Natsu

I sat on the grass, hugging the soccer ball that Lucy used to save the child's life close to me. My teammates sat behind me, talking while we took the ten minute break after drills and warm-ups.

"I'm telling you guys," the stripper's voice called, making everybody shut up. "There's no other person on this Earth, besides Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who could use Taekwondo in soccer and still be so accurate."

Loke, one of our center defenders, sat back on his hands, "Yeah but we are known to be a little crazy. You sure you aren't seeing things?"

"I was there," Erza said, bluntly. I nearly chuckled as the whole team's resting posture straightened, "You believe me, right Loke?"

"I do," and he left it at that. He knows better than to argue with Erza. I even know it's not worth my life to argue with Erza.

"Alright even if Lucy isn't her, " Erza stated. "We still need a striker to play against Phantom Lord next Tuesday. Lisanna is away on a college trip, remember?"

Gray snapped his fingers, "Let's do it. If Lucy could stop a speeding car through the gaps of Natsu's and Erza's heads, than she's lied to us. She's been playing soccer for God knows how long if she can perfect a shot like that."

"Let's take a vote so I can take the matter up to Coach," Erza announced. "Everybody in favor of Lucy joining Fairy Tail raise your hands. Everybody who doesn't than just keep your hands down."

Although I wasn't engaging myself in the conversation like I normally would, my arm shot up the minute Erza finished her sentence. Much to many's surprise.

"You've been listening, Jerkface?" Gray asked.

Normally, yeah I did say normally, I would've argued and we've would've gotten into a hell fist fight but I'm too lost right now. The first time I met Lucy, I always thought she was familiar. The golden hair, her infectious smile, the way her brown eyes twinkled whenever we talked about soccer. I should've seen it. But then again, I've only seen the player play a handful of times when I was little boy. When my adoptive father, Igneel, use to take me to her games. He loved watching her, I loved watching her.

"Yeah," I stood up, dropping my soccer ball and trapping it. "Lucy is no longer just a girl I met in Haregon who was moving to Magnolia. She's my friend now."

"Correction Natsu," Erza smiled up at me. "She's our friend now. Someone who would do what she just did for the kid can be part of our team any old day."

"I'm just surprised Natsu didn't do it himself," Droy laughed. "Usually he'd be the first on his feet with a ball if anything happened around him."

Gray leaned over to our friend, "We're lucky he didn't do anything. Lucy knows how to control the power of the ball. If it were Natsu, he'd be sued for a broken windshield."

"Hey!" I turned to the left winger, "You would've done the same exact thing!"

"I wouldn't bet on it," Gray said normally. "I have more control than you ever will Ashole."

"You're just damn jealous my shots are so strong they do break windshields!"

"That's not a good thing you idiot!"

"Boys," Erza simply sighed. Gray's and my argument is over.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lucy's acting weird again. The first time she was acting weird was the first time I found out one of her window's locks were broken and managed to get inside when she was in the bath. She didn't speak to me for a few hours but that was that. I cracked a joke and she finally gave me her beautiful smile.

This time, it's different. First thing in the morning, I waited by her apartment calling up to her telling her we're late. She answered yesterday, didn't she? When she didn't answer today, I broke into her apartment again but she wasn't there. Locking her window, or creating the illusion that her window was locked, I ran to school. I was fifteen minutes early at that. People were there, but Lucy wasn't at her locker. I spent fifteen minutes looking for her before I had to go to class.

I had first period with Gray. He was already there when I came in and took my seat next to him.

"Hey man," he said, softly. "What's wrong?"

"It's Lucy," I replied. "She wasn't at her apartment and she wasn't at school. I wonder is something's wrong with her."

Gray sighed, "We did see something we weren't supposed to yesterday. Just give her space, alright Natsu? Everybody needs that."

It wasn't that Lucy completely disappeared. She was in school. She was in all her afternoon classes she had with me but when I waved to her, she paid me no mind. Gray only tapped my shoulder signalling that I should give her space. I watched Lucy, she'd go home after school, change, go to work until nine, come home, homework until eleven then bed.

But it's been going on for three days now! It's already Friday, our big game against Phantom Lord FC is in three days. Erza's plan was to get Lucy to join our team so we can have a striker while Lisanna is gone on her college trip in the US. However there's no point if she won't talk to anyone even Levy!

That's it! I had it! I'm gonna talk to her!

Were the only thoughts going through my mind as I walked over to her new favorite lunch spot. My shadow casted over her, causing the blonde to look up at me.

"Natsu?" that's the first time I've heard her voice in days.

I didn't answer. I simple sat down in front her, my back to the sun at the correct angle so the sun wasn't in her eyes anymore. I opened my lunchbox, pulling out the Subway sandwich and started munching on it.

Lucy didn't say anything either. She just sat there watching me devour my sub without a word. It was only until I got down to 6" did she laugh. Lucy finally laughed, thank the Lord.

"You're gonna get indigestion if you keep eating like that, Natsu," she giggled.

I swallowed, "I've got an iron stomach! I won't get indigestion, I promise."

She laughed again, making me smile. At least, we're having a normal conversation.

"Hey Luce, can I ask you something?" I started.

"Yeah, what's up?"

"Why did you give up soccer?" I worded the question as carefully as I could without being so straightforward. "From what I see, you're an amazing player."

She didn't tense like I expected, instead she whispered, "Do you remember when we first met, I told you about my mother?"

I nodded. I remember it like it was yesterday.

"Well," she sighed. "She's in love with soccer. She loved watching me on the field, that proud number seven on my back with my last name on top. She came to each and every one of my game; not missing a single one. I played in hundreds but she always came to them. Even when she's sick, she'd sit in the bleachers, a blanket around her as she cheered me on weakly. I couldn't hear her like I used to but I'd look up and I'd see her there with a huge proud smile; looking at me. Every time I scored, she was there to cheer for me; until my last game..."

Her voice suddenly cracked. The sound of grass beside her made me look up. Erza and Gray were there, all baring the same sad expression and emotion I felt down my iron stomach. Erza sat down beside her

Lucy was surprised. I wouldn't blame her. We're all ninjas here; you'd never hear us coming.

"We understand, Lucy," Erza started, rubbing the new girl's shoulder. "You don't have to continue. You can when you're ready."

Lucy's wet eyes turned to Erza, "Thank you, Erza."

"But listen, Luce," I started, catching her attention. "Your mom, she might not be in the bleachers watching or cheering you one anymore. But guess what, Luce? You have about two dozen more there ready, watching you, and becoming proud of you. It's not going to be the same but just know, in place of your mother you have us and others who will care about you just as much as your mom."

"Don't worry Lucy," Gray smiled. "We'll take good care of you."

I remember Lucy didn't cry right away. She took a few seconds before she sobbed into Erza's warmer; our captain just stroking her until she stopped. When Lucy did finally stop crying, she thanked each and every one of us with a bright beautiful smile that could melt anybody's heart.

"So Lucy," Erza said. "Fairy Tail is ready for you if you'd accept it."

Reaching behind her, the scarlet produced a warmer similar to any other Fairy Tail FC warmer. Except this one... had a number seven along with Lucy's first name on the back. Her big eyes looked at each of us in turn; probably trying to believe it herself. I don't blame her; we don't take in players without the proper tryouts but she did stop a speeding car from killing a kid and a puppy by kicking a size five ball between two heads. That's all the tryout she'll need.

"I'll see you guys at practice," she smiled, accepting the warmer.

"Welcome to Fairy Tail, Lucy," we all said simultaneously.