Chapter 44

Natsu Dragneel is alive.

Lucy still couldn't believe what the guy in black clothing told her. She didn't know if it was a dream or if it did really happen. His voice and word fresh in her mind. It was 2am in the morning and Lucy still hasn't slept. She kept thinking if she should believe the guy. If Natsu Dragneel is still alive what would happen? She had a lot of questions in her head. She wanted to ask him how he was? Where was he all these years? Is he okay? How did he survive? What happened to him? To them? But then why would he not call her? Why would he hide, from her? Did he not know what kind of pain she went through when she found out he's dead? Why did he let her go through that hell? But then again.. Lucy knew he just had to have his reasons and may had been in the same hell she's been through. Still, she would ask again and again why wouldn't he tell her where he was? Why didn't he gave her the hope that somewhere out there she still had the family she once had, that she's not alone. Unconsciously, a tear fell from the corner of her eye. She immediately wiped it. She wasn't sure if it really is Natsu Dragneel.

'Ask the one you love', those words lingered in her mind all night. She wanted too, but at the same time she didn't. He promised her that he would tell her everything. And what would he get hiding the truth from her? Why would he even do that? Then she remembered him asking her what would she do if she found out it was Natsu Dragneel who's alive? She gripped the bed sheets tight.

"No. He promised me would tell me everything." She reminded herself. After everything that had happen between them, Lucy has grown to trust him even more. "I trust you."

Just then her phone blinked, she reached out and a message popped in.

You still awake? Speak of the devil. She was about to reply when another one popped. Can't sleep been thinking about you.

She smiled and texted him back. I'm still up. Just when Lucy was about to text another message he was calling. She sat up and answered it.

"Hey?" She said sleepily.

"Did I wake you up?" His voice low and groggy.

Lucy giggled. "I think you're the one who just woke up."

"Yeah. I just woke up, can't go back. You?"

She shook her head. "Nope. Haven't slept at all. Maybe you're just nervous about the Band Battle?"

"Not really. I'm sure my charms will blow up the whole place." He chuckled.

Lucy rolled her eyes. "You're so confident huh?"

"Of course. We're Fairy Law, Luce. And I'm Natsu!" He said proudly. Her heart beat a little faster. Just hearing that name made her clutched onto her blanket even more. "So why are you still up?"

"Well.." She paused and think about it. Should she tell him what had happen to her? The man in black? What he told her?

"Luce?"

She snapped back. "Uh well, just thinking."

"About what?"

"A lot." She said rather playfully. "The lost Dragneel investigation, band battle..."

"Me. Of course."

Lucy stuck her tongue out as if he would see it. "You wish."

"You just hurt my feelings you know."

Then there was a small silence between them. "Natsu.."

"Yeah?" He asked as if he just breathed.

"Nothing.. I was just thinking. I never really knew your full name."

There was silence but Lucy waited. Then Natsu chuckled. "That's something I'll tell you when you let me place it after your name."

"Are you proposing to me mister?"

Natsu chuckled. "Well, if you—"

"I don't take proposals over the phone."

"As I thought." He chuckled again.

"You should do better than that. And maybe I won't accept it if you won't tell me what it is."

Natsu whined. "Unfair!"

"My name should be as cute as it is. I don't know.. What if your full name is Natsu Jerk? Natsu Idiot? Natsu Pervert? Uhhhm, Natsu.."

"Handsome." Then he laughed. "Awesome, Amazing, Charming.. Brave? Extremely Awesome? Irresistible? Hot?"

"Not a chance." She smiled. "Do you think it's nice to change the company's name from Heartifilia-Dragneel to Heartfilia-Jerk? Or Heartfilia-Idiot?"

Natsu laughed. "Why would you even change it?"

"As much as I love the name Heartfilia-Dragneel, I would like to change it to yours.."

"And why is that?"

For when they have kids, because for sure they would be the heirs and they should have their surname on it. But Lucy will never tell him that. Never. "No reason."

Natsu was silent.

"Hey! You asleep?" Lucy heard a click of a door. "You going somewhere?"

"I went to the living room. You know Luce, you really need to sleep. It's a big day, you should get some rest."

Lucy leaned back on her pillows. "I can't sleep. I don't feel like it." She frowned.

"Well then, I'll sing you something. You like that?"

"Sounds nice." Lucy said and laid on her bed.

"Give me 5 or 10 minutes, I'll just eat something." Then she heard some clatter from his side. "Talk to me, so I would know if you're still up."

Lucy giggled. "It's 2:30 and you're eating.."

"What's wrong with that?"

"From where I am, you sound like a thief or rats." She heard him laugh softly. "Natsu?"

"Mhm?"

"Why don't you tell me your full name?"

"What is it that you're curious with my name at this time?"

Lucy sighed happily. "Nothing. Just curious."

"Oh I know. You're doing FLAMES right now and you want to know what this relationship would end up." She could hear the confidence and the tease in his voice.

But! "What's FLAMES?"

Natsu laughed. "Did you even go through high school?"

"I was home-schooled since I don't have someone who promised to take care of me when we'll attend high school."

"And who's that?"

Lucy hesitated. She just has to be remembered of him again."My childhood.. friend."

"Oh that Dragneel." Lucy heard some clatter again. "Too bad. Sucks for you."

"I hate you right now."

"Ow c'mon Luce? I know you don't." He chuckled. "I'll make up for that."

"For what?"

She heard him walking. "Nothing. Hey, you lying on your bed already?"

"Yup."

"Okay, I'll sing to you now. Put your phone on speaker, 'kay?"

She did as he said and placed it near her. "It's okay now. Natsu?"

"Mhm?"

"You promised you would tell me everything right? The investigation I mean?"

There was a weirdly long pause. "Yeah."

Lucy smiled. "Thank you. Good night Natsu!"

"Good night, love. Sleep well." He then started to hum a tune that immediately soothe Lucy's insides. She suddenly felt sleepy. And for a good two minutes of listening to his song she drifted off to sleep.

Morning has come and Lucy was running around the hotel checking everything that needs to be checked. Everything should be perfect for the finale. Erza was in her office dealing with some documents that has to do with other branches of the Heartfilia Company. Before it was just a small part of the company that they were dealing with, but now with the whole Heartfilia Groups? It was physically and mentally tiring.

Lucy entered her office and sat on her chair and started to type things on her computer. Seeing that, Erza stood up from her seat and went to her, placing a cup of Lucy's favorite Coffee Caramel Latte in front of her.

"Did you even eat this morning?" She asked Lucy.

Not looking at Erza she answered. "Nope, I was running late when I woke up this morning."

Erza sighed. "Lucy, I don't want that past Lucy anymore. She's hard to deal with and just, ugh. I don't want to repeat those morning speeches —"

"Relax Erza!" Lucy said looking up at her and taking a sip of the coffee. "I'm fine. Perfectly fine."

"But —" Just then Lucy pulled something from her side and placed it on the table, in front of Erza. It was a clumsily packed something, the paper bag had some scotch tapes on top, which she guessed were used to close it and the sides are quite crumple. How the hell would someone mess up packing things in a paper bag? Erza unpacked it and smiled. "Natsu packed it?"

"The food, surprisingly, yes. The paper bag, obviously, yes." She smiled and went back to work. "You can get some if you want it's not like I can finish that all."

"Cereals, milk, a banana.. A.. What's this?" She held out. "Oh, sliced apples. Looks like murdered apples to me." Erza shrugged. "And bread. Did he just get all this in their headquarters?"

Lucy giggled. "I think so. He said he tried pancakes but then Juvia scolded him for burning their pan and making the whole HQ smell."

Erza smiled at her. "It's a good thing he did this, you probably won't go back to 'old hag Lucy'."

"Hey!"

Just then the phone on Erza's office rang. "Be right back." And Erza immediately went back to her office picking up the ringing phone.

"Miss Scarlet, there is a man here who wants to speak with Miss Heartfilia."

Erza looked up at Lucy. She didn't warn her of anyone that would come or Erza wasn't awar of any important person that Lucy would be meeting today. "What's his name?"

"He told me to tell Miss Heartfilia that Mr. Queen is here."

"Mr. Queen?" Erza wondered out loud. She opened the planner she had for Lucy but no one named Mr. Queen was there. "What's his purpose?"

"He won't tell us. He just said to tell Miss Heartfilia that Mr. Queen is here."

"Alright. I'll ask Lucy about this. Wait." Erza picked up another phone and dialed Lucy's local. She looked through the glass doors and as Lucy picked it up she looked up to her confusedly.

"Erza?"

"Lucy, there's a man looking for you downstairs." Erza said still looking at Lucy who went back to working on her computer.

"Who is it?"

"He told the guards to tell you that Mr. Queen is here." Suddenly, Lucy stopped working and immediately looked up to Erza with a rather surprised expression on her face. "You okay?"

"Y-Yeah. Send him in please." And Lucy hung up.

Erza picked up the other phone and told the guards to send the man in. After that, she went back to Lucy's office seeing that she had stopped working and was just looking at the large glass window on her right.

"Who's Mr. Queen?"

Lucy looked back at Erza and sighed. "N-Nothing." Then she smiled.

"Everything okay? I'll stay here if you feel unco —"

"No, I —" Just then a knock on the door caught their attention and Erza gestured for the man to get inside. He had brownish blonde hair, obviously and important and probably a rich man due to his finely cut suit underneath the black coat and dark blue scarf.

"Good morning Miss Lucy. I see you were busy." Started Mr. Queen. "Would you rather talk some other day?"

Lucy immediately stood up and waved her hand. "No. No. Please, sit." There was a deafening silence, until Mr. Queen gestured for Erza. And Lucy looked up to see Erza still standing there. "Uhm, Erza? Can you leave u —"

She gave Lucy the look.

"Please." Lucy said. And with that, Erza just had no choice but leave them.

"Lucy!"

Lucy flinched at the sound of her name. It was amazing how she was able to hear Levy shout her name over the loud booming from the speakers as Mermaid Heel performs. The crowd was really wild, their shouts echoed through the walls and Lucy swear, she heard it even from her office. She continued walking past through designers and make-up artists who continued running from one dressing room to another. The production staff were on one side looking okay from what she can see. Those guys could handle this event just fine.

She was surprised when someone crashed into her and she was enveloped in a warm hug. "I've been calling you!" Levy pouted when she pulled away and looked at Lucy. "You look lost, are you lost in your own property?" She teased.

Lucy smiled and shook her head. "I'm just amazed how everyone is working in here." Lucy said looking around.

"You arranged this, why wouldn't it be perfect." Levy said, grinning.

Lucy just smiled back. "You're late. You said, it'll just take 30 minutes." Erza said in a commanding tone. They looked to their side and saw her. Her hands on her hips looking sternly at Lucy.

Lucy laughed softly. "Sorry Erz." She pulled from Levy and hugged Erza really tight which made Erza caught off guard. "The investors called for an urgent meeting, I just couldn't ignore that." And just like that, Erza softened.

"Fine. You're here anyway."

Lucy pulled away. "Besides, I don't see a reason why I should be here."

Just then an arm slung around Lucy's shoulder and she was pulled into another hug. "Here's the reason why you should be here." Lucy looked up and saw those onyx eyes staring down at her with the best grin she had ever seen.

Her heart skipped a bit. She stared at him like she had never seen him before and her eyes begin to water. And before he could see it she buried her face in his chest, inhaling his scent.

"Where have you been Luce?" Natsu said hugging her tighter. It seemed rather weird to him that Lucy was like this. "You okay?"

She nodded though his chest.

"Hey! Stop hugging. We're in the band battle. People are staring. There are reporters." Gray said from behind them stating the obvious.

"Oh shut up stripper!" Natsu scowled. Just when Lucy has finally fell for his amazing charms the stripper just had to ruin the moment. "Get your own woman." Lucy pulled herself away from him and smiled.

"Gray's right." Lucy said with a small blush on her face looking down.

Natsu cupped her cheeks. "Hey? You okay? You look pale?"

Lucy, caught off guard stared at him again. She forced herself to nod and grabbed both his hands, setting it down in between them. "I'm fine." She smiled. "Just.. Tired."

Natsu held her hand tight. "Where were you anyway?"

Erza rolled her eyes and answered for Lucy. "Working of course."

Looking back at Lucy, Natsu sighed. "Did you eat the breakfast I prepared?"

"Wait!" Gray said raising a hand in between them making them look at him. "Did I just hear what I thought I hear?"

Gajeel was snickering in the background. "He? Breakfast? Prepare? Lucy?" He muttered in between small laughs.

Juvia glared at Natsu. "Did Natsu not stayed away from Juvia's kitchen?"

Just then Natsu's eyes widen and waved his hands in front of Juvia. "No! No! I didn't do anything!"

"But Juvia heard you said you prepared breakfast for Lucy!"

Lucy crossed her arms across her chest as Juvia turned to her in question. "He did." She said with a smirk.

Natsu glared. "I didn't!.. I mean, I just picked some things I didn't cook! I promise!"

"If Juvia sees any mess in the kitchen she will pummel you to the ground." Juvia threatened before turning away with a hmmp.

Natsu glared at Lucy and she just giggled. "Thanks for the breakfast!" She said and stuck her tongue out at him. "Juvia!"

Juvia turned at the sound of her name being called.

"Please don't be mad at him." She said staring into her eyes. "He didn't cook, except if you call murdering apples cooking."

Juvia sighed and looked at Natsu. "Just because Lucy said."

"Thanks!" Lucy cheered and hugged Juvia.

"WHY DID YOU EVEN SHOW UP?!"

"GET AWAY! I NEED TO SEE THEM!"

Their attention was caught by a commotion going from across the room. It was just outside The Sabers dressing room. Lucy immediately walked towards them seeing the two people having an argument. The others followed her.

"GET LOST LISANNA! WE DON'T NEED YOU!" Minerva shouted. They were starting to gather nosy people around them.

"I'M NOT HERE FOR YOU. ROGUE WILL DO HIS PART, I JUST NEED TO DO SOMETHING!" Lisanna said trying to walk past Minerva.

"YOU BITCH! YOU'LL FLIRT AGAIN WITH THAT —"

"Lisanna?" Both of them turned at the sound of the voice. Lucy. She was staring at Lisanna with wide eyes. Suddenly, Lucy run fast towards her hugging Lisanna really tight that they may have fell if Lisanna wasn't able to place one foot behind her.

All of the people around them looked confused at the sight. "Why the hell was Lucy hugging her?" Gray asked to no one in particular.

As if an answer to the indirect question, Levy shrugged and kept on staring at them. She knew Lucy's not mad at Lisanna but she didn't know Lucy missed Lisanna.

Natsu was surprised, really surprised but he smiled and started to walk over to them.

Lisanna quickly pulled away from her but find the she can't due to Lucy's tight grip. She as well was really surprised when she was hugged by Lucy. Knowing she can't get out of the other girl's grip, she sighed. "Lucy, I need to tell you something! The —"

Lucy shushed her and buried her face in Lisanna shoulder. "Please. Don't." Lucy whispered softly. "Please."

"Lis! You're back!" The cheerful voice came from behind Lucy and she pulled back from Lisanna. "Where have you been?" Natsu asked grinning from ear to ear. He was really happy at the sight in front of him and just couldn't stop grinning.

Ignoring Natsu's question, Lisanna looked at Lucy's face. Lucy was smiling at her. "Glad you're back."

"I-I..."

"Well, looks like I have to go. I have to work on some papers." Lucy smiled at Lisanna and turned to Fairy Law. "Good luck guys!"

Lucy started to walk but Natsu grabbed her. "You're not gonna wish me luck?"

Lucy rolled her eyes. "You don't even need it."

"But I would like to hear it from you." Gray and Gajeel made a choking noise And Natsu just glared at them.

Lucy walked back to him. She touched Natsu's cheek and looked into his eyes. "Good luck." She smiled again and walked away.

"Why would Lucy made me want to puke today?" Gray asked as he rolled his eyes and walked away from the small group.

Lisanna watched as Lucy and the other bands of Fairy Law started to walk away. She was still in shock of what had happen. Why would Lucy stop her? "Lis?" She snapped out of her thoughts and looked up to see Natsu.

"Natsu!" She beamed. "I need to tell you something." She said and started pulling him.

"FAIRY LAW YOU'RE UP!"

Natsu looked up to the staff who just called for his band. They didn't notice all four bands had finished their act and it was actually their turn now. "That needs to wait." Natsu said and started to run but Lisanna pulled his sleeve.

"You —" Please. Don't. Lucy's voice echoed in her head.

"Natsu! What the hell are you still doing? Get your ass here!" Jellal shouted as the other bands were getting ready with their respective instruments.

"Look Lis, let's just ta —"

She didn't let go. Lisanna stared right into his eyes. "I know who you really are." Natsu's eyes widen. "I know —"

Held her by the shoulder and stared directly into her eyes. "We'll talk later! This event's important to Lucy." He said in a serious tone. And even with all the curiosity, all the worry and questions he had for what Lisanna said, Natsu walked away from her deciding he would deal with everything that has to do with that after the band battle.