Chapter 15- That time he walked her home

About 7 hours later in the evening, Lucy woke again, this time with less aches and pains. She looked around to see Natsu on the chair asleep beside her. This made Lucy smile. Lucy rose successfully from her bed, she walked into the guild hall. It was deserted. Lucy felt the evening air brush against her scars. She put a hand on her stomach, her touch was cold. She put the other hand on her face, the scars stung, they were ugly, but she didn't mind. She remembered what Gray had said to her about a year and a half ago, 'As long as my scars are visible, I don't care'.

Lucy walked back into the infirmary. She shook Natsu's arm but he just rolled over and snored. Lucy sighed I kind hoped it wouldn't come to this… Lucy drew back her fist and punched the green flames into his face right between his eyes. Natsu's eyes shot open. "What was that for!?"

"Everyone's gone home already." Said Lucy with her hands on her hips.

"Huh?" Natsu ran out into the guild hall… when he returned, "Oh…"

"Yeah, so I'm going to go home," Lucy turned and walked out of the guild through the guild hall. Every step it ached a little bit, but Lucy didn't care, she just wanted to go home to be in her own bed. On the way home, Lucy began to walk slower and slower. She walked down a few streets of Magnolia feeling like she was being followed. Lucy turned around,

"Lucy, are you okay?" Gray ran up to Lucy down the street. Shirtless. As per usual.

"Gray? I'm fine. What are you doing here?" asked Lucy.

"You don't look fine." Gray watch Lucy walking extra slowly beside him, "I …. Ummm… sleep walked here somehow…" Gray lied…

Lucy was suspicious but didn't question him… "Gray?"

"Yes?"

"What time is it?"

"Oh… it's about eleven…"

"WHAT!"

"You didn't know?"

"No I only just woke up a little while ago and Natsu was the only one left in the guild."

"Idiotic Flame-head!"

"Huh?"

"Natsu isn't good at showing or explaining his feelings. I'm surprised Lisanna got so much out of him. You know sometimes he actually is as dumb as he looks."

Lucy laughed making her stomach hurt. Gray ducked under Lucy's arm and supported her with her arm around him.

"Thank you," said Lucy appreciatively,

"No problem… So, ummm, when did you and Sting become a thing?"

"You know that job I went on? Before I came back with these scars… We got pretty close after he took me to Lamia Scale so Cheria could heal me… We were in the inn alone and then yeah…" Lucy explained awkwardly…

"You didn't have?"

"No! Of course not!" Lucy blushed,

"So it wasn't a lie then?" asked Gray,

"You thought I was lying?"

"It's not that I don't trust you, it's because you've never had a boyfriend before and when you came back you were acting different… It was all just a bit weird and sudden."

"I swear I wasn't acting that differently!"

"You completely ignored Natsu who was always the one to make you smile, you had such a tough attitude with a fake sweet tone and you even started dressing differently…" Gray told her.

"Natsu was with Lisanna…" said Lucy quietly staring at her feet as she walked,

"So that's what's bothering you…"

"You could tell?"

"Lucy, I've known you for a year now, and we are close friends on a close team."

"Not anymore…"

"We still can be… All you have to do is say the word. At this rate someone will suggest Lisanna takes your place…"

"Natsu…." Lucy whispered to herself… "You know the reason I did all this… was because I didn't want to be the weak one anymore…. I didn't want to always be saved, I want to save myself! I want to truly be a strong mage of Fairy Tail…. But I was always Fairy Tail's 'damsel in distress'… That's all I ever was… Natsu's always saving me…. Maybe I don't wanna feel like I'm always relying on him and hanging off his shoulder…. That's why I left on my own. That's why I training a week before I returned. That's why I was acting tough!" Lucy's tears streamed down her cheeks like a waterfall, "I did it for him! And I come back and he's with Lisanna! I did it for him!" Lucy cried and cried. Gray picked her up and carried her to her apartment and laid her down on the bed.

"Lucy, you don't have to do this to yourself. Follow your heart. Don't think about it too much."

"Gray, what do you know?! You can't even find the confidence to confess to Juvia already! Besides! What is that even supposed to mean?!"

Gray leant down to Lucy and wiped the tears from her cheeks. "Lucy, don't cry. You're too strong for that." He smiled and kissed her forehead lightly.

"WHAT THE HELL GRAY!" Lucy shouted in his face, she quieted down again and continued sulking.

"The minute you sort out your feelings, I'll confess to Juvia. I promise." Gray walked to the door and closed in behind him. "Goodnight."

Lucy woke up early that morning with a damp pillow from the tears she once shed. She wiped and rubbed her eyes and walked over to her mirror. Lucy looked a mess, not to mention the fading scars across her face. She showered and dressed quickly only to find herself walking to guild in what felt like the next minute. Half way there Lucy was greeted by Sting, Lector, Rogue and Frosch, Sting walked with his arm wrapped around her as they bickered back and forth. And for a change after arguing and looking at each other angrily in the eyes, they burst out in laughter at each other. Rogue almost cracked a smile, about time, he thought.

The three mages and the two exceeds entered the doors of Fairy Tail, all was the same as usual. Juvia was stalking Gray, Mira was smiling at the bar, Natsu was brawling with the stalked stripper, Wendy was in conversation with Charla and Levy, Erza was eating cake, Elfman was eying Evergreen from opposite sides of the guild whilst she conversed with Bickslow, Laxus and Freed were absent again due to council meetings, Gildarts was hitting on Laki, Cana was drinking, Loke was flirting, when did he get here?, Jet and Droy were arguing with Gajeel and so on…

Lucy settled down at the table with Levy and Wendy. After Lucy assured them she was fine, Sting and Rogue approached and suggested taking a job. Lucy apologised to the girls for her short presence and headed to the request board to pick something. Lucy stared for several minutes along with the twin dragons' two exceeds scanning for decent jobs. The guild doors opened and the Fairy Tail members turned their heads, Yukino and Angel had returned.

"Ahhhh you're back!" greeted Mira happily.

"Yukino?" Sting said in shock,

"Sting." Yukino glared as she walked past him,

"Tch. Rude." Commented Sting,

"Don't say that when it's your own fault." Said Rogue with arms folded across his chest.

"How!?" Sting demanded.

"For starters, you told her you liked her and then the next month you act like you didn't know her because she lost a battle. You didn't even stick up for her. And then you didn't really make an effort to talk to her since. What do you expect?"

Yukino… Sting once loved her… That's what Rogue said… It's probably true… Rogue's not wrong often… Sting probably still loves her…. Maybe I'm just meant to be alone after all….. Lucy tore her eyes away from Sting and Yukino. Lucy turned to Rogue, "You should go on this job without me, I think I'm gonna sit this one out… my wounds still haven't fully healed either."

I'm surrounded by family, yet I feel so alone. I am so confused, is it Natsu? Is it Sting?

Whoever it is, it obviously just isn't meant to be…