A/N: Thank you again for all the reviews/alerts/favorited-es...Yea, those things...Anyway, here's chapter 3, hope you enjoy it. =)

"Stupid, stupid, stupid, STUPID!" Lucy repeated that word from the moment she shut and locked the door on Natsu - stupid! - and as she stepped out of the shower. Even as she was soaking wet she sat on her bed, head in her hands. She at least wore a towel, but anything more than that was just asking too much from her.

"I can't believe he was that dense!" she shrieked suddenly. "I practically spelled it out in red ink on his thick forehead!" She picked her head up and punched the pillow laying next to her.

She looked around the empty room. Clothes were still strewn about from when Cana was throwing Lucy's entire wardrobe about whilst searching for the perfect outfit. It definitely was the perfect outfit, as Hibiki had so gentlemanly pointed out. It reminded him of the night sky, though he said nothing about how the meaning went further than that, how it was meant to compliment how she's grown as a stellar mage; each diamond was set in a particular pattern to look like each spirit in their astrological form.

Did that thick headed numbskull even remember that he was the one who bought it for her on her birthday last year? No. Why would he? After all, his mind has been on a certain someone else for the passed year for him to pay attention to anything else.

Taking a deep breath, she stood up. She may as well get packing now since Natsu wasn't one known to hold his tongue on something as important as her leaving. By dawn everyone from the guild, who had come, would know about her and no doubt demand she transfer to a different hotel, the one Blue Pegasus was staying in would be the preferred suggestion, she was sure.

Leaving out her pajamas, she tightened the towel around her bosom and started folding and putting the clothes away. Actually, putting on her pajamas would probably the best to start with, so she wasn't suddenly caught with a cold. Wouldn't that just be a good kick in the gut? They would force her to vacate the hotel while she had a terrible cold. They would probably hope she passed out in the gutter on the way, which would result in a kidnapping from some lowlife randomly walking the streets, which would lead to other things…

They would wish she were dead, if they didn't already.

Sighing, she dropped a shirt in her bag and grabbed her pajama top. Being kicked out of the hotel with a cold was not something she could let happen, if anything. Sure, maybe she once said she'd rather die than be forced to leave Fairy Tail, but now that it's actually happening she wanted to at least leave with that tiny bit of hope that something might happen and she would be allowed back.

But what could happen that would result in something like that? Really the only thing that would change her mind would be Natsu, and he was currently either spreading the good news, or having mommy-daddy time with Lisanna.

Lucy groaned. She wasn't in the right state of mind to be thinking about that at the moment.

He was embarrassed to say the least. He wasn't expecting her to be changing right before he decided to enter through the window! The least he could do was sit there and wait for her to finish clothing herself. Imagine what she would do to him if he were to pop in while she was naked…

He blushed. Sure there had been close calls before, but nothing that was actually serious, and his body never reacted like it was. His face was most likely beet red, and his body was warming up more than usual. His palms were starting to sweat, which was weird, and his mind was actually blank…He was here for a reason, and he had totally forgotten that reason.

Oh yeah, apology! And to see if he couldn't change her mind. He was sure that whoever it was that she was fawning over would understand if she told him that she liked him. She had to at least try, right? And if it didn't go her way after that, maybe Natsu could find some other way to make her change her mind. Besides she did tell him that she would rather die than leave Fairy Tail!

He peeked in the window to see if she had finished, but when he did, he found her staring at him. His heart jumped in his throat, and he nearly lost his balance on the small ledge he was standing on as he quickly hid himself again. She was only wearing her shirt. She was standing in her room, half naked, and she had seen him.

His face burned darker, and he had put his face in his hand. Why was he so embarrassed? At least she had clothes on! Then again, there was something much more…alluring…about her standing in just a shirt than when he saw her naked for that split second. Had Hibiki seen her like that?

Eh…why would he care if Hibiki saw her like that or not? He was the one in a relationship with her, right? So, of course Hibiki might have seen her like that! It was only natural since they were together.

But why did Natsu care so much? Well, maybe it was because he saw Lucy like his little sister, and he was fulfilling the role of protective big brother! He should be lurking outside Hibiki's room, not Lucy's. All right, after he convinced Lucy to stay, he'd go to where Hibiki was staying and act his role of protective big brother. That pretty boy better plan on treating his Lucy right or else some hurt would be coming his way.

Right. With a nod, he turned back to the window, but almost fell off the ledge again when he realized Lucy was now standing next to the window and had been looking out. He heard her shriek his name, angrily he noted, and couldn't help but chuckle as she opened the window and stuck her head out to glare at him.

"What are you doing here?" she growled. "I thought we settled this earlier."

Natsu used his amazing balancing skills to maneuver himself so he was now sitting on the window ledge looking in.

She was still dressed in just her nightshirt, which only fell just below her hips. Natsu felt his face blush again, and he fought to keep his eyes on her face - her very angry, hurt, annoyed face.

"I - uh - came to apologize," he mumbled. When he said the words, the reality of the situation came crashing back into him, and he forgot to feel embarrassed. He found himself slowly looking away from her. "I understand that you're hurting, but -"

"Do you really?" she interrupted.

He looked up at her and found her close to tears, her fists clenched at her sides. He was going to have try a different approach, because she was right in doubting him. The last time he loved someone was Lisanna, back before she died - or sucked into a different world - but he didn't hurt enough to leave his family because of it. How would he be able to live without the old man, Mirajane, Macao, Erza…even Gray for crying out loud! And then, when he met Lucy, she quickly became another member of his family, someone he would hate to lose; that connection he had with her was one of the reasons he fought so hard to keep her all those years ago when her father tried to take her away.

Sighing, he started again.

"All I can really do right now is beg you not to go. I want to help you." He looked back up at her and was taken aback to see tears streaming down her face. What had been running through her mind to make her react that way? His mind went blank again, and he found himself reaching for her, wrapping his arms around her shoulders, holding her tightly against him. "I know that you're hurting right now, but running away isn't the answer. I want to help you. Please let me help you before you resort to leaving."

"You can't help me," she whispered, but she clutched at his back as she was slowly overcome with sobs. Natsu held her tighter, letting her cry.

"I'm sure," he continued after a few minutes, "that whoever it is you're hurting over, feels the same way about you. You just have to gather up the courage and talk to him. I can help you do that."

"What would be the point?" Her voice was muffled as she talked into his shoulder, but he could still understand her. "I already know he doesn't feel the same about me…He's in love with someone else."

"At least let him know."

He felt her take a deep breath as she pulled away from him. It hurt him to see her eyes so red, her expression so much in pain. Whoever it was doing this to her was going to have a little talk with his fists after she tells him who it is.

"The Lucy I know wouldn't run away from any challenge, no matter how hopeless the outcome seemed to be."

She blinked a few times before she slowly smiled. She pressed her face against his shoulder once again, holding onto him tightly for another few moments. Natsu smiled widely, feeling accomplished with what he had set out do to. She didn't seem so angry with him anymore, and, hopefully, had just changed her mind about leaving. Now, he had one more thing he needed to know before he left her, and that was the name of the bastard who hurt her so badly.

She pushed away from him and walked to her bed, grabbing her pajama pants. Natsu jumped slightly before he turned around, once again embarrassed, remembering that she was half naked.

"Natsu…"

He turned around, but she still hadn't put her pants on. She stood, staring at him, holding her pants, a small smile still on her lips.

"What did you think of my outfit tonight?"

The question took him by surprise. Why would she ask him that? What did it matter what he thought about her clothes, especially when they were trying to settle a different matter entirely? He scanned the room, trying to bring her clothes to mind as he did so. What was it she was wearing? Something sparkly, right? Yeah…

"It was…nice." He brought his eyes back to her, and almost started to panic when he saw her expression soften as she looked away, her smile disappearing. "Ah, well, it looked like the night sky, I guess." He shrugged when she looked back at him. "Only fitting considering your magic, right? But I'm sure you don't need me telling you, right? Hibiki must have complemented you a lot tonight."

She smiled again, her cheeks turning pink as she looked away from him again. "And, how do you feel about me?"

He blinked at her again, confused to where this line of questioning was going. What did she care what he thought about her? Or maybe this was practice for what she would say to the guy she liked? That had to be it. So, if that was the case, should he answer truthfully or how he expected the mysterious guy to answer? It was hard for him to figure out, seeing as how he would have to know who the mysterious guy was in order for him to answer correctly. He didn't want to just spout out what she probably wanted to hear from her mysterious guy, especially if it wasn't what her mysterious guy would really say - it would ruin the effect.

Shrugging, he placed a hand on his neck. "I love you lots, Lucy," he said, deciding to speak about his true feelings. "Ever since we first met I've felt a sort of connection to you. It feels like…we were separated at birth, doesn't it? I don't think I've ever thought of someone more of a sister to me than you." He paused to look at her, but she wasn't looking at him. She was looking down at the pants she held in her hand, which, he noted, were trembling. Was he not telling her what she was asking for? "More than anything, I don't want to lose you because of something like…what you're leaving us for."

She sniffed, and shook her head. Taking another deep breath, she looked up at him, smiling. "Thank you, Natsu, but I'm leaving. More sure now than ever."

"WHAT?" He took two steps and was in front of her, taking hold of her shoulders. "That's not fair! I spill out my feelings like that and you still want to leave? What the hell, Lucy? Tell me who it is! I'll make him see you for the woman that you are, if it'll make you stay!" He held onto her shoulders, digging his fingers into her skin, though he didn't mean to.

She refused to look into his eyes, and he could tell she was beginning to cry again. He pulled her to him for another hug, but she pushed him back and stepped away, bumping the back of her knees against the bed, sitting down.

Natsu let her go, and sighed. "What's going on, Luce?" He put his hands on his hips, anything to keep himself from trying to hug her again, knowing she'd just push him away. He really wanted to hold her and comfort her, but if she wouldn't let him, then he wouldn't touch her.

She continued avoiding his eyes, but nodded. He wasn't sure what she was nodding for, but when she finally looked at him, he flinched. He knew, just by the way she was looking at him - eyes red, tears threatening to fall again, cheeks flushed, but there was a slight glow to her features - that she was about to say something that would change both of their lives forever.

Did he want her to say it? No, but he couldn't help it.

"I love you, Natsu," she finally said. "And not like a brother."

His insides ran cold as she said that; everything from the last few hours suddenly made sense. He clenched his fists, suddenly realizing the impact and meaning of her words. He was the one he told her he would help convince - violently - and if he didn't love her back…

Could he somehow love her back? Would he be willing to fake it? No, she didn't deserve that…but if he didn't, she would leave. What could he do?