said Lucy. "These cats need to get indoors!"

"She's right," said Wendy. She knelt down in front of her cat and said, "It's time to go, Carla. You can see your friend some other time."

Carla got up and climbed into Wendy's arms. The young girl stood up and turned to Natsu and Lucy. "Thank you so much for finding her," she said with a smile before walking off with Romeo.

"Come on, Happy," said Natsu. The blue cat jumped on his owner's shoulder.

"H-H-Here," Lucy said, holding the red umbrella towards Natsu.

He looked at her worriedly. "Lucy, you're cold!"

"I'll be fine. We just need to get Happy home."

Natsu handed Lucy his cat and said, "You keep the umbrella. I'll be fine. I'd give you my jacket, but it's wet."

"Natsu…"

"Come on, what are we waiting for?"

The two walked side by side as Happy pressed himself against Lucy's neck, seeking warmth. When Lucy glanced over at Natsu, she felt guilty that she was hogging the umbrella, and slowly inched closer to her companion.

"What are you doing?" he asked.

Lucy blushed. "I-I don't want you to get pelted with rain the whole entire way home! Just…get the hell over here."

Natsu smiled and stepped to the side until their shoulders were touching.

They walked home together underneath the protection of the red umbrella.

The next morning, Lucy got up early to make breakfast before her and Natsu went to school. She cooked up two omelets and then called Natsu down.

As Lucy waited at the table, she realized that something was wrong. Natsu would usually already be downstairs once he smelled food. Lucy climbed up the stairs and walked to Natsu's bedroom door. She knocked twice.

"Natsu?" she called. "You there?"

"Y-Yeah…Sorry, I'm not going to have breakfast today. I'll see you at school later."

Lucy's eyebrows knitted together. "Natsu, what's wrong? You sound funny…"

"It's nothing. I don't want you to be late, so you should probably hurry before Gildarts gets mad."

"I'm coming in."

"No, don't-"

Lucy entered the room and looked around. Clothes scattered the floor, causing Lucy to sigh. When she looked over at the bed, she saw Natsu sitting up and looking at her. He looked pale and sickly.

"You're sick?" questioned Lucy as she stepped forward.

"Stop right there!" Exclaimed Natsu as he held his hand out. "I don't want you to catch my cold!" He coughed hoarsely and then fell back on his bed. "My head is killing me," he mumbled.

"Hold on, I'll go get some warm water."

"What about school?"

Lucy looked at him from the doorway. "I'll just skip today. Don't worry about it."

"But don't you think our classmates will think something's up?"

"They'll probably think that it's a coincidence! I mean, they haven't caught us yet."

Natsu was about to object some more but was silenced when Lucy shut his door. Downstairs, Lucy fed Happy and then grabbed a bowl to fill with warm water.

"It's because he ran out like that last night," she mumbled as she turned the water off. The steam warmed her face and she grabbed a rag to put on Natsu's forehead. Lucy blushed and thought, It's like we're a couple…

Lucy looked down when she noticed Happy staring at her, and she could have sworn he looked smug.

Lucy went upstairs with the bowl in her hands and the rag draped over her shoulder. She carefully opened Natsu's door and stepped inside. She set the bowl down and dipped the rag into the warm water, rung it, and then placed it on Natsu's head.

Natsu grinned.

"What?" questioned Lucy as she tilted her head.

"This is the first time that someone has taken care of me while I was sick."

Lucy quickly turned away before Natsu could see how red she's become. "I-I'll go get you some water to drink, okay? Just rest. I'll check up on you soon." She got up and quickly went back to the kitchen.

"This is insane," thought Lucy out loud as she poured water into a jug. She brought it up with a small glass and saw that Natsu was asleep.

After school, Levy grabbed Lucy's homework and called her but she didn't answer. "I have no idea where she lives," she said to Gajeel with a pout.

"What if you follow the path that she comes to school on?"

"Oh! Good idea! I'll see you after work, okay?"

Gajeel waved his hand before walking away. Levy followed the path, determined to find where her friend lived.

"Wait," she started as she stared at a bench. "This is where I saw Lucy and Lyon that one time…she must live here somewhere!"

"Excuse me?" asked an old woman standing behind Levy.

Levy turned around and looked down. "Yes?"

"Are you looking for the young boy with the pink hair and the white scarf?

Levy paused. "You mean…Natsu? What is he doing here?"

"Are you here to give him his work? I didn't see him leave his house so I assumed he would be absent. He reminds me of my first husband…But anyways, shall I point the way?"

Levy laughed nervously. "B-But Natsu lives at the student apartments…"

"What? I've seen him coming and going from his house for the past few weeks."

"Which house are you talking about?"

Levy followed the old woman to a large home, and Levy looked up and laughed. "Natsu couldn't possibly be living here! I mean, he lives at the student apartments with Gray and Gajeel!"

"Wouldn't hurt to ring the doorbell."

The old woman left Levy standing at the front of the house. The blue-hair girl hesitantly raised her hand up and rang the doorbell.

After a few moments, Levy was about to turn around when the door swung open. "Yes?"

The two stared at each other wide-eyes.

"Lucy?" exclaimed Levy. "Th-This is your house?"

"Yeah…um, how did you find me?"

"There was an old woman who told me that Natsu lives here…"

There was a long silence between them as Levy processed what was going on. Her jaw dropped. "Wait a minute. Is Natsu living here?"

"U-Um-"

"What happened? Why is Natsu not at the apartments?"

Lucy sighed, giving up. She made room for Levy to come in and closed the door behind her.

"He got kicked out some weeks ago."

"Did the landlady find Happy?"

"Yeah, and he had nowhere else to stay."

"So why were both of you absent today?"

"Natsu caught a cold and I'm taking care of him."

"I'll help! If…that's okay."

"Yeah that's fine, I guess. Is that my homework?"

Levy set the papers on top of the coffee table when the two entered the living room. She gasped. "Gray was sent to bring Natsu's paperwork! He's going to find out as well!"

"Well…we saw this coming. We knew that it was only a matter of time."

Levy smirked. "What have you guys been up to? It's a big house with no adults around…"

"Levy!" Lucy playfully slapped her friend's arm as Happy came into view. Levy bent down to pet the blue cat. "I'll show you to Natsu's room," said Lucy as she led Levy upstairs.

"Come in," said Natsu once he heard the two knocks on his door. He woke up after hearing the sound of the doorbell.

"Natsu-" started Lucy as she came in.

"Who was at the door?"

"Me!"

Natsu's head snapped towards the door-frame where he saw Levy. He groaned in pain and mumbled, "I moved my head too fast."

Back at the student apartments, Gray knocked on Natsu's door. "Oi, flame-brain! I got your homework! I know you're not at work, so open up!"

The lock clicked and the door swung open. In front of Gray was a large man wearing a yellow construction hat.

"U-Um…Is Natsu there?" questioned Gray.

The large man scratched his large stomach as he said, "That pink headed kid? He was kicked out of here weeks ago and left us a mess to clean up. I don't know where he is now, so don't ask." The man shut the door and re-locked it.

"Kicked out?" repeated Gray.

Gray walked away from the building and paced back and forth. Through his mind came and went the possible people that Natsu could be staying with. "Where the hell is that idiot?"

"Hey, Gray?"

Gray looked up and greeted Lisanna. She smiled and asked, "Have you seen Natsu? He told me that he would help me practice basketball today."

"Actually, I have no idea where he is."

"He's not at the apartments?"

"No…and he hasn't been there for weeks, which explains a lot."

Lisanna's brows knitted together in confusion. "What do you mean by that?"

"I'm guessing the landlady found out about Happy and kicked him out and he has kept that a secret from everyone."

As the two continued talking, Makarov stayed behind a large oak tree and listened in.

"Oh, shit!" said Natsu after looking at the time. "I need to get to work!" He was about to get up when Levy pushed him back down.

"Oh no you don't!" she said. "You're not going to be serving food with a runny nose! You're staying in bed!"

"Bisca might fire me if I don't show up!"

"In that case, I'll take your shift!" exclaimed Lucy.

Levy and Natsu looked at her. "What?" they both said.

"Well…I know I don't work there, but if I explain the situation to her, she might let me."

"You don't need to do that, Luce," started Natsu. "You've helped me so much already."

"You can't stop me. Besides, I want to try it out."

Natsu sighed. "Levy, how long are you staying?"

Levy looked at her watch. "Until curfew, which means I'll probably leave before Lucy comes back."

"That's fine," said Lucy as she started walking off. "But you owe me big time, Natsu!"

"You want to what?" questioned Katelyn. "I don't think the boss would allow that!"

"Well I could at least try!" responded Lucy.

Bisca walked up once she saw Lucy. She smiled and said, "I remember you! You're Natsu's friend! And speaking of Natsu, where the hell is he? His shift is about to start, and I won't be happy if he's late again."

"About that…Natsu is really sick, and I told him I would try to take his shift. If that's okay with you, I mean."

Bisca looked Lucy up and down before responding, "Alright. Katelyn? Please get Lucy a uniform."

"Y-Yes, mam. Right away…" The waitress showed Lucy to the back where the shirts were. "Lucky for you, you're wearing black pants, but you're not wearing the proper shoes. Try not to slip. Have you ever done this before?"

"No, but I'd imagine it has to do with a lot of short hand."

"Just make sure the cook understands what you put down. You'll catch on fast. Besides, tonight isn't busy so I think you'll be fine."

Lucy nodded her head and quickly changed into the restaurant's maroon colored shirt. When she stepped out, Bisca came up to her and pointed to a table. "You can take that one," she said.

Lucy approached the two people sitting at the table and was about to ask if they wanted anything to drink when she lost her words.

Lyon and Sherry looked back at her.

"Lucy?" questioned Sherry. "I didn't know you worked here."

"I-I'm taking over a shift for my friend who's sick. Are you two…on a date?"

Sherry looked at Lyon and the two smiled at each other, but Lucy could tell that Lyon wasn't as happy with the way his eyes didn't wrinkle. "We're dating," said the pink-haired woman. "Finally."

The two had their orders taken, and stayed one of the only ones in the restaurant. Lucy would glance at them from time to time.

"What's up?" asked Katelyn who was carrying a pitcher of water.

"It's nothing. I'm just…concerned for a friend."

Bisca invited Lucy to eat with her and her family, but Lucy refused, saying that she needed to get home. The manager smiled and brought food in a container for Lucy to take home. "You didn't have a lot of customers," she started, "but you did an excellent job today. Thank you. Natsu totally owes you."

Lucy nodded her head and went back home. Upon entering, she found Natsu waiting for her in the living room.

"What the hell are you doing out of bed?" she exclaimed as she set the food down.

"I was waiting."

"Why?"

"I wanted to be sure that you got home safely…"

Lucy's eyes softened. She told Natsu how work was and then ushered him to bed where he immediately fell asleep.

"You must have been fighting to stay awake," whispered Lucy as she stared down at Natsu's sleeping face. Happy jumped on his bed and curled into a ball. Lucy tucked her blonde hair behind her ear before bending down to kiss Natsu's cheek.

"Good night," she said with a smile.


Yup. It's time for me to go to bed too *Dies on keyboard*