. Next To Me .

"So thank you for taking a chance on me.

I know it isn't easy,

But I hope to be worth it.

~x~

Oh, I always let you down.

You're shattered on the ground.

Still, I found you there,

Next to me.

And oh, stupid things I do.

I'm far from good, it's true.

But still, I find you

Next to me."

~"Next To Me"by Imagine Dragons

The consistent knocking on the front door and the ringing of her doorbell drew Lucy from her nightmare, for which she was rather grateful. It had been a nightmare she'd had many times, in which she was crushed between the teeth of a dragon. She could still feel the pain singing in her bones as she staggered to the front door and yanked it open, grumbling irritably, "What?"

Confusion sparked in her gaze when she found an equally as agitated Mirajane on the other side of the door. "Lucy," she said, her voice pitched high with stress, "do you not check your phone?"

"I had tomorrow off," Lucy muttered defensively. "I was tired. I was going to sleep in. Why? What happened?"

"It's the bakery," she said, and Mirajane's voice grew gentle. It unnerved Lucy. She almost didn't want to hear what Mirajane was apparently here to tell her. "We should probably get moving and check out how bad it is, but I got a call from the police. There was a fire that started earlier this evening."

For a moment, Lucy could only stare at her. And then she was flinging the door wide open and bolting to grab some clothes. She swore loudly as she grabbed a random pair of shoes and shoved her feet into them. From downstairs, Mirajane called, "I'll be in my car. I'll drive."

Lucy was flying down the stairs in under a minute, still cursing. She grabbed her phone and keys, ensuring to lock her front door behind her. "Damn it," she seethed as she hurtled for Mirajane's car. The moment she was in and the door slammed shut, Mirajane was hastily pulling out of the driveway.

As Mirajane drove, Lucy fired a text to Natsu, knowing he always responded in a timely manner.

Most of the time.

Lucy had to bite her cheek until it bled to force the tears back as she stared at what was left of her bakery. Mirajane stood quietly beside her, a hand squeezing her shoulder. Lights flashed in the early dawn light as they looked upon the charred shell of the Heartfilia Bakery, and Lucy let her gaze trace the char marks on the walls, the shattered glass, the destroyed furniture. Everything she'd had was gone.

"We think it started in the kitchen," one of the firemen had said kindly. "We think it was some wiring."

Lucy didn't agree. She'd had people checking that kind of thing just a few weeks prior. But it didn't matter what Lucy thought about what had started the fire. It had still happened. Everything was still destroyed.

"Luce!"

Slowly, she turned her face to look tiredly over her shoulder. Natsu had arrived. He swerved around a police officer that tried to stop him, sprinting over. Lucy waved the officer off tiredly when he tried to grab Natsu to drag him back. "Natsu," she murmured, her voice thick with emotion, and she found herself immediately dragging him into a hug. She found some comfort in the feeling of his arms wrapping around her tightly. He tucked her head beneath his chin.

"We weren't there when it started," Mirajane told him, gaze warm as she watched them. "I got the call and brought Lucy in."

"Good," muttered Natsu, squeezing Lucy so hard she almost couldn't breathe. "At least no one was inside, right?"

"That is something good," agreed Lucy. She leaned into him, even after pulling back. She chewed on her lip. Despite the reassurance, she still found herself devastated. She drew a hand down her face. "It's just…now I have to start over, you know? It's frustrating. And now I can't pay you," she added to Mirajane with some distress. "My employees are out a job without any warning–"

"You know we don't care about that," said Mirajane kindly, reaching over to take her hand and squeeze it.

"Still." Lucy squeezed Mirajane's fingers back and then dropped it. She studied the remains of her bakery. She blinked back the flurry of tears in her eyes, grateful for the arm that Natsu wrapped around her shoulders.

At least no one was inside, she thought, telling herself what Natsu had said.

It didn't help.

Lucy rubbed her temples, frustrated. She was exhausted after dealing with the police and insurance and other such important bits and pieces that came with your bakery burning to the ground. Her head throbbed, and maybe it wasn't the best way to cope with the issues at hand, but she wanted nothing more than to sink into her couch with a glass of wine in hand – no, the bottle. Definitely the whole bottle.

Instead, Lucy found herself sitting on the front steps of her home, enjoying the decent weather. A cup of tea sat on the steps beside her. She was waiting for Levy to come over, escorted by Gajeel, more than likely. She'd called Levy and told her what had happened, and Levy had been horrified and devastated for her. She'd promised to come by later and do something fun with Lucy – even if it was only walking around and talking or even a simple meal.

And when a car pulled into the driveway, Gajeel was driving it, and Levy was there. But to her surprise, Natsu tumbled out of the car with a pale face, arms laden with blue and white fur, and Wendy scrambled out after him, crying, "Don't you dare drop Charle, Natsu!"

Lucy couldn't help the startled laugh that was pulled from her lips. "What–"

Natsu heard her and snapped his attention to her. His onyx eyes lit with warmth and worry as he said, "Hey, Luce!"

Amused, Levy said as Gajeel passed her cane to her, "Natsu heard where Gajeel was taking me and decided to come along. He also decided to drag poor Wendy along, too, so here we are. I'm not sure why the cats came, too."

"Wendy wouldn't come without Charle, and then Happy was screaming at the front door," reported Natsu.

Lucy snorted loudly in amusement when Happy began writhing in Natsu's grip. He managed to squeeze free of Natsu and landed neatly on his paws, peering around with interest. He purred as he rubbed against Natsu's leg before snapping his head towards Levy when she began making her way towards Lucy's home, cautiously using her cane to maneuver. Gajeel eyed her to make sure she didn't trip over anything, and when he was confident that she wouldn't, Gajeel said, "I'll come pick 'em all back up later."

"Thanks," said Lucy sincerely, only to yelp when Wendy crashed into her, hugging her tightly around the waist. She buried her face against Lucy. The sound that escaped her had Lucy wrapping her arms around Wendy in a tight hug. "Hey, Wendy," she whispered, smoothing a hand over Wendy's hair. She didn't need to ask; Wendy wasn't in the best place just yet.

After a few moments, Wendy pulled back to peer hesitantly at Lucy's face. Lucy could see the shadows beneath her eyes, and she fought the urge to drag Wendy in for another hug. She wore that look many of them now did. She knew the truth, and it was so clear to Lucy that she didn't want to.

Wendy took Charle from Natsu, clutching her tightly, and Lucy didn't mind that there would be two felines in her house then. She knew why Natsu had brought them. Wendy found comfort in Charle, and he likely hadn't wanted her to feel weird about bringing her cat, so he'd brought Happy, too.

"I'm sorry about the bakery," said Levy as she wound her arm through Lucy's, letting her guide her inside.

Lucy sighed softly, grimacing. For just a moment, she'd forgotten about all of her troubles. "It is what it is," she muttered, grimacing. "At least no one got hurt."

Levy clucked her tongue in disagreement. "You were hurt by what happened, and that's one person too many." She leaned briefly into Lucy. "If you need somewhere to work, I can make an opening at the museum."

Her heart swelled at the simple kindness. "Thanks," whispered Lucy, swallowing the lump in her throat as best as she could.

It took Natsu some time to wrestle Happy inside. Apparently, Happy wanted to explore outside, given the rare chance to be there, and it even took Natsu a couple of minutes to catch him. Lucy found it rather amusing to see, though she could tell Natsu wasn't thrilled whatsoever. He was glowering at his cat by the time he'd managed to drag him inside and slam the front door shut. "All yours," he declared, dumping Happy into Lucy's arms when she reached out to take him from him.

Lucy's lips curved into a small smile, and she hugged Happy to her chest. Rather than fighting and scratching her as he had Natsu, Happy instead purred and settled happily into Lucy's arms. He peered almost smugly at Natsu from his place there. "Hi, Happy," she murmured, dropping to sit beside Levy on the couch in her living room. Wendy had claimed the other side, leaving Natsu to the floor. He didn't seem to mind, even appearing to prefer it.

Levy, setting her cane close by so she could reach it should she desire it, hummed suddenly. "Wendy, Lucy keeps some things for tea in her kitchen. Think you could figure out where everything is so we can have some?"

Wendy hesitated, glancing at Lucy for permission. When Lucy did so, she went to go make some tea, Charle trotting along after her. Lucy watched after her fondly, hoping that she'd feel better soon. Wendy's misery was obvious. It was entirely different from the misery Lucy had experienced upon remembering, she realized. More like Natsu's, which worried her. Natsu had taken a long time to move on with the here and now, and more often than not continued to struggle with that.

As if reading her mind, Natsu reached over with a foot and nudged her leg. "She'll be okay. I told her what we're doing, and she seemed excited about that."

Of course she would be. The likes of Wendy and Natsu…their magic had been a close connection to the dragons that had raised them. They'd want it returned to them desperately if it were possible.

"Well, so long as nothing dangerous shows up, I don't see anything wrong with letting her help us," commented Levy, leaning back comfortably. She was pleasantly surprised when Happy squirmed into her lap, settling there. She ran her fingers along the feline's head, and Happy purred loudly.

"Have you guys found anything new as of late?" asked Lucy, glancing between her friends.

Natsu shook his head sharply. "No." Levy echoed the moment a fraction of a moment later.

Disappointed, Lucy sighed. "We're in a rut," she complained as Natsu rocked forward, frowning at nothing in particular. "Do you have access to your parents' bank accounts or anything, Natsu? Maybe there'd be something in there."

"I'll ask Gajeel. He deals with all that – they left everything in his name when they died. He was the oldest." Natsu looked mildly annoyed by that, scowling at the floor. "But there might be something. Especially if Igneel was dealing with the museum so much."

"We're not here to talk about that," declared Levy, scratching Happy's chin. "We're here because your bakery is in ruins and you need cheering up. So! Natsu, there should be some games in one of Lucy's closets. Go find them. I'll team up with Wendy so she can be my eyes and make sure you don't cheat."

Natsu's jaw dropped. "I do not cheat," he protested, even as he hauled himself upright.

"Yes, you do," sighed Wendy as she came back into the living room, hauling a variety of teas with her. "Lucy, which one should I make? I didn't know there were so many kinds…"

Lucy's lips twitched into a small smile, and not for the first time, she was grateful that if her life was going to be a never-ending ruckus of a thing…at least her friends were there to help her get through it, memories or no.

When Lucy opened her eyes, she was briefly confused by the amount of weight pressing down on her. It took her a moment to realize Wendy was fast asleep, leaning into her side with her head on Lucy's shoulder – to realize with flustered cheeks that Natsu had stretched out comfortably on her other side, his arm thrown over the back of the sofa and his head resting against hers. Despite the lack of magical fire that had once flooded him, he was still like an oven in comparison to Wendy, and for a moment, Lucy considered shoving him off. It didn't help that Happy was in her lap, only adding to everything.

She decided against it in the end. She even leaned her head closer to Natsu's. Something about him being so close relaxed her, and though he didn't smell of campfires and smoke as he once had, it was close enough that if she closed her eyes, Lucy could almost picture herself back in the old times, when she'd not mourned the losses they'd endured.

Back in the old times, where a simple touch to a key would have summoned a friend to her side.

Where Lucy would have spun around and found a grinning dragon slayer waiting, his talking blue cat ready to tease them as he wrapped her in the tightest of hugs.

Lucy swallowed the lump threatening to form in her throat. She and Natsu both had their moments, but she missed the ease of that. She mounted what they'd had before Dimeria had first broken into her bakery and caused so much chaos in their lives. She missed the mindless touches, and the easy-going smiles, and the delight with which Natsu had smiled at her, untouched by the thought that Lucy wasn't the Lucy he remembered and that Natsu wasn't the Natsu that made regular appearances in her dreams.

She just missed her Natsu. Her friend. Her partner. Her…whatever else he might have been.

Natsu stirred, his breath puffing out irritably. Lucy let her eyes flutter open. She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, and she found his brow furrowed, expression twisted in a way she didn't like.

It was selfish, but in that moment, she decided to hell with it.

Lucy turned her head and buried it against Natsu's shoulder, shifting closer. The look vanished as quickly as it had appeared on his face, and he settled with a contented sigh. Lucy closed her eyes, dwelling in the comfort he provided.

Perhaps her bakery had been burned to the ground by a fire supposedly caused by "faulty wiring." Perhaps magic was no longer present in their everyday lives. Perhaps Lucy could no longer summon friends to her side with a simple touch.

Perhaps Natsu was no longer a fire-breathing dragon slayer who took her on wild adventures.

But he was still Natsu, and he was there beside her, and in that moment, that was all that mattered.

WELL, WELL, WELL. LOOK WHAT WAS FINALLY UPDATED AT LONG LAST.

Thank you for your patience. I lost my will to write this fic, but decided to come back after a good long while. It's a tiny chapter, but a chapter nonetheless!

Thanks to reviewers (TheAngelicPyro, thelemonroll, alainehope, & FairyTailxFanGirl) as well as those who favorited and followed! :)