My heart hammered with each passing second as Natsu and I stood at the railing of the ship. He hadn't spoken for a few minutes and those few minutes felt more to me like hours. I expected him to ask me who I was exactly, but when he finally spoke he asked me something that I wasn't expecting.

"Did you get on this ship while running from those traffickers?" I nodded slowly, clutching my body with my arms.

"Why are they after you in particular?" His voice was calm—he was probably used to doing this kind of thing with his other crew members.

"Let's just say... I am a very important person. My father is even more important. They wanted to sell me into slavery or back to my father, I wasn't quite sure. But I didn't want to go back and I didn't want to be a slave; I ended up leaping off the ship I was going to be taken away on and floating aimlessly in the vast sea.

"I expected that I would die there in the dark and cold waters of the night. But I found myself next to this ship and I climbed the ladder, suddenly afraid and unwilling to die. I hid behind those barrels and then..."

"I found you," he finishes.

"Yeah.." I look down. I hear him sigh softly before turning his back on the railing. I could see the wind tossing his clothes and his hair gently, and the pale moonlight cast shadows across his face making his features almost completely unreadable. Finally I decide to speak up again after a silence had fallen between us, only broken by the soft crashing of waves. "You don't want to know exactly who I am?" He shakes his head before I even finish my question.

"I know who you are right here in this moment, and that's all that matters to me." I turn to look at him and my eyes find his looking right back at me. I got still, my chest's rhythmic rise and fall being the only visible movement. "But this isn't all I wanted to talk to you about," he leans against the railing, his eyes leaving mine once more and breaking the moment.

"What else is there to talk about?"

"I spoke to Erza about what happened. She informed me of the group, they are apparently very notorious traffickers in the southern part of the country. She suggested we take you somewhere off the map until things died down," his tone had changed as he spoke. It was monotone, like he was forcing his emotions down.

"Where exactly is 'off the map'?" I was apprehensive.

"An unknown island. It's undocumented and only we, well I, know about its exact coordinates. It's magic, so it moves. You'll be safe there," Natsu kept his eyes trained on the horizon.

"How long would I be there..?" My heart was hammering in my chest again; I was nervous.

"I... I'm not sure, Luce," there was a shift in the atmosphere and I felt it. Natsu was no longer my captain in this moment, he was standing beside me as just Natsu. "But I won't leave you there alone."

"Who will be there with me?" I prayed that somehow it would be him. But I expected the answer I received.

"An old friend of mine," he looked at me almost sadly. "You and her will get along well." I nod slowly.

"I'll hate being away from this place, it was the first one where I felt happy," I lean on the railing of the ship with my cheek in my hand.

"You'll be back, I won't leave you on that island forever." I look at Natsu as he speaks.

"I know that...but I can't help but dread not being here with everyone. I have so many people to meet on the crew, and new friends I've already made. It's necessary though, that I go. I don't want to put everyone in danger, not after all you guys have done for my sake," my voice drops. Natsu places his hand over mine and this makes me turn to him. He looks up at the sky and out of curiosity I tilt my head upward as well. The stars winked and shone from the infinite pool of indigo above us.

Then within that moment I'm pulled into a tight embrace, the stars being the last things on my mind now. I breathed in his comforting scent for a second time today and relaxed into his arms. But I didn't want to misinterpret anything that was happening.

"You probably shouldn't hug me like this, the crew could see us.." I mumble into his shirt.

"They're all out cold Lucy... besides they wouldn't care if they saw us this way. I'm sure some would even be relieved..." His voice was gentle and calm, and I could tell he was smiling. I slid my arms around him and hugged him back tightly.

"You've given me everything, and I can't thank you enough." Natsu pushed me away slightly to look at my face.

"You can, by staying alive," he reaches up and places his hand on my head before touching his forehead to mine. "You are my precious person, as my father would have put it." My cheeks flushed and I felt the butterflies in my stomach flutter even more frantically than they ever have before. When we finally pulled apart Natsu lead me back to the room and I collapsed on the bed. After he removed his shoes and vest he relaxed on the bed beside me. I heard his soft snores within a short period of time but sleep eluded me. I would close my eyes but I would just stare at blackness for a long while. Dread had pitted itself in my stomach, and I was familiar with the feeling that fed it. An overwhelming fear of what was to come. 

------------

"Lucy, you should get up," a voice calls for me faintly. I must have somehow drifted off during the night. When I peek my eyes open I see the short girl with short light blue hair giving me a gentle smile. Her name... Ah yes, it was Levy. "We've lowered anchor near the island, it's time to go." I sit up as she speaks and I try to hide my disappointment.

"Alright...thank you." I nod to her. I get up and she hands me a small bag. "What's this?" I ask her as I take hold of the cloth strap.

"Clothes and items we thought you might want while you stayed on the island. And..." she reaches behind her and I peek past her to catch sight of the item she was grabbing. "This." she held out my sword. 

"Should I be worried that you guys want me to have this?" I ask half jokingly.

"Not particularly. I'm sure Captain will expect you to practice while we are away. Be sure to kick his butt next time you duel, that was interesting to watch," she laughs and I blush slightly.

"Levy! Lucy! The next row boat is ready, let's go!" a voice calls us from outside so I quickly change into my dress again and then Levy and I leave the room. Then I pause and look at Natsu's desk, spying the papers he had hidden from me the first night.

"Hey Lev, go on ahead. I have one last thing to grab, I will be out in just a second," I tell her and she nods, hurrying out. I reach for the folded envelope and quickly grab it, placing it in the bag gently before racing out of Natsu's room. I find Levy and a tall, buff guy with short blonde hair and a lightning shaped scar over one of his eyes, giving him a menacing look. When I reach them the guy helps me and Levy into the boat before climbing in as well, and then maneuvering the ropes to lower us into the bright blue waters below. 

"Laxus, are you excited to be here?" Levy asks while wiggling her eyebrows.

"Why would I be?" His response was gruff but he wouldn't make eye contact with her and his face had a slight tint of red to it. Levy looks at me and then leans in to whisper to me.

"He has a crush on the princess of this island." I perk up hearing princess, immediately growing worried that she had ties to people who where searching for me and would turn me over to my parents. Panic settled over me and now the island of my refuge looked less like a peaceful paradise and more like a looming threat. 

・ ・ ・ ・ ❊ ・ ・ ・ ・

Whoa okay, long time no update! I am so excited about this book :3

But school is being a major thorn in my side, math in particular, which inhibits my ability to write. But I have a six day break coming up for Thanksgiving! (Thank you American holiday about food) 

I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and look forward to more soon! Now I have to go finish other updates xD

That's all for now guys, catch ya later!

~Kels-chan