Chapter 23

"I have to think fast" Sting whispered as soft as he can so as not to be heard by anyone. He clenched his fists tightly looking at Natsu then back to Yukino. It doesn't matter now as to why Yukino had run to Natsu and was actually clutching to him for dear life. And as to why Natsu was protecting her for the time being.. He'll shrug it for now.

Their safety, or rather Yukino's only, is his priority.

"We got the wro —"

"Hohoho." he was cut off by a rather menacing laughter that filled the pool side sending shivers to Sting, especially Yukino. "What do we have here?" Sting felt a tap on his shoulder. "You did good running after the culprit." Sting felt his body shiver giving chills to his spine. The man looked at Natsu and a trembling Yukino behind him. "So you've caught the eavesdropping mouse.."

Sting stiffened. He knew he couldn't lie with his father here.

"Would you care to tell me who is it, son?"

The word son entered his ear like it was some kind of a noise he couldn't bear to hear it coming from this man's mouth. It felt like it was a word that made his ear numb. And knowing that it came from him, it just felt nothing.

It was Yukino.

But he knew if he tells him the truth, Yukino will be in danger. After all what Yukino heard was almost everything of what his father has been planning all this time together with the white haired bitch. And if he told his father it was Natsu, Sting knew that Yukino would tell his father the truth herself. At least he has to try again. "I-I got.. I got the wro –"

"Oooh. Don't you try to lie to me son. I know you knew who it was." Jiemma threatened. "I just want to know who is to talk to."

Natsu's teeth gritted. He doesn't understand a thing they were talking about. "What's happening?" He shouted shoving Yukino behind him. He could see she was trembling in fear and he knew Yukino is the one Jiemma referred to as the eavesdropping mouse. But what could have Yukino heard that he summoned his men to pursue her? And what was that look on Sting's face? What on eart was going on?

But then, Jiemma smiled.

"Get the girl!" The men in black suit moved and circled around Natsu. "Thank you for the hint, mister!"

Natsu cursed himself mentally. Why didn't he think before he act, again? He must've just shut his mouth. He could see Sting was clenching his fists making them paler than usual. It confuses Natsu for a moment but suddenly it hit him that he was who Yukino was pertaining to during their talk.

She was his friend.

And therefore he wanted to help her. Good thinking Natsu, he praised himself. Still, it doesn't matter. It didn't help them in their situation.

"You dare touch her and I'll thank your faces with my fist." Natsu said pointing his fist to no one in particular.

Sting looked at him wide eyed. He wondered why Natsu was standing up against them? It would be one against 30 or more. All he wanted was to get Yukino out of here, but with his father watching how could he do that? Is he ready to go against his father? Sting gritted his teeth. What should he do?

"F-Fathe –"

"What's all this commotion about?"

They all stopped at the voice. Jiemma turned around and was surprised, as well as Sting. Natsu's face brightened up once he looked up to see who came.

"Lucy!" He called out to her while waving, a smile plastered on his face. All other emotion he got moments ago was already forgotten. He just needed to see her, so he could smile. As she saw him, her mind clouded. She froze as she felt heat run up from her neck to her cheeks. Lucy remembered the incident at the fire exit. But this is not the time to get all flustered. She composed herself.

The said girl walked up to them with her body guards. One of spiky orange and blue glasses the other has white with black glasses and a pair of weird looking horns on top of his head. The three of them walked up to the group.

"You're a day early little girl?" Jiemma said as he tried to hide the shock he felt when he saw her. He's not expecting her appearance a day earlier. In truth he was really caught off guard. Yet, she didn't bother to look at him. "How rude of you to ignore me? I'm the C –"

"Nope. I had a week, right? It's me." She said with seriousness in her eyes. She walked pass Sting, who's staring at her like he's seen a ghost. Though to think that she's here interrupting the heating conversation between them, he felt relieve at her arrival. Thankful was he.

"Hey Lucy! Who are these guys?" Natsu asked looking at the two guys in suit, who entered the area with Lucy, intently, like he was examining them.

"We are Heartfilia's loyal and trusted guards." Said the guy in orange spiky hair glaring at Natsu.

Lucy didn't bother to pay attention to Natsu. She gets to the bottom of what happened and saw a girl behind Natsu, who seemed so familiar to her. The guys surrounding Natsu and Yukino gave her way as the two men who are with Lucy glared at them. "Hey there?" She said with a smile.

Yukino was still shaking but when she felt someone held her hand and heard that angelic voice, she couldn't help but look to where it all came from. Her eyes widen. "L-Lucy?"

Lucy smiled and nodded. She does whatbhas to be done. "I was just here to fetch you. As I thought you've forgotten about our meeting."

"W-Wha?" Yukino's eyes widen same as the others. But it's not really questionable, because they knew Yukino's family was affiliated with the Heartfilias. "Ohh.. right." And Yukino smiled back at her. She followed Lucy's lead outside.

"Lucy! Wait up!" Natsu said as he gathered his things to follow Lucy and Yukino.

"But I need to talk to her first." He said trying to stop Lucy.

But she continued walking. "Mine is more important."

Jiemma clenched his fists. "That girl.." He hissed. And then Natsu runs past him. "Hey you! I have to tell you something."

Natsu didn't bother looking, instead he proceeded in running after Lucy.

"It's about Lucy's deal about the Band Battle. So I think, as her friend, you'd be interested." Jiemma said slyly.

Natsu's ears perked up and he stopped abruptly. He jogged back and stared into Jiemma's eyes, waiting for what he was about to say. "So?"

Jiemma chuckled.

"I don't have much time for this. So tell me, or just forget about it." Natsu said, jogging in place. He glared at Jiemma and the said man glared back with a smile.

"Well, as a part of Fairy Law and her friend. You must know that Lucy's or rather the company's fate will depend on the Band Battle's outcome."

He stopped and stood straight in front of Jiemma. "What do you mean? I know that already and all is we —"

"Well as you can see, the Band Battle is running smoothly. But do you think I'll let it just the way it was?" Natsu gritted his teeth and glared at the man. He was so close to choking him to death when he heard that. Lucy's been working hard for the Band Battle and this man will just ruin it. Still, he must remain calm and wait for further explanation. He clenched his fists to remind himself to just punch him later.

"If anything goes wrong with the Band Battle, Lucy will be forced to marry my son." He said proudly. This time Natsu wasn't able to hold himself back. He clutched into Jiemma's shirt and held him up. This alerted his men, but Jiemma signalled them to calm down. "Well, recently it was Fairy Law who was attracting attention even if it's The Sabers who is winning.. So I was just giving you a tip." Jiemma said as he held onto Natsu's hand that's holding his shirt up and gripped it tightly. "Do good on every show, and the finals if you don't want me to be the writer of that brat's life." He chuckled and removed Natsu's grip on him.

Natsu was looking at him angrily.

Jiemma fixed his top and smiled at Natsu. "You're welcome." He said and walked away, his men following him close behind.

Sting was left dumbfounded. What was his father talking about? Giving Natsu a tip won't really help them. The deal was changed since Lucy's father died. In fact he just gave Lucy a week to choose, between marrying him or having a guy that could be suitable in helping her– to which he knew his father wouldn't approve of –and giving the company to his father temporarily until he felt like she was capable of running it.

"Sting!" Jiemma called out to him and he snapped out of his thoughts. Soon he followed them, still thinking of the scene that just happen. But if there's one thing he was sure of, he knew Yukino is safe.

Natsu was left there glaring on the floor. He was cursing Jiemma inside his mind and if God permits that what he's thinking would be true Jiemma would have been dead by now. He doesn't know what to do or where to start, well they actually have started something with the smooth run of the Band Battle is the start.

Natsu felt like this was his entire fault because he hid himself. Now, it was Lucy who was taking all the problems and was all this time dealing with all of it by herself. He doesn't really care about the company but he knew Lucy holds it dear to her and he knew it was the only memento his late parents left him, well half of the company that is. After all he was still the Dragneel heir. He is still one of the owners of the company, aside from Lucy. And if he just let someone like Jiemma take hold of something that was that precious to Lucy, he would be damned. Lastly, he won't let Lucy lose to that deal. He won't let her live that way, or he would let Jiemma be on that win-win situation.

"Damn it Lucy, why didn't you tell me earlier!?" He shouted to no one in particular and run off.

"Are you alright?" Lucy asked Yukino as they reached her house. Yes that's right folks. She went home to her condo unit at Viewpoint. "Haaaa! It's been a while since I last come home." She turned to Yukino. "I'm sorry if I brought you here. I just need to drop my things. Don't worry, I'll drive you back." She smiled.

"Miss Lucy where should we put this?" Loke asked, as he and Capricorn entered her room with her luggage on their hands.

"Just put them in my room and you're excused."

"We're not ordered to leave, like what Master Makarov told us." Capricorn said. "As Heartfilia's loyal guards, we won't defy an order that we knew necessary for your safety."

Lucy rolled her eyes. Indeed, Makarov sent her home a day early and said he'll follow a day after or that's waht he told her. His father was buried just a few hours before she flew back to Fiore and she just needed some things from the hotel before going home. And by accident she walked by the pools and saw the commotion and that's how all it happen. And now, she's being followed around by her father's body guards. They were supposed to be their family's but now it was just her that was left to that family. She gets irritated of them following her anywhere, well must get use to it.

"Fine. Fine. Just go find some coffee or do anything, I don't want men walking around while I change!" She commanded.

"I could help you change!" Loke volunteered with a slight blush on his cheeks and a cheeky smile.

Capricorn hit him on his head to stop him. "We're going now. We'll be back shortly." He picked Loke up and exited Lucy's unit.

"What do you want to drink or eat?" Lucy shouted from her kitchen.

Yukino didn't answer.

Soon, Lucy came out with two mugs on her hand. "I'm sorry to ask you what you want." She smiled apologetically. "I only have hot chocolate. Sorry." She handed Yukino one mug to which Yukino gladly accepted.

"T-Thank you Miss Lucy!"

Lucy smiled. "Hey. I don't think I'm a year older than you. Don't be too formal." She said and took a sip on her drink and placed it on the small table at the center of her living room.

"S-Sorry." Lucy noticed Yukino is feeling uneasy, just by the way she was holding her mug because, for god's sake, she is shaking!

"No need to be shy around me or something like that."

"Y-Yeah. I j-just can't help it. S-S-So what are we going to t-talk about?"

Lucy looked at her confusedly and scratched the back of her head. "Oh that!" She laughed softly. "I was just kidding. I want to get out of there as soon as I entered and saw the people involve but I noticed you where there, and to think I can't think of a reason why you should come with me.. I came up to that idea. Luckily, they didn't react. So I'm guessing you're really affiliated to the Heartfilias."

Yukino stared at her in shock. So she doesn't really know her.

"But, you look really familiar. I'm so sorry for not remembering faces and names. I'm not really good at that, you know I meet a lot of people."

Yukino waved her hand in front of her. "No! No! It's okay. At least I am familiar. Actually, I knew you since we were kids. You used to teach me about the constellations and those kind of stuffs."

Lucy nearly choked to her drink and looked at Yukino keenly. "Yu-Yukino?"

She nodded in delight. Yukino clasped her hands and smiled widely. "I'm so glad you remember me!"

"Well how could I forget?" Lucy hit her forehead. "You, Rogue and Sting were the ones who befriend me. And you were the one who insisted on talking to me even if I.." Her voice trailed. "I don't really talk that time. Then, you left when I was warming up to you.."

"Don't worry about that." Yukino smiled at her. "My father sent me across Europe to study business. It's really boring, you know."

Lucy chuckled. "The sacrifices heirs have to go through.. Good thing he just want you as a successor." She sighed. "Go drink your milk. I'm sorry it's the only thing I got." She smiled before drinking from her mug

"Naaah! It's okay Miss –"

"Just Lucy."

"– Lucy. Besides –" Gruuumble.

Lucy laughed. "Yeah I'm hungry too. Let's just order pizza. Is that okay?"

"N-No! It's okay. Really!" Grrrrrrrrumble.

"Ha Ha I think your stomach says otherwise." Lucy picked up her phone and dialled some number. "I'll just call someone. Okay?"

Yukino nodded. She drank her milk as she watched Lucy dial on her phone. Watching Lucy made Yukino smile inwardly. She can't believe she's in her condo unit, talking to her. And she hasn't forgotten about her, it's just that she needs a little clue. But that doesn't really matter; she understands how busy Lucy was. Yukino felt lucky, all the fright she felt a while ago has vanished. It's true that today her emotions were on a roller coaster. First, she had a fight with Sting and then there was the talk with Natsu, then the commotion in the pool side. And the best part of it was Lucy, saving her. It's true meeting Natsu and being friends with him was nice too, but this is Lucy. She dreamt of being friends with her –

"Hey Erza!"

"Lucy! How are you? You're coming back tomorrow right? I missed you!"

"I missed you too! A-Actually, I'm already in Fiore."

"Really? Why didn't you tell me?!"

"I'm sorry! Well I called to ask if you could come over to my unit?"

"Well, definitely! We still need to talk about, everything!"

Lucy stiffened and a blush crept up her cheeks. She can't speak. "W-What are you talking ab..bout?" She cursed herself for stuttering.

"Haaaa! You're going to tell me everything about you and Natsuuuu or better yet, Pinky."

"What?! There's nothing!" Lucy looked to her side and saw Yukino leaning on the couches arm chair. She's been talking to her phone for a while now. "Uhh, hey Erza? I have someone here in my condo."

"What? Who?"

"Well, it's a surprise. And oh! Can you bring a pizza on your way? I'll pay you. Promise!"

"Alright! I'll bring Levy and Juvia!"

"Okay okay! Drive saf –" And the line was cut. "Oh Erza.." Lucy sighed and put her phone aside. She looked at Yukino and smiled at her. "Sorry, I was caught up.. You know.. I was away for 2 days for my father's wake and my friends were just paranoid and stuff."

"It's okay. It's fine really. In fact, I'm happy to hear you have close friends that made you happy."

Lucy felt like her tears were about to fall, but held it back.

And there was silence.

"So what were you doing with Pi–Nat.. su?" She asked to break the silence between them. Lucy felt her stomach became airy once she said his name, though she doesn't know which Natsu made her feel that way but she shrugged it off.

Yukino hesitated for a moment. She noticed Lucy's cheeks went pink, but thought that it was just due to the hotness of the chocolate drink she was drinking. "Well, Sting and I had an argument."

"A-Are you and Sting together?" Lucy asked while smiling slyly.

Yukino blushed. "What? NO!" Suddenly it hit her.

Sting will marry Lucy.

Jiemma's voice echoed in her mind. This is the girl they were talking about. She felt her stomach twist at the thought of Sting marrying this girl. Well it's not that she is mad at her for being engaged to Sting.. Fine. She is jealous. And fine, she liked the guy too. But if it was Lucy who will be marrying him then why not? Yukino even said it herself, she finds Lucy perfect. Sting must be lucky. But on second thought, would he really feel that way? She felt a pang of pain in that hope she brought up. She shrugged it off. It's true, she's no match for Lucy, and Sting deserves to have the best.

Suddenly she remembered her conversation with Natsu.

..So your prince wouldn't have to go through what I am going through.

Lucy is also the girl Natsu was talking about. But she is going to marry Sting by will. And Sting's plan to protect her and Rogue. It all makes sense. It's like being from the very back part of the show—knowing nothing—to being the one who knows everything, well not really everything because she doesn't know Lucy's side of the story. And it all happened in a blink of an eye for her. Yukino knew that if she doesn't know Lucy and is not aware of the situation they were in then maybe she'll call her a slut or bitch or something like that for hooking two guys, who were accidentally both her friends. So, it has always been Sting's father who's been pulling the strings. Sting doesn't want to get married, with the reason she's not aware of, and it made him looked like he's getting in the way of Lucy and Natsu—if there really is something on Lucy's side and the feeling's mutual. And the thought of the other girl that's trying to mess the story made her feel like she wanted to pull her hair and slap her hard. Natsu's being friends with the wrong friend. She gasped a little due to what she realized. She remembered Lisanna talking to Jiemma in Sting's room, they might be up to something really big. She has to do something.

All of this is so tiring for her. She's been running through the hotel's hallways all day and it just exhausted her physically. And now, putting things together makes her emotionally exhausted. Everything that she has realized needs to be told. No matter what. She needs to help them, for Lucy and Natsu ans Sting. Though she's enlightened of what was happening she can't think of a reason why all of this was going on and as to why Natsu was involved being the Drag —

"Yukino?" She called for her hesitantly. Lucy noticed that the girl in front of her is spacing out.

"L-Lucy do you like Natsu?"

And there she is blushing a deep shade of red. "Wh-Why the sudden question?" Lucy cursed herself, for stuttering.

Yukino scratched the back of her head. "Uhm well, it just crossed my mind." There was silence. "Well?" Before making a move she needs to confirm it.

Can she tr —Oh what was she thinking she can't trust Yukino? This girl has been with her in her dark times. Sure she could. "I don't really know. I was trying to figure it out myself and of course with some help from Erza, Juvia and Levy.." She started shyly. "But I know, it doesn't really matter. I'm to get marr—" She stopped not even wanting to mention it. "No. Uhh. You see, Natsu has this girl he's been caring for and they totally looked good together. And I know their feelings for each other is mutual. Besides, I promised myself to someone." Whether that someone is the one she'll be marrying or the one who died, the point is she believes nothing will happen if they continue this.

Yukino sensed the sadness in her voice but was confused because all Natsu was talking about is her, Lucy Heartfilia. "Huh?"

Lucy chuckled. "Well, about mine. It's not really interesting and I'm guessing you're not into showbiz like I am.." She paused an inhaled. "It's Lisanna. You know her right? But pretty please don't spoil the press about it? That's the reason it's impossible for me and Natsu." Actually, it's not the only reason. Lucy could think of a few more reasons why not and number one would be: They just don't match. They're different.

Now, Yukino's get it. Lucy thought Lisanna's the girl Natsu is fantasizing about. Sting and Lucy were forced to marry each other. Natsu knew he's falling for Lucy, but Lucy was oblivious to her own feelings. And Lisanna, well she's just an extra character that acts as the bitch. And Yukino, she's the love guru. These people should be getting love advises from her. Well, on second thought, Sting should get his own love guru because Yukino doesn't know what she'll tell him.

Yukino yawned. "But Lucy, Nats—"

Knock Knock Knock

"Hold that thought." Lucy said as she walked towards the door and check who knocked.

Suddenly, all Yukino heard were squeals. Probably, it was Erza and her friends. Well Yukino is happy that Lucy found friends she could trust and people who could make her smile. She yawned as she felt sleep overtake her. Today is one hell of a day and all she needed was a goodnight's rest.

"Come on, I'll introduce you to he —" Lucy paused noticing that Yukino had fallen asleep on her couch. She smiled and felt worried for the girl. She must have been very exhasusted.

"Who's she?" Erza asked as she followed Lucy winto the living room and placing 5 boxes of pizza on the small table.

Lucy walked back to the room and placed a blanket covering Yukino. "She's Yukino, a friend back when we were kids. You know the time after they d.. go."

Levy and Juvia leaned on the couch watching Lucy tuck the girl under the blanket. If you disregard the hair color, you would think they were sisters. Well, they already knew the story back then and promised that they'll help Erza beat the crap out of that Dragneel heir if ever he is still alive. But because of Erza's opinions and because the boy's body is not found even the parents' were found, they also do believe he's alive somewhere. And what's taking him so long to reveal himself? They do not know. All they know is that they'll help Erza when the time comes.

Going back to the scene, Lucy brushed the hair strands that were falling on Yukino's face and smiled weakly.

"She's my first friend after that."