A/N: Wow the responses to this really surprised me, I was sure it was awful XD But if you want to know which song inspired this fic, just binge on Fairy Tail opening 22 for a bit and there you have it. Also I'm a sucker for the "Love transcending the ages" tropes :P But I hope you like the twist I put on this one!

Natsu didn't actually leave. No way in hell. He has scoured the entire continent just to find Lucy, and seeing her be the target of shadows? Yeah, he wasn't taking his eye off her for a second.

It kinda stung a bit hearing Lucy sound so hostile towards him, but he shouldn't have expected differently. He wasn't even supposed to know her, but somehow he had retained him memories. Memories of all one thousand, one hundred and eighty-seven past lives he'd had with her.

Worse than that, the memory of Lucy dying in his arms one thousand, one hundred and eighty-seven times.

He technically didn't remember until last month, as he turned 18, and he had woken up in the middle of the night in cold sweat and tears. Natsu had got up and got dressed, before fleeing in the middle of the night, not uttering a word to anyone.

Natsu knew if he told anyone, they may work try and make him forget again, and he wasn't risking that for anything. He searched high and low for the next month, searching for her familiar scent and magical power.

Lo and behold, here she was, doing very mundane things in Magnolia. But thank god he arrived on time, or Lucy may have kicked the bucket too soon.

Natsu had been sitting on her roof, napping for a good portion of the night, until he remembered he hadn't eaten for like, a week.

He groaned, sitting up as he saw the run rising. He pulled out his wallet, frowning. Not nearly enough to buy anything… He spent most of his money on just traveling he hadn't even thought of food.

But… Lucy had food. Heck, in the thousands of years he had known her, she always had a fully stocked fridge. Well, at least when fridges were invented she did.

Natsu wriggled his way down the roof, before tactfully entering the blonde's apartment through the living room window, being careful not to wake her. He made his way to the kitchen, grabbing a bag of chips before settling on the counter, munching on his newfound potato snack.

The click of a door alerted him to Lucy entering the room, and he looked up to see her in a towel, fresh out of the shower.

Albeit, Natsu was used to seeing her stark naked on multiple occasions, he couldn't help the light blush that pooled in his cheeks.

"What are you doing in my house?!" Lucy screeched, throwing a pillow from the couch at him.

Natsu dodged the cushion, catching it with ease "Good to see things haven't changed" he snickered, despite the situation.

Lucy covered herself, gasping in horror "You perv-!"

"No, not physically" Natsu interrupted her, rolling his eyes as she jumped to conclusions "I mean you always freaking out… Just wanted some food, I'm starved" he continued nonchalantly, ignoring Lucy's look of confusion.

"Why are you talking like me and you are old friends?" She asked as she stepped in her room to change, the cracked door telling Natsu she was still listening.

He shrugged, leaning back as he dumped the remaining chips in his mouth "Well, we kinda are. We just haven't met yet, until now that is" he explained, trying not to give too much away.

"That…" Lucy started, exiting the room, now dressed in a typical Lucy, short skirt, V-neck tank top, and boots "Made no sense."

Natsu merely smiled innocently "That was the point, princess." He said, hopping off the counter to stand, walking to her "Either way, you'd best pack now, cuz we need to hightail it outta here"

The girl stared for a few moments before turning to grab her purse and leave "I have school." She stated firmly, making Natsu's jaw drop.

"Did you not SEE what attacked you last night?! More will be coming if we don't leave!" He argued, following after her. He had completely forgotten how stubborn this girl could be.

Lucy looked at him, raising a thin brow "Do you not know that I'll fail if I don't go to school?" She shot back, steady on her path to her school.

Natsu threw his hands up in exasperation, before sighing, deciding to let her be for now, and that maybe as more things came for her she'd understand that her staying here would put the other mortals in danger.

That was his oblivious queen alright.

Natsu hadn't seen so many magical creatures gather in one place all at once before. Never in a his lives. He just saw three unicorns trot across campus like they were in a sacred grove.

He stared, looking like the most dumbfounded person on Earth, which he probably was by this point. It had to be Lucy drawing these things here, but why? It was a bit early in this reincarnation for magic to start popping up left and right.

The peaceful setting of fairies and unicorns was dispersed as Natsu jolted at another presence. It wasn't like the sweet colorful magic he had felt earlier. It was a black magic.

A shadow.

And not just one. It was at least ten, if not more.

Because wherever there was a strong source of light, a shadow was always right there to follow it.

Natsu moved from his perch, to sniff out the source of the shadows, and found them congregating by an open window, which granted him a perfect view of the beautiful blonde sitting, and working on whatever school was having her do.

Screams were suddenly heard from the other side of the building, and Natsu contemplated staying by Lucy, but know it was his job to protect these mortals, and just imagine how much Lucy would chew him out for ignoring the cries of those in need.

Groaning, he turned, inwardly promising to return to Lucy's side as soon as he was done.

((LINE CUT))

Lucy hadn't heard the ruckus until apparently the carnage made it's way to her classroom. The story being told was that there was a kid shooting up the school, but when the 'kid' reached them, Lucy could see it was none other than the same type of shadow that had attacked her yesterday.

The being moved towards the girl, but froze at something, before shouts were heard from the hall of people screaming "He's burning the place down!"

'Burn?'

Her question was answered as Natsu leapt through the door, tackling the shadow to the floor. But he looked different than before. His arms were covered in scales up to the joint of his elbow, and instead of having human hands, they had been with claws that looked like they belonged to a dragon.

She noticed it was the same with his legs, not to mention the fact he had a scaly red tail waving behind him and flaming horns on his head.

Lucy gaped at the dramatic change in his appearance as he burst into flames, burning away the shadow and leaving a black-haired girl, which Lucy knew as Minerva.

"Wh-What happened to you?!" Lucy shrieked, pointing to the tail.

Natsu jolted back, covering an ear "Oww not so loud… The place is infested with shadows, and I had to get a little serious you know" He answered as if it were obvious, placing a clawed hand on his hip, looking annoyed.

"Why are there so many suddenly?!" Lucy cried, looking out the window, to see his earlier statement was true.

Natsu pursed his lips, as he joined her by the window, as if trying to find the right way to tell her that her grandma died.

Well joke was on him, she didn't have a grandma.

"How old are you?" He suddenly, and Lucy's jaw dropped at the inappropriately placed question

"Why do you…?" She sighed, knowing if it was him, he would still demand an answer "I turned 17 last month."

His gaze narrowed, as her zero'd in on her face "chances are we would've met anyway around this time. Did your school have any trips or anything planned?"

Lucy wasn't sure what that had to do with anything, but if it could get him to give her a straight answer, she would oblige for now "Um… We were going on a school trip sometime soon, to another country…"

"Alverez." Natsu answered for her, telling her that's probably where he was from "These shadows are after you because it's close to the time you awaken, and they know you're dangerous to them." Before Lucy could properly form a response, Natsu had gripped her wrist, pulling her with him. She also noticed his hand had gone back to normal.

"We need to get you somewhere safe, before I can tell you anything else, or else you'll just be putting everyone else in danger" He continued, his firm grip not letting her pull away.

Lucy sighed, relenting, figuring she couldn't very well let innocents get hurt because of her, and started following her.

"Fine, where are we going then?"

"Isn't obvious? To Alverez"