Hello again everyone, I hope you guys enjoyed the last chapter and I apologize early in advanced. I'm not going to say what for though! No, spoilers allowed here!

Enjoy guys :D

Natsu pulled at the tie around his neck, loosening it as he and Erza walked towards the exit of the building. It was late and both were exhausted. "I can't believe you guys actually called that a meeting. It never even went anywhere!" Erza complained pulling on her long black trench coat as they neared the doors. Tugging her long red strands of hair out of the back of the collar as Natsu opened the door, holding it open for her and a few other team members behind her.

The men behind her laughed at her complaint, "Shouldn't you be used to that by now? It takes more than a day to set change in motion you know." Makarov spoke up wisely. The short older man shook his head as he continued, "You youngsters seem to believe change happens overnight. I wish I could be a part of that fairytale."

Erza abruptly turned a dark aura illuminating her features, "I don't expect change at the snap of a finger," she started, her pointed piercing stare causing males to leap behind Natsu, Makarov and Erza's boyfriend who seemed unfazed even as she continued, "but what I do expect is for you lot to leave personal matters out of a meeting. You idiots waisted at least two to three hours of company time probing Natsu for information about his mystery girl rather than doing the job you're paid to do while on company time!" she snarled disgusted.

Natsu closed his eyes, smiling slightly as he laughed, his shoulders bounded a little, "Thanks Erza." He said throwing an arm around her shoulders.

Erza set her glare at the arm around her shoulders then shifted it effortlessly to Natsu, "You wanna die tonight don't you?" she asked. Satisfied when Natsu flinched away, recoiling his arm from around her shoulders. Her boyfriend released a round of laughter at the wounded and fearful look on Natsu's face, "What are you laughin at?! You're just as guilty you jerk!" she huffed wandering away from the horde of people behind her to her car. Having half a mind to get in and leave her boyfriend stranded. She knew he was only messing around earlier… teasing Natsu because of the strange glow this new girl in his life had caused. But she couldn't help but feel even the slightest bit jealous of this girl when she was all her boyfriend had talked about for hours in that meeting.

Natsu turned to Erza's boyfriend flashing him an apologetic smile, "Looks like we're both in the doghouse with her huh Jellal." He replied.

Jellal shrugged flashing a grin, "Oh, I won't be for long! She can't stay mad at me, now you on the other hand…" he commented leaving it to hang in the air as he left.

Natsu chuckled nervously as everyone spread out to their respective cars, "Haha, good luck getting forgiveness!" he whispered loud enough for Jellal to hear before he had a chance to open the passenger door.

Jellal spared Natsu one last glance wiggling his brows at him suggestively, "I won't need luck!"

Natsu's face twisted in disgust, "Ew man, I don't need you droppin hints about your nightly activities!" he gagged. Jellal silently continued to bounce his brows as he opened the door only breaking eye contact with Natsu as he sat down in the car beside his adorably jealous girlfriend.

Natsu shook his head to get the image Jellal just put in his head out of it before mounting his motorcycle while putting on his helmet. Thoughts still plaguing him… how he was going to introduce Lucy to Happy without the little kit attacking her. Thankfully, Levy been taking care of him for the last few days for him. Starting the bike, he listened to it purr like a kitten for a good moment then slapped his face visor down, taking hold of the handlebars as he began to back it up and out of his spot.

~oooOOOooo~

A knock came to the door and she rushed out of her bedroom, her reddened scales still there due to the water still coating her skin because of her hair. Lucy shrugged uncaringly, Natsu had said he was curious about her, couldn't hurt to let him see her scales, plus there wasn't much guaranty that she wouldn't be dried off and gone by the time he got here. She supposed if Natsu was really that curious she could just jump back in the tub later…

Lucy caught herself from falling face first, nearly tripping over the long welcome carpet that stretched from the door to the entrance of the living room. Jumping up quickly dusting herself off, her hand reaching out to turn the doorknob, as she pulled the door open the smile on her face dropped, "Daddy?"

The man grunted after looking her up and down, "Lucy, what in gods name are you wearing?!" he yelled despite feeling sick from being out of the water for too long. Even she could tell he wasn't okay just from his color.

Lucy sighed opening the door more before gesturing for her father to enter, "Relax dad, it's just sleepwear." She answered rubbing at her temples. She could feel her annoyance building already and he hadn't even been in her presence for five minutes. Lucy's gaze avoided him to considering he was every bit as uncovered as she had been when she left home.

Jude's eyes widened in shock and disgust, "Sleepwear?! You've barely gotten anything on! We're not barbaric cave men who run around in rags go put on something more covering!" he commanded as he entered Lucy's small home.

Lucy's brow twitched, "You do realize this is my house, right?" she reminded him that she would not take orders from anyone. She didn't have too. She was her own person now!

He turned to her and she head jerked away as she rushed away to grab him a towel, "You do realize you're my baby girl, right?" Jude shot back. The look in his eyes was strange… it almost seemed like he cared…

Lucy laughed a little handing over the towel she'd gotten for him to cover up, "And who are you to talk about me and my get up when you're running around nude?" she replied changing the subject.

Jude put on a set parental glare one he'd taken years to master and one Lucy had grown to hate so much, "I'm your father that's who and you will listen to what I have to say!" he told her. Yes, whether she wanted to hear him or not she would listen to what he had to say to her. Ever since she'd left the second time… He'd had nothing but time to himself to think. Frightening right? Even he thought so!

Lucy groaned already guessing where this conversation was going, "Dad really," she whined. She'd thought her father had been listening to her that time. She'd thought he'd understood, but apparently like always he hadn't heard a thing she'd said, "I thought we discussed this already! I'm not coming hom…"

"I don't approve of him." Jude continued effectively cutting off her speech as he finished tying off the towel around his waist.

Lucy blinked, 'Him? Natsu?' she wondered before she felt anger pulsing in her veins, "You don't approve of him?" she repeated his words, her hands fisted and shaking at her sides in anger. Lucy glared at him, "Daddy, you don't even know him!" she yelled feeling her temper flare. How dare he! He had yet to even see Natsu! Hell talk to him! And he dares say he doesn't approve?!

Jude shrugged his shoulders looking like he didn't care about her outburst, "Doesn't mean I can't disapprove." He told her truthfully. There was no way in hell he'd just hand over his daughter so easily.

Lucy shook her head, 'You know what.' She thought as she decided on her next course of action. "Daddy, please leave the way you came." She told him politely as she rounded him putting her hands to his back not so politely escorting him back towards the door. She was so done! She was so done with how her father thought he could control the outcome of her life. This life was hers, not his!

Jude grounded himself so Lucy could no longer push him, "No, you came home and said your peace." He started. Jude turned around so suddenly that Lucy fell into his chest and he didn't waist time wrapping his arms around her, "Now it's my turn to say mine."

Lucy growled slapping her hands to his chest and pushing him away, "Dad, you can forget it I'm not marrying…" she yelled only to be cut off as her father continued saying something that silenced her.

"I realize what I tried to do was wrong," he started, Lucy stared at him in disbelief. She'd been prepared for another marriage argument, but instead, her father had done something she'd never expected and told her that his actions had been wrong. She didn't know how too react to emotion from the mere words, "and I'm open to the idea of you finding love yourself." Jude continued.

Lucy's brow twitched at his words. Had he not been listening to her? She was starting to get irritated again, "I told you I found it already." She declared to him so openly again.

Jude nodded mounting his hands on his hips, "You did, but that boy and I have never met. Therefore, before I can deem him worthy of even standing next to you," he started unmounting his hand from his hip to tuck some of her long blonde bangs back behind her ear, "he will have to prove himself to me that he is worthy enough to have you." He told her before stubbornly finishing with, "Until then I strongly disapprove!"

Lucy felt a strange warmth in her chest, "You mean it?" she asked feeling tears whelm up into her eyes. When he nodded, she launched at him pulling him into a tight hug as she cried into his chest. Jude gently rubbed her back much like he used to do when she was a child after he yelled at her for bringing up her mother.

"Lucy?" Jude spoke up after some time hoping she'd stopped crying. Hoping he hadn't screwed up something else. Who was he kidding, he was the king at making his child cry. 'You would know how to stop these tears wouldn't you, Layla.' He thought with a frown.

"Thank you so much!" she sobbed out surprising him. She was… thanking him? So, these were happy tears? The guilty feeling that'd been building within his chest lifted and was replaced with something else. He felt a little woozy, his body nearly toppling over if it hadn't been for Lucy holding him, "Oh my god, are you okay?" Lucy shouted worriedly trying to keep him upright.

Jude smiled despite how serious his condition currently was. He made his daughter happy for the first time in years. It wasn't much of an accomplishment in the grand scheme of things, but it was a step forward. The world around him was beginning to spin ever so slightly, "Y-Yeah, just need to sit in some water and I should be fine." He told her unwrapping his arms from around her, but Lucy rushed forward seeing him falling.

Lucy caught him barely and pulled his arm over her shoulder struggling to keep him upright but was instructing him that they had to get to the bathroom. Lucy led him step by step until a light tap came from the window followed by the sound of the window opening, "Hey, Luce sorry I'm late the traffic was mur…" he started his body half inside the window as he stared at Lucy who was assisting a near-naked man to her bathroom, "Uh Luce, who the hells that?" he demanded to know with a hint of building jealousy.

Continuing to ever so slowly shuffle his feet towards the door, "That can wait." Lucy declared worriedly.

"What?!" Natsu roared in protest. Who in the hell was this?! The bastard was touching his girl! Natsu yelled out her name angrily.

"Natsu get his other side!" Lucy demanded ignoring him still obviously worried over whoever this man was.

Natsu growled throwing his bag down on the floor beside the bed, "There better be a damn good explanation for this." He huffed shooting the man a glare as he rounded him pulling the man's arm over his shoulder. Taking on most of the man's weight so Lucy wouldn't have too. They helped the man into the tub and now that they were in a well-lit room, he noticed the mans skin color. Natsu's eyes widened, "Luce, we gotta call an ambulance!" he told her the man in the tub shot him a glare.

Natsu took out his phone but Lucy took it, "No, we're fine! He just needs water." Lucy answered quickly as she began twisting the knobs. Water gushed out of the nozzle and splashed down at the bottom of the tub. She quickly plugged the drain so the water would rise and knelt down beside the tub to hold the man's hand.

Natsu glared at the locked hands, feeling more and more tempted to use his untamed powers to burn that man's hand away from Lucy's. The only thing keeping him from it was that in his current condition he'd probably end up hurting Lucy if he did. He could already feel the powers inside him leaking out as his rage rose to new heights when Lucy asked if the man was alright. The loving stare cast in Lucy's direction is all it took for his flames to escape their sealed cage, "Who in the hell are you?" he growled dangerously, steam rolling off his shoulders as he pulled Lucy back and away from the man.

Lucy yelled his name angrily and he ignored her as he awaited an answer to his question. The man in the tub broke out into fits of laughter, "Who am I indeed? Is this as far as your trust for her runs? You're already failing, kid." he says.

Natsu didn't know why but to hear those words stung. Feeling a slight tug on his sleeve, his eyes breaking contact to find Lucy's big brown irises after a long stare Natsu released a deeply depressed sigh, "Sorry," he muttered under his breath. Natsu stepped out of the bathroom.

Lucy sighed irritatedly, "What was his problem?!" she commented making Jude snort at her words. "Did you just laugh?" She questions confused about why he would laugh in such a situation. She smiled slightly seeing the color slowly coming back to his face. Lucy heard her front door open and shut making her jolt. Was Natsu leaving? Why?!

"Lucy, can you really not understand why that boy was upset?" Jude asked seeing the confused look on her face as she stared at the open bathroom door. Lucy turned back shaking her head from side to side cluelessly. Lucy kept looking between him and the door that Natsu had just left out of with a conflicted stare. Jude smiled slightly shaking his head, "Go after him… Talk to him." He instructed gesturing for her to leave.

"But you…" Lucy started but was stopped as her father's index finger was pressed to her lips.

"I'm fine. Go." He answered before shooing her away.

Lucy looked concerned and confused but did as her father instructed her to do for once. She rushed out of the door so fast that she accidentally slammed the front door. She had to catch him… She had to find out why he'd left when he'd only just gotten here! Lucy skipped the elevator rushing down the stairs skipping steps in hope of catching up to him. Lucy panted heavily as she reached the ground floor, rushing through the lobby that separated two smaller apartments to the double glass doors that led outside. Natsu was just outside putting on his helmet as she rushed out of the doors, she collided with his back, her arms wrapping around his waist, "Where are you going?" she asked feeling like crying. She didn't know why but it felt like he was leaving her.