A/N: HOLY GOD, GUYS I'M SO SORRY! I didn't mean to put this off for so long, please forgive me! My teachers were relentless, and I had to study without end in order to keep my grades from slipping ;-; I can't guarantee chapter 4 anytime soon, but I can definitely promise that I'll make it -cougheventuallycough- Anyways, enough of my excuses! Carry on reading chapter 3, which is FINALLY out after much time has passed. Thank you all for putting up with me! -cries- (Btw, I kinda don't like this chapter near the end, so again, please forgive me!)

Word Count without A/N: 4,050 (Woot! New high!)

The sun kept sinking, lower and lower, slowly disappearing from view underneath the horizon. A calming darkness was settling in, washing over buildings and people. The crowd was lessening, numbers of couples quickly dropping as the night slowly crept in. Soon, the only people left were two mages, quickly rushing ahead to reach home.

Streetlights flickered on, small yellow orbs brightening up the path ahead of them. Hand in hand, they kept going forward, not bothering to look at their surroundings. Lucy just looked at their intertwined fingers, heart thumping inside her chest. Dear god, she was starting to remember her dream. Her eyes widened, noticing that the events were becoming extremely similar to what she saw in her sleep. And why was she remembering this now? Well, a girl could only wonder.

Her cheeks flushed, eyebrows knitting together in slow anticipation. Were things going to happen like that? She gulped, heart beating loudly in her ears. Out of nowhere, Gray stopped in his tracks. Since she wasn't paying attention to what was happening, she barreled into him head first, sending her to the ground. And, due to them holding hands, she brought him down with her.

Gray landed on top of her, their faces only and inch apart from the sudden impact. Neither of them noticed, however, because both of their eyes were squeezed shut from the fall. Slowly, they opened their eyes and looked at each other, blushing furiously at the close proximity.

"S-sorry!" Gray quickly scrambled off of her, trying to get up. She looked at him, cheeks still pink, and laughed softly. He looked down at her, his hand covering his mouth in embarrassment. "What's so funny?" He asked, slightly irritated by her laughter.

"Nothing really. It's just that you're so embarrassed. It's cute" Lucy stuck her tongue out at him, making it obvious she was having fun teasing him. He lifted an eyebrow and held a hand out to her. She took it, but was surprised by the sudden forceful pull upwards. He wrapped an arm around her waist, holding her close. Their lips almost touched, and she was overly conscious by the fact his hand was still holding hers.

"Who's embarrassed? I'm not the only one with a red face, you know" He said, pride starting to settle back into his composure. His cheeks were no longer flushed, but he could see Lucy turn bright red by his sudden action. He could feel her heart beating faster against his chest, and her breathing quickening with each passing second. She looked up at him, her chocolate brown eyes gazing into his onyx ones.

And time froze. They stayed like that, neither one bothering to break away. Her gaze softened, surprise washing away. Gray's eyes glanced back and forth from her eyes to her lips, slowly closing in what little distance kept them apart. She felt his hand let go of hers and caress her cheek. Her breathing hitched at the contact, anticipation nearly killing her. They were so close … Just a little more … And-

They heard a loud explosion in the background. Both their heads snapped to the direction of the noise, forgetting the moment they were about to have. Lucy saw Grays face pale, worry starting to build up in her chest.

"That was near my house" He said softly, and she almost missed his words. They bolted in the direction of the smoke, fear rising inside them both. Lucy prayed, over and over again, hoping that it wouldn't be his home that was on fire. What they saw at the scene shocked them.

"What the hell …" Was all Gray could mutter. It wasn't his house that had been caught up in the scene of the explosion, but a lot of houses around his were catching fire, one by one. He didn't waste even a minute more. He dashed forwards, jumping onto small carts that would help him get to the top of the buildings.

At times like these, being an ice mage was extremely useful. In only a matter of minutes, Gray managed to put out the fires, saving a few select homes from a larger amount of damage. Though some were still pretty burnt, the overall mess of the explosion wasn't too bad, but sleeping in those buildings that night didn't seem very likely.

After gathering many thanks from the residents, he looked around for Lucy, who he'd accidentally left alone in order to stop the fires. But he couldn't find her. His heart nearly stopped, panic quickly rising in him as he kept looking around. She was nowhere to be seen; not a single trace of blonde hair caught his eye.

A lump of fear formed in his throat, making it hard for him to breath. In a moment like this, he could only assume the worst. The stalker must've set up the fires to distract him so he could get away with Lucy. He closed his eyes, crouching down as if to help him think better.

"Calm down Gray, calm down. You're no good panicked." He whispered to himself. With a deep breath he looked around again, this time noticing something he hadn't seen before. He jogged over to it, picking up a small brown bag. And inside of it were a bunch of fancy looking keys. He grimaced, glaring at the ground with bitter hate for himself, and then bolted forwards. He could only hope that Lucy was in this direction. He could only hope.

Gray must've been running around for a few hours now. He was becoming more and more impatient with every passing second, fear starting to take over his calm composure. He searched alley ways, her house, every nook and cranny of the town, but he still couldn't find her. And then that thought crossed his mind. His feet slowed, a heavy depression and fear taking over every limb in his body.

"What if I never …" See her again. He couldn't say the rest out loud. He knew if he did, he wouldn't be able to keep breathing. Frustration stretched across his face. He shook his head, trying to get rid of the idea. He WILL see her again. Even if it meant his life, he'll keep searching.

With that in mind, he took off again. The ice mage kept running; even when his body was screaming out with fatigue and agony, he wouldn't stop running. He had to, no, NEEDED to find Lucy. He still had so much to tell her, so many feelings that he just couldn't express with words. This guy's timing was sick; he attacked right before Gray got the chance to kiss Lucy. And from the looks of it, it seemed like Lucy would've been ok with the kiss too.

He frowned, eyebrows knitting together as an idea popped into his head. He looked ahead of him, getting an uneasy feeling from the thought. There's no way … is there? Could this guy have enough nerve to hide Lucy there? Grays jaw clenched, his hand running through his hair. He had to try, even if the idea did seem a little far-fetched. After all, it was the only place he didn't think to check.

He ran off in the direction of the guild.

In only a matter of minutes, a view of the guild came into Gray's sight. He ran forward, knowing all too well the doors would be locked. So he kicked the door, breaking it into large pieces. He could pay for the damage later, but right now all that mattered was finding Lucy.

And there he saw her, passed out on the ground with grime smeared on her face. Gray's heart nearly stopped beating that instant. He ran to her, dropping to the ground to hold her body with trembling arms. A wave of relief passed over him. She was still breathing. He heard a small noise pass through her slightly parted lips, and her eyes slowly opened. He looked at her eagerly, unable to utter a word. Lucy looked at him for a couple of seconds, her mind trying to comprehend what was happening.

"Gray …" She finally whispered, her voice so weak that he could barely hear her. Small tears pricked the corners of her eyes upon understanding that he was here for her. After hearing her say his name, he almost lost it. He threw his head down, holding her a little tighter to his chest. He felt like crying from relief, but he couldn't show her that; it might make her worry. Gray felt her hand caress his cheek, and he quickly held it in his own, burying his face in it in attempt to hide the worry. He let out a shaky breath, all the exhaustion catching up to him as he held her in his arms.

"I'm so sorry" He choked out, remorse obvious on his face. She just looked at him, too weak to react. She was tired from running and crying, all thanks to that stupid stalker. When Gray had left her side she caught sight of the mysterious man, and immediately fled. She could tell he was getting closer to her with every step she took. Lucy knew now that it would've been a better idea to stay at the houses where Gray was, but the minute she saw the man her mind went blank, and she lost all common sense. Her instincts kicked in, and she ran all the way to the guild, where she finally lost him.

"Oh right …" Gray said, his voice still shaking slightly. He held out a small brown bag, quiet clinking noises emitting from it as he put it on the ground next to her. At least in his haste he remembered to grab her keys, and she was more than thankful for that. Minutes passed, both of them not moving an inch until Gray finally decided it would be best if they went home. He swept the weak blonde up into his arms, carrying her in the bridal hold. She wrapped her arms around his neck, burying her face into his chest while drifting off to sleep. He carried her all the way back to his house, ignoring his own exhaustion now that she was back in his arms. He didn't relax for even a second though. Not while that man was still out there, threatening to drive Lucy away from him a second time.

When he finally reached home, he triple checked to lock all of the doors and windows, not wanting to give that creep any entry into his house. And if he managed to crawl in somehow, he would let all hell break lose. There was no way, not a single chance, he was ever going to let this happen again. He rested Lucy on the bed, gazing at her sleeping face while positioning himself on the ground right next to her. He knew that he wouldn't be able to stay awake the whole night, but at least he would be close to her if something happened. With that thought in mind, he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

Sunlight spilled into the room, hitting directly onto Lucy's face. She winced, letting out a quiet moan and slowly opened her eyes. The first thing she saw was Gray looking out the window. She slowly raised herself up, propping herself onto the pillow. She tried rubbing the sleep from her eyes, letting out a small yawn in the process. Despite everything that happened that night, she didn't have any nightmares. All she dreamt about was a strong embrace, holding her in a very protective manner. It blockaded all other dreams or nightmares, giving her a peaceful sleep and a sense of security.

Gray looked back at her, a small smile forming on his lips when he saw she was awake. He walked over to her, plopping down onto the bed to sit next to her.

"So how'd you sleep?" He asked, his tone very soft and warm. Lucy stared back at him, a tired grin spreading across her face.

"Safely, thanks to you" She answered in return. The ice mage chuckled, getting off the bed and headed towards the door.

"Good, I'll make breakfast now then. What do you want?" She sat there thinking, until a thought came to mind.

"Do you have bacon?" The sleepiness was leaving her, and was being replaced by a joyful attitude. He nodded and headed into the kitchen. She followed him, wanting to watch the ice mage cook. He cocked an eyebrow at the blonde, amused by her childish actions. He quickly made the food and set it on the table, sitting across from Lucy, who was staring him down attentively.

"What?" He asked, confused by her gaze. She blinked twice, and then an adorable blush made its way to her cheeks.

"W-what? Was I staring?" She fumbled with her tableware, obviously unaware that she was doing such a thing. The ice mage laughed, making Lucy pout in return. He stared at her for a few seconds.

"You're such a kid" He chuckled, amused by the angry look spreading across the celestial mages face.

"I am not!" She whined, sticking her tongue out at him. This only made his smirk grow wider.

"Oh, you're not? Then stop acting like one" He teased, resting his chin on the palm of his hand with his elbow being supported by the table.

"… You want me to prove it to you?" She looked up at him, her question catching him slightly off-guard.

"Prove it? How?" He asked, obviously intrigued. She said nothing else; the girl just got up and walked over to where he was sitting. Lucy wrapped her arms around his neck, placing her cheek near his ear while running her fingers along his arm.

"That I'm not … a child" She cooed in her most seductive voice. Shivers shot down Gray's back, goose bumps forming on his skin. Lucy suddenly stopped, and quickly pulled away. A deep scarlet blush appeared on her cheeks upon realizing what she'd just done. Of course, it was for the sake of her pride, but the fact that she just did that to Gray of all people … Well, let's just say she couldn't handle it. Gray stayed in his seat, cheeks slightly pink, until he suddenly shot up and started walking.

"Let's head to the guild" He said, keeping his voice even. He turned around to see if Lucy was following him, and his shirt was thrown at him.

"GRAY YOUR CLOTHES" The girl yelled, flustered by his almost naked body.

"What the hell?! How does this happen?!" He looked down, jumping on one foot in surprise. That was a bad idea. His boxers that hung so loosely on his hips fell to the floor, revealing him completely. They both just stood there for a few moments, until all the blood in Lucy's body rushed to her head. She screamed, shielding her eyes and spinning around so fast she hit her head on the wall behind her. She passed out onto the ground, more flustered than she'd ever been in her life, and Gray dashed forward to catch her before she hit the ground. Now, of course he'd forgotten about being naked at that moment, and was shaking the girl in attempt to wake her up.

"Hey Lucy, are you alri-" The door slammed open, revealing a red-headed woman clothed in armor; the one and only Titania Erza. And, as expected, the first thing she sees is a naked Gray holding a passed out Lucy.

"You fiend …" She murmured, an evil aura quickly rising around her. He immediately remembered his lack of clothing, and put Lucy down onto the ground next to him, quickly slipping on his boxers.

"Wait! No, Erza, It's not what you think! I was just-" He never got the chance to finish.

"HOW DARE YOU" She punched him, sending him flying through the roof of his house and into the sky.

"You could have just explained the situation to me" The red-head mumbled, stabbing her fork into a slice of strawberry cake.

"You didn't give me a chance!" Gray shouted, a huge bump now on his cheek. Lucy just sighed, walking a few feet behind the two. After Erza had sent Gray flying, she'd shook Lucy violently until the blonde woke up. And, upon realizing what had happened, Lucy explained the whole situation to the red-head. So here they were, the three of them walking to the guild together.

"Wait Lucy, why are you staying at Gray's house in the first place" Erza asked, interrupting the blonde's thoughts. The question took her slightly by surprise, and for a second she even wondered whether or not she should tell her friend.

"O-oh, well, that's … Uh, um I'm being stalked" Lucy tried to laugh it off, but she could see the evident surprise showing in the girls eyes.

"By who?" Erza asked, anger spreading across her usually calm demeanor.

"I don't know yet …" The girl answered softly, twiddling her thumbs together as if they were the most interesting things in the world.

"If that's the case, then why don't you stay with me at Fairy Hills?" The question came as a surprise to Lucy.

"H-huh?" Was all she could mutter in return.

"It'd be better for you to stay with another girl, no?" Erza blinked, a confident smile appearing on her face. Lucy had no reason to say no, but she didn't want to say yes either. She liked staying with Gray at his house; they'd grown so close to each other in just a small amount of days. She didn't want to give it up quite yet. But she couldn't tell that to Erza. Her thoughts were interrupted by Gray's sudden remark.

"That's probably a good idea" He said bluntly. Lucy looked at him in surprise. He wanted her to leave? Had she been a burden to him after all? "I don't see why not," he continued "after all, isn't it better for a girl to live with another girl?" No, she wanted him to stop talking. She didn't want to keep listening to these words.

"Y-you're right" She said, almost a little too eagerly. She didn't want to agree; she just wanted him to stop saying these things. Lucy walked ahead of them, keeping her eyes forward, tears threatening to spill. She blinked them back, and began to wonder if she was the only one who thought that they'd gotten closer.

"Then it's settled" Erza stated. "You'll move into my apartment tomorrow" She smiled coolly. Lucy just nodded, not wanting to speak or look back at them lest they see through her. The other two continued talking, bringing up random conversations that didn't link together in any way whatsoever. The blonde only joined in a few times, but remained silent for most of the walk. Once they finally reached the guild, she walked away from Gray and decided to sit near Cana, hoping to avoid further conversation with the ice mage. He furrowed his eyebrows because of this, confused by her sudden behavior. He didn't get the chance to follow her however, because almost immediately after walking through the doors, Natsu got hold of him and provoked yet another fight. Lucy watched from a distance, sadness creeping into her gaze.

"Soooo, what brings our little Lucy-chan to this table, huh?" Cana slurred. She'd obviously drank too much already, which made her a little tipsy. Lucy's head snapped towards her direction.

"Nothing much, I just wanted to talk to you today, that's all" Lucy smiled. The card mage looked at her for a few minutes, her cheeks pink from the alcohol.

"My cards tell me you're lying" Cana smirked, holding a light blue card up to her cheek. The blonde just looked up at her with sad eyes, not knowing what to do. She couldn't tell Cana what was wrong right now; for God's sake the woman was drunk. She'd probably tell the entire guild in less than a second.

"Well, even if you don't tell me what's wrong, I still know what'll help beat all your troubles away" The brunette laughed.

"You do?!" Lucy's eyes widened.

"Sure!" Cana mumbled against the cup she held to her mouth. Once she finished taking a long drink, she slammed the cup on the table and grinned widely. "Just drink 'til you pass out!" Lucy just stared at her, dumbfounded. What was she expecting, coming from a drunken Cana?

"Never mind, I'll just go get advice from Mirajane" She sighed, slowly rising from her seat. She began to walk away until … Cana wrapped an arm around her neck and forced the cup to the blonde's lips.

"Aw, come on! A little alcohol will do you some good" She laughed. In order to keep herself from choking on the drink, Lucy swallowed, hating the taste of alcohol on her tongue. After she was forced to drink down the whole cup, the world began spinning. The images displayed by Lucy's eyes became distorted and blurred, and she started to feel extremely light-headed. Then everything went black.

She passed out before she even hit the ground, and a loud thud sounded in the guild as she fell to the floor. Everyone turned their head to the sight of a laughing Cana and a fainted Lucy, confused by what had just happened. Gray pushed Natsu's hand off of his shirt (which somehow miraculously managed to stay on throughout the fight) and quickly ran over to the girl on the ground.

"What the hell were you thinking Cana?! She's under-aged!" He spat, his anger growing.

"What, I just wanted to see how well she could hold her liquor" She mumbled into her now empty cup, looking for remnants of the liquid. "I didn't know she'd faint from half a cup" A smirk spread across her face as she looked down at Gray.

"Whatever" He grumbled, quickly placing the girl onto his back to carry her back to his place.

"And what do you think you're doing, huh Gray?" Cana slurred, looking at the ice mage with amusement. She bent forward, letting her curly brown locks tumble over her shoulders as a hiccup escaped her lips. He simply stared back at the woman.

"I'm taking her home, what do you think I'm doing?" He turned away from her and walked towards the door. He wasn't entirely lying; after all, Lucy had been living with him for the past few days, so he was pretty sure that she considered it her home too, even if it was temporary. Erza watched him go while the rest of the guild went back to their usual antics and fighting. She soon followed him out of the doors, and put a hand on his arm to stop him.

"You could take her to my place, since she's going to start living with me soon" The red-head stated. Gray looked at her and sighed.

"I'm not that kind of guy, Erza. I'm not gonna make a move on her when she's passed out and drunk as hell" He retorted. "Besides, she's moving to your place tomorrow, so she should at least come back to my house to start packing." Erza stared at him with a blank expression, obviously thinking about what he was saying.

"Very well, I'll be expecting her tomorrow then" She said after a while.

"K, later Erza" Gray started to walk off, until he felt her grab him again, only harder this time.

"And Gray, if you happen to do anything to Lucy … Be prepared" She glowered at him, her presence becoming so evil that Gray couldn't help but tremble slightly.

"I-I already said I wasn't that kind of guy, alright?" He walked away this time, escaping from the demented aura emitting from the girl he was leaving behind. Thinking back on it, it would have been better for his heart had he made Erza go with him. At this time, there was no way he was prepared for what the drunken Lucy had in store for him.

To be continued …