DISCLAIMER: I don't own Fairy Tail. If I did this couple would happen and Jellal would get stabbed in the neck.

As Erza sat in the jail cell across from a sleeping Natsu, she thought about him. He always seemed to be there for her, ever since he first joined Fairy Tail. Whenever she would sit alone and think dark thoughts about her past he would always show up and distract her. Even today after running into Siegrain.

She stood in the courtroom waiting to be "judged"; her mind drifting to that tower, to her old friends...to him. Her mind had barely painted the picture of that evil smile before the wall behind her blew up, revealing Natsu in that ridiculous get-up.

She giggled at the memory, and smiled at Natsu's dozing form. It kind of surprised her, despite all of her effort to come across as a powerful, self sufficient mage and authority figure, Natsu would still worry about her. He actually had to be held down by about six members of the guild as she was arrested earlier today. She remembered the look he gave her when the weird frog lady...man?...thing announced her arrest. Like he thought she would be going far away... Erza walked across the room and sat next to Natsu. His head was rolled to one shoulder and his mouth hung open slightly as he snored. Erza had a strange urge to kiss his cheek which she suppressed, a blush tinting her cheeks.

'What are you thinking, Erza?' she thought to herself. Instead, she leaned her head onto his shoulder. 'That was the first time you looked so worried about me, Natsu.' But wait...was it?Another memory popped into her head, not but a few months old.

She was sitting alone again. She had long ago stopped going to the corner to sit in solitude, but she found she could be just as alone in the middle of the room sometimes. During her last job she heard rumors of a huge tower being built out at sea. She knew what it was, WHO it was. She stared at her strawberry cake, but was focused on her thoughts. Her fork poked at the treat idly. Until she felt someones gaze on her. When she looked up she saw Natsu, staring at her with a look she had never seen on his face before. Not knowing how to react to his stare she brought her head back down to her cake and quickly took a few bites. Feeling his gaze turn away she sighed in relief. What was that about? Her thoughts drifted once again to giant towers and evil smiles, forgetting about Natsu, until she heard some commotion over by the bar. Must be Gray and Natsu going at it again. 'What are those idiots fighting about now?' Just as she turned her head to the bar, Gray came flying in her direction and landed right in front of her. Right. On. Her. CAKE. Gray sat up quickly.

"What the hell Flame Brain!? If you wanna fight that bad I'l-YEEE! Erza!" If looks could kill... Erza grabbed him by the face and started dragging him to the bar. "Wai-wait! Erza! Natsu threw me! I just-"

"Shut up!" She stomped toward Natsu. The little shit had the gall to look smug for a few seconds before the fear of what was to come overtook him.

"H-h-h-h-hold on! Erza, I was just-" He stuttered out.

"NAATSUUUUU!"

Erza looked at his sleeping face again. 'Did he...do that on purpose? Was he able to tell I was feeling down, so he picked that fight with Gray to distract me? Is he smarter than we all give him credit for?' Thoughts of him in a red wig and and wearing a barrel suit while screaming,"I AM ERZA!" assaulted her mind. 'No...maybe not...' Natsu shifted slightly, making Erza tense. She didn't mean to wake him. But he just picked his head up a little before it rolled right back to his shoulder and mumbled. Erza strained her ears to hear him.

"I'll...save you...Erza..." Her blush came back full force. She pressed her face into his shoulder like she was trying to hide her embarrassment from him. He even worried for her in his sleep. He started mumbling again. Erza was afraid the heat from her blush would wake him if it got any worse, but listened anyways.

"Mmm...no Happy...lions are...grown up...cats..." Erza brought her head back to stare at him, stunned for just a second before she burst into a fit of giggles. When her giggles subsided she put her head back on his shoulder and cuddled up against him. Maybe he wasn't very smart, but he was absolutely sweet.

'Don't worry, Natsu. I'm not going anywhere.'