Lucy and Natsu's Love Story (AU) *A Fairy Tail Fan fiction* by Summer Cheng

Chapter 4 Natsu's Solo Mission

      Three days later,  Natsu  Dragneel request a solo mission!  He just walks up to the leader, the old man or master as some refer to him.  He request a mission that is meant for one person. He says it is to clear his mind. The old man looks straight at him.  He nods his head. He does not say a word, but hands him a slip of paper with his mission on it.  

     Natsu looks at the paper then up at the master. He smiles, he goes home packs a few things, and leaves.  Happy goes along for the journey to keep him company.  Natsu and Happy travel for awhile until they end up the place Natsu is to complete his task.  This task is not an easy one has many have tried and none have succeeded so far. It is also one that pays a huge sum of money.

   Lucy goes to work. She is not aware that Natsu has left town.  She has no ideas what dangers await him. She just knows she has not seen him all day.  She thinks, maybe he is sore at her for some reason. She figures why else has he not shown his face, so that they might talk as they usually do. 

     Meanwhile, Natsu works long hard hours.  It is rather hot where he is and he must drink lots of water, so he will not fall ill too dehydration.  Happy drinks lots of water too.  He figures it is always better to be safe than sorry.  Eventually, Happy goes on home since he can tell he is not needed at the moment.  Natsu continues to help the people in village where he is harvest corn. He assists them with many other tasks as well.  He helps a farmer mend his broken wheel barrow, he helps  a man with a bad foot get to the doctor, so he can get the medical attention he needs, he helps a stranger build his barn and finally he comes to the aid of a young boy whose shoes and other belongings were stolen away by some mobbers.  He not only beats up these mobbers, but he gets the boys things back to him. He sees to it that nothing is missing.  He comes to the defense of a teenage girl who is under attack!  The criminals responsible start to attack him!  He  uses his special skills as a dragon fighter to whoop their tails as he calls it! 

      When he finishes all this, Natsu leaves the small village. He travels on further down the road.  He finds the fierce beast everyone else is afraid of and makes plans to take care of it once and for all!  

      Lucy finally finds out that Natsu went on a long and tiresome solo mission!  She can't believe it.  She thinks, now why would he do such a thing!  Why?  She feels like he has left her.

     Lucy's  POV:  I cry as I try to come up with a reason, Natsu would do such a foolish thing as this!  I can come up with no rhyme or reason to it!  None at all!  Why he went on a dangerous, solo mission!   I ask the master if this true or only a rumor.  I can tell he hesitates to tell me the truth!  This alone gives away the fact that Natsu has indeed left on such a journey!  The only thing that troubles me about it all is that I can think of no reason, he would need to do so!  I mean he is my best friend!  I  look up to him as  some one who is older than me!  I know he is someone I can confide in, or at least I thought as much until now.  Why didn't he tell me?  Why?  

   Natsu's  POV:  I  do hope Lucy never finds out what I am up too!  There is no sense in it at all. I would only worry her!  I do not want her to worry!  I rather her not  think about me at all. It only grieves me to no end to know that she cares for him so strongly!  I still have no ideas who the one who has stolen her heart away from me could be!  I only know that I can't  bare the thought of her with someone else!  This is part of the reason I left in the first place!  Sure I said it was to clear my mind, but really it was to try to forget.  It is my own selfish, prideful, attempt to forget my love for the blonde haired, blue eyed woman who caught my eye back when were children!  The same one who years later, I could not get out of mind!  I  try not to recall how much she means to me!  I can't!  I mustn't. I try to tell myself that she means nothing to me!  Nothing more than a friend, but I know it is not true.  No matter how much I try to forget, I find myself more in love with her!  This is what troubles me!  

   Lucy's  POV:  Natsu, do you really hate me so much that you had to leave me, so as to spare my feelings?   Am I that low to you that you can't look me in the eyes and tell me yourself that you despise me?  Am I just someone you think you can tease and toy with their feelings?  I thought I knew you better than this.  I only wish I knew the real reason you  felt a need to go away for so long.  I seek to know the answers as to what is on your mind.  I need to know the truth even if it breaks me!  How do you really feel about me, Natsu?   I must know.  I have too know!  I don't know what I would do without you in my life!  Oh, Natsu, please!  Please come back to me! I love you!  I know that my love for you will never fade!  Not now, not ever!  

    Gray can tell Lucy is not herself. He sees the tears that stain her eyes. He looks up and thinks, Stupid, Flame Brain!  Look what you gone and done!  It is because of you, Lucy weeps.  It is because of you she refuses to be happy.  It is all your fault!  See what you have done!  I blame you if any thing ever happens to her!  

   Gray's POV:  Lucy cries more now than she did when she first found out Juvia and I were together !  I know then it was because she was just happy for us!  Now, it is different, way different!  I can tell.  Now, she weeps for Natsu Dragneel!   Anyone who has a lick of sense can see she has it bad for him.  Lucy is in pain now that he has left on some fool hardy mission!  Why he ever did such a thing is beyond me!  The poor girl, she refuses to let anyone comfort her!  Believe me we have all tried.  She will not even listen to Levy, or Juvia.  No one it seems can help her.  So, Natsu wherever you are I hope your happy with yourself!   Wherever you are you better return safe and sound if not for your sake than for hers!  For Lucy's!  You got that flame brain!  Got it?

  to be Continued in Chapter 5  Natsu's  Return!