I actually really enjoyed writing this chapter, there were a few different emotions that had to conveyed that I merely guessed upon but I hope you guys enjoy today's instalment. PLEASE favourite, follow or review, everything is helpful! ALSO if you have any ideas for upcoming events that would be nice.

I'm also thinking of starting another fic while writing this one so if you have any recommendations feel free to put them down! THANKS FOR ALL YOUR SUPPORT! Seriously all the views and follows, favs and all the insightful comments I've gotten have been so helpful and give me butterflies in my stomach! THANK YOU ALL! 3

ALSO for the songs I listened to I mostly listened to Broken Iris.. BECAUSE THEY ARE AMAZING! Truly ^-^!

No sleep welcomed Lucy that hour, she had completely forgotten about everything except for that damned kiss, it truly complicated things. Her heart had been beating at a rapid rate and not only that but her face flushed with a blushing red. Lucy had always thought that guy hated her and vice versa but now she wasn't sure if these emotions were something to cling onto or let go. Sure his face was smug with an awful amount of victory screaming out from his body, but was that kiss just to make sure she didn't betray him or maybe it was to clear something up in his head? She really couldn't tell.

Lucy knew for a fact though that her fever had been significantly reduced it truly was something that wasn't going to last long, hopefully anyway, she hated the fact that he had seen her weak side. That damned jerk.. Pulling her head up from the pillow Lucy realised that she was in fact in his house... she didn't notice it before because of the obvious reason but now it all hit her. She was in his room...in his bed. Looking down at the sheets and mattress Lucy could almost smell Sting's odour and decided that even though it was getting dark that she should at least check around the house.

Standing up from the bed Lucy was able to withhold her balance and make it to the door, with only a little help from the wall near her. Opening it up it creaked from the hinges and made Lucy hold her breathe, she almost dreaded meeting Sting after what had happened, the fact that he was in the same house made Lucy falter for a few seconds... did she want to admit to this yet? Probably not, but if the situation presented itself then she would have to deal.

Slowly making her way down the stairs Lucy had to stop for a few moments, catching her breathe. Her weakness surely was aggravating. Looking around she noticed that there was a kitchen so being as light footed as possible she went into it, Lucy only realised it then but with her fever still being present it actually made her quite cold, in fact she was freezing. Her arms were already subjected to shaking.

She decided to make her small travel around the house quick and quickly looked through the kitchen, turning around she saw another room present, one that was not the bathroom. Stepping closer and attempting to cease her shaking she opened the door, it was near impossible to see inside, seeing as night had taken over the skies and the moon was just setting up above the clouds. Squinting her eyes Lucy could just make out the blonde spikey hair that stood up atop the whit dragon slayers head. He was sleeping on the ground.. Seriously, he shouldn't sleep there- with his hand as a pillow with just a small blanket. Lucy concluded that this was living room.

Lucy was going to close the door and leave him but the thought of the kiss came vividly rushing back into her mind, something she could no longer get away from.

I really need to work this out... he was.. my enemy and now he isn't? I'm not quite sure.. he doesn't seem like it.. but he might just be in this for Lector.. and frankly I know near nothing about him. It's infuriating.

Without realising Lucy had crept closer, only being able to see the back of his hair. It was dead true, they had a 'different' relationship, one that was going too fast. In Lucy's mind this defiantly wasn't something she should rush and already regretted that she didn't pull away from him when he kissed her. She couldn't trust him.. even though she made him trust her. She was just thinking of ways to disband any type of feelings she had for him.

Still thoroughly shaking Lucy decided that it was time to leave, after these few days were over she would just forget about him.

Turning around Lucy's shaking hand was caught in another, it was immensly warm which helped cease Lucy's shaking. Looking down she could just make out Sting's face whom was staring at hers. After all she just convinced herself of why did he have to do that now.

"You know I could hear your steps the whole time.." Sting spoke making Lucy flinch a little, her hand still in his.

"Well, you shouldn't pretend to be asleep when you aren't!" Lucy stated this as a fact, it was a bit embarrassing that she was letting her emotions wave over her.

"Y-you can let go of my hand now! I'm going to bed." Lucy was getting a bit nervous, she really just wanted to hide underneath the doonas like a sort of protection but like this, she was out in the open.

"Hmm and what if I don't want to.." There was his smug attitude that always kept coming up at the most inconvenient of times, that cocky talk he always displayed really pissed her off. After a long silence that followed after Lucy attempted to free her hand Sting couldn't help but be observant.

"You know even though to touch you are burning up it seems that your still shivering...I can change that if you want!" Lucy could just imagine the smirk on his face, how he just used people to get what he wanted. Taunted them until they broke. It wouldn't of been the first time he sweet talked some girl into falling for him.

"...LET GO! I hate you damn it!..." Before Lucy realised there was already a tear dropping down the side of her face, followed by a couple more. She really detested this feeling. Sting as well was shocked by her words and it pained him more then he would of thought it would. It seemed that that lonely feeling of his had disappeared when she was near and he couldn't tell his own feelings much so hers but now it was clear.

"You treated me like trash and called me that as well, just because Lector was taken now you suddenly become an enemies accomplice, not only that but I CAN'T TELL WHAT YOUR MOTIVES ARE! If what you say and do are real or not! IT'S BEEN HARD ENOUGH ALREADY, not even with you in the mix!" Lucy promised that she would be resolute and she was to an extent. She would keep her promise to help find Lector because she had had those feelings before but it didn't mean she had like who she accompanying.

"You told me to trust you right? To trust that you would keep your damned word and help find Lector, YOU AREN'T THIS FUCKING WEAK! Are you so easily swayed to think that when someone does that it has no meaning, are you stupid? If there was nothing in this heart and it was as narrow as it was a week ago then I would have let my Guild Master kill you... BUT THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN DID IT?" It was definatly a side to Sting that no one had seen before, truthfully he was just as confused as Lucy was but he had easier reigns over his emotions.

Still not letting go of Lucy's hand she was able to relax a little, she truly was being stupid. Never had she allowed anything to get her like this other then someone hurting her nakama.. not her heart. Sting who grew tired of Lucy's eagerness to rip away from his grasp pulled her closer to him and at the same time sat up. Lucy stumbled a bit before falling onto her knees and straight into Sting's grasp. Her face was just underneath his chin and on his chest, the utter warmth flooding over Lucy until she was completely engulfed by the heat, no longer shaking.

"Does it matter if this whole ordeal happened a week ago, Blondie! I hate to admit it but you changed my whole perspective.." Sting wasn't to sure what that was supposed to mean, If it was a confession to love or just him expressing his feelings but he knew that for the moment he couldn't let the feeling go even if it was for that damned girl. It didn't even phase him that a few days ago them two were sworn enemies.

Lucy didn't say a word for awhile, she had been holding up so strong since when she was captured and she guessed it was only a matter of time before all her emotions came sweeping out. She knew that everything had built on top of the other and it was too much for one person to take. She was able to calm herself while in Sting's capable hands, it didn't mean she had fallen for him just that she was accepting his comforting. He did have an amount of truth in his words though, and Lucy felt that everything escalated so quickly, she missed her friends, her sworn nakama but for the moment she was fine while there at that moment.

Lucy couldn't say anything in reply to him and nor did she have to, he understood quite clearly what she was feeling and even though their relationship was yet to be decided upon they were just comfortable in each others embrace. Lucy dug her face into his chest to make sure he didn't see her crying and only slightly wrapped her arms around him but Sting with a small smile upon his face, knew that it would only hurt her pride to say anything; it only took a minute or two until Sting recognised that her breathing had slowed and her tears had stopped, he laid back down facing upwards towards the ceiling, Lucy had his chest as a pillow while he closed his eyes bringing the blanket over the both of them still knowing fully that his heat would be enough. Realising his words would be quite problematic.

"EHHHHHHHH? WHAT ARE YOU DOING..?"

The morning sun still rising atop the many houses in the city didn't stop the two current residents inside of the townhouse to be awake and lively. Lucy who when awoke in the early morning had forgotten completely of the events that had taken place that night was unpleasantly surprised when she opened her eyes to see the slow rise of Sting's chest.

"Heh, what was that bitch?"

Rubbing a hand on the tops of his head where Lucy had hit him, Sting looked at the celestial mage with a certain disdain.

"It's not like 'I' was the one that did anything!" Putting a certain emphasis on the word "I", Sting made sure to let the girl know that he wasn't the one that fell asleep on his chest.

Lucy was still completely oblivious for a couple of seconds before her face went from horrid shock to a blushing realisation. The morning daze had finally swept over Lucy's brain and she was able to now recount what happened that night. Her face was stricken with rigid shock and not only was that present but the eerie silence that followed was surely uncomfortable, the both of them not wanting to endeavour into the conversation for the matter.

Being the morning after surely made it awkward between the two blondes, there was no smart ass side comments from the either of them and both were caught in a deep and foreboding thought train. Looking up for only a second Sting caught the celestial mage's little figure stiffen with her face changed from embarrassment. He took a short breathe, not wanting to say anything that would wipe off that expression from her face, it made him want to chuckle to see her like that.

Roughly coughing Sting broke the silence by standing up and moving out of the room before calling.

"Have a shower, you stink!"

Lucy flared up in a matter of seconds completely forgetting any sign of him being nice.

"And who's the one that caused me to be like this!" She shot back, sighing at his infuriating personality, one that he could easily cover with sweetened words. Such an idiot. She swore to never succumb to that again.

Standing up she made her way from the living room and into the bathroom, the blush still present on her face. Looking into the mirror on the wall Lucy supressed what should have been a high pitch scream. She couldn't even recognise her face. Her hair was full of knots and a still long entangle of sweat. Her face had grime spattered in certain places and dark circles underneath her eyes. Looking up at her hands she could still see the dark bruise marks of the cuffs that had been around Lucy's wrists for four days. She was shocked at the state she had come to... her beautiful face was ruined, her sex appeal gone. Her biggest strength had diminished, not only that but Sting had seen her like that, she looked fairly unattractive and IT ANGERED HER.

Not wasting one more moment Lucy stripped off her clothing and was determined to get her usual manner back in action, she was not going to stay like that any longer. Turning on the shower that went from cold to steaming hot Lucy jumped in and was sweetly covered in the water, instantly washing off the reminents of grime and cooling the bruises from the ugly green that was starting to form. Her hair untangled with ease and it was no longer the form of straw. Her fever was no longer something to worry about as it was fading away fast. Her breathing had gone back to their normal pattern and the only red present on her cheeks was the one of remembering last night. What was that anyway? It wasn't like either of them wanted to talk about it but she was confused as to his words. He was surprisingly sweet though.

"NOOOOO! What AM I THINKING!"

Screaming out Lucy gripped her face with her hands and wanted to stamp her feet but that would tempt the tiles to fall out from beneath her feet. She absolutely could not fall for him. ABSOLUTELY!

Breathing out Lucy had come to terms that with every day that passed she was becoming easier to crack, she was usually only angered or shocked when her friends had decided to do something idiotic but that had dramatically changed. Oh right, Sting can probably hear me.. Seeing as he was a dragon slayer like Natsu it had improved all their senses incredibly, she wanted to speak of the certain matters of today.

"I think that we should split up during the day, going for different things, I need to know the outcome of my guild while you can easily get closer to yours and see what's happened to Lector, it won't be that easy to find Lector so getting connections is a first. They'll know straight away who I am and you can easily cover up if your caught."

Not only that but she didn't want to be caught dead any where near that guild while they were still marking her even though she felt remorse for having to send Sting in for her. It wasn't just that but there was something she first had to do.

"I heard that the easiest way to get inside to the Grand Magic Games is by the front gates, while everyone is attempting to get inside we can be completely hidden by the confusion. Oh, not that it will be comfortable. While everyone is battling it should be evident that Lector will be hidden behind the scenes... or kept in a complete different destination.. I guess we'll find out later this morning.." She would be searching for Lector just as much as Sting would be even though she didn't voice it. There were more details she had to go over but she would leave that for when they were actually traveling to the games.

With no word that could be heard from over the loud steaming of the shower water Lucy could just make out the shadow of someone moving away from the door and knowing that he heard her Lucy continued to wash herself clean so that she could get her utter beauty back.