A/N: So I've been on a roll writing this for the past few days and since it took me so long to update before I thought I'd give you guys another chapter! To everyone who has favored, followed, and reviewed THANK YOU SO MUCH! You guys make me smile!~ This is also the longest chapter I've written thus far so I hope everyone enjoys it. Leave me a review before you go, please? ^^

Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail.

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I let my concern for Gilligan entrap my thoughts. All I allowed myself to think of was this poor, homeless girl with a life much rougher than mine. Every breath I took was with a determination to make her better. Nurturing was a part of my soul; I'd always coddled everything I cared for. This slender, dark haired, mysterious child was no different. She just gave me an excuse to stop wallowing in my self pity.

Gilly's shoulders moved stiffly as she walked; her entire body was tense. I could picture her unique amethyst eyes darting back and forth on corridor's horizon. A part of me felt like we were marching a prisoner to the showers. Erza and Mira strode shoulder to shoulder in front of the girl and I made up the rear, effectively blocking any escape. Plue flanked Gilligan, shaky as usual, his big eyes gazing up at her in wonder every few seconds.

Luckily the bath house wasn't too far from the bar at the guild hall. The heavenly scent of lavender assaulted the humid air, warm mist danced around our toes. Gilligan visibly relaxed. Plue tugged on my pants and I looked down as he gave his farewells in a way only the Dog Star could before he disappeared back to the celestial world.

There was a flash of bright, blinding light as Erza sat on an oak bench nearest the pools. Her armor was gone, replaced with a not-so-modest towel that hugged her ample curves. Her long, crimson locks were hidden in a cotton wrap on top her head. "Alright, Gilly, give your clothes to Mira so they can be washed as you bathe." Erza's voice was commanding but not unkind.

What little color Gilligan had drained from her face. "W-what?" she stammered meekly.

"Don't be shy! You don't have anything we haven't seen before!" Mirajane chirped as she slid from her dress, left only in her undergarments.

It was then that I realized I was meant to undress as well. Suddenly, I faltered. My heart beat escalated erratically. A twinge of memorable pain shot from between my legs. I took a shaky breath, trying to fight the conflict in my head. These were my friends. They would not blame me. They would be beside me.

Are you sure about that? hissed an unwelcome and annoying voice in my head. You always dress like a slut. They'll think you had it coming. You're at fault. You're the blame. Nausea crept into my stomach as I tried to silence the voice. I closed my eyes and pictured a mop of pink hair, fiery black eyes, and the most genuine smile a dragon to offer. Natsu was beside me. That was all that mattered. With one glance at the trembling girl, I made up my mind. A new found confidence entered my bloodstream and I reached up and began to undo my arm warmers. I took my precious scarf from my hair and placed it in the pile that my clothes now lay.

With a deep breath, I stepped forward into the water. The heat was welcoming and soothed my aching joints. I looked at Mira. The white haired beauty was frozen, staring at me with what could only be horror in her crystal eyes. A glance at Erza confirmed the shock at seeing my body covered in bruises beginning to yellow. Wisely, the two woman didn't question me and instantly I felt my affection for the two S Class wizards grow. They weren't going to push me to explain my wounds. I saw the questions burning from their eyes but their focus left me and turned back to Gilligan. "We won't bite!" I told her with a warm smile, leaning against one of the rock walls built into the pool.

The poor girl's hands shook as she undid her clothes. Respectfully, I turned away from her. The eldest Strauss took the garments from her and flitted into a different room to start them in the wash. It wasn't until I heard the muffled splash of water that I turned back around. I had to bite my cheek to keep from gasping at the street rat. Her body was covered in grime and every line of her skin was caked in layers of dirt but that wasn't what took me aback. Gilligan was beyond what I'd call skinny. She was a walking skeleton. Her shoulder bones jutted painfully against her skin. I could count every rib in her body, down to where her hip bones protruded. Her physique had yet to flower but it was no wonder why as her nutrition levels were nonexistent.

Gilly bowed her head, her greasy hair falling in front of her face. I could tell Erza, and the now returned Mira, were also appalled by her condition. The takeover mage chewed on her bottom lip as she joined us, offering a hard loofah and a bottle of soap to the girl. With shame on her features, she accepted the objected offered.

Determined to make light of this situation I did something I hoped I wouldn't regret. I swung my arm out of the pool for my keys, lying just at the waters edge and gripped my eldest key. "Open! Gate of the water bearer! Aquarius!" I repeated the mantra I've uttered thousands of times and the feisty maiden appeared in the pool with us, rage filling her eyes.

"I was on a date!" she screeched, and unleashed a torrent of water straight into my face, causing me to fall under the current. I came up for air, sputtering. Aquarius was waiting for me with another gush of water.

"Open, Gate of the Maiden! Virgo!" I gasped. The pink haired zodiac appeared, clad in a very revealing black bikini.

"Punish me, Princess!" she pleaded, head down.

My cheeks burned scarlet. "No! I will not punish you!" I dodged another of Aquarius' spouts. "Virgo! Aquarius!" The two celestial spirits looked at me quizzically, though the water bearer's eyes bored angrily into my core. "This is Gilly," I gestured to the girl and for the first time my zodiacs seemed to realize we weren't alone. Erza Scarlett watched us with an amused grin and a cocked brow. Mirajane' eyes were squinted, trying to hold in her laughter-no doubt directed at me. And for the first time, a true smile burned from the street rat. Gilligan's teeth were shockingly white compared to the state of the rest of her. Her purple eyes were filled with wonder as she stared at Virgo and Aquarius.

"Pleased to meet you," Virgo bowed her head, her pink hair dripping into the water. Aquarius simply snarled in greeting.

"Golden keys... Signs of the zodiac," Gilly murmured. I flooded with pride. With a quick shake of her head, Gilligan's face returned to angst and her hard exterior built up around her again. "Yeah, whatever." Teenagers.

"Why... you brat!" hissed Aquarius and with a rather dramatic flourish, doused the street rat in a torrent of water. Dark hair plastered itself against Gilly's porcelain skin. The girl sputtered incoherently, pushing her drenched locks away from her eyes. She glared at the water spirit with what I could only describe as the type of embarrassed-fury only a teenager could possess. Mirajane giggled, politely covering her lips with long, elegant fingers. I sighed with relief, I'd managed to break the ice around the child.

With a huff, Gilligan flopped in the water, arms crossed around her chest. She grunted as way of communication as she took the loofah and soap. Virgo helpfully assisted the girl with scrubbing her back in the places she couldn't reach.

"Thank you, Aquarius," I whispered as I closed her gate. She rolled her eyes and nodded her head as she faded back into the celestial world to continue her date with Scorpio.

Erza hummed contentedly as she twisted her sopping hair between her fingers. "What's going on in your mind, Gilly?" she inquired.

The girl chewed on her lip as she contemplated her answer. "I... I don't know why you're being so nice to me," she finally replied.

"Why would we treat you badly?" the eldest Strauss sister questioned with a frown creased between her brows.

"It's just... Well, you see. I haven't had a whole bunch of luck with mages."

I wanted to ask Gilly to explain but decided against it. "Gilly," I started with sympathy plagued in my tone, "Fairy Tail is the greatest guild in all of Fiore. And it is not just because of our strength. We're a family. This is my Nakama." I smiled warmly as the girl focused on my chocolate eyes. "I know that many guilds out there are wary of outsiders but..." I trailed off, remembering the first time I'd seen Natsu's flame of pink hair. He grabbed my hand and pulled me off with him, to introduce me to my true family. A warm bubble formed inside my stomach. "Fairy Tail believes in giving everyone a chance," I finished lamely.

Erza took over, "But don't think that means you can take advantage of us. We don't take well to those who'd place Fairy Tail in their line of fire," the Titania's voice was hard and threatening.

"That's true," Mirajane concurred. "But if your intentions are well then you can consider us a friend!" Her crystal eyes sparkled. "Juvia and Gajeel both began as our enemies. Now they're some of our best and strongest members. Sting and Rogue of Sabretooth were against us as well when we first met. And now our guilds are the greatest of allies."

"It's just... I've heard a lot of Fairy Tail," Gilly murmured. "You guys leave havoc in your wake. Salamander destroys a different building every week. I never thought your guild would be so kind with all the horror stories about you."

My cheeks tinged pink. "We have our own methods. But the chaos is nothing compared to all the good we've done!" I reassured the young girl who watched me skeptically.

"Whatever you say," she grunted.

By the time Gilligan was bathed from head to foot, Mira had her clothes retrieved, warm and smelling of lilies. She melded into the clean cushion of her jacket and fondly caressed the material against her cheek, rubbed raw and pink from the vigorous scrubbing.

I felt Erza's eyes on me as I pulled my arm warmers back up to my elbows and tied my scarf into my pixie hair. I chewed nervously on my lip under her scrutiny. Mirajane glanced at us with a frown before steering Gilly out of the bath house and back to the bar. "I'm not ready to talk," I said defensively, guarding my scars.

The requip mage pursed her lips together, disapproval permeating from her brown irises. Her brow knotted as a frown graced her features but Erza didn't push me for information. With a sigh, she turned and left me alone in the bath house.

I slumped down against an oak bench, trembling. My eyes began to moisten and I willed the tears away. I could feel my attacker's fingers on me, ghostly whispers that left burning tendrils with every touch. Lucy Heartfilia, spoiled little heiress. Maybe that was who I was destined to be. The weak child that ran away from her lavish life; she didn't understand real hardship. That's why she let herself get attacked. Lucy of Fairy Tail was a great celestial mage. She was talented and strong-willed: skilled with a whip and lithe on her feet for good hand-to-hand combat. That girl, that wizard, would never have been touched by such a vile creature.

I let these toxic thoughts swirl around my head until I felt numb. Somehow, I found the strength to push myself off the floor-scraping my shoulder on the oak as I did so-and trudged down the hall back towards the bar. At the door I stopped dragging my feet. I lifted my head and straightened my shoulders. I plastered a smile on my face that didn't reach my eyes. This facade would have to do. Buzz of conversation flitted into my ears as I stalked back into the bar.

Mirajane was chatting merrily with her siblings, her hands gesturing wildly behind the counter. Elfman grunted along with her words, throwing in about how manly whatever they were talking about was important.

The guild hall was distinctively fuller than it had been when we'd ventured to Fairy Hills. I felt my heart leap into my throat. Miserably, I tried reminding myself that these were my friends-my family. I squeezed my eyes shut and clenched my jaw, counting in my head, trying to calm my anxiety.

A large, rough hand gently pressed against my shoulder and without opening my eyes I knew that Natsu Dragneel was at my side. I breathed in his aroma and let my lashes flutter open. His big, dorky smile greeted my vision. "There ya are, Luce," he spoke as if I'd been gone for years. I felt my heart beat faster again only now for a reason much different than anxiety. My cheeks tinged pink, the same color as his mop of hair, and I let out a soft giggle.

"Natsu," I breathed my relief and allowed the dragon to become my rock.

He steered me to our usual table and plopped me in a seat beside the fresh Gilligan. Gilly was fixated at the wood on the table, her features hidden. The icemake mage of our team, Gray, was sitting across from her, trying to ease the girl out of her shell. Beside him, the water witch, Juvia, was staring daggers into poor Gilligan's skull. "Gray-sama belongs to Juvia!" she shrieked, her composure finally broken. Her outburst caused everyone at the table to jump, startled. Erza opened her mouth to scald the mage but Gray spoke first.

He pinched the bridge of his nose, took a large breath into his lungs and hissed at Juvia in a low whisper that the entire table could hear anyway, "Juvia you're being ridiculous. This is a child!" He ground his teeth together. "I really wish you would give me more credit! I'm not the type of man who would cheat! I love you!" his last sentence was lower, pleading.

A bizarre mixture of shame and happiness filled Juvia's deep blue eyes. "Juvia will never tire of hearing that," she gushed. Frost slowly circled Gray Fullbuster's knuckles, his brow twitched in annoyance.

Natsu cackled obnoxiously at his friend, jeering, "Mavis, ice princess, you are whipped!"

"You're one to talk, flame brain!" The black haired mage snapped back at the dragon.

"What exactly does that mean, frost queen?" The two mages launched insults back and forth, both now on their feet and in each other's faces.

"You're so stupid, fire head," Gray snarled and began to gesture at me. "You don't even see what's sitting right there in front of you! Mavis, Natsu, you'd do anything for Lucy and you say that I'm whipped?!"

My cheeks burned at the same intensity of the fire now coiled in the dragon slayer's fist. "Lucy is my best friend! She's my family!"

"You are so oblivious and stupid!" Gray slammed his fist onto the table, stalagmites of ice shooting up around his skin on the oak. Gilligan inhaled sharply and jumped back, her purple eyes wide with fear. "How can you be this dense?" He continued on, ignoring the street rat beginning to tremble.

Natsu paid her no heed as well. "I don't know what you're talking about!"

It was in that moment that both Erza and I had listened enough. Almost as if we were in sync, we lifted from our places on the benches and as one slammed our fists onto the hard wood. "Enough!" we screeched in unison. Rage burned in Erza's foresty eyes as she stated the two mages down; annoyance and embarrassment graced my chocolate ones. "You're terrifying Gilligan," Erza spoke, low and deadly. With her tone both Natsu and Gray instantly dropped their fighting stances and bowed their heads. "You're both idiots. Now sit down and be quiet!" Erza commanded attention in a way that only a warrior could. Her grace and beauty were matched by none but the Titania had far more than feminine wiles on her side. She was a fierce fighter, skilled with many weapons and lithe on her feet even in plate. She could control an entire room with just a glance. I'd always slightly envied my friend and her ability to stop everyone around her.

I shot her a thankful smile as I sunk back into my seat. Natsu flopped beside me with a huff and muttered, "Can you believe that stupid ice princess?" I rolled my eyes and chose to ignore the dragon.

Gilligan's shoulders relaxed and she placed her elbows on top of the table with a sigh. Loudly, the hoodlum's stomach rumbled.

"Mira will have your food out soon," I reassured her.

Just as I had thought, moments after I spoke the barmaid appeared carrying a tray, over flowing with different fares. With a smile she set the platter on the table and delicately wiped sweat from her brow with her shoulder. "I've whipped up a few different things. You seemed starved half to death so I know you must be hungry."

The look in Gilly's lavender eyes was ravenous; I couldn't help but to chuckle as I'd seen that very expression numerous times on Natsu Dragneel. The takeover mage began to unload the dishes, setting a piping hot pile of spicy chicken legs in front of my best friend. A mound of nachos was placed in front of the Redfoxes; Gajeel began to chew on the pronged tip of a fork as his wife dainty grabbed a chip. Yet another piece of strawberry cake was handed to Erza Scarlett and I felt rather jealous that the requip mage could continuously eat sweets without gaining an inch to her waist. Gray blushed furiously as Mirajane sat a sundae made for two in front of him and Juvia Loxar. With a knowing glance, the barkeep positioned a beautiful china bowl in the space before me. Inside was a heap of yogurt—my absolute favorite!—garnished with peaches, granola, and honey. I took a moment to close my eyes and let the aroma of the fruit enter my nostrils, sending a shiver down my spine.

Mira unloaded the last five plates in a semicircle around Gilligan. A roasted ham had steam coiling from its flesh, embellished with warm apple slices. Tacos looked as if they had come straight out of a photograph: every slice of lettuce in place, extravagant little piles of sour cream and guacamole sculpted into tiny spirals. A giant bowl of baked macaroni and cheese, still bubbling in gooey deliciousness. Three different sliders, grilled chicken with bacon and ranch, buffalo burger with bleu cheese and a spicy cream paste, and pulled barbeque drenched in a smoky sweet sauce. The final plate was a sampler of desserts; cheesecakes, brownies, toffees, and raspberry scones from just taking one glance.

Gilly's bottom lip quivered. She bit down to make it stop but her eyes were ringed with moisture. With a shaky breath she whispered, "Thank you, Mira." The takeover mage beamed at the homeless girl and waved her hand in dismissal of her appreciation. With a quick nod she excused herself to the backroom, behind the bar. No doubt she had gone back there to hide as she let out a few tears herself.

Clearly, Gilligan had not been raised as an heiress to anything. The girl practically dove her face into the plates, shoving mouthfuls of food into her mouth. Natsu, not to be outdone was swallowing his hot wings whole. I sighed and shook my head at the two, daintily spooning yogurt onto a scone that I'd nabbed from the dessert platter.

It didn't take long for Gilly to warm up to our group. Within minutes she was laughing as Levi recalled a joke she'd read earlier in the day. I didn't fail to notice Natsu sitting close enough to me that his leg brushed against my thigh. I took solace in his warmth and joined in with the merriment.

"LUSSSHHHHYYYY~" was the only warning I received as the Exceed, Happy slammed into my chest. His nose was running, his eyes were watering, and he clung onto me as if I would float away at any moment. I heard a disapproving tut from Carla and a faint giggle from Wendy in between Happy's sobs. I ran my fingers through his azure hair, stroking him softly with my nails. He hiccupped as he looked at me, "I've missed you. Are you feeling better yet?"

I smiled down at the cat and wrapped my arms around his tiny frame in a tight hug. I nuzzled my nose against his scalp as I replied in a whisper, "Yes. I'm starting to feel much better."

"Good!" Happy beamed, his eyes finally dry enough to take in his surroundings. "Nee~ Natsu!" he quipped in acknowledgement to the dragon slayer. "Eh? Who is this?" He looked curiously at Gilligan who had gone back to being bashful with the new intruders.

"About time you realized someone else was here," Carla scowled.

"This is Gilligan—Gilly," I told the trio, ignoring the white haired Exceed. "Gilly, this is Wendy. She's the sky dragon slayer," the blue haired teen bowed her head in greeting. "And these are Happy," I patted the Exceed in my lap, "and Carla," I gestured to the female.

"Pleasure to meet you," Carla said honestly, sticking out a tiny paw with pink pads. Gilligan gently shook it.

"Hi!" Happy piped up. "If Lucy likes you then I know you're good!"

It was hard to stay shy around the extrovert Exceed with his giant smiles and silly quips. Gilligan soon fell into his charm. We explained to Wendy that Natsu and I had ran into the girl while taking a walk in the park and that we'd brought her back to Fairy Tail. All in all the guild as a whole accepted our explanation of the park without question, to my greatest of reliefs.

Time dwindled away. As the sky turned dark, Makarov made another appearance. He offered Gilligan a room in Fairy Hills for a couple weeks to help her get onto her feet to which she hastily accepted and gushed her thanks for several minutes.

As the day's adventures began to close, my eyes started to feel heavier. It had been a long and taxing afternoon for me emotionally and all the adrenaline was finally deciding to leave my body. Natsu watched as my eyes reddened with exhaustion. He placed his hand on the small of my back and helped me up. "It's getting late. I'm gonna take Luce home. We'll catch you all tomorrow."

"Have fun!" snickered an intoxicated Cana. Her father guffawed and winked exaggeratedly at the pink haired wizard. He stiffened beside me but kept moving, opening the door so that I could step through first.

The air outside was frigid, temperatures having fell as the sun left the sky. My breath puffed in front of me in long tendrils. Even with my arm warmers the chill stabbed into me and within a few yards I was trembling. I felt something heavy and warm drop onto my shoulders. It smelled heavenly, of campfire smoke and cinnamon and I didn't need to look beside me to know that Natsu had lent me his most treasured possession—his scarf. My cheeks tinged pink as I inhaled his scent deeply. From the corner of my eye I noticed him smile, slightly.

I was a little surprised that our walk was silent. Normally Natsu would find something to talk with me about. But when I looked over at the dragon slayer his onyx eyes were fixated in the distance, his mind lost in thought. A crease settled in the corners of his lips that was always nearby when the man was deeply concentrating. I considered speaking up, of making small talk but decided against it. I wrapped his scarf tighter around my shoulders, burying my nose into the fabric.

I let my mind wander. I escaped from memories of my assault and absorbed into the smell of Natsu Dragneel. I closed my eyes as we walked, knowing that my best friend would steer me in the right direction.

At the door to my apartment, Natsu slipped his fingers into my pocket and withdrew the key. At that tiny gesture a fire ignited in the core of my belly that terrified me. Natsu must have smelled my nerves because he said quickly, "Sorry Luce, you just look so warm I didn't want to unwrap you."

I sighed inwardly as we stepped into the threshold. It wasn't his touch that scared me. It was what his touch had caused to flash in my mind that did especially after what had happened in the alley. Pictures of pink hair at my waist, a searing of flesh against my hipbone. The way my core heated as his fingers slipped into my pocket was unexpected. It took a moment for my heartbeat to settle and despite the chill in the air there was a sheen of sweat on my brow.

"Are you okay, Luce?" he asked, watching me with concern etched into those deep, dark eyes.

My breath hitched, I blinked and shook my head. "Y-yeah, I'm fine." Natsu's gaze followed me as I unwrapped his scarf from my body and gingerly placed it back around his neck. "Thanks for letting me borrow this."

"Always," he whispered huskily; I saw a fire burning in his eyes. I couldn't hold his gaze. I turned my head as my cheeks flared pink. Faintly, I remembered the pain and the fear of being violated. I hated myself for being scared of my best friend. Natsu was the most innocent person I knew, if his voice wasn't so deep I'd question whether or not he'd been through puberty. He would not hurt me. I repeated the mantra in my head, Natsu, Natsu, Natsu, Natsu, until his name no longer sounded real—just a jumble of syllables. "Lucy," his voice was strained. It caught me off guard, I looked at him apprehensively. His fists were balled at his sides and I saw the anger burning inside him. "I'll kill him," the sentence barely hit an octave I could hear. The dragon stepped towards me and I gasped at the water in his eyes. "For laying one dirty finger on you." Natsu shook with rage. "I… I should have been there to protect you!" A silent tear slid down his cheek and he hung his head, dejected.

I closed the space between us and wrapped his bulky body in my slender arms, burying my face into his chest. The pure smell of Natsu assaulted my senses. Cinnamon, campfire, and fresh soil made up Natsu's unique musk. His body was always so warm where mine was always cold. "I don't blame you," I whispered into his pectorals. As muffled as I was I knew he could hear me. "Remember what you told me in the park." His arms slid around me, clutching me against him. He lowered his head into my short crop of hair and breathed deeply. We stood like that for what felt like a long time. It might have been seconds, maybe minutes, or even hours. Time stood still. I was the one to pull away first, I grinned weakly up at him. "I'm tired."

He nodded and unfolded me from his arms. I excused myself for a few minutes to get ready for bed. I stared into the mirror long after I'd washed my face. The bruises on my arms were beginning to turn a sickly yellow, my legs still had deep purple marks. I'd chose pink silk shorts and a white tank top to sleep in. I followed the faint trail of bruises on my cleavage to a savage thumb print on my abdomen that was almost completely faded away. I turned my attention to my keys. The gold winked at me from where I'd laid them on the counter, always within my reach. Now, anyway. "Goodnight guys," I whispered to them as I clutched the ring in my fist and took security in knowing my Zodiacs were just a key turn away.

"You alright in there, Luce?" Natsu called from behind the door.

I took one more look in the mirror and smiled at myself: my messy hair, the bags under my eyes, my lips slightly chapped. Toothpaste was faintly dried on the corner of my mouth, I licked it off unceremoniously. Natsu was the only person I was comfortable enough with to see me like this. Vulnerable. "Yeah, coming." I swung the door open and flicked the light off. Natsu had used my guest bathroom to get ready himself. He was lying in my bed, arms crossed behind his head as he stared at the ceiling. He'd changed into baggy lounge pants and completely ditched his shirt. His scarf was the only item of clothing on above his waist.

When I emerged he swung his legs off the bed and sprang up. "Oi' sorry. I was just waiting for you to say goodnight. I'll go sleep on the couch."

"Wait, Natsu," I called as he turned, halfway out of the door. "Do you think you?…" I chewed on my lip. This was Natsu, what in Mavis was I doing? "Would you stay in here tonight?" I rushed through the words so fast that I was surprised he'd understood me at all.

"Uh, sure Luce. Just let me grab a pillow and a blanket and I'll crash on the floor."

"No. I mean. You've always slept in my bed before. What's changed?"

His gaze burned into my chest. I felt him drawing lines to all my marks, all the physical damage that monster had caused. His jaw tensed, the muscle flexing as he forced himself to unclench his fists. "A-are you okay with me sleeping with you?"

"Yes," I breathed.

He smiled and swung himself back onto my fluffy bed and buried himself in my pink comforter. "Good. I've missed your bed it's so comfy!" He groaned as he rubbed his face into a pillow.

As I turned off the light, I laughed at him. It all felt so normal. I felt fantastic. I climbed onto the bed beside him and stretched out on my back, staring at the dark ceiling as my eyes adjusted. "Natsu?" I whispered into the blackness.

"Hm?" he asked, and I felt him roll onto his side and prop himself up using an elbow.

"Thank you."

It was his turn to laugh. "You have nothing to thank me for." His fingers found my face and caressed a tendril of blonde out of my eye. "Mavis, Luce. Nothing at all." My heart hurt at his words. Tears began to pool in my eyes once again. The dragon slayer sniffed the air and sighed. "Please don't cry, Lucy," he pleaded. I rubbed vigorously at my sockets.

"Sorry," I choked weakly. I changed the subject, willing to focus completely on my best friend. "Earlier you talked to Erza about love? You said something about dragons having mates or something?"

"Yeah?"

"Why don't you ever date? Go and try to find your mate?"

"No need. No reason to. When a dragon finds his—or her—mate he knows. There's no reason to look for her. She'll find me." I frowned skeptically. "Listen, Luce," Natsu groaned. "I am not as bland and innocent as everyone likes to think I am. I have no reason to flirt or date or have casual sex because I know exactly who I'm waiting for. What, I'm waiting for," he corrected.

My eyes were getting heavier as we conversed. "So you'll just know?"

"Yes."

"Will your mate know as well?"

Natsu shifted again. He laid flat on his side, slipping his arm under my pillow. "Eventually. Hopefully. Only if she's a dragon will she know right away."

I let silence waft over us, listening to the faint sounds coming from the window. The canal's water was running rhythmically. "Have you met her yet?" I heard Natsu open his mouth but close it. He didn't answer me but I respected his choice not to even as a part of my heart cracked. My eyes fluttered closed and I gently cradled my head against Natsu's arm. "Goodnight, Natsu."

"Sweet dreams, Luce," he whispered into my ear.

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A/N: Thanks for sticking with me so far! Drop me a review or a comment before you go! I'll get the next chapter up ASAP! Please be patient with me!