Here is the first chapter to my new NaLu fan fiction, everyone!  I wasn't exactly ready to let go of the series, so I decided to make a new book. c:  Remember, I'm a little new to writing Natsu and Lucy as a couple like this, so please forgive me if it isn't good!  I'm excited for this book, though! ~♥ I dedicate this chapter to KuranSaki. c:  This person is really awesome, and deserve a dedication, after all! v.v Well, I hope you all like it~!  Feedback is appreciated, of course, and I'll see you all for the next chapter! c':

яу-¢нαи,

тнє иαℓυ ωяιтєя ❖

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"Oi, Lucy!"  Natsu exclaimed.

Turning in surprise, Lucy looked behind her from her conversation with Mirajane.

Natsu came running up to Lucy, sitting next to her.  "We should go on another mission, just us again!"

Lucy blushed slightly.  "Alright, if you want too.  I could use the extra money, too."

"Alright!"  Natsu cheered, jumping off the stool and heading towards the board.

Mirajane came into Lucy's personal space, startling her.  "So you and Natsu then, huh?"

Lucy flushed scarlet.  "Yeah..."

Mirajane shrugged, pulling back from her.  "I knew it would come along eventually."

"Really, Mira..."  Lucy replied, biting her cheek as she looked the other way.

Mira giggled, and then decided to leave her alone.

Lucy looked at Plue, who was currently eating some candy Mira had given him.  "Plue, don't you think you've had enough candy...?"

"Pun-pun!"  Plue replied, lifting one had in the air.

Sighing despite her amusement, Lucy lifted Plue into the air, giving him a quick hug before setting him back on the counter of the bar area.  Getting up, Lucy looked around the guild, smiling.

Now that Rose is gone, and I'm back from Etoiles Noires...  it feels weird to come back to such noise.  Lucy shrugged.  Well, it's a good kind of weird, I guess.

"Luuccyy!"  Happy exclaimed, and Lucy turned to look at the approaching exceed.

"Happy!"  Lucy exclaimed slightly in surprise.

Natsu was right behind him, and he looked excited.  Well, he did for everything; even for the minor things Natsu was energetic about everything.

"We got a mission!"  Natsu exclaimed, stopping in front of Lucy and handing her the paper.

"Let's see it, then.."  Lucy replied, taking it into her hand.

"Stop a group of suspicious people from continuing vandalism and theivery..."  Lucy read aloud.  "...Has been going on for a long time, and will pay a good amount of money for their capture."

Lucy's face brightened.  "This one sounds perfect!  We've done tons of these before!"

Natsu grinned.  "It'll be fun chasing these guys around!"

Lucy handed the paper back to Natsu.  "Sounds good to me!  Just make sure Mira sees it before we go."

Natsu nodded.  "Ah.  I'll go show her now."

"I-I have to go do something before we leave!"  Lucy exclaimed after him.  "So we'll meet at my apartement before we go!"

Natsu nodded enthusiastically.  "Sounds good!"

Jogging away, Lucy headed out the doors of the guild.

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Panting from the run, Lucy entered the doors of her apartement, sighing since she'd finally made it.  Walking over to her desk, Lucy pulled out a book from the shelf, and sat down, opening it.  Inside was the letter her father, Jude, had left for her before he died.  For some reason, Lucy saw comfort in it, and looked at it for a few moments before setting it back into her textbook.

Sitting there for a few moments, Lucy sighed, her expression sadenning.  Secretly she had still been a little bummed out since Rose had left, but had hid it pretty well from the others.  She missed Rose a lot, and wanted to know how she was doing since it had been a week or so since she had left.  And what was up with what Rose had said to her before she left?  What did she mean by it?

Lucy could still hear the words she said to her:

"Lucy, I'm afraid your struggling isn't over yet.  There's a chance for you to figure out the answers.  I wish you luck."

What had that been all about?  Answers?  What did she mean by that?  Was Rose talking about figuring out why the sealed dragons had been attached to her soul?  Was that it?

Sighing again, Lucy gave up on the prospect.  How mean Rose was, leaving her with a big question like this.  Lucy would have to dig further into it later.

"Oi Lucy!  What's the long face for?"

Yelping in surprise, Lucy nearly fell off her chair.  Turning to look at Natsu, who was sitting in her window, she sighed with relief, realizing it was just him.

"Natsu, you scared me to death!"  Lucy replied, watching him as he entered her room, his bag on his back.

Natsu walked over to her.  "Oi, what was the sad face for?"  He asked, completely ignoring Lucy's scolding.

"W-What?"  Lucy asked, still in a whirl-wind from the scare she just went through.

"You were sitting at your desk with a sad face!"  Natsu replied again, loosing his patience.

Lucy got back on track.  "Oh that?  I was just thinking about everything that had happened lately..."

Natsu looked at her as if he wasn't so sure, but then shrugged.  "Alright, if you say so."

Leaning forward, he planted a kiss on her forehead, making Lucy's face grow hot as it turned pink.

"But you don't have to be sad about it!"  Natsu exclaimed, walking back through Lucy's room.  "I like to see you smile; not frown."

Lucy laughed slightly, and then nodded once.  "Okay, I get it.  I'll smile more."

Natsu grinned childishly at her like he always did.  "Are you ready to go?"

"Oh!"  Lucy exclaimed, realization dawning on her.

Turning to find her bag, Lucy packed everything that she would need and made sure she didn't forget anything.  When she took the flier from Natsu's hands, Lucy folded it neatly and placed it into her pocket.

Lucy turned to Natsu.  "Ready!"

Grinning, Natsu nodded, deciding to take the window while Lucy took the door.  When Lucy opened the door to the outside, Natsu dropped to the ground next her.

"Oi, there you are Happy!"  Natsu exclaimed, and Lucy turned to her left in surprise.

"Aye sir!"  Happy exclaimed.  "You ran too fast for me to catch up, Nat-zu!"

Lucy blinked.  "Natsu, what does Happy mean?"

Natsu folded his arms, looking slightly embarrassed.  "Uh, well...I just wanted to see you..."

"More like really wanted to see you!"  Happy replied, teasing him.

"Oh, shut up!"  Natsu exclaimed, blushing slightly as he looked at the ground.

Lucy laughed.  "I swear, you're hopeless sometimes!"