Lucy Ashley walked into the guild about an hour after the Natsu's had arrived. Her eyes instantly spotted the other blond and the two pinkettes sitting next to her. She felt a sudden pang of jealousy form inside her as she watched them talk and laugh with each other. She never realized just how different she was from other girls her age. She saw a light blush coating her counterparts cheeks as she looked back and forth between both Natsu's.

It was clear that Natsu was in love with her, but Fireball claimed to like Ashley. But if he did like her, it wouldn't take much before he started to prefer this worlds Lucy over Ashley. She was a lot nicer and treated him better than she did. Worried that she might lose Fireball to Lucy she decided to step things up a notch.

She moved forward with determination. She approached the group as Natsu turned and spotted her.

"Hey Ashley," he said in greeting which caught the attention of Lucy and Fireball.

"Hey!" Lucy greeted the other blond warmly. She nodded at the girl before turning her attention back to Natsu as she completely ignored Fireballs presence.

"Hey Natsu, can I talk to you? I think we should plan our first date," she watched Lucy out of the corner of her eye and saw the smile disappear from her face. Fireball looked upset, probably about the fact that she said nothing to him.

"Um, sure," Natsu said as he stood up. He followed her over to a corner of the guild where they could talk in private. As Natsu walked away, he saw the hurtful look on Lucy's face and felt guilty. She wasn't dating Fireball to make him jealous but to help Fireball. That's just how she is. She puts others needs before her own and it made him second guess his decision in going through with dating Ashley. He didn't like seeing that look on her face, especially when he is the cause.

"Hey Ashley, look. I don't think I can go through with this," he informed her. She figured that he knew this was all a lie. She could tell that he was awake when he was laying on Lucy's bed that night so he probably put the pieces together and figured out what she was doing.

"What? Why?" she asked.

"Because it's hurting Lucy. I don't like seeing her hurt." he explained with a sad expression on his face.

"What we are doing to her is exactly what she is doing to me, if I could avoid hurting her then I would. But it's working so I could really use your help." she pleaded. It wasn't normal for her to not use force but this wouldn't work right if he didn't agree. Natsu was never one to turn down a friend who needed help, and definitely not when it could work to his advantage. Maybe he should let this happen. "It shouldn't take that long, all we need to do is step up our act a little until Fireball bursts or she does. Which ever happens first."

"Alright fine. What did you have in mind?"

"We need to say that we planned some kind of date and then hide out somewhere and make it seem like it went well. Kinda just milk it a little. They are pretty gullible and will buy anything we tell them." Natsu still didn't like it but he had to agree that it seemed like a good plan.

"When are we going on this date?" he asked glancing over towards Lucy to see that her and Fireball were still talking just like before but now as happily.

"Why don't we make it for tonight? We'll say that we went to a fancy restaurant and took a romantic walk after?" she asked him and Natsu shook his head.

"Lucy wont buy that. She know's that I am currently broke and that the same thing goes for you. We will have to come up with something better. You also need to show more of an interest in me, we need to act like we are actually dating." Natsu nodded in agreement wondering how far they were going to have to take this.

Lucy was upset that Natsu was taking so long over there with Ashley. Even though she knew they were dating, she still wanted to be able to spend time with him. Fireball was trying to cheer her up, he saw the sadness in her eyes when Natsu left and he felt bad. He knew what was going on and so did the other two. Lucy was the only one left out of the loop. He spotted Natsu and Ashley as they made their way back over to them. They were laughing and smiling and they looked like a real couple, not just one that was in a fake relationship.

Ashley sat down next to Lucy as Natsu sat on the other side of Ashley. She put her hands on top of the bar and he watched as Natsu laid his down right next to hers, just slightly touching it. Fireball immediately understood what they were doing and he smirked. Two can play at that game, well more like four, Fireball thought.

Fireball stretched his arms and faked a yawn and when he brought them down he rested his one arm around Lucy's shoulder. All three of them quickly shot him a look and Fireball could feel the heat rising from Natsu's anger. The difference between the two is that Lucy is more willing to play a little better than those two were. They seemed awkward when they attempted something like that.

"So Lucy, now that I think of it, we haven't set up a date yet either," Fireball stated as a small blush coated her cheeks. Fireball couldn't help but think that the color suited Lucy well and was actually kind of happy that he was able to manage that. Natsu glared when he saw the blush and knew that it had to be because Fireball and Natsu were counterparts. She didn't blush at just anyone like that.

Ashley had to fight back the urge to put Fireball in a strangle hold when she saw that. Not only was it indecent to do that to Lucy but she was just pissed that he would do that.

"Well, what did you have in mind?" Lucy asked nervously. She didn't like the looks she was getting even if she was confused of why Natsu was glaring.

"How about tonight, how about a picnic under the big sakura tree?" he asked watching the others out of the corner of his eye.

"Sounds great!" Lucy answered and in all honesty, it did. She just wished that her and Natsu could be like that.

Both Ashley and Natsu had the same thought cross through their mind. They were going to follow them tonight and see if they really were going to go on this date.

A/N: Sorry it took me so long to update. I've been extremely busy with all the stories I have been working on plus all the things going on in my life. Let me know what you think, thanks so much! Love always, Angel.