Feeling the warm water touch her skin, she sighed contentedly.

"You looked so relaxed," smiled Yukino.

"I agree. You look glowing, maybe the effects of the hot springs actually works," Minerva compliments.

Lucy giggled, "But seriously, aren't you guys uncomfortable for this is a unisex bath?"

"Nope," Minerva answers.

Rufus coughed awkwardly.

"But seriously, do you guys know what to do on that day?" Lucy asked.

They all nodded.

"Yukino, how much time left?" Lucy asks.

Yukino looks at her lacrima, "Excactly fifty-nine hours left, if I am not mistaken."

Lucy smiles. "Are guys really willing to do this? I simply cannot assure your lives would be safe."

"I guess that couldn't be ignored," Minerva shrugs, "But then again, for you, alright."

Orga grins, "Where's the thrill of it if you don't bet your life?"

"I would be more than willing, Lu," Yukino declared.

"And what? Let my sister die alone? I would rather live in the graveyard of memories than to do that." Rufus smiled.

Lucy felt warm liquid flowing down her cheeks. "Thank you, guys," she murmured.

They only smiled.

"Do those two idiotic masters know?" Minerva asks.

Lucy shook her head. "I'll tell them, later."

"Yo!" A familiar voice exclaimed.

Yukino and Lucy squeak, hiding themselves underwater.

"Hey, Luce," Natsu greeted, grinning.

"M-Morning..." Lucy greets, blushing.

Natsu blinked innocently(or at least that was what they thought) and grins, "Why are you hiding yourself, Luce? It's not like I haven't seen it before."

Lucy choked her own saliva. "Idiot! They would get the wrong idea!"

"Oh," Minerva smirks. "I see how it is."

Yukino nods, "I never knew Lu was that kind of person,"

"Say kid," Orga started. "Does she like it kinky or what?"

"She likes it kinky, alright!" Natsu says, the grin never left his face.

"I never knew my little sister would be like that," Rufus says, smirking.

Lucy pouts, "Stop teasing me guys!"

They look at her, either smirking or grinning.

"Who said we were teasing you?" They asked in chorus.

Lucy pouted even more, crossing her arms.

"I'm serious!" She cried, embarrassed by the whole fraud rumor.

"Serious about what?" A familiar scarlet haired girl says.

"Erza!" Lucy called happily, hugging her long-time friend.

"Minerva," Erza says with dislike in her voice.

Lucy sighs. How could she forget this little problem?

Instead of Minerva rolling her eyes, she smiled at her, former, rival.

Erza froze. Was she being fooled or what? This was Minerva after all... But then again... There was something new about her. It was very obvious yet she, personally, couldn't figure it out.

Then, it hit her. How could she be so stupid? Everything but physical looks in Minerva changed. Her eyes turned to a optimistic pair from those merciless ones. Her smile turned to a sweet smile from her sadistic smile. Her aura changed from a cold aura to a warm aura. Erza smiles at her thought, and she knows exactly who changed Minerva to this kind of girl.

Lucy.

Erza flashed her usual smile.

Lucy sighs. Thankfully, there was no fight.

"Luce," a familiar dragon slayer whine.

She groans, "What do you want now, Idiot?"

"Don't be like that, Luce," he whines, yet again, hugging her from behind.

"Natsu!" Lucy scolded making Natsu whine like a puppy.

Lucy rolls her eyes, no chance of escaping this shit, isn't there?

Knowing that she gave up struggling, Natsu grins, hugging her tighter.

"It would be very amusing if the masters were to see this," Rufus mused.

Yukino and Minerva agreed, laughing.

Orga just grinned.

Erza's eyebrow was raised together with a sound of "Oh?" coming out of her mouth.

"What are you guys talking about? We're just best friends," Natsu and Lucy say, shrugging at the same time.

"How cute," Minerva, Yukino and Erza cooed.

Lucu blushed, looking away.

She smelled some others scents but I ignored it, let me tell you... Biggest mistake of her life.

Natsu must have smelled it too because his grin became wider. He tightened his hug on her.

Orga whispered something to Rufus causing him to smirk.

He must have sent it to everyone using mind telepathy because the others smirked.

"Show's on," they all said together once we heard a growl.

Natsu grinned.

Lucy sighs... Oh boy... One word: Trouble.

"Get away from Lucy," they growled threatingly.

"Why would I?" Natsu asks. His dragon instincts were yelling at him to back off but he knew he was doing this for his best friend, whom he once merciless tortured.

Yes, he has watched, finding himself hopeless and controlled, when he, the person who promised to protect Lucy, torture as if he was a bloodlust killer.

This was his way, his heartbreaking way, to say sorry.

The two masters growled louder, gritting their teeth painfully hard.

Natsu grinned playfully and raised his arms up as a surrender, "Fine, you can have her," he smirked, "Be sure to make her sore and wishing for a baby by the end of a week, okay?"

The watching crowd choked, clearly not expecting Natsu to be this perverted.

Lucy flushed.

Rogue had a tint of pink on his cheeks.

Sting grinned and shamefully said, "We will!"

Lucy glared at Sting.

Natsu grinned as he sucked in all the pain to himself.

He patted his best friend's shoulder.

"Take care of this brat, alright? Although she might be a pain in the ass sometimes, she's actually good. Great even. So, I don't want a single tear coming out of her face, or else I'm going to burn all your sorry asses and feed them to your fans. I might have her myself too," Natsu says.

All of the people present sent Natsu an admiring look.

"Natsu," Lucy murmurs, a tear slipping out of her eye as she wiped it gently.

"Hey," Natsu joked, "I want you to cry because of them not cry because of me,"

Lucy smiles, "Thank you," she murmurs.

"What for?" he asks and mumbled, "Weirdo,".

Lucy pinched his cheek and pulled it down, ignoring his sounds of pain.

"I heard that! I am not a weirdo and most definitely not a brat!"

"Okay! Okay! Now will you please let go?" He cries.

Feeling contented, she lets go of his cheek.

He rubs his cheek and softly whines her name.

"Natsu," she called.

"Hn?"

"Don't worry, I'm sure I'll be fine with Sting and Rogue with me,"

'More fine than with me?' he wanted to ask but he bit his tongue back to hold it.

He smiled, "That's all I need to hear then,"

Then, he whispered something to Lucy that only she heard and left.

Lucy's eyes widened.

Exiting the place, Natsu sighs.

He regretted saying that to her, but it would be better if she knew... wouldn't it?

"Damn it!" He cursed.

It hurts... It hurts like hell.

He had her but his carelessness threw it all away.

She's happier with them than him, he knows. But he also knows that he hopes she will be the happiest around him.

But love isn't about selfishness, is it? It's the other way around, isn't it?

He sighs, it was all his fault.

He was always there for everyone. But who would be there for him now that Lucy is gone?

He need someone. He can't just watch everybody without a partner, can he?

He sighs. Everything was suddenly fucking messed up and it gets more messed up in a very little amount of days.

"Hey, Lucy, are you alright?" Erza asks.

Lucy didn't answer.

"Lucy!" Minerva calls.

"Yes?" She asks.

"You should get some time alone," Yukino says.

"Hm? You think so?" she asks.

"We know so," Rufus corrected. "Now, run along, we have an extra room. Head to room '233' and get youeself some time alone, okay?"

Lucy nods, still dazed as she walked out and away.

Rogue and Sting watched her as she walked away, deep in thought... What was wrong with her?

Orga sighs loudly, "Man, the drama."

Lucy sighs, getting in the room and laying down the bed.

She didn't know... it was her fault for making him suffer without her knowledge.

Natsu's whispering pained voice lingers through her brain like a drug... She remembered him whispering the exact words at her...

"I love you,"

And done! Honestly... I feel very guilty and touched. Nice to see you guys waiting for me. I... really love you guys.

I want to thank you for never giving up on me...

Forgive me or not,

Lots of Love,

zin-chan

*I love you all to the moon and back.