He was desperate and needed to get away. They were after him and he needed to find somewhere to hide. He didn't care where or how, he just really needed to get away from them. They were relentless, never tiring, constantly around every corner. Just then he spotted her, his salvation. She would save him. She could - no she would make them go away. He had to get to her before they came closer, she had to save him.

Twenty feet separated him from her, now 10… he could hear their heart beats and foot steps behind him. Just a few more steps and they would have him. She looked up and made eye contact with him and he breathed a sigh of relief. He would be safe, now he just had to convince her to help him. Suddenly he was within arms reach and he grabbed her out of her chair.

"Save me and I'll owe big time, Blondie." He said low enough so that only she could hear him, and then his arms slipped around her waist and brought her into his embrace and his lips crashed onto hers.

He slowly kissed her full lips and brought his right hand up to cup her cheek tilting her face further back so he could deepen the kiss. Her lips tasted like strawberries. He felt a tingling sensation shoot from her lips into his body and travel down into his body and land right in his groin. He felt her slump against him and lightly moan into his mouth, while her arms came up to steady herself against his chest. He felt it then, her light fingers pressing against his chest sending small bits of electricity humming into his body to mingle with the tingling sensation in his groin. Warning bells went off in his head as he began to nibble at her bottom lip, he had to stop before it went too far. With the smallest bit of sanity that was left inside him he pulled back and looked down at her face. She had her eyes closed and she was out of breath, her lips pink and swollen from his kiss. She looked beautiful and enticing. Just as he was about to give into his crazy urge and kiss her senseless again her eyes flew open at the sound of gasps behind him.

Lucy was enjoying a beautiful spring day reading her newest book purchase at the café down the street from her house. She had been waiting for over a year for this book to be released and had cleared her week so that she could spend time just leisurely devouring her favorite romance author's newest addition to her trilogy. She had made sure that Team Natsu made enough to cover each of their rents for two months. She had selfishly drug them on back to back missions in the last month trying to make sure that everyone would have enough so no one would bother her for this week. She then bribed Erza with a strawberry cheese cake everyday this week if she would keep Natsu and Gray away from her and her apartment. Erza was so excited that she readily agreed and threatened the boys with bodily harm if they came within a hundred feet of Lucy and her apartment. So here she was alone sitting outside Le Petite Café surrounded by spring flowers and sunshine, drinking her tea, eating her strawberry tart and enjoying her book when she heard quick footsteps coming towards her. She looked up from her book and saw Laxus striding towards her with a look of panic in his eyes. Before she could even wonder why he looked panicked she was hauled upwards out of her chair.

She heard him whisper his plea and then her world turned upside down as his lips covered her own and her eyes fluttered closed. She had kissed a few men in her life but nothing could prepare her for this. His mouth was hot and solid, and damn could he kiss. She was pressed against his chest and on her tip toes as he cupped her cheek and deepened the kiss that had stolen her breath away. She felt little bits of electricity shoot down her body and she heard herself moan into his mouth and then all thought was gone except that she wanted more. Her hands rose and placed themselves on his rock solid chest of their own volition and the carnal little devil that lived deep inside her screamed to be released from her confines. Then he began to nibble at her bottom lip and the sensation made her toes curl in her shoes. Was this what kissing was supposed to be? She was lost in the kiss and then just as suddenly as the kiss started she felt him pull away.

She needed a minute, just one minute to gather herself and then she would Lucy Kick him into next week she told herself. Then she heard gasps and her eyes flew open at the noise.

She looked into his stormy blue eyes and then to his side and behind him and noticed a gaggle of women with shocked looks on their faces. She looked back at Laxus and felt his hand that was still around her waist tighten and he mouthed the word, "Please." She took a step back from him and steadying her breath was about to deny him when she saw the look of pure terror cross his features. The look was so foreign on his face that she almost giggled. She couldn't for the life of her bring herself to say no to him right now in his time of need. So she put on her best smile and beamed at him, fluttering her eyelashes and gave a girlish giggle that she hoped sounded flirty enough to the women stalking him.

"Oh Laxus, you're finally here. I can't wait for our date." She cooed to him loud enough for the women to overhear. "Come sit with me sweetie." She said as she slipped her hands into his large ones, and went back to her table. She could see and hear some of the women muttering amongst themselves speculating as to what Lucy's relationship was with Laxus. So she decided that he would owe her big time and the carnal little she devil that lived inside her came out to play. Lucy let go of Laxus' hand as he was almost to the chair and took a deep breath then slipped it behind him and boldly slapped his butt cheek. She would never ever forget the look of surprise that she saw on his face as he arched one eyebrow at her. This day would be burned into her memory for the rest of her life, and she would retell this to her girlfriends and have the best laughs. Oh, she could hardly wait.

Laxus heard the women slowly begin to leave as he sat down next to Lucy and she moved her chair over toward him, so they had their backs to the women who were almost all gone. She was smirking at him and her large brown eyes held a sparkle that promised that she was going to make fun of him. He saw her looking at the last woman standing behind a trash bin trying to hide herself and then entwined her hands with his and put it on the table and leaned into him laying her head against his shoulders and sighing deeply sounding almost like she was content.

"Is she gone yet?" Lucy whispered.

"Not yet." He replied, playing along and rubbing the side of his cheek against the top of her head, and inhaling her scent.

"Ok, here goes nothing." She said, and she let go of his hand on the table and put it behind his back and then her fingers began to rub circles against the base of his neck and she began running her long fingers through his blonde hair over and over again.

Damn it felt good. So good in fact that he didn't want her to stop. If he had been a damn cat he might have purred, and purring was not good for his image. He was the strongest mage in all of Fairy Tail and here he was turning into a puddle all because she was stroking her fingers through his hair.

Oh for crying out loud, you are not a teenager in heat, he told himself sternly. Even if she was the hottest woman he had ever met, and even if he had lusted after her for 2 years now.

"Oh, you are gonna owe me so much for this, Sparky." She whispered against my ear. "I almost feel bad for you."

He groaned, he hated owing anyone anything. But she had gotten the women away. She had held up her end of the bargain and he was grateful.

"She's gone." He said, hearing her retreating footsteps.

"Does this have anything to do with the today's Sorcerer's Weekly, declaring you Fiore's sexiest bachelor?" Lucy asked, barely able to contain her laughter.

"Oh God, you saw it?" Laxus said with a shudder.

"How could I miss it? I was at the book store this morning picking up my new book, when I was bombarded with your image on a giant wall displaying a million copies of you shirtless and brooding." Lucy just continued to laugh to herself seeing his eyes go wide.

"Well fuck, there goes my whole week." He said

"Come on Laxus, this isn't the first time women have followed you around. Don't you remember right after the first GMG? I still can't believe that two women snuck into your house." She reminded him.

"Don't remind me. I had to move after that." He shuddered remembering the story about how the women had lain in wait for him. Luckily he had been out of town and it was Bixslow who had found two very drunk and very naked ladies in his house. To this day Bix loved to retell the story whenever he drank too much.

"Why'd you agree to pose for the magazine anyway? I doubt they got all those hot photographs of you with long range lacrima cameras." She asked.

So she had looked at his photos in the magazine, and she thought he looked hot in them. Well this was a pleasant surprise.

"So you think I'm hot, Blondie?" He said smirking

She had the decency to blush and look away.

"I'm not dead, or blind." She mumbled under her breath. "Like I said, why did you pose for the magazine anyway?

"Gramps thinks that having Fairy Tail members in the magazine is great exposure for the guild, so that it will bring in new recruits, also more revenue, blah, blah, blah... ugh. I'm gonna kill that old man." Laxus said with a growl.

Lucy laughed at the face he was making. It was such a joyous and sweet laugh that Laxus couldn't help but smile in return. He noticed how her eyes sparkled and how she seemed to glow with happiness. He actually felt comfortable with her, and that was a surprise to him.

"Laxus Dreyer, I think this is the only time I've really seen you smile." She said

He immediately frowned at her, causing her to laugh at him again.

She could light up a room, he thought to himself.

"What are you doing for the rest of the day?" He asked trying to change the subject.

"Well, I was going to trying and get a good start on my new book." Lucy pointed to the forgotten book lying on the small table.

He picked up the book and glanced at the summary on the inside cover.

"I bet I can tell you what happens in here." Laxus said tapping the book. She arched an eyebrow at him. "Lets see… hot girl meets an equally hot guy who is misunderstood, they immediately are drawn together. She is drawn into some type of intrigue that she accidently stumbles into. In rides hot guy to save her. Sappy stuff, misunderstanding, more sappy stuff, hot make up sex, they solve the problem, hot sex, and then the guy confesses his undying love to her and bam in the epilog they are happily married with twins and a baby on the way."

"Wow! I can't believe I don't have to read the story. Thank you, Laxus for your saving me a week of reading." Lucy said sarcastically.

He leaned in towards her and flicked her forehead, gaining a disgruntled look from her. "If this story were about you and me, Blondie, the sex scenes would cause massive nose bleeds." He said in his ever cocky tone.

He saw her blush bright red and he smiled.

"Listen perv, if this story were about you and I, it would be a murder mystery. The detective would never be able to pin your murder on me." She said with a huff.

His booming laugh drew looks from other patrons and passersby. She couldn't help but smile brightly at him while he laughed.

"Come on Blondie, you're spending the day with me." He said entwining his hand in hers and standing up.

"I cant, I have to-"

"Save me…" he finished "You get to play hero today and be my savior. Besides, I need groceries and I can't even get to the store because women keep stopping me. If they think I'm taken, they'll leave me alone. I mean, how often are you gonna get to play heroine to the strongest mage in our guild?"

She looked at him and felt a flutter in the stomach, she had always been curious about him and here was her chance to get to know him.

"Fine, I will escort you to the grocery store and keep all the lecherous women away from you. But you'll owe me again." Lucy said picking up her book with her empty hand.

"Great, I'll make you lunch when we get back to my place." He said as he tugged her along.