He sat on the couch with his legs crossed, an atmosphere of authority encircled him and his unwrinkled white suit.

A glass of Vodka which he found in the cabin's fridge was in his hand. He drank it as a number of men in pitch black uniforms scattered all over the place. Bodyguards. He had to admit, this Lakehouse his bestfriend made was exquisite indeed.

He was waiting patiently.

.

Then the doors finally opened.

All of the eyes inside shifted to the group who just arrived, the group to which the important man in white was waiting for.

As the man's eyes landed on the blonde standing by the door, a gentle smile crept his aged lips as he stood up and faced them.

"Hello children," his voice was calm as he spoke, "And how have you been, Lucy?"

A bright smile appeared on Lucy's face.

"Daddy you're home!"

She shouted happily as she ran towards him and gave him a tight hug. Oh how she missed her father. He was away for months, business.

"Goodness you're soaked," he said worriedly and turned to the others who were still standing by the door,

"Well, I'm assuming all of you are," he continued with a sigh, "Sit down, all of you troublemakers."

They did as they were told and took a seat on the couch, all with a smile on their face as they looked at the man. Lucy was sitting beside him.

Natsu was the first to speak out of the others.

"Welcome back, Uncle Jude."

.

.

"So how did it go, daddy?" Lucy asked, indicating about business.

"Everything went well in America, dear. The grand opening of our new company will be by the corner soon enough." Jude replied.

"How did you know she was here anyway, uncle?" Levy's face eagerly wanted to know the answer.

"Well," he started and turned his head to Natsu, "Your father fed me the information."

"My old man. Of course he did," Natsu smirked at the thought.

Igneel has always approved of Lucy. He was fond of her and found it quite pleasing if his son chose to marry her. She was the only one to ever change his boy and made him know the idea of love.

"You know, I was very surprised when the two of you broke up," Jude started as he drank his Vodka to the bottom, "Never imagined an inseparable pair like you two would eventually separate.""

"Don't worry uncle, we didn't expect it either," Gray said with a chuckle.

"But look at that, back together huh?" Loki gave Lucy a teasing look.

"Yes, yes...Young love," Jude agreed.

Then he remembered something that he was going to ask about the moment he saw all of the boys in bandages and cuts. Thankfully, what remained of the slight bruise on Lucy's cheek was a faint color of purple. Jude wasn't able to see this.

"I noticed all of you are a little...'damaged'. Been fighting again?" he asked.

Jude always knew Natsu and his friends got into trouble very often. But what he didn't know was mostly involved his daughter.

Gajeel fake coughed at his question. Surely, no one would tell him the truth that his little girl was kidnapped in the middle of the night, right?

"We were playing, uncle. Frisbee," Erza answered with a straight face. It wasn't completely a lie, they really were playing actually.

"Getting bruised up in a game?" Jude laughed, "What, is it some kind of a match to the death?" he joked.

"If that were the case, Natsu would be the last one standing," Loki chuckled.

"Oh, right. I just remembered something," Jellal started, "My birthday is coming... can I ask you for a present, uncle?" he had a wide grin on his face.

As he asked the question, all they could think of was the mustang.

Lucy could only mouth a 'sorry' at him.

"Of course. Name it boy," Jude awaited his request.

"A car. A Lamborghini Veneno."

"Just like my son's," Jude smirked, "You and Rakheid share quite the enthusiasm. Done."

Just like that his beloved mustang was replaced by a new beloved one. Jellal turned to Lucy and winked at her, she rolled her eyes back.

"Now for the reason why I'm here," the elder's voice went back from carefree to serious, "I will be leaving for France tomorrow. Business again."

All their attention was glued to him.

"I'm taking Lucy with me."

.

They sat on the long table of the kitchen, eating their dinner.

Jude and his men had already left.

"Are you really leaving?" Levy asked as she munched on a steak.

"Won't be the same without you, bunnygirl," Gajeel added.

Lucy gave a soft laugh at them.

"He wants to spend time with her before summer ends. Can't blame him," Natsu said, "Besides, he's the father."

Although he didn't want her to leave as well, he had to. Aside from that, Lucy already made a decision.

"I know everyone will still have fun even when I'm gone," Lucy smiled, "Don't think too much about it."

.

.

"But do you really have to go?"

Natsu asked as he leaned against the door of her bedroom, arms crossed. He was watching as she started packing up after having their dinner.

"I thought you already agreed to it," Lucy answered with a soft laugh, continuing to load her suitcase on the bed.

He sighed loudly.

His feet started moving towards her. He embraced her from behind.

"Don't forget me. It's France we're talking about. There will be lots of Lokis there."

She stopped packing and laughed at his joke.

"True. It is a place full of romance. Too bad it won't be romantic enough since I can't spend it with you." She said with a smile, her head turned slightly to the side.

Natsu slowly turned her around to face him.

"I have something for you," he said as he reached inside his pocket.

He pulled out a silver necklace. The pendant was sapphire, it had the same symbol as the tattoo on his right arm.

"I had it made for you a while back."

Lucy's eyes widened and her cheeks went red as Natsu placed it around her neck.

"It's very beautiful," she whispered as she looked at it.

"Just like you," he said with a smirk,

"Wear it so everyone will know you belong to me."

Her eyes shifted back to him.

She loved the way he said it.

"And also because, that is our engagement ring. In the form of a necklace." Natsu said simply.

Lucy's eyes widened again. Now her face was in a deeper shade of pink.

"What do you mean?" she asked, staring straight into his beautiful eyes. She was lost in the stars beyond them.

"I just proposed to you. Now you're my fiancé." He answered.

Lucy started giggling at his idea of a 'proposal'. That was as expected of him.

"You didn't ask me the question," her voice was soft as she said it with a gentle smile.

"I know," a smirk appeared on his lips, "And I also know you would have said yes."

There it was again, that superior side of him.

"And what makes you so sure that I would?" Lucy looked at him with challenging eyes.

"Because you love me."

And with that, he placed his lips on hers.

Sealing the oath with a kiss.