Okay! I think the next chapter will be the last chapter! I know this one is kinda short, but I wanted to end it on an even number :) I would like to thank you for all the wonderful reviews! Makes me want to just write and write :D Well, here's chapter 9 enjoy! :D

Last time:

"Natsu, I think I'm in love with you," she echoed his words he had said earlier, and smiled sincerely.

He smiled back in response, a different smile than she had ever seen, a very warm welcoming one. He grabbed her hand without saying a word and led her off, he had smelled Wendy approaching them, and hoped he didn't smell her too late.

~Normal POV, Wendy~

"Carla, you were right! They're here!" Wendy exclaimed, watching Natsu drag Lucy off quickly.

"I told you, Wendy, you must trust my ability," Carla responded, flying a few feet above her head. "Plus, it appears as if the he-cat has some knowledge regarding his friend too. "

"Aye!" Happy yelled, flying forward to block of Natsu and Lucy.

"Hmph," Carla scoffed, but followed close behind.

Wendy smiled, watching after her friends and whispered to herself, "Carla is probably about as dense as Natsu when it comes to her loving Happy back."

"Carla, Happy! I'm going to go to the guild and tell them we found them! So, Happy! You'll get your fish, okay?" Wendy yelled, knowing they would be able to hear her.

"Aye!" Wendy heard Happy yell excitedly.

Wendy smiled and took off towards the guild, twitching in excitement as she ran.

"Oh, I can't wait for Lucy to lose the bet!" Wendy squealed happily, running as fast as her little legs could carry her.

After running for a few minutes, Wendy arrived at the guild, where she found Erza, Levy, and Gajeel sulking.

"What's wrong everyone?" she asked, walking over to where they were.

"Lucy's just too good staying away from us, we can't find her anywhere," Erza explained.

"Yeah, Lu-chan's better than I thought she would be," Levy complained, drawing small circles on the table with her finger.

Wendy then turned to Gajeel who said, "Bunny girl did good to hide her scent, I can't track her at all."

"Well, no need to worry!" Wendy said, hoping in a small circle.

"Why not?" a voice said from behind her, and she turned around to find Gray and Juvia.

"Juvia thinks we should give up and accept defeat, Juvia's love-rival is just too good," Juvia exclaimed, walking towards the young dragon slayer.

Gray nodded his agreement, taking a seat across from the defeated scarlet-haired woman.

"Everyone, there is still hope! I saw Natsu and Lucy running deeper into the forest! That means Natsu is on her side, but Happy and Carla went to block their path, if we hurry, we can find them!" Wendy yelled, already running towards the guild doors.

They all looked at each other in shock that the young dragon-slayer had already found them in the time they had been running around the town searching aimlessly. Together, they all ran out of the guild, letting Wendy lead the way back to where she had seen them.

~Normal POV, Natsu and Lucy~

Natsu was running without speaking, and after deciding that Lucy was running to slow, he began to carry her in his arms, not slowing down for a second.

"Natsu, where are we going? Why'd we start to run?" Lucy asked, confused about it all.

"Because, I smelled Wendy, I just hope I didn't smell her too late," he explained, not taking his eyes off of the trail they were running on.

Little did he know that two exceed's were following them in the sky, both using their full speed to get ahead of the fleeing Natsu. Looking at each other, they nodded and began to dive straight towards the pink-haired boy and blonde-headed girl.

Lucy looked up and saw the two cats diving towards them, but before she could yell for Natsu to watch out, they were already in front of them, blocking the path with their wings and bodies.

"Natsu! Lucy!" Carla began, holding her little arms out as much as she could to block the way.

"Lucy!" Happy began, and almost flew right into her, but was stopped by Carla's wing.

"Happy! Carla!" Lucy exclaimed, shocked they had found them.

"Move!" Natsu yelled, taking a single step forward.

"No!" Happy yelled defiantly, not moving an inch.

After a fierce stare down between the four of them for a few minutes, Lucy broke the silence, using her reasoning, "Wait, if Carla is with Happy, then that means Wendy must not be far behind."

"I don't know where Wendy went," Carla began, but was cut off by Natsu.

"Darn it! That means I didn't smell her soon enough, no!" he screamed, and charged at the two exceeds.

He was about to charge right into them, but a figure jumped in front, red-hair flying crazily. Erza looked up to face the two of them, a look of success in her eyes. On the other side, Natsu felt the air get cold, and he knew Gray was there. When he looked to his right, he saw Gajeel and Levy standing together, ready to attack if he was going to move.

Lucy looked behind them and spotted a small Wendy backed up by Macao and Romeo. When she looked to Natsu's left, she saw Gray and Juvia standing, ready to move.

"Natsu, we're surrounded," Lucy squeaked, scared of talking when surrounded like this.

When she blinked again, they all charged at them at once, not giving Natsu much chance to escape at all. He looked around, panicked for once in his life, and jumped up, hoping someone wouldn't block him off.

I hope you enjoyed reading this :) I look forward to posting the last chapter, I'll start working on it immediately! :D Thank you for reading, have a great day! :D