Surprise second chapter! Super short, but that can't be helped. Again, no plans to continue this, only if certain scenes come to mind.

Deep breath in.

One, two, three.

Exhale.

Repeat.

Lucy closed her eyes, bringing her arms up, back, and down, repeating her breaths. She knew what was coming, and that terrified her. Her chest felt like it had dropped down, and unsettling weight taking hold of her. Breathing had become harder, her panic of what was happening taking hold of her.

Deep breath in.

She couldn't take it anymore. She slowly got to her feet, moving from her desk chair to her bed, curling up and hugging her pillow close.

And then came along the usual thoughts. Why am I feeling like this? I have no reason to feel like this. Her life was good. She switched her major, she's been dating Natsu, her and her father were even starting to repair their relationship.

So why was she feeling like this?

She let out a shaky breath, vision becoming blurry as she stared at the candle she had lit on her desk.

Knock, knock, knock.

"Lu?" She heard Levy call from behind her door. "Natsu's here."

She burst, a strangled sound coming out from her as she shut her eyes and tightened her grip on her pillow.

She didn't answer.

There was a gentle knock on the door, and she knew that it wasn't Levy this time.

"Lucy? I'm coming in, is that okay?"

She couldn't answer. She couldn't breathe.

She heard the door open and then shut just as quickly and quietly, and soft thuds made their way towards her bed. A weight settled on the other side of her, an arm wrapping around her, pulling her close.

Natsu didn't say a word as he tossed a blanket over the two of them, keeping her close and taking her hand in his.

Lucy sobbed.

"What's wrong with me?" It was hoarse and broken, interrupted by her sobs and shaky breaths.

She was fucking terrified. She thought she had beat this.

"There's nothing wrong with you Lucy. You're human, and it's okay. You're going to be okay." He said it gently, a bit uncertain of his words, but they weren't unkind. Lucy figured he still didn't know how to react to this sort of thing. She did her best to avoid him when she felt panic attacks come on, but it's been awhile since she's felt this.

God, she was so angry at herself for letting him see this.

She clutched his hand like a lifeline, thankful for him to be there for her. She wondered how she got so lucky.

She didn't know how long they laid there, not saying a thing. She just looked at the candle, watching as the flame flicked every now and then, reminding her that time was still going, that she wasn't frozen in this moment forever. It would pass.

"Thank you." She whispered, bringing his hand up to her lips, tears having stopped and dried.

"You don't need to thank me," he muttered, bringing his lips close to her ear. "Just stay with me."

She closed her eyes again, but this time not because of a weight in her chest, but because of a lightness that settled there. His words had a deeper meaning, and she knew it.

"I promise."

And she never broke her promises.