49 Thank You

Natsu and Happy come home later that evening to find that Krysti is singing and smiling widely as she moves with dancer's steps throughout their house. Natsu decides to lean against the doorframe and watch her as she does the chores. A gentle smile appears on his face unbeknowst to him.

Looking up at his best friend, Happy puts a paw over his mouth to stifle a giggle. As her song ends, it grows quiet for a couple of moments before Krysti starts humming a new tune. Soon she starts to sing again and the guys find out this one is about family. Her movements slow down as she keeps singing and the smile fades from her face.

The older woman's voice fades out as her once happy expression turns into one of sadness. Alarmed, Natsu and Happy jerk upright as tears start to fall down her cheeks. She sinks down to sit on the couch as her hands cover her face as she cries heart wrenching wails. Before he realizes what he is doing, Natsu catches Krysti in a crushing hug.

Shocked by the sudden embrace, she stops crying and looks up into Natsu's caring and concerned face. Tears well up anew, and she flings her arms around him, hugging him back just as tightly while her face is buried in his neck.

The time she cried with Lucy was only the beginning. With the time constraints of the play, Krysti wasn't able to let all of her grief out. Now, there is nothing to hold her back and with Natsu holding her, she feels... comfortable. Safe. Even cared for.

All the pent up frustrations, anger, sadness, loneliness and other negative feelings that she tries to keep locked up comes to the forefront as she cries. Natsu shifts to a more comfortable position on the couch as his tight hug turns into a light embrace. She clings desperately to him, drawing on his strength to help her through the turmoil of emotions running rampant in her. They hold onto each other like this as Krysti's long held in feelings is finally let out in a cathartic release while the moon rises into the star-filled sky.

Happy silently flies around the kitchen, putting up the half-cooked food so it won't spoil, knowing Krysti will be mad later if it isn't taken care of. He grabs a fish to eat afterwards while settling on the table to watch his friends. He is worried, but at the same time glad. Worried about Krysti and with hard she is crying, the young cat knows that she misses her family very badly. Yet he is glad that she is here with them now. Living with Natsu is great, but now that she came to live with them life is even more fun.

When Natsu notices that Krysti has stopped crying and has fallen asleep, he moves to get up but a whimper has him pause. Looking at her the best he can while her face is buried in his scarf, he sees her start to tremble while another pleading whimper is heard.

With a small sigh, he settles back onto the couch to get into a comfortable sleeping position while his roommate clutches tighter to him while still sleeping. One of his free hands moves up to stroke her hair as he closes his eyes to await for sleep to come for him too.q

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When I wake, not only do I feel warm, but I also feel safe, content, and drained. I lay there wanting to enjoy the feeling of security I rarely have when waking up and I ignore the drained, emptiness I can also feel. I let out a happy hum before I nuzzle my face further into my pillow. I lay there basking in this cocoon of safety and warmth just lightly dozing until I hear an odd gurgle. Surprised by the sound, I open my eyes to see white cloth. I blink in confusion as I let out a 'hm?'

"Ah, you're finally awake." Natsu's voice says right by my ear. I move my head to find that I'm face to face with the man and that the white cloth was his scarf. Sunlight floods the room and soon I realize that we both are laying down on the couch while in each other's arms. Memories from last night came back in a rush.

The pure joy of living and singing as I did the chores, the reminder of my family in that song and the sadness that I have lost them probably for forever, the sudden warmth and security of his arms to let me know someone cares as my grief overtook me. Looking into his clear onyx eyes as emotions swirl within me in a confused tango, one thought comes out of the broiling mass.

(I am so lucky to have met Natsu.) I smile warmly as a wave of affection towards him wells up in me drowning out everything else. (He is so sweet and kind. I have truly been blessed to have been placed in this world where I could meet him.) Before I know what I'm doing, I already leaned up and captured his lips with mine in a gentle kiss. Shock fills his eyes before I end the brief kiss.

With all the feelings of gratitude I have for Natsu I simply say, "Thank you." We keep our gazes locked for what seems like forever until his stomach rumbles loudly with mine answering. Mirth fills me as I laugh.

"Let's get some breakfast dragon-boy before our stomachs decide to eat us instead." I say with a wide grin.

"Food!" he yells out happily as he tries to jump up from excitement. Due to the fact that we got tangled up together during the night, Natsu instead falls off the couch and pulls me down with him. He yells and I squawk in surprise and we land on our sides on the floor. Seeing his look of indignation at our undignified landing has me crack up. My eyes close as I throw back my head in laughter and soon his laughter joins mine on the floor of our home.

After breakfast, I walk up behind Natsu as he is picking up the dishes and hug him tightly.

I hear him let out a noise of confusion and I answer back with a simple, "Thank you, for that last night." I tighten my hug as I press up against his back, soaking in his warmth and feeling the sense of comfort and security emanating from him.

"It wasn't anything special…" I hear him say and I shake my head in denial.

"It was to me. I was crying because I was reminded of my parents and how I may never see them again." I pause to swallow because I can feel a lump starting to build in my throat for this next part. He doesn't try to get away, but I still cling into him even tighter as if he was.

"My mom is very sick and my father and I barely had enough to pay for her medicine and treatments. Without me to be there to help, I'm afraid that she will die. And its all my fault!" Tears well up in my eyes and I bury my head in between his shoulder blades as my grief from last night comes back in full force.

"It's not your fault, Krysti." Happy tells me gently from the kitchen table.

"Yes it is." I reply with a sniffle. "Somehow I came to this world. I don't know how I did, but I came here and now my dad won't be able to pay for her treatments. They will also be worried that something bad has happened to me since I just disappeared and they won't be able to find me. It's my fault." I sniffle louder as more tears run down my face.

Feeling Natsu move, I loosen my grip so he can move away from the crying, depressed mess that I am. So it surprises me that instead of moving away, he just turns around hugs me back. Almost immediately I relax into his hold to soak in the comfort he is giving me.

"Your parents may not be here, but you still have your family. You have Fairy Tail. We will be there for you as we know you will be there for us." He gently says. I bury my face back into his scarf, just like the night before as tears continue to fall. But this time I let his words soothe my aching heart and I let his smell of wood smoke and spices calm my turbulent soul.

"Yeah, Krysti! We will always be here to help you!" the little cat cried out in an attempt to help cheer me up. At Happy's words, I feel a smile start to form. The pain is still there, but the words from those two have placed a soothing balm over my aching heart.

After some more minutes of being in his embrace, my tempest of emotions have calmed to managable levels. Reluctantly, I let my arms loosen their grip on Natsu as I prepare to step away. His gaze locks onto mine and an electric current goes through me at that intense stare freezing me in place.

Long moments pass before he nods his head and a bright smile forms that catches my breath. As our arms disengage from each other, a cheerful voice crows out towards us.

"You llllike each other!" the blue furball of mischeivousness calls out from nearby.

Natsu's head whips to his side as he glares at his best friend. I giggle happily as the two start bickering while the tense feelings in my heart gently eases as if surrounded by a warm blanket.

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Natsu and Happy left to do something mysterious in town and promised to meet back up later at the guildhall. So I went to Fairy Tail on my own. My steps feel lighter and my heart less burdened. Life seems a bit brighter today and the urge to do something new is almost overwhelming. (I need to move. To exercise. To train..... train.....That's it!)

Wanting to start my training on how to fight today, I figure until I can increase my magic, I should really start learning my batons/bo staff. I believe that the best person to start teaching me would be Erza. I can remember her battle with José and it left a deep impression on me. (Afterall, fighting with a bo staff probably isn't that much different than a sword.) Confident with my decision, I bound up to the guildhall with excited steps and push open the doors only to get splashed with a tankard of wine.

My expression falls as I see the big purple stain spreading across my pastel yellow shirt. I look up with a flat expression as I search for the culprit. Gray and Elfman are pointing fingers at each other in fright.

"Y'all are paying to have this cleaned." I drawl out, my light southern accent getting heavier by the word.

"That or buying a replacement shirt." I finish.

They nod vigorously to my proposal and I nod back, satisfied. Looking down at my shirt, I sigh in resignation and displeasure that I am going to feel sticky and smell like alcohol today.

Not wanting to dwell on this bit of unpleasantness, I turn away from the guys to walk further into the still under construction guildhall. Looking around, I see Erza talking to Macao as some of the other members are still working on construction.

The frame work of the building seems to be done and now they are working on building the actual walls. I take a large breath and march over to the red-head while gripping my batons.

"Erza." I call out as I approach. She turns to look at me with a smile.

"There you are. Missed seeing you at the guild last night after we got home." She states. I smile while feeling mixed emotions.

"Did a little bit of shopping before right home. But that's not what I've come for today. I have something to ask you, Erza." Her eyebrows raise slightly at this.

"Oh?" she questions.

"If possible, would you teach me how to use my weapons so I can at least defend myself better until I can handle more magic?" I ask of her, completely serious. Macao starts to mildly panic beside the red-head at my words, but I ignore him to focus on her answer. A gleam appears in her eye at my request and her eyes close with a proud smile appearing on her face.

"I will be more than happy to teach you, but first you need to go back to Porlysusica."

She tells me as she opens her eyes and at my confused look, she continues, "You finished the potion that she gave you, yes?"

I nod to this and she explains patiently, "It has been at least a few days since then so its best to go back to make sure that you don't have unseen complications." I nod again at this.

"Can you come with me to show me the way? I only partially remember the way from Natsu's house and I'm worried about those Vulcans." I shiver at the thought of being possessed by one. A cool hand lands on my shoulder and I turn my head in surprise to see Gray standing by me.

"I'll take her, you're still busy with the repairs, right, Erza?" He states calmly. Erza nods her head approvingly.

"Yes, there is still a lot to plan out. Thank you, Gray. I'll entrust her safekeeping to you then." And without further ado, she turns back to Macao to continue their conversation. As I open my mouth to also thank the Ice-mage, I get tackled around the knees and I look down to see Romeo's smiling face.

"Hey there, Scamp." I greet warmly. "How are you doing today?" I ask of the small boy as I reach down to ruffle his hair.

"I'm doing good Krysti-nee! Can I come with you? I don't get to go out in the woods much." He asks excitedly while jumping in place. Smiling at his enthusiasm, I look up to see what Macao and Gray will say.

Macao frowns, closes his eyes, and crosses his arms over his chest in thought while Gray shrugs non-committaly.

"Please, Dad! Please! Please! I'll be good! I promise!" Romeo pleads as he races to his dad to tug on his coat.

"Hmmm. If you do everything Gray and Krysti says and stay right by them the entire time." Macao sternly tells his son with a serious expression.

Romeo nods his head vigorously as he answers, "I will, dad! I promise to do everything they say!" Before his dad can answer, Romeo grabs my hand with both of his and pulls me to follow him. Smiling, I instead pull him up until he is swinging in the air. He let's out a delighted laugh as I start to spin with him in tow. Using a trick I learned from dancing class, I am able to walk a straight line while still spinning without getting dizzy.

When Romeo seems to be getting dizzy himself, I pull him towards me while keeping the spin going and I toss him a couple of feet into the air. I stop the spin, catch him, and sit him on my shoulders without slowing down. Romeo cheers and laughs out of sheer joy to the point I had to readjust my balance so he would'nt fall over backwards.

I turn to give Gray an impish smile before taunting, "Bet Romeo and I can reach the edge of town before you can, Frosty!" Not waiting for his answer, I turn again and start running while Romeo is laughing wildly.

"Oi!" I hear behind me and I pick up the pace.