Hello everyone, and welcome. Sorry if you got an email twice. I accidentally posted the wrong chapter and just noticed. And I'm sorry it's been a while. I do have a request tho… I think I mentioned that I'm starting the process of publishing this story, but I'm of course, making the characters my own and everything… but I'm trying to get peoples opinions on it, so if you guys wouldn't mind, please tell me and I'll happily send you a copy for your feedback. Of course don't be an asshole, but I think I'm decent at constructive criticism because I know I have a lot I need to learn as an inspiring author. But it would seriously mean a lot of me! I'm having real life friends read it, and I've began asking my online friends… still haven't asked a few, but I will get there! But if you want to help me out, it would seriously mean so much to me. Pm me if you wanna read it, or if you're a guest, you can email me. My email is hannah. pollard 33 yahoo .com .

Okay, about this chapter! There's some singing again. I don't like writing it, but it's apart of the story whether I like it or not aha. The song is Halo by Beyoncé. That's it so have fun! oh and I promise this chapter had meaning. Let's see if you guys can piece it together aha.

Her days were almost like how it used to be in the past. Natsu would come over everyday and visit her, but there was always this bit of separation between them. It's like Natsu was afraid to touch her, and she knew why. Lucy was nervous being touched, because there was this bit of fear whenever they were put in a more intimate situation. For the first time in her adult life, she wanted nothing to do with sex, but for some reason, Natsu wanted it more than ever. He never told her that and he always held himself back, but the way she would catch him looking at her was something she would have been happy to receive a month ago. Natsu didn't make her uncomfortable or scare her in any way… a part of Lucy wanted to feel his hands on her, but the fear of his hands reminding her of Sting's, and the fear of hurting Natsu more than she already was, terrified her.

She didn't understand why he was so anxious to have sex though because he was never really that way in the past. Maybe he just got used to their sex once a week schedule and now that they haven't done it in a while, it's catching up to him? She doesn't know but whatever his reasoning was, Lucy still felt guilty that she couldn't give him what he wanted.

There was just one thing that confused her a bit. Ever since the whole Sting incident, she's reminded of it each time she pulls her keys out of her things. Lucy just wants to know how Sting got his hands on one of her house keys because her spare was tucked away in a junk drawer, along with the extra one Natsu was using which was now in his possession again. They key Sting used wasn't identical to the ones she has… her keys have a square handle while the one Sting had was round, so it's not the keys she was given for her apartment, and she found it really strange. There's no way he could have gotten it, and if he somehow broke in the first time without leaving a trace, why wouldn't he do it a second time? But Sting isn't one of those sneaky people who could get out without her knowing. He would mess with her stuff and she would notice. Plus, she checked and her spare key was in the same junk drawer at her desk. She's sure he attained it somewhere and it scared her. How did he get that?

Shaking her head, Lucy unlocked her door, then opened it to find her boyfriend laying in her bed. Once the door was locked behind her, she set her things down and slipped her shoes off before running her legs over and jumping on her bed and on top of her boyfriend. Natsu laughed as she clung to him desperately while she nuzzled into his warm chest and sighed contently at how good it felt. And it felt even better when his arms wrapped around her and he leaned down to kiss her hair.

"You miss me?"

"Yes." She peeked up at him through her lashes and blinked up at him innocently. "You're just so warm."

"I see how it is. I'm just some human heater to you…"

Lucy giggled. "You know that's not true, baby. It's just one of the reasons I love you so much."

Natsu chuckled with his eyes lidding in play. "Why else do you love me so much?"

"Mmm, because you're sexy and handsome." He looked pleased, but also not pleased at the same time. It made her giggle before she smiled up at him with her eyes softening to a more serious look. "I love you because you're such a great guy, Natsu. You're so understanding and sweet… And I love it. I love that you're a musician, I love how goofy and silly you are, I love how you can always make me smile even when I'm down, and I love how amazing you are."

A small blush coated his cheeks at her serious and honest opinion of him. After all, she and Natsu were both the same. She got embarrassed when he says sweet things to her as well.

"Luce…"

"I just feel a bit guilty…" she sighed while peeking up at him through her bangs. "You're always giving me more and more but I feel like I don't do anything for you. And when I try to do something for us, I almost lose my sanity and commit such a grave sin. I'm turning into my father… If I lost you for whatever reason, I don't know what Id do or say to the people I love. I don't want those scary thoughts to come back again."

"What are you talking about, Luce?"

Lucy sighed again and leaned further into his chest with her chin tilted down. She couldn't look at him while admitting something like this. "When Sting attacked me and your brother came, Zeref was struggling a bit. I ran to the kitchen to find something to help with and the first thought that came to me was to grab a knife, and I did. I held it and thought that if I killed Sting, our secret would die with him and nobody would ever be able to take me away from you. It's crazy. I was willing to kill if it meant protecting what we have. I feel like such an awful person. I'm not fit to be the beautiful butterfly you compare me too. My sins are too great and my heart is pure black. I'm not fit to be compared to something so beautiful, even if that beauty hides its darkness."

Natsu was silent for a moment and he stared at her, but he soon kissed her hair again and ran his fingers up and down on her back. "Your sins are fine with me, Luce, considering I thought of killing Sting myself if he tried anything like that again. If it was me instead of Zeref who saved you, I don't know what I would have done. I don't know if I could have that control like you did to stop myself from doing that. I think… our love is wrong Luce, if you ask someone else. Most wouldn't kill for the person they love, but I would without hesitation. We're not normal, but we already knew that. I'm in love with my teacher and you're in love with your student. We've already sinned Luce, it doesn't matter because we're already tainted."

Yeah, Natsu knew his and Lucy's relationship was probably on the more unhealthy side, but they both didn't seem to care. At least Natsu didn't. There's no way he'd ever leave her, even if people call them crazy and toxic. Truth is he was crazy because he would do crazy things for her. If someone attacked her again, Natsu wouldn't hesitate to inflict the same pain to them ten times over. Lucy may seem strong, but she's actually very vulnerable and broken. And he'll protect her even if that involves putting his morals and humanity on the line. He doesn't know how far he'd go if someone tried to take her away from him again.

"Don't lie, Natsu." She shifted in bed so she straddled his stomach and leaned over him with her hair falling around them and her eyes staring deep into him. She caressed his cheek with the back of her fingers, and smiled down at him. "You can't make yourself out to be some awful person. You're too kind for someone like me… you're too bright. I can clearly see your halo and it gives you such a warm light. You're such a great guy and you deserve someone just as great."

He blinked up at her, but leaned into Lucy's touch. He didn't hesitate to hold her small hand in his and brought it down to kiss her knuckles. "You have a halo too, Luce. You just don't like people to see it. You try to make yourself the bad guy to keep yourself safe, but I can see through you, babe. You're getting easier to read as days go by."

"N-no…" it seems he hit the nail right on the head because she started to panic with shifting eye contact her teeth gnawing at her bottom lip nervously. "You don't know all the awful things I've lied about for my father. You don't know how I've treated guys in my past… you don't know the thoughts that float around in my brain and how twisted I'd become just to stay with you."

"And you don't know what I want to do to you Lucy. You don't know how possessive I am and how much I want to fuck your brains out right now. You don't know how desperate I am to make you forget about him and make your thoughts revolve around me. You don't know how bad I want to mark your skin, how desperate I am to make you mine again. You don't know how much I want to go against your wish and fuck you till I know I'm all you can think about."

Lucy stared down at him for only a moment, but soon leaned down closer to him in desperation. "You're not a bad person Natsu! If you're evil, then I'm the devil! How much I've accidentally hurt you and others! How I say things that I know will cause pain just to keep myself safe! You don't know how fucked I am! How dark my heart is!"

"I do know, baby." Natsu's hands slid around to touch the hair on the back of Lucy's head with his eyes lidded softly. "I already know. I know you're dark, and that's why you're my butterfly, but I still love you. I still want you entirely to myself. I still want you to by mine for the rest of our lives." Tears suddenly splat down on his cheeks, but he continued the smile up at his girlfriend with all the love he has for her. "But you have a halo too, Luce. You're not as evil as you think. You act that way to save yourself, but you can't hide how scared you are from me. You can't hide how sensitive and broken you are. How much you need a hug. And I'll always be there for you, baby. No mater what."

"I-I—" Lucy suddenly buried her eyes into his neck with her body shaking and lips trembling. "I-I'm not a good person…"

"Why do you always make yourself out to be the bad guy Luce? I get it comforts you, but why? Why don't you show people this side to you?"

"Because I feel safe! You don't know the names I've been called in the past! You don't know what awful things have been said about me! I've been called a whore by my own father, all the girls in my school hated me and called me a slut because I wore my uniform incorrectly and showed up to a birthday party in a bikini! All the parents gossiped about me, and said I'd never amount to anything! Just to spite them I made my own clothing line and modeled for it! I acted like a slut and gave them what they wanted! It's easier to just accept it instead of being hurt over it each time someone calls me a name! It's easier to say "yeah I'm a bitch, but I don't care" instead of crying about it later! I learned to close my feelings off! I learned to be numb, but you make me vulnerable and I hate it! I hate being like this Natsu! You make me feel so stupid and I cry and I hate fucking crying! Why do you make me feel so weak and vulnerable all the damn time?!"

"It's because I can see though that think skin of yours, Luce." He pulled Lucy tighter against him, and mumbled to her ear. "I may not know all your secrets, but I know you, and I know what you're feeling. You don't like being read. You don't like how I know what you're thinking without you even telling me. You don't like that I know how scared of the world you are. I know you, babe. You can't hide anything from me anymore, so stop running away and just be honest with me."

"I'm being honest right now! I hate you so go away!"

But despite that, she clutched at his shirt tighter and wiped her tears into him. Natsu couldn't help his amused chuckle, which just earned him a slap to the chest. "That's the opposite of being honest Luce. I know you love me so much that you can hardly stand it so don't try to push me away. It won't work baby."

"J-just shut up and hold me!"

"That's more like it…" he kissed her blonde head and rolled them both over onto their sides. Lucy immediately wrapped her legs around his and clung to his body. Natsu chuckled again and squeezed her close, enjoying her body pressed to his, but her soft sobs didn't make him to happy. "You're so beautiful baby."

An idea suddenly popped into his head and he found himself humming a soft tune. His voice was even, soothing… and it made Lucy pull away to peek up at him, but she just blushed when their eyes met and burrowed back into his chest.

"Remember those walls you built, well baby they're tumbling down…

And they didn't even put up a fight, they didn't even make a sound…

You found a way to let me in, but I never really had a doubt…"

Natsu opened his mouth again, ready to call her the angel she was, but Lucy cut him off with a sniffle. Her voice was croaky, and shattered sounding, but she still made him smile while tightening his arms around her.

"Standing in the light of your halo, I got my angel now…

It's like I've been awakened, every rule I had you breaking…

It's the risk that I'm taking…

I ain't never gonna shut you out…"

Natsu chimed in next, his voice louder and letting his true feelings out. His voice was more powerful as he sang to his girlfriend, the runs in the song clearer and deeper in meaning.

"Everywhere I'm looking now, I'm surrounded by your embrace…

Baby I can see your halo, you know you're my saving grace…

You're everything I need and more, it's written all over your face…

Baby I can feel your halo, pray or won't fade away…"

"Natsu—" lucy pulled away again to look up at him, before she leaned in to press her lips to his. His heart soared and beat rapidly in his chest. He never thought singing with her would have such an amazing feeling to it. Granted, Lucy was just crying so her voice wasn't the best, but it didn't matter. Her shaky voice full of emotion and tears just added more feelings to it. He wants to make a video with her and it sucks that he can't. It sucks that they have to hide because he wants to show his amazing and beautiful girlfriend off. He wants the world to see how special he is to her… how he made this difficult and closed off girl love him so much. He wanted the world to know what he was capable of because being this patient was hard. Having to let questions die off in conversations, having his heart break each time she refused to tell him something, and having her not admit she loved him for so long, was extremely difficult. And he wanted r boast about it. He wanted to shout from the rooftops and say 'This beautiful ass woman is my girlfriend and she fucking loves me so much that she'd do unthinkable things of it meant staying together'. He wanted everyone to know how much she loved him, because he finally won. She was finally opening up to him and he almost wanted to cry. It been so long… it's been months since school started and they've been through so much. But she was being honest and he wanted to just… to just have her forever. She was his… Lucy is his, and he'll never give her up no matter the consequences. No, there won't be consequences. He will make it through this without sparing anything. She will be happy, and Lucy's feelings will continue to grow for him.

"I love you." Natsu mumbled when he pulled away. Tears were wetting his neck, but all he could do was smile. "I can feel your halo Luce. I can see it clear is day… And it's so goddamn beautiful on you, baby."

Lucy sniffled, but smiled softly with a dark blush coating her cheeks. Lucy was so cute when she blushed… she looks all pouty and frowns like she's trying to stop it, but there's no denying it. She was adorable and so vulnerable looking. That's probably why she hates it. "J-just stop talking and hold me."

He didn't listen, but did roll back over so she was on top of him again. He sang even louder this time… making sure to stop between the lyrics to kiss Lucy's ears and nip at her a bit.

"Hit me like a ray of sun, burning through my darkest night…

You're the only one that I want, think I'm addicted to your light…"

"Stop it." Lucy slapped at his chest, but refused to look at him again. He knew it was because of what she hated. That feeling of vulnerability, but Natsu happened to love it when she was like this. He was the only person who got to see her like this, and she was so enduring when she blushed.

"You swore you'd never fall again, but this don't even feel like falling…

Gravity can't forget, to pull you back to the ground again…"

"Natsu—" she whined with her fingers clutching at the front of his shirt. He just continued to kiss and love her, his arms around her small waist and keeping her wiggling frame close. "For me… just stop singing this once… This is the first time I've hated your voice."

Natsu couldn't help his chuckle as he slid one hand up to run his fingers through her longe, blonde hair. "I'll stop if you look at me."

"N-no."

Natsu didn't give up though and discretely pulled both hands off her so she was just laying on his chest. He quickly snatched his phone up off his bed and went to the camera with it recording her pouting. "If you don't look at me, I won't hug you."

"That's not fair at all!"

"Stop pouting. I know you have that cute frown on your lips without even seeing your pretty face."

"S-shut up."

He laughed at his girlfriend and reached one hand down to rub her silky hair. "Come on Luce. If you don't look up, you'll regret it."

"There's nothing worse than the embarrassment I'm feeling at this moment, so just wrap your arms around me again! I don't want to be pet! I want to be held!"

"Come on, baby… look at me."

"No! And why have you been calling me that today? Do you think your macho and cool? You think it's sexy? W-well is, but the point is, stop calling me embarrassing things! I can't handle it right now in this state!"

"It's because I make you feel vulnerable, huh?"

"So what?" She whined. "I'm feeling vulnerable and you're being a terrible boyfriend by refusing to hold me!"

"If you don't look up, you'll regret it."

"I-I won't, so just hold me."

Natsu sighed and locked his phone before wrapping his arms around her small body. He can use that as blackmail later when he wants to get her to do something like this. He was hoping she'd look up and he'd get a cutely angry reaction, but he was quite disappointed. But it was also fine because she was super cute anyways.

He'll keep it for a bit before deleting it because it'll make him happy to watch that over and over again. God, his girlfriend was just fucking adorable. He couldn't ask for anyone better.