(Authors notes: LONG chapter ahead. Longest Chapter I've written so far. I notice a pattern...they seem to be getting longer with each chapter progression... Which is one of the reasons it took me so long. *sigh* A lot of information is found within and if you where reading carefully before you caught some of the hints. Once again I do not own the characters...just this crazy story I am employing them in.)

(Update: I forgot to send out a huge thank you to brunette1501! It was one of her suggestions that helped solidify this chapter!)

Chapter 20: The Bull whip wielding Bunny

Everyone would be lying if the next week wasn't disgusting.

The mush factor was insane and those with a low tolerance of it could barely stand to be in the room with the new couple. But surprisingly it's not because of Lucy being girly babble and kissy face but rather Natsu. It seemed the boy had a habit of spoiling his new girlfriend. He also seemed a bit touchy feely and didn't seem to give two hot damns who was around to witness it, either. Cana and Levy thought it was adorable (so too did a Juvia who had taken to driving past the shop, very, very slowly at all times of the day to check up on what Grey was up to). Gajeel and Grey usually made gagging noises. Lucy, herself, was usually at a lost. Sure she had a few boyfriends in the past, even one she was intimate with but all the relationships started out strained and ended horribly. Usually citing her as the cause. It was a bit of the truth she admits. But usually because she saw them, their intentions and major flaws...and couldn't bring her self to ignore them. Natsu, however, despite his flaws, his intentions where exactly as he stated that night.

Cana was wrong though.

He wasn't good with his hands.

He was...amazing.

The morning after they...made it "official" she'd had a bad back spasm due to the odd sleeping position that night and her lack of back workout. Natsu had given her a back massage. He'd heat his hands and arms and kneaded deep.

Hooo, baby!

By the time he was done Lucy was a puddle of goo lying on his couch. It was a cute scene as apparently Happy was 'helping' by kneading her arms and purring.

Apparently, Natsu deserved his impromptu nickname for various reasons. The man just liked being tactile. And not just as set times. Any time the mood strikes him he was there.

His ghosting touches along her shoulders and arms, the occasional warmth of his breath as he murmured something in her ear. It was all very new for her. It made her nervous and...twitchy but not in a way she's ever been before. Even if she wasn't exactly sure about how to respond to all his gestures of affection he seemed happy when she was and so she used that as her guide about how to respond. He was a very physical man and so she would make an effort to touch him more. It was a stretch. Touching people just wasn't what she typically did, given her powers. But...it was Natsu and he had just a way about him that made any exchange that would've been awkward, suddenly not, putting her at ease. She had over heard the boys talking one day and couldn't help but laugh.

"You need to cut that shit out Salamander. You're making us look bad."

"Hell are you talking about? I am trying to work here. If you are not going to help me go away."

"Yeah at screwing us over, ash-ass." Natsu sits up from working on the exhaust of his bike. She had to admit it was truly a sight to behold in all its crimson red, black and chrome glory.

"How?"

"You know all of our women are looking at you and wondering why we don't do the stuff you do." Gajeel growls. Natsu blinks and Lucy can tell he is not sure what they mean at all. "I'm not doing any..."

"OH PLEASE. The pecks on the cheek, the side hugs and nuzzles, the helping her carry things and helping her...she's carried them herself before you know."

"Yeah so? I want to help her because she's special to me not because she *can't* carry the things, geniuses. This is why you're having the issues you are. Sounds like personal problems." He shrugs.

"You cocky son of a..."

"Hold on one god-dam.."

"We understand each other. I'm not really caring if you get it or not. But keep hassling me about it and I will remind you why I am one of the first Dragon's of Fiore." He growls slightly. Gajeel growls gently and shakes his head. But he kind of understands his thought process regardless.

Even if he doesn't want to admit it.

Lucy smiles gently. She didn't get it at first and, frankly, it *did* grate on her nerves as she thought he thought her weak or that he was being a controlling misogynist. It wasn't until after careful watching of his aura that she realized the pattern and the reason. She is a bit flattered now. It was his way of showing that he cared as he wasn't very good at verbalizing what he felt when it came to romantic feelings.

It was really kind of sweet.

Even if she thought that his friends wanted to strangle him.

That Friday Lucy sighs as she leans over the counter in thought. For once in a long while she was left alone in the shop. Not that it would stay that way for too terribly long. Cana would return from her visit to Mira, eventually, and Natsu was out picking up their lunch order.

Natsu.

Natsu Dragneel

Her...boyfriend.

She blushes faintly not entirely sure what her brother and Freed will do when they return and find that out. But she was positively estatic. Not only was she happy about it but she was, for the first time, free! He knew about her abilities accepted them, helped her and even had powers of his own that she helped him with. She's not sure how all of this worked out...but it did and she's happy it did. She smiles giddily to herself as she envisioned what she wanted to do to Natsu when he got back. It was a little kinky...but she's sure he would enjoy it if the sign given by the way his colors had flared when she found one of her extra pair of handcuffs downstairs...

It seemed her dragon had a bit of a kinky side...

It was still very quiet as people where still lying low. She blinks as she looks up as her bell rings, expecting some mundane wanting more stickers or maybe the price of an oil change and tire rotation. She freezes as she sits back staring at the two visitors. They look around at the items...but only because it seemed appropriate. She vaguely remembers seeing them at the meet. They where new, but a large group that was rapidly making a big name for themselves in bad many of them were arrested in the sting. Seems they where so confident they did not have a plan of escape. Lucy eyed the 'twin dragons' as they called themselves. No doubt a play on 'Fiore's Four Dragons" that helped rule the underworld. These boys, looked to be barely out of college, despite their height, and she found it amusing that they would so self name themselves such a title. Either they had the skill to back it up or they where speaking hopefully about the positions they wanted. She noticed that this group seemed to be modeled closely after Fairy Tail but ultimately they lacked any real substance or glue aside from their looks and apparent strength. Some apparently had some intelligence, the brunette seemed to be somewhat more thoughtful than his partner. The blonde with him seemed to be thinking about something that bothered him.

Greatly.

Lucy smiles but casually reaches down touching her firearm comfortingly.

The brunette, must have had some sort of sixth sense as eyes, that looks eerily similar to another brunette she knows, holds up his hands. "We simply come for some supplies. We don't wish to cause problems." Lucy smiles gently.

"I know. I just like to make sure my security is ready just in case you change your minds. You know, human will being what it is and all."

He nods. "Fair enough." she leans back.

"So what can I help you gentlemen with?"

"We came to see the beautiful owner of Fiore's best car shop." The brunette smiles, slightly.

"Flattery. Cute. What do you really want? You're obviously not here for that."

"I was curious about what a murderer did in her free time now that her life is all better." The blonde sneers at her.

"What?"

Natsu smiles as he pulls the bags from the back of his bike, where he had strapped it down tight. Today had started out great! He woke up next to his girlfriend after having held her all night and waking with his head pillowed on her cleavage.

Nothing happened...

Yet.

He would be working on that though. She seemed really sensitive at the small of her back and on the back of her neck...

Then they had breakfast together and worked on his bike...yeah...and he was picking up their lunch, that they would eat together...it was pretty much perfect.

He had made sure to choose her their favorite Chinese place. He comes through the back door and frowns at how quiet it was downstairs and that the sign was flipped again. She never closed during lunch. He frowns at the strange smells he picked up. Picking out Lucy's specific smell he frowns as he follows her towards her kitchen upstairs. He walks in to find her washing some dishes. She was beautiful soft blonde hair...a figure many men would kill for the privilege to caress... he walked forward to greet her but stops suddenly. Looking at her from the high pony tail, down her black, baby doll t-shirt clad back to the low-rise jeans she wore.

Something about the set of her shoulders had him pause.

"Lucy? I'm back. Sorry it took a little longer. Our order wasn't done yet."

"At least its fresh huh?"

"It does always taste better hot." He places the bag on the kitchen table, briefly turning his back towards her as he pulled off his jacket. Pulling a chair out he turns his head back towards her to comment on how the dishes could wait and that she should eat... when he's roughly turned towards her and given a deep kiss that made his toes roll up like a red carpet after the King's ball. Stumbling for his mental footing he falls back in to the chair he'd originally pulled for her.

Looking up he blinks. "I must have been a very good boy to come back to this." Smiling down at him, Lucy straddles him sitting on his lap. She leans in her hair acting as a curtain as she kisses him again. He's not sure what he's done to earn this kind of welcome back, but he will DAMN well repeat it again...

So caught up in his euphoria of being able to enjoy this kind of interaction with 'his' girl so soon after official status update, he ignored her hands until it was too late.

Faster than he knew she could move he was handcuffed, hands bound behind the kitchen chair, cuff chains effectively looped through one of the horizontal bars in the back of the seat. Even standing the chair would come with him. instantly feeling with his fingers he noticed that she kept the lock facing away from palm.

He was panting.

Damn if this wasn't hot.

"Oh god, you have no idea how many times I've fantasized about this..."

He pouted when she stood up and sat on the kitchen table, her expression anything but what he wanted to see.

She looked pissed.

Uh-oh

But he hasn't been with her long enough to earn her wrath yet! HE didn't think he did anything...

"I need to know a few things, Captain, and you are going to tell me."

Yeah...intrerrogation was apart of his scenario too...now all she needed was...

Lucy pulled out her CZ tactical and placed it on the table next to her hip.

Not quite...but I'll take it.

She kicks his knee.

That shit hurt!

"Get your mind out of the gutter."

"I"m sorry...it's just...you don't know how much this...ugh.."

"Well the faster you answer my questions the faster I may be back in a mood to make your dream a reality." Relaxing his struggles he's very glad he had pulled off his jacket before all this...it would be really uncomfortable right now.

"What do you know about me? Why are you really here? Did Grandfather send you?"

"No. I came because we where looking for a drifter. Levy suggested you."

"Yet you conveniently have the same ability as Laxus. No one else has ever done what he does for me before. No one. And here you come out of nowhere making an effort to get close to me!?" Natsu frowns at first. Confused as to her logic. She thought this was all a set up of some sort? That his desire to be with her...close to her was just a ploy?

Why..?

Natsu's face immediately darkens and he stops almost all movement. Some one had upset her. Given her fragile views on relationships he was none to happy that someone was already messing with what they had.

despite her place of power in the present situation, Lucy shifts uncomfortably.

"What happened, Lucy?" His normal tone had dropped and the note of command entered it. "Uncuff me, so we can talk, calmly, about whatever is bothering you." She pulled back in an attempt not to be pulled into doing his bidding. What was it about him that caused her to *want* to follow him, to listen to him?

"No. I want answers first, and then I'll decide if you can be let loose."

"I'm not going anywhere."

"And I'm making sure of that with my arrangements. Now. As I was saying. I have some questions."

Natsu grimaces, leave it to him to get a woman just as stubborn as he is.

"Was this arranged? Am I a rehabilitation? A pity case? "

"I told you. No. YOU would be able to tell if I was. Why would you think that!?" She tosses files on the table in front of him. He looks confused.

"These look familiar?" Natsu looks over and frowns down at the files all labeled 'classified' the men on two of them were unknown to him. But underneath it all was a very familiar, if younger face.

"Lucy...what is this?"

"That's what I'm asking you, Captain. I find the statuses the most curious."

Taking a closer look he read all of their statuses:

Rehabilitated

Deceased

final stage of rehabilitation.

Suddenly feeling a pressure against his mind he frowns up at Lucy watching her face closely. "I do not know what this is. Even though it's apart of Fairy Tail...it's from the medical section. Porlyusica is the better option to ask about all of this." He speaks carefully and fights to keep a tight leash on his temper. Lucy was already frustrated, scared, and probably feeling a bit betrayed and he didn't want to feed that.

"How did you get these?"

"A source that did not wish to be identified."

"Then how do you know it's real?"

"Because the information contained in my section are disturbingly accurate. Information I know to be right that no one but me, the doctors, Laxus, and Grandpa would know." He stills as the files are starting to make disturbing sense. He started to feel her powers begin to churn and boil in anxiety."I remember these men. They attacked me during a visit to the clinic...tried to take me away. I fought back...I remember I did...something."

Natsu quickly jumps subject as he smells her scent take on a taint of fear.

"Lucy, you need to tell me who gave these to you, then we can figure everything else from there. Don't jump to conclusions." He shifts forward to get to her and curses as he finds that the cuffs are doing a good job of restraining him.

"I was told they both lived...that they where fine and in jail for attempted kidnapping. It says here that one is now dead..."

"Lucy..."

"Suicide...brought on by the mental condition of Subject 0023. You know who subject 0023 is?!" Her voice gradually rises in fear and anger. Natsu growls darkly. "Lucy...do not blame yourself..."

"WHY NOT!? I KILLED a man, Natsu. Yes he attempted to kidnap me but that does not mean he deserved to DIE. I want to know everything you know about this...and I will." Lucy backs away and kneels reaching into one of her cabinets. "The way you said that...you...you knew..." she turns to look back at him arm still moving in the dark confines of the opening.

"I..did." He frowns. "But I'd just found out the day I met Laxus here! I wanted to tell you!"

"Why didn't you tell me?" She stands again a coiled length down at her side.

"I was ordered not to.."

"By who? Freed?"

"He didn't know either."

"Cana?" Natsu stops responding. Lucy stares at him. "No...Laxus. He LIED to me. Which means Grandpa was lying too. I had to hear about the fact that I murdered someone from a file!? Not even my own family would speak of it!? Did they think me some sort of weak-willed damsel that I couldn't handle it?"

"You need to calm down. It wasn't like that."

"I am calm." She closes her eyes with deceptive serenity.

"Bullshit."

She snaps her eyes at him as a sound like a shotgun goes off by his right leg, left leg and left arm the force of the strikes sending a shiver down his spine. Looking up he sees the hottest thing he believes he ever had the privilege to witness: Lucy standing there looking like the mistress of all holding a the whip in front of her chest. Awww yeah...that's what was missing. If it was under different circumstances he might have had to either excuse himself or bum-rush Lucy and drag her off somewhere (the latter being more preferable).

However right now, it also scared the ever-living sh*t out of him. She was pissed, powers going haywire and they didn't even have a safe word yet...

"WHOA! Watch it!"

"What, then was his argument as to why I could not be told? You have five seconds to answer." Natsu gaped at her both in confusion and attempting to fight down the arousal attempting to rush through his system and distract him, effectively using three seconds before blurting out: "He felt it would hinder your progress...Laxus, at least. Your control might not have grown as efficiently if you feared what you could do. Our powers respond to our feelings about them and can turn on their owner. He didn't want you developing that kind of problem." Lucy sat frozen. She had noticed that her abilities fluctuated a bit when she was upset or angry...she didn't think..there was no way...sure she influenced people a bit with her abilities but to outright be able to kill? To Make someone willingly take their own life? No...

Natsu held his breath as he felt the reverberations of anger from the whip. Whips weren't supposed to have emotions...he frowns.

Slowly he became aware of the ominous cloud coming from Lucy and starting to press in on him and his mind. Through sheer will alone he focused and began to meditate. Hoping Igneel's lessons on clearing his mind would help. It was hard as all Lucy's feelings began to attract memories where similar emotions had run high for him. He felt the tell tale warmth begin at his fingers and wiggles them frantically to keep from igniting. There where many memories almost too many to fight off. Is this what she did to that man? Was that why he had gotten sick, fallen into a depression and killed himself? It was becoming harder and harder for him to keep his focus. His stomach churned in anger and his head began to throb from the force of it all. He had to keep focused. Keep from hurting Lucy from hurting himself. Lucy was not evil, she was not bad...she was a kind, and sweet woman who wanted to protect those she loved. She liked everyone to get along...but if you threatened what was hers she would attack. People feared what they did not understand...pulled away from it...what if...?

"Lucy. Please. Let me try and help. Don't push me away..." He muttered through gritted teeth, his jaw creaking with the pressure his mouth abnormally hot and drying as he mentally held on to that mantra with every ounce of will and affection he could muster. He could feel his own control slipping rapidly. He wished that it was due to Lucy being hot as hell right now.

Lucy jumps, pulled from her thoughts of self-doubt, hatred, and fear. Natsu's tone had sounded weird...

She frowns and notices for the first time the faint lines of strain around Natsu's mouth and eyes...the strain in his aura as he holds back his own reactions. Investigating her own powers she finds them poised to attack to harm that which, it perceived, had caused her strife and the only victim around was Natsu. Gasping in horror she frantically pulled at the 'reins' of her control thighs tense with the unconscious strain of attempting to pull it back in. Natsu gasps at the sudden easing of pressure, his mind and emotions now fully his own again.

"Lucy."

Stepping backwards she shudders in disgust at her own actions. Did she really have that little control? Even now? Was she just deluding herself to think that this could work? That she was stable enough to exist in normal society? She was a fool.

"Lucy..." there was a warning note in his voice even under the gentleness.

"I..I'm sorry...I'm sorry..." the only words she managed through a tear clogged throat before turning to run.

Natsu stands to follow only to curse vividly at the fact that he was still cuffed. He growls darkly as he sits down and with a short, sharp, snarl pulls both arms out to the side snapping the short chain, freeing himself. Even with her head start he was confident he could catch up with her. He follows her hot on her tail. No she needed to stop running. She had to stop running. She would never get stronger if she didn't.

She was opening her door to flee downstairs when her left arm is roughly grabbed and she's shoved up against the wall, her shriek is suddenly muffled by the material of a shirt covering a hard chest. She could immediately feel her powers dim and the heat that was Natsu's influence wash over her. Her powers still churned with turmoil but snuggled against the familiarity that was Natsu. "Lucy. Stop running. I told you, right? I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere."

"I..I nearly..."

"You didn't and you won't ever. Especially not after we deal with this." He picks her up and walks towards her room with her. She was sure to feel more comfortable there. From what he's witnessed in the past week It seems she simply allowed Freed or Cana to decorate her living room and kitchen with Laxus having a field day with the shop. The only places that really bore her touch was her bathroom and bedroom. He holds her close as he makes his way back.

Dammit Laxus...I told you...now I have to try and clean up your shit.

Lucy must have picked up on his irritation and attempted to curl even more into herself in shame and bites back a faint whimper. He hated seeing her like this. Crying was horrid. But he could attempt to get her past that with laughter. Her being scared of herself, being a timid, fearful thing was not what he liked seeing. His Lucy was fun, kind, intelligent but fierce in her own gentle way.

This was not his Lucy, and whoever brought her down to this was going to suffer.

First things first, however...

Sitting her down on the bed, placing her back against headboard, he sits facing her on the edge of the bed, their thighs touching. He pulls her hands away from her face and replaces them with his own as he cups her cheeks. "First. Stop apologizing. Just focus on me for right now. Understand? I'm not going to hurt you. Was that man going to hurt you?" Lucy thinks back and nods. "Then that's why he got hurt. It's not your fault that he was a fool. Yes, it was bad you hurt him but you didn't ask to be hurt by him either."

Lucy opened her mouth to argue when a finger stops her. "You are more than capable of controlling the attack. It's almost always alright, right? I'm sure you've gotten into fights before and never had that happen, yes?"

She nods from behind his finger. "Then I think your control is better than you think. You reacted that way when you started to remember from back then, yes? Then it's the those memories that really causes you to react like that."

Lucy looks down and her cheeks are lightly pinched causing her to squeak in surprise. "Hey. What did I tell you? Our powers respond to our feeling about them. It was trying to protect you."

"But I always feel so out of control when it happens."

"Hey, we'll figure out at way to make it work. You got me now to help you."

Natsu sits back for a moment as he takes one of her hands in his. He looks at her in thought.

Then he gets still and cups her chin firmly tilting her face towards him. He leans in and looks up at her. "Who gave you those files, Lucy?" She squirms and attempts to pull away.

Natsu tightens his grip slightly and growls softly. "Lucy..."

Lucy looks startled at the sound and stares at him a bit startled. She hadn't known he could make that noise. "They...made me promise not to tell because of their connection..." He narrows his eyes but knows her promises are never broken.

Even to potential enemies.

"But...that doesn't mean I can't mention to you that my tablet is hooked into the security system..." Natsu lifts a brow at her and smiling softly as he kisses her cheek.

"That's my girl." He picks up the tablet sitting on her bedside table. Thankfully she doesn't keep it locked. It takes very little for him to access the camera's and rewinds it. He frowns, pausing the camera over them walking up to Lucy and glares.

Sting and Rouge.

The new upstarts from Sabertooth. Two "dragons" that had not earned their position nor have they the power to really back it up. But why bring this now? Why to Lucy? He stops thinking of the last name of the would be kidnappers.

Cheney

Eucliffe.

No wonder, and after seeing Lucy and that she was driving for Fairy Tail, they no doubt where targeting her and, by extension, him. It was well-known that even in a two on one match they where no match for him after the. So it seems they where willing to be a little more underhanded to attempt to prove their strength. They knew Lucy meant something to him so they came after her. By where did they get the files? Was there someone in Fairy Tail? Or was it hacked? He'd have to ask Levy to do some digging. How is everyone connected? what where the chances that these boys (and that's what they where and Natsu refused to see them as anything but given this) where aware of the connection between them and Lucy unless someone told them. Someone who can get into Fairy Tail's system, probably with authorization to reach the highest level's of clearance. But there are only a few people who could do that even in the history of Fairy Tail. But that wasn't possible...was it?

Looking back over he watches Lucy calm and gently brushes his fingers over her knee. "It's alright. You're safe." Lucy frowns softly and nods. "I'm not a kid. that fragile you know. It all just rattled me..." She looks at the hand rubbing her knees.

"Natsu...? How the hell did you?" he blinks and looks at his wrist and the broken cuffs. "AH...heh...yeah you started to run so I freaked and ran after you." Lucy stares at him. "How strong ARE you?"

"Ah..heh...strong enough?"

"You BROKE handcuffs from behind your back!"

"Yeah...I didn't want to but I couldn't let you just run off like that...I guess...you could take these off...?" he holds out his wrists to her. Lucy looks down and sighs as she reaches into the v neck of her shirt and pulls out the key to the cuffs. She starts working on one. "I should just let you keep these on.." Natsu barely hears any of it as he's staring down at her chest.

"This reminds me.."

"My chest reminds you of something. I'm almost scared."

"Where did you learn to use a bull whip like that?" Lucy pauses as she inserts the key into the other cuff. "AH...well...you see..." she sighs. "Freed taught me. He thought it was a fun hobby that was somehow elegant at the same time, especially since I didn't take to his fencing like he thought I would. Sorry...I use the skills to get my captives to talk...it worked."

"Did you know when you use it you seem to channel your emotions through it?" Lucy tosses the cuff over to its sibling and frowns. "What do you mean?"

"When you cracked that whip near me it felt like it was angry...kinda scared too." Lucy frowns.

"You can't feel emotions."

"Only yours." Lucy frowned at this. Laxus had said something similar when she was younger...

"Could it be something about your abilities? Like Laxus and you? He said something similar..." Natsu thinks quietly.

Laxus was also a Dragon of Fiore...as was he...

Maybe...

He had a way to check that.

"Come on, lets take our lunch somewhere...I want you to meet someone."

The Magnolia University Medical division was busy as always, stressed out students running here and there bouncing off of Lucy's still tender mind. Natsu gently takes her hands and pulls her along to a small seemingly empty court-yard. "Hey! Boobala!? You here? I know your classes are done, you always did the early ones." Lucy blinks seeing slight shifting from behind the bushes as an azure headed girl pops up looking irritated at Natsu. "I said don't call me that!" Natsu just laughs. Lucy blinks. "Wendy?" Natsu stops and looks at her. "You know my little sister?"

"I met her once she babysits Askua from time to time...wait *she's* your little sister!?"

"Adopted." Wendy dusts off her jeans as she walks up. "But might as well be blood." she giggles. "He harasses me as much as a blood one."

"I know the feeling." Brown eyes roll dramatically under blonde brows.

"Your name is Lucy right? You own Hardbodies & More. How do you know Natsu..?" Lucy blushes faintly. "Well you see..."

"Lucy's my girlfriend." Natsu ever the blunt one says as he casually wraps an arm around her waist kissing her cheek happily. Wendy gasps holding her cheeks. "WHAT!? You didn't...that's why you've canceled our lunches for the past month isn't it!?"

Lucy gasps. "You've been neglecting your little sister for me!?" Natsu sighs. "Kinda...I guess..."

Both girls swat him, with only half-hearted irritation. He just chuckles.

"Come on..I came to make it up, I brought Chinese..." Wendy, never one to hold a grudge perks. "From Great Wall?"

"You know it!"

Lucy seems irritated, nose in the air, but had perked at that reminder.

"Did you get me my dumplings?"

"Chicken with extra dipping sauce on the side. AND I can promise, their still piping hot." he winks at her.

"Alright, I'll let you serve us lunch." Wendy seems amused and judging by the twinkle in Lucy's eye she's not sore any more.

Making light conversation lunch is started with smiles that quickly blend into laughter. Around the midway point Natsu shifts his leg away from touching Lucy. Lucy's immediately bombarded by the frantic pace around her. Wincing she almost reaches out for him again when she hears:

"Hey, Wen, I need you to shake Lucy's hand." Wendy frowns.

"Ok. Why?" the college girl asks in confusion as she offers her hand without hesitation.

"I just want to test something..." Lucy blinks at Natsu's line of action but accepts the hand. Gasping at the information dump she's quickly soothed by breeze. All the frantic pace is buffered. She could reach out and feel them if she so desired but it was like reaching through a wall of...wind? It was very similar to Natsu but not as intense as either his or Laxus.

"It's...the same..."

What could this young woman have in common with these men?

Natsu watched curiously and was both relieved and perplexed at the confirmation of his suspicions when Lucy's faintly strained expression smoothed out into her normal one. Wendy blinks. "Uh...is everything ok? You seem...surprised. Natsu always said to have a firm handshake..."

"That isn't it Wendy. You are like me for her. That's good to know. But Now I only have more questions."

Wendy frowns. "Do we need to find a more private place?" she had released Lucy's hand and rubbed her arm over her tattoo in a silent message to Natsu. He nods. "Yeah. We do. Come back with us to Hardbodies." He had immediately shifted his leg back to Lucy buffering her mind again. He was concerned. Lucy seemed abnormally sensitive today. Usually she can take groups for a few hours at a time. But today...

Lucy frowns. "Why is it the same?"

"I have an idea as to why but we can't talk about it here." Lucy seems to glare. "I am included in this conversation right?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't you be?"

"Sorry, still kinda sensitive about secrets."

"So I guess going home and asking you to take a nap before we talk won't happen huh?" The glare and pinch he recived on this thigh told him all he needed to know about her thoughts on *that* suggestion.

It seemed all the women in his life where prickly in places, stubborn in others.

And he wouldn't change them for the world.

Lucy puts down a tray of drinks. "So wait. You mean to tell me that you think, it has to do something with you two being "Dragons?" She hands Wendy her glass of juice. "What is a Dragon anyway? I mean I've heard you called one and *I* call you mine..." she blushes faintly as Natsu accepts his pop with a faintly proprietary grin.

"That's right. It's a...title or a ranking system. Sort of. But not really."

"Well, that's as clear as mud."

"What he means is that it's become a title. Originally it was a...ranking system of test subjects and they assigned us all animals both real and mythological."

"You mean to tell me you where test subjects?"

"No...we are the results, of unknowing test subjects. Just like you." Natsu sighs.

"The drug."

"Yes, our parents took the drug in large doses due to their conditions. Though we're not sure if one or both took it we know that it was enough that we have some of the most extreme version of their effects." Wendy sighs softly as she pets a curious Happy who had come to take over her two housing areas.

"We tested positive and showed the earliest signs of our manifestation very early. I was born towards the end of the problem but I was placed with Natsu and Igneel as a precaution and due to his strength and age he could help me learn control after my mother gave me up."

Natsu sighs. "Igneel, before he left to take care of family business in another country, taught me various martial arts and meditation techniques for control of my power." He snaps his finger and a flame comes to life on his index finger. "I have horror stories about lessons. But, Fairy Tail kept us from becoming lab rats. We *did* have to have regular check ups at Porlyusica but otherwise were allowed mostly normal lives."

"It just so happened that several of the 'Dragons' rose to a height in the underworld due to our superior physical abilities and need to be somewhat secretive. It just kind of fit with that lifestyle." Wendy looks a bit contrite.

"Fiore's Four Original Dragon's are all now apart of Fairy Tail, but that's a very recent occurence. Originally one was a member of Phantom Lord but now he's apart of Fairy Tail. It's another reason Fairy Tail is feared by some."

"Gajeel, you mean? I've seen his work before now. It was nothing short of amazing." she glares at Natsu. "You're *that* Dragon...you are just telling me." The man had the grace to look a bit ashamed. "I wanted your affection without that knowledge." He leans in. "You know so you didn't want me for the wrong reasons." Lucy sighs.

"Yeah...yeah..." she pats his arm. Wendy giggles. "Any way, I'm training so that I can help Porlyusica, but I've read most of the files. It seems that the only Myself, Natsu, and Gajeel, are Dragon's purely from the results of one or both of our parents taking the drug. Laxus is due to himself having been unknowingly fed the drug as a child from his father. There is another case similar to this, a Cobra and then a kind of weird hybrid of the two in Rouge and Sting though why this is I'm not sure." Wendy sighs. Natsu frowns. "I'd thought so. Probably because their father's where apart of the group who wanted the drug to make 'better' humans. They came by today harassing Lucy." He pushed the files to Wendy. She frowns as she reads them. "They kept saying they chased the bunny but it bit back..." She mutters faintly. Then looks up at Lucy as she looks through her file. "I guess your code name was...Bunny. It seems like there may have been more similar to you, but obviously they do not list them here." Lucy blinks.

"Bunny? That's not intimidating at all!" she groans. Natsu grins. He pulls her close.

"That might be a good thing."

"How?"

"Because, no one expects a Bunny, to be a fierce bull whip wielding, crack shot, with a thing for cars and a nasty ability to f*ck up your head." Natsu kisses her cheek causing Lucy to blush and sigh. "I guess that's true..."

Wendy grins. "You guys are too cute..."

Natsu frowns softly. "Now all we need to know is how they go this file. And I know just the person to call. Levy is probably bored, anyway."

Lucy smiles. "She always loves a good mystery."