Why is it always me?

Lucy could not believe her terrible luck; it was one thing to embarrass herself in front of friends but this was Mace Orlando!

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry!" Lucy apologized to the rock star repeatedly as he held his hand out to her, helping her to her feet.

Shards of glass littered the floor between them; the remains of the crystal decanter Lucy had been carrying and whatever was in Mace's hand. Judging by the smell, it was more whiskey.

Lucy could feel the alcohol dripping down her shirt, soaking into her bra and the lining of her skirt. Looking down at her chest, she saw black streaks smeared across her breast; the remains of Mace's signature.

"I'm so sorry! Are you okay?"

Shut up Lucy! Stop apologizing! It's just liquid!

"I'm fine. Just close the door. I have enough embarrassing pictures on the internet as it is..." he waved at the group of fans that had nearly rushed the dressing room when it had opened.

Some were holding their phones out in front of their faces, others too excited to do more than gape.

Hurriedly, Lucy went to the closet and grabbed supplies to clean up the terrible mess on the floor.

"Well, this isn't quite how I imagined our next meeting," Mace was watching as the Lucy pulled out a few towels and a broom.

She desperately tried to keep her face calm; not only was she alone in the room with a strange, intimidating man, she could barely look at the closet without blushing fiercely at the memory of last night.

"I-I'm really sorry, sir..." Lucy did her best to wipe up the liquid, but stopped when she realized Mace was kneeling next to her.

He took the towel from her hands and chuckled, "It's actually my fault, and you don't need to call me 'sir'...I can't be much older than you."

Lucy nodded at his friendly grin and went to grab the broom before she found herself apologizing again. Her whole front was wet and the smell of whiskey was making her nauseous. She really needed to find somewhere to change but she really didn't want anyone else finding out about this incident.

Mace's thoughts were in alignment with hers, "Let me sweep up. You should change. You probably don't want that scary red-head to see this, do you?" He chuckled lightly at the scared look on the girl's face.

Lucy finally cracked a smile, imagining Erza telling off a mega rock-star, "Y-Yeah I should um -I'm just gonna be in here," she gestured to the closet and Mace nodded.

She watched him warily for a moment. He was busy dumping the glass shards in a trash can so she quickly shut the door and turned on the overhead light.

After rifling through the pile of clean clothes, Lucy thanked her lucky stars that someone had left a pair of shorts in the bin. She quickly undressed herself and had just tossed her favorite red skirt and soiled uniform top into the corner when she heard a muffled voice through the door.

"So...since I've already got you half naked...would it be presumptuous to ask if you wanna have some fun?"

Lucy stiffened and turned towards the door, anticipating his appearance, but there was only silence. Her face must have been bright red and her heart was pounding in her chest. And just when she'd started to think he was a nice guy after all...

Not daring to acknowledge his question, she doubled her pace. Shuffling into the shorts, she adjusted her top and slowly opened the door, peering through the crack.

Mace was leaning against the vanity, picking at his nails, bangs covering his eyes, looking completely nonchalant. When he raised his head though, his cheeks were pink and he gave her a nervous smile.

Scratching the back of his head he said, "Sorry, this is a little awkward. I've never actually had to ask for...you know -girls usually just throw themselves at me." He seemed a lot less confident than when she'd met him upstairs.

Lucy cleared her throat, it was indeed very awkward. Mace had removed his shirt, revealing a chest shiny with alcohol and he was as attractive as ever. If it wasn't for the very dark hair and light skin, he could have been Natsu's double with the way he was grinning at her.

"It's alright, really. You don't have to look so scared, I'm not gonna jump you. I just had to ask...I'd probably hate myself forever if I somehow passed up the chance to be with a beautiful woman like you. I just ah -assumed...upstairs...that you wanted to..." he trailed off nervously and scratched his head again.

"I -uh I'm sorry...if you got the wrong idea," Lucy was slowly making her way to the door. She was suddenly aware of how long she'd been in the room alone with him, "I've got a boyfriend so…"

Lucy thought she heard Mace grumble "lucky bastard" as she reached for the door handle.

"Sorry...again...for the spill…" Lucy smiled awkwardly as she closed the door on him, still leaning against the vanity with an unreadable expression.

As soon as she felt the door snap shut, she nearly ran down the hall, pushing past people in her haste. She wanted to get as far away from that room as possible and forget the whole thing ever happened. If she never came face-to-face with Mace Orlando again it would be too soon.

"Hey, watch it!"

"Ouch!"

"Excuse me -I'm so sorry- excuse me!" Juvia was busy carrying a tray full of empty glasses and had apologized to nearly every person she passed on the way to the kitchen.

She'd finished handing out the wristbands with Gray and had taken it upon herself to try and help out the wait staff by clearing off empty tables and writing down orders. She had to repeat them several times though, since no one could decipher her left-handed scribbles and with her injured wrist she was less than coordinated. At least everyone assured her that her help was appreciated -no matter how slow she was.

Juvia had always prided herself on being an easy-going person, but tonight she was more than frustrated. Not only with herself, but with each table she cleared off, she passed by the man Loke had pointed out to her the night before. Now that she was aware of him, it was hard not to notice the cold stare that followed Lucy around the bar.

Her golden head was easy to spot amongst the crowd seeing how she was frantically weaving around people on her way through the crowd. She had just passed by her roommate and flashed her a strained smile; it was obvious her day was not going well either.

Juvia stared at the man openly but his gaze was only for the blonde. Thinking back on her self-defense classes she remembered one of the very first lessons. Acknowledging a potential attacker is a good way to possibly scare them off. Look at them, smile and even ask a question. Juvia always did this if she found herself alone with a strange man. Maybe if this guy knew people were on to him, he might back off.

Keeping this in mind, Juvia approached the man in the corner, "Excuse me sir, would you like another drink?"

"No, thank you. I'm fine," he spoke politely but Juvia did not like the way he was smirking at her.

"Are you sure? I noticed you're here a lot but don't order much."

"I'm not much of a drinker, but I do enjoy people watching." Juvia's eyes narrowed at his wording; the smirk had grown wider.

She opened her mouth to respond but he cut her off, "What happened to your wrist? You must be in pain."

"It's nothing, really. The person that caused this is in much worse shape," Juvia forced a smile onto her lips and straightened her back, hoping to appear as confident as possible under this man's scrutiny.

"Oh, I'm sure he is. You gave him what he deserved, eh?" he smiled back at her, but it was far from friendly, "You should be more careful though. Isn't that the second time someone's been attacked around here?"

The man took a small step closer to her, his smirk having returned. Juvia's confidence faltered, he was looking at her as if he knew a lot more than what she had told him.

"I heard that a girl was nearly maimed...she was very pretty and blonde..." he took another step towards Juvia, his next sentence could barely be heard above the crowd, "I've noticed there's someone here who fits that description...do you know her?" They way he said it made her think he already knew the answer.

Juvia refused to step away from him, even though he was now standing firmly in her personal space, "Why do you care? There are plenty of blondes that frequent the bar."

The man shrugged, "She looks familiar, that's all," his fake smile taunted her, as if daring her to question him further.

She didn't get a chance though. Gray had come up from behind her, making her jump and almost drop the tray she was holding, "Hey Juvia! Lisanna's looking for you," he put an arm around her shoulder and steered her in the direction of the bar.

Looking back towards the dark corner where the man had been standing, Juvia could no longer see him, "Do you know what's going on between that guy and Lucy?" She questioned Gray, trying not to blush at how close they were at the moment.

"Loke told me. What were you saying? He was standing really close to you."

"Well...I was about to tell him to stay away from Lucy but you interrupted."

"Yeah, that was on purpose. Are you trying to get into another fight or something? The one last night didn't quite do it for ya?"

Juvia pulled away and huffed at him angrily, "No! That guy is a creep and should know that we're watching him! He might go away…"

"That's not likely, Juvia. He looked to be really enjoying himself, please don't go provoking him on your own. Trust me when I say it's going to be handled."

They were staring each other down now. How many nights had Juvia come here hoping to snag Gray's attention? Now that she had it, she should appreciate it, right? But damn it, she didn't need another person being over protective of her -as if Gajeel would let anyone replace him anyways -but still.

Gray's expression softened when he realized Juvia was actually glaring at him, "Please, Juvia? We all care about you -and Lucy. We -I don't want to see you get hurt again."

Gray had turned slightly pink at his admission, making it harder for Juvia to stay irritated with him.

Juvia let an exaggerated sigh escape her lips, hoping it would distract Gray from the extreme blush forming on her cheeks, "As long as it's taken care of soon...Lucy has enough to worry about right now...I-I'll go see what Lisanna wanted…"

"Oh -er about that...I lied...you're overdoing it anyways. You should take a break," Gray's embarrassed smile was slowly morphing into a smirk; he was beginning to see why Natsu enjoyed teasing Lucy so much.

Juvia pursed her lips, if she was being truthful, her head and wrist were beginning to throb, "Fine! I'll go upstairs and take a break, but only for a little while," she gave him her best scowl as she handed him her tray.

Gray chuckled to himself as he watched her head to break-room with a loud huff. He couldn't help but think how cute she looked when she was flustered.

The Thunder Gods were playing when Lucy had finally made it back to the bar to find a very irritated Erza, "Where have you been? Your orders have been piling up. Loke's been covering for you."

The blonde apologized profusely before finding Loke and thanking him. There wasn't any time for her to dwell on her encounter with Mace. She thought it wasn't really a big deal, after all. Rarely did a day go by when some stranger at the bar didn't try to proposition her, how was he any different?

So far, it hadn't been all that great of a day for Lucy, if she was being honest. A few regulars were surprised that she wasn't her normal bubbly self; it was hard for her to keep a smile on her face with Natsu's departure looming so close and with everything else going on.

Her morning-after bliss notwithstanding, there had been Juvia's situation, the tension with Mace, and she was barely getting any tips on top of it all. She assumed her tables were pissed about her long absence and insisted on giving what she did collect to Loke. With empty pockets, a scowl and a strong stench of whiskey coming from her hair, she did her best to keep up with the rush.

Quatro Cerberus was nearly done with their set and Lucy really had to hand it to Bacchus. He hadn't stumbled or cursed into the microphone, there was no vomit on the stage and the crowd seemed generally pleased with the performance. He seemed to be doing much better than the last time she'd seen him. So much better in fact, that Lucy had spied Cana sending lusty glances in his direction on more than one occasion. Each time she was caught, the brunette would roll her eyes and flip off the waitress but would return to her staring nonetheless.

Everyone knew the Dragon Slayers were up next by the way crowd's energy spiked right when the lights flashed briefly, signally their entrance. When the crowd saw the band walk out into the spotlight, they surged forward, many jumping and pushing each other.

Normally all the members waved and grinned and egged on the fans, but this time something seemed off. They all appeared solemn and serious, leaving Lucy to wonder if something had just happened backstage. It wasn't uncommon for arguments to break out but they had never let it affect their performances.

The music started and Lucy tried to tuck away her irritation at seeing a group of girls squealing at the front of the stage, their arms extended towards her boyfriend. She couldn't help feeling a little satisfied when she saw them being shoved and pushed back by the crowd when some unruly person had started a mosh pit in the center of the floor.

Natsu's performance was stunning; she'd never seen him so possessed by the music. His voice was rough with emotion and he'd been jumping almost violently around the stage; his hair splattering sweat into the crowd. Natsu had always commanded the audience easily, but tonight something seemed different. He was energetic as usual but the glares he was sending the crowd were oddly out of character. His normal cheerful charisma had morphed into an unbridled fury. His spikes had fallen out and his hair flopped easily into his eyes while he thrashed around on stage. The audience had been completely enthralled.

As soon as the set had finished, Natsu had dropped the mic and stomped off stage. It was very unlike him not to flash a toothy grin at the audience or fist pump the air enthusiastically. The other bands members looked grim after Natsu had made his exit – did they know something she didn't?

Wondering what the hell had happened to him, Lucy pushed her way through the cheering crowd and made her way backstage towards the long hallway that lead to the dressing rooms. She heard the crashing of glass as she rounded the doorway and saw that Natsu had slammed into the vanity, whether on accident or purpose she had no idea. He was clutching a bottle of alcohol and was in the middle of a large chug when Lucy got his attention.

"Natsu! That was-"

The words were cut short once she got a good look at him. His face was flushed with exertion and his body was slick with sweat; she expected that, but the look on his face was completely unfamiliar. Anger flashed across his features; Lucy had to stop herself from backing away in shock.

Lucy reached an arm out to him but he pulled away, grimacing and swaying unsteadily as he brought the bottle back to his lips for another swig. Their eyes finally met –was that disgust she saw glaring back at her?

Natsu's eyes were one of Lucy's favorite features; they reminded her of a dark, shimmering pool, one whose depth she'd gladly embrace. Now, the once warm, inviting waters promised nothing but choking coldness.

His gaze slid away from her and onto the door as he pushed past her towards the hallway. Lucy followed him, concern quickly morphing into confusion and anger; she did not like being ignored.

Lucy caught up to Natsu at the end of the hallway as he pushed open the heavy double doors with a loud grunt and leaned over the railing above the loading dock. He was taking another swig off the half-empty bottle when Lucy approached him.

"Natsu?"

"Can I help you?" He was staring at the concrete slab a few feet below them, swaying slightly. The bottle of alcohol clanged against the metal railing sending an echo through the dark alleyway. It was the only sound other than the muffled shouts coming from inside the bar; Phoenix Grave must be taking the stage.

"What's wrong?" Lucy's eyes were wide with surprise; she'd never heard Natsu speak with that venomous tone, "Why are you mad at me?" she was trying her best to keep her voice even. Something strange was slowly building up inside her gut; it was an empty feeling yet felt heavy at the same time.

Natsu scoffed loudly; she could barely make out his eye-roll in the dim light of loading dock since he was still refusing to face her.

"I'm not mad," he paused to take another long swig off the bottle. "I'm celebrating…a great show."

Lucy's eyes narrowed, "Okay…can you at least look at me?"

The blonde's frustration was growing. Natsu's personality had undergone a complete one-eighty since Lucy had last seen him. What could have happened in the last three hours? It was enough time to get decently buzzed but it couldn't have been the sole effect of the alcohol; he'd always been a happy-go-lucky drunk whenever he'd felt like indulging.

She reached her hand out to place on his shoulder; even though Natsu's vest had come off halfway through his performance, his body was radiating heat while Lucy shivered in the coldness of the alley.

As soon as her skin made contact with his, Natsu jerked away almost violently, sending the alcohol sloshing out of the bottle held in his grasp.

"Why should I, huh?" He practically spat the words; finally turning to face her. Lucy pulled away in shock at the look on his face.

"I don't need you," his voice was raised now, and he was closing in on Lucy as she tried to back away towards the door, "There are hundreds of yous out there…and tonight, they were all looking at me."

There was a heavy, burning feeling in the center of Lucy's chest, as if her blood had turned to thick, hot lava and had to force itself through her veins. She was hurt and confused beyond comprehension. He was mere inches from her, so close she could feel his every breath.

Natsu's face was full of self-righteousness, he staring her down as if she'd done something wrong. The burning in her gut intensified while her eyes narrowed almost to slits. If he wanted to play that game she was more than willing to participate.

Unclenching her hand, she put her entire weight into the slap that sent Natsu's head rocking to the side. She heard him exhale in one shocked grunt; his left hand held his cheek where she was sure her nails had made their mark; they were long and she may have curled her fingers just a bit.

Lucy's breath came in quick pants, the slap did nothing to abate her fury. Cana's words came spinning to the forefront of her mind, 'the spotlight…makes us disappear'. Seeing Natsu earlier, with those girls draped around him only fueled the fire burning inside her.

Behind Natsu's slumped figure, Lucy saw movement at the other end of the alley accompanied by a small reflection of light, as if it had caught on a pair of glasses. Squinting her eyes, she thought the dark silhouette must be Loke. She groaned, of course there would be an audience for this.

Natsu had recovered and was still staring at Lucy, he looked like he was about to speak but she cut him off, "Fuck you."

She'd had enough of standing out in the cold trying to figure him out. If he had a problem, he could find her and they would talk when he was making sense.

Lucy's harsh words hung in the air for a moment before the door opened and several people burst out, talking loudly about the performance. They were holding drinks and lighting their cigarettes; completely oblivious to what they'd just interrupted. Lucy noted the flash of long red hair out of the corner of her eye; she needed to get as far away from this loading dock as possible.

She turned sharply on her heel, pushing past the group. When there was a tug on her wrist she didn't even need to look back to know it was Natsu.

"Lucy!"

She yanked her arm from his grip and made her way back inside. Phoenix Grave's set was in full swing and there were people milling about everywhere, making her exit slower than she would have liked. Rowdy people filled the hallway, spilling out of the dressing rooms and singing along to the music reverberating through the walls, blissfully unaware of the blonde pushing past them.

A part of her wanted Natsu to come rushing down the hall, grab her again and make her listen but he was nowhere to be seen.

He wasn't in the bathroom when she had to clumsily fix her eyeliner over and over again because the angry tears just wouldn't stop flowing.

He wasn't at the bar when everyone was saying their goodbyes later that night. Or when the rest of the band hugged her and told her they'd send her pictures from the road.

And he definitely wasn't there to wave to her as she stood on the curb and watched the tour buses roll away from Fairy Tail.

11/14/18 - hey everyone, fear not! I am back. I'm making some edits to the current chapters and working on writing the rest of them. Huge shout out to those of you still reviewing and messaging me about this story. Ya'll the real mvps.