It has been three months since Jude arrived and this whole charade started, a week since Gray arrived and Jude went back since he couldn't be there all the time.

He had work to do but Lucy had no doubt in her mind that he would be back to haunt her again soon.

Natsu yawned it was the early morning, he would never admit that he rather be at home in the warm sheets cuddling Lucy while she slept.

a sweet fantasy but she was also here with him so he trudged along in his black and orange overcoat that looked shimmery in this early morning.

Lucy wore a double breasted pastel pink overcoat with white pants and socks finished with pink and white flat shoes, her lips painted with a clear lip balm.

she forced Natsu to wear her ''Rosebud strawberry lip balm'' making already his full and luscious lips smell of intoxicating strawberry.

''You are really sure we can leave my brother at home alone?'' Natsu asked his sharp eyes filled with slight worry. ''Sure we can, I told him I'll be back.''

Lucy sang the theme for the terminator running ahead of Natsu who was giggling fully awake now, he adjusted his black and white scaled scarf to cover his smiling lip's cupid bow.

A beautiful pumpkin pie smelling autumn air swirled around our beloved duo as they marched up towards a small blue building with their hearts pounding excitedly.

''Natsu come on!'' Lucy tugged at Natsu's arm ushering him towards the baby supply store called ''Little Angels' ''Why can't you go in by yourself?'' he pleaded embarrassed at the thought of stepping inside of that unexplored world. ''I'll just wait here.'' ''No, I need you Natsu!'' she tugged freeing him from his spot with her words and almost falling down. ''You mean it?'' he said gazing piercingly into her brown orbs, she felt a hot flash on her face and heart picked up pace so she quickly looked away much to his amusement.

''Luce you make it so easy.'' he teased wrapping an arm around her neck and pulling her closer to his side. ''Of course I need you, but you need me too.'' she declared patting his back and ushering him into the store. ''I do.'' he thought to himself. ''I do.'' ''Welcome customer, how can I help you?'' a woman with hazel eyes and black haired called from the front desk. ''Uh this is my first time being in here, so can you show us around.'' Lucy gulped and managed out.

''Why of course, ma'am this way.'' Susie the desk lady came around to assist Lucy and a reluctant Natsu. Natsu sat down on a velvet cushion and eyed the store items while Lucy and Susie went to look at the other items for newborn angels, Natsu asked himself what was he doing here? but seeing Lucy excitedly holding little shoes in her hands smiling radiantly, he confirmed the reason was simply cause he loved this beautiful woman if only he could be braver when facing her.

''Young man.'' a voice perked up from beside him, an old woman smiled into his face. ''Is that lass your wife?'' Natsu's face flushed and he scratched the nape of his neck a habit he possessed when shy. ''Yes.'' it wasn't true but he wished with all he had that it was. ''She looks a bit thin for her size, and in this cold season goodness.'' ''She isn't pregnant.'' Natsu clarified quickly. ''Oh but it is rather easy to get sick when cold, I think she could gain a few pounds for her own good.'' the old lady twinkled with advice for her eager listener.

Lucy tiptoed for the shorter lady and grabbed four cartons of gentle baby detergent, then she tried to grab two big packages of washcloths but she couldn't quite reach it.

''I'll get the ladder.'' Susie said, ''It's okay, Natsu can get for me.'' Lucy said still on her toes.

''Natsu!'' he heard his name muffled by aisles to the right, but he knew exactly where she was.

''Really, the ladder isn't that heavy for me.'' Susie pleaded to the 'pregnant' lady still on her toes trying to reach the items.

Natsu easily lifted the things Lucy wanted from their shelves, looking down into her eyes his rosy and full lips close to hers, a look in his eyes unknown to her caused her to blush and drop from her tiptoes.

''This is what you wanted isn't it?'' he smirked at her ruffling her blonde locks messing up her bun updo.

Susie gazed on kind of jealous of the scene, she wished she could have a relationship like this one soon.

Natsu blushed hard embroidering the scene where he almost lost himself and kissed her right there.

her cutely shaped lips where always hard to resist, but he made it this far without kissing her.

Lucy smiled brightly placing her items into her car, Natsu frowned not wanting to get in the car again he wished he could just go around with her longer.

''We've gotta make one more stop before going home Natsu!'' she said cheerfully leaning over him and buckling his seat belt for him.

Natsu smiled but the ride was getting him down before it started.

Lucy laughed out loud after placing her groceries into the car and hopping back inside beside Natsu who was groaning.

''What did we buy all these groceries for? We have some back at home.''

''I want to make Ice creams for my favorite ladies, and the other things are for making honey buns for one of my favorite girls.''

''Honey buns? Oh my god you didn't!'' ''But I did!'' Lucy smirked at Natsu who returned the smile. ''Gray is gonna freak.'' ''I missed her so I invited her.'' Lucy said honestly starting the car. ''Hold on Natsu we're going home!'' she was met with groans instead of replies.

Lucy stroked Natsu's hair while she drove to comfort him, like a cat he wanted to melt into her touch but he was too nauseous you would think he had morning sickness.

He allowed her to mess up his hairstyle and revert it to the style she liked the most of all..messy but cute.

Gray played outside of the Fairy Hills dormitories, splashing in the brook behind the bushes gingerly feeling the cold water and smiling peacefully.

He waited a while before turning to leave before diving behind the bush once more. '' !&? #!#%&'' he let curse words fly into the air before innocently covering his mouth shocked at himself for saying such things. he smacked his cheek and bent down to watch a slender young girl walking slowly around the house her curly azure hair bouncing on her shoulders, she was breathing cold air in puffs her midnight blue eyes scouting the area for a familiar face.

Gray covered his mouth whenever he saw her he wanted to scream, Natsu said it was because he was a brat but Gray thought otherwise.

He has been strong trying to maintain his friendship with Juvia Lockser, he wanted to be more than just her friend and so that was his weakness.

He felt like she liked to mess with him because she secretly knew it, but wasn't going to return his feelings anytime soon.

Juvia walked up the steps quietly making Gray hold laughter, she was planning on surprising him wasn't she? but here he was watching her from his hiding place.

Juvia looked stunning in her sapphire coat and hat a navy shawl on her shoulder, white clothes covering her pale hands black boots on her feet.

it was one of the outfits Gray bought her last winter including the pink frilly umbrella, he was happy to see her but he was scared to meet her after so long.

He gulped and mustered his courage that went down the drain as soon as a black colored car pulled up kind of trampling Lucy's Sweet Asylum flowers, dipping behind the bush Gray curiously watched a purple haired middle aged man step from the vehicle.

He had never seen him before but he paid it no mind at all, he just wished the long haired man would hurry up and leave.

the said man ran up the steps of the second building the one Gray lived in, Maybe he was a friend of Natsu's because Jude wasn't home.

Gray's assumptions were dismissed when he heard a blood curdling shriek coming from no one other then his first love Juvia.

Lucy was still messing with Natsu's air as she rode through the forest that lead to Fairy Hills. '' Luce your hair smells like roses and tangerines.'' Natsu stated groggily.

''You awoke me from my sleep baby, And fluttered out of my window my fairy..My angel!'' Lucy sang beautifully but dramatically grabbing his pink strands with a bit of force too much for the suddenly sensitive boy. ''Ow, Lucy I'm suffering enough.'' he didn't want to feel like the song lyrics were directed to him, it was obviously a song she had stuck in her head.

''Natsu I'm going to write a book soon, do you wanna participate.'' ''Yeah.'' he managed out excited but on the verge of throwing up when they pulled up in front of their residence. Lucy opened the door letting Natsu hop out toward freedom. ''My sweet angel boy!'' she wailed frosted air leaving her mouth. Natsu felt flustered but brushed the lyrics that were actually directed toward him off.

''Answer your phone.'' a simple and direct message said in an over the top boring voice was Lucy's new ringtone, it still earned a giggle from Natsu who was alright now. ''That sounds like a half asleep math teacher going over algebra for the fifth time.'' ''Natsu stop, you're going to put to sleep with such thoughts!'' she yelled much to his amusement. ''Hello this is Lucy, how may I help you.''

heavy breath met her hear and then tearful pleads for help. ''Who is it?'' Natsu asked watching a black car leave the house wondering if Romeo had a friend over he unconsciously looked at the license plate and smiled at the goofy lettering. ffytails (fluffy tails) ''It's Gray I think he is hurt.'' Natsu's eyes snapped to Lucy with a dangerous aura hidden behind his irises.

''Where is he and who hurt him.'' ''He is in our house..he is crying.'' she answered urgently enraging Natsu who would go to great lengths to protect his loved one's happiness. Natsu was already running up the stairs, Lucy tailing closely behind they heard crying and Plue howling. Natsu and Gray rushed in to find Gray holding Juvia in one arm while pressing a cloth against and up wound in her abdomen she was sputtering blood and trying to stay awake. Lucy slid to Natsu's side and applied pressure to Juvia's wound her eyes heavy and heart racing they could both see she was alive but struggling. ''Gray call for an ambulance quickly!'' He was already on it trying to compose himself so the person could understand him.

''This is all my fault, I invited her here!'' Lucy's eyes glassed over gazing into Juvia's eyes, she applied enough pressure to slow the bleeding considerably. ''It isn't we couldn't have expected this would happen.'' Natsu said flashing a light pen in her eyes to find anything abnormal. ''How did this happen?!'' He interrogated his younger brother who was still wailing. ''I-I saw a man in here..he did this.'' Gray said sending Natsu into a higher alert setting. ''He is still here?'' he asked eyes darting around. ''No he ran out when I was distracted.'' ''He drove up in a black car, I thought he came to visit someon-'' Gray choked up sobs wracking his body. ''It's going to be alright.'' Lucy assured him tears brimming in her eyes she could feel the guilt he felt. ''You don't have to be guilty, you didn't know.''

It felt like ten years before the ambulance finally rolled up and Jet came running up with a stretcher shocked to see Juvia as the victim.

Natsu rode with Juvia as the operating doctor while Lucy and Gray took her car to the hospital, ''She will be alright.'' Lucy comforted her face worried but her eyes full of faith.

Ur Lockser Juvia's mother came running to hear the story and check if her daughter was alright, she hugged Gray tightly reassuring herself.

The operation was went on for an hour and thirty minutes, Natsu walked out of the room his eyes full of a light shine. ''She is gonna be alright.'' He said embracing his younger brother and planting a kiss on top of his head.

Lucy felt like chain-mail had been lifted from her body, she hoped with all her heart that Juvia's recovery would be quick. Levy stepped from the OR running to hug Lucy and ask how did this happen? ''Luce can you come with me?'' Natsu asked cutting their conversation short and grabbing her wrist pulling her outside. ''Wait, where is Gray?'' she inquired ''He is with Juvia.'' Natsu said leading Lucy to her car and asking her to open the door. ''You don't normally want to get inside the car?'' ''Lucy I saw the license plate, we need to go to the police station.'' Lucy hopped inside and started the car. ''Hold on tight.''

At the police station they were shocked to learn that the owner of the car had just been linked to the hit&run incident that resulted in Mr. Eucliffe being hospitalized a month ago, the police had a warrant for the arrest of Jose Porla.

When he was questioned on why he did it, he said simply he stabbed the wrong girl.

he meant to get the doctor who saved Eucliffe..Lucy he just stabbed her because he thought she was Lucy.

Lucy covered her mouth tears falling over her hands, she had given her house key to many different girls including Juvia.

She had risked Erza and Levy and even more girls lives.

Natsu looked as if he wanted to run into the interrogation room and become a criminal himself as he pulled Lucy closer to himself, holding her head into his chest.

''It's going to be alright.''

~End of chapter

I have so many excuses namely my laptop broke and my brothers borrow this one. (it belonged to my late maternal uncle.)

I hope I didn't end this on a depressing note, Please excuse my grammar and all of my mistakes.

I hope you enjoy despite my repeated language.

I have to study now, I'm an early High-school senior :)

Fun fact: My black cat I metioned in another story's name is Susie.

-Peace