6 months. It's been too long.

The guild of Fairy Tail was silent; the sound of small snickering that was heard in one spot every so hour, the shuffling of feet, and the humming of the members who helped set up the Christmas tree that sat in the middle of the guild. Mirajane, the barmaid smiled as she calmly walked around to every table that seated the members of Fairy Tail; handing them all a cup of hot chocolate with whip cream on the top and a drizzle of chocolate syrup. Many nodded their thanks, many just kept blinking.

The guild was to down for anyone's taste, it was to quiet. So much more quiet; none of the constant fighting, laughing, or chit-chat was heard over the big guild room.

No, they were all too upset to care.

Mirajane hummed as she put some more cups on her tray, she spun around to see where Team Natsu sat; all members but one missing, a special blonde celestial-spirit wizard. Mirajane bit her lip, ever since Lucy has been missing 2 months over her quest length the trio had been a little emotional whenever someone approached them. She thought to herself, blinked then forced herself to walk to them; couldn't hurt to try. Right?

"Ooooh!" Mirajane giggled as she ducked a string of beads and ornaments falling from the tree turning around and waving. "Hey, Makarov, be careful okay?" She smiled and waved at her guild leader, who was in his big form to get a few things on the tree, at a height no one else could reach, Makarov just nodded and waved with his usual cheery smile, well it was as cheery as it could get since he did look extremely creepy when he smiled in his giant form. The white haired wizard skipped away softly, a small brush of her feet on the wood flooring as she hummed quietly to herself and came closer to the table. She cleared her throat.

…

…

…

…

Nothing, she frowned for she exactly wasn't surprised. Erza Scarlet, the guilds strongest female wizard, had her face in her palms as she muttered things to herself like 'it's my fault, I'm too strong', Gray Fullbuster sat beside her, his hands under the table as he cracked them non-stop, the aggressive sound of each pop made Mirajane wince at the cracks but she smiled and looked at the last member, quickly skipping the empty seat beside Gray.

Natsu Dragneel.

He was Lucy's best friend practically, the one that brought her to the guild, the one that saved her from 'Salamander', also the one who has been their when she's fallen… literally. He was hurt the most, heck why wouldn't he bed? Especially his last goodbye…

Natsu stepped into the guild with a smile on his face, but it soon whipped away when he saw his familiar blonde friend at the request board. I thought we were picking our quest out together though? Natsu thought, he frowned, maybe she was just browsing to get ideas. He walked up to her and smiled,

"Hey Lucy, what's up?!" he smiled, puffing out his chest and a smile on his face, that smile then once again dropped when he walked right back him. Wait what.

"Luce?" He asked, turning around and following her, but her walking was at a normal, fast pace. The fire-dragon slayer shook his head, gripping Lucy's wrist with such strength the heat he radiated off his body danced onto her skin, causing her to flinch and wail. Natsu frowned and loosened his grip.

"What?" she snapped, her eyes looked blood shot and her skin stained with tears. Natsu gulped, than stood up straight.

"W-where are y-you going?"

Lucy looked down at her paper, "Oh this? It's just a request." She hummed then turned around to continue walking. Natsu appeared in front of her.

"Whyyyy…?" he sing-songed rocking on the balls of his feet as he stared at his blonde friend, Lucy frowned, letting her arm drop to the side, the paper crinkling as it hit her thigh.

"Look, I'm going on a vacation."

"Vacation? Then why do you need a request?"

"Err… look I just…" the look Natsu was giving Lucy made her gulp, she decided to explain, "Feel extremely useless okay? I'm taking a hard, solo quest to prove I'm more than just a pretty face okay!" Natsu winced at her sudden tone, members of the guild watched in confused, sadness, and terror. She leaned onto her tip toes to wrap her arms around his neck, whispering into his ear, "I'll be back in 4 months… okay?" Natsu nodded into her shoulder as he wrapped his arms around her waist and tried to cry lightly. Someone was teasing her to the point that she was going to go on practically a suicidal quest just to prove she was strong enough to go out there by herself and not be another pretty face, or one of those good looking women in the guild.

Natsu squeezed her tightly, "Please… please be careful…" he hummed into her shoulder.

Lucy nodded, "Of course, Natsu. I'll let you spend the night tonight if that makes you feel better…" Natsu knew what she meant; besides he'd probably crawl into her bed anyways. He just nodded. "All right then, I better get to my house to get packed." She released herself from his grasp and walked off, leaving Natsu in the middle of the guild.

Lucy sang lightly to herself as she flipped through the pages of her book in pajama pants and a tank top. Her blonde hair put into a messy bun and the red spectacles Levy gave her for her birthday, rested on her pale nose, helping her Hazel eyes read better. She sipped her water then went back to flipping a page.

The door creaked open but Lucy didn't move, she knew who it was; Natsu. He was using the door for once, strange. Maybe it was due to the fact she was leaving and he wanted to make one of her small wishes true. Natsu walked over and sat next to his best friend. He, himself, wore something pretty comfy, knee length shorts with a thin, cozy material and a red v-neck. His scarf was hanging out of the pockets in the shorts and he kicked off his sneakers.

"When will you be done?" he whispered.

"After this chapter," she said back but in a normal tone, she flipped another face and scanned the last few paragraphs of that chapter before closing the book and setting it on the couch beside her. Lucy got up, Natsu quickly following knowing that she was about ready for sleep as she lazily put her glasses on the side table and fell into bed. Natsu curled up next to her and pulled the blanket over him, but soon stopped to feel Lucy against his chest and her eyes closed, she was defiantly asleep. He smiled, kissing the top of her forehead and going to sleep.

Natsu woke up the next morning to a note stuck to the pillow Lucy used, well didn't since his muscular arm was her source of a pillow that night.

'Dear Natsu,

Sorry to leave so early but it turns out my train came earlier, I am so sorry.

I will miss you okay.

Stay out of trouble

Love,

Lucy ~ xoxo'

Natsu frowned noticing Lucy just left without a goodbye.

Natsu cringed at thinking of that time, he always thinks about it when he stops by her house to sleep in her bed with Happy, or look at the pictures of her and her friends placed here and there on her desk.

It was Christmas Eve and she wasn't back yet.

Mirajane cleared her throat, "Hey guys, I know it's painful knowing one of your team mates hasn't returned but please, just please, accept this hot coco, maybe it'll make you feel better?" She tried, and to her surprise Gray and Erza nodded, Natsu sat there and kept blinking like there was a dot on the table and he was trying to figure out if it was really there.

"Natsu, come on, just drink it…" Erza pushed a cup towards him as she sipped hers, Mirajane and Gray both blinked, it was the first time Erza has spoken in a while, and boy did they miss her voice.

Natsu looked at the warm liquid before reaching for it but was soon interrupted to the sound of a crash, all heads turned towards it to see the guild door open. Mirajane grew mad, it was cold enough in the guild and she really didn't want the snow coming in and affecting it.

Wait, no. Someone was standing in the doorway, leaning against the door and breathing heavily, cuts were along her body, though she just wore jeans and a red tee. Her blonde hair tangled and fell over her face… wait. Blonde hair, who else did Mirajane know with blonde hair? But a certain salmon haired boy beat her to the dashing to their very own Lucy.

"L-Lucy!" Natsu yelled shoving his chair back and running towards the half beaten blonde girl, she looked up with a small smile, taking a step towards her friend but soon falling, Natsu catching her and bringing her into a hug. "Oh gods Lucy…" he laughed happily with somewhat of a sob into her tangled blonde rats nest.

"S-sorry I've been gone longer than I meant to… I got in some issues…" She coughed with a small smile into Natsu's shoulder.

"N-no don't worry, don't apologize… please…" he choked on his own ecstatic sobs as everyone surrounded the two, cheering and screaming.

"Lucy oh my gods you're okay!"

"Dang girl where have you been!"

"Y-you're okay!"

Natsu was pushed back but he didn't care, Lucy was back, he couldn't believe it. He saw Mirajane hug Lucy then stalked off. Natsu was confused but he didn't care. He locked eyes with Lucy and they smiled at each other and she waved.

Natsu sat at a table near the tall Christmas tree, the guild was now extremely loud. He felt a presence of someone sitting next to him, he turned his head around to see Lucy looking at her hands her blonde hair now combed and put into a braid that fell over her shoulder, a Santa hat sat on her head, an ugly sweater with exceeds and a Christmas tree on it, the sleeves going over her hands as they lay in her lap. She looked up at Natsu.

"Well… I'm back," she said with a smile. Natsu nodded snickering lightly as Lucy blushed and looked down.

"Yeah… yeah you are… thankfully." Lucy grinned at Natsu's comment and frowned.

"You know… I've missed you…"

"Should've seen the whole guild…" he muttered. Lucy bit her lip then nodded.

"Should've seen Natsu," Laxus walked by mumbling. Natsu was about to stand up and punch him if it weren't for the adorable laughs of his team mate.

"Nah Natsu, don't worry, I find it cute you were worried about me so much," Lucy chuckled. Natsu opened his mouth to ask how she knew what he did but she held her hand up, "Wendy was treating my wounds and explained what you'd do, like sleep at my house." She cooed the last part added with a smirk.

Suddenly the guild went silent, the two reunited team mates looked confused as they all had goofy looks on their faces, Gray pointed up as he leaned against a pillar. Lucy followed where his finger pointed at as her heart dropped.

"You're kidding…" she said almost disappointedly.

"Wait… what?" Natsu asked looking up, the realization of seeing the plant dangling over their heads.

"Come on! Kiss!"

"Yeah it's a tradition!"

The guild chanted these words as the two friends blushed and turned their backs to each other, Natsu soon turned to face her, Lucy turning to him slowly and looked up at Natsu.

"It is a tradition." Natsu said. Lucy rolled her eyes playfully as she leaned in, her right arm on his shoulder. Natsu chuckled as he wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her closer until their lips met; the couples lips moved in sync as they kissed, Lucy snaked her arms around Natsu's neck and tangled her fingers in his salmon hair.

"Ey get a room!"

Natsu and Lucy chuckled pulling apart and pressed their foreheads against each other.