As soon as they were done eating, Levy and Gajeel stole their dishes, made them wash up and pressed the car keys, list and Wendy's "car tunes" I-pod into Natsu's hands, passing Wendy to Lucy. The little girl practically dragged the celestial mage to the truck, Natsu right behind them. When Wendy was settled in, she turned to Natsu with a very serious look on her face. Immediately, all of his focus was on his little sister and Lucy found her heart squeezing a little tightly, a smile lifting the corners of her lips at the sight. This family cared so much about each other..!

"Natsu, can Big Sister Lucy drive?!"

For a moment, regret then sadness flashed in his eyes before quickly being replaced by the light of laughter. He grinned over at Lucy, and she knew there would be trouble, but stayed quiet, hoping to see how this act of sibling love played out. When Natsu leaned closer to his sister, his arms wrapped carefully around her as he hugged the little girl, squishing himself between the floor and the seat, so she could wrap her arms around him to.

"I'll tell you a secret little sis, but it doesn't leave this car, okay?"

"Like the secret ice creams you take me on? Or the secret park rides Gajeel and Levy take me on?!"

Blinking in surprise a moment, Natsu burst out laughing at being told his brother and hopefully soon to be sister – in – law's secrets. He took it all in stride however, nodding along and waiting for his little Wendy to agree. When the little girl nodded, very serious once again, she lay her hand gently against his cheek and whispered that she wouldn't tell a soul – not even her stuffie bear. Lucy had to cover her mouth to hold back a giggle at how cute the scene was before her!

"Well, the secret? Big Sister Lucy can't drive yet!"

"No! Oh no! We have to help her! Can I teach her?!"

As soon as the words left Natsu's lips, confusion washed over Lucy. How did Natsu know she wasn't able to drive? She had her learners permit and the staff was teaching her when they could, she just couldn't get the hang of it...she kept hearing her fathers voice in her head, yelling at her, calling her such horrible things when she first tried to drive with him. A failure, a joke, to mentally unstable to drive. The worst part was when his hand lashed out, twisting her arm and yanking her from the car, forcing her to walk at an odd angle over the drivers consul before she was roughly -

"Lucy."

Her arm hurt so badly, she could feel it was dislocated. Immediately, she went to the kitchen, her safe place. As soon as she got there, Chef called over his sous chef – his second in command. Chef on the stool, holding the screaming Lucy very still against him, the sous chef jerked her arm back into place. Immediately, the pain was gone, but she still clung to Chef screaming until finally he took her to her special spot in the kitchen. The two sat there for an hour as Lucy's throat eventually became raw from screaming, his staff working politely and quietly around them. At the end of it all, the sous chef wordlessly handed her frozen yogurt for her raw throat, Chef went back to work – with Lucy's stool a lot closer then it was before – and he would sneak her pureed carrots and celery, asking her what she thought, just like he did when she was a little girl. Still, remembering the pain in her arm and the look in her fathers eyes – the anger, it seemed as if he wanted to he could've killed – again that soft voice interrupting her fear filled thoughts...

"Lucy, it's okay. Your father isn't here, okay? You're with Natsu and Wendy, we're going to the store and we just had pancakes for breakfast, okay? You're safe...I'll keep you safe, I promise."

I promise...I promise...a note, two little words...an abandoned warehouse...

That memory flashing through her mind jerked Lucy to the present. Looking around, she noticed they were outside, beside the old truck the Marvel's let the boys share...Carla must've taken the van to work. Lucy was surrounded by warmth, clinging to something soft and smelling of pine and the tangy scent of charred wood. Looking up, her dark eyes met Natsu's and his words rushed back to her. He said he'd keep her safe...he promised. Just like the note, he'd promised to keep Lucy safe. Was he the one? Did he write the note? He seemed to know things about her that happened the last seven years...she couldn't drive...the abuse...how she still liked chocolate chip cranberry pancakes...their question for a secret game...could he...? His forehead tapped lightly against hers, his arms holding her close. Natsu was so close, all Lucy had to do was stand on her tippy toes and she could kiss him. Her hands on his chest, she could feel his soft growl deep in his chest, his arms holding her even tighter, his lips so very close to hers...

"You guys haven't left yet?! Where's Wendy?"

"Gajeel, shut up! Look!"

At the voices, their world came rushing back to the two and they jerked apart. Gajeel stood there, grinning, his arm around Levy, hand in his pocket...Levy hand her hand scrunched in his shirt and was pulling down so she could keep her balance on her toes, her free hand covering her boyfriends mouth. Both were grinning like a pair of Cheshire cats! Lucy was so embarrassed, she quickly got to the passenger seat of the truck...only to find the door locked! Pathetically trying the handle again, she gasped and jumped when Natsu set his hand in her lower back, unlocking her door with his free hand. Much to Lucy's dismay, the truck was just a tad to high for her and Natsu had to give her a boost. Holding her by the hips, her took her weight a moment as she leaned back to step up into the truck, softly shutting the door once she was settled. Looking everywhere but his brother and Levy, Natsu worked his way around the truck and climbed into the drivers, much more gracefully then Lucy had done.

He'd almost melted into the seat, like the two were made for each other. As he started the truck and pulled away, Natsu none the less stopped at the side of the road and leaned his body out the window, waving and calling back that he loved them, likewise so did Wendy. Shyly Lucy leaned out and waved to the couple on the stoop, blushing when they smiled and waved back, calling that they loved the trucks passengers in return. Warmth spread through Lucy when she heard her name among Natsu and Wendy's, she couldn't help the small smile that came to her lips.

Turning around, the celestial mage took in the old interior of the truck, it's worn smooth floor mats, well taken care of console, she couldn't help but smile at the modern day I-Pod doc as Natsu put on Wendy's car songs and happily sang along, every word correct. As she smiled at the dancing Wendy in the rear view mirror just before Natsu adjusted it, her eyes caught on something – a ribbon...the closer she looked – four ribbons. Each ribbon was tied into a tight knot entwined with the other ribbons, together but standing out as individuals. Grey, green, red and pink, the ribbons held on by an old leather string, frayed and faded with age. As Lucy leaned forwards to look, Natsu's arm jerked her back into the seat as he pressed on the breaks – hard! His arm was the only thing that kept her from smashing into the windshield as a cat scurried by! As he murmured an apology, she tried to ignore the electricity surging through her, instead enquiring about the ribbons. When Natsu looked over at them, he nodded, his hands tightening against the steering wheel slightly.

"Carla – I mean, Mom – put that up there after our...break up...she said that no matter what, we're still a family, still all treasured in each others hearts. The grey is Gajeel, green is Wendy, red is me and pink is Lucy...the black rope represents Mom and Dad, holding the family together..."

A hint of sadness was in his voice as he spoke and Lucy felt it cut into her like a knife. As Wendy cheered from the back and Natsu sang along to her song, Lucy looked out the window, hiding the tears that fell.

After all I did to them...how can they still love me...?