It was already the last day of her short vacation. How she wished she can extend this little vacation, but she knows too well that she has to go back to where she really belongs. Well, that was a bit self-proclaimed.

Never did she say something about Natsu on her stay with her family. She tried not to think about him, but the man just has to be so persistent on squeezing himself inside her head, which is not good.

When Michelle gave her donuts yesterday, she remembered the night when she was lusting over Natsu's lips. The thought of their almost kiss made her face grew hot, resulting to Michelle teasing her endless until she spills what she wants to know, but of course, Lucy decided to be selfish and refused to say a thing.

When Virgo offered to braid their hair, another tingle-sending memory shot her brain causing her to give frantic refusals on Virgo's offer. She almost came up with the idea that they were spying her, but then, she thought that maybe, she's just being sensitive when Natsu-related topics were opened.

She told herself that she will think things through, but decided the last-minute that she won't. And the irony of it, she ended up thinking about him in every possible way. Sitting at the dinner table, Caprico; yes, a very weird name for a chef; put the foods in front of them.

"Hey, this is Japanese Chicken Teriyaki! Its Natsu's favorite. Were you the one who cooked this?"

"Yes, Miss Lucy."

"Come on, just call me Lucy. I've really wanted to learn how to cook this. Can you teach me later?"

"Sure, Miss Lucy."

"I said Lucy."

"Sorry, Miss Lucy."

She sighed and thanked Caprico instead because it seems like he won't call her by her name no matter how much she insist him to do that. Her feet were a bit sore from her flat sandals that she forced herself to wear, so to ease the soreness, she took it off. She pouted at the idea of her feet getting bigger.

They started to eat in silence, that is when Jude broke the silence.

"So… "He started; making the sisters left their spoons hanging in the air due to anticipation.

Jude was never the one to pause in what he wants to say. Normally, he would just say things straight to the point. So when he stopped for a pause, this caused the siblings, especially Lucy's, breath to hitch.

Slowly, the siblings put the spoons in their mouth; their eyes not leaving their father who was cutting a meat.

"You decided to cook something for Natsu?"

Lucy coughed, spitting the delicious piece of meat Caprico cooked.

"H- Huh?" She asked, feigning innocence when she recovered from earlier death. As she did, she took the corn soup and ate it in a graceful but fast way.

"I asked you if you're going to cook for him, Natsu."

Lucy choked, spewing the liquid out of her mouth.

"Nee-san, you alright? You're very red." Michelle asked, offering her water in the process.

"What? Why would I cook for him?! Yeah! Why?! Right?! Me? Cooking for whom? Him? Come on! Stop kidding around! Ha-ha! It's not funny! Ha – ha – ha! It's not like we are for real so why would I act like a total wife?! Ha- ha – ha – "Oops.

She covered her mouth, her eyes wide, making it possible for her to see her family's reaction clearly to what she just confessed by pure accident.

They remained silent and as they keep on going still, their foods ran cold. Not just the food, but Lucy's skin is not far from a corpse, as well as her color. She looks like she had just run out of blood and the sweats wetting her skin can be interpreted as if she just ran a marathon.

This is so not good and the dead air is just keeping the tension alive.

"Hey, I, we are, he was . . ."

"Fooling us. Deceiving us. Toying us. Is there more?" Her father just used the cold tone she hated so much.

"No. I mean, I really – "Before she could even tell her true feelings, Cancer excused himself for butting in and told them that someone close to the family just came.

When Jude has given Cancer the approval to take them in, Lucy was the most, utterly surprised.

She was not physically, mentally and most and foremost, not emotionally ready to see the man she loves and hate so much for putting her to various situations – Natsu Dragneel, together with his father, Igneel. They were both on informal clothing; Natsu is wearing a green sweater with a polo shirt inside and pants.

They all stood up to show courteousness and Jude, acting as the host, invited them to dinner. She could feel the couple of stares directed to her, but there is one pair of eyes she just couldn't meet. After the greetings, they continue eating again, but unlike before, swallowing food seems so hard now.

As she cut a piece of meat, more like killing the meat for the second time, she keeps on thinking for a possible reason why they would be there. Of course Igneel would not make her see Natsu because he completely understands her situation, well, that's what she thinks. Unless it was her father's idea.

"Dragneels, thank you for accepting my dinner invitation, but I thought the both of you can't make it? So, why the change of plan?"

And her guess was right. It really was her father who's behind their sudden intrusion. But at least, she was somehow saved. But that's not the point anymore. She groaned inwardly while slightly massaging her temples. Things have just even gotten more complicated, everything was now more of what she can handle.

"Some interesting event has happened and I just want to make things more spicy, if you get what I mean." Igneel chuckled and from her peripheral vision, she could see him glance at her then Natsu who was beside him, that was facing her.

"It's been three days, Lucy. Are you doing well? Before that, fancy meeting you here." He said, earning a glare from the blonde.

"I – I – I am – "

"Running out of words." He finished her sentence making her feel more uneasy.

There are five people on the table but her eyes can only see Natsu. Under the table, she gave his foot a nice blow; Natsu's foot jerked up upon receiving it.

"I was meaning to say that I am doing well." She gave him a fake smile, the latter giving him a sad face in return, but was quickly changed into a grin.

She wants to think that he is really sad about her disappearance and that he forced his father to tell him where she is, but she doesn't want to hope again. Because if it's not going to happen, in the end, she will just be disappointed. And if she will happen to learn that it was all just wishful thinking, she will just make herself lonelier with the fact that he doesn't totally care.

She is not a cry-baby, but with all those thoughts, the urge to cry was high. She remained silent while Michelle, her father, and his father were chatting merrily about some things.

Under the table, she didn't expect to feel something warm cuddling with her bare feet. It was making her sore feet comfortable that she could sigh in relaxation any moment. It was Natsu's, no doubt because when she looked at him, he has this soft expression etched on his face. She looked down to her food again, allowing Natsu to do what he wants with her feet but later on, he became demanding; the soreness coming back.

She made a small sound of pain, making Natsu asked her intuitively.

"Hey, you alright?" He asked, grabbing her hand too. Her cheeks flashed a weak tint of pink from the action, and when she remembered that they weren't alone, it became a dark shade of red. This made her retreat her hand and bow.

"Yeah. My feet were just a bit sore."

The entire time, Natsu and Lucy were cuddling with their feet. Sometimes, Lucy will smile when she teases him by not rubbing back and Natsu will tickle the back of her foot in return. His feet were big unlike hers. His toes were a bit cold from the exposure, just like hers, but they can manage to brush the cold off. When he will stop and Lucy will seek for his warmth, Natsu will smirk, hiding it by chewing on his food. Then Lucy will pretend to give up and stop searching for his feet, that's when Natsu will hook his feet on hers again, sending sparks to Lucy's nerve-endings.

She knows she shouldn't be doing this kind of things with him now because it will just add up to the confusion but she can't do a thing. She can't protest. She doesn't want to protest because she also likes it. Because she loves him, and she can't bring herself to ignore his little but sweet acts.

This was different, giving her a different kind of feeling. When he will hug her, it feels like he wants to protect her. When he hold her hands, he gives the feeling that he will never let go. When he kisses her, he makes her feel that their feelings are mutual. And when he cuddle with his feet, it feels like he totally cares. She doesn't know if care is the right term for that feeling but nonetheless, it is sweet.

When the dinner was over, Michelle entertained them, giving her a little time to explain things with their father. She thanked her sister and quickly went to her father who was about to get something on the library.

"Father. I want to explain things." She said when they were finally inside.

Her father didn't speak so she took the silence as a chance to continue.

"We were pretending. We do not intend to fool a lot of people. I know we are wrong. I knew it all along. But even so, even if we are only pretending, so many things have happened. Things that made me love him. I really love him but I'm afraid that he doesn't feel the same." He remained silent and she can feel herself cracking up. She got her mad again. And maybe, she lost his trust.

"We did a lot of things, but we haven't crossed that line yet. He is so sweet to me, so kind and gentle. He took me out a lot, hug me, he always hold my hand. And we also shared a kiss. But he never told me that he actually loves me and that's what I am scared of. Because I love him, I am afraid that when he told me he doesn't love me back, I will get deeply hurt."

Her father got a folder from the cabinet, still not saying a word.

"So I want to stay away from him for a little while and sort things out. I don't know if I want to give up – "

Jude faced her. He placed a hand atop of her shoulder, tapping it before speaking.

"Lucy…" He called in a deep, baritone voice.

"Yes."

"Anxiety, confusion, sadness, fears, as well as happiness, excitement, and feeling giddy; they are all part of being in love. But if you are going to give up easily, then what's the point of loving him in the first place? If you're going to give up so soon, then you shouldn't have busied yourself sorting things out. You won't know how he feels unless you ask him yourself."

"Papa – "She is so happy with his words, she is so happy to know that he understands her that she can almost cry.

"Let's go outside. I have something to talk to your 'second father.'" He joked, grinning.

"Thank you Papa! I'll follow you."

She brushed a lone tear that escaped her right eye, a tear of happiness. It was the first words of encouragement she received from her father. He is right. She won't know unless she won't ask him.

All this time, she was always holding back and it made her ask herself what exactly is the thing that keeps her from holding back.

She walked over to the balcony of the room.

All she did was thinking things through for herself. Did she ever for once think about him? Did she think that maybe Natsu was also confused as she is? Nope. Because she is a novice in this kind of thing and even if she is a writer, when it comes to herself, she doesn't know what to do. She doesn't want to assume. She just can't write her own romantic story because no matter how beautiful she wants it to be, it will not happen the way she wanted it to.

She brushed her arms when cold air damped her fragile skin. Suddenly, a pair of arm caged her from behind.

"Do your feet still hurt?" Natsu said against her hair, his warm breath making an over-all effect on her whole body.

He's holding her hand that was on her stomach, his thumb rubbing circles on it.

"I'm sorry for not telling you about my leave." She started.

"It's alright. I already found you so I think it's alright."

"You think?"

"Yeah."

"Were you finding me?"

"Papa won't allow me."

Lucy uttered a silent thanks for Igneel.

"Were you, by chance, worried about, you know, me?" She bit her lower lip in case she won't hear the thing she wants to hear. Natsu lifted his head from her shoulder and bursted out,

"What?! Are you crazy?!"

She smiled a sad smile. "I see." You were not the slightest bit worried.

She tried breaking free but he kept on holding her tight. Then he leaned on her shoulder again and kissed her on the cheek, making Lucy gasp.

"Of course I am. You don't know how worried I was. It's three days Lucy! Do you know how long you've been gone?! And there I was, thinking of things that might have actually happened to you. I actually thought that you might be having an affair. Geez, next time you want to go home, tell me, okay? Okay. For now, just let me embrace you like this. You don't know how much I missed you, you loud, weird and whiny but beautiful and precious Lucy."

She badly wants to tell him the three words she wants to say but it feels like the moment is not right. A loving smile crept on her face on his silly confession of missing him and that's what she wanted to hear. She's glad that to hear that; she can feel fireworks exploding on her chest.

It's the end of her three days off and in the end, Natsu found him. She may not be able to tell him her feelings now but she will do it, definitely. NO turning back, NO holding back now.

"Lucy, –"

"Yeah?"

"Can you hear my heart beating?"

"Yes."

"What can you hear?"

"Uh, thump thump?" She felt him grin against her hair, then it was replaced by a feather-like kiss.

"Wrong. It says Lu – cy." He whispered on her ear.

She felt a warm glow on her face. She can't decide if it was because of what he said or because of the way he said that. Along with that warm feeling, the fireworks on her chest died down, replaced by racing elephants. She can feel her heart slamming on her ribcage; it's a wonder though that she's still alive.

"I can feel you heartbeat. It's beating so fast."

"Don't say everything you notice." She whined softly.

"Okay. I'll keep silent."

"Good boy." Both of them chuckled.

Behind the door, several people, well, three to be exact, decided to give the two some private time, retreating with foolish smiles.

DONE!

WHOOOOO!

Actually, I planned on updating My Heart Beats for A Ghost!. . . But I don't know, when I started typing, I just realized that I was writing for SIAR. Haha

I'm sleepy. Thank you for the last chapter's reviews! I didn't ask for it but you willingly gave it! You're so kind! Thank you!

I proofread it and all, but I think it's not still perfect! X(

Have a good day!

-A.L.-

PS: Reviews?