I'm Starting To Think That Issues Might Go Up To The 50's.

This Would Be My First 50's Story.

Just So You Know I Will Update More Frequently If That Happens.

So Once We Get To The 40's You Can Bet There Will Be Like Three Day Updates.

Depends On How Busy I Am.

People Have Been Asking About Bora.

He Is In Jail.

With That Being Said I Love Him To Much To Never Bring Him Back Again.

Hope That Answered Your Question.

Thanks.

Issues.

Chapter 35.

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"What's with the scarf?" Lucy asked her boyfriend.

"What this?" Natsu asked holding up the white scaled scarf around his neck.

Lucy nodded.

"Oh well I thought I could wrap this around the both of us and cuddly, maybe exchange a kiss or two" Natsu said.

Lucy took a big step back. Natsu only smiled and laughed.

"I was kidding, but I'm hurt at your reaction" he laughed.

Lucy sighed in relief and went to sit at her usual spot, against the gate. Wendy had decided to stay home today to watch Charle so it was just Lucy and him today. Natsu stopped laughing and sat next to Lucy, laying his head down on her lap.

"It was a gift from my Father. I thought since the occasion was right that I should wear it" he told her.

"Much better" Lucy nodded in approval.

"Just you wait though, on a snowy day I promise you we're going to be sharing this scarf" Natsu told her.

Lucy smirked. "Challenge accepted" she told him.

"...Lucy I love you" Natsu said out of the blue.

Lucy didn't respond. She hated when Natsu said that. Not because she hated being loved by him, on the contrary she found it quite nice, only because she couldn't say anything back. Lucy didn't love Natsu. Yes he was her boyfriend but that didn't mean she immediately had to love him. Lucy hadn't believed in love until recently. She thought she could learn to love him but until that happens Lucy was stuck to stay silent every time he told her it. Either that or kiss him.

"It's alright... I know. One day though, your going to be saying those words back" he said.

Lucy smiled. "One day" she muttered.

Maybe.

"Erza" Jellal muttered.

He leaned towards his girlfriend hoping for a kiss, but he met her hand.

"What's the matter?" he asked.

He was having his doubts now. The only time they kissed was when he first got arrested. Until then they've only been hand holding. Was she still mad at him?

"Nothing" Erza said looking away.

"Don't you love me?" Jellal asked.

Had the arrest change her feelings about him? Jellal could understand, Jellal would understand. He wasn't going to force his love into this kind of situation with him.

"Of course I do!" she yelled out.

"Then what's the matter?" he asked.

Erza started down at her shoes, too embarrassed to look him in the eye.

"The last time we kissed, you were taken away from me" she said.

Jellal stared at her. "And?" he pressed.

"And... I'm afraid it'll happen again" she mumbled.

Jellal chuckled lightly. He'd never thought he'd say these words to her.

"Your so silly" he said.

Erza looked up with a bemused expression. "Silly?" she repeated.

Jellal nodded. He looked left, then he looked right.

"Well I don't see any cops, now let's test that little theory of yours" he said.

"No, what if-"

"Erza, I haven't done anything else wrong. I'm sorry I didn't tell you, I was ashamed of myself. You saved me you know that? And how'd I repay you? By getting myself back into trouble" Jellal said.

He leaned back, away from Erza, his expression hardening. He would never forgive himself for what had happened, never. Even if Wendy and Lucy had already forgiven him. He shouldn't have been let out so easily, he should be in jail too for letting it happen. Erza's expression softened as she brought up a hand to Jellal's face. Slowly she leaned towards the love of her life and brushed their lips together.

Erza pulled back quickly and looked left, then she looked right.

"No cops" she said smiling.

"No one's going to take me away from you again" Jellal told her.

He promised her that.

"I love you" she said.

"And I you"

Natsu looked down at the paper that was in his hands then up at the house. The address match and if that wasn't enough, the mailbox said Dragneel. Maybe this was a bad idea. I mean I came here in my school uniform! What kind of person reunites with their Father in a school uniform? Natsu thought. He turned to leave but remembered his girlfriend. Lucy had enough courage to face her Father, it was now time for Natsu's to face his.

Natsu closed his eyes and took a deep breath, clearing his mind of all doubts. When he reopened them, Natsu walked up to the door and rang the doorbell. His heart was pumping fast, it sounded like it was going to beat right out his chest. The ring echoed for a while before stopping. This was it, the moment Natsu's been waiting for. He was finally going to get his answers, he was finally going to learn the truth. The doubts Natsu had rushed back into him as soon as his finger left the door bell but it was too late now. The door was opening.

Natsu was no idiot. He knew the boy who had answered the door was not his Father. First off this boy was short, Igneel was tall. The boy had blond spikes, which reminded him of a girlfriend he knew expect lighter, Igneel's hair was red. The one thing that was similar was the eyes though. Those were the eyes of his Father.

"Can I help you?" Sting asked lazily.

He yawned into his hand and stared at the man at his doorstep. Sting was taking a nap until his Father had woken him up with his yelling, telling him to get the door. Who was this kid? Sting's eyes narrowed. He's never seen him around here before, why was he barking up his tree?

Natsu recovered from his paralyzes and cleared his throat. This had to be the right house, Natsu was sure of it. Why would Lucy go to the trouble if it wasn't?

"Does an Igneel live here?" Natsu asked.

Sting was weird-ed out. How did this man know his Father?

"Yeah" he said warily.

"Can I see him?" Natsu asked.

Sting sighed then turned his head sideways. "FATHER! DOOR FOR YOU!" he yelled.

Natsu's eyes widened. Father... the boy had just said Father... impossible. Natsu couldn't believe it. Igneel came walking through the hallway.

"Who is it Sting? What do they wa-... Natsu?" Igneel said laying his eyes on his son.

Natsu wished he could have died at that very moment. He wished the world stopped. He wasn't ready, he wasn't expecting this to happen. He imagined that the two of them would meet and just talk it out over food like they used to do everything else. Such a childish dream it was. In no way, any way, was Natsu expecting this.

"Sting go to your room... now" Igneel said.

Sting looked back at his Father. "What? Come on" he said.

Why was he being sent to his room at the moment? He didn't do anything wrong unless!... His Father must have found out what he did to the power tools.

"Don't argue with me, go now! And shut the door" he said.

Sting grumbled words as he left the room and stalked up the stairs. Igneel stood in place and looked over his son, correction, looked over the son he abandoned.

"You've grown... and your still wearing the scarf" he said.

Natsu subconsciously lifted his hand and grabbed it. "You have another son" he said.

It wasn't a question. It wasn't a statement either. Natsu didn't know what it was but he knew what he wanted it to be. A lie. Igneel sighed before answering.

"Yes. His name is Sting, he's 2 years younger than you, your half brother" his Father answered.

That was enough for one day. Natsu couldn't handle anymore of it, he just couldn't. Maybe another day when he's grown he would come back for the rest but for now... this was enough. Natsu turned around and walked down the porch steps.

"Natsu!" Igneel called out.

"No. I- I can't handle it... good bye" Natsu said before sprinting away.

"NATSU!" Igneel yelled running to his gate.

His son had gotten much faster over the years he's been gone. Igneel didn't spot him at all anymore. He never expected to see Natsu again, well at least not so soon. He always prolonged meeting him because he could never get the right words to tell him. His first chance to explain and it went horrible wrong.

"Dad, Mom's calling you" Sting said from inside the house.

"I'm coming" Igneel mumbled.

At that moment Igneel remembered his late wife. Tears started to fall out his eyes.

Wendy laughed continuously as she watched the cartoon play on. Lucy sat there next to her reading, trying to ignore her laughter and focus on her book. As soon as the commercial on TV came on Lucy's cell phone started to ring. It was a default ring tone so Lucy couldn't tell who the person calling was. She looked at her phone, it was Natsu. She was surprised to see his number, was his meeting with his Father over already? That quick? Well Lucy only yelled at her Father for ten minutes, it's been 2 hours for Natsu... maybe not so quick.

"Speak" Lucy said answering the phone.

"Hey I'm on my way to your house, I'm actually in front of it right now" Natsu said.

At that exact moment the door bell echoed throughout the house.

"I'll get it!" Lucy called out walking to the door.

"What's up?" she asked answering it.

Natsu launched himself onto his girlfriend and cried into her chest. Lucy dropped her phone in the confusion and stared at her boyfriend. What the fuck was happening? He was crying. Natsu was really crying.

"Nee-san?" Wendy said peeking in the hallway.

"Go watch your cartoons!" Lucy yelled a little too harshly.

Wendy went back to the living room and minded her own business.

"He had a son! He had another fucking son!" Natsu cried out.

Lucy froze. She quickly regained herself and pulled Natsu in.

"Come on" she said.

Natsu followed her without question up the stairs and into her room. It was actually when Lucy shut the door that Natsu grabbed her hands and held Lucy against him. His lips attacked hers hungrily, wanting her, wanting more. Lucy didn't complain. She just stood there and kissed him back without question. Natsu was hurting, he was hurting bad. Lucy could tell by the tears in his eyes. Natsu never cried, she'd never seen him.

Natsu broke the kiss and lifted Lucy up. He carried her to the bed and threw her on, he himself jumped on after and hovered over her. His hands snaked up Lucy's shirt and pulled it over her. It was going to happen again, Lucy knew it. So this is what Natsu felt when I was using him Lucy thought. She could understand his feeling now. It's not like it was unwelcomed, she desired Natsu but not like this. Not broken and torn up the way he was now.

Lucy would do it though, she wouldn't stop him. Natsu helped her, Lucy was returning the favor. Even though Lucy was alright with it, Natsu wasn't. He stopped kissing her, and laid his head on her chest crying.

"He had another son, he had another son" he whimpered.

Lucy had never seen Natsu look so sad, so broken. She wrapped her arms around him and stroked his head, providing what comfort she could give him.

"He had another son, he had another son"

Natsu repeated those words over and over again to Lucy. It hurt her, she finally understood what Bora was talking about. When she's hurt, he's hurt. Natsu was hurt and the moment and Lucy sure as hell felt hurt also.

"I'm sorry Natsu" she said.

It was the first words she spoke to him about the subject.

"I'm sorry, please don't cry" Lucy said.

Her voice broke. It was just so sad seeing Natsu like this. It hurt, it was painful and she didn't even know why? Nothing was wrong with her, Lucy was happy just a few minutes ago reading her book. Why was she hurt all of a sudden? Why did she have the sudden urge to cry?

Natsu looked up at Lucy, finally realizing she was there for him. He clung onto her tighter and kissed her.

"Don't leave me, please don't leave" Natsu begged.

Lucy smiled sadly.

"Never" she said.

The words shocked her only because of how true there were. Lucy would never leave Natsu, not now, not ever. Sure one day they might break up, but she'd never leave him. They'd always still be friends. He's had such a big impact on her in just these short months. Lucy couldn't believe how attached she was to Natsu. She couldn't really remember an afternoon alone without him.

"Lucy" Natsu said laying his head back on Lucy's chest as he continued to cry.

She just laid there, playing with her boyfriend's hair, whispering encouraging words to him as she started up at the ceiling.

"Nee-san?" Wendy called out peeking her head into the room.

Lucy opened her eyes and looked at the clock. It was Wendy's bedtime. The only problem was that Natsu was still in bed with her. He'd cried himself to sleep and Lucy just laid there and continued to rub his head.

"Come on in Wendy, bed time" Lucy said.

Wendy walked in and went into the bathroom. She just into her PJ's and brushed her teeth before walking back towards the bed. Lucy moved Natsu off her, so he was laying beside her now, and scooted so Wendy would fit. Natsu's hand subconsciously rounded around Lucy's waist and pulled her into his chest. Wendy climbed into bed and slid under the covers.

"Is Nii-san going to be alright?" she asked.

"We'll see in the morning" Lucy told her.

She didn't want to lie but she still didn't know the answer herself.

"Are you going to be alright?" Wendy asked.

"If he is" she whispered.

Wendy scooted closer to Lucy, burying her face in her chest. Lucy didn't mind though, her mind was still occupied by Natsu. Wendy took a deep breath and inhaled Lucy's scent. She didn't know why but she started thinking about her Mother.

"Love you... Mama" Wendy whimpered in her sleep.

Lucy looked down at the kid. She brought her hand up and stroked Wendy's hair. What was with people telling her they loved her today? Well Lucy was tired, she guessed it was about time to get some rest. Closing her eyes, she relaxed against Natsu's embrace and held Wendy in her own hands.

Natsu woke up feeling very suck-ish. His eyes burned, his throat was hoarse, he was feeling very cramped at the moment but most of all... Natsu was starving. He opened his eyes only to be blinded by the sun's harmful rays. Natsu closed his eyes shut before holding a hand in front of his face. This never happened before when Natsu woke up in his room. His bed was far away from the window, not even close. It was just then that Natsu heard the sound of other voices, breathing to be precise. He blinked his eyes opened again and looked beside him.

Lucy and Wendy were sleeping with him, and Natsu had his other arm around Lucy. She-she let me stay? Natsu thought. Then again he didn't remember Lucy kicking him out yesterday, only holding him close. I must have drifted off he thought staring at his girlfriend. He smiled lightly and kissed her cheek.

"I could consider that rape" Lucy mumbled.

Natsu flashed a grin while Lucy turned around to face her boyfriend.

"You wouldn't press charges against me though now would you?" he asked.

Lucy was thinking about it.

"You okay?" she asked.

Natsu sighed and nodded. "I feel like shit at the moment but yeah, I'm okay" he answered.

"I could give you an Advil and some eye drops if you want?" Lucy offered.

"Food would be better, food cures all heartbreaks" Natsu joked.

Lucy smiled at his stupidity.

"Food it is, Kid wake up" Lucy said shoving Wendy.

"Whhaaaaaaat?! I'm tiiiiiirrrereeeeeeddddd!" the little girl wined.

"We're ditching school so you can sleep in as long as you want later, Natsu's staying for breakfast go tell Ms. Supetto" Lucy commanded.

"Natsu! Breakfast!" Wendy yelled.

She was out the door in a matter of seconds. Lucy leaned up and got out of bed but Natsu pulled her back in.

"Where do you thing your going?" he asked playfully.

"To get dressed. I not a male like you are, I can't walk down shirtless and not get questioned about it" Lucy told her.

Natsu started laughing.

"Yeah ha ha, very funny, now let me go" she said struggling.

"But I'm so tiiiiiireeeeed" he said rolling over Lucy.

"I thought you said you were hungry" Lucy said.

"I'm both" Natsu deducted.

Lucy started giggling before she used all of her strength to push Natsu off of her.

"Here I lay, heartbroken about my Father, and your laughing in my face trying to leave me?" Natsu said dramatically.

"Really? Heartbroken? Because you sure don't look like it" Lucy said rummaging through her closet.

"On the inside I am, trust me" Natsu said.

"Want to talk about it then?" Lucy asked peaking her head out the closet.

"I'm alright... at least at the moment I am" he told her.

Lucy went back to getting dressing, some shorts and a tank top, and walked back out.

"Let's go" she said holding out her hand.

Natsu only smiled and took it.

"What's wrong with this picture?" Gajeel asked.

There was a big gap in their table. The more Gajeel blinked, the bigger the gap seemed to get.

"Natsu, Lucy, and Wendy aren't here" Levy told them.

"Oh" Gajeel mumbled.

"I didn't see them first, they didn't come to school" Gray said.

"You think something happened?" Erza asked.

"Nah, Natsu probably got hit by a car and Lucy probably OD" Jellal joked.

No one found it funny. "It could happen" he said.

"But we don't want it to happen, do we Jellal?" Erza asked.

"No, dear" Jellal said.

Gajeel and Gray smirked in the background as both of them made the sound of a whip.

"Thanks for breakfast, and lunch, and dinner... and snack time" Natsu said.

Lucy laughed. "Why not spend the night? You could thank me for midnight snack as well" she said.

Natsu smiled but shook his head. "Happy's all alone at the moment and I can't remember if I set food out for him" he said.

Lucy's laughter died down and a small frown graced her lips. "Do you want me to come over?" she whispered.

"I... I need to be alone and think things through" Natsu said scratching the back of his head.

"Oh really? Is that why you came over yesterday? To be alone?" Lucy asked.

Natsu walked up to Lucy and kiss the scowl off her face.

"Thanks for caring. It's nice to know you like me enough too" he said.

Lucy looked towards the sky, she couldn't believe she was going to say this but she swallowed her pride.

"Of course I like you, I've always liked you" she mumbled.

Natsu looked at her and blinked. What had gotten into his girlfriend? Of course she didn't say love but like! That was still a huge improvement in their relationship.

"It's nice to know you like me, I love you too Lucy" Natsu said before kissing her.

Lucy was scared. She didn't believe that Natsu was going to be okay, look at her for instants. She tried to kill herself, what would Natsu try? She didn't want him dead, quite the opposite.

"I'll see you tomorrow at school" Natsu said.

"I'll hold you too it" Lucy said and waved as Natsu walked away.

Lucy didn't understand what he was going through but she knew someone who would. The only problem was the little girl.

"Get to bed early Wendy, we have to wake up extra early tomorrow" Lucy called out.

"Yes Nee-san" Wendy called back as Lucy shut the door.