AN: Hello TMBC followers, I did manage to cut some of the chapter 19 down quite a bit, but I'm I think you guys will still more than enjoy this despite me cutting down certain things.

~oooOOOooo~ Enjoy ~oooOOOooo~

Natsu frowned as he walked through the lobby, pushing back the memories of Lisanna that wouldn't stay away. They hadn't been in love with each other, they had merely been best friends who became an item to deal with their own pain, but the memories of her deception hurt all the same. His brain screamed at him for being an idiot for even putting the two in the same category, but his heart stung with the same pain of that day.

Natsu opened the double glass doors leading to his bike that he'd left parked on the side of the street. It was wet but the road and everything didn't look all that wet though. It must have been a light shower he concluded with a shrug. Natsu grabbed his helmet putting it over his head, 'I just need to ride around.' He thought realizing he needed to calm down. For all he knew, Lucy had a perfectly good explanation for all this. He just needed to leave get his head on right and come back when he was calmer.

After mounting the helmet over his head Natsu reached into his pocket, grabbing his phone and began to text Lucy. "Don't worry, I'll be back in a bit just need a min…" he whispered what he was typing softly under his breath until something crashed into his back. Natsu's face turned fifty shades of red when he realized there were a pair of breasts pressing into his back.

"Where are you going?" he heard a familiar voice just as he was about to ask whoever had grabbed him to take their hands off him, but he didn't when he heard who it was. Instead, his hand found his way to hers which currently had him locked in place so he couldn't go any further.

Natsu ran his thumb lightly over the back of her hand, "I don't know." He told her truthfully. He wasn't sure anymore. One minute he wanted to leave to clear his head, but with a single word from her lips he didn't want to go. No matter how over emotional he was… "I just needed to get away." He explained a little, it wasn't her fault that she didn't understand what this situation was doing to him mentally. It wasn't as though he'd told her about his past…

"Why?" She questioned still not understanding anything about what was happening and why he seemed so upset. She wasn't sure how, but her father seemed to understand why… so why couldn't she? It was so frustrating!

Natsu took in a deep calming breath and decided to answer her question by asking again, "Who is he?"

Lucy blinked still confused… What did her father have to do with this? Then it dawned on her… hitting her like a ton of bricks as the scene replayed in her head. Her eyes widened as she realized what Natsu must be thinking, "N-Natsu you-you think…" she began in disbelieve tilting her head up to try and see his face from over his shoulder.

"W-Well is it like that?" Natsu questioned with a looming sadness behind his eyes. "Am-Am I not enough?" he mumbled under his breath only to be startled when Lucy's warmth vanished and her silence speaking volumes to him despite her saying nothing at all. 'I guess I was right…' he thought the scar left from Lisanna feeling like it was being ripped open again. He needed to go… He needed to move… He felt like he couldn't breathe…

"Natsu," Lucy started as she pulled his helmet off his head. When had she moved he could only help but wonder as he turned his face away from her. She could see the tears building in his eyes despite the motion, "It's not like that at all." She started with a whisper, hooking the helmet on the handlebars before turning back to him, softly slipping both hands over his cheeks, turning his face back to her as gently as she could before flashing him a small watery smile, "You couldn't be even more off the mark." She told him with a soft giggle. She was so happy to find out that this was just one really big misunderstanding, "Natsu, that man in there. He's my father." She informed him as she wiped away a tear that finally decided to cascade down his face.

Her words took time to process… Much more time then she anticipated but she gave him the time knowing he needed it. More tears came at this knowledge, "I-I'm sorry, I should have trusted you more." Natsu said after the words the man had said to him clicked into his head again. Now they made sense…

"Is this as far as your trust for her runs? You're already failing, kid."

"Gods, I feel so stupid now." Natsu continued with a frown bringing a hand to his head to cover his face. How could he face her after this? He should have known better… Lucy wasn't Lisanna. If it was anything like that, he was sure Lucy would talk to him, but then his head replied with a doubtful, 'Would she?'

Lucy shook her head, "Don't, I didn't exactly make the situation easy to understand." She told him pulling him into a hug, her arms reaching up to his neck. Natsu hugged her back, his hands around her waist, his face buried into her shoulder, "I'm sorry I made you think that, Natsu." She said as she ran her hand gently through his pink spiky locks of hair. After a few minutes of standing there, Lucy pulled away, kissing him on the cheek as her hands slid down his arms to grab a hold of his hands, "Come on, lets head back inside."

Natsu nodded still feeling ashamed that he hadn't trusted her for just a moment. Lucy led him back through the lobby by the hand, they stopped at the elevator, Lucy hit the call button and waited for the doors to open. The doors opened with a ding, to find a familiar face, "Oh, hey Lucy! I'm glad to see your safe." the young man said with a charming lopsided smile.

Someone caught her hand and began pulling her in the opposite direction, looking back she was surprised to find that man from the elevator yesterday, "You're going the wrong way!" he yelled over the hysterical crowd.

Natsu's gaze shifted from Lucy to this man and back, "Oh, hi ah… how are you!" Lucy replied not wanting to be impolite by not answering. At the same time, she was unsure of how to answer because she didn't know this guy's name… Lucy blinked a few times in confusion as she followed where the man's eyes were. Finding they were on her and Natsu's locked hands.

"I see you found what you were looking for." He told her as she stepped into the elevator. She was expecting him to get out since that's usually what people do when they get into the elevator and reach the bottom floor, but he didn't. Lucy tapped the button for her floor, thankful she didn't have to take the stairs to get back up to her place. However, with this strange air looming she kind of wished she had them take the stairs.

Lucy turned to him with a raised eyebrow, "Huh?" she asked in confusion. Not missing as the man's eyes skimmed over Natsu, a strange look resting beyond his eyes that she couldn't place. "Y-Yeah, guess I did." She replied unsure of what the man had meant. She wasn't sure what it was, but something about the man behind them reeked of danger. A paranoid feeling was building inside of her the longer he stared at Natsu like that the more hairs on the back of her neck stood on end as if sensing the imminent feeling of danger coating the air itself.

The door dinged making her shoulders jump slightly at the unexpected noise and without a second thought she pulled Natsu out of the elevator immediately, "You should be careful. There are crazy people in this world. Try not to cross them." He commented as she rushed them out.

Natsu raised a brow, "Who the hell was that?" he questioned suspiciously.

Lucy shrugged, "I'm not all that sure to be completely honest. I just know him as the guy who helped me understand how to use the elevator when I first moved here." She explained. Her skin was still crawling from the stare.

"He's creepy," Natsu commented as he walked beside her.

Lucy couldn't agree more! She'd been told of many things since she'd been here. Most of them by the girls Kylie, Nina, and Mary. "Are you okay?" Natsu asked her, but she just nodded giving his hand which was still held within her gentle grasp a squeeze.

~oooOOOooo~

"Welcome back boy," Jude said from the bathroom as they entered the house. The bathroom light lighting their way through the small apartment. Natsu releases her hand, walking over to the door, not wanting to be rude by looking inside he leans against the wall beside the open door.

Natsu wasn't sure where to begin… After all, he'd messed up pretty bad already when it came to a good impression. So, he decided to start clean with an introduction, "Hello, sir my name is…"

"I know what your name is kid," Jude cut him off without a care. His open rudeness shut the young man up immediately and that bothered him. Was this really the guy his daughter was in love with? The guy wasn't much to look at and from what he was seeing right now… he didn't have all that much of a backbone to speak of. He waited a moment to see if Natsu would fire off a comeback, when he didn't Jude continued, "Gotta say, if your goal is to impress me, you're not doing a very good job of it thus far." He told Natsu truthfully. Natsu made a move to speak again, but he wasn't sure how to come back from that. What could he say to that? "My daughter needs a man, not a child." Jude continues harshly not caring one bit about his feelings.

"Dad!" Lucy gave off a hissed warning.

Natsu's brow twitched angrily at his words, he rounded the door no longer caring about being polite, his eyes falling on the man still in the tub, his color was doing much better, but also, he noticed something else… confirmation that Lucy was indeed telling the truth. The man in the small room sat in the tub with the water filled up to his chest, his long scaly green tail whipped over the side of the tub, the man's eyes staring directly at him challenging as though he'd known he was going to round the corner. His eyes calculated, caring, and above all testing, but Natsu couldn't back down, "Just who in the hell do you think you are!?" he roared pointing at him rudely.

Jude rose an eyebrow at the retaliation, "A man who wants nothing but the best for his daughter." He replied calmly like a businessman debating on his next business deal. Jude watched as the young man's blood boiled at his words. The boy was such a child to get angry over trivial words even though Jude had chosen them for that specific reason. Jude wanted to get a rise out of him, Jude wanted to get him angry, but most of all Jude wanted to see just how much growing up this young man still had left.

Natsu marched into the bathroom shrugging away from the hand that'd been holding onto his arm, he fisted his hand and poked out his right thumb thrusting it into his own chest. His eyes set and serious, "I am the best for your daughter!" he said louder and angrier then intended. Natsu quickly realized he was getting angry… too angry. Natsu took in some calming breathes allowing Lucy surrounding scent to calm his raging senses. If he didn't calm down soon, he wouldn't be able to control it. As the scent clouded around him he could feel himself steadily calming down.

Jude snorted, "Oh really?" he started comically with a short pause, "Is that why you ran out without waiting for her explanation and came to the completely wrong conclusion?" he questioned.

Natsu felt a stab at his words. He realized Jude was right… What he had done had been very childish. He should have calmed down and waited rather than assuming the worst. "Daddy!" Lucy shouted angrily, but Natsu extended out an arm.

Jude sighed deciding by his daughter's reaction that he was taking this a step too far, "Look, kid, I can tell by the look on your face that you've been hurt once before," he told Natsu. He wasn't sure what put that hurt behind the boy's eyes, but he was sure of one thing. It was a hurt he'd never gotten to experience. So really who was he to judge this boy? Jude sighed settling for a light fatherly lecture, "but still even you should know by now that Lucy is different. Even if she were human, she would never hurt you in whatever way you've been hurt." He continues.

"Daddy, I know trust takes years to build, seconds to break, and forever to repair, but even you should realize not all humans broke your trust. It was just one…"

Jude smiled slightly at the memory now. When had his daughter gotten so wise, he wondered. Jude brought his hand up from the water, the water dripping from his hand back into the tub as he slapped it to his forehead and ran his hand through his long blonde hair. A few water droplets dripped from a few strands that hung over his face, "My daughter told me something once… Something I'll never forget because for the first time in a long time that she's shown wisdom beyond her years." He began his eyes finding Natsu's again. "Trust takes years to build, seconds to break, and forever to repair." He repeated pointing an index finger Natsu's way before continuing, "Be careful not to break mine young man for you see as of right this moment you are the only human; I'm putting my trust in to protect what little of my heart that I have left." He explained. His gaze unguarded and yet somehow protective, "I suggest you don't break that trust."

Natsu was surprised by the words but couldn't help the small smile that twitched to his lips knowing the words came from Lucy. He would take them to heart. Natsu nodded, "Never sir," he agreed without a second thought, "and I'll be more mindful rushing off and jumping to conclusions."

Jude nodded at this, "Good!" he said. It was a small thing, but it was a start. He would take it no matter how flimsy he felt humans' promises were. He felt a nagging feeling kicking him trying to remind him of something, something his daughter had told him recently… what was it? Oh well, if it was something important, he'll remember it right? Jude leaned forward a little his tail pulling down a little more into the water, as he set a stare on the boy. He wants to make sure this boy understood just how serious he was, "If you make my daughter cry again, I'll kick your ass." He threatened.

Had Lucy been crying up here Natsu wondered in confusion, "How'd you…?"

Jude rolled his eyes, "I'm the King of the mer-people kid. I control every drop of water in this world. In fact, if I wanted, I could even kill you where you stand." He explained hoping the boy wasn't a dumbass who didn't know that the human body was made up of mostly water. Jude reached forward beckoning the boy to come closer, when he did, he gave him a warning flick to the forehead, "So, watch your step. We wouldn't want any unfortunate accidents." He threatened again.

Natsu rubbed at his forehead somehow unaffected by the threat lingering in the air, "King?" he questioned.

"Daddy!" She shouted irritatedly now beside Natsu checking his forehead.

"What?!" Jude started with a huff, "The boy needs a good threat to keep him in line!" he explained not really caring about his daughter's outburst.

Natsu blinked in confusion as Lucy's soft fingers ran over where her father had flicked his skin, "Did you say King?" he repeated himself.

"Daddy!" Lucy growled out when her father continued.

Jude held up his hands, "Okay-Okay fine… killjoy." He grumbled slouching back into the tub. He flicked his tail at his daughter shooting some water at her, "You take all the fun out of being a father you know that?" he complained.

Natsu Looked to Lucy, "Did he say King?" he continued still baffled. Had he heard the man, right?

Jude sighed and nodded, "Yes, kid I said King which in turn makes my daughter a princess. Do we have this cleared up?" he asked. It was delayed but Natsu reluctantly nodded, "Good then we can move on!" Jude deduced.

Lucy groaned mounting her forehead against her fingertips, "Dad really! I wanted to break that to him later myself, so I didn't freak him out!" she told him.

Jude chuckled at this, "Lucy-Lucy-Lucy, the boys probably already freaked out especially just finding out that we aren't human." He says directing their view to his body with his hands.

Lucy rolled her eyes, "He already knows that dad!" she tells him.

Jude cocked an eyebrow, "He does…?" he begins in surprise. Jude hums, "and he's still okay with sticking around. Are you what they call a scientist here?" he questioned honestly ready to kill him on the spot if he said he was. When the boy shook his head from side to side, he couldn't help but feel the slightest bit impressed at the news, "I have to admit I'm a little impressed!" he tells Natsu. "Since it's something you'll need to know for if you plan to have kids," Jude started only to be cut off by Natsu.

Natsu held up his hand, "I know how girls get pregnant." He told the man.

Jude snickered shaking his index finger at him, "Wrong kid, you know how human girls get pregnant!" he said.

Lucy covered her face, "Oh god, dad no. Don't embarrass me!" she groaned.

Jude beamed, "Part of the job!" he said. He'd never expected having the talk with Lucy's 'one' because he'd always expected her to settle down with a fellow merman who are taught all about this from a young age by their parents. But since the boy was human… he had an obligation to explain right? His future grandkids counted on it! Jude turned back to Natsu and gestured for him to sit on the strange white thing that humans tend to urinate in, "Now where were we…" he says before remembering, "ah, yes! You see boy like humans' females of our kind get pregnant through having sex, but there is a difference." He announced. Not noticing his daughter had slipped out of the room, "You see, unlike humans females who ovulate like every month of the year with next to no guarantee of a chi… " he continued only for the room to suddenly go dark as something soft was shoved into his face, "…"

Natsu jerked up from his seat on the toilet, "Ah! Luce, what are you doing?! Don't you'll kill him!" he panicked watching as Lucy tried to smother her father with a pillow. Natsu grabbed her arms trying to ease her off him so she wouldn't kill him. He succeeded but he came to the realization that the girl he loved was quite strong.

Lucy still struggled against Natsu's hold, "A necessary sacrifice!" she answers.

Natsu looked at her confused, "Why are you so embarrassed about this?" he questioned. Natsu blinked in confusion not understanding why Lucy found this topic of conversation so embarrassing, "It's a natural thing you know…"

Jude coughed, "Exactly!" he exclaimed, "Besides it's the only way we'll truly know if he is the one… well if I truly know he is…" he says still feeling skeptical about the whole thing despite his daughter's reassurance. You never know the girl was young she could be confused, right?

"Because it's something I don't want to talk about!" Lucy growled her face aflame with various shades of red.

Jude shrugged at this knowledge. He couldn't keep this from the boy. It was something he had to know and if Lucy wouldn't tell him then he had an obligation to do so as her father, "Regardless, you need to give him a heads up, so he knows what to expect. If by some slim chance he is your 'one'." He said.

"…" Lucy stood there wordlessly for a moment. She could see from the look on his face… he wasn't going to back down from this. Lucy turned on her heels with an irritated sigh, "Fine," she says walking for the exit.

"Luce!" Natsu called watching her walk past the bathroom door. Natsu jumped up rushing to the door watching her as she approached the couch, "Luce, hey where are you going?" he questions.

Lucy stops at the couch taking a seat as she rubs at her forehead, "Not staying in here that's for sure!" she tells him waving him off before continuing, "Enjoy the father-son talk!"