Four months had passed since the day Natsu proposed, and nearly every moment had been hectic. Once news broke about what had happened at Phantom Lord - as well as my involvement - the media were hounding me for interviews. Thankfully, the Zodiacs were understanding when I apologized and agreed to continue working with me to keep me away from prying eyes. Even with the imminent danger over, once I had recovered fully from my wounds, I began training again, this time with Natsu by my side.

It took two months for the authorities to investigate Phantom Lord, begin prosecution of anyone and everyone who had a hand in the human trafficking aspects, and my personal involvement to come to an end. Instead of an exclusive interview with any single reporter or station, I held a press conference, telling as many details as I was willing to share and giving them no opportunity for follow-up questions. The media hated it, but I kept my lips sealed before and after, so they had to suck it up and deal.

Though I remained a majority shareholder in my father's company, I handed over the reins to my uncle and cousin - after apologizing profusely for my behavior. I attend monthly meetings, and have a say in major deals, but I trust in my family, especially taking into consideration they had been doing a wonderful job for years.

With no job to speak of, and the authorities no longer needing me for statements or testimony, my time was free to get some things done. Most of my time was spent on weekly appointments with a therapist, dinners with Natsu and our friends, wedding planning, and a research project I had picked up in early February when a package arrived for me. Inside was a type of orchid I had never seen before, and a small piece of paper that said 'Thank You' and nothing else.

I had almost all of the information I sought, and was awaiting an important phone call when my phone woke us early one Sunday morning.

"No," Natsu whined in his groggy state, one arm wrapping around my waist and pulling me back to bed as I tried unsuccessfully to reach my ringing phone. "'S too early to get up."

Giggling, I turned in his arms and slid my fingers through his hair. "Stay in bed, then. It will only take a few minutes, then I'll be curled up with you again." I had a feeling this was the call I had been waiting for, and if I was right, I needed to answer.

"Don't wanna let you go." His eyes closed and his arms tightened around me as Natsu voiced his protest. My phone went silent for several seconds before chiming to signal a voicemail. "Just ignore whoever it was and you can call them back later."

"Or," I countered as I allowed one of my hands to drift from his soft hair to his neck, caressing his skin with my fingertips and trailing them down his chest, "I can go call them back now, and then we can spend the rest of the morning in bed?"

The excitement in his eyes as they flew open let me know I had won this round. Natsu pulled me closer for a kiss before releasing me from his grasp. I quickly donned my robe, picked up my phone, and made my way out of our room and away from prying ears.

It took longer than expected for me to finish my call and get a few necessary details in order. My impatient fiance was waiting for me when I walked back into our room, where I was promptly pulled into bed. Well, not so much pulled… it would be far more accurate to say tackled.

"You were gone forever; I counted." The wide grin on his face assured me that Natsu was not upset so much as he was teasing me. "What was so important that you had to leave me for so long?"

"So dramatic! I was gone for less than fifteen minutes," I artfully dodged his question.

"Fifteen minutes feels like forever when I'm away from you." Natsu hovered over me, his face inches from my own as he waited patiently for me to take the lead.

I could see in his eyes what he wanted, and he was not shy about asking, but never once did he take without my consent. That was just another on the long list of reasons why I loved him so much.

"I guess it's a good thing I have all morning to make it up to you then, isn't it?"

"Lucy," Natsu started to argue as soon as he saw our destination. "I can't just be gone for an unspecified amount of time without notice. Gray-"

"Has already been notified and has everything under control." I signaled my turn as I pulled into long-term parking at Magnolia's Airport, quickly taking a ticket and pulling the car into the first available space I saw. "This is important, and I need you with me for it."

"Are you at least going to tell me what 'it' is?"

"Not a chance," I whispered against his lips before indulging in a soft kiss. "It's a surprise, and I don't want to ruin it."

"When did you even decide we needed to go on this super-secret, but vitally important trip? A little warning would have been nice." His grumbling did not stop him from grabbing our small, hastily-packed carry-on bag from the trunk as I locked the car behind us. "This is a little light for a trip, isn't it?"

"The decision was made this morning, when I returned that call. And I gave you a warning."

"A handful of hours doesn't count, and you know it, Lucy."

"Whatever happened to my Natsu who always seemed up for an adventure?" He sent me a half-hearted glare, and I smiled sweetly in return. "I'm sure I had him this morning when I woke up…was he replaced when I got out of bed to take a shower?"

"You know damn-well I wasn't replaced, stubborn woman," Natsu grumbled at me before taking my hand as we made our way into the airport. "If I remember correctly, you lured me to the shower with you for… How did you put it? Oh, that's right, for water conservation purposes."

Heat rushed to my cheeks, and though I want to say I did not care for the smug grin that took over his face, I really did love it.

"Can I know where we're flying to?"

"You'll find out soon enough."

It did not take long for us to reach the front of the line and get checked in for our flight to Hargeon. Natsu stayed quiet until we were through the security checkpoint, then started in with the questions again.

"It's only a three hour drive to Hargeon. Why are we flying?"

"Tight schedule."

I received an irritated huff at my cryptic and wildly unhelpful answer. Natsu didn't stay that way for long, seeming to embrace the adventure I was taking him on.

In just under an hour, we had landed in Hargeon and were picked up by my contact. He smiled at us as he pulled up in his truck, two well-stocked backpacks resting in the bed.

"Lucy and Natsu?" He asked as he got out of the cab to shake our hands.

"Yep!" I turned to Natsu. "Natsu, this is Bobo. He'll be taking us to our destination."

Pleasantries out of the way, we all climbed into the truck, Bobo navigating us safely to the docks. The sun was setting when he parked, then got out and grabbed the backpacks to load onto his boat.

"Lucy, what's going on?" Concern was thick in Natsu's voice as he took my hands, his eyes following Bobo as he disappeared below deck before they flicked back to me. "Are you in danger? Am I? Where are we going to that we have to sneak out on a boat at night?"

Pulling one hand free, I placed it on his cheek. "Breathe, please. We're fine; everything is fine, I promise. It's a surprise, but a good one. Please trust me?"

He leaned into my hand, turning his face to brush his lips on my palm.

"I trust you." His breath against my skin did not warm me near as much as his words did at that moment.

"You two ready to go?" Bobo called from the dock. "Tide will be going out soon, and we need to get going with it."

Holding hands, we boarded the boat, and within minutes we were headed towards what I hoped would be a great surprise.

Bobo woke us as the sun rose, letting us know we were almost to the island. Within minutes of Natsu and I emerging into the fresh ocean air, Bobo was slowing enough to navigate safely towards the tiny dock.

"You two got everything?" Bobo asked as he escorted us to the end of the dock.

"Yeah," I answered for both of us. We had checked our backpacks and repacked everything before we fell asleep the night before, just to make sure we had the necessary supplies and weight was evenly distributed so neither of us would be top-heavy.

"Where are we, anyway?" Fuck, I was hoping to avoid this conversation until well into our hike. "I didn't know there were any islands within range of Hargeon."

Bobo looked at me, Natsu following suit seconds later. Both men waited for me to answer Natsu's question, but only one of them was patient about the wait. Natsu grew increasingly irritated the longer I took.

"Um… We're kinda… Well, we'reonGalunaIsland." I hurried my words in hopes that he would drop it, but the way Natsu's eyes went wide told me he heard me just fine. Holding my breath, I waited for an argument, admonishment, maybe a glare. True to form, I was utterly surprised by the reaction I received instead.

"Oh my gods, I'm marrying a crazy woman!" Natsu was doubled-over in laughter and gasping for breath by the time he finished his sentence. "Of all the crazy shit, Lucy, I was not expecting this. You do know there are places we can go backpacking on the mainland that aren't rumored to be haunted, or filled with demons, or whatever else people say about Galuna, right?"

"The rumors are why we're here."

His head cocks to the side just a little bit at this revelation, but I don't say anything else about it.

"Ugh, fine, Weirdo." Shouldering his pack, he got it properly situated and turned to Bobo. "Anything we should know before venturing into the unknown?"

"Just two more things..." Bobo pulled two long necklaces out of his pocket, handing one to each of us. "Make sure you stick to the path, and wear these at all times."

"What are they?" I slipped mine over my head as I asked, Natsu doing the same next to me.

"Talismans to keep some of the more aggressive pests from eating you alive. Lulu is expecting you at the village in three days, but you can make it in two if you decide on a faster pace."

Several more instructions and a quick goodbye later, Bobo was back on his boat, and Natsu and I made our way into the lush forests of Galuna Island.

The first day of hiking was blissfully uneventful. We stopped to make camp just before sunset in a clearing that allowed us to lay together and watch the stars as we fell asleep.

By mid-day of the second day, however, Natsu started feeling as though we were being watched. I, on the other hand, knew we were being stalked, though by who or what, I was not sure.

"We're still being followed," Natsu said for at least the twentieth time in the past hour. Not that I could blame him, the feeling was unnerving both of us, and I was beginning to wonder if I should have requested some type of weapons be added to our equipment. "Do you think we could make the village before nightfall?"

Pondering his question, I glanced up at the sun, then at my watch. It was mid-afternoon, the sun already halfway in its descent towards the horizon.

"We can try, but we kept a light pace yesterday, so I don't know if we'll make it."

Rustling in the underbrush ahead caught our attention, and I stepped closer to Natsu, taking his hand with a tight grip. Seconds passed by as eons, the rustling increasing until our stalkers stepped out onto the path several yards ahead. The formerly light grasp Natsu had of my hand tightened as he pulled me slightly back behind him, though with no weapons, I could not fathom how he expected to defend us.

My eyes stayed on the shiny black coats of the pair of jaguars as they made their way closer. Both animals had their mouths open and noses in the air, and I realized that they were taking in our scents. Though neither cat showed any signs of aggression, I could feel the adrenaline coursing through my veins at their increasingly close proximity.

"Lucy, get ready to run," Natsu whispered as he took a step back, forcing me to do the same.

"What? You expect us to outrun a pair of fucking jaguars?"

"Not us." He turned his head to make eye contact with me. "Just you. You're going to slowly remove your pack, then when I tell you to go, you're going to run."

"That is not going to happen, Natsu." I practically growled at his suggestion, and I realized again how much my hot-headed fiance's behavior had rubbed off on me. "I'm not going to flee while you stay here and get eaten…alive…"

The fingers of my free hand reached for the talisman around my neck as things clicked into place. Really looking at the two jaguars, I saw patterns of healed skin around both of their necks, as well as multiple scars that did not look like they came from fighting with other animals.

Pulling my hand away from Natsu's, I removed my backpack and set it aside. A sigh that I could only guess was relief escaped Natsu, but that relief did not last long, as I turned to him and began unbuckling the straps to his pack so I could remove it, too.

"You're supposed to be running, Lucy, not undressing me," he admonished while attempting to push my hands away.

"First off," I said while I took his hands, "I am not leaving you to make some heroic sacrifice to save my life. It just isn't necessary."

My back was now to the two jaguars who had stopped well within pouncing distance, but I was no longer worried. Natsu, on the other hand, was shaking, his eyes darting quickly between the two as I tried to sooth him with my words.

"Second, we are in no danger here. I was assured we would be safe, and we are." Shaking his head, I could tell he was about to try to argue the danger, but I stopped him by placing my fingertips on his lips. "If they had wanted to hurt us, they would have done so by now. Trust me; we're here for a reason, and that reason is not us being eaten by cats."

Eyes shifting back to me, I could see the conflict. Though many months had passed since I broke his trust, and a lot of work had gone into gently rebuilding that trust, there were still times I could tell he was wavering. A deep breath and a small nod allowed me to release the breath I did not know I had been holding, and I resumed my work in removing his backpack - this time with his help.

When it was next to mine on the ground, I turned my attention back to the two apex predators, one of which was busily grooming while the other lay sprawled on his back across the path in a beam of sunlight that had filtered through the lush canopy. I glanced at Natsu, finding the slightest bit of amusement had broken through his tense features.

One step closer to the pair was all it took for their attention to be trained on us again, and when it was, I pulled Natsu to kneel next to me as I extended a hand towards them. The jaguar that had been grooming stood and took two steps in our direction before letting out a roar. Unnerved by the noise, I flinched slightly, but made no effort to get up. If I was wrong, it would do no good to run anyway.

Another step and a head the size of my torso was directly in front of us. Its nose pressed against my sternum, and I could feel the pressure of the talisman digging into my skin. Warm air pushed my hair back from my face seconds later as a gaping maw leveled itself with my face before I was knocked into Natsu by the force of the jaguar's weight.

Disbelief filled me as the air was forced from my lungs by this jaguar that had apparently decided that I belonged to it now and commenced aggressively rubbing its face on whatever bit of me it could reach.

By the time the first had completed scent marking me, the second was doing the same to Natsu. Neither of us knew precisely why they were both acting like overgrown house cats, but it's not like we were in a position to complain about not being ripped to shreds.

It wasn't until both of the over-sized kittens were basking in the sunlight that Natsu and I had a chance to speak again. None of the anger or frustration I had been expecting was present in his voice, a fact for which I was immensely grateful.

"How did you know?" One of his hands was held in place by an enormous paw as his fingers scratched absent-mindedly against the jaguar's ear.

"I wasn't completely sure," I admitted, standing up to stretch my legs, "but it just made sense. Lulu told me to make sure to be respectful of the island's guardians. I thought she meant not to disturb any shrines or temples that we might find and dismissed it as such. But then I thought about what Bobo said about the talismans; I'm pretty sure we both thought he meant mosquitoes or something, but he could have put bug spray in the packs if that were the case." My voice shook with the truth of what could have happened if I had been wrong, and I dropped to my knees next to Natsu.

Though he reached for me, it took Natsu several tries to free himself from his captor. The cat made a disgruntled noise when he successfully broke away, pushing the furry menace away from himself before pulling me into his arms. By the end, I was giggling softly at the theatrics as I sat between Natsu's legs, my back resting against his chest.

"Your reasoning scares me sometimes." Warm breath fanned against the back of my neck with his words, and I couldn't help but smile.

"I know. It was the cats themselves that solidified it, though."

"How so?"

"Their scars." Familiar stinging filled my eyes, but no matter how heartbreaking the thought was, I denied it control over me and continued. "As far as I can tell, I'd say they were collared young, likely with metal that was left to rub their fur raw. And they were abused, by the looks I'd say it was done with a whip, but I could be wrong."

"You're not wrong."

Natsu and I both looked up at the man who decided to join in our conversation. A smile formed on my face of its own accord; though he looked quite different than the last time we saw each other, the voice belonged to someone familiar, and just who we'd come to the island in search of.

"It's good to see you're following orders and taking care of each other."

"Ghost? What…?" Natsu untangled himself from being wrapped around me and stood up, taking a step towards his godfather before stopping short. "But, you're here? What are you doing here?"

"Surprise," I said before Ghost had a chance to answer.

Not dead, and not done! Life has been getting in the way of writing, but it happens and we get over it! ANYWAY, so, this was supposed to be the last chapter, then an epilogue, but... yeah, that didn't happen. IF I can stick to my plan (not fucking likely, lol), there will be one more chapter, epilogue, and then this particular journey will be at its end. But do not despair, for I have many more ideas waiting to be plucked from my brain (and one of them might get a proper outline instead of me just winging it, but I kinda doubt that).

Thanks to all who faved followed, and left comments. It's nice to know people enjoy my writing, and I love you all. :)

TTFN