Trouble! A Nalu Fanfiction

Chapter 30 "Nightmares"

Lucy POV

"You need to make up ALL of this work or you will have to repeat and there is no way we are letting that happen." I sighed in annoyance and looked at the huge stack of papers Erza slid over to me.

"But I don't know how to do any of it without learning the curriculum that I missed." I said, trying to find an excuse to avoid doing the work. Erza scoffed and pulled out a binder. "What? Did you think I was stupid? Of course I made notes." I groaned and took the binder out of her hand.

"I cant do all this by myself." I whined. She smiled with a special gleam in her eye.

"That's why you aren't." I tilted my head in confusion and suddenly the door to my hospital room opened and Natsu stepped inside. "Natsu? What are you doing here?" I said, ignoring the leap of joy my heart made.

I...came to help you...?" He said, nervously as he scratched the back of his neck. Erza glared at him and he shut up.

"Why is he here?" I said, more demanding.

Erza put her attention back on me and spoke. "While you were in your comatose state, Natsu started to get depressed and isolated himself. Meaning he also stopped going to school."

My eyes shot to Natsu and we didn't break eye contact and sighed. I lifted my hand slowly to my face before laughing to myself. "You're an idiot."

Erza smiled and the corners of Natsu's mouth twitched slightly before his face became impassive. I frowned at this behavior of his but ignored it. "Well then, lets get to work."

Natsu sat in the chair beside my bed and Erza handed him his share of work as well. "I'll come check up on you guys later, okay?" I smiled and waved as she left while Natsu just looked up for a moment.

It was silent. Usually, I liked silence but this silence was unnerving especially since it was between Natsu and I. The time seemed to go slower but when I looked over at Natsu, he was almost done. My jaw went slack at the amount of work Natsu got done. "When did you get so smart?" I said.

He didn't even look up at me but he responded. "I was always smart."

"How? You usually skip school but you do the work and I've never seen you study." I was getting curious.

"I taught myself. I used to be alone when I was little and I couldn't go to school so I taught myself. I went to the library and taught myself all that I needed to know and much more." When he said his last sentence he finally looked at me. He seemed to be staring into my soul to see what my reaction would be. But I remained impassive and turned back to my work.

"You're being a chatter box today. I wonder why..." His deep laughter sounded through the room. I missed that sound...

"You asked. I answered. It's that simple." He said after calmed down.

Though, I was disappointed with the answer. "You're isolating yourself from me, Natsu. Why?"

He said nothing for awhile. "Because I'm not supposed to be here."

"No, its something else." He looked into my eyes and I saw everything. The sadness, the anger, the pain. The madness.

"You didn't almost go insane, did you? You went completely out of your mind and myself coming to see you didn't help." I said slowly.

"No, you did help. You took a weight off of my shoulders but.." He trailed off. "The madness is still there," He took a shaky breath. "Yeah. I have... I have nightmares of you dying and they feel so real. Sometimes I just cant take it."

In that moment, the sound of the sadness and fear in his voice was overbearing. I pulled him into a hug and held him but he didn't shed a single tear. He probably has already cried enough.

I pulled away and stared into his eyes. "You are going to be okay. We are going to be okay. Do you understand?"

He nodded and I smiled. "Let's finish this work."

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"Its time for me to go." Natsu stood up and stretched. Natsu had already finished his work. He just watched me work until he had to leave.

I stood up and walked over to door. Natsu was looking at my legs and I grew self conscious. "What?" Natsu smiled. This time a genuine smile. "You're walking has gotten better. When will they be letting you out?" I smiled, too.

"I don't know but hopefully soon." We just stood in silence staring at each other until Natsu cleared his throat.

"I guess I'll be going now." He turned around and opened the door.

"Wait!!!" I grabbed him and spun him around to face me. He was wide eyed at my outburst but then looked confused. I grabbed his face and kissed him on his lips. He responded to me almost immediately and moved his lips against mine. They were as warm as I remembered.

We pulled apart breathing slightly heavy. I looked at him with loving eyes and a smile appeared on my lips. "That was a good luck charm for you to sleep good tonight, okay?" He breathed out a 'Yeah' and stepped back.

"Good night, Natsu." I said as I pushed him out the door and shut it.

I collapsed on my bed and smiled into my pillow. We'll both be having nightmare free dreams tonight.