ckc14- LMFAO Trust me I know the look you get... My husband gives me the same looks when I get giddy over a new chap for some of my own follows or even a new chap for some of my mangas :) TY you though for reading this and enjoying it! It just makes me all warm and gooshy hearing from ppl and gettin my luv :) I try hard to keep the characters in character yet still bend them to my will. And really for as dark as FT can get with some of the more recent arcs they always find a way to laugh and make you laugh with them. :)

SkyFaries- Funny enough there are tiny bits of it but nothing outright lately. Just the small comments Natsu's made or the gesture. I mean poor tired Lucy goes to get up and help and he's like NO we got this... LOL But TY!

Angie Swan- This wall is gonna be the death of me! LMFAO It's the middle that gets me at times. This damn transition -_- GRR... But I am starting to get past it and I think I might be outta it tonight! HAZAH! LOL But ty so much for reading!

fanficFreakShingeki- LMFAO! Yeh well I'll tell Erza yur the one that bought the last cake in the bakery!

tit- YES! However I don't like heights... I think I'll just ask Natsu to break the wall... It's his specialty after all LOL Bet he'd get it done fast if I told him Grey built it... *giggle*

Rose- While I haven't watched the recent epp I'm 100% current on the manga so I do know what's happening in the current epps just damn it I'm not ready to ball like a baby yet!

Celt- OMFG WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN! :P First off you don't get to give me shit woman! Yur SO overdue for an update and MY good smut that it's not funny. :P :P :P I will cry with you if I have to read another terrible terrible and over played idea! "We hate you Lucy Lisanna is WAY better... Oh wait Lisanna is a bitch and yur awesome so now we love you" "Oh snap the moon is in the right spot and the pollen in the air is making me all kinds of horny" "Holy shit lets make a band and then this blond I wanna bang that's a famous singer will wanna bang me too!" *cries dramatically in corner* MY POOR MIND IS BREAKING! LMFAO OK now then... I hate you that you had figured things out so quickly... You sux :P But it's ok I forgive you for now. Anyway This is Lucy we're dealing with you know she's gonna be all shy and "no no no" about everything cause well she's just like that. Sadly. I am glad though yur enjoying this one. It's not my normal humor/romance but it has been fun to finally get my insane thoughts out on everything.

rxp- I thrive to become as good of a Troll as Mashima :P MMUUAHAHAHHAHA

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And then...

Lucy groaned as she was pulled from sleep. She felt like she had been ran over by a train at least seventeen times. Every muscle was sore, her head was throbbing, and her throat felt like sand paper. Slowly she tried to get up only to find herself unable. Groaning in frustration this time she tried again only to be halted.

"Quit moving Luce." Natsu's sleep filled voice spoke in her ear.

Instantly Lucy was on alert to her surroundings. She was in what looked to be a cave of some kind surprisingly it didn't smell musty like most caves did. The inside looked more like a home of sorts. It was filled with all kinds of trinkets, books and… Was that a pile of gold? She blinked and shivered as a heavy breath blew across her neck. Slowly she turned her face only to be met with the stern and angry glare of Natsu. "GAAA! Why are you so close?" She screeched and once more attempted to pull away as she winced from the strain on her voice.

Natsu sighed and gave her a pointed look as he said, "Stay." Quickly he got up and went over to retrieve her some water from the bucket he had brought in earlier.

Lucy devoured the drink in record time before finally sighing a relieved, "Thanks," and falling to her back to lie down once more. She was about to ask where they were when Natsu did something truly unexpected.

Natsu reclaimed his position next to her and rolled her over to face him as he threw his leg over her to keep her in place. He almost grinned at the blush that spread across her face and the nonsense she attempted to sputter. That was until he remember just how furious he was at her. "You owe me an explanation." He said locking eyes with her.

Lucy was at a loss. Between the rather intimate position and Natsu's expression she couldn't comprehend how to react. Natsu seemed pissed and she was unsure of what was transpiring. The last thing she remembered was falling asleep against Igneel. Igneel! "Where's your dad?"

Natsu growled and then looked away sadly, "He had to go."

Tears welled in Lucy's eyes. "I'm sorry. If only I was-"

"Idiot! You almost died! What they hell possessed you to do this?" He yelled cutting her off.

Lucy gasped and stared wide eyed at the pain filled expression on Natsu's face. That was when she looked away and began to cry. She told him she'd explain and it seemed like there was no time like the present to start. "I was looking for Draco." She whispered.

"Draco?"

Nodding she continued. "Remember when I told you about him?" Seeing him nod she went on, "Well you said I should find the key. So I was looking for information on him." Looking down she whispered, "I never did find anything."

"What does a key have to do with any of this?" Natsu asked bringing her attention back to him.

Lucy smiled slightly, "While I was looking for information I came across some books that talked about the Gate Keepers and the dragons. The dragons are locked-"

"They are behind some kind of gate thing. And these Keeper people know how to open them. That's what your mom was. Igneel told me this stuff a few days ago."

Lucy's eyes once more widened. "DAYS?"

"Not so loud!" Natsu whined rubbing his ear. When he was sure he hadn't lost hearing he answered her, "You've been out for a couple days weirdo." Noticing her starting to form a question he stopped her, "I'll explain after you finish telling me what the hell you were thinking."

Lucy swallowed thickly. "Umm o-okay. Anyway then, I found out about the gates and how to open them. But all I could find was that they were sealed with a blood seal. There was a book that talked about taking over their seal in order to bring them out of the gate."

Natsu sighed as he could tell where this was headed. "Why didn't you just tell me?"

Once more Lucy blushed, "I didn't want to give you false hope. If I failed or I was wrong then it would have been another futile chase. I just wanted to make you happy." She whispered.

"Weirdo how the hell is you almost dying and me having to injure Igneel supposed to make me happy!?" Seeing her confused and startled expression he sighed and began to explain what happened three days prior. "I woke up to you acting weird in your sleep and then next thing I know Igneel said we had to go. The seal was breaking. We came here. I had to hit him so he could bleed. And then he was gone. He took back the seal." He really did not want to relive the full event and knowing Lucy she would feel worse than she did already if he told her everything.

Lucy cried silently and mumbled, "I'm so sorry." As she pulled away from Natsu to sit up and stare at her hands. Slowly she flipped her right hand over to look at her palm and noticed that the scorch mark was gone. In its place was a thin scar that turned into a wide, jagged, hideous thing. Lightly she fingered it and realized where the jaggedness was, is possibly where the seal began to break.

Natsu sat up as well and pulled Lucy to his lap encircling her with his arms and burying his face in her neck.

"Natsu?" she squeaked embarrassed as she tried to pull away.

He just held on tighter and grumbled, "Stop trying to leave me cause I'm not letting go." That seemed to halt all her movements and eventually she relaxed into him. After some time he pulled his face from her neck and rested his chin on her shoulder while taking hold of her right wrist and pulling her hand up so he could better look at it. Lightly his thumb traced the scar and he sighed. "There's a better way. Igneel said something about it. He said that there's a way to open the gate up kind of like how you can call out your key guys."

"That had to be what Mama did." Lucy commented. She watched silently as he continued to trace the scar until she remembered something. "Natsu!" She exclaimed turning to him, "I know what happened to them!"

Natsu raised a brow, "Duh. They are in some gate thingy guarding something."

She nodded and then spoke, "Yes but listen! When the seal started breaking I had nightmare." As the memory flooded her brain she held back the bile that wished to rise. Shaking the thought she continued, "At first I thought it was a nightmare but really it was like a vision. Ten thousand… Ten thousand dragons were used to seal away…" She bit her lip she couldn't bring herself to say the creatures name. "They thought it was the only way. They couldn't win against him. Igneel he… I think he was the one that taught the dragon-slayer… He said something about it being his own fault."

Natsu's face scrunched in thought over what she was saying. Now many of the things Igneel rambled about made more sense. Before he could say anything Lucy started speaking again.

"Zeref. He's the one that betrayed them. They thought they would just have to hold the seal but he took them and locked them away as well. They didn't know! One of his books holds the seal." More tears began to form as she kept going, "Their gates are based where they were born and they are made to look like when they were born. But his gate, that's beast's… It's nothing but darkness. He lives in darkness." She began to sob as she turned in Natsu's arms and clung to him, "The devastation it caused! I… I… I was so scared! I was alone with it… He knew I was there and I swear I could feel how much he wished for my death!"

Natsu held her as she sobbed and took in all she had said. His father was the one that trained the dragon-slayer turned dragon. Zeref was the one that held the dragons captive. He was afraid he had been right about the whole thing. That was why that freak was able to call out that beast. Zeref was the master Igneel had mentioned. He would have to have a long talk with Gramps when they got back. But until then he planned to enjoy his time with Lucy and no meddling guild. "Calm down Luce. It's the past. It can't be helped."

Slowly she nodded and her sobs subsided. "Hmm you're right. Sorry."

"Quit apologizing weirdo!"

"Quit calling me a weirdo you jerk!"

"How the hell am I a jerk?"

"Because you are always calling me names!"

"Yeh but you're cute when you're mad!"

"Yeh well… Wait… What?" Lucy blinked shocked as heat traveled up from her neck.

Natsu laughed and then finally smiled fully. "You heard me." He said childishly.

Lucy sighed and looked away embarrassed. A million and one questions ran through her mind so she decided on the bluntest. Hesitantly she asked, "What are we?"

Natsu cocked his head to the side confused, "People?"

"No dummy!" She growled tossing her hands about dramatically. "I mean what are we? I wake up and your refuse to let go of me. You've k-ki-kissed me, keep telling me to stay close, and well…" losing steam she whispered, "What are we?"

Natsu laughed a bit awkwardly as he scratched his head, "Jeez Luce. I thought I made it pretty clear. We're well… I mean you and me are…" he stumbled on what to say until finally he sighed and said, "Your mine. Simple as that."

"Natsu I am not an object."

"I know that! But I don't know what you want me to say!" He grumbled and pouted.

"All you have to say is what you feel dummy!"

Natsu growled and glared half heartedly. He should have expected that Lucy, the writer, would want words. Grumbling a bit when he realized his face actually felt warm he said, "I just want more. I mean…" Scratching his head in thought he tried to find the words to convey what he wanted. "I want to be around you all the time. Ya know? I want… Damn it… I just want you! Okay?"

Lucy's eyes widened and she stuttered for several moments. "I… erm…. That is to say…" Looking away because she needed to concentrate she focused on her fidgeting hands, "I don't think… I'm not capable… I mean I've never…" Growling in frustration she finally blurted out, "I can't just do something like that without a relationship!"

Natsu blinked once, twice, three times. Replaying over the conversation in his head he finally realized how she misunderstood. And he laughed. He outright gaffed. That was until he noticed the dark aura surrounding Lucy. Holding his hands up defensively hoping to pacify the monster he said, "I didn't mean it like that!" Cocking his head to the side in after thought he mumbled, "Well I kind of did but not just that."

By this point Lucy was sure her face would never go back to a normal shade again. As a matter of fact she was positive her toes were even the brightest of reds. "Oh," she mumbled. "So in other words… You… umm… Like me?"

"Well duh."

Glaring at him slightly and his idiocy she said, "I didn't mean just in a generic manner. I meant something akin to how Bisca and Alzack are."

He thought it over for a moment. The word 'like' seemed too small but he couldn't really say it was more than that. Could he? He wasn't even sure what more than that was. Sure he wanted to be around her all the time, to make sure she was always safe, to fall asleep with her only to have her be the first thing he saw every morning, and the thought of a family with her always gave him this weird feeling he rather enjoyed. So maybe it wasn't something similar to the guilds resident married couple but it was closer to being exactly like them. "Yeh! Just like those two!" he beamed.

Ignoring the blush she was sure would rival the brightest of reds she mumbled, "We could just say we're a couple if you want then?"

Natsu scrunched his nose. That sounded so boring and lame. She was more than just some petty girlfriend but he supposed that would have to do. More and more he found himself liking the word 'mate' to describe what they were but he knew better than to say something so animalistic sounding to Lucy. So he smiled brighter, "Works for me!" as he leaned down and captured her lips with his own.

Eventually the pair pulled away in need of oxygen. Lucy smiled sweetly at him. He was too cute at times. She can only imagine the guild's reaction to all this. Speaking of reactions... "Where's Happy? Shouldn't he be saying we're gross or rolling his tongue?"

At that Natsu laughed once more. "He went fishing a while ago." Looking to the cave entrance he shrugged, "He should be back later."

"Oh," she said simply. That was until another thought struck her. "How did we get back here so fast?"

Natsu looked at her as if she had gained a second head, "Igneel, duh!"

Lucy blinked. She did so once more. "You hate transportation. And Igneel goes faster than a train."

Natsu looked at her as if she had slapped him. "Igneel's my dad not transportation."

Lucy sweat-dropped. "Silly me." Slowly though she realized, "HEY! I'm not transportation either! You always act like I am whenever you get dumped on me after a train ride."

He smiled a bit too mischievously for Lucy's liking as he said, "Have I ever puked on you?"

"No," she said suspiciously.

He laughed, "Then don't worry about it!" With that he gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before bringing them up to stand. Pulling away he said, "I'm starving! I'm going to go cook that boar I hunted down earlier!" And he ran out of the cave.

Lucy glared at his receding form before finally sighing and giving up. He was a sneaky one. Laughing slightly she followed him out stretching her limbs and deciding to see if he needed help cooking. She was fairly hungry and some one save him if he charred that poor boar like he did the last time.

Everyone together now... AAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWW

She's awake and you get some mush! Hooray! I think I might be past my wall. Or damn close. Once I'm sure of it I'll be back to my daily updates again.

SO... While I've been thinking I did some creeping... All of you that have fav/followed this story I have been to yur pages. MMMUUHAHAHHA anyway the reason for this is simple.

Damn romance. While my reviewers are foaming at the mouth for a upped rating I wanted to take into consideration all the readers that have made themselves known somehow. The vast majority of you have at least 1 "M" rated story in your lists for favs. *sigh*

I'm am NOT promising an upped rating! However... IF I find a place where a lemon could be placed and not effect my story line... I might let the creative juices loose. So there you have it my pervy readers :P

Anyway... TY all again for enjoying this so much!

Keep readin and reviewin!

~Gemi