Aha, well, this is it for me! This last chapter of mine is pretty short, but, it leads into Mslead's part. So, from now on, she'll be taking over. You guys are in for a wild ride!

chapter 18: reburn

definition:

The burning of an area that has been previously burned but that contains flammable fuel that ignites when burning conditions are more favorable; an area that has reburned.

The first thing that Natsu became aware of was that his back hurt like hell. The next, that his neck felt pinched and he rolled it to the side with a pained groan. He stretched his cramped legs afterwards, his bare toes connecting with the cold wood of Lucy's coffee table. Only after he groggily took note of how much his body regretted sleeping on a couch did he realize that he'd been woken by the harsh buzzing on the coffee table.

His cellphone.

Natsu's bleary green eyes narrowed at the offensive thing, a growl rising in his throat. Who the fuck was calling him at–he glanced at the digital clock on Lucy's cable box and nearly swore–seven-fucking-thirty in the morning?

No one he willingly associated with would be awake at such an ungodly hour.

When the device continued to buzz and vibrate, making quite a clatter for such a small object, a small whimper came from the bundle next to Natsu. Lucy buried her head into his bare shoulder and grumbled something unintelligible.

Shit, the last thing he wanted to do was wake her up so early.

Natsu reached across his chest to cradle her soft blonde head in his hands, holding her steady as he sat up. Scooting to the edge of his couch cushion, he shifted her body until she was laying on her side, head on a decorative pillow.

Lucy sighed when he removed his hands, prompting a still half-asleep grin from him.

And then his cellphone buzzed again.

Natsu vaulted up and snatched it before it had a chance to wake his detective. Flipping it open, he snarled, "This better be real fuckin' good," as he stalked into Lucy's kitchen.

For a moment, he received no reply and he thought he'd scared away whoever had dared to call him. But, then, a displeased and oily male voice grunted out, "Watch your tongue, boy."

It wasn't a voice Natsu recognized.

His shoulders tensed and the muscles in his back knotted, his whole body going on red alert as he braced himself on the marble counter.

"Who is this?" he demanded.

A scoff came from the other end. "He did say that you had terrible manners… My name is Everlue," said the man, the distinct accent of a posh, uptown big-wig in his voice. "And I am in need of your…services, shall we say."

Natsu's left hand clenched on the countertop, his skin prickling with realization.

Their plan had worked.

They'd managed to draw the attention of a potential client. But…they didn't want just some jackass in a suit, he knew; they wanted a client who usually went to Jackal. They wanted to "steal" from Jackal.

That was the only way this would work.

"Look," Natsu grumbled in the phone, "I dunno who gave you this number, but I ain't - "

"Oh, relax." It was a snippy order, and Natsu scowled–he didn't like being ordered around. "You were referred to me by a good friend of yours. Jackie?" Everlue mused, his lips surely curving upwards in a feline smile.

Jackal.

So he had gotten the message then.

Natsu felt his own grin spreading, because what the hell were the odds? "Yeah," he told Everlue as he inspected his fingernails, "I know Jackie. So, whaddaya need?"

"It's a simple job, really. I'll explain more at a later date." Everlue's tone was dispassionate, almost as if he were bored. "Are you interested?"

"Hell yeah," Natsu said without hesitation.

He tried to ignore the way his heart began beating faster, how the first flickers of adrenaline were already mingling with his blood. His excitement wasn't faked.

Neither was the tingling along the left row of his ribs, and he glanced down to see three red lines dragging across his skin. Lucy's scratch marks, Natsu realized with a small amount of pride, a testament to the thing that had very nearly happened the night before. Licking his bottom lip, he discovered that it had indeed split.

But it'd been damn worth it.

"Good," snorted the older man. "I'll send you and Jackie both the coordinates for the meeting."

At that, Natsu paused, his heart slowing. "He's coming too?" he muttered with genuine disgust.

"Perhaps," Everlue answered vaguely, making no effort to clarify. "I'll see you very soon. Oh, and Salamander?" The posh tone to his voice was suddenly so thick that Natsu almost gagged. "Don't bring anyone else with you to our meeting."

"Of course not," he muttered.

And then the man called Everlue was gone.

Natsu pocketed his cell phone, scrubbing a calloused hand over his face. Leaning against the counter, he heard a sleepy yawn from behind him and looked over his shoulder to see Lucy.

Her eyes were half-mast, hair a disheveled mess that made him grin, and she was practically drowning in her tabby cat t-shirt. The words fucking adorable flashed through Natsu's mind and he had to bit his tongue to keep from saying them aloud.

"…Who was that?" the blonde murmured around another yawn, rubbing her eyes.

"That, Miss Detective," he began with an ever-growing smirk, "was a client."

Oho, so it appears as though their plan is working. Stayed tuned! Mslead has a lot in store for you

KUDOS TO THOSE WHO REVIEWED: Andysfire, orchadeia, BookAlchemist2, Yuyui Hime, lkityan, SlightlyOff7, DD42, KaUiA, Danyella413, Snavej, AnimeManga-Otaku, sasukeluver02, Paige'slibrary, fanficlove2014, cookie. panda-roo, TpLoz, absolutefiction, ramblingninny, semi-absorbed, AztecBrat, bluebirdeyes

Thank you so much for all your reviews, we treasure them all so much. I can't believe we're so close to 300! I can't wait for Mslead to take over, because I know she'll just blow you guys away ;)