Okay, Gabbie did a number on me here XD
I myself was not fully prepared for this chapter, and after the cliffhangers I left, well...

Let's just say I absolutely love this chapter~!

--Natsu--

"We were assigned a job to find Jude Heartfilia and take him out. Word is that he is trying to find and stop his daughter. Rumor has it she joined the MPD to personally bring him down herself." I spoke, a bit of anger seeping into my voice. I looked at Lucy closely, noticing that she had stiffened at my words. I wonder if she's had a run in with him before this mess. "Hey, Luce," I snapped my fingers in front of her nose. "Are you okay?" She nodded her head slowly, but I was completely unconvinced. I looked at her a unsurely, an eyebrow raised so that she knew I wasn't buying it.

"Yes," she sighed, "I'm perfectly okay." She gave me a sweet smile, a smile that I returned with my own. But reality was, I still wasn't buyin' it. She was being transparent, whether she liked it or not. I'm just going to have to keep a close eye on her.

I snapped out of my thoughts as I saw Lucy approaching the car, a duffle bag hanging from her right shoulder. She was slightly limping, and I stood up to go help her with the bag. She shouldn't be pushing herself. Wendy had given me a talk about that, Erza glaring at me in warning the whole time as the little girl explained. No way in hell was I going to cross Erza, I mean, I wasn't even going to let my partner strain herself anyway. It was partially my fault she was even shot in the first place.

"Luce! Lemme help you with that." I said, running up to her and taking the bag off her shoulder. "You shouldn't strain yourself, you've barely just been released from the infirmary." I slight frown found it's way onto my face.

"I'm fine Natsu. It's nothing but a flesh wound." I raised an eyebrow at her. She can't be serious right? That bullet was pretty fucking close to hitting a major artery. If she thought of it like that, she'd be saying it was a pretty damn serious flesh wound.

I popped the trunk of my car open, setting the duffel bag inside closing it. "Pretty serious flesh wound then." I mutter as I got into the driver's seat, looking over at Lucy as she took her seat in the passenger's side. Her blood had stained the seat, so I had put a towel over it until I could get it fixed. "Did you want to go get something to eat before we go to my place?" I asked as I backed out of the parking spot.

"It's like four in the morning, is there really any place open right now?" She asked skeptically.

I grinned, turning on the stereo to play Bring Me The Horizon. "Actually it's six, you were out for a while. So yes, there are places that are open right now. It's breakfast hour so it's all good." She sighed, crossing her arms across her chest. Her skin was actually a lot paler than it was before, something completely noticable due to what she chose to change into. She was wearing black leggings with a short gray skirt--a belt to hold her keys--and a black long sleeved shirt with a purple v-neck layering it. She looked as white a sheet of paper.

"Fine. Can we go to IHop?" She tucked her hair behind her left ear, her long hair having been left down. I nodded, stomping on the brake and turning the wheel as I made an illegal U-turn. I ginned, turning up the volume. One of my favorite songs had come on, and I just wanted to feel it pump through me, to allow it to wash through me and leave behind a euphoria of feels.

Your eyes are swallowing me

Mirrors start to whisper

Shadows start to sing

My skin's smothering me

Help me find a way to breathe

Time stood still

The way it did before

It's like I'm sleepwalking

Fell into another hole again

It's like I'm sleepwalking

I'm at the edge of the world

Where do I go from here?

Do I disappear?

Edge of the world

Should I sink or swim?

Or simply disappear?

I was speeding along down the road, racing towards the nearest IHop. Lucy was quiet, the song still playing but nearing its end. I shifted my eyes to side, keeping them on the road but looking at Lucy at the same time. Her eyes were closed as her head leaned against the cool window. I wonder if she was into this type of music. I probably should have asked before turning up the volume so loud. "Hey, Luce." I said, turning down the volume once the song was over. "What kind of music do you like?"

She sat up straight, blinking her eyes as she refocused back into the now. "I like all kinds of music. It doesn't really matter to me, but I will absolutely not do country. Sorry, but that's just not my cup of tea. Jazz I can tolerate, but country is where I draw the line." I laughed. I couldn't help it, she was just so adament about it. I felt her completely, one hundred percent, but it was just the way she said it. "What's so funny?" She pouted and gave me a sideways glance.

"N-Nothing! It's just the way you said it is all." I slowed the car down, turning the blinker on as I turned into the IHop parking lot. "You were just so adamant about it. I feel you one hundred percent on that though."

"Oh. So, what's your favorite song by Bring Me The Horizon?" She asked with the raise of an eyebrow. "I personally like Go To Hell, For Heaven's Sake, but what about you?"

"Look at you, askin' all of the tough questions here." I grinned, turning off the car after parking and opening my door.

"I'm willing to bet that it's the song that was just on, Sleepwalking." She smirked, getting out of the slowly. I could tell that her thigh was irritating her.

"Well then I owe you something because you're right. I was going to say it was Drown, because that's on my list of favorite BMTH songs, but Sleepwalking is on the top." I conceited, putting my hand on the small of her back as I ushered her inside of the IHop. "So, since you won that bet, what do you say I buy you a sundae?"

"Welcome to IHop, party of two?" I nodded at the hostess, still looking at Lucy as I waited for her answer. She didn't answer, instead following the hostess towards our table. Maybe I shouldn't have said that, but I just couldn't help myself. I've known this girl for about a day, but she already captivated me. Man, I must going fucking crazy. We took our seats in the booth the hostess had seated us, the both us sitting across from each other.

"You know what, I'll take you up on the offer." She smiled and I felt my stomach do flips. What the fuck is happening to me?

"Awesome, 'cause I was gonna buy it for you whether you said yes or no." I smiled back, although it disappeared as a hindering thought resurfaced. "I'm really sorry you got shot. I should have thought to give you a weapon."

Her eyes widened just a bit, a hint of a blush spreading on her pale skin. "No, it was my fault really. I should have been paying more attention." She frowned, running her hand through her silky looking hair. "But, I do have to say that it was a bit of surprise to be going out on a mission on my first day. That was a bit unexpected."

"Yeah, I'm sorry about that. I was just so caught up with everything I wasn't really thinking straight." I smiled impishly, my turn to run my hand through my hair. "You know what I just realized?" I asked, a laugh beginning to bubble up my throat.

"Hmm?"

"I don't even really know that much about you." I laugh, a smile forming on my lips as I put my elbows on the table and leaned forward.

"I could say the same about you Mr. Dragneel." She smiled back, picking up the menu and looking through it. I kept my smile, allowing it to diminish to a smaller one though. I leaned back in my seat, picking up my menu as well. "I'd actually like to know though, how old are you?" She asked after a couple of minutes of silence, although I could hear the tapping of her combat boots perfectly.

"How old are you?" I countered.

"No, I asked you first so you have to answer first."

"I'm twenty three, almost twenty four."

"I'm twenty two."

"Nice, nice. What weapons do you specialize in?" I asked before our waiter came to take our orders.

"I like using my whip so that I can fight with my spirits, but in case I do run out of MP, then I do like to use guns." She answered after we handed over our menus. I nodded, not expecting her to be proficient with a whip. That's just something you don't hear everyday. I thought about it for a moment, but than I realized something: I hadn't seen her use one when she was fighting that man I had killed.

"Wait, so if you use a whip to fight with your spirits, how come I didn't see you using one during the fight?" I raised an eyebrow in question, my arms crossed across my chest.

"My whip broke last week and Virgo was repairing it for me. I didn't think I'd be getting in fights anytime soon."

"Oh." Was all I could say. Well that explained it. I guess I was being too rash by immediately dragging her out on a dangerous mission. I should have asked her first before dragging her out with me.

"What about you? What kind of magic do you have and what type of weapons do you fancy?"

I grinned, "I'm a fire dragon slayer. I personally like flame throwers the best, but Erza's forbidden me to use them." I pouted at the end, remembering when I was able to use the amazing weapon. Erza had kicked my ass for burning down too many buildings though.

"I knew it!" She suddenly spouted, her expression lighting up. "I guessed you were a dragon slayer when I saw Happy." My mouth formed an 'o' at her explanation. Nobody really seemed to have an exceed partner besides the dragon slayers, so I guess it was a pretty logical conclusion to come to.

"That's a pretty smart observation." I stated, moving to take a sip of the soda I had ordered, only to find that the waiter hadn't brough it yet. I frowned, my mouth craving the carbination the soda held. Well, I guess this guy isn't getting tip from us then.

When I looked back at Lucy, her face had turned into an expression of apprehension. This girl has had such mixed emotions, I was beginning to become curious about her thoughts. What was racing through her head to go from happy to cautious? It just didn't make sense, but I intended to find out one way or the other. "You think so?" She finally asked after a minute of awkward silence. I nodded, my lips twitching up slightly.

It was silent again after that, the chatter and cries of the elderly and kids along with the clinging and clatering of utensils and the cheesy music the only thing keeping this silence deafening. I opened my mouth say something, the silence beginning to eat at me, but just as I did, the waiter finally came with our food and drinks. "So sorry for the delay! Chicken strips and belgian waffle?" He asked, and I raised my hand for my food. I was starved, the events of the past day finally catching up with my stomach. "And chocolate chip waffles with eggs and bacon for the pretty lady."

"Thanks." Lucy's smile was tight lipped, her eyes telling the man something completely different than what he was hoping. My cheeks puffed up a bit as I tried to hold in my laughter, the exchange between the shitty waiter and Lucy making me want to laugh. He just looked so butt hurt, but she just looked so annoyed and mad. I don't even know why it was funny, it just was.

"Let me know if you two need anything else." He muttered before walking away. That was when I finally gave up and began laughing.

"Oh my God, did you see his face?!" My eyes were beginning to well with tears, my laughter seemingly endless.

She snorted as she poured syrup over her pancakes. "Yeah. He looked fucking rejected." She stated, her own laughter beginning to arise. "That was pretty funny wasn't it?" I nodded, my laughter not dying down. My stomach was beginning to hurt and my laughter was beginning to sound like a retarted seal. I was gasping for air, tears now falling from my eyes as I laughed.

And so we both laughed, Lucy finally giving into her laughter and laughing along side me. That's basically how the rest of breakfast went. We got to know each other more, the both of us cracking jokes left and right. I could tell that the people who were seated near us were beginning to get annoyed with our laughter, but we didn't give a shit. We were enjoying ourselves and it didn't matter what other people thought.

"Hey Luce, are ya tired?" I eventually asked, her yawning beginning to become more and more frequent. She nodded as she blinked slowly. "Alright, lemme go pay for this and we'll leave."

"Do you want me to leave a tip?"

"Nah, the service was crappy and he tried to hit on you. He doesn't deserve a tip." I waved her off, standing up before helping her up.

"Alright, if you say so." She shrugged, holding onto my arm as she walked. It was quite obvious her leg was bothering her, but I don't think she wanted to admit it. The two of us walked up to the counter and I handed the hostess our receipt so that I could pay for our breakfast. I payed for the food before we both walked out.

"Oh shit." I swore, stopping in front of my car. "I fogot to get you a sundae." I frowned.

"That's okay. I'll just cash that in another time." She replied coyly before making her way to her side of the car. I unlocked the car, standing still for a moment later before making my move to get into my car and drive home. I was bringing Lucy with me, Gramps having told everybody that it would be wise for everybody to stay together until this war was finished. He didn't want to take any chances with anybody being home alone in case we were ambushed. He had given a speech about it and everything while Lucy had been sleeping up in the infirmary.

It was quiet in the car, Lucy's head bobbing as she tried to stay awake. I foud it kind of cute how she did that, her hair falling in her face as her head drooped, only to be thrown back again as she brought it back up abruptly.

I kept the music in the car on low volume, careful not to wake my partner. Since I had decided to stay up when Lucy was asleep in the infirmary, I had told Happy to go home with Wendy. I didn't want him to worry any more than he needed, plus he was already falling asleep. I hope he wasn't ruining his stay by guilting himself about Lucy's leg.

I sighed, running a hand through my tousled hair as I thought on everything that was going on. I mean, what were the odds that the first attack from Jude would happen the very day that Lucy joined the gang? I don't know if it was just a coincidence or not, but I couldn't just ignore it. I was really hoping that she didn't have anything to do with this, but I just couldn't rule that possibility out.

I pulled off of the freeway, stopping at a stop light before continuing on the way home. We were only a couple of minutes away, but Lucy had already fallen asleep five minutes ago.

It was so strange how she had already managed to wriggle her way into my heart, my attraction to her undeniable. She was already like my best friend, but I don't know. It kind of felt like more than that, but I knew that she didn't feel the same. Hell, we've barely just met each other! But, I guess our living situation for the time being would change that.

I slowed my car down, going slow as I waited for my garage door to open. My house wasn't too amazing, only one story with just a square of grass with a willow tree in the front. It was painted a forest green color, but even though that sounded like it wouldn't look good on a house, it looked pretty fucking good on my house. I pulled into the garage, closing it after I had turned off the car.

It was probably around seven thirty in the morning now, the sun already up and shining brightly. I got out of the car, popping the trunk and grabbing Lucy's bag before going around the car and picking her up. Since Happy and I shared a room--he didn't want to have his own even though I bought this house so he could--there was an extra room for her.

I gently kicked open the door to the guest room, walking inside and setting her down on the bed before setting her bag down in front of the closet. I walked back over to her, bringing the blanket that was folded at the end of the bed over her sleeping body. "Night Luce, sweet dreams." I whispered, a small smile on my face before walking out and closing the door behind me.

I walked down the hallway to my own room, stripping off my clothes on the way there. I didn't bother with taking a shower, drowsiness finally slapping me in the face.

I kicked off my shoes, dropping my pants and my shirt on the floor before plopping myself down in my bed, curling up in my comforter and promptly falling asleep.