Hey everyone! This is chapter 12! I am so excited that this story has gotten this far, thank you all for the support and I really hope you enjoy this chapter! It is all form Lucy's PVO.

12 the meeting

Lucy's PVO

I couldn't believe my eyes Natsu and Gray where walking toward us, I looked at Aisse for answers but she was cursing under her breath: "I should have led them farther away, I should have told Lucy to go back to the castle, I am so stupid, I underestimated them, and of course they would find us! So stupid, I shouldn't have let my guard down".

I didn't understand what she meant but it wasn't time to ask for an explanation, all my attention was focused on one person: Natsu.

He started running towards me and I panicked, "what should I do?" I asked myself "what if he is angry at me? What if I look bad?" I was so deep into my thoughts, that I didn't notice Natsu getting closer until he was steps away from me, I swiftly stood up and went behind Aisse, I knew it was childish but I was scared of him, I was scared of getting hurt.

Natsu saw what I did and stopped in his track, he realized he wasn't welcome here, he paused and stopped Gray from walking forward, he too saw what I did and decided to wait.

The tension was high and both our groups continued to stare at each other, no one made a move. I was about to go insane, when Aisse broke the silence, she pushed me further away from the guys and said:

"What are you doing here?"

"That's what we wanted to ask you, what where you doing in our camp?" said Gray

I looked at Aisse, I didn't know what was going on but the fact that she hid this kind of information from me hurt a bit, it reminded me of when I was betrayed by them but I told myself to snap out of it, I wasn't weak Lucy anymore, I was a God slayer and I could beat this two guys if I wanted to. But that didn't change the fact that it all felt wrong.

"I don't answer questions to you, so why don't you leave us alone and go back to your preschool camping trip, I am sure that place is much better suited for you two" said Aisse with anger on her voice, I never seen her this tense. She is usually carefree and doesn't seem to mind about stuff, it's like they don't get to her but this guys did…

"Sadly we are not here for you, in fact we don't even care about you so why don't you let us talk to Lucy? Hey Lucy! Have you become a coward? Before you didn't need to hide behind people" Gray answered in a sharp tone, the last part stung, tears where welding up on my eyes but I took a deep breath and decided to answer him.

When I was about to speak Natsu said "Lucy isn't a coward, she isn't weak at all, she just doesn't want to see us right now"

I was speechless, why would Natsu defend me after all the things I did to him? I didn't know what to say and things were getting uncomfortable, but I was glad Aisse was with me,

"Anyways people I don't know if you understood what I said before but go! Now!"

"Or what?" Gray asked, a smirk was forming on his lips, I could see he was enjoying this

"Or you are going to get beaten" Aisse answered

Gray laughed and said "and who is going to do that? You?"

Aisse laughed and I accidentally smiled, Gray didn't know what was coming, if he thought Erza was scary he didn't know Aisse

"You bet" she said with a smirk

Gray got into a fighting position and said "I won't go easy on you just because you're a girl"

"I won't go easy on you just because you are….um…"

"What the cat ate your tongue?" Gray said, trying not to burst out laughing, I could see Aisse was red as a tomato, and I wanted to laugh too, it was a bit funny that she got caught up in words

"A stripper!" I screamed, they all looked at me with surprise, none of them expected me to answer, so it caught them all off guard,

Aisse smiled and said "yeah you heard her, stripper!"

In a swift move Aisse jumped in the air and was right above Gray's head, she tried to crash onto him, but he wasn't so stupid, he evaded her attack and threw an ice spear at her. She blocked his attack with a fire wall, the grass started to burn, and I was afraid both Gray and Aisse were going to get hurt, but I could see excitement in their eyes, not hatred or range but pure adrenaline and fun. They were playing with each other. Aisse used Orgon to drain energy from Gray and he seemed to get weaker but Gray was not only a good mage but a good fighter, he ran straight at her and launched kicks and punches, Aisse evaded them swiftly, she moved down and up like if she was dancing. Both of them launched attacks at each other but they both evaded them, for a second I caught a smile in Aisse's face, the same smiled she had shown to me before. It wasn't normal in her but it was like she had forgotten the load she carried on her shoulders. Seeing them fight made my heart race. They both collided with each other and they were both about to give in, Aisse was tired from keeping guard while I slept, she had walked all day, and she hadn't sleep at all; she wasn't in her best shape but I could see the battle was still easy. Aisse stood still and when Gray launched himself, she hit him right under the ribs, with a blast that was probably aural energy, he fell to the floor and Aisse victoriously turned around and walked to where I was. Both Natsu and Gray looked astonished at her, Gray was surprised he lost and Natsu….well

"My turn" said Natsu exited

"Are you insane, did you see what she did to me? You don't stand a chance against her" Gray grumbled, what rubbing his head. That hit had caught him off guard and he was still recovering

"Just because you are weak doesn't mean I am, stripper!"

"Uhg, you see, this is why we get into trouble! You never listen but fine if you want a go, then try but don't come complaining later just because she beat you up"

"I won't idiot Popsicle"

"Flame brain!"

"What did you call me?"

Suddenly I started to laugh, it had been such a long time since I heard their fighting, and I missed it.

Aisse then said "it is impossible for you to beat me, so go back to where you came from"

"That's not fair I want a fight too!" Natsu complained, making a sobbing noise,

Aisse smirked and with a quick move, she hit Natsu in the back, making him fall to the ground

"You got it, now go back!"

"Hey that was cheating, I wasn't prepared!"

"You never will be, now go back"

When Natsu was about to answer back Gray said: "you heard her pinky, we should go but before that would you be kind enough to let us rest, neither of us can walk back and if we are attacked in the woods it would be your fault, leaving both if us powerless, we are hopeless" he turned to Aisse and looked at her with puppy eyes.

She sighted and then she turned to me, I sighted as well, as much as I wanted them gone, Gray was right, neither of them were fit to fight and if something attacked them they would be powerless.

"Fine, but just until you are okay to walk" Aisse said, defeated. Both Natsu and Gray smiled.

We all sat around the fire, Aisse and I in one side and Natsu and Gray in the other.

"So, what's up Lucy? Anything new?"

"Not much Gray"

"Lucy, guess what, one day Happy and I were walking in town and we passed a shop you used to go to so…"

"I don't care Natsu"

"Oh! Right sorry" Natsu apologized, he seemed disappointed

"No its okay I just don't feel like talking" we both looked down; I knew I was mean but it was all too much to take, seeing him again, talking again. I just couldn't, whenever I looked at his face I was reminded of that fight…

"Well since you don't want to talk and Natsu doesn't want to talk to anyone but you, may I ask the name of the brute lady that is your companion?"

Aisse was a bit pissed: "I am not a brute!" she stuck out her tongue, I giggled. I knew Aisse was childish, but I didn't know she was this childish

"Renaissance, that's her name"

"Lucy what about loyalty aren't we sisters, don't we have a secret code of loyalty!"

I laughed "Aisse the only thing I did was tell him your name, what's that going to do?"

"Lucy the fact you gave him confidential information, which you weren't supposed to give him!"

"Oh please" said Gray between coverings up his mouth to stop the laughter, "I am Gray, so now we are even"

Aisse turned her head and only murmured a "hmp"

Gray laughed and so did I, she was blushing and her mouth was trembling, I could see she wanted to laugh too.

Natsu suddenly stood up and went to a corner, Gray and I looked at him

"What's wrong pink? Can't handle the heat"

In a small voice, that was barely understandable he murmured: "Lucy doesn't want to talk to me but she is laughing with you" he was blushing and I couldn't help it, I started to laugh again.

He looked at us and his cheeks went from pink to red, he brushed some hair back with his hand and sat down next to me, he looked away.

He was so close to me and I could feel my cheeks getting red too, so I did the only thing I could think of, I moved away and sat between Gray and Aisse.

Again Natsu was a bit disappointed but the fact that he was trying to get closer to me, brought a smile to my lips.

"Look at you two!" said Gray while whistling

"Shut up!" we both said.

An awkward silence began Aisse didn't want to talk, and Gary seemed only interested in talking to her, so he was quiet too. I wasn't too keen in talking to Natsu, who only wanted to talk to me. So we spent a 'few minute in an awkward silence, then suddenly both Natsu's and Gray's stomachs grumbled.

Surprised both Aisse and I looked at them, then we looked at each other and Aisse said:

"Lucy remembers when I told you that there was no food out here?"

"Yeah, so?"

"And then I told you, some fools would probably think that they would find food here"

I nodded and waiting for an answer

"Well I think we are right in front of those fools"

Both Aisse and I laughed a bit and then we took out bread and cheese (the ones left form our dinner)

"Here you go "said Aisse, "if you put it in the fire it will taste nice"

"Thank you" both Natsu and Gary said

"But won't it burn?"

"Aren't you the "flame know it all"? Don't you know how to toast a bread?"

"Stupid stripper, I could but I would burn it"

I took their breads and used the same trick I used for my bread, the both looked astonished at what I was doing.

"What?" I said

"Well…Lucy… you are making a flame levitate" Gray answered

"It's kind of creepy" Natsu added

"Hey if you keep on insulting it, I won't help you!"

"No! Please, I am too hungry to look for answers" Natsu screamed

When the bread was tasted to perfection I gave it to them, they ate hungrily. When they finished they rubbed their bellies, it wasn't much food so I didn't know why they were making such a big deal, but then I remembered Erza was like Aisse "version upgraded" she would make us walk for hours nonstop, so this was probably their first food in hours. But then I noticed Erza wasn't here, so where they alone?

"Are you two here on your own?

They looked at each other

"Well…um...you see"

"They are here with two girls, the ones I believe are Erza and…what's her name?" Aisse answered

"Lisanna" I said in a grim voice

"Yes, that's it! Oh Lucy I am…"

"Its okay Aisse I am fine"

"Lucy it's not what you think" said Natsu

"Oh really then what is it?" I was getting angry, was he trying to hide it from me?

"We are doing a mission together"

"Oh, so it is what I think"

"Yes…I mean no... It's not like that, after you left we disbanded the group, we all separated, then we decided it was time to catch up and do something together! But don't worry we won't tell Erza, so you are fine, we won't bother you again. I knew we did wrong in the past, I know I made a terrible mistake but I won't let you suffer anymore, we won't take your new life away from you" Natsu tried to explain…

"Natsu…." I wanted to say, it wasn't his or anyone's fault, I left because I was weak…

"Its okay Lucy I get it! I was a bad friend but I won't make that mistake anymore so…"

"Natsu, no…"

When I was about to tell him, it wasn't him but me he stood up and ran deep into the woods, Gray gave me an apologetic look and left too.

"No it wasn't your fault! I was the bad friend!" I screamed, I grabbed Aisse and she hugged me, I started to sob loudly.

I know I made this chapter a little sad; I just didn't want to fix everything so fast. Lucy was hurt by them and Natsu thinks it was his fault, I can't just fix them in their first meeting, Lucy has to understand she is strong too. There was a lot of chemistry between Aisse and Gray maybe they are getting on a good start! So I think I'll write some more about their relationship. If you have any comments, advice or suggestions please message me, I will be very happy to receive them. Thank you for reading!