Hey guys, aren't you lucky! Turned out the place I'm staying at does have internet! I stayed up really late finishing this chapter and editing it because I love you so much and am so thankful for your reviews! They were amazing and gave me so many ideas! The moment I read them my mind was working miles a second going, "OH THIS CAN HAPPEN GAHAHA OOOO LET ME PLACE THAT HERE AND THAT OVER THERE" *mind cackles*.

Also, about the chapter. It's longer than the others because a lot of stuff happens, so happy late Merry Christmas and all that. It's mostly action scenes and I have to apologize for them. I am not the best at writing them, it's one of my weaknesses. I'm bad at describing physical pain and movements that go as fast as action scenes do. I mostly edited those parts but I'm afraid it didn't help much so once again I am very sorry! I am working on it though!

PS: did you read that story I suggested? *wiggles eyebrows* Did you laugh as much as I did? Did I not tell you it describes how most NaLu fans feel? *whispers* Don't deny it...

Anyway, once again thank you sooooo much for reviewing with your ideas and wonderful compliments! Huge writers block disappeared! You guys made my day, I couldn't stop smiling when I read them! And for those who didn't review thank you for taking the time to read my story anyway! Love ya!

Without further ado, since I have kept you waiting long enough... *drum roll*

Lucy POV

"Lucy!" Levy said. I blinked at her, and then gave her an apologetic smile. I had zoned out of the conversation again, my thoughts drifting back to Natsu.

"Sorry Lev," I murmured.

"If this is about Natsu," she began but I quickly cut her off.

"No, it's nothing like that," I lied hurriedly. "I'm just a little tired."

Levy gave me a look, like she knew I was lying but decided to say nothing. We were sitting in the guild, like always, only Natsu was nowhere to be seen, as was Happy. I ignored the small pin prick of worry for Natsu that infected my veins, though I did furrow my brow in worry for Happy. It was most likely that he was with Natsu but that didn't make me feel any better.

"You know," Levy said, "Natsu has been acting strange lately. Do you think it's because of that man who came in?" I nodded immediately, there was no doubt in my mind that it was.

My eyes darted down to my watch and widened slightly, it was ten o'clock. I hadn't meant to stay this late, it was already dark outside. I had gotten so caught up in talking to Levy and stressing about Natsu I had forgotten the time.

I sighed and said, "I have to go Levy, its late already." I pouted, not wanting to go home. I was still holding on to the hope that Natsu would burst through those doors and apologize to me, explaining everything. I knew though, that if he didn't come here then he wouldn't be at my place.

Levy glanced at my watch and her mouth parted slightly. "Sorry Lucy! I hadn't realized it had gotten so late." She giggled.

I smiled and stood. I tried to say goodbye to Levy but her attention was already caught by Gajeel who was insistently poking her shoulder, apparently put off by the lack of attention he got from her, not that he would ever admit it. I smiled at them, they were so cute.

As I stepped out of the guild I shivered, clutching my jacket tighter around me. The only light was from the moon and the faint street lamps. I was half way to my home when I felt it, a presence following me.

My back straightened, and slowly my hands drifted down to my keys. I kept my pace steady, so as not to alert my stalker that I knew he was there.

I was slipping off one of my golden gate keys, when I felt a hand slip over my mouth. I tried to scream but it was muffled. The man grabbed my wrist and twisted it until I dropped the key. I cried out in pain and shock. I stomped with all of my might on his foot but all he did was hiss in pain, his grip tightening on my wrists.

Grabbing both of my wrists in one hand, his hands were huge, he dragged me in to an alley off to the left, and pushed me up against the wall. Grabbing the rest of my keys he snatched them and tossed them too where the others laid.

He grinned at me, using the same creepy grin that gave me chills the first time I saw it. His green hair glinted in the moonlight. His dark eyes promised pain, and I was inclined to believe him.

I let out a muffled scream, "Natsu!"

Natsu's POV

Happy flew next to me as we walked towards Lucy's apartment. My thoughts sourly raced back to earlier today. I had gone in the guild early in the morning, looking for Lucy to try and convince her to let me stay with her when Gramps had approached me.

"Natsu, come with me," he had said tersely.

"What's up, Gramps?" I asked, following him as he stomped up the stairs. All he said in response was, "We need to talk."

My mood immediately darkened, I had a hunch on what he wanted to talk about and just the thought of it filled me with the burning urge to punch someone. My hand curled into a fist.

"Natsu," Gramps warned me without turning around. I scowled but said nothing. We walked into the office, Gramps shutting the door behind him. He hopped onto the desk and growled, "Sit down."

Reluctantly I did. Gramps looked downright livid.

"Natsu, why was I not informed about that man's involvement with Lucy?" he asked. Like I usually did when he was mentioned I felt myself tense.

When I didn't respond his aura turned dark. "Natsu this has gone on long enough. It has put Lucy in danger, she deserves to know."

I turned my head to the side so I wouldn't have to look at him. "Natsu, look at me."

My eye twitched but I turned to him. "Natsu you must tell her, for Lucy's sake. Bordon Grand is no laughing matter, and if he is interested in her…" he trailed off. I knew exactly what he meant, Bordon was not someone to mess around with, and when he was interested in someone… well suffice to say it never turned out well.

Happy interrupted my thoughts, "So are you going to tell me and Lucy about that man, Natsu?" I hadn't told Happy about him, not wanting to scare the Exceed, but once I had promised Gramps that I would tell Lucy about him I knew I would have to tell Happy about it too.

I nodded tensely, my steps unconsciously taking me to Lucy's. Her apartment was so familiar to me now that I didn't even have to think about where I was going. I was so zoned out, thinking about how to tell Lucy about Bordon, that it was by pure luck when I heard the scream.

I froze, every bone in my body pleading for it not to be true, for this not to be happening, but then I smelt the faint scent of blood, Lucy's blood, and tears, her tears. Happy stopped to and turned to me, looking confused, "Natsu?"

Without saying a word I was off, my feet pounding against the ground, while in my mind I kept repeating the same thing over and over, "Not again, not again, not again!"

Happy was following close behind but I barely noticed, my thoughts centered only on a certain blonde and a green haired man.

When I finally found them I couldn't breathe. Happy, vibrant, full of light Lucy, my Lucy, was on the ground against a wall in an alley with bruises up her arms and legs, her lip bleeding, and she was curled up in a protective ball. Towering over her was Bordon, with his bright green hair spiking in all directions, his dark clothes making him blend in with the night, and his grin showing all of his teeth. Her keys lay at the entrance of the alley, abandoned.

He turned to me and narrowed his eyes. "About time you finally showed up, I was getting a little bored with this bitch," he said before sending another kick into Lucy's stomach. She curled up further, showing no signs that she even knew I was there. I heard Happy behind me cry in panic, "Lucy!"

She didn't respond.

I had no words for how angry I was,I was trembling. "Don't call her that," I hissed at him. My mind wasn't working like I wished it would. I kept seeing flashes of Future Lucy, dead, how I had failed and she had died, and then I was here again watching a cowering Lucy, a crying Lucy, and something inside of me snapped.

I launched myself at him, roaring "GET AWAY FROM HER!" I punched him in the face, sending him stumbling back. That wasn't right though, any ordinary person who had been punched like that would have flown into the air, their faces breaking to pieces from the sheer force, but then again Bordon wasn't ordinary.

Bordon reached up and touched his face where a bruise was beginning to from. "Come now Natsu," he chided, "you're going to have to try harder than that." He gave me a feral grin.

"Bordon," I growled. I felt my flames that surrounded me growing hotter by the second. I knew I couldn't beat him, deep in my gut, I knew that, he was too powerful, but I couldn't seem to listen, or care. He walked leisurely towards me, like I didn't have murder written on my face.

"Natsu, I keep telling you this, you'll never beat me, so why try? Not even the great Erza could defeat me. Team her up with Laxus and they might scratch me, and seeing as how you haven't even beaten one of them by yourself I don't see how you could stand a chance against me." He was taunting me, I saw the bait, and I took it.

Once again I launched myself at him only to get a punch in the gut that sent me skidding to the ground. My breath was knocked out of me, and I sat there trying to gasp for air. Bordon walked towards me, smiling lazily. When he stood in front of me he grabbed me by my scarf and pulled me towards him.

His right hand punched me in the face, he kneed me in the stomach, punched me again, and kneed me again, punch, knee, punch, knee. I tried to fight back, I did, but nothing worked against him. My blows only glanced off his skin, and he barely took notice. My nose was bleeding and one of my eyes was swelling shut. I was finding it harder and harder to breathe as he kept kneeing me.

He finally dropped me to the ground and pain so intense raced through me, making me unable to cry out. I felt darkness swelling around the edge of my vision, and I felt myself sinking into the pits of darkness as a small tear leaked out.

This wasn't like me, I wasn't like this. If this had happened under normal circumstances I would be fighting back harder than ever, doing something so cool and kick ass that I would surprise even myself.

But these weren't normal circumstances.

He was Bordon, the undefeatable; he was Bordon, my old friend. As angry as I was at him, as much as I hated him, he was still the one I used to look up to as a kid, the one who would fish with me on quiet nights when Happy was asleep. I could feel the fight leaking out of me and dripping out onto the ground, soaking into the cracks. I was about to fall unconscious when I heard something that yanked me back into the night, a small whisper, full of panic and fear, "Natsu."

I raised my head and saw Bordon approaching Lucy, but she wasn't staring at him, she was staring at me. Her eyes were full of concern and fear, not for herself, who looked worse than I did, but for me. Idiot, why didn't you run! I wanted to scream at her.

"Natsu," she whispered again. Her eyes were staring directly into mine, telling me not to give up, not to let him win. I blinked at her confidence in me, and then I felt something warm swell in my chest. If Lucy still believed in me then I couldn't let her down, could I?

"Bordon," I rasped at him. He turned, surprised I was still conscious. I pushed myself to my feet shakily, swaying slightly. My arm stretched out and my hand landed on the wall, supporting me. "Bordon," I said again, my voice stronger and clearer.

"You've really managing to piss me off, hurting Lucy like that and all. I'll make you pay for that," I said, and then I gave him my signature cocky grin. I heard Lucy let out a small sigh of relief and I could practically hear her thinking, About time, Natsu! My grin widened.

Bordon blinked and then started laughing, clutching his sides. "That's so like you Natsu! You just never give up, do you?" He cast Lucy and me an amused look. "Luckily for you though Natsu I have no more time to waste, I have a meeting I am incredibly late too. You and blondie are getting off easy for now, but I will be back, and you better be prepared."

He glanced at Lucy and said quietly, "I had fun, let's do this again sometime. There are still more things I want to try." Lucy let out a soft whimper and curled more into herself. I felt once again my flames grow hotter with each of his words, what the hell had he done to her to make her act this way? When she had been beaten up by Gajeel that one time she hadn't acted anywhere close to this this. I wanted to tear Bordon apart for making Lucy act so non-Lucy like, but before I could act on this he waved at me, turned and walked away, disappearing into the shadows of the alley.

"BORDON!" I screamed. I sniffed the air, but his scent was gone, he was gone.

CLIFF HANGER! Because I am not that nice. I worked my butt of to make this chapter slightly good and you expect me to be nice? *scoffs* You're funny.

Seriously though, what did you think? Was the action scenes as bad as I think they are? How can I improve? Reviews, comments, suggestions? Yes, no, maybe so?