A six year old Lucy ran giddily around her mother's garden, picking flowers of many different types and colors for a very special occasion. She'd been anticipating the day for weeks, trying to keep the plans that she'd made with her father on the down low, but now that it was finally there she couldn't hold her excitement in any longer. So, as the girl went around making a bouquet to go along with the present she'd bought, she sang happy birthday to herself over and over, practicing for later that night.

It was finally the happy day of her mother's birthday.

It was going to be a small party this year, and Lucy was positively ecstatic about it. Most years her parents held a humongous party and though she was very welcomed to join them, it kinda seemed like all those strangers were stealing her spot- her mom would always find her at the end of the night anyway, saying time with her was her true birthday gift. Despite how Lucy adored the parties and dresses and her mother's happy glow, she'd much rather have a small party like they were having that night.

Somehow she'd managed to convince her father of it, and actually, when he considered it, he told her it was a pretty good idea.

That made her very happy.

"Lucy!" Her mom called out to her in a sing song voice, one Lucy recognized like her all-time favorite doll, "Are you coming in for lunch? I made your favorite!"

The little girl shot up in her spot, becoming visible to her mother, "Peanut butter and banana sandwiches?!" she grinned with a sparkle in her eye.

"With a tall glass of ice cold milk, just how you like." Layla returned her daughters smile.

"Yay!"

Lucy ran over to her mom, tackling her in their usual hug, "Can we eat out here? It feels really nice."

"Sure thing… but wait, what are those?" The mother raised a curious, but knowing, eyebrow in regards to the messy gathering of flowers in her daughter's right hand.

"N-Nothing!" Lucy immediately hid them behind her back, "Umm, wait there!" she sped away, back to where she'd been before, and set the flowers down, hiding them, "See! There's nothing!" The girl walked back to her mom with her hands raised, "Not one thing in these hands."

She looked a little proud of herself for evading the question and Layla couldn't help but laugh.

"Alright, since you want to eat out here help me bring it out."

"No need Mrs. Heartfilia." A butler came walking out the large backdoors of the mansion holding a tray with their food on it, "I could hear the little miss from all the way inside." He winked teasingly toward Lucy and she stuck her tongue out in good humor.

"Oh, thank you." Layla smiled in appreciation, "Lucy, what do you say?"

"Ah! Thank you!"

"The pleasure's mine little miss." The elderly man set their food on the garden table and before leaving them to their leisure said, "Let me know if you need anything else."

"We will. Thank you again."

"It's no problem."

"Hey mom!" Lucy, who'd already gone to sit down, called out to Layla, "Come on!"

"Coming, coming." She laughed and joined her daughter.

"I can't wait for the party later!" The girl exclaimed while stuffing her face, "It's gonna be so much fun!"

"You seem more excited for my birthday than I do."

She stopped eating, "You're not excited?!"

"No- of course I am." Layla giggled at the horrified expression on Lucy's face, "You're just way better at it."

She still didn't get it but it seemed like her mom was happy so she figured it didn't matter and moved onto the next topic, "Oh mom! I forgot there was something I wanted to ask you."

"Well?" The woman set her sandwich down, "What is it?"

"Do you think magic is real?" she asked very seriously, "I saw something on T.V. earlier and it was some guy who was doing all kinda tricks and he was like floating and stuff but people were saying it wasn't real and that he was faking it? Do you think he was faking it?" The girl eyed her mom very seriously, hoping for a specific answer.

"Hmm," Layla put a hand on her chin, "That's a difficult question- since I didn't see it. So I really wouldn't know... But!" she continued when her daughter's face fell, "There's a different kind of magic I most definitely believe in."

Lucy's eyes lit up, "What, what?!"

"I don't know if I should tell you though…" Layla expressed fake hesitation, "It's a very, very, very big secret…"

"I can keep a secret!" She jumped out her chair that was across from her mom and traded it for a much closer one, "I'm really good at keeping them! I keep them all the time!" Which was a lie. Lucy hardly had any secrets told to her that she could keep.

"Are you positive?" she put her most stern face on, "It's a very big piece of information."

"I'm extreeeeeeeeeeeemely positive!"

"Alright then, come here." She motioned for Lucy to bring her ear forward, "Love."

The girl pulled back, "Love?"

Layla smiled, "That's right! L-O-V-E-."

"Wait… how's that magic?" she asked in complete confusion. The girl was expecting something like bunnies being pulled from hats to be real. She would beg every day for the rest of her life for one of those hats.

"Hahaah!" Layla laughed at her daughters' naiveté, "Oh dear, if only you knew."

"Let me explain." She went on after she knew she'd only confused Lucy further, "You love me, right?"

"Of course!"

"And I love you, right?"

"O-Of course…?" she was a little weirded out by the question having never wondered about it before.

"Okay, now imagine love not existing… Imagine us not being able to love each other, can you?"

"No way." Lucy refused to try, "That sounds awful."

"Oh it is sweetie." she agreed, "But now you can see how important it is, right?"

"Yeah… I guess so."

"Now think of something that makes you sad."

"Umm… when I see someone crying it makes me sad. That count?"

"It does. Now can you imagine seeing someone cry making you happy?"

"What? No! Where's this going?"

"Hahha! Okay, okay let me get to the point." Layla moved to face her daughter better, "Love is something that can make you happy but can also make you sad. That's why I asked if you can ever get happiness from something that makes you sad."

"Oh… so… um… love makes you sad and happy? But loving you guys hasn't ever made me sad!"

"There are also many different kinds of love. You haven't experienced them all yet, but do you get what I'm saying?"

"I think so… it sounds complicated."

"Exactly!" Her mother smiled. She was hoping her daughter would say that. "Love is so big and so different and can give you so many different feelings. It can make you sad and happy, angry and tired, it can turn you into a completely different person sometimes!"

"Like shape-shifting?!"

"No-Well…" Layla forgot for a moment that she was speaking to a six year old, "Almost. Your appearance doesn't change but your feelings and personality might."

Lucy watched her mom's face closely as she explained, soaking the words in, "Love can heal people as well as it can hurt people."

"But hurting people is bad…"

"You're absolutely right and love isn't always good. It's complicated, like you said earlier." Layla put her elbows on her knees and leaned further toward her daughter, "That's why I think it's magical."

"Whoa…" Lucy's mouth turned into a slight "o" shape as her mother spoke.

"Something so big and weird that has so many different sides to it and can make you feel so many things has to magical." She smiled at the look in Lucy's eyes, "And not many people are able to find a love that's all theirs. I was lucky enough to find your dad and later have you."

Layla sat back and pointed to her heart with a grin, "I now have not one, but two of love's best forms."

"Really?!" Lucy jumped up, "What are they?!"

"I just told you silly. You and your dad."

"So if you have two… things? of love, does that make you a…" the girl gasped, "Does that make you a magician?!"

"Why yes!" she fed her daughter's imaginings, "Yes it does!"

"What's this about magicians?" Jude came walking into view, smiling at the sight of his daughter and wife sitting under the shade, "Did we hire a magician for tonight?"

"Dad!" Lucy ran up to her father, "Mom's a magician!"

"Really now?" he smiled and bent down to hug her as she clamped onto his torso, "Why was I never told this?"

"So much for keeping secrets." Layla laughed and walked over to her family, "It was supposed to be a surprise."

"And what kind of magic do you specialize in?" he went along with the topic.

"Love!" Lucy answered for her mom with a wide grin on her face. "That's so cool right?

Jude laughed, "Well then that means I'm a magician too!"

"What?!" Lucy gasped and let go of her dad, "You too?! Why didn't anyone ever tell me?"

"A magician can't reveal their secrets." He put an index finger on his mouth, causing Lucy to become quite serious, "So don't go telling everyone alright?"

"I won't!" she stuck her pinky finger out to Jude and he took it with his own, "Promise."

"Alright then. Good." He grinned and ruffled his daughters' hair up, leaning in close to her ear, "Did you manage to get the flowers?"

She covered the side of her mouth with her hand and whispered back, "I did, I did! They look really pretty too!"

"Good job." He chuckled and stood up straight, giving his wife a quick kiss on her cheek, "Now where are these sandwiches I was hearing about? They're peanut butter and banana right?"

"Uh huh- wait, hey!" Lucy sped after her dad who broke into a run, "Don't eat them all!"

"Too bad slow poke! They're all mine!" Jude wore a broad smile and had at one sandwich when he got to them, letting Lucy plop herself in his lap when she reached him.

Layla smiled at her family who was stuffing their faces with her sandwiches, glad they liked them. Her birthdays had always been one of her favorite days of the year. Not because the day was "all about her" but because of how happy it seemed to make her daughter and husband. Lucy always got so giddy and would practically glow from excitement. Jude would shower her with affection, like he usually did but with a little more planning behind his actions. They seemed so, so happy and in turn that made her happy.

She hoped for many more joy causing birthdays in the future.

Lucy opened her eyes slowly and unwillingly, disappointed to see a wooden ceiling in front of her eyes instead of a tray filled with her favorite sandwiches. She tried to process her thoughts for a moment before she realized what had just transpired. It'd been a long time since she dreamt about her family. A long time since she remembered the way they used to be. When she was younger any form of being able to hear her mother talk again brought her comfort. Whether it was a dream or a video, it always brought just a little bit of comfort. But as she got older the ease hearing her mom would bring was replaced by sadness, unfortunately. That was why it didn't surprise Lucy when she realized she was crying.

The teen sat up in her sleeping bag, she hadn't gotten around to getting a bed yet, and harshly rubbed her eyes. Damn… they're swollen… she mentally cursed her lack of control concerning unconscious emotions.

She put her hands down, laid them in her lap, and just stared- stupidly getting lost in thought about her past.

Her dad had always been so… happy back then. When her mom had been there everything was perfect. He would work but not to the point of being somewhat a recluse. The days would go by without a single shout or uncaring glance. They would eat sandwiches and talk about random things while enjoying the sun. Jude would even suggest they play hide and seek in the garden while her mom would sometimes keep score of who found who more until she wanted to play as well.

He'd been so happy.

It made her wonder just how he could've ended up the way he did when he'd married someone like her mom. He knew her and what she would want. He knew that if she saw him now she'd slap him silly and yell his ear off. But then again, Lucy would always think about the two sides to it, maybe it was because he married someone like her mom and lost her that he became that way. Losing someone was just awful, she knew that well. It was probably the most terrible thing in the world- and to lose someone as wonderful and magical as her mom…

That was one of the reasons she couldn't fully bring herself to hate her father.

She was pissed of course, beyond pissed and hurt and betrayed but with him being her dad and knowing what he was like before… It was just too complicated for her liking.

"Damn it…" she crawled out of her sleeping bag, careful not to wake up Plue who had curled up next to her legs, and made her way into the bathroom.

Lucy tied her hair up and turned the faucet on, splashing cold water on her face hoping to erase the trail her tears had left. She had just woken up and already her mood was sour. She was getting pissed off. It wasn't supposed to be like that anymore. She wasn't supposed to get overwhelmed and cry for no good reason. Her hands weren't supposed to shake. Her heart wasn't supposed to feel like it was quivering and she sure as hell wasn't supposed to be pitying herself.

She shouldn't feel like she was about to be pushed over a cliff that would spiral her into a deep, dark pit of unwanted emotions she thought she'd left behind.

The girl looked into her mirror and stared, something you really shouldn't do when you're a wreck, and just as her face began to twist into an odd expression she wished to never see again, her doorbell rang. Plue, startled by the noise, shot up in his spot and began to bark his head off, scratching at the bedroom door letting Lucy know he wanted to be let out.

Quickly, she wiped her face and turned the water off, "Okay, okay- hold on." The blonde grimaced at the quiver in her voice.

"Let whoever that is know I'll be there in a second." She rubbed Plue's head and opened the door, watching him speed out of the room.

Okay Lucy calm down… you're fine… She reprimanded herself as she bottled up that awful wave of emotions that'd come out of nowhere, and made sure she looked somewhat presentable before she went down.

Lucy wondered aloud to herself who could be at the door at that hour, but there was really only one person it could be. She opened the door to see a grinning, rosy haired teen who looked absolutely, one hundred percent awake, quite the contrast to herself. He was like the embodiment of sunlight at that moment if she were being honest.

"Mornin'!" Natsu greeted and she almost felt the need to protect her vision.

"Yeah," Lucy yawned, "Good morning."

Natsu opened his eyes, having shut them to grin at the girl as soon as she opened the door, and almost instantly wished he hadn't. Quickly, and quite severely, he was being affected by the blondes' disheveled, morning appearance. Her clothes were only a blue tank top and short black shorts, creased and folded every which way due to tossing and turning in her sleep, her hair was messy, sticking to her face a little he noticed and her eyes… huh?

As he was surveying her appearance, really unintentionally and totally not creepy-like, he noticed her eyes were… swollen?

Was she… crying…? He thought to himself- a little astonished at the notion.

Why would she be…?

"… ou doing here so… Natsu… Natsu!"

He snapped out of his thoughts as Lucy called out to him, "Hello!" she waved a hand in front of his face, "Are you in there?"

"Y-yeah." He blinked twice and steadied his head, "Sorry. I spaced out for a second."

"I noticed…" she tilted her head slightly to one side, "You alright?"

She's asking me that? He wondered if he was thinking too hard, "Yeah I'm good. Are you?"

Lucy looked a little caught off guard by the question, which he noticed, but she answered with ease, "Of course I'm good. I only asked you because you seemed a little lost there…" she shifted a little uncomfortably, annoyed that her eyes probably gave away her lie but continued, "I was asking you what you're doing here so early?"

"Oh I was in the neighborho-"

"Bull."

"Can't take a joke in the morning, huh?" he laughed and took a mental note of it, "I figured I could get an early start on the work that still needs to be done but I can come back later if you want."

The girl sighed but was actually kind of thankful for his early presence, "No it's alright. You're here now anyway. It'd make no sense in sending you off just so you could come back later." She stepped aside and held an arm out, "Come in."

Plue, recognizing Natsu already, barked and ran around in circles before jumping at him when he entered, scratching his legs to get him to pick him up.

"Oh- now you want me to hold you. Okay I get it." He grinned and scooped the little guy up.

"Just let me go get dressed." Lucy shut the door and walked behind Natsu, "You can do whatever. I'm gonna take a little bit so just make yourself at home."

"Sure, sure." Though there was little to be at home with, he agreed and let her do her thing.

Lucy walked up the stairs, looking at the pair with a small smile as she did, and went into her bathroom to get a shower started. Early mornings showers during the summer had always been one of Lucy's favorite things. It was a nice way to cool down from a hot night and "wash away" all your negative or unwanted thoughts. It was a cheesy way of thinking, she knew, but she'd read it in a book once and it stuck with her. That particular part of showering, Lucy was going to put into great use.

Within six minutes, not wanting to keep her guest waiting too long, she got out and quickly got dressed into an old t-shirt and denim shorts, plain for her usual tastes but she didn't really care at the moment. She applied a little makeup for what it was worth, looking nice was always a concern of hers growing up the way she did, but didn't bother drying her hair as she left her bathroom and went back downstairs. The girl tried to force any lingering "icky" thoughts, because that's exactly what they were, away as she came upon the pair but didn't have to when she saw what was happening.

Lucy exploded into laughter as she took in Natsu chasing Plue, who had somehow gotten his boot, and throwing small profanities every which way as he did, "How did he even get your shoe?" she asked when she got closer.

"The little bastard got it right off my foot!" He replied as he snatched his shoe back and slid it on, "You'd better watch out for this guy- he's got jaws of death."

"Oh please. He's been nothing but a sweetheart to me. He just seems to like messing with you." She walked passed him and asked, "Have you had breakfast yet? I'm gonna make some so tell me now if you do."

"You can cook?" He asked curiously as he followed her into the kitchen, it was a huge thing in his eyes, way too huge for one person.

"Of course I can cook." She got a pan out, luckily all the cookware/utensils were left behind and after a good wash they were just like new, and cracked a smile, "I'm also very good at it. Well, good at making simple things anyway."

It was the truth. Her mother, who'd made amazing, jaw dropping food, had taught her all about how to cook when she was around. Of course, she was still a child then so she only learned how to make the basic things- but with "pizazz" as Layla had said. She still prided herself on what she knew.

"Oh?" Natsu asked, a little excited, "Can you make jalapeno poppers?!"

"Wha- no…? Jalapeno poppers?" She looked confused.

"Oh…" His face fell a little, "That's alright. Just wondering." He moved to sit down at the kitchens bar, the seat still a little dusty, "What're you gonna make?"

"Just some eggs and bacon…"she answered, a little ticked off at how disappointed he was, "Did you want something else?"

A guest's a guest after all.

"Nah that sounds good." He actually already had breakfast at his own house but who was he to step on courtesy?

"Eggs and bacon it is then!" Lucy smiled and went to cooking.

It was always exciting to her to be able to cook for someone other than herself. That last time she'd done it was probably when she was thirteen and one of her maids let her make spaghetti. She practically had to brainwash the lady into thinking it was okay for her to try it-that it wasn't inappropriate for her, as a maid, to do so. As far as she remembered the experience was pleasant.

It took her a few minutes of stirring, flipping, and chatting with her early bird friend before she was done and damn she couldn't help but feel a bit proud of herself. It looked delicious. The teen was a little worried that she might've been somewhat out of practice but it looked like there was nothing to fear.

"Alright," she set a plate down in front of Natsu with a look of anticipation in her eye, "dig in."

He took his fork and scooped a large amount of eggs into his mouth, along with some bacon and chewed vigorously, another display of bad manners according to Lucy, then exclaimed, "It's good! I haven't had eggs like this before though. It's different but good." And that was all he cared about really. As long as it tasted good he didn't care what is was.

Lucy beamed and took a bite herself.

"Y'know this is probably as good as Mira's food…" he spoke to himself as he chowed down.

"Really?" Lucy hadn't ever tasted the woman's food but somehow it seemed like a huge compliment.

"Yeah really." He replied with a grin, "All you gotta do now is learn how to make some poppers."

Lucy ignored the statement and wondered idly, "Hmm… maybe I could get a job as a part time cook somewhere…?" The issue of her having to work soon was pressing harder on her mind the more she spent trying to fix the house up.

"You're lookin' for a job?" He asked with a mouthful of food.

"Well, I guess so." She moved her wet bangs behind her ear, "I'm not hurting for money yet but it's something I need to think about. Why? You know a place that's hiring?"

Natsu finished his second breakfast in record time and set the plate aside, "We don't exactly say we're hiring or anything but Fairy Tail's always welcoming people who wanna work."

"Oh yeah!" Lucy momentarily abandoned her food and questioned excitedly, "What is Fairy Tail exactly? I don't think I ever asked…"

The teen grinned at her and cracked his knuckles in odd preparation for the answer. He loved it when people asked him about Fairy Tail. It was basically his life- or better worded it had given him his life- and when people were genuinely curious about the place it gave him a sense of pride. He could go on all day about how great it was and how cool its members were if he had the chance, though he knew that would eventually get annoying, but just getting to share a little bit of what had made him who he was made him feel so very happy. Natsu was always thankful for opportunities to greaten Fairy Tail's name and reputation.

"Okay, the answer might be a little long but bear with me alright?" He set his elbows on the counter and waited for her reply of "Of course." before he went on, "You've been there already so I don't have to explain what the place looks like but essentially it's an odd jobs business."

"Odd jobs?" She questioned, her voice rising a little higher toward then end.

"Yep. Or regular ones- but most of those are local. The odder jobs," he laughed at his own joke, "are most likely the ones you need to travel for."

"Wait you get jobs from other places than here?" Lucy was beginning to wonder why she'd never heard of them- especially considering she'd been in the business world for so long.

"Uh-huh. Like take Cana for example, Cana's a friend," he explained when he saw her confusion, "she does tarot card readings. She's actually pretty well known amongst those kinds of… people or whatever. They're always spot on apparently. People request her all the time. One rich guy even paid for her to go all the way across the frickin' country."

"So… you have to be requested for jobs?"

"Nope. People just do that sometimes if a member's known for something." He hoped he was explaining properly, "Mira models, Gajeel's really good with making metal stuff, Cana, like I said, does card readings, etc."

"Oh okay I think I get it." Lucy leaned backwards and set her plate on top of his when she was done, "So you can be requested for things or just choose to accept a job that asks for no specific person?"

"Yeah!" He grinned, happy he explained right after all, "We have a website and phone and stuff- which is where most of the long distance jobs come from, but we also have a wall." His smiled extended at the mention of it.

"Yeah I saw that wall." The blonde thought back to when she entered the warehouse for the first time. "It was huge."

"Right?" He agreed with her, glad she acknowledged the size of it too, "Locals will run the jobs by Mira or the old man, the owner of the place, and they'll put up flyers and posters. Then we get to choose what jobs to accept, if any, and get to keep seventy percent of the payment. Some of it has to go to the warehouse to keep it running of course, no one minds that. We get a lot of jobs so money's never been a big issue for us."

Lucy practically had stars in her eyes. She knew she liked the place, its first impression had left quite the mark on her, but now that she had a proper explanation of how it worked it was brilliant! The one side of her that knew how businesses were supposed work and really thrive was actually very impressed. The concept of freely letting people accept jobs that you knew were going to come in was really smart and something the world needed more of quite frankly.

"So… do they accept anyone? Like, I don't need any particular skill set do I? Is there training…?" All she really had going for her at the moment were her smarts and sense of how to run things so that they could profit…

She mentally cursed those years in school that seemed to teach her everything but what she needed.

"You wanna join?!" He jumped out of his seat and grabbed her hands in excitement. New members were another thing Natsu really liked.

Lucy thought for a second. The idea was really good, amazing even. She could work whenever she wanted, however much she wanted, and still manage to keep a stable income- something she learned was very important. On the other hand, the only thing that was holding her back was that the owner was sure to ask for her information. It's not like she could just join in the business without providing official information and she'd avoided telling people her last name for a reason. A very good reason.

But it'd have to be done eventually. Even if she were to work somewhere else they'd ask her the same thing so she might as well choose a place she liked.

"Yeah!" She grinned and he replied with one of his own, the toothy one she'd seen three times now.

"Awesome!" Natsu held his other hand out, waiting for a high five, and she gave into the action, unknowingly letting her smile turn into a slightly less "ladylike" one.

And just like that Lucy forgot every little thing that had been bothering her earlier that morning.

Once they were done talking and washing the dishes, Lucy made him help saying you should never let bacon grease sit for too long, they went back to work on her house. Lucy had some cleaning left to do, mostly mopping floors/washing off layers upon layers of dust that'd settled on the houses' surfaces, and Natsu still had some other things that needed repairing. The two went to their own tasks for about three hours and when Lucy finally finished cleaning every part of the house that needed it, she went into her backyard to see what Natsu was up to.

Honestly, she just wanted to go and see about joining Fairy Tail already but she knew to be patient.

The blonde walked out her backdoor and saw him sitting at the far end of her deck, taking his scarf off and setting it down beside him, "Wow… you actually take that off?" she lightly teased and made her presence known to the teen.

"It's not exactly glued onto my body." He turned to look at her as she sat beside him and dangled her feet off the decks edge, sticking her legs in between the wooden railing.

"What?!" She replied in mock astonishment.

"I just like wearin' it all the time. It's one of my treasures." He spoke truthfully, "But it can get really hot…"

This time Lucy was a little shocked. She didn't imagine guys had "treasures". The one's she'd met over the years hadn't really given her the impression of "treasuring". Which now that she thought about it, they probably weren't good examples of regular boys. "Well it is summer… Is it so important that you have to wear it every day?"

It was an innocent question but Natsu felt a small frown appear on his face. It was important to him… that was for sure. But in what way- he didn't know. Some day's it was a nice reminder of Igneel and the years they'd spent together, but others it seemed more like an excuse. For what? He didn't know.

Again with the "I don't know"s…. He thought a bit sourly to himself.

"Yeah." He replied simply. It wasn't a lie.

"Hmm. Just make sure you don't get heat stroke. That really sucks." She didn't really understand his reason, though it was most likely similar to a girl wearing a necklace she got from her grandmother or something, and continued, "Did you finish up out here?"

Grateful for the change in topic he replied, "I did. You're railing was a bitch to fix but I got it done. It's probably sturdier than it was originally."

She looked over at him to see a proud grin displayed on his face, "That so?"

Thinking mischievously to herself, Lucy stood up and began lifting herself onto the railing, "Let's test it out."

"Oi, what the hell are you doing?!" He got up when she stood straight on the wooden beam, "You're gonna fall!"

The blonde gave him an "oh please" look, "I'm not gonna fall. Don't worry." She spoke as she began walking as if she were on a balance beam, "I took gymnastics for a few years. This'll be easy."

"Okay great good for you." He walked beside her, becoming more and more worried, "But this isn't one of those things you balance on or whatever."

"It's basically the same thing." She stuck her arms out for more control, "It's fine if I fall anyway. The deck's not that high. Now quiet! I'm concentrating."

"Alright fine." Natsu gave up on convincing her and just watched, "Don't get mad if you end up on your ass."

The blonde secretly stuck her tongue out at him, a childish act she knew, but fitting for what she was doing. It seemed she was in the clear as she made her way closer to the end of the railing, where she'd jump back onto the deck, but an unforeseen force of nature called "Plue" had seen this small spectacle and ran out the open back door, barking like the curious pup he was. The sudden noise startled Lucy and sure enough Natsu had predicted correctly.

"Aaah!" The girl let a scream out as she lost her balance and fell of the railing, landing harshly on the grassy earth some ways down.

"Shit!" Natsu cursed and bounded down the steps, hearing Lucy let a profanity or two out herself.

"Are you okay?! What happened to "I took gymnastics for a few years"?!" He spoke urgently as he came upon the girl, who indeed ended up on her ass, "Damn it, I told you you were gonna…"

The rosy haired teen stopped talking when he saw her shoulders shaking.

Shit shit shit shit- is she crying?!

He was about to squat down and check, unprepared to deal with her tears, but didn't have to when she lifted her head and let a loud laugh out.

"Hahaha!" she continued laughing, "Oh man that hurt…"

"Wha…?" Natsu was dumfounded.

"Damn…" The girl lifted her hand, silently asking for help in getting up, and he took it- lifting her with ease, "Hahahaha, you sounded worried there for a second." She teased, letting him know all was fine- though her leg was throbbing a little.

He still didn't know how to respond to her reaction.

"Plue! You scared me!" She called up to the dog who was sticking its head out between the railings, wagging his tail.

Natsu just watched her as she mumbled to herself, brushing her legs off and adjusting her ponytail, only speaking when she looked up at him curiously, "Okay. You're definitely really weird." He declared her one step above "just weird" and moved to pull a leaf out of her hair- slightly shocked he did so.

Lucy couldn't even register the nice action because of her exaggerated response to his words, "What? That's twice now you've said I'm weird! I'm not! What makes me weird?!" She was genuinely becoming concerned about it.

"Whoa hold on, it's not a bad thing." he clarified. "Why would I be insulting you?" Really why would he?

She huffed and swept her bangs to the side, "I don't know how you use the word "weird" but most people tend to use it in a bad way."

"Well I don't know about those guys but weird doesn't equal insult to me so stop takin' it so badly." He said his piece and spoke again before turning to walk back up the stairs, "You sure you're alright?"

"Y-yeah…" she answered and followed him up.

Is it a compliment then? What does he mean by it? She wondered, a bit embarrassed by her reaction but let it go. He seemed more a puzzle that she originally thought.

They both stepped back onto the deck and Plue ran up to Lucy, completely unaware of what he accidentally caused. Lucy smiled down at the puppy, not blaming him one bit.

"Since I didn't get to finish talking before you went and fell off your deck," now that he wasn't worried that she'd broken herself he found it a little funny, "let me continue where I left off."

"Yes, by all means. Do so." She replied bitterly and made a face at his laughing. Only she was allowed to laugh at her mess ups.

"As I was saying," he walked back to where his scarf was, picked it up, and quickly put it back on, "I finished your railing, and I finished fixing that damn floor board in your hallway that kept trippin' me."

Lucy giggled.

"It isn't funny. Damn thing almost killed me a few times." He thought back to the three times his life flashed before his eyes and continued, "All that's left really is to fix your windows up- help them open again, then let you live in the place and see if there's anything else you come across that needs tending to."

Lucy nodded, thankful in a lot of ways for the help she received and said, "I can't believe it got done so fast. I was expecting it to take at least five days."

"Yeah tell me about it." Natsu replied to her as he walked back inside, getting a little desperate for water, "I guess it only looked bad. The house is actually really sturdy."

It better be for what my father paid for it… Lucy thought to herself as she followed him in, shutting the door behind her when Plue ran inside, "Really, I can't begin to thank you all enough. I would've never been able to do this by myself."

Natsu thought for a moment while he got a glass, they were cleaned by Erza the other night, and got some much needed water- he was really feelin' his thirst now, "Don't see why you thought you had to." He raised a brow, "You didn't try to hire anyone before comin' to us?"

"Uh… No." She replied a bit sheepish but decided to be a little more honest, "I thought I had to do it all myself for personal reasons but it turned out to be too much for one person to handle…"

Natsu kept chugging his water and finished with a loud "ah" sound, promptly turning toward Lucy with a grin, "Well you got friends who'll help you for free so you don't have to do things on your own if you don't want to."

The teen smiled at his own words, a little proud of himself for helping someone out so greatly, and for the first time Lucy really did think of those three as her friends.

She'd actually made real friends. And while it might seem like a mediocre achievement to most, friends were never something Lucy had the luxury to make. Though she had many other things she knew people wished upon a star for, actual friends, who as he'd said would help each other out, were one of the only things she'd really wanted.

It was a warm feeling.

"So?" Natsu set his glass down in her sink, giving her a chance to discreetly blink back her tears, and said, "You wanna go join Fairy Tail or what?"

"Yes!" She grinned widely with excitement and added, "You really think they'll let me join?"

"For sure." He guaranteed, "The old man seemed to like you so there shouldn't be a problem." Though the geezer liking her wasn't exactly a great thing. The man could be somewhat of a perv sometimes but he decided to withhold that information.

The blonde nodded and set her expression into a confident one but as they began to walk out she suddenly remembered something, "Is there a place I can buy a mattress?"

"You don't even have a bed?" He deadpanned, wondering just how unprepared the girl had been to move in.

"No. That's why I asked."

"What've you been sleeping on then?"

"A sleeping bag-but that doesn't matter!" She continued when she saw him begin to say something, most likely a tease, "Just- is there a place or not?"

"Yeah of course there's a place." He replied as she shut the door and locked it, "What, you think everyone in this town sleeps on their floors?"

"You know what I meant!" Lucy spoke and walked ahead of him.

"You say that a lot."

"And you beat around the bush a lot."

"What does that ev-"

"Let's just go!"

"Okay, fine…" He stuck his hands in his pockets and walked slightly behind the girl, the two of them continuing their lighthearted bickering most of the way to Fairy Tail.

"Hey shrimp." Gajeel appeared behind the small, blue haired teen, taking her attention away from the book she had in her hands, "I'm gonna head out and start workin' on that job. I'll swing by your place later to help ya' finish that library cleaning." He scratched his nose, an action, Levy knew, that he only did when he was a little embarrassed to say something.

"Alright, I'll see you later then. Thank you!" She beamed up at him, hoping to ease his nervousness despite loving seeing the "tough" man look a little flustered.

"Y-yeah. Don't go cross eyed readin' that book." He replied simply yet gruffly, and turned to walk out of the warehouse.

She couldn't help but stare after him.

For a moment she got lost in her usual thoughts, wondering just what they were to each other exactly, but decided to stop that train before it left the station. Levy would always go round and round in her head when she let those thoughts run rampant. "What are we to each other?" "Are we just friends?" "Does he even like me that way?" "What if this never progresses beyond what we are now?" She sighed and tried to go back to reading her book, seeing the words but not really taking them in.

Geez! Quit it! She scolded herself for acting like a hopeless damsel. The girl had already decided what they had was more than enough for the moment and trying to think about it any further would only turn her into a mushy pile of overcomplicated thoughts and feelings.

"Mira!" She called out to the pink dress wearing bartender who'd just finished tending to a table, "Can I get some fries please!"

The white haired woman walked over with a smile, knowing what it meant when Levy wanted fries, "Sure thing. You want some melted cheese to the side right?"

"You know me too well." The teen laughed and was about to speak again until she witnessed Mira's expression change almost immediately as she spotted two new people entering the warehouse.

"Levy, Levy!" She bent down and tried to point discreetly at the pair, "Look! That's the girl we were talking about yesterday! The one who came in looking for Natsu!"

"Oh?" Levy, thankful for something to get her mind off previous matters, eagerly turned where Mira was pointing, "Where, where?"

"There!" Her whispers were becoming strained, "The blonde girl!"

"I can't se-AH!" Her eyes finally were set upon the pair who looked like they were laughing, "Whoa! She's gorgeous!"

"Right, right?" Mira smiled and agreed with Levy, "They've been hanging around together quite a bit." She mentioned suggestively.

"It's only been a few days Mira… and from what you and Erza were saying he's just been helping her get situated and knowledgeable of the town." Levy reasoned, knowing how teasing of that nature can really get on someone's nerves, but still- from what she little she'd seen of the two she could see why Mira was acting the way she was.

"I know." The woman's face took on a soft look, "I just thought it'd be very nice for Natsu to finally have someone considering..." She trailed off and Levy knew exactly what she meant, "Really, there's only so much we can do for him anyway- oh they're coming over here!"

Mira stood up from her crouched position and waved at the pair, quickly noticing Lucy had a large bruise on her leg, "What happened?" she expressed her concern once they reached them.

"She fell off her deck trying to bal-"

"Nothing! It was nothing! Just a little accident!" Lucy wasn't about to let him embarrass her in front of a stranger again, the stranger this time being Levy.

"If you say so…" Mira let it slide.

"Anyway," Natsu spoke and reached to adjust his scarf, "is the old man in? I need to talk to him."

"Yes. He's up in his office right now. Said he needed to make a call to a friend of his." She stuck her thumb out and pointed behind her, Lucy's eyes traveling up the warehouses stairs and getting lost when the rest of it was kept from her vision.

"Really? Rare for him to be in the office this soon."

The two of them kept on with their conversation and Levy spoke up, aiming her voice at Lucy, "Hi!"

The blonde, a little startled by her sudden greeting stepped around Natsu to better see the girl when she spoke again, "You're Lucy right? I've been hearing quite a bit about you for the past few days."

"Ah… Sorry about that." She gave a sheepish smile, "I'm Lucy. You are?"

For a reason Levy knew but was too embarrassed to admit, she was feeling a little… unequal to the teen in front of her. Especially in a certain… area.

Curse her lack of womanly charm…

"I'm Levy, it's nice to meet you!"

Lucy replied in kind, making sure to keep good airs, as she'd been taught to when meeting new people, but very quickly that went flying out the window when she saw the book lying on the wooden table, "Wait a second…" She looked a little closer and gasped, "Is that "Willow's Weeper"?!"

"You know of it?" She asked curiously, always extremely welcoming to people who ask about her books.

"Of course!" Lucy replied excitedly as she sat down next to Levy, "I thought it wasn't supposed to come out until next month?!"

"Oh it isn't! I'm actually friends with the author and she gave me an early copy in return for helping her out."

"You're friends with-! Helping her out?" She couldn't decide what question to ask first.

"Yeah, she hired me about a year ago to help with research for one of her upcoming books!" She turned her body to better face the thrilled teen, "I told her I was looking forward to this the most when we met and she ended up giving me one of the first copies!" Levy was practically squealing.

"I'm so jealous! Wait hold on-" she took on a solemn face, "How was it?"

Thinking the question was a serious matter as well, Levy also took on a solemn expression, "I haven't finished it, I'm about half way through it, but so far…" she was enjoying the anticipation in the blondes eye, "it's soooo good!"

Lucy sighed, "Oh thank goodness. I've been looking forward to it ever since it was announced! I couldn't fathom it being boring."

"Me either!" Levy agreed and went on, "What other books have you-"

"Natsu!"

Their conversation, as well as Mira and Natsu's, was suddenly cut off by a loud voice coming from upstairs.

"Yeah old man?!"

"Get up here! Ten seconds!"

The voice disappeared and Lucy wondered if Natsu had gotten into some kind of trouble. At least, it'd sounded that way by the man's tone.

"Alright, alright. Gotta see what the elderly man wants." He was about to walk off but remembered what Lucy was there for, "Oh yeah. I'll tell him about you when I go up and then he'll probably want me to send you in so sit tight."

The blonde nodded, knowing boredom wasn't in store for her with the girl she'd just befriended. There were still a lot more questions she wanted to ask. Knowing people who liked the same reading material as her had been a rarity and everyone knows not having someone to talk to about the things you like sucks. Lucy wasn't about to let that chance slide, though her eyes did follow Natsu's back until he disappeared from view.

The scarfed teen walked up the stairs, at a normal pace knowing Makarov hadn't really meant he had to be there in ten seconds, and made his way to the old man's office. It was a huge room toward the back of the second level, half of the warehouse had been turned into another floor, that had a seriously nice view of the city, sea, and a little further off, the small cliffside. He entered the office to find the man sitting on top of his desk, for some reason he always liked to sit on everything but chairs, with a serious expression on his face.

"Hey old man!" he greeted him with a smile, "Guess what?"

"What?"

"You remember Lucy right?" Natsu plopped himself down on one of the leather chairs in front of the desk, "Seems like she was gonna need a job soon and I told her about us and she got really excited. Says she wants to join!"

Makarov raised a brow, "Hm. I wouldn't mind that." He'd welcome it actually. "Did you bring her here?"

"Yeah. She's waitin' down by the bar right now." The teen sat up a little and placed his elbows on his knees, "So? What'd you want me up here for?"

Makarov sighed.

It probably wasn't a good idea for him to do what he was about to do, but unfortunately he was going to do it. Goddammit he was going to have to do it. Bringing this particular topic up always ended badly. Not in fights, or shouting, but Natsu would go into complete shutdown. Claiming it was "alright". That he "doesn't really care". In all honestly Makarov would rather he shout or get angry. At least then the boy would've actually reacted to the topic. Instead, he would deny it so fully that he probably even convinced himself he was reacting normally. Really, what Makarov wouldn't give for Natsu to just get mad for once.

He sighed again.

He was about to bring up Igneel.

A/N: Never in my fic writing life have i been writing chapters this long...? Hope you liked this one as well! I thought a flashback would be nice to contrast Lucy's family then and now. I brought back their issues from their intro chapters, they're not gone yet. Natsu and his "I don't know."s and Lucy with her "I shouldn't be feeling like this."s.

Oh and I really love Levy/Lucy broship so I introduced them as fast friends, bonding over a book of course. As you can tell there's going to be some other pairings included here and there. I'd really love to try and include most of them- or at least the one's I really like- throughout the story. :))

Igneel's gonna get talked about next time and some emotional things are gonna be brought up. Thanks for reviewing! It really gives me an extra boost in my want to write, as it does for most people. I really, really appreciate it!