Chapter 1: Prologue

"HEY LUCEEEEE!" A loud voice called out over the commotion of the school hallways, causing a short blonde girl wearing a short white skirt with a brown turtleneck, her hair was tied up in a short side ponytail while the rest went down her back, to turn away from her locker where she was packing her backpack to leave. She smiled as she saw the source of the voice. Her best friend is a tall boy with pink hair; he was currently sporting a pair of white pants with a white shirt that had red shoulders, to complete his weird outfit a white scarf with black stripes wrapped around his neck and of course a very cheeky smile. He wrapped his arms around her enveloping her in a tight hug.

"Hey Natsu...you know it has only been like two hours since we saw each other right?" She chuckled hugging the boy back.

"I knowwww, but I still missed ya!" The boy wore a crooked grin. After a second the two released their hug on each other. Lucy smiled as she fished her bag out of the locker, but Natsu took it and threw it over his own shoulder, she rolled her eyes at his actions and shut her locker.

"Are you ready to go?" She asked him grabbing her car keys from her pocket, his face paled.

"Uhhhh…"

"Just don't look at your phone and you'll be fine." She giggled and he just nodded following her as she walked away.

"But still...I hate cars…"

"You hate all vehicles, but come on the others are going to get food without us."

The two of them have been friends for as long as they could remember. Lucy's father Mayor Jude Heartfilia was best friends with Natsu's adoptive father Igneel Dragneel. Natsu still smirks at his father's name. So anyway the two grew up together and did everything together, to the point where Lucy's mom Lalya had started planning their wedding when they were eight years old. They were now eighteen and they were just as strong as ever. To outsiders they might as well have been married it was almost impossible to see one without the other. Lucy turned and smiled at Natsu as he was walking behind her making his heart flutter. There was one other small thing that fueled the rumors. Lucy had the biggest crush on Natsu, Natsu was head over heels for the blonde. Yet, the two were both too chicken to ask the other out. No matter how obvious it was. There was that one time a few months ago when the school jock Damian tried hitting on Lucy and copped a feel. Natsu got two weeks detention for how hard he kicked him where no man wants to be kicked. Or that time just last week where Lucy "accidentally," spilled her chocolate milk all over the preppy cheerleader who Natsu was partnered with for a science project and she was way too close for comfort, you don't need to be sitting in his lap to work on a project! It was obvious that they were going to get together, but the betting has been going on since freshman year, they were now seniors. Neither one of them had a girlfriend/boyfriend throughout high school, they were always each other's dates to school dances. The cherry on top was they were each other's first kiss at the Christmas Dance last week, their friend Levy had leaked the picture on every social media platform. They will just explain that it was because they were under mistletoe and pressured into it, but they both knew they just wanted to.

"Natsu Dragneel seatbelt!" Lucy snapped at Natsu who had taken off his seatbelt while they were driving to reach into the backseat of Lucy's car.

"Yeah yeah hold on I'm getting something really quick." Natsu snapped back as he dug through his bag. Lucy's face turned into a mischievous grin as she slammed her foot on the brake. Natsu shot back into the front falling off his seat.

"OWWW LUCY WHAT THE HELL!" He yelled while Lucy burst out in a fit of giggles.

"If you would have put your seatbelt on that wouldn't have happened…." Natsu let out a growl and sat back on the chair buckling his seatbelt. He now was holding something white in his hands. Lucy glanced at it, raising an eyebrow.

"Hey Luce remember when we went to the mall a few months ago and you saw that plushie you really wanted, but you forgot your wallet?" Natsu spoke a grin on his face. Lucy concentrated on the road, but her face grew a little pink. He was really good at remembering the small details about her, it was one of the reasons she loved him so much.

"Yeah whyyyy?" She asked with a sneaking suspicion as to what was going on. She didn't have to wait long before she felt something soft and squishy on her lap. She looked down her face growing into a huge grin.

"Merry early Christmas Luce." Natsu spoke, smiling over to her as she pulled into the parking lot of the 8-Island. A local restaurant their friend group went to after school for years. Finally she looked down and saw the stuffed animal, it was a little white humanoid thing with a carrot like nose. She squealed and hugged it close.

"Do ya like it?" Natsu smiled at her as she squeezed it tight.

"I love it! I'm gonna name him Plue!" She smiled back at him and before she realized what she was doing kissed him on the cheek wrapping her arms around him. He blushed a deep shade of red. Lucy realized what she did and quickly backed away blushing just as equally.

"Uhhh, I'm sorry, I really love him thanks…" Lucy said awkwardly, turning off the car. Natsu reached out and grabbed her hand.

"I'm glad you like it, and don't be sorry I enjoyed it…" Natsu spoke instantly, stepping out of the car before Lucy could realize what he said and also to hide his embarrassment.

"W-Wait, NATSU!" Lucy scrambled out of the car and chased him inside the restaurant, careful not to slip on the icy ground. She shivered as she entered the restaurant looking around for Natsu. She didn't have to look too hard since it was almost entirely empty, sure enough Natsu was sitting with the rest of their friends in a booth in the corner. Sitting across from him was the redheaded class president, the scary but also very sweet Erza Scarlet. Sitting next to her was Natsu's closest guy friend (though neither of them would admit it) and rival Gray Fullbuster, his arm draped around a blue haired girl that was squeezing the life out of him. Her name was Juvia Lockser. Nobody was really sure what they were. Next to Natsu was Lucy's best friend, a short blue haired girl with an orange hairband Levy McGarden. Natsu smirked up at her and patted the seat next to her.

"Took ya long enough!" He joked as she slapped the back of the head gently while she sat down in between him and Levy who had gotten out so that Lucy could sit in the middle.

"Hey Lu! That's a cute plush!" Levy greeted pointing at Plue which Lucy didn't even realize she was still clutching on for dear life. Her face flushed.

"Y-yeah…" She stammered.

"Where did you get him?" Levy continued. Natsu smirked and raised his hand.

"That would be me!" He grinned his ever so crooked grin.

"AWWW THAT'S SOOOO SWEET!" Levy squealed in a high pitched voice.

"Indeed, my dear beloved Gray also got me a present." Juvia piped in for the sole purpose of one upping Natsu and Lucy.

"Hey Erza have you heard anything from Jellal?" Levy asked the redhead who set down her cup of tea with a small smile.

"Actually yes he is coming back to Magnolia for the holidays." The table became engulfed in ooo's which made her face match her hair. Soon the group were chatting, and laughing loudly, Gray and Natsu getting into several arguments that resulted in ice cubes in Natsu's hot chocolate and said hot cocoa on Gray's lap. The rest of the group ignored them as they got up and started shouting insults back and forth.

"Soooo are all of you coming to my dad's party tonight?" Lucy piped up, turning her eyes away from the two boys.

"Of course! It's going to be so fun!" Levy exclaimed as the boys decided that they weren't getting anywhere and sat back down glaring at each other.

"Indeed it will be quite enjoyable as usual." Erza smiled, taking a bite of her strawberry cake.

"Gray and I will also be attending." Juvia spoke next, holding her maybe boyfriend's hand. Lucy noticed Natsu's hand clenched and shaking next to her.

"Natsu?" She asked the rest of the table to turn to look at him, he looked back at all of them throwing his arm behind him.

"Hmmm oh yeah of course! Dad's been looking forward to it for awhile now, he has been cooped up in the house for awhile." Natsu smiled at the blonde who raised an eyebrow at him. Soon the bill came and they all threw cash on the table for their respective orders. Lucy kept glancing at Natsu the entire time before they decided to depart.

"Okay well I'll see you all tonight at seven?" Lucy clarified before they all agreed and went their separate ways. The second Natsu and Lucy were in her car she turned to look at him with worry written on her face.

"Natsu is it happening again?" She asked him noticing that he was holding his arm to prevent it from shaking. He just nodded.

"I can't control it Luce it's getting worse….I've tried so hard to keep it at bay, but everytime I think it's gone, I set a book or my homework on fire…" Natsu explained frustratingly. Lucy let out a sigh and placed her hand on his, a few tears dripped down his face.

"Natsu it's okay…"

"No it's not Lucy, I'm a monster….I'm scared of myself."

"We've been over this, you're not a monster. It's not your fault. You were just born like this, and that doesn't make me feel any different about you."

"You sure?" Natsu asked as the shaking finally ceased. Lucy nodded her head, to which he smiled at her.

"Thanks, I needed that."

Natsu Dragneel was far from ordinary, despite how it seemed he was much different. He was born with an ability like no other, sure people with abilities that one might consider magical weren't uncommon, far from it actually. There were many people who had powers of all kinds. Like the famous member of the royal army of Fiore. Doranbolt who was born with the ability of teleportation, or Laxus Dreyer the human lightning bolt, but none were as terrifying as Natsu's, because he couldn't control it. For how does one really controls fire, you can't, because it has a mind of its own. A trouble Natsu has known for the last fourteen years of his life when he accidentally set fire to a tree after an intense battle of tag with Lucy. Since then Natsu has struggled to control it, to mixed results. He had gotten several warnings and detentions for nearly burning the school down by accident. He had to live with the fact that he was not human. He was a freak.

"Hey Natsu….for what it's worth I think you are perfect the way you are." Lucy squeezed his hand. He smiled back.

"Thanks...I think you are too." She blushed at his reply, and soon everything was back to normal, the two happily talking about anything and everything. Laughing to the point where they could barely breath and soon they pulled into Natsu's driveway. He lived with his dad in a nice wood cabin in the middle of the woods, Lucy loved it there, due to the fact that her dad was the mayor she never really got a nice quaint life. She was actually envious of Levy when for her sixteenth birthday she got an older Volkswagen Beetle, while her dad got her a brand new BMW. Normally people wouldn't have any problems with that, but considering Lucy's happiest memories were far away from her dad's mansion and instead with Natsu in their homemade treehouse, it was safe to say she really didn't like the so-called rich lifestyle. She hated the stupid fancy dresses, the tight buns, the proper way of speaking or laughing where if she let out a snort (Much like she does when she's around Natsu) she would be scolded. She especially hated the rich kids at school, the boys especially who tried hitting on her to get in good names with her father. Her father and her had a complicated history. There was a period of time where she ran away to live with Natsu and Igneel, but that was several years ago and they get along now. The death of her mother brought them closer than ever. As the two walked in they heard a familiar meow. Greet them.

"Hey Happy!" Natsu picked up the blue cat, how it was blue nobody will ever know, then again Natsu has naturally pink hair….so yeah weirdness ran in this household and Lucy loved that.

"Awww!" Lucy cooed as Happy jumped over and landed on her shoulders rubbing his face on hers. She giggled.

"NATSU IS THAT YOU?" A deep gravelly voice called out from the living room.

"Yeah dad! Lucy's here too!" He called back taking off his shoes.

"WELL WHY DIDN'T YOU JUST SAY SO!" Footsteps could be heard as soon a tall man with greying red hair and a stubble walked into the entry hall. He had a scar on his cheek, well built he was everything you could imagine someone who raised Natsu would look like. The most telling sign was the burn mark on his arm that Natsu always felt a tinge of guilt about.

"Heya Igneel long time no see!" Lucy greeted the man as he enveloped her into a hug.

"Indeed it has, my my how time flies you seem to be bigger everytime I see ya." Igneel ruffled her hair. She giggled.

"Hey Luce, I'm gonna go shower and change, I'll see ya back at your place is that cool?" Natsu spoke while smiling at the scene. Lucy looked at him and smiled back.

"Yeah sure, don't be late for once!" She called out as Natsu ran up the stairs yelling out.

"No promises!" As a door could be heard being slammed shut. Igneel turned to Lucy.

"Oh that's right your father's party is tonight isn't it? Man, I feel like his Thanksgiving one just happened three weeks ago."

"That's because it was." Lucy giggled. Igneel smirked at the girl.

"Well I suppose I should get ready as well. Drive safe would ya?" Lucy grinned back at him reaching for the door.

"Of course! Unlike your son I actually passed my driver's test...first time might I add." She winked smugly.

"I expect nothing else from Layla's daughter, you two and your silly competitions. At least the one where you tried to see who got better grades didn't result in a call from the principal or an officer…"

"Yeah, but it still wasn't much of a competition." Lucy laughed as she walked out the door.

"Be safe Lucy!"

"You too!" Lucy called out as she closed the door behind her and walked back to her car, she looked over at Plue in the passenger seat and smiled as she looked up and saw Natsu's shirtless figure in the window. Blushing, she drove off. God she was whipped.

Natsu soon had finished showering and got into the clothes he set aside for the Christmas party, a simple pair of black pants, but an outrageous Christmas Sweater with blue cats wearing antlers and glowing red noses. Lucy had got it for him a few years ago and he wore it to every Christmas party since. He ran down the stairs where his Dad sat in a chair in the kitchen staring out the window.

"Dad?" He asked walking in to look at his father. Was he crying?

"Oh hey kiddo, listen something's come up and I'm not gonna be able to make it to the party, here you can take the car though." Igneel threw his keys over at Natsu who caught them.

"Ummm why what's happening?"

"Nothing you need to worry about. Look son….I love you, I love you like you are my own flesh and blood, never forget that okay?"

"I won't, seriously pops what's up?"

"Nothing, you should go or Lucy might kill ya." He joked, but his tone was still somber. Natsu had a weird feeling.

"Okayyyy? I'll see ya later I guess…" Natsu turned to head out of the house.

"Natsu!" his father called out one last time as he reached out for the handle.

"Yeah?"

"I love you son…"

"I know. You said that already." Natsu smirked as he walked out the door. Igneel stared at it for several seconds watching through the window as Natsu got in the red truck and drove off. Igneel walked over to the liquor cabinet and poured himself several shots of whiskey. He heard happy meow at him.

"I know little guy….it's going to be okay...Just look over him for me would ya?" Happy tilted his head before rubbing his face against Igneel's legs. He sighed and soon he heard a voice speak from the doorway.

"So we meet again after all this time Igneel…" A big muscular man wearing a long black robe and a necklace of teeth with long navy blue hair.

"…..Achnologia…..why are you here?"

"I've come for the boy, you knew this day would come, so I suggest you give him to me!" The man growled taking a step towards Igneel who stood to his feet. Throwing his glass on the floor shattering it.

"Over my dead body!" Igneel got into a fighting stance.

"That would be the idea…" Igneel rushed forward after Achnologia spoke those words.

Natsu drove in the direction of Lucy's house, but he couldn't escape the sinking feeling that something was wrong. So as he sat stopped at a red light, he made the decision to go back home. Nothing could have prepared him for what he saw that fateful night. He parked in the driveway, but something felt off. He quickly rushed out of the car. He heard a splash as he stepped inside his house, he looked down. His heart fell to his stomach. Was that blood? He could hear Happy meowing in the kitchen, so he hesitantly walked in that direction where he saw something from his nightmares.

"DAD!" He shouted rushing towards his father's motionless body as he laid on the kitchen floor bleeding from a gaping hole in his chest.

"DAD! DADDY!" Natsu grabbed his father and shook him, no response. Tears dripping down his face. This couldn't be happening, he just saw him. Not even twenty minutes ago. The tears fell harder as he cradled his father's corpse sobbing the entire time. His body started to grow hotter.

"DADDDDDDDD!" He yelled out and his body erupted in flames, the wood house caught on fire immediately, but Natsu didn't care. He just sat there holding his father's body, his hands and clothes stained with blood, but he just kept screaming, and crying as his flames grew more intense. Wisely Happy had rushed out of the house. As it started to crumble. Natsu still didn't budge.

"DAD, PLEASE DAD NOOOOOOOO!" He sobbed hugging onto his dad for dear life, he sat there for what felt like ages, coughing from the smoke. His pink hair became black from the soot and ash. He still couldn't move. His body burned hotter and hotter, the fire around him growing even more uncontrollable.

Lucy stared out the window looking out the window it was now eight thirty. Where was he?

"Lu, you gotta stop worrying I'm sure he's just late as usual." Levy patted her friend's knee. They were all sitting in Lucy's room watching Home Alone and various other movies that were playing on TV, and chatting away, laughing at the movie, but something felt off. Natsu was indeed prone to being late, but never this late.

"Maybe he crashed, or maybe he forgot the way here…." Lucy started worrying again, but Gray just shrugged it off.

"Relax Lucy, if I know Natsu he probably just fell asleep and is now on his way."

"But he would have texted me!" Lucy replied by clutching Natsu's gift from earlier.

"Erza talk some sense into her!" Levy tried and Erza just shrugged.

"Gray's probably right you have nothing to worry about." Lucy opened her mouth to speak, but the TV interrupted her.

"I'm sorry for interrupting your normally scheduled program, but I'm afraid I have breaking news…" The anchor with a very bad wig spoke softly.

"Earlier tonight authorities confirmed that famous fighter Igneel Dragneel has passed away, after his house caught fire. His adoptive son Natsu, is in custody for questioning as we speak, it had appeared as if Igneel didn't die as a result of the fire, but in fact several stabs in his chest. Leading authorities to believe this was a murder/arson case. We will keep you up to date as the situation unfolds, back to your regularly scheduled program…" With that Home Alone came back on, but all of the teens were staring mouth agape at the television. Lucy held her hands over her mouth letting out several sobs.

"...Holy Shit…." Was all Gray said.

Chapter 2: Moving forward

A/N: Hey everyone! I hoped you liked the beginning of my Fairy Tail AU. This story will indeed have a focus on Nalu, but don't worry they'll be other goodies in there as well. With that please leave a review and let me know what you think!