AN: Hello everyone, hope you guys enjoy the new installment! I was originally planning to make this one longer, but overall I've made the decision to break it into two parts.

Natsu sighed back at his parent's vacation home packing his belongings, he had to go back today and was dreading every second of it. He stood deep in thought as he packed his bag with his clothes that littered the living room couch, rubbing at the back of his head fiercely debating on if he should call her and explain when from across the room his phone rings. Natsu walks over to find the very person he was thinking about was calling. Natsu frowned deciding he wanted to talk to her about it, so she didn't misunderstand. He picked up the phone on its second ring, "Hey Luce,"

A small smile coming to his face as her giddy voice echoed through the phone. Excited at her accomplishment of calling him by herself for the first time successfully since he'd gotten her a cell phone yesterday. "Good morning!" she greeted him happily, he could practically see her lips pulled back into a big smile.

Natsu flinched a little at the soreness and stiffness still residing in his shoulders from the major workout he'd had yesterday.

"This is the one you want?" Natsu questioned when Lucy frowned as Kylie notified her that the couch, she wanted was more than a bit over budget.

Lucy gave him a slight smile, "Yeah, but I have to get one within my pays budget." She explained before wandering off with the girls to look at more couches.

Natsu rushed up behind her catching her hand in his before she could make it any further, "Luce, tell me what you want." He said seriously.

"How are you doing today?" Lucy asked a hint of worry to her voice at the strange tone. He seemed troubled… She'd hoped massaging Natsu's back and arms last night had helped like Nina said it would. Natsu seemed like he'd been in quite a bit of pain yesterday after helping to carry in a couch, two living room end tables, a coffee table, a regular sit alone sofa chair that could recline back, a bed, dresser, and nightstand tables along with other decorating necessities.

Natsu smiled slightly answering without missing a beat, "Better after that massage you gave me before I left last night." He told her.

~oooOOOooo~

Lucy's face went flush as her mind remembered the mental diagram her brain had created of his back and arm muscles. Her fingers unconsciously twitched at the memory as she stood in her kitchen debating on doing the dishes right now to distract herself from her own thoughts. Lucy gulped trying to mentally push away the images of him sitting before her shirtless, "I'm glad." She told him truly happy that it had indeed helped him. She'd felt so guilty last night…

"Here Natsu, let me hel…" Lucy insisted wanting to help the guys carry the bigger heavier objects.

Only to be waved away by both men, "No worries Luce, we got this! You just tell us where you want it." Natsu and Conrad told her despite the struggle both were having with getting the large bottom part of the bed into the room without keeling over themselves. They both had to wonder what this thing was made of because to them it felt as though they were lifting a thick tree, and this was only half of the bottom of the bed!

"Are you sure?" she questioned receiving a rapid nod from both gentlemen. She didn't believe them for a second, able to see the struggle so clearly on both of their faces. She felt a peg of guilt wash over her at their agony, "Over here." She pointed as she entered what would be her room. She watched them put it down and against the wall before rushing out to retrieve the next one.

Lucy's eyes gazing over a now somewhat decorated apartment. Things were still in disarray, but at least it didn't look so empty… so lonely anymore.

"Luce," Natsu's voice made her jolt bringing her back from the depths of her thoughts. Lucy hummed in acknowledgment, "I-I just wanted you to know… I'll be heading home today. I need to get back to running my family's company." He told her. Lucy felt like her world was crashing down around her. He was leaving? But why? He'd just come back! And he even asked her to go on a date with him! What had changed?! Tears began to whelm into her eyes… She was losing him again!

She must have gone quiet for far too long because Natsu's rushed and worried voice continued, "Don't worry nothing's changed!" he told her as if reading her mind. She could almost see the seriousness on his face despite him not being present because of his tone of voice. "I-I don't wanna ever lose you again... I refuse to ever lose you again!" He told her unaware that the confession had turned Natsu's face into a radish. "And the date the date's still on and I-I-I plan on asking you out on more of them! I-I mean if that's okay…" he told her his assuring and bashful tone of voice growing softer to the point she could barely hear him.

Lucy's cheeks went flush but a smile stretched over her face as she nodded giving off a soft giggle as she answers, "Yeah? Yeah, I think I'd like that!"

~oooOOOooo~

"Luce," he began cautiously, his mind going a mile a minute as he tried to piece together the right words. He knew somehow he would screw this up… Words were something he was never particularly good with. It wasn't that he didn't know how to spell or read, but expressing himself properly was a bit of a chore, "I-I just wanted you to know… I'll be heading home today. I need to get back to running my family's company." He told her as he dropped down to the floor his legs folded under him while rocking slightly with worry as his mind replayed his own words.

Realizing how his words must have sounded he continued with a loud serious tone, "Don't worry nothing's changed!" he spoke up quickly. Wanting to kick his own ass for how he worded the beginning of the conversation… "I-I don't wanna ever lose you again…" he said in a mild panic grabbing at his bare feet with his free hand while rocking a bit nervously. A life without Lucy again… he didn't want it! He gripped his foot tighter, "I refuse to ever lose you again!" he told her with more conviction in his voice. No, he would never let her go. Not again… Not even if they didn't work out as a couple. He would always hold onto her as a dear friend!

I took Natsu a moment to reflect on the words that came from his mouth… though the words that came from his mouth were the truth. Natsu couldn't help but turn beet red at his own honest feelings that had just spewed from his lips without his realizing. Natsu shut his eyes ignoring the embarrassment he was feeling about having his feelings so out in the open wanting to clear up the mess his inability to properly communicate things had caused, "And the date!" he started.

His loudness deflating quickly as bashfulness sets in after thinking about the words, he was planning to say next. Natsu secured the phone between his ear and shoulder, freeing his both hands so he could lightly touch his index fingers together as if that would somehow relieve him of some of the embarrassment exposing his feelings and plans to another gave him, "the date's still on and I-I-I plan on asking you out on more of them! I-I mean if that's okay…"

After a moment his ear was filled with the sounds of soft giggles and Lucy gave a reply that warmed his heart, "Yeah-Yeah, I think I'd like that!" Lucy said. He could almost hear the smile on her face causing his own lips to pull back into a smile.

He didn't really think more needed to be said but something urged him to say it, "Lucy," he started to give a short pause only to continue, "I'll always come back to you." Natsu promised. After a few seconds he realized his words could be perceived in many ways.

He wanted to clarify what he really meant immediately but two words from her stopped him, "You better!" Lucy declared boldly. "Natsu, will I get to see you again before you leave?" she asked a hint of sadness evident in her voice at the fact that he was leaving.

Natsu frowned at this, "I wish I could…" he told her sadly. In fact, he wished he didn't have to leave in the first place! If it wasn't for the fact that he wanted his parent's legacy to continue to flourish and live on he probably would have thrown in the towel at running the company just after seeing her.

"Okay…" Lucy answered softly.

Natsu gripped his foot hard again, "Lucy I…"

"Sorry, I've got to go to work," Lucy told him. He wasn't sure if it was true or not, but he didn't argue it. Knowing she was probably every bit as upset as he was…

Natsu nodded, "Alright, call me later okay? I don't care what time!" he rushed before she could hang up.

For a few seconds, the line went quiet, "Kay."

~oooOOOooo~

Natsu stared at the line of people carrying bags much like him as they waited to get onto the bus. The sucky weather had cleared providing the lands a well-deserved break from natures anger though according to the news app on his cell phone the break wouldn't be for too long. Most of his time standing there he spent drowning within his thoughts. He was twitchy as his mind continued to try and talk him out of leaving without seeing her. Natsu shook his head trying to keep his mind on his goal, but it would always wander back to her… 'Dammit!' he cursed hearing a man before him asking him for his ticket.

Ignoring him, Natsu turned on his heels. His pace started out as a slow walk then turned into a jog before going into a sprint burst through the late afternoon streets. The faster he ran the shallower his breathing became, and he'd begun to pant heavily as he neared her street… Coming to the front door he pressed the intercom button at the gate, "L-Luce? Hey Luce, it's me! Open up!" Natsu told her. When he received nothing but dead air, he grabbed his phone, dialing the cell phones number that he'd just gotten her. When he received no answer, he couldn't help but wonder if Lucy was really telling the truth earlier.

But that didn't make sense because just yesterday she'd been telling him about how she had today off… Natsu worriedly backed away from the door and dashed around the building looking for its emergency fire exit knowing that her apartment was right beside the ladder. Natsu gave off a confident lopsided grin when he found it, reaching up he had to do a bunny hop to grab the bottom of the ladder and bring it to the ground before climbing his way up.