Lucy woke stiff and uncomfortable. Her eyes were puffy and sore from her endless crying session. She let out a yawn and rubbed her eyes to clear the blur. She looked around to see Mason was not in bed.

Lucy looked around for her phone and saw it was only 6:45 she still had plenty of time get read for work. She slowly got out of bed and made her way into the shower. More tears flooded from her eyes as she tried to wash her pain away.

After her shower she dress appropriately for work, fixed up her face and made her way down stairs. Next to her keys was a small note left by Mason.

"Have a business meeting in France, shouldn't be longer than a week. I shall return love."

Lucy rolled her eyes and head out front. She checked both garage and drive way and yet her car was no where in site. Then it dawned her she left it at the bar. She only had fifteen minute before she was supposed to be at the academy... it was a twenty seven minute walk go be exact. 

"Hey can you pick me up? ..no i left it at the bar. I know we're gonna be late but two minutes is better then twelve. Please... PLEASE.  PLLLLLEEEEEEASSSSSSSSe, thaaaanks you're the best!" Lucy hung up the phone and smiled.

She made her way down the street and waited by the curb for her ride. A few minutes later a speed demon came flying around the block. The car came to a screeching halt in front of Lucy. Then laid on the horn. 

Lucy stuck her tongue out and got in.
"You the best buddy!" She coed.

"Yeah yeah shut up." The one and only Natsu told her as he drove off. "Why couldn't Mason bring you?" He asked while taking them to work.

Lucy stomach churned at his name. "He's out of town and he always drives his car to the airport."

Natsu nodded and focused on the road. Lucy closed her eyes and took a deep breath. How she wished for her self to wake up and it all be a dream.

"Yo why you all red, are you having an allergic reaction to something? You didn't eat fish did you??" Natsu said asking her a million questions.

"Wha-what no i didn't eat fish. Why on earth would i get fish. I'm deadly allergic to all sea life. One nibble I'm dead." Lucy yelled back.

"I mean ya i know that's why i was concerned. Thought you might die on me or something I don't know!"

Lucy presses her lips together trying to hold back her giggles. She failed and started laughing so hard she snorted. "Lucy this isn't a laughing matter!" Natsu yelled.

"I know I'm sorry but you just looked so serious. Natsu if i had ate fish i wouldn't be breathing right now."

"Whatever shut up, next time i just won't ask."

"Oh come on don't be like that!" Lucy laughed.

~

Natsu pulled into the faculty parking and him and Lucy rushed off to their class.

Lucy came in and settle her things before getting up and writing the agenda on the board.

"Good morning class, today will be discussing the Victorian period of literature. Open your books to page 347." Some of the students groaned as they flipped to the page.

"Instead of silent reading today, I'm going to play an audio script and then I want you to break down into groups and discuss what you thought of the reading."

Lucy clicked on the link to the audio script and sat back. She started flipping through the essay's her students had turned in the morning. She noticed a few missing and took note of who didn't turn on in. She has many bright students in her class, but some were just reluctant to do their work.

~

"Ma'am I was wondering if you could tell me my grade on the essay? I saw you grading them just now." One if her good students asked. Lucy peaked up and sighed.

"You know typically Ana, you wait till you're teacher is done and hands it back to you." Lucy told her as she shuffled through the stacks of paper.

"I know ma'am, but I worked so hard on this essay and I'm excited to see what I got."

Lucy handed her the essay and shooed her along. The next set of students would be arriving shortly. Meaning more essays to grade and more F's for those who don't do their work. Lucy was having a hard time concentrating on her work with everything going through her head. She should've called in sick.

"Ah good morning Lucy, grading some papers I see." Lucy looked hot to see Erza sticking her head in.

"Too many that's for sure." She giggled and sighed. "It's been a rough week for sure"

"Girl it's only Monday."

"I KNOW, see long week."

Lucy turned her attention back to her papers and sighed.

~

"Yo, you waiting till I'm done with practice or you just gonna drive my car back?"

Lucy looked up and saw Natsu standing in the door way. She check the time see it was indeed 3pm.

"What, no I'll just walk to the bar and pick up me car."

"Luce, Masons out of town, you and I both know you won't be staying home all week alone. Now you can either stay and I'll drive you to your car or you can take my car. Go home pack some clothes and head back to my place."

Lucy smiled and stood up. "You know me so well. But we need to go pick up my car later before I get towed."

Natsu handed her the keys as she walked passed him. He watched her walk down the hall and could help but wonder what's really upsetting her.

~

Lucy was standing in her closet packing her clothes when she noticed some of her clothes were missing. A sad laugh escaped her lips as she bit her lip to hold back the tears. Her husbands mistress was stealing her clothes as well as he husband. Lovely.

Again Lucy noticed the note before she left. She stopped and stared at it from the corner of her eye. Taking a step back she grabbed it and tore it into pieces.

She smiled as she let the piece fall to the ground.

With that she locked the door and headed to Natsu's apartment.

Lucy laid her bag on the table and walked around seeing how dirty it had gotten since her last stay here. Whenever Mason would go out of town Lucy would always go to Natsu's so she wouldn't be alone. Bad habit from when her parents were still alive. She did the same thing then as well.

Lucy pulled her hair back and started grabbing all the dirty clothes off the ground and made a pile for separate loads. She stopped to turn on some music then continued. Next she did the dishes and wiped down the counters. She found her self lost in the world of music cleaning her best friends apartment. But to her surprise she didn't feel as sad.

As she folded the last of Natsu's pants she heard her phone going off in the other room. Quickly she ran to answer it. That's when she saw all the missed calls and messages.

"Heeeey" she answered sheepishly

"What on earth have you been doing it's almost six! Practice ended almost 45 minutes ago. A student just asked me if I wanted a ride!" Natsu yelled on the other end of the line.

"Sorry I had music playing got lost in it." Lucy rushed out the door and ran to his car.

"Well just hurry up or I'm letting your car get towed."

"You wouldn't dare!"

"Wanna bet."

Lucy drove to the school to see a very angry Natsu standing outside.

She rolled down the window and smiled. "Hey need a ride?"

"Get our of my car now!"

~

Natsu drove Lucy to her car and she proceeded to follow him him.

"Yo you cleaned up in here! Nice it's been a while, I was starting to get dust bunny's man." Natsu told her as they walked into the clean apartment.

"Yeah I was not staying here with it being this nasty."

"Yeah well!... you touched my underwear??"

Lucy laughed and rolled her eyes.

"Yes Natsu, in order to finish cleaning I had
to touch your underwear. It was clean and it's not the first time I've had to clean up your dirty clothes," She told him.

"Yeah well it was different then!" He pouted.

"Why because you had a crush on me and liked the idea of me touching your boxers" she asked in a joking tone.

"Yeah maybe that was the case, but then you went and married Maaaason." Natsu barked back.

Lucy smile quickly faded and she turned around.

"Yeah I did.."

Natsu took notice of her tone and realized it wasn't as funny as he had thought. Slowly he walked near her.

"Hey Luce, you okay? I didn't mean to upset you. It was a joke"

Lucy swallowed hard. "Yeah..I know it was." She turned to smile but it was weak and her eyes were glossy.

"Lucy, you gotta tell me what's bothering you. It has to be more then a little fight. You're never there upset over a little fight." Natsu told her as he wiped a tear off.

Lucy lips trembled and she found her self crying into his arms. There she felt comforted and cared for. Natsu held her tightly so she'd feel safe.

"I don't know.. I don't know how to talk about it Natsu..  it hurts so much. I don't even wanna be there anymore, but yet I can't find it in my self to leave. Why, why would I want to stay there. I.. I" Her words were drowned out by her own sobs.

"Sometimes, relationships take a turn for the worse. If you can't leave maybe you're not ready to let go and want to keep trying to make it better. You'll know when you've had enough. Or you'll come to me or Levy like you are now. Just know Lucy, if he is hurting you in any way you tell me. I'll take care of him."

Natsu leaned down and kiss her forehead warming Lucy's heart.

"Remember Luce, you have other people who love and care about you."

Lucy nodded and wiped her tears.

"Okay what sounds good for dinner?"

So... since my last update another semester has started.. it's been a really busy last few months. I'm trying to keep up with it really.

Thanks for reading :)