Hello all! Sorry for such a long wait, but I got sideswiped with school work so I waited until I finished out the term to update. I'll be home free for the next few weeks so updates will probably be more regular during that time. Thanks for waiting everyone! Enjoy! :)

Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or the song used in this chapter!

Song: "Welcome to the Show" By: Britt Nicole

The music kicked on, turned up, and I immediately recognized the song.

Now's the time, get in line, don't be afraid tonight (Tonight)

We're gonna take you high, before you realize

'Round and 'round you'll go, up and down, never slow

Feel the excitement grow, oh

This is where you let go

"Come on, Lu!" Levy squealed in excitement as she gripped my arm and dragged me into the now dancing crowd. "Let's finally have some fun!"

I chuckled at her enthusiasm, her energy and the energy of everyone around me beginning to get to me, but I didn't care. "Yeah!" Pumping one fist into the air, I then took the lead and soon we were completely engulfed in a sea of dancers.

Hands high like a roller coaster

This love is taking over

Take us higher here we go

Oh, oh, oh

Welcome to the show

Gravity we're defying

'Cause we were made for flying

We're about to lose control

Whoh Welcome to the show

Welcome to the show, indeed, cause' there sure was a lot to see. People with black eyes and bloody noses pranced around on tabletops. Huge, face-splitting grins practically lighting up the area as they joked and laughed. You never would've thought that they were all fighting not even 10 minutes ago.

I let out another laugh. These people were nuts…but they were fun, and their energy was affecting me as I started dancing.

And put your hands u-u-up

We're gonna have some f-u-u-n

We've only just beg-u-u-n

And it's too late to r-u-un, you can't run

So put 'em u-u-up

We're gonna have some f-u-u-n

Turn up the bass let it b-u-u-mp

We've only just begun, and you can't run

I was grinning from ear to ear, singing along at the top of my lungs.

We're gonna have some f-u-u-n

Turn up the bass let it b-u-u-mp

We've only just begun, and you can't-

"Run."

I flinched at the voice, chills running down my spine as I stopped and scanned the crowd around me. Wh-What was that? It had to be the end of the song, right? Yeah, that was it, the ending word just got distorted that's all.

But then I heard it again. "Run." It wasn't more than a mere whisper, but I heard it. My head whipped around, my eyes wide, locking on every face. None of them seemed to notice anything but the music blaring through the speakers. Then I felt unnerved, the same exact feeling I had gotten just the other day in the woods. Something was watching me.

Muscles tense and eyes focused, I turned my attention to what lay past the throng of people; the bushes, the dark, ominous bushes.

"Run."

"Lucy? Are you okay?" Levy placed her hand on my shoulder as she shouted over the blasting noise that I barely even noticed anymore.

I snapped out of my trance but still kept one eye on the bushes as I threw on the most convincing smile I could muster. "Yeah," I answered cheerfully. "I'm fine!" My gaze found the refreshment table. "I'm just going to go get a drink, 'kay?" I didn't wait for her reply before I began pushing my way through.

Okay Lucy, you really need to get yourself together, I reprimanded myself, swiping a plastic cup off of the table and filling it with the water in a pitcher provided. You're fine; even if there is something, you're in a crowd of people. Nothing can get you here. Taking a few cleansing breaths, I dipped my head and stared at my glowing, orange reflection in the cup under the lantern light. I'm fine.

"Wooo, hey sexy!" a sudden cat-call came, instantly making me rethink my previous mantra.

I really hoped that he wasn't talking to me, but hell, I was the only female for at least 20 feet. I internally groaned but plastered on a friendly smile anyways as I made eye contact with the guy who had spoken.

"What's up?" he grinned at me, though the gesture didn't reach his eyes as they scanned me up and down.

To say that I felt like I was going to puke would be a gross understatement. As the creep practically undressed me with his eyes, I fought the urge to spit in his face by growling two words instead. "See ya."

When I turned to leave though, he grabbed me by the arm. "Aw," he mocked. "Where ya goin'? Let's have some fun."

The way he had said the word, "fun" made my skin crawl. Ugh, that's it! I thought as I ground my heels into the pavement, creating the perfect stance for a well-placed punch to this pervert's jaw. Just as I was about to swing myself around, a low, reverberating noise reached my ears; a growl, no, a snarl.

No…not now. The sound was quiet, so quiet that the scumbag still gripping my arm clearly hadn't heard it, but it was obviously pissed beyond measure. Was it the thing chasing me?

Ignoring the guy as he talked, my eyes darted around me. Where…where was it coming from… There! The bushes rustled slightly to my left, just behind where I stood at the table. Then there was a small glint of light; light reflected off of…eyes. Wait…I knew those eyes…

Natsu… Releasing a breath, I was almost too relieved to be pissed at him for following me. But why was he so mad?

Then I saw where he was looking, his narrowed and murderous eyes not on me but instead locked on the kid still holding my forearm firmly in his hand. Oh boy, not good.

I deadpanned and sighed as I discretely snapped my fingers once in an attempt to get his attention; he didn't even blink. "Natsu," I barely whispered, just loud enough for his dragon ears to pick up on, and they did, his eyes shifting to me for a brief moment before falling back on the kid. With one hand behind my back, I waved it towards him, my mouth not even moving when I said, "Get out of h-"

"Hey," the scumbag's voice yelled, snapping my attention back to him. His face was set in a deep scowl and his breath stank like alcohol when he slurred, "Ya should listen to people talkin' to ya."

He may have been trying to sound intimidating, but I swear if I wasn't more focused on getting the three-hundred pound dragon to stay hidden, I would've laughed in his face. I quickly jerked my hand, a menacing glare now set on my own face, but for a guy being drunk off of his ass, he had one hell of a grip. "Let go of me," I murmured.

He had the nerve to chuckle at me, like I was just being shy when in reality I was shaking with rage. As much as I wanted to wail on him in that moment, I knew that if I let it show how angry I was, then Natsu would attack without hesitation. However, as tempting as it was to let him, I couldn't let an entire party of people see him.

Suddenly his hand tightened and despite my determination, I let out a small squeak, more of surprise than anything else. Natsu bared his white teeth in the darkness, visibly shaking with the decision to either go or stay. "What'd ya say? Didn't get it."

Ugh, that was it. This had gone on for too long. Grinding my teeth together, I yelled, "I said; Let go of me!" and I stomped down on his foot with the heel of my boot. Yelling out in pain, he freed my arm only to have me bring it back and sock him straight in the nose.

A few seconds later, the pervert reached for me again. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Natsu lean back on his hunches, his own eyes locked and ready for the kill. My hand raised in a stopping gesture that he probably didn't even see. "N-"

Splash!

The dragon halted, much to my relief, and his eyes widened as I blinked in confusion.

"Why don't you cool off a little, huh?" another male voice spoke.

Slowly, I turned my head and standing over the pervert was boy with slanted eyes and black hair. One hand was in his jacket pocket, the other was holding a dripping pitcher of water over the creep's head.

Did he just-

"Stay outta this!" The dripping wet drunk slurred. He turned, one hand gripping his bloodied up nose, and pathetically attempted to throw a punch to the other boy but his fist was caught.

The black-haired boy gripped him by the collar of his shirt and in a movement I couldn't even see, promptly flipped him over onto the snack table. My eyes widened, dumbfounded as I watched the creep groan and shift his head before becoming motionless. Snack foods and sticky drinks flowed like a waterfall from the cracked table. "Ugh," the black-haired boy then spoke, crinkling his nose in disgust. "Smells like Cana on a Monday morning."

Natsu must've huffed cause' the bushes began to rustle and just as the boy was about to look in that direction, I spoke up. "Um," I started. "Thanks."

For the first time, he looked directly at me and a small smirk came to his face like he was amused with something. "Yup, no problem; I hate guys like this anyways."

I was even more confused at this, even cocking my head to the side to illustrate as much. "Isn't he one of your friends?"

This time he broke out laughing. "Oh hell no! It's a Fairy Tail party, but that doesn't mean that everyone here's a member."

Oh… that makes sense…

"We're a bunch of reckless and out of control people," he continued, gripping the passed out boy by his shirt again and huffing him over his shoulder. "But apparently, unlike this guy, even we've still got our morals."

Then waving one hand back at me, he turned around and walked away. Sighing to myself, I was about to do the same when I heard his voice again, this time low and whispering, so low that I could only make out a few words. "…come on…chicken…"

I crossed my arms and raised an eyebrow. Who's he talking to?

The bushes rustled again and I rolled my eyes. Giving the area a quick once over, I quickly submerged myself in the tall shrubs. Sitting down among the sticks and staring intensely into the darkness.

"I know you're still there," I murmured, tapping my fingers on my arms. "I suggest you make it easy on yourself and come out."

After a few seconds, the limited light flashed over dark eyes and the large dragon slumped out of his hiding place and guiltily plopped down in front of me. I could've asked why he was there, but that was a stupid question, I already knew why he was there. "You worry too much," I sighed. "You know that right?"

He only wined and looked up at me with his puppy eyes. I tried to look like I was mad, I really, truly did, yet a smile split my face anyway and soon I was laughing. This clearly surprised Natsu to no end as he looked at me like I had lost my mind.

Despite the possibility of him being seen, despite the fact that I definitely wouldn't allow him to do anything, him just being there to worry about me made me feel safer. Just that.

Gripping him by the horns, I made him lock eyes with me, a laugh still escaping my lips as I spoke. "You, my friend, are an idiot." He growled in his defense. "But thanks," I smiled and his eyes widened. "I'm…glad that you were here."

Leaning over, I gave him a quick hug, realizing for the first time that my hands were shaking slightly; I was scared. Maybe not so much at the time, but that definitely was a pretty dangerous situation I was just in.

Soon, I pulled away and looked him in the eyes again. "But that being said," I sighed. "you still need to go home. They can't see you."

Instead of whining and visibly deflating like I originally expected him to, he just stared at me, his eyes unreadable in the darkness. He leaned over, bumped my head once with his snout, and sauntered back off into the bushes. "Thank you, Natsu."

"Lu! Lucy!"

My ears perked up at the voice and I immediately recognized it as being Levy's. She was getting closer and closer by the second and I began panicking, knowing that I wouldn't be able to explain away coming out of the bushes. So I snuck into the brush a little further and attempted to go around her.

How I didn't end up with millions of scratches all over my body was by the sheer grace of God. So when I finally peeked my head out of the bushes, I only had to straighten myself up a bit and leap out.

Okay, I soothed myself. So far, so good. Now where is sh-

"Lu!" I nearly leapt into the air at the voice yelling straight into my eardrum. "Where have you been?"

Laughing nervously, I turned to face my fuming bluenette of a friend, her arms crossed and her foot tapping impatiently on the pavement. "Sorry for running off Levy," I said sheepishly. "I just kinda needed a walk."

Her eyebrow raised and she pointed behind me. "A walk over by the broken refreshment table?"

I face-palmed and moaned. "Can I tell you later?"

A smirk actually broke her face at this and she shrugged, chuckling a bit. "Just as long as you tell me." Then she reached down and grabbed my arm, me not realizing it was the same arm that was in a vice grip until I fought to hold back a wince. "Come on, Erza was saying that she wants to introduce us to her friends!"

"R-Really?"

"Yeah!" Levy said excitedly as she began tugging me back through the crowd. "Isn't that nice of her?"

I smiled, excitement bubbling up within me as well. "Yeah!"

"Lucy! Levy!" Erza's voice boomed over the yelling of the crowd as our eyes caught her red hair. Not even fazed by the small fight that had broken out directly next to her, she waved us over and shot a blood-chilling glare at them, stopping them in mid-threats.

"Hello, you two," she spoke to us, all of her threatening manner now completely gone. God, how does she do that? "Having fun?"

"Yup!" Levy chirped and I nodded in agreement, choosing to forget about the incident for the time being. "Thanks for letting us stay!"

Erza chuckled a bit at this, making me question what she thought was so funny. "Why wouldn't we let you stay?"

I grinned back. "True."

"Well anyway," her tone became somewhat serious. "Lucy, Levy, these are my friends." Gesturing with her hand to the people next to her, she named them off in order. First she pointed to a tall boy with spiked, black hair, piercings and red eyes. "Gajeel Redfox." Mentioned boy grunted and looked away like we weren't worth his time.

Then she pointed to the next person; I girl with blue hair like Levy's but curled into two large spirals. "Juvia Lockster." The girl smiled politely and held out her hand for us to shake. "Gray Fulbuster." Erza pointed to the last guy and my eyes immediately widened. It was the same guy that helped me out with the pervert before.

I smiled and shook his hand. "Thanks again for helping me out before," I said but then I noticed something; he had no clothes on. Quickly, I squeaked and covered my eyes. "Why the hell are you not wearing anything?"

There was a long pause like he was checking to see what I was talking about then he moaned. "Crap, when did that happen?"

A sudden chill ran down my spine with a growl. "Love rival."

"Huh?" Peeking out from under my hands, the blue-haired girl that was really friendly not even 2 minutes ago was now glaring at me with the intensity of a hundred predators.

She said again, even more threatening, "Love…rival. Juvia's love rival." Why did I get the feeling that this wouldn't end well for me?

"Whoa, no way!" I yelled, my arms flailing around wildly. "Where did you even get that idea?"

"Love…," I could've sworn her eyes turned red. "Rival!"

Well crap…

"Hm," Erza mused and thankfully spoke, taking the crazy chick's attention off of me. "There's someone missing. Where's-"

"I wouldn't worry about that wimp," Gray said, finally locating and pulling on his missing pants. "I say good riddance."

Erza's eyes narrowed. "Did you just interrupt me?"

"S-Sorry ma'am!" Gray squeaked.

I looked to Levy and she looked back at me, both of us clearly confused. Who's the missing person?

"What'd you call me Fulbuster?"

I spun around at the sound of the new male voice, my heart stopping when my eyes were met with deep onyx ones. Pink hair, onyx eyes, and a familiar, gigantic grin that split his face when he cheerfully said to me, "Hey, I'm Natsu Dragneel."