Natsu knew in that moment, he had done something to help her, but there was still so much left to help her with.

But he also knew he wanted to hear her voice. He wanted to see her really smile. He wanted to see her eyes be brighter.

And he would do everything in his power to make that happen.

But Natsu knew that wouldn't happen immediately, somehow he just knew that the scars and wounds left on her wouldn't disappear immediately, that they might never go away. But he wanted to make it so that she wouldn't be in pain any longer.

Looking down at her smile he decided to make her feel at home, Natsu didn't really get it himself but something compelled him to help her.

He squeezed her hand that was still in his and said, "Come on, we should head back. Igneel will be waiting back, hopefully with some food!"

And her eyes seemed to get wider at the mention of the dragon, and stood up a little straighter and squeezed his hand back. His already blinding smile seemed to get just a bit bigger at the feel of this.

As he guided her through the forest, Natsu realized that Igneel and him didn't really have a place for her, or clothes or anything. There was a little place where Natsu sleeps but it's not really big enough for two people, and even though Natsu thought about all of this he realized he didn't care, he would do anything for her.

When he noticed her tugging on his hand more and more he slowed down so she wouldn't be too pressured, but he realized that she didn't seem very strong. Even a short walk seemed to be hard on her.

But luckily they got to the clearing where Natsu and Igneel lived.

"Dad!" Natsu cried to his father figure, but it wasn't Natsu who reached the dragon first, no it was Lucy.

For the first time she intentionally let go of Natsu's hand to run towards the dragon. When she reached Igneel she buried herself into his large snout. Natsu stared in awe at Lucy, she was the first person he had ever seen besides him ever touch his father, everyone else always ran and fled screaming. But Lucy was now trying to hug the dragon, and Natsu immediately felt better.

Natsu noticed his father being so gently with her and trying to nuzzle a little bit back to her. "Lucy…" Natsu heard his father say, "You're ok now, Natsu and I are here. I know it's been hard for you, but you don't have to worry anymore, you can stay with us as long as you want. You don't have to go back to that house if you don't want to. We'll never make you leave unless you want to."

Lucy didn't say anything or do anything, just nodded her head against the dragons face, unable to come up with words. But she slumped a little bit more against him as if a weight had been taken off her shoulders.

Unable to hold back, Natsu walked towards them and said quietly, "Exactly, you can stay as long as you like. This can be your home now."

Lucy immediately looked up when she heard him say "home", her eyes were so wide but Natsu could tell, they were a little brighter. She just nodded again and then leaned into Natsu.

Natsu stumbled back a bit not anticipating her reaction but smiled all the same and put his arms around her.

Igneel couldn't have been happier at the sight of the two children hugging, but he was still disheartened. The inquisitive, talkative girl he met a few weeks ago was gone. He honestly started expecting Lucy to start talking but it appeared it was still too much for her. But Igneel wanted to help her but Igneel knew that was a huge task and had no idea where to start, but he realized there was one simple thing he could do.

Breakfast.

Smiling a little more Igneel said, "Well Lucy, now that you'll be staying with us for the time being, I guess we should eat some breakfast!"

The two kids looked up at Igneel when he started talking, but he got two drastically different reactions from what he said, Natsu looked so excited at the prospect of food, whereas Lucy just looked down, as if not hearing anything.

"Yeah that would be great, Dad!" Natsu exuberantly said with his arms still around Lucy, "What's there to eat?"

Igneel was a little nervous with Lucy's response but decided they really did need to eat and maybe having positive things going on around her would help so, "We don't really have much here at the moment, but I'll go get something right now, I'll be back in less than an hour, so Natsu show Lucy around. This will be home for a little while, Lucy." And with that the dragon took of to the sky to feed the people he considered family, even if they were different species.

Natsu pulled in Lucy a little closer when he felt Igneel fly away because he knew how strong his wings could be. But when Igneel was out of sight Natsu looked over at Lucy who seemed to be better but still her eyes were dark and glassed over.

"So Igneel will be gone for a while, what do you want to do until then?" At this moment all Natsu wanted to do was to get Lucy to talk but it wasn't that easy.

The girl just shrugged her shoulders, barely even acknowledging the question. But it was then that Natsu noticed something very disturbing.

Her left cheek was starting to turn purple, in the faint silhouette of a hand.

Natsu felt his anger boil at the sight but calmed himself down some because he realized there was nothing he could do, but he gently brought his hand up to cup the wounded cheek.

Lucy flinched when she felt his hand on her cheek, and turned to look up at him.

For the first time, Natsu saw emotion in Lucy's eyes, but it was not one he wanted to see again, it was one of fear. So he gently asked her, "Does it hurt?"

She just shrugged her shoulders again, and looked down as if anticipating that Natsu would hurt her.

Natsu realized that he had to do something to make sure that Lucy knew he would never hurt her, so he hugged her again and said, "I promise I'll never hurt you. Don't worry, I'll protect you."

Lucy just seemed to sag into his arms as if a weight had been lifted off her shoulders.

"We should get something to help that. Come on," Natsu said as he unwrapped his arms from around her and started to walk off into the small shelter house thing that he kept some things in, to grab a cloth, but then noticed Lucy wasn't with him.

He went and looked around and saw her in the same place but one of her hands was extended in front of her, and it was then that Natsu realized that she had been waiting for him to take her hand. So he went over a grabbed her hand and exclaimed, "Come on!"

And this time she went walking with him, and let him get the cloth.

He then retook her hand and started walking toward the lake again, "I know we we're just there but we're going to the lake again, if you get tired tell me ok? I can carry you if you need me to."

Lucy just nodded along, but picked up her pace a tiny bit at the prospect of going to the lake again. So they made the ten minute trek out to the lake in comfortable silence.

When the got there Natsu dipped the cloth in the cool water then placed it on Lucy's cheek, "Does that feel better? It's good to get it to cool down."

Lucy nodded and leaned a little more into his hand while putting her own on top of his. Her eyes slowly closed to savor the comfort that was being offered to her.

Natsu watched in awe from the serene look on Lucy's face. For this short moments she looked peaceful. Although he knew if he could see her eyes that haunted look would still be there.

"Do you want to stay here for a little while?" He asked her seeing as she didn't seem to want to move. Also she was probably tired.

She opened her eyes and nodded, so Natsu took her other hand and brought them over to one of the large trees surrounding the lake, and got her to sit down against it facing the lake. And there the two sat until Igneel came and found them.

For the next week, Natsu and Lucy hardly left each others side.

And Lucy had not spoken a single word the whole time.

Natsu could tell Lucy not talking was worrying Igneel, even if Igneel never said it outloud. The dragon was always trying to get Lucy to talk even if it was just yes or no. But for the seven days since she had came to them she had not spoken a single word.

But on the fifth day, she had laughed.

Natsu and Lucy were down by the lake where they had spent most of their time since Lucy came because Lucy seemed most at peace there.

Lucy was sitting on the edge of the lake with her feet in the water and Natsu was just jumping around and splashing trying to get a reaction out of her. But at some point his foot got stuck on something so he fell into the water flat on his face. And when he came up Lucy was sitting there her eye's brighter than he had ever seen them, giggling at him.

It was the lightest most carefree sound he had ever heard. And he wanted to make it happen again. And her light giggling was so contagious than he burst out laughing as well.

At the time Natsu had thought because she was laughing, she would finally talk to him too, but that wasn't the case.

The first time Lucy spoke, was not as happy and carefree as that.

Natsu awoke to the sound of whimpering.

He opened his eyes to see Lucy who was sleeping next to him. She was sprawled across the ground and she was flailing her arms around a little. But the worst part was the tears that were slowing making their way down Lucy's face.

Natsu just stared at Lucy unsure of what was going on. And then he heard it. He heard her voice. But this was not the sound he wanted to hear. He wanted to hear her laughing and smiling. But this, this was something Natsu didn't want to her again.

"Mama… don't go…"

Mama? Natsu thought, unsure of this person Lucy was referring to, especially since he had never actually heard Lucy talk.

"Mama… please don't leave me… No! I don't want to be alone!" She started screaming at the end and Natsu realized he had to put an end to this.

He slowly tried to wrap his arms around her and bring her to his chest.

But her thrashing around was too strong and he was worried about hurting her if he actually wanted to go through with his plan. So he threw his leg over hers and wrapped his arms around her whole torso.

"No Papa! I'm sorry Papa! Please don't hurt me again!"

Each word that left her mouth felt like little swords that were stabbing Natsu's heart because he couldn't stand to see Lucy in so much pain.

"Lucy wake up Lucy!" Natsu tried in vain to get the girl to come out of her nightmare, but Lucy was trapped, unable to get out from the torture her own mind was bringing her.

"Please Papa, please! I promise I'll be good! I promise…" Lucy then broke out into sobs after that unable to form coherent words.

"Lucy… it's ok Lucy. No one's going to hurt you. You're ok. I'm right here. You're not alone. Wake up, Lucy… please… it's just a dream wake up," he plead wanting so badly for her to get out of her dream.

Soothed by the sound of Natsu's voice her sobs got quieter and her thrashing weakened. Natsu realized that it was working and brought Lucy closer to him.

"Come on Lucy, just open your eyes and it'll all be over. You'll be here with me and safe. I'm right here Lucy…"

And slowly Lucy's tear filled eyes opened to see Natsu's chest.

When Natsu heard Lucy say his name for the first time, it would be a moment Natsu would never forget.

With her eyes more expressive than he had ever seen, and looking at him as if he were the sun, he heard Lucy muttered his name time and time again.

"Natsu… Natsu… Natsu…"

I finished! Woot!

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NekoMimiLover