The Reaching Hands
by: maikiru

First note: I wanted to dedicate this to my partner in crime-Gicchan's Encounter!

Magnolia, a very famous city with the famous guild named as Fairy Tail reside in it. Fairy Tail was famous indeed, but the members were very much noisy in other hands. This time, it was summer. And most of the members were taking a break to have some times in beach. One of them was Team Natsu. Consist of Natsu the Salamander, Happy the Exceed, Lucy Heartphillia the Celestial Wizard, Gray Fullbuster the Ice Wizard, and Erza Scarlet the Fairy Queen. Most of the Fairy Tail members agreed that all of them formed the biggest potential to be the strongest team in Fairy Tail.

Even though they were rumoured as the 'strongest' team. They were one of those who made big ruckus while they were having their quests.

Back in the case, the hot summer was very hot indeed. They were having a break to the east of Magnolia in a beautiful sea shores. They would stay there for two days and back to Fairy Tail at the third days.

Although, they could only spend a day to play in the beach because they arrived at the first day's night. Team Natsu finally arrived in the station.

"Natsu! You okay right?" said the blond wizard as she patted on Natsu's salmon hair.

"I wanna puke ..." he covered his mouth and stared at Lucy.

"Yikes! There there!" she shouted before she lead Natsu to the place where he could actually puke.

"That flame brain idiot, how can he be afraid with transportations?" stuttered the dark blue haired man. He was sighing and unfortunately stripped himself.

"Oh my goodness-Gray! Your clothes!" shouted Lucy while she covered her eyes with her hands. Meanwhile, the redhead Erza was sighing and shrugged.

Gray was trying to wear his clothes again, and Natsu was half recovered. Then again, Happy was the one who still have this energetic smile planted on his face.

"We have to hurry, the night is coming along sooner or later," said Erza. She brought her huge baggages by herself, and the other members were walking behind her lead.

"I can't wait to have a good summer holiday!" shouted the Celestial Wizard.

This is Team Natsu, do any of you have complains at all?

"Mmm~ this is very nice!" murmured Erza. She was eating a parfait with Lucy. They arrived at the shores, and they were having dinner. Meanwhile, Natsu, Happy and Gray had finished their dinner. So they had came back to their rooms.

"Its taste is so heavenly! The mixture of the ice cream and soft cake are blending-Right, Lucy?" she asked while she snuck another piece of parfait inside of her mouth.

"E-eh? Yeah! It is taste very good," she said. Erza knew that there were something wrong with Lucy. Especially, when she was talking something to that blond girl, she always listening till the end.

"Are there something wrong, Lucy?" she asked. While she still staring at her parfait.

Lucy stared at Erza's eyes. Lucy's mouth left open, and her onyx eyes were left widen. She then looked very pale and sighed. She couldn't lie to her senior. Erza could see everything that she tries to hide. That was the same for Mirajane and Levy as well.

"It's about-yeah," her pale cheek was turning as red as a beet. She said words softly than she said before.

"Ah, Natsu," the Fairy Queen said.

"Erza! Don't say it out loud!" Lucy was panicked.

"What's up with that dense man?"

"It's just I could feel that he started to be so distant to me. He is now more hanging out with Lisanna more than me," she explained her thoughts.

".. Well, if you see it that way, I think I could see your point," Erza said.

"Yeah ... We rarely go on the same missions now. He will ask Lisanna to accompany him, and he is much more enthusiastic when he hears, Yes! from Lisanna's mouth,"

Lucy crossed her hands on the table and sighed. And she took a deep breath and exhaled.

"I felt that I am really is a terrible comrade, right, Erza?"

Erza smiled wisely. Her parfait was empty in her glass. That redhead patted Lucy's head and brushed it roughly. And then she stood up.

"Well, we will see if your speculation is right or not,"

Lucy was in her thought once again. Erza is doubtful about her speculation? Then again, she could think what Natsu did beside working the quests with Lisanna.

Suddenly something popped from her mind. She remembered when Natsu was walking to her side and asked her for a job after he went home from his and Lisanna's quest.

Then again, that was once.

Erza was walking to the other side of the inn to her room. Lucy suddenly back from her thoughts.

"Ah, wait for me Erza!"

The day after that night. The beach was pretty much crowded with commoners from the region, and some travellers like Natsu's Team were there as well. It was a pretty well-known beach after all.

"We need watermelons! Come on Happy, let's find some!" shouted the Salamander. "Haiiii!" shouted Happy back when he was following Natsu's lead toward the crowds. Natsu was using his red shorts that is compatible with water, and his hair was as pink as a salmon.

In the other hand, Gray Fullbuster and the rest were apparently sightseeing around the shores. Much to they dismay, the shores was good like the others were talking about-minus the crowds.

They-apparently came in a very unfortunate day. The sun shone pretty hard. And the people were way crowded than they had expected. By all means, they knew they couldn't enjoy their holiday to their fullest.

"Ah, that's bad.. My skin is going to be tanner than I had anticipated," growled Lucy. She was the one who was kind of upset about all of this. Moreover, Natsu was making this big fuss in the early morning.

She still remember what he said though. Anyhow, what he said was pretty much kill her heart until it shattered into tiny bits-that time.

Natsu and Happy were currently taking a stroll in the early morning. Apparently, the crowds were very much less than they were in the morning. And accidentally, they met someone with this blond hair and porcelain skin, who was sitting idly on the glimerous thousand sands. She looked like she was looking at the sunrise.

"Lucy? Is that you?" asked Natsu to ensure.

"Eh, Natsu?" said Lucy. She was turning her head to the source of the voice that was calling her name.

Natsu smirked and crossed his hands on his chest, "Eeh, I know that it is you," he said. "It is obvious, Natsu!" she said back.

Natsu who was standing up with the flying Happy decided to take a seat beside Lucy. He was staring at the sunrise with her, alone-with Happy too.

"Whatcha doing Luce?"
"Just staring at the sun."
"Buu, boring."
"Hmmph!"

After the short conversation ended, the awkward situation became even tense.

"So, Luce.. Are you going to swim in the beach today?"

Lucy stared at him, "Eh? Me? .. I dunno, but I think I'll swim it with my new swimsuit that I bought with Erza three days ago," she added. "Hmm, why are you asking that, Nat-su? Ehh, don't tell me-"

"N-no, I-I didn't want to say that you are pretty okay? I mean, you are a weirdo, and even Lisanna is much more prettier than you-"

Lucy's heart was crumbling into pieces.

"-I mean-I am lying about-"

"...What? Fine. If you want to say it like that, then say it. Lisanna is way prettier than me? Well, it is obvious for you, eh Natsu,"

"No Lucy! I mean-"

She stood up, turned around, and she left him alone.

God is cruel. I don't know ... I just felt that I wanted to say that.

"Lucy! You don't want to go and swim?" asked Erza from a distance. She was with Gray and they were having a volleyball.

"No thanks Erza .. My head is a bit budging me this time," she reasoned. She hide her bikini in a short sleeve white jacket. And she had this beautiful hairstyle she got from Cancer as well.

Erza and Gray looked at her pitifully. They knew what was in her mind. But ironically, they decided to keep it shut and let Natsu and Lucy solve their own problems.

"Natsu is pathetic! I hate him!" she grumbled. She frowned while she was sitting below the shade of the rainbow-looking umbrella.

"Or maybe he isn't .. Or it is just me who is pathetic," she grumbled once more.

She covered her face on her knees. She just didn't know what to do. Especially, when she said that. The most possible things were, their friendship ended, and some other things were remained 'unexpected'.

Suddenly, a hand was reaching her arms. And she jerked up. She looked up and she saw a man with dark blue hair. That stripping man-

"Gray, you shocked me," she frowned.

"Sorry, haha," he chuckled. He brought two glass of beers. Lucy speculated that he bought it in the sea-side store in her left.

"Want the beer?" he asked while lent her the right glass. Lucy smiled and took it, "Thanks Gray."

Gray took his seat beside Lucy. He drank the beer and sighed. And then he stared at the spaced-out-looking Lucy.

"Oi, Luce. What the hell are you spacing up?"

"E-eh?" she jerked up again.

"Drink the beer first," he said. Then he chugged all the beer and sighed. Then he stared at Lucy who was drinking the beer as well.

"How about your headache?" he asked, "Not that fine-I guess. Your face looked pale."

Lucy nodded, "Yeah."

"Ah, that idiot must be saying something again to you," he said and chuckled.

"Don't worry Lucy. He is a bit tsun-tsun-I mean, talking as if he doesn't care at you. But he cares the best for you,"

Those words knocked Lucy's paradox in one shot. Natsu cares for her? Really? That sounds like-a dream. But it is sounds true enough for her.

But her pride and her mind were not agree at it yet. She declined that kind of idea from that Ice Mage.

"No, that is impossible," she said, "She likes Lisanna! He even said it to me-"

"More than you, huh? He said that right? Buuu, you can't even see the difference between that, Luce," Gray razed. He stood up and took the empty glass from Lucy.

"Don't worry Luce. Your idea is very much wrong," he said.

Gray was walking to the store. And Lucy was staring at the sun again. She frowned.

The sun is very hot today.

x x x x x x x

Lucy went back to the inn before the others went back. She was in the room and lying down on the bed. Her headache worsen when she drank Gray's beer.

Lucy's headache was sourced from the early morning fuss. Her body was not that fit when they had came to the beach yesterday.

The blonde girl looked at the opened window. It was apparently passed 04.00 pm. For how long she has slept on the bed?

She hasn't changed her outfits. Morelike when she arrived at the villa, she instantly lying down on the bed and slept.

*knock knock*

"Lucy? Are you in there?" a womanly voice was saying it, "Natsu is waiting for you," she said.

Lucy's eyes suddenly opened up. She was shocked to hear that Natsu was waiting idly for her.

"Come on now, just go and see that flame idiot. Happy is going to accompany you," said another manly voice.

"Bye now,"

Lucy could sense that their appearance were fading away. That blond girl was spacing out. And her legs were suddenly moving to stand up. She walked weakly to the door.

She was ready to meet that Salamander.

"Natsuuuuu!" shouted Happy from behind. There was Lucy who was walking slowly behind him as well. Natsu who was standing on a big shallow stone, there was a quite high cliffs down there.

Natsu was using his shorts and a sleeveless shirt. He has changed his clothing apparently.

Lucy was walking to Natsu's side. She took another step from him to look at the sun closely. As she looked at the sun sets that glimmering prettily, bathing her body with the orangish gradient, she hummed. Her headache wasn't getting better.

"So ... What is it?" she asked as she gave him a serious look.

"You know Lucy, I-erm.. Really said it wrong to you-I mean-"

"You mean?"

"Yeah, I mean that I didn't really want to compare you with Lisanna. Bu-but that doesn't mean you are that pretty-you are weird. That is the answer,"

"Stupid .. Natsu,"

It was probably because of her headache that she couldn't think about rational things anymore, or because of this flaming heart that wanted to give her a drop of her salty tear?

"Luce..?" was all he said.

"S-stay away from me first okay, Natsu," she said. She didn't want to have Natsu saw her tears on her face. She tried hard to brush it off, but the tears were still dropping without a stop.

She stepped back, and she surprised. She stepped a blank space. Down there were sharp numerous coral stones. Waiting to get Lucy and cut her tiny body in pieces.

"Lucy!" was all he could shout at her that time.

She had fell to the ocean, and luckily for her, she got few bruises and cuts, but that was not enough to kill her. She was drown into the depth of the ocean. She couldn't think anymore.

Her mind wondered, wasn't this the pitiest way to die?

Suddenly, she saw a glimpse of the reaching hands toward her body. She didn't know whose hands was it. But she was very much glad, that the hands were the hands of warmness.

"Luce! You idiot!" he shouted. He was in the surface of the ocean right now. He brought Lucy back from the depth. And he could feel that her body was as cool as a steel yet, it was utterly pale.

Happy was immediately flew away to call Erza and Gray before Natsu let himself jumped and searched for Lucy.

The Salamander brought Lucy to the ground. He tried to sense whether she was breathing or not, but she didn't take any oxygen from her nose. Neither her mouth was left opened and took the oxygen. Natsu panicked. He couldn't think of any other thing beside to do a CPR with her. He would do anything to save her life. Even though that would make her hate him forever.

Where am I?

I can only hear some rough voices. I can't hear it clearly. My vision is as dark as black paint.
Why am I lying alone in this space? Where the heck am I? And what is this salty fragrance-
Why can't I move my body? Help-anyone, please-help-Natsu! I k ow you are an idiot! I hate you!-no..

It's useless.

I can't hear a thing. My vision blurred, and suddenly, a shining pair of hands are coming to me.
And then I hear my name is called.

"Lucy!"

...

"Lucy! Natsu!" shouted Erza and Gray as they were running with Happy's direction.

Erza, Gray and Happy saw Natsu was kissing Lucy below him. But they knew, it wasn't merely kiss. But it was to make Lucy to breath once more. They ran as fast as the could. And they finally arrived at the scene.

"Idiot Luce! I didn't mean that you were ugly or not! You are-you are the prettiest okay? I meant to say that to you!" they heard him mumbled.

Natsu was giving her another aid. And miraculously, God helped them. It worked.

*cough cough*

The blonde girl was coughing a lot as plenty of water was bursting out from her mouth. Then Natsu was sighing and smiled gladly.

The salmon head was embracing her body as tight as he could. Leaving the woken Lucy was surprised.

"You idiot! You worried me there!" he muttered. His salmon hair was dripping wet. So was Lucy.

Lucy humped. She smiled and cried in Natsu's embrace, "I thought I'm dead," she whispered, "I'm scared.."

Scared on being wrong of myself.

"I'm here okay? Look, even Erza and the others were coming to help you," he murmured slowly to her ears, tickling her ears with his warm breath.

"You idiot, Natsu .." she murmured, "It's hot here ..." were all she said before she fell asleep. She was tired after all.

Natsu used his hand to check on Lucy's forehead. She was burning in high fever.

"That idiot Luce!" he shouted.

Erza, Gray and Happy were smiling and laughing. They helped Natsu and Lucy's sleeping body to stand up. Natsu brought her body and walked toward the inn.

Well, wasn't it a hellas lots of incidents in a day?

"I'm sorry, because of me, you guys have to stay here for two additional days," murmured Lucy to say her sorry.

She had a healthy body after she took a bed and medicines in the past two days. Natsu and the others were staying to help Lucy.

"I'm sure Master will let us did that, after all.." Erza smiled as she closed her eyes.

"You are in our team, you are our comrade," Gray said while e was crossing his hands on his chest beside Erza.

"By the way," Happy said, "Natsu sleeps pretty well in the train. Usually he frightened himself. An couldn't sleep before Erza knocked him first,"

"I guess he was tired," Erza said.

Lucy stared at the salmon head. She smiled and cherished. She murmured, "You idiot ... Thank you,"

They were in the train. They were ready to go home. Lucy had a lot of topic to discuss with Levy and Mirajane. After all, she with Erza, Levy and Mirajane always talk about each other's concerns in the tavern.

And this time. She sured that the story she had in the summer time was not only chaotic, but not regrettable as well.

She smiled and lastly thought.

"By the way Natsu, did you really kiss me back when I unconscious?"

I finally finished this oneshot. It's not that long actually. And I'm a very much a terrible writer. I thank you anyone from Twitter who support this pairing (especially, Gicchan's Encounter :D) and kept on inspiring me to continue the fanfiction that I about to drop few weeks ago.

So how is this fanfiction do? Do you have any complaints at all? Just do it in the review page, below here! Make sure you read the fanfiction first before commenting. :3 because I really appreciate those who read and then commented on my piece.

I, maikiru pardoned and go along with life's flow!

sincerely,
-maikiru