"This isn't fair!" I screamed to no one but myself. The house was empty, I knew that. My sleeves where soaked from my tears and I was bruising from trying to break down the door. I was pathetic. I collapsed to my knees and fell backwards, finally giving up.

"Na-Natsu..." I sobbed softly. I was locked in my old family home, my father had left me here as what I assumed was punishment. My father had left telling me he was going to talk to Natsu and I was scared of what would happen. With all my past problems with boys... I had been deceived more than once.

I had thought he was my world. I adored him, and he loved me and treated me like a princess. I had told him I wanted to marry him when I got older. He had laughed at me and called me a naive child, for he was older and thought of me as just an annoying girl he had to protect because his father told him to. I was crushed and to my father I hated boys, and I never wanted a thing to do with any of them.

I saw that boy not long after and I overheard him talking to his friends. "Yeah, I was her crush. But she's just some stupid girl, she's frail and weak, and she isn't even that cute!" His friends laughed. I bit back tears and ran home sobbing. From then on I studied hard so I wasn't stupid, I tried my best to look cute and I made sure I could stand up for myself. My father banned me from seeing boys.

Then a few years later I met a different boy. He was genuinely kind and he didn't see me as a nerd. He loved just hanging out and reading or working on school stuff. He told me he loved me and I believed him and told him about my crush on him. He seemed to really be genuine. Until one day he showed his true intentions and tried to rape me before he bolted with a few items of high value from our home. My father was enraged I had even become involved with him, and now he was certain never to let me get romantically involved with another guy.

My eyes went wide as I made my discovery. My father didn't disapprove of Natsu and I at all... he was just protecting me. My eyes teared up and I smiled as I cried. He just didn't want me to get hurt anymore! I got myself to my feet as a car rolled up the driveway. I eventually heard steps outside the door and it opened. There stood my father, looking passive.

"Dad..." I smiled as more tears fell. "You don't have to protect me anymore..." I wipe at the tears on my eyes. He smiled and pulled me into a hug, smoothing my hair down and just holding me.

"I'm sorry I took you away from Natsu, I was just afraid-" I cut him off.

"That I would be hurt?" I finish gently. He nods and I tuck my hair back.

"Natsu is different dad... He really cares, and always has. I love him dad, I really do. Honest," I grin sheepishly.

"I know Lucy. I brought him with me," my dad stands aside and I peek out and at the end of the hall Natsu was leaning his shoulder against the wall with a smirk plastered on his face. I ran towards him and he straightened up, catching me in his arms and spinning me before stopping and kissing my head. I had my arms wrapped tightly around his chest and he was holding me even closer.

"What happened?" I murmur into Natsu's chest.

"Well..."

-->One hour prior<--

*Natsu's POV*

I heard the doorbell ring and I left Wendy playing her game. After Lucy left with her dad, unhappily, I had distracted Wendy with games. Shortly after our father had returned and that helped her cheer up as well. I opened the door to find Jude Heartfilia standing there.

"Oh... Mr. Heartfilia, you must be here for dad," I turn to yell for him but Jude shakes his head.

"I'm here to talk to you, Natsu," I gulp nervously.

"Me? What do you need to talk to me about?" I step out and close the door behind me.

"Lucy. I want you to stay away from her. Understand?"

"Mr. Heartfilia sir, I understand you are looking out for Lucy but she's my best friend. I'm not just going to let her go like that," I shake my head.

"Well you need to start trying your best to do so," Jude turns to leave.

"I know why you're doing this, Jude. Lucy has been hurt before by low lives right?" I fold my arms and make Jude stop in his tracks. He turned back to me.

"How do you know about that?" He asks incredulously.

I scoff and sigh. "I told you, Luce is my best friend! She tells me everything, including her hard times with guys. Especially after the most recent one where you became overly protective with that one guy who tried to steal from you..." I pause and stop there to keep from revealing more than Lucy wanted me to.

"She...she told you everything?" I nod my head in response. Jude seems to have mixed emotions displaying across his face.

"It seems... I may have misjudged you Natsu. I didn't realize how close you where to Lucy and how much she trusts you. I mistook you for just another player out to use my daughter. Your father and I are good friends and you are like a son to me, and I don't want you to end up like the last guy who hurt her," he looks apologetic.

"If you're referring to the guy in the hospital for breaking Lucy's heart, I'm the one who crushed him and sent him there. You have nothing to worry about with me...because I love Lucy," I tell him.

-->Present<--

*Lucy's POV*

My eyes dart between Natsu and my father as we sit in the living room and Natsu finished explaining what happened. My father cleared his throat to draw my attention.

"I...apologize for making you distressed Lucy," he says gruffly. I smile at his uneasiness in apologizing. He had always been really bad at it.

"Apology accepted dad. I know why you did it..." I glance at Natsu.

"I will let you date Natsu. Under one circumstance," he seemed recovered from his awkward apology.

"What's that?" I ask nervously.

"No sexual activity until you have graduated." My face grew bright red, it would have matched Erza's hair. But at least now we wouldn't have to worry about hiding things. Natsu chuckled beside me.

"I promise to keep my hands off her Jude," and my father and Natsu share a laugh as I grow redder. This is better than before, I suppose..