Hola! It's been a while, longer than I thought it would be. I had this chapter all prepared and I missed my posting deadline... whoops.

Please enjoy and as always, please review!


"Lucy, it's me," Lucy's eyes shot wide open upon hearing her brother's voice. "I lost my key somewhere and I can't get in. Buzz me up." Lucy whipped her head around to stare at Natsu who was now sitting up in bed with the same shocked look on his face. Natsu waved his hands wildly in the air but Lucy could not make out any of what Natsu was trying to say. "Lucy, come one hurry up!" She turned back to the intercom and hesitated to push the button. Finally getting the courage, she pressed the button down as she spoke, "Yeah… come on up." She hit the button beside the intercom to unlock the bottom floor door to allow her brother to begin ascending the stairs.

Lucy turned to whisper yell at Natsu, "Toss me the clothes!" Natsu went to stand but got his leg caught in the comforter and fell to the ground. He stood up quickly and scampered around the bedroom area gathering the discarded clothes from last night. Once he had an armful of clothes, he tossed them all at Lucy who threw them into the bathroom. She raised her arm towards the open bathroom door, "Go shower!"

"What?!" he whisper yelled back.

"Get in the shower now!" He rushed over towards the bathroom but paused when he reached her. "What about you?" She glanced around at the room trying desperately to come up with some kind of cover. As she was turning, Natsu's eyes widened when he saw the remnant of last night on her neck. "Uh, Luce?" he hesitantly pointed at his own neck.

She turned her head towards him and noticed his gesture. Her eyes widened as she slapped a hand over her neck, "Are you serious?!" Lucy ran into the bathroom to view her neck and unfortunately, her eyes landed right on the giant red and purple mark just above her collarbone. "Shit!" she yelled as she ran past Natsu towards her suitcase. He couldn't help but chuckle at the spazing blonde as she riffled through her suitcase searching for her makeup bag.

Lucy grabbed the open bag and quickly stood up, causing the contents to fly over her shoulder and all around the bedroom area. Natsu chuckled again at the cursing blonde as she smothered foundation on her neck. She only paused when she realized Natsu was still standing near her, watching her.

"Get in there!" she yelled as she ardently pointed at the bathroom. He chuckled and turned to take a step towards the bathroom. Natsu took a moment to slap Lucy's butt before quickly retreating into the bathroom before she could retaliate.

Just as she was about to do so, she heard the click of the doorknob to the apartment, signaling someone was entering. Lucy quickly threw on a shirt and shorts, hoping her makeup was enough. "Lucy!" Sting called as he walked in the apartment and shut the door behind him. Lucy popped out from behind the box wall. Sting looked oddly at his sister's appearance before frowning, "Is that Natsu's?"

Lucy looked down at her shirt and her eyes went wide. Crap! In all the chaos she just grabbed some clothes and put them on. "No… This is mine. I like to wear baggy shirts to bed; it helps keep me cool."

"I guess that makes sense," Sting reasoned and Lucy released a sigh of relief.

"So what are you doing here?" she asked awkwardly.

"Dad called us too to tell us we had to be at the Dragneels' so I figured since you were on the way we could stop and pick you two up."

"A little notice would have been nice," Lucy mumbled but loud enough for her brother to hear.

"We kinda thought of it on the way here, but we need to hurry since Yukino is double parked." Lucy was about to reply but the sound of the shower turning off stopped her. Act normal, Lucy! "I-I want to take a shower before we go... if I can."

"We both know you are incapable of taking a quick shower." Lucy uncrossed her arms from in front of her chest and threw them down at her sides defensively, "Am not!"

The bathroom door clicked and swung open in between them, drawing both their gazes to the half-naked pinkette. His hair was now sopping wet, causing drops of water to fall from his hair and run down his bare chest near his abdomen where he held a towel. He smiled at Lucy then turned his head and acted surprised to see Sting.

"Oh hey, Sting. What are you doing here?" Natsu turned to face Sting, and in doing so stood equal to Lucy. She glanced over at the pinkette but her eyes widened when she saw his back.

"I came to pick you guys up to go to your parents' house."

"I thought we weren't going over there until this afternoon?" Natsu asked with fake confusion.

"Yeah but apparently they all want to have a family lunch or something." Sting couldn't help but roll his eyes. He snapped out of it when he heard a car honk from outside. "You guys hurry up and get dressed. I will wait for you in the car." Sting waved then walked out the door and down the steps. Natsu and Lucy waited until they heard Sting's voice outside to start speaking.

"No shirt… really?" Lucy turned to sass Natsu.

"The only clothes I had in there with me were your maid outfit and the nice clothes I wore last night, neither of which would have convinced him I took a shower." Natsu's eyes flicked down to Lucy's chest and he noticed what she was wearing. To be honest, he was a little taken aback by the sight of her in his shirt, but he couldn't waste the opportunity to sass her back.

He reached out and tugged on the edge of the shirt she was wearing, just oh so slightly inching her towards him, "Well I can't very well wear my clothes if you are wearing them." She looked down at her shirt before whipping her head back up to meet him, this time with a blush on her face. "I panicked and grabbed the first thing I saw!"

"Uh huh… so you're telling me your suitcase containing all your clothes is over by the bed along with one of my shirts and yet grabbed the single item of clothing that wasn't yours." He crossed his arms over his chest and raised a single eyebrow. "Wipe that smile off your face before I kiss it off," she grumbled, but he only responded by smiling even more.

"I'd like to see you try," he challenged back. The two gazed into one another's eyes just waiting for the other to make the first move. Lucy quickly turned, hitting Natsu in the face with her hair, and walked over to her suitcase. She began rifling through her luggage as he followed close behind. "Luuuuce," he whined as he wrapped his arms around her waist. Lucy removed his arms and turned towards him to push him away, "Natsu, go get dressed on your side of the room."

Sulking, Natsu begrudgingly listened and walked over to where his duffle bag sat on the floor near the futon. "Oh!" Lucy called as she peeked her head around the box wall. Natsu couldn't help but notice she had removed his shirt and was now just wearing a bra. "Make sure you don't wear a tank top today."

He looked at her in confusion, "Why not?"

"I kinda… well, just cover your back, okay?" she answered. Understanding, Natsu immediately tried to look over his shoulder to see his back but it was impossible. He swiped his phone from its charger, opened the camera and look at his back through the front facing camera. "Damn, Lucy!" he yelled, and Lucy face palmed. He put his camera down and turned to face her with a proud look on his face, "That's my girl!"

"Took you guys long enough!" Sting called from the passenger seat.

"Somebody," Natsu pointed over his shoulder at Lucy who was locking the apartment door, "didn't like to be rushed in picking her outfit this morning." Lucy responded by flicking Natsu in the back of the head; Sting enjoyed it, Natsu did not.

As he rubbed his head in the spot where Lucy struck him, Natsu took in the car before him. It was an older model silver minivan with some bumps. "Sweet ride, man," Natsu jested.

Sting shrugged, "Gotta make sacrifices when you have kids."

"The car seats didn't fit so well in his convertible," Yukino leaned forward to add. She pushed a button opening the side door of the van. Once the door opened, it revealed a car seat with the baby on the far side and Lector in his booster seat sitting in the chair in front of them. "Aunt Lucy!" Lector squealed once he saw her standing there.

"Hey buddy!" she called as she ruffled his hair.

"You two will have to sit in the very back, sorry," Yukino pointed over her shoulder towards the rear of the car.

"No worries," Natsu stated as Lucy began working her way into the van.

"Uncle Natsu!" Lector yelled and the pinkette high fived the boy. Natsu wormed his way into the back and squeezed into the seat beside Lucy. Yukino shut the automatic door and pulled out onto the street to begin their journey to the Dragneel residence.

"Uncle Natsu?" Lucy questioned in a whisper.

Natsu shrugged, "He's been calling me that since the first day we were at my parent's house."

"Your mom must have told him to call you that."

"I don't mind," Natsu smiled at the blonde. Lucy was honestly stunned by the genuine smile he wore when he looked at her; it made her heart melt. "Uncle Natsu! Uncle Natsu!"

The pinkette leaned forward to speak to the child, "Yes, Lector?"

"Can we play dragons when we get to Igneel's house?"

"Sure, buddy." The child cheered at the reply and everyone in the vehicle smiled warmly, even Sting who seemed to be warming to Natsu's company.