Thank you graystripemkc and StainedGlassM for your awesome reviews!

graystripemkc: You gave me a mini heart attack there XD. When I started to read you comment for a second I was like 'What did I do?!', but then broke into near laugh when I read on. And again I'm happy to hear my story is helping you. I'm super honored!

StaineGlassM: Thank you! It's very encouraging to hear that I have succeeded in writing the story believable.

Hope you will like the chapter! And like always, thoughts about this story are more than welcome!

Hiro Mashima owns Fairy Tail and I'm just playing with the characters.

"I would want to apologize for what happened before." Lucy bowed her head deep.

"No. I should be the one apologizing." Freed returned the gesture, his eyebrows knit together. Bickslow had explained him what had happened after they were kicked out of the house. And to say the least, he was ashamed of his actions. "If there is anything I can do to recompense what I have done then please tell me, Miss Lucy."

Lucy started to wave her hands in front of her. "No. No. It's okay. I don't need anything."

"I insist."

Lucy smiled troubled. The look in Freed's eyes told her that the man wouldn't let the matter go before she said something. Was there anything she could ask from him that wouldn't be too much, but would ease his conscience? Lucy's eyes lit up a little, when she remembered something only Freed could grant her. "Then, if it's not too much to ask, could I look through your book collection? I'm pretty big book fan myself." She pointed at herself with a soft smile.

Freed stared the girl, then broke into a subtle smile of his own. "Certainly. But are you sure that's enough?"

"Plenty!"

Bickslow was sitting in one of his armchairs, a leg swung over an armrest and one of his totems sat on his lap. He drummed he little guy's head gently with his fingers as he watched the overly polite pair's interaction. He couldn't quite comprehend how those two were already acting like nothing had happened. Especially Lucy. The man in front of her had threatened her life. It was way worse compered to what he had done and he didn't even get a glance from the girl. Well, he couldn't deny the fact that all that had kinda happened because of his harmless joke. Or what was supposed to be harmless. He actually did feel pretty bad for it. Lucy was a nice girl and fun to hang with and to see her so hurt because of him had felt pretty horrible. He too wanted to just wasn't done so easily.

For one, he didn't know how to. He had never apologized before. For real, at least. However, the second reason was the bigger reason that prevented him from opening his mouth or even approaching Lucy. He slowly glanced toward the kitchen. There, leaning against countertop, stood Laxus, arms crossed over his chest and eyes colder than steel glaring at him. That the man was pissed was an understatement. Throwing Boss-man out of the house without a shirt wasn't the smartest move from Ever. But lucky for her, and Lucy, for the time being most of the man's rage was directed at him. He and the team have gotten used to Laxus' intimidating presence over the years, but it was still damn scary when directed at one of them. Fortunately, it seemed that as long as he didn't piss the man off more, he would survive. But that is were the apologize comes in... For some reason he got the feeling that Laxus didn't want him to approach the girl at all at the moment.

Letting out very uncharacteristic, heavy sigh, he turned his gaze back toward Freed and Lucy. But what his eyes met was a pair of brown ones staring right back at him. "Keh!" He flinched, startled by Lucy's sudden closeness. Just when did she warp right in front of him?!

"I..." Lucy started, but averted her gaze for a second. "I'm sorry for causing a scene." She said bowing her head. After getting some sugar in her blood and energy for her brains to think, she had realized that she had over reacted a bit. She wasn't saying that the other party didn't do the same, she glanced toward Freed, but she was determined to apologize to all of them. Hopefully she could that way get a fresh start of a short with the whole group. They weren't bad people, she knew it. And she more than wanted to have a chance to befriend with them all. Maybe even with Laxus.

"Ah! Yes- No- I mean- I'm sorry too." Bickslow dipped his head forward awkwardly. It was his poor attempt of a bow in his slack position. "If you want..." He really sucked at this apologizing thing. Naturally he ended up mimicking Freed, who's apologize had seemingly worked. He just couldn't come up with what he could offer. Then a grin split his mouth open as an idea popped into his head. "You can stay here if you are seriously out of money." Only when he had already made his offer, he realized he had spilled out information he shouldn't posses. He had left one of his babies spy on the girls and it then told him what they had talked about. He knew he had screwed up again when Lucy's eyes widened, a bit taken back, and when he heard their team leader stomp out of the kitchen. And those were some pretty heavy stumps.

"What?!" Laxus boomed as he marched to the girl, who in turn turned startled her widened eyes at him. Brows drawn together with rage, he stared right trough her fear filled pupils. "Are you telling me you gave all your money to me?" He growled, leaving the girl gaping for words, which, as if too scared, didn't want to come out of her mouth. Had the girl hustled him? He had thought of being fair and add the sum he already gained to his payment when he would finally claim it. But if that pouch had hold all the funds of the girl, she had plain straight lied to him. "Well?!" Laxus snapped waiting for an answer.

"Only what I had with me!" Lucy answered almost shouting and squeezed her eyes tightly shut. She gave her self a mental pat for doing so. Not seeing Laxus' furious face made his intimidating level drop an inch. A very tiny inch. She might still be shivering like a dry leaf in a wind, but at least she could breath again. Somehow.

She also had to praise her brains for being able to work under the man's fearsome aura, which alone felt like it could crush her. The answer she gave him had been the correct on. If she had plainly said 'yes', Laxus would have definitely though she didn't have a single coin left and next thing she would have known was her flying out of the door. It would be the end of their deal and good bye to her freedom. But if she had said 'no', she would have lied straight to his face. Lucy didn't even want to image what Laxus would have done if he had ever discovered this fact - she was having a tasting right at the moment. However, her answer could be taken as both 'yes' and 'no'. It was true she didn't have more money with her at the moment, but it didn't mean she couldn't get more. On the worst case scenario she could sell her dresses and jewelries. They could afford her a house, no, two houses easily. Selling her dresses, however, had to be the last resort, because she didn't like the idea of doing so. Not because she treasured them, but because they weren't obtained with her own strength. Still, she was ready to do anything to get away from this marriage. A piece of her pride would be a small price to pay for it.

As expected Laxus' calmed down a bit. "So, you have more money back home?" He stared the girl cynically.

"Yes! I only brought enough and little more for living here," That was a small white lie, but they didn't need to know it. She opened her eyes and gave Laxus sheepish smile. "But in the heat of the moment I gave it all to you... " The skeptic look on the man's face didn't change and Lucy realized the way she said it could be easily misunderstood. "I'm not telling this because I want the money back. I already gave it to you, so it's yours."

"Good for you. Because I wasn't planning to return them anyway." Finally Laxus turned his eyes away, giving Lucy more room to breath. He didn't do it for her though, but because he felt someone else's eyes on him. It was Evergreen, who was giving him a disapproving look. His eyes darkened. Why was he the one receiving that look? He wasn't the one that had given all their money away or the one that had been caught drooling after others. It was clearly the girl's fault, so why would he give a fuck? If something, he was doing a favor for the little princess. He was giving her a life lesson how the real world worked. It wasn't all candy canes and butterflies. No. Real world was a cruel place where, if you didn't keep eyes on your back, you could end up devoured completely. Loosing your money was a small deed.

Without noticing it, he had entered into a staring contest with Evergreen. But it didn't take a long before he had to give in. The woman's look had started to piss him off dangerously much and it had been really close that he didn't do something to her, which he would end up regretting. Evergreen had better be grateful to be born as a woman. Snarling he snapped his glare back to Lucy. "You," He started, all ready frowning for what he was going to say. "You may stay in my house for the week." He shot happy-now look toward Evergreen, who gave him an annoyingly pleased smile. He absolutely detested the idea of having the princess bunk in his place, but it was still better than leaving her with Bickslow. This morning had been a grate example that nothing good would come out of trying to get along with her.

"Y-your house?" Lucy didn't mean to shutter, but the idea of sleeping under the same roof as this man, or any man, but especially this man was a little... Laxus scoffed out an irritated 'yes'. He crossed his arms and started to tap a finger against his bicep. Lucy could almost hear him starting to count down from ten, the offer expiring at zero. Lucy glanced at the side for help, her gaze landing on Evergreen. When their eyes met, the brunette first pointed at Laxus and then gave a thump up. Understanding this as a sign to go for it, she gathered all her courage and turned her eyes to Laxus. "Thank you." She tried to smile, but wasn't sure how it turned out.

Laxus stared the girl a moment longer, then turned away. "That's settled then." He went to grab his coat from a rack and threw it on his shoulders. Lucy stared after him not sure what to think. The man had once more done almost 180 degree flip in his mood just like that. Of course, there was still this irritated aura around him, but compered to what he was only couple seconds ago it was nothing. Maybe he was just very adaptive, but for some reason Lucy doubted it. To her it felt more like Laxus suppressed his anger with will, and one day all that suppressed anger would explode. She only hoped that when that would happen she would be far away from the man.

Their eyes met Laxus and he cocked an eyebrow. "You coming?"

Lucy's eyes snapped open. "Right now?" To this Laxus let out a long sigh and Lucy saw from his expression that he was about to point out the obvious again. Not wanting to annoy him even more, Lucy sprung to action. She grabbed her bag and pulled her boots on. When she saw Laxus nod at her, she knew she had acted correctly. The man opened the front door and stepped out. Lucy was already half way out herself, when she turned around and bowed at the three Thunder God Tribe members who were left behind. "See you later."