Wow. It's been a looooong time! Sorry about that...life and shit. Anyway, Gabbie and I are back in the swing of things!! I'm so happy to be writing this again~!!

• Lucy •

"Knights! Knights! Knights!" The crowd was cheering even as they were streaming out of the stadium. We had won, and despite the close close game at the end, we managed to effectively end it with a miracle grand slam. That poor left fielder tried his hardest to catch it before it went over the wall, but in the end was just too slow and slammed himself against the wall for nothing.  The crowd had gone crazy, and I couldn't help but smile as I thought over the game, lost in my thoughts completely.

"Luce, hey!" I'm suddenly tugged backwards and I make contact with a warm body.  It took a few seconds before I realize I was almost run over by some huge guys who looked almost as intimidating as Gajeel. I turn my head slightly to see Natsu--the body I had been pulled towards--with a concerned expression etched in his features. "Are you okay?" He asked.

I nodded before speaking "Of course! I was just a bit lost in thought." He smiled and shook his head, keeping his hand on the small of my back as we waded through the masses of people. Tingles spread from my back where his hand was and I struggled to repress the slight shivers that wanted to race down my spine.

Once we got out into the parking lot we all had to go our separate ways since we had all taken different vehicles.  I hugged Levy as I said goodbye to her and waved to everyone else before turning in the same direction as Natsu.  He was staring at me and I felt heat rise up my cheeks.  "What? Is there something on my face?" I ask and quickly put my hands on my cheeks to try and hide a possible foreign substance.

He grinned before shaking his head in slight amusement. "There isn't anything," he tells me and I raise my eyebrow suspiciously.

"You laughed."

"Yeah, I did," he chuckles and I chew my bottom lip.

"That makes me think there actually is something," my lower lip pushed into a pout and he pulls his hand from his jeans pocket and places it on top of my head before leaning in close to me.

"The only thing on your face is your hands and the red from how hard you're blushing," he whispers and I freeze as I feel his breath against my skin; all of my hairs stand on end.  I pulled away and laughed nervously, quite clearly flustered.

"Y-you where just staring at me so... I thought there was something weird on my face," I brush a lock of my hair behind my ear and look away from him. "Anyway," I quickly try to change the subject, "let's get going. I'm hungry and I want to take a shower..." My lip pulls into a smile as I look at Natsu. He nods and then leads me back to our parked car.

After unlocking the car, I opened my door and got in, buckling myself in with one swift motion. After Natsu had done the same he started the car and I turned on the radio.  There was a lot of traffic exiting the parking lot, but that was a given seeing as it's always slow leaving functions like this.

I bobbed my head slightly to the music and murmured along to the songs, not quite in the mood to sing louder. It was finally quiet and after spending hours in a loud stadium, surrounded by screaming people and blaring music, I was ready for the change of pace.  "You looked like you where having the time of your life out there," Natsu speaks up. I turn to him for a moment, nodding my head.

"It was amazing, the game was intense, the crowd was energetic and being with everyone..." I pause. "It was nice." I reach my arm over poke his bicep gently.  "Especially you," I whispered.

He glances over at me. "Oh, really?" He questions and I blurt my answer without thinking.

"Of course!" I only realized how weird that sounded after I said it and I scrambled to finish my sentence in a way that didn't sound strange. "I mean, we are partners in crime after all." He laughs at my choice of words and looks over at me. and I internally sighed in relief.  At least my response wasn't too painstakingly awkward.

"You really are something else entirely, Lucy," I saw an array of emotions flicker across his eyes as he spoke but was quickly shielded under a teasing look.

"Naturally," I flip my hair in a show of mock arrogance.

"Are you sure that was a compliment?" He raises his eyebrow.

"Hey!" I raise my hand to hit him, but through his peripheral vision he catches my hand in his. I tried pulling my hand from his but he just smirked as he kept his grip on my arm. "Natsu..." I whine slightly.  I can say now that that was a mistake because it only made him draw his lips up more.

"Yes dear?" He asks teasingly and I pout.

"Let go of my hand, please?" My voice was gentle and he sent me a sideways glance before shaking his head. I huff slightly, deciding that pouting will be my best option in this situation. He loosened his grip slightly but he still didn't let go.  I was about to try pulling it away, but then a better solution to my dilemma came up in my mind: I could hold his hand as well. I immediately shook that thought away. His hand was warm and slightly callused from work, but it still felt comforting at the same time.

I hesitated and sighed internally before wiggling my hand forwards slightly, just enough to barely be holding his hand as well. My face was on fire, so I made sure to be looking out the window so he couldn't see how much it burned bright red.  "Your ears are red too, Luce." There was teasing in his voice, but there was definitely something else too and that made my heart flutter.

"Turn off at this exit," I tell him, ignoring his comment. He does so and I continue to give him directions to my apartment complex. Once we arrive he finally, and dare I say reluctantly, releases my hand. I climb out of his car, and after he locks it I lead the way up to my apartment. We take the elevator up a few floors before walking down the quiet corridor.  I stopped outside of my apartment and pulled out my key to unlock the door.

I shoved the door open, making a mental tab to grease the hinges.  "Welcome to my humble abode. Make yourself at home. Oh, you'll probably come across my police stuff if you look around...yeah..." I mumble and quickly dart inside. "There's food and drinks in the kitchen if you want them, and the remote is on the coffee table. Sorry to leave you so quickly but I am in desperate need of a shower." I laugh softly and watch as he shuts the door and strolls into the living room.

"What do you want me to do with the bags?" He asked as I walked into my room for a change of clothes.

"You can just set them next to the couch."  I said while walking across the hall to my bathroom.

I heard the T.V turn on as I closed the bathroom door.  I sighed in content before pulling my clothes off.  I looked at the scar on my leg the bullet wound had left, a slight frown making it's way onto my face.  It was pale, and almost matched my skin tone, but it was the size that made it so easy to spot. I sighed in agitation before reaching into the shower and pulling the knob, allowing the water to spray out.  I stepped in, not bothering to wait for it to heat up all the way and audibly sigh as the warming water cascades over me.

I quickly wash my hair, enjoying having my usual things back. "Ah, I will never take you for granted again, dear shampoo," I murmur as I massaged my scalp before rinsing out my golden locks. I shaved--a lengthy and rather annoying process--and then washed my body.  But even though it was time to get out, I allowed myself a couple minutes longer to bask in the warm water.  It was rather relaxing and I could feel some of the tension leave my body.  "Lucy, are you doing okay?" Natsu calls through the door and I jump slightly, opening my eyes in slight panic.  I placed my hand on my chest as I caught my breath before turning off the water.  I almost forgot Natsu was staying here.

"Yeah, I'm done," I tell him as I reach out from behind the sliding glass door of the shower, my hand finding its way to a fluffy towel.  I squeezed the water out of my hair with the towel before wrapping it around myself and stepping out of the shower.  I walked the two steps to the sink and leaned down to  grab my blow dryer from the bottom drawer.  It didn't take long to dry my hair--it was long but it wasn't exactly thick--and when I was finished I dropped the towel.

Sighing, I pull my sports bra over my head, reluctantly pulling it over my large breasts. If Natsu wasn't here I wouldn't have bothered with a bra, but if I had to wear one I might as well wear a comfy one.  I pulled on a thin t-shirt before sliding on a pair of underwear and shorts.  I leaned down to hang my wet towel and opened the door to check on Natsu.

I walked back to the living room, my moist feet leaving a trail behind me.  A small smile formed when I saw Natsu sprawled across my couch with his eyes closed, the T.V switched onto paid programming.  He was snoring slightly, so I made sure to be quiet as I paid a trip to the kitchen where I put together a sandwich. Natsu seemed to be half asleep so I didn't bug him as I walked back to the living room to turn off the T.V.

I began walking back to my bedroom but looked back at Natsu, realizing he was without a blanket.  I put my sandwich in my mouth to hold as I opened the closet next to the bathroom where I kept my extra blanket and towels.  I grabbed a blanket from the top shelf and shut the door before walking back to the living room.

I took my sandwich out of my mouth after I had put the blanket over him. "I'm going to bed Natsu," I whispered before walking away.  I got a soft grunt in response as I trekked back to my room.  I didn't bother closing the door and jumped onto my bed.  Oh how I had missed this bed.  I set my sandwich down on the side of my bed and began to drift off, thinking over the day.  I held the hand that held Natsu's up by my face and I looked at it for a few minutes, wondering what it meant. Where things better between us? Or did he still harbor some resentment towards me?

I sighed and rolled over, my eyes closing.  However, they sprung open at the foreign sound of heavy footsteps coming towards my room.  I furrowed my brow in confusion, thinking Natsu was up.  But he was pretty much asleep a moment ago and I was pretty sure I had almost tripped over his shoes on my way back to my room.  As I turned back over in my bed to face the open door, I came face to face with a dark figure standing in my doorway. I gasped and threw the blankets off, causing my half eaten sandwich to smack into the middle of the figures chest.  It didn't slow him down as he ran up on me though and I screamed as he tried to put a hand over my mouth.  I thew a punch at the figure, trying to shove them off. I could hear crashing in the other room and assumed there was more than one person who had broken in.

"Damn it, shut up bitch!" They growled before shoving a cloth over my face. My stomach dropped as I recognized the scent of chloroform and I yelled for Natsu with the last of my consciousness.