After All This

The next morning, Natsu woke up, and he was in Lucy's room, and in Lucy's bed. In all honesty, that wasn't entirely unnatural, but this time, something was different. This time, Lucy was curled up in bed next to him. Natsu smiled, as he ran his hand through her hair.

At that point, Lucy stirred from her sleep, and opened her eyes. The first thing she saw was Natsu's smiling face. Lucy reacted the way she normally did, she screamed.

"Natsu!" she cried, as she fell back. It was at that moment she realized she was stark naked. The Celestial Spirit mage let out a yelp, as she grabbed her sheets to cover her body. Of course that exposed Natsu's own nudity.

"Good morning," Natsu said, not caring about his nakedness.

"Put some damn clothes on!" Lucy yelled, throwing a pillow at him.

"Ah," a childish voice said, "Where's my fish?" Lucy turned, and saw Happy sitting in her laundry basket, rubbing his eye. Oh yeah, Happy was here, she thought. Natsu just grinned at Lucy, as he sat on the bed.

"Don't give me that!" Lucy yelled, "You think you can just waltz in and deflower a girl!" Here she was, a completely innocent girl, who had just lost her virginity to this dragon in man's clothes.

"C'mon!" Natsu said, as he walked over and slung his arm around Lucy's shoulder, "We've got get back to the guild and spread the word!"

"Spread the word that we just had sex?" Lucy demanded. Natsu paused, thinking briefly.

"Yeah, let's tell 'em that too!" he said.

Lucy just glared at Natsu, before sighing. She knew she couldn't blame this all on him, seeing as she had went along with it just as much as he did. And of course it wasn't like it was bad, per se.

"Did last night really happen?" she asked. Natsu smile faded away, as he adopted a more serious face.

"Lucy," he said, as he knelt in front of her, his hands on her shoulders, "I don't ever want to hurt you again, but I need to protect you." He then put a hand on her face.

"You're my anchor, you're my light." Lucy listened in surprise to Natsu's confession, as she smiled, and touched his hand.

"Never worry, I'll be there for you," she said, "I think tonight just settled that." She then bent over, and she and Natsu briefly kissed again, but as they parted, Lucy adopted a serious face.

"You know you've got responsibility to me now!" Lucy said as she rose to her feet, her body still wrapped in the sheets, "Now first responsibility…" She then kicked both of Natsu and Happy out.

"Get out so I can get dressed!" she ordered. Of course, Lucy quickly tossed out Natsu's own clothes so that he wouldn't be arrested for public indecency, though she wouldn't surprised if Natsu had bene arrested for that a couple of times in the past already.

Lucy sunk into her bath, as she let the hot water flow over her.

"Did I really just make love with Natsu?" she asked to herself. Her virginity was something that Lucy wanted to keep to herself until she fell in love. Of all the people to lose it to, she would never of considered Natsu to be the one. But strangely enough, Lucy didn't fell upset about. True, she had been planning to save it for the man she loved, but Natsu…

Those was a strange phrase for her to think, one that for some reason, couldn't be properly processed in her mind. Those three words. Maybe, if she said them out loud…

"I…," she cleared her throat, "I lo… lo…" She took a deep breath.

"I love Natsu!" Lucy cried at the top of her lungs.

"I love you to." Lucy looked up, and saw Natsu's head poked into her window. In response, she threw her shampoo bottle at his fist, knocking him back out.

Once she was done, Lucy got out her bath, dried herself off, made herself presentable, with a red skirt, and yellow shirt, with her hair done up in its traditional style, and headed out. As she opened the door, she saw Natsu (now dressed of course), with Happy, waiting outside the door. Natsu smiled at her.

"Let's go!" he said, as he gestured. Lucy smiled, as she walked up to him, and they began heading to the guild hall. As they were walking, Lucy reached over, and intertwined her fingers with his.

"Natsu," she said.

"Yeah?"

"Maybe we can be a little subtle about our getting together?" Lucy asked, "I don't this to be too embarrassing."

"Don't worry, Lucy," Natsu said, as he tugged Lucy over, and wrapped his arm around her shoulders again, "I'll be subtle."

(at the guild hall)

"Hey everyone!" Natsu yelled as the guild doors opened up, "Lucy and I are officially together!" Lucy cried out. How could she had let her hopes get up about Natsu? She should've seen that coming though, and for all Lucy knew, maybe this was quite subtle for Natsu; she'd hate to see what unsubtle was for Natsu. It would probably have something to do with her name, and giant fire letters.

After Natsu made the announcement, everyone in the guild stared at the couple standing in the door. Then, rather spontaneously, it erupted into noise.

"I knew it!" Mirajane said as she ran forward, and hugged Lucy, "From the moment Natsu brought you, and I knew you two would be together!"

"Finally! Natsu's a real man!" Elfman said loudly.

"Never thought our boy of all people would get a girlfriend," Macao said.

"I thought the only couple we'd be getting here was Alzack and Bisca," Wakaba said. Said gun mages averted their eyes from each other, turning red.

"Tch!" Gray snorted, "Can't believe that guy got with a girl before I did." Juvia fell to her face at Gray's words.

"What're you blind?" Warren asked, noting Juvia.

"Congratulations, Lu!" Levy said, as she also took her turn to hug Lucy, "You and Natsu are really good together!"

"Thank you," Lucy said.

"I can't wait to find my special man!" Levy said with a smile.

"Don't you already have him?" Lucy asked.

"I do?" Levy answered. Lucy's mouth made an "oh" shape.

"Never mind," she said, grinning, as she grabbed Natsu's arm.

"What do you mean!" Levy said.

"Don't bother tiny," Gajeel said from his table, "Don't get wrapped up in all this sap."

"I had a feeling about this," Cana said as she looked at one of her cards, "Though my cards were vague about when and how it would happen."

"Natsu!" Erza yelled, as everyone silenced. Natsu yelped as he hid behind Lucy while Erza marched right up to the pink haired man. Lucy stepped aside, exposing Natsu; she wasn't going to risk Erza's wrath, even if that meant throwing her boyfriend (still strange for her to think that) under the carriage.

"I have two things to say to you."

"Aye," Natsu said as he weakly looked up at his friend.

"Number one," Erza said, before holding up her fist, and slamming it down on Natsu's head, "Don't burn Lucy again."

"Yes, ma'am," Natsu said weakly, face down.

"And number two," Erza said, picking Natsu off the ground, and suddenly hugging him to her chest, "Congratulations. Be sure you treat her well." However Natsu only looked partially conscious at that point. To be expected, since he had just been clobbered in the head by an armored fist, and then slammed face first into a steel breastplate.

"Attention everyone!" Makarov said loudly, form his stand on the bar, "Let us celebrate the bond between our two guild mates! Free drinks and food for the day!" The guild cheered at that. Lucy chuckled, it probably wasn't everyday they got an actual reason to celebrate, but who was she to complain?

The rest of the day was spent with the guild essentially just cheering the fact that Natsu and Lucy were in a relationship, and fortunately, Natsu decided to keep the part where the two slept together private, much to Lucy's relief. Apparently even Natsu was able to show restraint when the situation arose.

During this time, they also found out the results of the Ms. Fairy Tail contest, which as it turned out, Erza won, with Lucy come in at close second.

"There goes my rent money!" Lucy cried.

"Don't worry," Natsu said, putting his hand on her head, "Just take a job and it'll be done."

"But the rent money would've been so much easier!" Lucy bemoaned. Natsu leaned over to her, and whispered in her here in a lecherous tone. Something that didn't fit in Natsu's lips.

"You could always stay with me," he said.

"Don't say it like that!" Lucy said, "It sounds creepy!" She wasn't ready to move in with Natsu just yet. They had just become a couple, but that didn't mean Lucy didn't want to stay with Natsu in the future.

After a few more reassuring words from both Natsu and Happy, Lucy managed to calm down, and could rejoin the festivities (though she overheard Natsu muttering about threatening the voters next time). That all said, there was an uncomfortable feeling Lucy was having, which didn't actually have anything to do with Natsu. A strange feeling that someone was watching her. Sometimes Lucy would glance over her shoulder, and thought she had a glimpse of someone there, but when she looked over, there was nothing there. She hated having these feelings at this point of happiness, but she couldn't help, and found herself moving closer to Natsu.

"What's wrong?" Natsu asked, showing concern.

"I can't shake the feeling that I'm being watched," Lucy said, "Like there's somebody following me around." Suddenly she was swooped up in Natsu's arms.

"Is someone trying to hurt you?" he demanded, dead serious.

"Natsu, put her down," Erza said, "Why would anyone want to hurt her?"

"Aye! Lucy's really nice!" Happy said as he sat on Natsu's shoulder.

"Its probably nothing," Lucy answered, as she got out of Natsu's arms, before stretching, "I'm getting tired. I'm going to head home now."

"Let me come with you," Natsu said, standing up. Lucy giggled.

"We may be together, but we still need our space," she said, "Don't worry, I'll see you tomorrow." She bent down, and kissed Natsu on the cheek, before heading out of the guild hall.

"I hope you know how lucky you are, Natsu," Gray said.

"Indeed," Erza said with a nod, "You don't meet a girl like that every hundred years."

"I know," Natsu said, as he smiled after Lucy. He then began to slowly get up, only to get yanked down by Erza.

"Lucy asked for space," she said, "We all intend to ensure its given to her."

(with Lucy)

Lucy happily strolled along the edge of the canal, smiling so brightly it nearly lit up the evening. Plue strolled after her.

"Careful Ms. Lucy!" the boatman yelled.

"To think," Lucy said, "that when I first met that fiery idiot, that I would end falling for him."

"Pun! Pun!"

"And yet here I stand, having my first boyfriend, with the last guy anyone would expect," Lucy said happily. Then she abruptly stopped, as she turned around. Standing at the edge of the alley, was a guy in a coat and hood. There was someone following her. Lucy let yelp, as she started walking faster. There really is a guy watching me! she thought. She looked over a shoulder, and saw the guy just as close to her. He's following me? Lucy thought with despair, before walking faster again. Suddenly she was starting to regret not letting Natsu come with her.

Eventually Lucy stopped, and looked again, to see the guy gone.

"Phew," she said, taking a breath, "That's a relief." She then turned around.

"AAAHHH!" she cried. The guy was standing right in front of her.

(at Fairy Tail)

"Let me go!" Natsu yelled, "I've got to make sure Lucy's alright!" One would think that just Erza would be enough to keep him down. And yet Erza, Gray, Elfman, Freed, Bixlow, Alzack, Macao, and Wakaba (eight people), were needed to pin him down.

"Damn, when did Natsu get this tough?" Gray demanded.

"Its because he's a man!" Elfman said, "And real men fight for their women!" That was when Lucy's scream reached Natsu's ears. Now, Natsu was getting serious. His body flared with fire, and blew everyone off him.

"I'm coming Lucy!" he yelled, as he ran out to the streets.

(with Lucy)

"There's no need to scream, Lucy," the man said.

"What, how do you know my name?" Lucy said as she moved back. The man smiled, as he lowered his hood.

"Don't you recognize me?" he asked. At first Lucy didn't, but then she looked closer.

"Dad?" Sure enough, it was her father, Jude Heartfilia, but he looked different. His hair as long and messy, and he had grown a beard. He didn't look anything like how he used to.

"What's going on? What happened to you?" Lucy asked. Jude sighed.

"The company's been bought out," he explained solemnly, "Everything's gone."

"You're kidding!" Lucy said in surprise. If nothing else, her father was one of the best business men in the kingdom. There was no way he could've been outmaneuvered.

"I'm not entirely sure how it happened," Jude continued, "Apparently being in my position can turn a smart man foolish." Lucy didn't care in the least about the estate, or anything of the sort, but there was one piece of property she couldn't live without.

"What about Mom's grave?" she demanded.

"First thing I thought of," Jude answered, handing Lucy an address, "Its here now." Lucy sighed in relief, at that. At least she could know that her mother wasn't being desecrated by some overzealous construction team.

"Its ironic isn't it," Jude said with a chuckle, "I sacrificed everything for that fortune, and still its gone." Lucy didn't share his humor.

"Why are you here?" she asked. Jude stopped laughing as he took a breath.

"To see you," he answered simply

"That's convenient," Lucy said, glaring at her father, "That all of a sudden you decided to regard me. You aren't even supposed to be near Fairy Tail!"

"I don't have the power to threaten your guild," Jude explained, "I'm just here to see my girl's face." Lucy didn't answer, she just glared at him.

"It kills me to see you like that," Jude said, "I know what I did to you was wrong, and I don't plan on asking for forgiveness. I don't even intend to stay here. I was going to head to the nearest merchant's guild, and restart. I just need a little something…"

"No," Lucy interrupted. Jude stared at her in surprise. He opened his mouth, but Lucy beat him to the punch.

"What gives you the right to ask anything of me?" Lucy said, "Since Mom died, you've given me nothing but fear and sadness! And you think that you can waltz right up to me, and ask me for anything?"

"Lucy…," Jude said.

"I want nothing more to do with you!" Lucy said firmly, "I've moved on! I've got a home, friends who care for me, and I…." She briefly paused, before shaking her head. No! I'm gong to say this with pride, she thought.

"I've got a boyfriend now!" she said proudly. That caught Jude off guard.

"You… do?" he asked.

"Yes, I do!" Lucy said, her hands on her hips, "One that loves me! One that is willing to move mountains for me! And one that I love as well, and plan to spend my life with!" She then stopped, as she took a breath to calm yourself.

"Leave," she instructed, "There's nothing here for you." Jude was silent, as he slowly turned and walked away. As he did, Lucy stared at the ground in silence, her fists clenched. Why can't he just let me be? she thought.

"Lucy!" Said girl looked over her shoulder, and saw Natsu running towards her.

"Natsu," Lucy said. Natsu came up to her, and checked her.

"I heard you scream!" he said, "Are you alright?" Lucy was silent for a time, before smiling broadly.

"Perfectly!" she said. That could've been a lie, considering what had happened, but it wasn't. If anything, Lucy felt liberated.

From further down the road, Jude had stopped, and looked back as Lucy was inspected by who he presumed was her boyfriend. For him, it looked very familiar, and he took a breath, and smiled.

Note: I know I said I was going to do the Oracion Seis arc, but then I remembered this brief story arc with Lucy and her father, and I figured I should address it. The next chapter will also be about it, but after that, you will be getting the Oracion Seis Arc.