Okay, I was going to wait a few days at least to post this, but I couldn't resist!

This is the longest chapter of all of them. It's weird. The first had over 2,000 words, the second had over 1,000, and now this one has over 3,000... I'm bad at making lengths consistent...

Third Person POV

Lucy quickly turned to the sound of the crash and saw just who she was hoping it was: Natsu.

Natsu was scared. With how much Lucy had stressed that he needed to stay out of her house, he was half expecting death. "H-hey, Luce," he said, standing up.

Lucy was happy to see Natsu, knowing now with complete certainty that he was okay, it being the first time she'd seen him since the nightmare. She grinned and ran to hug him, nearly knocking him over.

Natsu was severely confused. She was grinning? She was hugging him? Lucy backed away from him and he stared back, trying to figure out what to say.

"Y-you're not... Yelling?" Lucy didn't understand at first, but then it hit her. He was at her house, despite the ban.

"Oh! You mean... No! No, I'm not yelling. You see, Natsu, I..." She was about to say it. She didn't know what stopped her, but she suddenly had a lump in her throat, preventing her from admitting her love. "I..." She tried again, but still found something preventing her.

Natsu cocked his head. "Luce?" What was she trying to say?

"Let's just say that I..." What was keeping her from saying the truth, from telling him that she loved him? She had been all ready to tell him, and she just couldn't! Was she afraid of Natsu's response? She nearly screamed as she realized that that was exactly it. "That I...Realized something last night. It's... Well... You can come to my house any time you want, okay?"

Natsu was overjoyed. "I can!? But... Why-" Then he noticed something, "-are you wearing my scarf?"

Lucy blushed as she looked down and remembered that she was, in fact, wearing the scaly-looking item. "I was... It..." She searched her mind for an excuse. "I was... Cold! Yes! Cold!"

Natsu realized that something was fishy about the way she had answered, particularly about how excited she was about being cold. He wasn't going to push, though. For one, he thought Lucy looked really good in it, not that she didn't always look pretty. For two, he was hungry and wanted to get to the guild.

When she started to take the scarf off to give it back, he stopped her. "No, you keep it for now. If you're actually cold, you need it more than I do!" He gave her his signature grin, and Lucy blushed even harder. She realized that he wasn't buying her excuse. Especially since it was a warm spring day.

xxx

The day at the guild hadn't been particularly eventful, although several members, especially Mira, were excited about Natsu and Lucy 'finally getting together', seeing that Lucy was wearing his scarf when it wasn't particularly cold. The two were both the victims of fierce blushes as they tried to explain that they were not, in fact, together. This had been followed by teasing from mostly Gray about how much they were blushing, which made their faces turn even redder.

By the time Natsu and Lucy left the guild for the day, they had faces redder than Erza's hair. They were both silent again on the way home, each trying to decide whether or not to tell the other person their feelings.

Unfortunately, they each decided that they would not.

Lucy attempted to break the silence first. "So... That was... Crazy... At the guild today, I mean," she said, rushing out the last part.

"Hmm? Oh, yeah. I got to beat up Gray, though! Any day where I can wipe the floor with him is a good day!" Natsu started getting excited about fighting, which was just what was needed to diffuse the awkwardness. The two were laughing and talking together the rest of the way.

xxx

They arrived at Lucy's house and Lucy moved to open the door. She heard a grunt above her as Natsu jumped to her window.

"Natsu! What do you think you're doing!?" Lucy yelled up to him. She was right here, opening the door! Why did he always have to go through the window?

Natsu jumped back down. "Sorry, did you want up, too?" He grabbed her and held her bridal style and jumped once again to the window, easily jumping in due to him doing it so often, Lucy adding next to no hindrance.

Lucy was too shocked to speak as it all happened. Then it finally registered.

"NATSU! FOR GOD'S SAKE, PUT ME DOWN! What on Earthland are you doing!?"

"Coming in your house? I thought you said it was okay now!"

"...Natsu... I said you could come in. I DIDN'T SAY YOU COULD CARRY ME IN THROUGH THE WINDOW!" Lucy and Natsu then realized how close their faces were, Natsu still holding her in his arms. They jumped away from each other, once again blushing brightly. Lucy tried to cover up her face with her hands as she turned away. Natsu scratched the back if his head and also looked away from Lucy to hide his blush.

"S-sorry, heh, about that..."

Lucy sighed. "It's... Fine... Sorry for yelling..." They stood like that for a few moments, both shuffling their hands and feet. Lucy spoke first as she uncovered her face and hurriedly went to the kitchen.

"H-hey, are you hungry? I'll make supper for us!"

At the mention of food, Natsu was instantly back to normal, although there was still a lingering bit of his blush. "Yeah! I'm starving! What are you making!?"

Once again, Natsu's excitement fixed the situation and the two talked and laughed together again as they fixed dinner.

xxx

At bed time, Natsu decided that, for once, he would sleep on Lucy's couch. Lucy didn't want to say anything, but she was extremely disappointed about it.

Lucy took off the scarf and placed it on her desk, knowing that she would be able to find it there if she needed it. If she had the nightmare again, and Natsu was sleeping, she wouldn't want to wake him up over it.

"Good night, Natsu."

"'Night!"

Lucy POV

I slowly drift to sleep, thinking about Natsu.

xxx

It was dark again. There was more fire. No! Not this again! Lucy, wake up! Wake up! I screamed out. I heard Natsu yell to me, "Luce! LUCE! Are you okay!?"

I feel tears fill my eyes and stream down my face.

Just as last time, Natsu and I are both just above death. He gets a bunch of hits in, and for a moment, it looks like we might win this, but my optimism doesn't last long. He's about to fall again... "Natsu..." I whisper his name. This can't be happening again! Wake up! Wake! Up!

As I continue trying to wake up, everything suddenly changed. All of Natsu's injuries and blood are gone! It took me a moment, but I realized that mine were, as well!

I stood up and readied my celestial whip. "Natsu!" He looked to me and I could see that there had been tears in his eyes. Seeing me up and perfectly fine, he grinned at me.

"Lucy!" Natsu punched our opponent once more with his fire, knocking him out. The man fell to the ground, but he was now completely ignored by us. Natsu ran to me and squeezed my body against his as if he would never let me go, and I wrapped my arms around his neck as well. We each had our heads resting on the other person's shoulder. I thought I felt something against my forehead, but it was gone in the next instant and I didn't think about it anymore.

He lifted his head and my arms moved to his shoulders. We looked into each other's eyes. We both spoke at the same time.

"Natsu, I..."

"Lucy, I..."

We started laughing after we interrupted each other. We didn't need words, anymore, though. We each knew what the other had wanted to say. We leaned closer to each other until our noses almost touched. Natsu moved one of his hands to the back of my head...

...And then I woke up.

xxx

Natsu POV

I watched Lucy as she fell asleep. I would go to sleep soon enough, but I wanted to make sure Lucy would be okay. Although, if I was being honest with myself, I was just trying to avoid possibly getting that nightmare. It had really... Scared me. And I don't scare easily. What if something like that did happen? What if a time came when I couldn't protect her? I know I died, too, in my nightmare, but if Lucy were to die... And I didn't... Then I certainly would soon after. I would never be able to go on without her. Without Lucy.

After about five minutes of these thoughts. I noticed Lucy moving. Was she shivering? No... She was twisting and turning... She definitely wasn't awake like last night when I was here, though.

I heard her scream, and I was instantly by her side. "Luce! LUCE! Are you okay!?"

I shook her shoulder, trying to wake her up from what I assumed was a nightmare. I don't know what it could be about, though.

Lucy seemed to calm down from my shaking, but when I moved my hands off of her to go back to the couch, she started freaking out again. What in Earthland was she dreaming about? Why did my touch make her feel better?

Wait... Are those... tears? What was happening in her nightmare? Could it be that she was having the same nightmare as me? From her perspective? Maybe... Oh! I've got it!

Lucy was dying in her nightmare and was scared for her death!

I heard her whisper my name. No! Luce must be really close to death! She's scared! I have to be here for her!

I climbed in her bed and wrapped my arms around her, her back against my chest.

Exactly what I was hoping for, Lucy calmed down completely. She was no longer shaking at all. I heard her call my name and I said hers back. Lucy turned in her sleep and had her head and hands resting against my chest, and I started to blush. A lot.

Lucy smiled in her sleep. Every other time I had ever seen that beautiful smile flashed through my mind, and I thought of every single little thing that created the woman I had fallen in love with.

Without thinking, I leaned to Lucy's forehead and pressed a kiss down.

I moved back away and watched Lucy as her grin grew and she snuggled her body even closer to mine. I know she's asleep, but I have to say it.

"Lucy, I-"

"Natsu, I-" Lucy speaks at the same time and then giggles. What was she about to say? It can't be what I was going to say... It could've been anything! 'Natsu, I... Need to pay rent'. Yeah, that's probably what it was...

Wait... Did I just kiss Luce? I was blushing bright again. Is that why Lucy smiled more...? Because I-

Lucy groaned as she awoke. I watched her eyelids flutter open. "N-Na... Tsu?"

Third Person POV

Lucy looked up into Natsu's face and blushed, remembering how her dream had just left off. Then she blushed even more, realizing how close she and Natsu were, suddenly aware of her hands pressing against his chest and his arms wrapped around her curled-up body.

Natsu retracted his arms from around her, still blushing brightly. He sat up and began to climb out, but surprisingly to both Natsu and Lucy, Lucy reached up and grabbed his arm. Why did I do that? Lucy's mind kept repeating the question. Lucy pulled herself up next to him.

"L-Lucy?" Why isn't she...? Isn't Lucy... Mad? Natsu wasn't too sure on what to think. They looked into each other's eyes once again.

Lucy thought she knew what she would do. This is it... This is my chance! "N-Natsu... I... Well, I..." Lucy stuttered out the words. Where should I start? You can't just spring love on someone like that... "Well... Last night... I dreamt- er... Had a nightmare..." Lucy trailed off, not sure how to say what she wanted.

So Luce did have a nightmare last night... Just before I came... The timing all seems right... Were we... Sharing a nightmare? She really must've been scared about her death!

"Lucy... I... Last night, I mean..." Why, oh why, could neither of them come up with the right words? "I- er- had a nightmare, too..."

Lucy's eyes grew. Natsu had a nightmare last night, too? Did we share a nightmare? Was he scared about dying? "What... About?"

Natsu thought he already knew what her answer would be, but he asked anyways. "What was... Yours about?"

"We'll say it at the same time, okay?"

"Okay..."

They counted down together. "3... 2... 1..."

"You were dead!" they said at the same time in one breath.

They grew wide-eyed at each other.

"...What...?" They spoke at the same time again. "You mean..."

Finally, Lucy beat Natsu to talking. "Let's... Take turns telling each other about our nightmares. You... Can start..."

Natsu hesitated, but then the words began spilling out. He told her about how injured she was and how worried he was for her life, only briefly mentioning that he was also injured.

Lucy told Natsu about how much he really was hurt and how close to death he seemed. About how desperately she had fought to try and get up and help him, whether she would be able to help in combat or simply be comfort.

Natsu told her that no matter how hard he tried, he just wasn't able to protect her in the nightmare, and how scared it had made him, scared that a day would come in the when it would be real. Many thought he was scared of nothing, but that was wrong. This was his fear: that Lucy would get hurt even if he was there.

Lucy told Natsu about how much pain she felt for not being able to help him after he was knocked back, but hearing him say her name gave her the strength to finally get over to him.

Natsu told Lucy how badly he had wanted to get up and keep fighting, for her sake.

Lucy told him how much she had wanted to comfort him, to try and stop his pain, even though she had been unsuccessful.

Natsu told Lucy that she had helped him plenty. He told her that he would've been long dead if she hadn't been there as an anchor to his will to keep fighting, his will to protect her.

"N-natsu..."

"Lucy, when you died in my nightmare, so did I! Not only because I had finally given out, but because without you, I can't live! Not in the same way I do now, anyways! I love a lot of people, Lucy. Happy, Igneel, everyone in Fairy Tail..." Natsu paused, trying to figure out how to phrase this next part. "...but that's nothing compared to what I feel for you! I've known for a while the base idea of my feelings, but that nightmare made me realize just how far those feelings go..."

"Natsu, I..." Natsu held a finger to her lips, signaling that he had more to say.

"Lucy, I love you. I love you more than anything else, even my own life!"

Lucy had guessed that the words were coming from everything Natsu had been telling her, but to actually hear them was completely different. She was beginning to cry from happiness. Natsu's face was completely still and serious, an expression Lucy didn't see often that told her that he was being more sincere than he had ever been in his life.

Lucy wrapped her arms around Natsu's neck, almost toppling him with the amount of speed and force that went into the hug.

"L-Luce? Why're you crying? Oh, no, I made you upset, didn't I!? I take it all back, I didn't mean any of it!"

She leaned back, her hands on his shoulders. "Natsu, I would and will do anything for you. I'm always strongest when you need me to be; there are feats that I've accomplished that I never could've done if I didn't need to for you, that I never could've done without you."

"Luce, what are you saying?" His expression was no longer as serious, now with a dominant look of confusion.

"I love you, Natsu! The nightmare made me figure it out finally, too! I feel so silly not realizing it before, but it's true! I love you!"

"L-Lucy? You really do!?"

"Y-yes. I really do, Natsu. I love y-"

Lucy was cut off by Natsu pulling her against him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and rested her head on his shoulder while his arms were wrapped around her upper back with his own head dug in her neck. Lucy noticed that he kept breathing deeply and figured out that he was inhaling her scent. They sat like that for a bit before Natsu pulled back and looked Lucy in the eyes once more. Lucy looked into his, and their eyes both shone. If anyone had been watching, they easily would've been able to see how in love they were.

They leaned closer to each other, and closer, until their noses were nearly touching. Natsu moved one hand to the back of her head and used the other to cup her cheek. Lucy's hands moved to the back of Natsu's neck. They leaned closer, the last inch or so, closed their eyes, and their lips met.

After only a few seconds, their kiss ended and they had their foreheads resting against each other's.

"Wow," Lucy heard Natsu say. She lifted her head and opened her eyes to look at him. With her forehead gone, Natsu also sat up and opened his eyes. He was grinning the brightest grin Lucy had ever seen on him. Lucy hummed her confusion.

"I said, 'Wow.'" Lucy and Natsu both blushed again, Lucy moreso.

"I-I heard you... What do you mean by... 'Wow'?"

"Exactly what I said! 'Wow.' I mean, did that really just happen? Did I really just kiss the most amazing woman in the entire world? Did I really just find out that the woman I love loves me back?"

"Wow..." She wrapped her arms around his neck and laid her head on his shoulder again.

"What?"

"It's just... Different hearing you say something like that. I already knew that you had to be one of the most compassionate, kind, and caring people, but to hear you say that... You have to be the greatest, not just one of them..." She closed her eyes and sleep began to claim her, a small smile on her face.

Natsu laid Lucy down on the bed and laid down next to her, leaving a bit of space. She moved closer, removing the little bit of space between them, resting her forehead against his chest. Her arms were around his upper back. Natsu brought his arms around her as well.

"I love you, Luce. Good night."

"Good night, Natsu... I love you,too..." Lucy said, drifting off to sleep. Natsu kissed the top of her head before bringing a blanket over their legs and falling asleep with her.

The end. I have an idea for an epilogue? I guess? It's not really an epilogue, moreso just an extra chapter, a one-shot sequel? Anyways, if I write it, should I post it on this same story, or make a new thing for it? God, I just noticed that my grammar is a lot worse in these author notes than in serious writing... Wait, now I'm going off on a tangent...

ANYWAYS, tell me what you think and about whether or not I should just add the extra chapter to this or not.

KatanaNoNeko out! .´*\(^w^)/*´.