I watch speechless as steam rolls off of each of each and every exposed muscle of Natsu's body. It was bad enough seeing him in a towel... That's quite a way to dry off. "Now that we know that Violet doesn't need my protection from Zeref, Jellal and I decided that I will be sticking with you for a while."

"And who is going to protect me from you?"

"From me?"

"Jellal must not know what you did to me the other night when I was sleeping."

He blinks at me, clueless. "I did nothing to you."

"Oh sure, you carry me to bed unconscious and the next day Sting thinks I smell like you or something."

"He does?" Natsu gets a broad grin and wraps me in his arms.

"See, you are doing something to me right now!"

"Sometimes being a Dragon Slayer isn't so easy," he mumbles, his smile gone. He lifts me up and spins around to set me onto the other side of him in the hallway, so I am closer to the bathroom door, then backs up, still gripping my arms and looking me in the eye. "Ultear, Let me make one thing clear. You have nothing to fear from me. Ever." He lets me go and walks away.

I run to the bathroom and close the door. What is this feeling? Is it because he is a Dragon Slayer? Do they have this affect on everybody? No. Sting doesn't affect me like this. My heart won't stop pounding. I remember Natsu's words. "You have nothing to fear from me." Why would he say that? Is this feeling fear? Sigh. And what is this about my smell? He never explained it! Damn! I get in the shower and try to calm myself. I'll just think about Zeref for a while. When I am ready for bed I will go check on him.

I don't know what Natsu thinks "protecting" me entails, so as soon as I am out of the shower I avoid the rest of the apartment and sneak out of the front door as quickly and quietly as I can. Zeref's apartment is right next to Violet's, but I don't have to go that far before I find him leaning against the wall. "I found you." He says, and takes my hand. "You were looking for me too?" I ask him. I am so glad he has stopped avoiding me. I put my head on his shoulder and sigh. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Why were you looking for me?"

"No reason really, I just wanted to see you." He pulls me in for a hug and smells my hair. "I am not used to this place, and I don't want to bother Violet. But it's okay. You are tired. You should go to bed."

"I am tired." I smile gratefully and head to bed.

bdmp bdmp bdmp. My heart pounds as my thoughts go back to the steam rolling off of the muscles of a certain Dragon Slayer. I'll never get that image out of my mind. And then when he grabbed me, why didn't I try to get away from him? Maybe I should I ask Violet about this? No. She is a Dragon Slayer too, so she would be different from me. After what seemed like a sleepless night, I wake in the morning with Natsu's scarf wrapped around me. When did he manage this? And why?

I check around the apartment and find that I am alone, so I get dressed and head to Violet's to look for everyone. As I reach the door Jellal calls out to me from across the hall. "Sleeping beauty isn't up yet... over here!" Jellal, Erza, Zeref, Sting and Meredy are all sitting on the floor around a table drinking coffee. I see the coffee maker and go to get a cup. "What are you wearing?" asks Meredy, motioning to her neck to indicate that she is asking about the scarf. I put my hand to the scarf to touch it. "It's Natsu's." Answers Erza. "Why are you wearing it?" Meredy asks again. "I don't know, I just woke up with it on?" I answer. Meredy raises her eyebrows at me, and Zeref looks at me surprised. "No, I mean, it's not like that!" I say flushing. "But he said that Jellal sent him to protect me, so I thought there must be a reason." Jellal nods in agreement. I change the subject, and move over to sit by Zeref. "So what's on the agenda today Jellal?"

"Nothing. You and Violet seemed to need your rest and I am just enjoying being here," he says, taking Erza's hand and staring at her, making her blush.

Rogue and Violet arrive, followed by Seb, Frosch, Happy and finally Natsu. He looks so different without his scarf on. Natsu and Happy are loaded down with bags.
"How is our mommy doing?" asks Sting.
"Hungry!" answers Violet, taking a bag from Natsu and digging out french toast as she sits at the bar. "My favorite!"
Natsu starts passing out the rest of the food.
"You and Happy seem to always feed everyone." I say, as he sets two meals in front of me.
"Just like you seem to do everything else." He answers. "Now which do you want, I'll take the one that you don't eat." Tough choice. They are both my favorites. So he got my favorite too... I grab the apple pancakes and leave the omelet for him.
"Oy, why am I wearing this?" I say as I start to take off his scarf.
"Keep it on please. It is an enchanted scarf, from my father. It will keep you safe."
"From Igneel, then I can't..." He stops my hand with his. "Yes, you can. Please." bdmp bdmp bdmp. Shut up you! I say to my heart beat. I nod dumbly and drop my hand.

Violet's POV:

It's a busy day for me, visiting both Saber Tooth and Fairy Tail. Gajeel notices my condition right away. Our baby has so many uncles! I ask Master Makarov if Rogue and I can work together on jobs. "Of course, I consider Rogue one of the family now, just like Jellal is one of ours now, even though he is in another guild." I don't see Lucy, so I give her a call and we head over to see her next and pass around congratulations. We head back home and discuss our plans for the next few weeks. Ultear says that mind control takes some time to heal from, so they are going to wait a couple of months before taking jobs with Zeref. We just work on therapy and on training and before you know it, it is Lucy's wedding day.

I pick out a bright blue dress that matches my eyes and contrasts with my black hair and black scales. Lucy is beautiful, wearing a gold wedding dress that seems to shimmer and glow. She has her hair piled on top of her head surrounded by a gold crown. Virgo must have dressed Natsu as well, since he is wearing a jacket and pants that look like they came off of prince charming. Leo is one step up, adding a cape to the ensemble. Natsu leads Lucy to Leo and puts her hand in his. "As you have given yourself to me, I now give myself to you." Lucy says.
"Congratulations, Leo, she is your wife." announces Mira. Leo, Lucy, Natsu and Levy all sign a paper and hand it to Mira to file, and then it is time to party.

Lucy has Cancer acting as DJ. He announces that the last dance will be a broom dance and that everyone should get a chance to dance with the brooms. Lucy and Leo start off with the brooms and start handing them off. Each time a broom is handed to someone, the one who was dancing with the broom takes a new partner. Ultear is handed the broom by Mira, who then dances with Zeref. Ultear hands the broom to Levy and dances with Warren. I dance with Gajeel and Warren, and then am back with Rogue. Gajeel gets the broom again and elbows Rogue. "Watch this." he says. Gajeel hands his broom to Natsu and whispers something in Ultear's ear, leading her away from him. Natsu breaks out in scales and the broom in his hands goes up in flames. Gajeel winks at Rogue. "Gi hi hi." Levy scolds Gajeel and hits him on the head with her broom. Gajeel looks pleasantly surprised at this and grabs her for a deep kiss, thrusting the broom at Ultear. "So that's what he was waiting on... for her to stand up to him." Rogue whispers to me. Ultear stands there with the broom in her hands, staring at Natsu. Finally she shrugs and the broom disintegrates in her hands. Everyone starts clapping. I guess the dance is over.

Ultear heads my direction. "I have to ask you something, Violet." she says, pulling me behind the counter to talk. "Why did Sting and now Gajeel say that I smell like Natsu? What does it mean? He won't tell me."

"He is not telling you because all of the details can be kind of scary. Put simply, it means that you want him."

She puts her head on her forehead. "What else? It means more than that. After I told Natsu he complained that being a Dragon Slayer isn't easy. But, but something sure seems easier for him than it is for me."

Ultear's POV:

"He is not telling you because all of the details can be kind of scary. Put simply, it means that you want him." Violet answers me.

She isn't telling me everything. "What else? It means more than that. Natsu complains that being a Dragon Slayer isn't easy. But, but something sure seems easier for him than it is for me."

"That's the part that can be scary. It means that you cannot resist him."

I knew he did something to me! "What?! What has he done to me. Is this some kind of spell?!" I hiss angrily.

"No no. He can't help it anymore than you can. It's just chemistry. You are angry about it, and a little frightened aren't you? That why he says it isn't easy. Dragon Slayer men have this. I can't resist Rogue, you've noticed that haven't you?"

I scan the room for Zeref. "That's ridiculous. Natsu isn't my mate, and I am not a Dragon Slayer. Of course it doesn't apply to me."

Natsu comes sneaking up behind me and takes my hand. "Care to test that theory?" he says. I get butterflies in my stomach and my heart starts pounding.

Violet smiles at me sympathetically. "I know you won't Natsu. I've been watching you the past two months. You barely touch her."

"She has nothing to fear from me," he answers.

I get wide eyes when I remember him saying that to me. That's what he meant?

Rogue and Violet leave, but I want to stay as long as possible to avoid going home.
_______________________________________
Time skip! This story is about Violet, remember Authors?

Violet's POV:

Over the next few months, Rogue and I take turns supporting Sabertooth and Fairy Tail teams on jobs, while Zeref is getting along great in Crime Sorcière. The baby is doing fine, but we have decided to let the gender be a surprise, so no one knows if it is a boy or a girl. Lucy, Erza and Ultear throw a baby shower for us, and everything bought for the baby is gender neutral. I think I prefer it that way anyway. After the baby shower Rogue says that he wants to talk to me seriously about something. "This child is our job for now. Let the rest of them do their jobs while we do ours, okay? I want my family safe."

Finally the big day has come. We call Wendy to let her know it's time.