Hey minna! Guess what? WE HAVE PASSED THE AMOUNT OF FOLLOWERS I HAD ON THE ORIGINAL! WOOOOOO HOOOOOO! I LOVE YOU! Next goal: Surpass the amount of reviews I had on the original! That's not asking too much is it? *Laughs nervously*. Anyway. This chapter might hurt a little. Sorry. aND ANOTHER THING! THIS IS A NALU STORY! *points to user-name like duhhhh*. IT STARTED THAT WAY, IT SAYS IT IN THE SUMMARY, AND IT WILL END THAT WAY! K? K! Well I have to go order pizza now. Yay. Happy Saturday minna, I hope you enjoy this chapter! Lucy's heart was thumping in her chest, which did nothing for the uncomfortable butterflies that were fluttering around in her insides. She just wanted it to go away. In fact, she had wanted it to go away for about a day now, a day spent sitting in her apartment after her talk with Loke thinking about what she would say. Hey Natsu! Turns out I love you now hahah, sorry about that rejection and all. Wanna make out now by any chance? And Gray...Well, she would have to spend another day on that. At least. But she had to talk to Natsu, get her feelings out. Because those butterflies were getting pretty damn annoying. Yet, despite that, she was taking small, slow steps towards the guild, each of them making that uncomfortable 'sting' in her chest become worse. Even deep breaths didn't help, and deep breaths are the answer to everything. The guild came closer and closer into view, making Lucy's heart beat even faster, which she thought was impossible. But here it was, banging in her chest like no tomorrow. Eventually, she reached the guild, the tall, wooden doors looking somewhat intimidating. So she stood there, having a staring contest with the doors, thinking about how easy it would be to just go home and forget the past 4 days completely. But she forced her muscles towards the door, and she opened it. Her eyes wandered for a second, looking for pink hair that was most likely brawling with another member. Then she glanced over to the tables. The sight made her freeze. There was Natsu, his arm resting lazily on a girls shoulders, just like he always did with Lucy. A cute blush sprinkled the girls cheeks, the contrast between the paleness of her skin and hair to the pink making her seem even more beautiful than she already was. Natsu said something that made her giggle. His large grin had returned. And then the girl kissed him. Lightning bolts shot through Lucy, millions of stabs went through her chest. She knew it all along though, she knew those two had been so close. She knew it would eventually happen. But Lucy had become an okay friend with this girl, and for some reason she felt betrayed. Lissana. Lucy fought back the tears that threatened to spill, tried to swallow the lump in her throat. She turned towards the door, ready to leave. There was no way she was staying, no way she could stay. Lucy stopped fighting the tears, and she was about to dash to her apartment where she could cry all she wanted when someone called out to her. "Lucy!" She stopped abruptly and forced the tears back again before turning around and giving the red-headed woman before her an award-winning smile. The smile she used to hide her feelings the best. "You just got here, didn't you? Where are you going?" Erza said, looking down at Lucy with disapproval. Lucy gulped. She hadn't been her for 3 days straight, and now she was leaving early? Lucy knew she had to play this out well or she was screwed. "I just forgot something at my apartment," Lucy said, widening her smile. And that's what ruined it. Erza's disapproving features instantly softened before she firmly grabbed Lucy on the arm to drag her out of the guild. Lucy went limp, allowing Titania to pull her away from where those things were going on. Lucy was actually kind of thankful for Erza dragging her out like she did. Even though that meant Erza had to come along and Lucy wasn't allowed any alone time, at least Lucy knew she would be able to make it out of the guild without collapsing from depression. When they finally exited the doors, Erza let go of Lucy so that she fell right onto her bottom, sending a stinging pain all around her back. And then Erza continued walking. Lucy stared in awe after the red-headed mage, before Erza turned around and said very casually. "Well, are you coming?" Lucy jumped up and scrambled towards Erza, her expectant tone running chills down Lucy's back. Lucy fell in step with Erza, limping slightly from the throbbing pain on her tailbone. The two girls walked in silence for what seemed like forever until Erza spoke up once more. "So why are you really leaving?" Lucy swallowed hard, looking away from the emotionless girl next to her. She didn't want to tell Erza, but she didn't want to lie either. The thought of Loke and Erza beating Natsu senseless set waves of fear through Lucy. And it would have been all because of her. Erza stopped abruptly, a dark aura suddenly surrounding her. "Was it Gray?" Erza's expressionless face broke for a minute to look at Lucy with eyes that had concern filled to the brim. "No no no no no, it wasn't Gray…" Lucy said, slowly drifting off as her eyes, which were burning due to the tears behind them, wandered towards the canal. "It wasn't Gray at all…" Lucy let out, in more of a sigh then a voice. Erza's eyes hardened and she clenched her jaw, anger welling up inside her like never before. "Then who. Was. IT?!" Erza seethed, trying not to scream at the broken celestial mage. Lucy tried not to say anything, but she couldn't help but mumble a certain pink-haired boys name as tears started to fall from her eyes. All the tears Lucy had tried so hard to hold back. At first, Erza looked confused. Her head was cocked to the right slightly, and she looked like she was trying to solve a difficult problem. And then it hit her. Hit her like 3 million wrecking balls and a tidal wave. All features that made her appear angry disappeared in an instant, and she suddenly bowed down to Lucy, holding out her Heart Kreuz Armour's sword towards Lucy. "PUNISH ME FOR THE TROUBLE YOU WENT THROUGH!" Lucy sweat-dropped as she took a cautious step back, flushing from the whispers and stares she was receiving from the people walking by. "Eh-Erm, no, I'm okay I just-" "CUT ME IN RETRIBUTION!" "Erza, you're making a scene it's-"

"I DESERVE PUNISHMENT FOR HURTING MY BEST FRIEND!" That was it. Lucy growled in frustration, clenching her fists so tight that her nails dug into her palms. "Erza. Scarlet. Stop acting up and tell me what's wrong." Lucy seethed between her clenched teeth. Despite her vicious glare, deep down she felt like she was dying of embarrassment as the number of whispers and stares doubled after her statement. Erza relaxed a bit, dropping her sword onto the ground, but she didn't once lift up her head. Not yet, anyway. "It's my fault Natsu is with Lisanna, It's my fault you are so sad Lucy." At the mention of those two, Lucy froze. She slowly went pale, brown orbs growing wider and wider. "W-What do y-you mean E-Erza?" Lucy said, trying to control her shaking voice. But it was no use. Her words came out stuttered and scared, which was the best she could manage as she tried to hold back the burning tears that formed again. Erza continued to keep her head down, eyes shadowed by her mass of red hair. And then she started her story. "Natsu came to the guild 2 days ago looking sad and angry. I did so many things, Lucy, to cheer him up. Nothing worked." Lucy looked down, ashamed, knowing full and well that this pain was her fault. "So I figured Lisanna could cheer Natsu up, just like when they were kids. That's why they were so close this morning Lucy. It's all my fault! Is there any way you could forgive me?!" Lucy looked at Erza and swallowed back the tears that threatened to pool her eyes. She didn't speak, and tried not to think about it. But the same thought continued to return to her, the same thought she knew she had to accept. If Natsu is happier with Lisanna, then there's no way I would rather have it. Sorry if this chapter was a disappointment. I'm not overly happy with it, but I wanted to get it out for you guys :). Don't forget to follow, favorite, and review, and i wILL SEE YOU NEXT TIME! xx