Hell all! Here is the next installment of My Fake Fiance. I hope you all are enjoying it! Thank you so much to all those of you who have reviewed, favorited and followed not only this story but me. I honestly never imagined writing a second story. I saw myself as a one hit wonder author haha.

Please review, I try to answer all the messages I receive. I dont own these characters but I love them so! On with the Nalu!


WHAT?! His eyes were wide and dry from the lack of blinking. He had been deeply staring at the seat in front of him with a stabbing glare. His arms were kept tight across the front of his chair, too stiff to move due to the anger welling within him… also the girl who lay unconscious in a deep sleep on his shoulder.

How could she just drop this bomb on him and then pass out! Now he knew why Lucy had been drinking so much and honestly, a drink didn't seem too bad right about now.

As if his life wasn't bad enough right now… he hated his job as a temp. He jumped from office to office, never having a place to grow some roots and become invested in; no one to see potential in him and offer to keep him on their staff. Every company he was hire to aid did so because they had a project to finish or a space to fill for the time being and every time he worked his ass off to prove he would be a valuable asset there. He hoped and prayed he would find someone who would be so impressed with his work they would keep him… but each time he was met with 'Thank you for all your hard work. We could not have done this without you; we will send your check to your temp agency.'

All his temporary jobs made him just enough to rent a rundown, small apartment in the middle of the city. He bought some second hand car that regularly broke down just so he could get to all those crappy jobs. And not to mention all the women who came and gone quickly because they wanted someone successful or stable or whatever it was that he wasn't.

His life sucked and he knew it, there was no sugar coating it. So here he was, coming back home to deal with the embarrassment and shame that would befall him having to tell his family about his sorry excuse of a life. His father, the mayor, his mother, a world class surgeon, his sister, following in the footsteps of their mother… then there was him, the black sheep.

Not only did Natsu have to deal with his own family, but now he had to contend with Lucy's?! And what was up with that?! The two hadn't spoken in years and now with a chance to catch up, she goes and tells him her family thinks they are engaged?!

Natsu glanced down at the sleeping blonde leaning on his shoulder. She never was a peaceful sleeper after she had drank. Her blonde hair was a mess, drool dripped from her open, snoring mouth and her mascara was slightly smeared from her earlier tears; this girl was a mess.

He had always admired Lucy for her strength. She was always so positive and encouraging to everyone she met; her smile could light up a room. That's what drew him to her in the first place. Her strength… her warmth… he didn't understand where it came from but he was curious to know.

It wasn't until Lucy's mother died that he truly discovered how strong she was. He saw the crack in her armor, he watched as her world fell apart but even when everything around her crumbled, she still stood tall. Like a falling star, she lit up the night sky and all those around her couldn't help but stop in wonder of her.

That was the only time he had ever seen Lucy waver… well, until today. Her world was crumbling again and here he was in the middle of it all. Despite their estrangement, she still turned to him for comfort and help. Lucy had never been one to ask for help or admit she needed it… but she came to him every time. I guess we weren't as distant after all…

Natsu jumped as the blonde shifted and choked on her own saliva a bit. Lucy licked her lips before closing her mouth to continue sleeping. This… this weirdo was supposed to be his fake fiancée for the next week?!

He reached over with his free hand and plugged her nose between his fingers. After a few moments, Lucy's eyes shot open and she sat erect in her seat. Natsu tucked his hand under his arm crossed in front of his chest. Gasping for air, Lucy glanced around at the scene around her. A plane? She didn't remember getting on a plane. What?! HOW?!

She looked to her right and saw a very grumpy Natsu sitting in the seat beside her. "Where am I?" she asked excitedly.

"The plane to Magnolia," he deadpanned, someone isn't in a good mood.

"How did I get here?"

"I put you here." His eyes drilled right through her; they never looked away or blinked. Lucy leaned back in her chair and relaxed into it. She sighed before mumbling, "But I wanted a window seat…"

"Are you kidding me?!" Natsu yelled but was quickly shushed by those around him.

"What?" Lucy asked, still in a bit of a daze from the alcohol and long nap.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" he whisper-yelled back at her.

Offended, she turned to face him to hash it out," Excuse me?!"

"Why did you tell your father we were engaged?!" Her eyes went wide, crap! She really did say that, it wasn't a dream. "Natsu… you wouldn't understand…"

"Wouldn't understand?! I understand it completely!"

"Oh yeah, then why did I say it?"

"You didn't want to disappoint poor daddy because your life took a turn for the worst." So he did understand… somewhat. "That's where you're wrong, Natsu. You think you know it all but you don't!" Natsu finally turned towards her to engage in verbal ju jitsu with her. "Enlighten me," his glare piercing harder and harder into her, challenging her.

"My life didn't take a turn for the worst… his did. I don't know if you caught it before but my father is dying." Lucy placed emphasis on each individual word of her last sentence. He wanted him to feel like an asshole if that's how he was going to treat her. Lucy saw Natsu's gaze soften and his shoulders relax a bit. "Why me?" he asked.

Lucy paused a moment," Well, Jellal is married to Erza, no one would believe Gajeel and I are in a relationship and Juvia would kill me if I asked Gray."

"So I was the last option…"

Lucy reached out and placed her hand on Natsu's shoulder, "No! You were the first one I thought of but I wasn't sure if you would do it because we haven't talked in so long so I decided to consider other options but none seemed plausible or realistic to me so I thought about you again and how you were the only person I trusted to pull this off…" Lucy continued rambling on about her excuse or other about why she drug him into this mess. He watched as she picked at her fingers when she spoke, her eyes dart around as if trying to connect the dots of her words, her knee bounced up and down furiously…

"Luce…" he began but she was too busy going on her tangent to hear him. "Luce," he tried speaking up but she still didn't pay attention. "Lucy!" he yelled just as the cabin alarm dinged notifying the passengers they had arrived at their destination and could now stand to retrieve their items. Her eyes were wide, searching for hope within his and pleading for help… just as they had the night she showed up at his house when her mother died.

"Luce, if you wanted me to help you, all you had to do was ask." Natsu escaped the row of seats and opened the overhead bin to retrieve his bag as well as Lucy's. Amazed and almost awestruck, she clarified, "So that means you're in?"

Natsu grabbed her bag and brought it down to hand it to her. Just as she reached out and grabbed her bag, he pulled her closer to him so their faces were a few inches away. "What part of 'all you had to do was ask' didn't you get?" She was quiet for a moment… he was serious. "Natsu…" she began.

"Yes?" he inquired sarcastically.

"Will you pretend to be my fiancé for the week to appease my dying father?"

Natsu's face dropped a bit, "You didn't need to add that last bit of a guilt trip but yes, I will pretend to be your fiancé for the week." Natsu stood back up to take his place in line amongst the other passengers to exit the plane.

"Really?!" Lucy beamed as she leaned forward again towards him.

Natsu sighed in annoyance before stating, "Lucy, will you just get in line, please?!"

As the two exited the plane, the two clarified the plan for the weekend. "So all I need to do is play doting fiancé for the week?"

"Only in front of my dad," Lucy added. "I told him he needed to keep it quiet for now so we should be okay in front of anyone else."

"So are we staying with him then?" Natsu asked as the two exited the plane and began walking towards the baggage terminal. Lucy shook her head, "No, he lives in a two bedroom house with his caretaker so there won't be room for us." Lucy caught Natsu's sigh of relief but honestly, she didn't blame him. "Does that mean we will stay with your family?" Lucy inquired but Natsu seemed to have a worse response to that.

"I hope not… we will figure something out when the time comes."

Right before the two rounded the corner into the ground floor lobby, Natsu stopped and turned to face the blonde. Lucy stopped abruptly so she didn't run into him and looked at him questioningly. "So what's in it for me?" he asked with a big, malicious grin on his face.

"Making the last few moments of a dying man happy?" she guessed but Natsu gave a disapproving look. She reached in her back pocket and pulled out the folded bills she had kept away. She glanced over all the bills in her hand before replying, "… and $50 jewels?" Natsu dropped his head and sighed; he reached out and pushed the hand full of money back towards her. "Luce, I don't want your money," as he raised his head, the smile returned, "Let's just say you owe me one."

Natsu turned and started to walk away but Lucy yelled back, "What does that mean?" Natsu pivoted and walked right up to her once more, "It means at any time or place you have to do what I say."

"What?!" Lucy angrily blushed.

"You want me to help you, right?!" Natsu coyly spoke.

"Yeah," Lucy responded through puffed cheeks.

"Then it's a deal!" The two turned and began walking once more. "It's just a few days, I mean how bad can it be?" Natsu stated just as they rounded the corner.

"SURPRISE!" Natsu and Lucy's heads whipped around at the same moment to see both of their families as well as some other people they recognized from the town standing in the waiting area. The worst part was they were all holding a giant 'Congratulations' sign. Oh no, they thought simultaneously.

Before either one of them could respond, they were engulfed in tight hugs from their families. Natsu and Lucy were bombarded by his mother, Grandine, father, Igneel, and younger sister, Wendy." We are so happy for the both of you!" Grandine cheered. Natsu and Lucy stood stiff as boards as they had the lives squeezed out of them.

Lucy's father, Jude, was wheeled over to her by Mrs. Spetzo. Upon his approach, the three cleared and allowed Jude to be wheeled up directly in front of them. When the chair stopped, Lucy looked down at her father with a worried hurt in her eyes but her gaze was met with the opposite. Jude shakily stood, with the help of Mrs. Spetzo, and locked the two together in an embrace, one with each arm. "I am the happiest man on earth." He spoke as he tried to hold back the tears.

Over Jude's shoulders, Natsu and Lucy exchanged glances… this weekend was going to be more difficult than they thought.