Chapter 3

Lucy's P.O.V.I was flying over a mountain-side, to a painful landing- and well, I should explain. You see, Natsu and I had been defeating Vulcans left and right. In fact, we were almost finished with the job, when I lost my footing. I righted myself, but Natsu had become distracted and turned to me."Lucy!" he cried out, and was about to grab me, when a Vulcan came up behind him. Thinking quickly, I shoved Natsu to the ground. I myself didn't have time to dunk before his arm came out of nowhere and knocked me off the mountain. So now I was plummeting to my death, or should have been. I crashed into the side of a huge cliff, knocking the breath out of me and cutting at my side and stomach. I kept falling, and smashing into things, until I hit the ground. Hard. I cried out, sure that all the bones in my body were broken. Black spots danced before my vision, and I kept losing focus, unable to see straight for quite a while. The noises from above stopped- and a brilliant flame appeared in my line of vision. Natsu. He screamed my name as he descended down the mountain to me. Just as he arrived, I lost consciousness. 

Natsu's P.O.V.We were fighting- and winning. It was so exhilarating. Lucy and I were in perfect sync, and a few times here and there, I caught a glimpse of her old smile. It was going great, until she lost her footing. I turned, and then in the blink of an eye, she shoved me down. I got up just in time to see her plunging off the mountain. I defeated the Vulcan before crying out to Lucy and diving over, hoping I'd catch up. I was too late. I reached the bottom, seeing her body against the ground, blood at the corner of her mouth. I immediately ran to her side, and picked her up, kissing her temple. "Loki!" I screamed to the heavens. "Loki, please!" he opened his gate, and suddenly was standing in front of me. He took in a pale Lucy, and met my eyes."What happened?!" I quickly explained in detail as best as I could, earning a quick nod of the head. "Let's get her to a doctor." he yelled as he ran forward with her in his arms. I struggled to keep up, especially when we neared a small doctor's office. Bursting into it, we were welcomed by a middle-aged woman sitting at a desk reading a boring-looking book."Help! Please, she's in really bad shape!" I practically yelled, gaining her attention. At first, she looked irritated, but then her eyes fell on..."Lucy!" she gasped, running towards her. She knew her?! Instantly, two slightly younger people- another woman and a man- ran into the room. The three gestured for Loki and I to follow them. We did to the back of the house, where there was a hospital bed. We sat her in it, and they went to work. Shoved out of the room, Loki and I ended up outside the door.+++

The woman who'd first recognized Lucy came out, looking a bit upset. Loki and I stood, bracing ourselves for the news on how Lucy was doing."Miss Lucy is doing a lot better than when you guys arrived with her," she said before we could ask anything. "I'm amazed to see her again. May I ask what happened?" I was getting really sick of retelling the story, but thankfully Loki stepped in and told it. Then, a thought came to mind."How do you know Lucy?" The old woman smiled widely."A couple months back, she was on her way back from a job when my office caught fire," she pointed to the scorch marks on the ceiling. "She saved me and my siblings that are in there with her, along with the house. It was amazing." The woman had such a look of respect. I felt like I was getting to know a secret part of Lucy, the newer one I'd been blind to. "Oh." was all I could say. "I gotta go. Stay with her?" Loki said, pointing towards the sky. I nodded, not wanting to keep him."I won' leave her side." I grinned. Rolling his eyes at my cheekiness, he vanished. I rushed into the room where Lucy lay all bandaged. According to the old woman's siblings, Lucy didn't have anything broken besides a rib (possibly) or two. That was good news. Bad news was: she'd lost a great deal of blood and would need at least a week or so to recuperate. I simply nodded. Then, they told me that they had to go out of town, but wanted me to have Lucy come back and visit them. I thanked them and packed Lucy to the train station, climbing on before I could change my mind. I laid her in one seat, using my backpack as her pillow and covering her up with my blanket, before laying down on her duffel and holding her blanket, inhaling her scent. For once, I wasn't motion sick. Gajeel said it was a mate thing, where their scent calmed the opposite mate down. I sighed, watching her for any signs of stirring. In fact, I'd almost given up and closed my eyes, when she scrunched up her nose. I bolted up, placing her blanket on her duffel and out of the way. Her eyes slowly fluttered open, and landed on me. "What the- where are we?" she asked, confused. I explained (for like, the hundredth time -_-) what happened, recounting everything, including how Loki had went to collect the jewel from the job. He'd mentioned it while we waited for them to fix up Lucy. He said he'd drop it off at her house, and then go back to the spirit world for some get-together all the spirits were hosting. Aries, if I remembered correctly."Don't worry about anything." I said in conclusion. "just rest and focus on-" and of course, she interrupted my sweet moment."Rest? You want me to rest? No! I gotta train s'more. Gotta train myself to land better, dodge better..." I could almost see the wheels turning in her mind as she thought of everything she thought she needed to improve within herself. I tapped her shoulder lightly."What?" she asked, glancing at me with a blank unknowing expression. I suppressed a laugh, and shook my head."Luce, you don't need to work on that. At least, not right now." I spoke, keeping my voice level. The old Lucy would've taken my word about not needing to train, and let herself heal. This one didn't care about healing; just preventing it from happening again."Na- Salamander." Lucy corrected herself. "You may not understand. You're a dragon slayer, you are like, a superhero. That fall wouldn't have even phased you." she stuck out her bottom lip to pout. I thought about a phrase she'd often told me."Aren't you the one who said a smart man makes a mistake and learns from it?" she opened up, just a crack."Yes, but I also said a wise man would learn beforehand and never make said mistake at all." I wouldn't stop this until I'd won."Lucy. I asked nicely, now I demanding. Don't be reckless and force yourself pass your physical limitations. Heal up, and then train." "You're not my boss.""I'm your mate.""Please, just- just stop saying that.""It's the truth.""You expect much; presume much.""It's just you an me. Haven't you ever thought about us?" The conversation veered off to our relationship. I watched as a blush covered Lucy's face, and she looked at her lap, seeming to replay the memories. "Of course I've thought about it. I even confessed to you, that, I'd been in love with you-""No, you didn't!" I exclaimed. "Happy told me, but you didn't." "Happy... dang it!" She gritted her teeth. "that exceed's gonna be the death of me...""Um, back to you never confessing to me.""But I did the other day at your-house- and- oh my gods, I only confessed to Lisanna." I watched in amusement as she attempted to hide under my blanket. "Lucy.""Shush.""You love me.""I sooooo do not!"

"You do, you do!" I giggled (like a man. Pft. Yeah. That's right. I giggle ^.^) earning a groan of frustration out of her."N-not t-t-true." She stuttered. I grinned, and pulled back the covers, seeing her fidgeting with her fingers in an anxious way I'd never noticed before.

"You stutter when you lie, Lucy," I whispered, knowing she would hear me. She practically tried to sink into the seat in embarrassment.

"S-shut up, Salamander!" She growled and grabbed her blanket from the duffel bag, handing me my own stuff. I raised an eyebrow but quickly stood when she did, wincing and holding her side. 

"Ugh, I feel like I've went ten rounds with Erza." She whined. I gwuaffed, holding in my laughter as best as I could, but ultimately failing miserably. 

"Lucy?"

"What?" She now sounded exasperated. I grabbed her stuff, holding onto it after sliding on my own, in one arm. The other went around her waist just as the train stopped. 

"MAGNOLIA! Everyone needing to get off in Magnolia, out of the train!" The conductor yelled. Not that it mattered. Lucy and I were the only two in our cart. We walked up the isle, her not fighting off my arm secured around my waist, and got off. She pulled away slowly, grabbing her stuff and walking towards the street that led to her apartment/condo. I followed silently. She didn't even stop when she arrived at it. I didn't, either. Lucy went right up to her place and opened the door to her empty home, seeing as Happy was apparently out according to the note. He, Panther, Lilly, Carla, Frosch, and Lector were all going to hang out in Saber Tooth's guild hall. Sitting her stuff down, she crumbled the note she'd left and went to her closet, pulling her pink pajamas and heading into the bathroom. 

"Erm... Lucy, what're you doing?" I called out to her. She turned, flushed, noticing for the first time that I'd follow her.

"Showering."

"Fine. I'll stay in your room till you get out." I declared, walking to her couch and sitting down. Her jaw dropped, but she quickly fixed it. 

"I- well- do as you wish." She murmured, already guessing she wouldn't win. She was correct. I listened to her hum in the shower, one of Lyra's songs, I think. I closed my eyes, swaying to the music. 

+++

I snapped my eyes open as I heard the bathroom door's handing turning. I sat up straighter and fixed my vest, just as Lucy came out wearing her pajamas and with her hair pulled up into a high pony tail. She walked over to the couch, sitting down, too. 

"I assume the reason you stayed was because you wanted to speak about the matter at hand." Wow. She sounded so much like Erza... I chuckled and nodded. 

"Yeah. Of course I wanted to talk about us being mates." Every time I said it, she seemed to have a mini heart attack. 

"Right..." She pulled her knees up to her chest, staring down. I used one finger to lift her face, Lucy's eyes locked with mine. 

"I'm in love with you," I spoke, voice steady. Ecstatic. Nervous. I felt like I wanted to run, but at the same time, everything inside of me wanted to get closer. She made a small noise, like, "giyaaaaaaaa" eyes widening and body language going rigid. I caressed he cheek with my left hand, running my thumb across her lip. "And I think... that you're in love with me?" She didn't even bother to move away. Seeing this, I didn't hesitate. 

I grabbed her and pulled her to me.

"W-What are you doing, Natsu?" She asked, eyes locked on my lips. In that moment, I saw past all the doors she'd shut and locked in attempts to run from me. One by one, I busted them down until I found the truth. 

"I... love you," I heard the words barely pass from her lips.

"Now, was that so hard..." She cut me off by hugging me. I wrapped my arms around her small frame, smiling so wide I was sure my face would be forever stretched. 

"Shut up," was her only reply as she buried her face in my neck. I inhaled her otherworldly scent, enjoying the ecstasy taking over my whole entire being.

"So... will you accept me?" 

"I accept you." I felt like the happiest man on the planet. She'd finally accepted me. A moment later, she pulled away and stared at me. 

"What?" I asked in a softer tone. Tears clouded her vision and she immediately stood, running to her bed and hiding beneath the covers (which is what she does when she's scared or frustrated. I wondered which one had caused it this time). Following, I crawled under them to. She was clutching a pillow to her chest, curled up to it.

"Somethin' wrong?" She gave me the 'are-you-kidding-me' face. 

"I... didn't mean to confess those things."

"But you did."

"I didn't want to confess those things."

"But. You. Did." She pressed her face into the pillow and screamed. I laughed as quietly as I could before pulling back the covers and taking away the pillow, resting it in its proper place. I then pulled her up to where her head rested on it, mine on the opposite pillow. We both laid facing one another, which allowed me to see the fear in her features. 

"Why're you so scared?" She flinched at my words.

"Well..." She exhaled a shaky breath. "I'm not looking forward to getting hurt."

"I'm not gonna hurt you," I defended myself. Lucy closed her eyes, mouth pressed into a firm line. 

"You don't get it. You already have. The first time I loved you," frowning, I nodded.

"But that was different, Luce. I didn't know how you felt. Didn't understand how I felt," she huffed.

"This is all so complicated."

"Not if you don't let it be." 

"That doesn't make sense."

"No, not really." She was slowly drifting off now.

"Lucy?" 

"What?" She complained.

"Can I kiss you?" 

"NO."

"Let me rephrase that..." I said, scooting closer. "I'm gonna kiss you." And I did. 

Guess what. I didn't get harmed!! Silently, I cheered. However, I noticed she wasn't kissing back. I looked down at her and took notice of her chest rising and falling softly. I shook my head in amusement before pulling her to me. Instinctively, she cuddled into my chest. Already asleep. I stared at her ceiling, just as someone started clapping. I looked up at the doorway, which Happy had came through.

"I thought you were out," I said as I slowly laid her back on the bed, a pillow in my place while I stood. He pointed grinning at Lucy.

"How'd ya manage to get her, Natsu?"

"I explained everything, then went on a job with her, and this is the result." I gestured to Lucy. "She accepted me." Happy cheered quietly and gestured for me to follow him to his room. I did, watching as he flew into his hammock. I followed, standing in front of him. 

"I wonder if this means she'll join the team again," I was afraid to say the next part especially. "I was wondering if you'd join it-" I was embraced by blue fur, and a loud, "aye!" I looked downed at Happy, then towards the sleeping Lucy. We both turned out the lights and slowly crept towards her. On the count of three, we jumped on her, earning a girlish scream I barely recognized. She sent us both flying with the pillow I'd left in her arms, sitting up and rubbing her eyes. 

"Chill, Lucy. It's just us." Happy murmured. She looked dumbfounded, then seemed to realize what he meant. 

"Why'd you guys jump on me?!" She exclaimed, stretching. She stood, understanding she wasn't getting any sleeping tonight (not that way, you perverts -_-) and went to her closet, changing into a pretty pink top, floral print, while lacing up black combat boots and placing her keys on her belt loop. 

"Since I know you're both not gonna let me sleep, I'mma go to the guild." She said, walking towards the door. Happy and I followed behind her, laughing at how annoyed she was. 

"It's not funny!" She yelled.

"Ish funny," Happy teased. 

"MEAN!" 

"Aye!"

"Don't give me 'aye'!" While walking, Happy flew onto my head, resting on it, and in that moment, I grabbed her hand. To my surprise, she didn't pull away. Everything was perfect. I should really learn to stop thinking thoughts like that.