Chapter 1

Lucy's POV

Natsu, Happy and I are on a mission, nothing too exciting just escorting a merchant as he and his daughter travel from Magnolia to Crocus. They had too much stuff to ride the train and we were traveling slow enough that Natsu could walk so I didn't have to listen to him complain just before he got sick the whole time.

I sit back and stretch my arms, it's about time I got off the wagon and moved a bit. I don't want to be stiff or sore if we are attacked, but I also don't want to be exhausted from walking the whole way either. Balance.

I jump off and call for Plu so I can feel my magic course through me while I walk, it's not a lot but it's enough to keep me from being too idle. Natsu thinks I'm being weird but oh well. I love to walk with Plu. He is so cute and at the pace we are traveling it would be super easy to catch up if we decided to play I bit. Okay maybe I'm not taking this mission too seriously.

The merchant doesn't have too much in the way of merchandise and honestly I'm wondering if he is just moving because I don't think I saw one thing he could want to sell. Just what looked like worn clothes and things. But it doesn't matter if he is just moving or not he wanted our protection right? So why can't I just concentrate?

I let Plu go back to the Celestial Realm and walk next to Natsu. "So what are you thinking about?" I asked him.

Natsu's POV

"So what are you thinking about?" Lucy asked as she was finally walking next to me. Yes finally, my skin has been crawling since we passed the last town. I can't shake the feeling that something is wrong.

"Something isn't right. The air is all wrong for this time of day. It's far too silent, not enough birds or insects making enough noise. And if it's possible the sun isn't bright enough." I frown, even though I know I sound crazy. This whole thing is wrong. It keeps screaming in my head that this isn't right, we shouldn't be here.

Lucy looks at me for a second then at Happy who is just sleeping on my bag. She nods to herself, then smiles at me. "Okay, let's check it out!" I just look at her. She believes me? She barely even looked around yet she believes me. I can't help the smile on my face as I put my bag, with Happy, down on the moving cart before we both step away from it.

She summons Sagittarius and Loke and honestly my chest hurts a bit when I see Loke. Why? I ignore the feeling and try to listen to what Lucy is telling them.

"Something doesn't feel right, almost artificial in the area. Please scout around us to see what all is going on." She asked the spirits who agreed. But not before Loke kisses Lucy's hand. Urg why does he have to be so weird?

Maybe I'm catching the weirdness because now I want to kiss her hand. I bet I could make her smile though. Unlike Loke who just seems to irritate her. I bet I could make her smile. Before I know what I'm doing I grab her hand.

"What's up Natsu?" she asks as if I do this all the time. I guess I do now that I think about it, crap.

"Let's go this way, my nose is itching." I try to look serious when I say it but look away anyway. Not before I see her smile and start to nod in agreement though. Mavis what is wrong with me? Maybe I'm hungry? But that doesn't make sense.

Lucy and I head the opposite direction of where her spirits go and look around. Lucy even uses Aries stardress to help boost her speed and defense but still. We were about to give up when I looked into the sky again. The sun really feels wrong. the light should be brighter and it shouldn't be as warm as it is.

Lucy must have seen me looking up because she starts using Aries wool magic to create stepping stones and jumps up. She is up higher than the trees when suddenly she is gone. Just gone, no struggle or fight just vanished.

I feel as my heart skips a beat and I call out her name, "Luce!" I got her spirit's attention and they came running Loke and I start climbing up the wool while Sagittarius keeps watch down below, his bow at the ready.

We were about half way up when we finally got an answer from her, "Hey guys you have to see this!" She sounded excited and happy my nerves though were still on edge.

"Luce why did you have to go and scare us like that?" I called out seemingly confusing Loke.

"Natsu, do you see her?" he froze where he was making me stop as well.

"No, but she was just talking. Didn't you hear her?" I asked him only to see him shake his head grimly. "Stay here, I'll go up and if I'm not back in five minutes wake up Happy and send him for Erza." I hate even considering asking her for help but I couldn't let him get hurt if Lucy and I were out for the count. Loke nodded and I started climbing again.

"Luce? Are you still there?" I called out hoping to get a response.

"Natsu it's amazing up here! I can see everything." came her response.

"I'm coming, why don't you meet me halfway?" I chuckled at her hoping she was actually okay. Something was off about her voice, maybe it was too cheerful? Which is awful considering how hard she tries to be all the time. Yeah even I noticed how much she always tried to be cheerful. It was heart breaking that she felt a need to try all the time.

"Yeah sure, I'm coming!" she sounded almost disappointed but it relieved some of my stress that she agreed.

"Natsu!" I hear Loke call for me. I look down to see I'm about twice as high up as he is but I can still clearly see him. Not only that but I could see a bunch of things around us.

"Loke, can you hear me?"

"Yeah just barely though." Good I thought to myself. "Go back to the client I see a bunch of people heading that way now. Save a few for me to fight, got that!" I hear him chuckle before climbing down to do as I said.

I looked up again to find Lucy in view, "Did you hear me?" I ask her hoping we could go straight to the fight.

"Yeah let's finish them off and then I want to show you what all is up there, okay?" I smile my agreement and we climb the rest of the way down before heading to the fight that was about to start.

Lucy's POV

The view was amazing. I never wanted to come back down again. At the same time I wanted to show Natsu everything that I saw. I barely even noticed the people coming up on the client. I'm glad Natsu is here to help me.

We barely made it back to the client when the first of the enemy showed up. My magic is just sparking inside of me. It's as if I can't wait until I can let it loose. The thought was almost scary but I was too preoccupied with the incoming fighters to pay much attention to it.

Natsu and I fought well together. I switched stardresses from Aries to Aquarius. Our fire and water magic was almost like a dance and add to that my whip, it was amazing like, dancing with both for and water surrounding me. I was almost disappointed when it was all over.

"Yeah, Natsu. Yeah Lushie!" came Happy cheers from the wagon. He was left to guard the little girl, given direct commands from the client that if he could only save one then save the girl.

"That was great! I'm so fired up I want more!" I laughed using Natsu's catchphrase earning me a weird look from him.

"Are you okay Luce?" he asked as he started walking towards me. I let him check me over laughing as he did from his ticklish touches.

"Natsu, that tickles!" I couldn't stop laughing as I started to cry. I jumped back after a few more prods from him. He seemed to shrug and laugh with me.

"Natsu we have to go back up! You have to see it. Please, you promised!" I begged him as I took his hand pulling him towards the wool that was still intact.

"The client?" he started.

"We will see better from up there anyway and if we weren't up there you wouldn't have noticed the bandits before hand anyway. Please?" I begged him. I know I was cheating, I could feel my eyes going large as I looked up at him. Puppy eyes, works almost all the time and 100% of the time with Natsu, sometimes I wonder if it's only because he already wanted to do it anyway.

I couldn't help noticing that as he smiled he would bite his bottom lip first as if he had to give himself permission to smile. Honestly it was kind of sexy. It never failed to make my heart skip a beat or my breathing to stutter. I wonder if he ever noticed what he does to me? Does he know that I want to spend every waking moment with him? Or how many times I have almost kissed him only to have Happy ruin the moment? I need to get these feelings in check and soon.

"Maybe I should go on a trip soon?" I mumble out loud without meaning to.

"Where to?" Natsu asked as we left Happy behind again much to my excitement.

"Huh?" I'm confused as I just look at him.

"You said you should go on a trip soon. Where do you want to go? I'm sure we can find a mission in the area to make it a little easier to get there." Natsu answered smiling happily again.

"Maybe next time we should go on a mission just the two of us?" I say almost holding my breath. Why did I say that? Oh my Mavis what if he finds me annoying or even weirder? What if he hates me?

He seemed to be shocked for a moment but then he flashed me a big smile. The one I love so much, the one that sent my pulse racing anytime he looked at me that way. "Yeah, Happy has been talking about going on a mission with Wendy and Carla soon. We can go then, just the two of us. Maybe take that trip at the same time?" he chuckled like the thought was funny. Does he even know what he does to me?

Natsu's POV

"Yeah, Happy has been talking about going on a mission with Wendy and Carla soon. We can go then, just the two of us. Maybe take that trip at the same time?" I laugh a little nervous about her reaction. What the hell is the matter with me?

The idea of being all alone with her was more tempting than food. Damn it all, what is wrong with me? I look at her again trying to not make it obvious to see her smiling and her face bright red. Is she hot? I resist the urge to check her temperature. Everytime I do I get hit or kicked and after that fight I would rather not.

Thinking of the fight, Lucy was really something else. She was fighting with water for most of it but she seemed to be on fire, really on her A game. Then she wanted more? I hear her giggle as a butterfly landed on her nose. I look at her mouth and I feel drawn to it. I watched her mouth pucker up as she blew a gentle breath causing the bug to fly away.

Thankfully we arrived at the woolen tower like ladder she had made before the fight and started climbing up. I could see Lucy getting tired and realized that she still had both Loke and Sagittarius out by the client and she was still in a stardress. She must be exhausted.

I pick her up and carry her the rest of the way up. At first she squeaked and then she grabbed me holding on tight. That made me smile. The thought of her holding me made me happy beyond words. Maybe I did catch Lucy's weirdness? I look down at her and smile before jumping up on the last woolen step just to see the view that Lucy loved so much.