Hello there, my dear readers! Yes, one person managed to figure out what was happening with Igneel! I'm so proud of you!

Also, some of you might be wondering, 'but wait, Rose, it's Saturday! Why are you updating a day early?'

Well, as many of you know (or should know, I mentioned it a dozen times), I update weekly on Sunday.

But school is out, and my parents decided to go on a little vacay. Meaning, I'm going to the beach for three days and won't have any wifi to update. I'm leaving today around midnight, so I figured to give you the chapter early instead of late.

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"... Oh. Natsu."

"Yeah... Hey, Luce."

Awkward silence.

Natsu sniffed the air. "Did you visit Wendy?"

"Yeah," Lucy answered stiffly. Her posture was straight and rigid, as if holding herself back from bolting to the door and running away.

Hurt filled Natsu's chest. He sighed from his sitting place on his bed. "Luce, come here." He patted a space beside him on the mattress.

Lucy scrutinized him warily. "Why?"

"Because we need to talk." He snapped back.

There was a tense silence, and Natsu sagged a little from exhaustion and regret. "I'm sorry I yelled, Luce." He muttered.

"It's okay." Lucy mumbled back. She rubbed her arm, and Natsu saw the glittering ring on her finger. A sudden dizziness rushed to his head, and he tried not to throw up.

"I'm sorry," the both of them blurted out.

"What?" They said once again in synchronization.

Natsu grinned sheepishly at her. "Let's stop doing that. What I meant to say is I'm really sorry for being such a dick, Luce." He apologized. "I should have been there with you; it was dumb of me to leave you and our friends behind. I never should have done it, and I won't ever again."

Lucy took a deep breath. "I'm sorry too, Natsu. I overreacted a little. I never should have been so upset with you."

"But it's because of me that those damn rumors have started!" Natsu spat bitterly, his eyes blazing with anger. Not rage pointed at her, but fury that was aimed toward the students of Fairy Tail.

"No, no!" Lucy protested immediately, rushing over to him as guilt welled up in her chest. "I-It's fine, I promise. It's not as bad as you think."

They both knew that was a lie.

"I just want us to be friends again." Natsu muttered, his eyes closed as he leaned against Lucy. Her strawberry and vanilla scent comforted him.

"We never stopped being friends in the first place," Lucy sighed back, her eyes slowly closing as she leaned against Natsu as well.

And for the first time in hours, they felt genuinely happy.

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"Ah, Romeo-kun!"

The younger boy stopped at Lucy's call. He beamed at her. "Yes, Lucy-san?"

"You've been visiting Wendy? right?" She asked, a kind smile on her face as she drew closer to him.

Romeo blinked. "Ah, right. I've been seeing her everyday after school."

"What a sweet boy you are!" Lucy praised.

Romeo blushed bashfully.

"Anyway, I have a favor to ask you."

"Anything, Lucy-san!"

"Wendy's doctor said that she can start going to school in a month."

"Really?" Romeo's eyes sparkled. "That's great!"

He stopped short when he saw Lucy's smirk and twinkling eyes.

"I-I mean..." he coughed awkwardly. "That's great."

"Yes," she giggled. Romeo's blush grew. "And I need you to be with her at all times, okay? Protect her. I'm sure with your bravery, you can do it."

Romeo grinned at her. "Of course!"

Lucy beamed at him in thanks, and he started to walk away, thinking their conversation was over.

"Oh, and Romeo?"

"Yes?" He looked over his shoulder to see her.

A bright smile was on her face, and she had two thumbs-up. "I take it that you know what those flowers you gave to Wendy means?"

Roneo flushed and nodded. "Droy helped me pick them."

Lucy winked. "Very sweet and subtle. I like it."

Romeo's ears went red as she said this, and she laughed before waving bye and walking away.

Romeo stared at the velvet carpeted floor, the redness in his face not going away.

"Red chrysanthemums." He whispered to himself.

Meanwhile, Lucy was heading towards Juvia's room. Gajeel's words from earlier that day rang through her head.

"But you should ask her. About why she acted like that yesterday."

Lucy thought for a moment, her walking ceasing to a stop. When she had her break down yesterday, Juvia was the first to comfort her... Then... She started crying as well. Why?

With alarm now pulsing through her veins, Lucy ran toward where she remembered Juvia's room was.

She skidded to a stop, panting. The oak door was decorated with a pale birch sign that said 'Juvia' on it, and a small Gray plushie tied to the handle.

Lucy paused to catch her breath before reaching out a hand and twisting the knob. It was locked.

Lucy knocked on the door. "Juvia?"

No answer.

"Juvia," Lucy called again. "Can we please talk? Gajeel... Gajeel tipped me off about something."

Still no reply.

Lucy was slowly growing more desperate. "Juvia, please! I only want to help you. Whatever happened, I want to guide you to let go of it!"

Silence.

Lucy rested her head on the door. "... I... Guess I should give you time. You haven't eaten, right? Virgo and Aries are working hard to live up to your and Gray's expectations. I'll bring something up for you later, okay?"

Lucy held back a frustrated groan when only silence greeted her. Stepping away from the door, Lucy briskly walked away.

"Everyone's so stubborn here," Lucy grumbled to herself, entering the kitchen. The delicious aroma of food quickly ejected the irritation from her mind.

She ate her own breakfast quickly, the omelet heavenly and wonderfully cheesy on the inside.

Lucy placed a stack of five pancakes onto a white china plate, then putting said plate on a tray. She filled a small jug with maple syrup, and a glass of orange juice to the side.

Carefully carrying it, Lucy kept her eyes on the tray intensely as she balanced it.

"Wah!"

'Crash!'

Two high-pitched shrieks were heard as a burst of syrup, juice, and pancakes splattered onto the floor.

Lucy dizzily held a hand to her head, willing the nausea to go away.

She let out a small groan of disgust as she realized that syrup was all over her shirt.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Someone apologized.

Lucy blinked and looked up in surprise.

A sheepish smile was on her beautiful heart-shaped face, sapphire blue eyes sparkling with remorse. Silver white hair cut into a pixie cut framed her face.

She leaned down slightly, holding out a hand for Lucy.

"Uh... thank you. And it's okay, I should have watched where I was going." Lucy said, grasping the stranger's hand. "Um, sorry for asking, but, who are you?"

"Oh, right!" The girl laughed sheepishly, rubbing the back of her head. "I always forget that. Nice to meet you!" A kind and generous smile was on her face.

Lucy furrowed her brows a little. She looked a little familiar...

"I'm Lisanna! Lisanna Strauss!"

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Dun dun duuuuuuun!

Lol don't worry, Lisanna isn't an antagonist here. Don't you hate it when some authors make Lisanna a complete bitch?

Anyway, I hope you liked the early chapter!

And, YES, I've been planning to include Lisanna from the start. She's got an important role in this story.

Oh, and, can anyone figure out what Lucy meant to Romeo about the flowers? Wink. Wink.

Until next week!

Please review!