Like I promised, here's update number 2!

It's not totally NaLu, and now I've got to change the rating too... The thing is, the characters are kind of OOC, and I really felt like Igneel and Layla are reflections of Natsu and Lucy. Please understand!

-Radish

-8 years old-

"Natsu... Natsu..." She was crying, her head on her knees as she curled up in misery on his bed.

Natsu gently peeled her hands off her legs and held them firmly in his own. Se looked up at him, leaning back. Overly bright eyes squinted at him through a film of tears.

"Mama..." She rasped, her voice barely above a hoarse whisper. "Mama's gonna die..." Another sob exploded out of her tiny chest. She was shuddering now.

"Shh..." He cooed, holding both her hands in one of his own and wiping away her tears with his thumb, drawing swirls on her soft cheeks, obliterating the glistening drops. "Hush, Luce. She's gonna be fine."

At 8 years old, Natsu liked to think that he's a Man. Mature, cool, and independent. He walked Lucy to school every day and took care of her. But when it came to things like this, he had no idea what to do.

"No, she's not!" She burst into a fresh wave of tears, eyes wide with fear. "The doctor said that... That..." Lucy started bawling.

Natsu pulled her closer and put his forehead to hers till their faces were almost touching. His steady hand on the back of her head, nestled in her soft golden locks, they stayed like that for a little while.

She calmed a little, taking short little breaths and exhaling slowly with little shivers. "Natsu, the doctors say that she doesn't have long left." She gulped. "Maybe a month or two."

Natsu had his eyes closed. Here was his best friend, her heart in pieces and vulnerable. She had let him into the cracks of her armour, and he knew that he would fix her.

He had to.

"Oh Luce," he said, keeping his voice as slow and calm as possible. "You know what your mom is like. She'll pull through. Layla beats everything."

"You think so? Do you really think so?" A high quiver, the first peep of a baby bird.

"Yup," he concluded sagely. "She's gonna be fine."

Suddenly, she wrenched her hands out of his grasp and wrapped her arms around his torso, wriggling closer to him. She laid her head on his shoulder, resting her face on the crook of his neck and tickling his sensitive skin with every exhale.

He felt the flutter of her eyelashes on his shoulder blade and had to control himself to not move away. This was WAY too close. What was next? Kissing? Ewwww... He felt light headed. Maybe that wouldn't be so bad after all... He shook these thoughts away, embarrassed by himself.

Natsu was a MAN, and he would take care of Lucy.

He wrapped his arms around her awkwardly and held her until she fell asleep on his shoulder.

She needed him and he swore that he would be there for her through Hell and fire.

"Where's Jude?" Igneel asked as he welcomed Layla into his humble abode with a comic bow and a sweep of his arm. "Just got a coupla new golf mags for him to check out."

"He's out today," she answered as she stepped inside. "Business or whatnot. He'll be back tomorrow."

He thought she seemed a little nervous, but decided that Layla wasn't the kind of woman to be nervous. Goddesses were above the influence of normal human emotions.

"What's up?"

Her eyes flickered to his face and lingered for a second as she stepped into the living room. The she quickly looked away and bit her lip.

He narrowed his eyes. It wasn't his imagination. Something was definitely up.

With a flick of his finger, he turned the lights on. A chandelier twirled overhead, casting little pieces of rainbow across the furniture.

"Like it?" He grinned at her, "Friend o' mine didn't want it no more so she gave it to me. Just put it in this morning."

Layla smiled as she gazed up. "Oh, it's beautiful, Igneel!"

The way she said his name sent a little shiver up his spine. Her soft, cultured accent and her melodious, feminine voice made his hair stand on end.

After three years, she was still the object of his desire. He really couldn't help it! He knew she was married to a nice, rich, proper guy who was everything he wasn't; he knew she had the most loveable, adorable daughter on Earth; he knew she had hoards of men lining up to worship her, each more devoted than the last.

He could never compete! But a man could dream! All he was and could ever be was a good neighbor. he watched the light cross her face, illuminating her cheeks in a soft glow.

Lately, they had begun to grow hollow. He could tell. Dark circles marred her perfect beauty and it seemed as if even her eyes had grown haunted. Of course, it wasn't in the role of a good neighbor to pry or worry, so he had never mentioned it.

"Thanks!" He maintained his grin. "Want some water?"

"No, thank you. It's really alright. I don't plan to stay long." Her eyes were dreamy as she watched the slow dance of the lights.

"Everything's alright?"

She sighed and folded her hands across her lap. "Won't you sit with me, Igneel?" Her eyes were downcast now, scrutinizing the old carpet. Igneel remembered the pizza Natsu had dropped there a couple of nights ago and wondered if it had left a stain.

"Sure, hon." He pushed himself off the wall and sat down beside her. "Tell me what's wrong."

"Could you... Take care of Lucy when I'm gone?"

Igneel was taken aback. "Where're you going?" His red eyebrows furrowed.

"Up there, Igneel." She raised her face to the ceiling, and he saw the tears dripping down the side of her face. "Up there. I don't have much longer."

"Layla." She didn't respond. "Layla!" She looked at him, beautiful even in the throes of sadness. "What's going on? Tell me the whole thing, I'm begging you."

She sighed again, her whole body seeming to shrink as she did so. Her perfect posture was abandoned, and she let her sobs shake her body. For the first time, she looked less like a goddess come to Earth and more like a tragically beautiful woman.

And he loved her more for it.

Bravely, he put an arm around her shoulder and pulled her closer to him until her head was pressing against the side of his torso. This was okay, right? This was a friend comforting a friend. Totally platonic.

As they sat there, he became painfully aware of their proximity and of how tiny she really was. Like a china doll, ready to shatter if he pressed too hard. Had she always been this thin?

Now the sobs faded to whimpers and sniffles. Igneel patted her kindly on the shoulder. "There, there, Layla. Deep breaths. Tell me what I can do."

To his surprise, she snuggled closer to him, pressing herself against him. He convinced himself that she just needed someone to be there for her. A good friend. Totally platonic.

"I'm dying, Igneel." She whispered into his chest. "I only have a couple of months left at best."

He felt his heart stop beating. "Are you serious, Layla?" Somehow, calling her name made this seem more real.

He felt her nod, as he knew she would. This was real. He opened his mouth to say something, but his voice had disappeared.

The silence hung heavily over the normally cheery living room, with all its clashing colors and mismatched furniture. Only the clock ticked on relentlessly, counting the moments they were losing together.

"What... is it?" His voice had returned from the dead as a shadow of its former self- a mere raspy whisper.

She hummed, now calm but still nestled in his chest. "Breast cancer. The old doctor said it was just a tumor."

"What about surgery?"

"Too late."

He clutched her closer to him, suddenly afraid that she would disappear from his side at any moment, stolen away by the monster in her chest.

"Igneel."

He let go of her, immediately aware of what he had been doing. Had he broken the platonic-ness of their closeness? Panicking, he tried to make amends. "Sorry, Layla, I didn't know what I was doing and I'm really sorry and-"

"Kiss me."

Igneel froze, his mouth gaping open in mid-speech. He closed it, then opened it, then closed it again. Blinking, he finally managed something intelligible. "Eh?"

Then her lips were on his, and God, they were so soft. He thought of flowers and honey and all he could breathe in was her scent. He curled his toes, gripping the carpet as an anchor; or else he figured he would float away.

"I told you to kiss me," she whispered into his lips. "Igneel."

That did it. His name, on her lips, in that voice.

He never had much self-control, and controlling his desire for her for three long years had worn it down to practically nothing. He swore he could hear his dead mum in Heaven looking past his shoulder in disapproval, but, oh God, he didn't give a damn.

Layla was in his arms. Layla was kissing him. Layla with her sexy voice and her chocolate eyes and her great body.

Layla, whom he loved.

Then he was looking down at her, her hair spread out in a fan on his couch and the light of the chandelier spraying across his vision. Her dress was rumpled, all the buttons somehow undone in front, revealing her fair skin.

With his last ounce of self-control, he met those lovely brown eyes and mumbled out, "Are you okay with this?"

She nodded, her gaze full of lust. "I love you. I need you."

And that was enough.

Well, it's only technically chapter 1, so don't expect too much to happen. The story is going to continue in a chronological order by Natsu and Lucy's age. Eventually it'll make sense and hopefully everything's going to come together.

I might not upload tomorrow, since I'm working on a horror story for summer school (English 12 Completion, if anyone cares at all). But Thursday for sure!

Cya :)

-Radish