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The last car door slammed shut as Natsu threw himself into the drivers seat. His beloved black car was still patiently waiting for us infront of the arcade building, but wasn't too far from the others, who were still chasing us.

"Go go go!" I shouted, urging Natsu to hurry and drive.

My heart was racing as I looked through the backseat window. Crimson had just turned the corner and was running towards us angrily.

Natsu started the car and shot down the road.

Igneel, who hadn't spoken a word since we left, was sat in the passenger seat beside Natsu. His eyes were wide with fear. Natsu's face was hard and concentrated; his eyes darting through all the car mirrors to see if anyone was still behind us.

After around 20 minutes of driving with no sign of anyone behind us, the car slowed to a normal pace.

"Dad." Natsu started, getting Igneels attention. Igneel turned to Natsu, his eyes still holding guilt and sadness. "What happened?"

Igneel let out a deep sigh, now looking out the window.

"I'm so sorry Natsu." He wavered. "I had business that I didn't attend to. I'd gotten caught up with their tricks and couldn't pay what I owed."

I let out a small gasp, feeling like I should be hearing this as it wasn't any of my business.

I looked toward Natsu, his eyes were still on the road but he was more sunken in his seat.

"You promised me you weren't going to get involved with them!?" Natsu choked. "Why did you?"

"I'm sorry Natsu, it was the only way I could pay for your university and help Wendy." He explained.

"Why did you tell me? I didn't have to go to university! Then all this wouldn't have happened!" Natsu said, slightly angry.

If he didn't go to university... he wouldn't have met me... is all I thought.

"I'm sorry Natsu. I'm really sorry." Igneel sighed, swiping his hands up his face and then dragging them back down again.

I looked at the floor of the car, trying to find something that would grasp my attention so I didn't feel I was intruding on Natsu's life.

A water bottle was sticking out from under Igneels chair. I bent down in my seat, grabbing the bottle of water and pulling it out. Perfect reading material.

'Spring water. Fresh water straight from Hargeon's tallest mountains.'

I turned the bottle around in my hand, frowning at the lack of words. How am I supposed to not eaves drop, when there's nothing for me to concentrate on?

I sighed quietly, Natsu and Igneel were still talking; Igneel apologising over and over, whilst Natsu was asking him why he'd done it.

"Uhm, Natsu?" I piped up, trying not to shock them by my forgotten presence. Natsu turned his head back to me for a split second, before looking back at the road.

"Yep? What's up Luce?" He replied. He stretched his arm backward behind the seat, placing it in my knee and squeezing it gently.

"I was just thinking, where are we taking Igneel. It's not like we can take him into the dorms--there's no way they'd let us." I explained, there was no specific direction in which Natsu was driving, so he must have no plan.

"I don't know, we can't take him back to his house... it's too far away and we'd miss lessons tomorrow." Natsu said, still aimlessly driving down the country road. We were heading back to our town, but no where paticular in there.

"Maybe Mavis and Zeref?" I suggested, not really knowing how that would work out.

"No that would be too weird. I'm sure they wouldn't want a random person in their house." Natsu said, sighing.

"Did you say Zeref?" Igneel asked, perking up a little from his low mood.

"Yep. He's my uncle." I replied, leaning forward a little in my seat.

"I know Zeref! He was a very good friend of mine; black hair, black clothes, always very sarcastic?" Igneel asked.

"That's him!" I said. "Do you want me to call him? I can ask him if you can stay?"

"Are you sure? I don't want to be a hassle." Igneel said sincerely.

"No no its fine, you have no where else to go anyway, and I'm sure they'd be happy to take you to your house tomorrow." I assured.

Who knows what Igneel had been through; he needed somewhere to stay.

Natsu headed towards Mavis and Zeref's house, as I called them and told them what was going on. They were fine with Igneel staying; Zeref was actually excited to see his old friend again.

Soon enough we were parked up outside the house. After being greeted by Mavis excitedly along with Zeref--Natsu and I were invited in for a quick drink before heading back home.

"Where have you been my man?" Asked Zeref cooly as he slid a double expresso across the coffee table toward the battered Igneel- (who had now been given a quick change of clothes and showered). "After everything that had been in the news nearly a year ago, I thought you were gone for good."

"I guess Crimson are good at covering up huh..." spoke Igneel as he added sugar to his drink and swirled the spoon around to dissolve it. "I've been with them the whole time. They had me locked in a room, only been let out to do their dirty work."

All of us sat at the table; me between Natsu and Mavis. Mavis had made us all coffees whilst we had a small chat about what had happened with Igneel. Then me and Natsu were to head back to the university for lesson tomorrow.

"So, explain everything that happened. Maybe we can get the police involved and they can get rid of Crimson Scale for good." Mavis said to Igneel, now taking a sip of her coffee.

"The police can't get involved!" Blurted Igneel, not managing to sip his drink yet. "The whole reason I was stuck with them was partly due to the letter."

"Woah Woah slow down." Interrupted Zeref. "What letter?"

After Natsu explained everything about the letter that I had riskily collected from the safety deposit box in the train station, Zeref and Mavis were now up to date.

"The police cannot know that me, nor Natsu had the key for that letter." Explained Igneel, taking a sip of his drink and quickly basking in the glorious taste that he hadn't experienced in a year. "We only gained hold of it due to my father; Natsu's grandad. Once he died, we were unluckily left in possession of it. We couldn't have just thrown the key away as it could easily get into the wrong hands."

"So what are you going to do now? Crimson has the key for the safety deposit box. You have the safe with the letter inside but not code. What are you going to do?" Asked Zeref, laying out the facts infront of us. He was too deep in the conversation that he hadn't yet touched his coffee.

"I have no idea." Sighed Natsu, placing his hands under his jaw to hold up his tired head. "We're going to have to go to the police about something. We can just find a missing person and not tell anyone..."

"I think we should try to open it." I piped abruptly.

All heads turned to me, wondering why on earth I wanted to uncover something so supposedly dangerous. From what I had heard, no one had elaborated after saying the letter was dangerous. How was it dangerous? Did it hold a deep secret? A master plan or map? I wanted to know.

"You what?"

"Open it?"

"Are you crazy?"

"I don't know maybe. Look," I said, gesturing to the safe that was on the floor that me and Natsu had brought in with us from the car. "How do we know that there's even anything in there. For all we know it's empty and then all are worries will be gone. And if there is something in it, what's going to happen? It's just a piece of paper so it's not like it's going to attack us." I said, sipping my coffee silently after.

Natsu started nodding, a smile creeping up his face.

"She's right! We should check to see what's inside. There's no harm." He said excitedly, getting up from his chair and picking up the safe to place in the table.

"Yes but we have no idea what the code could possibley be." Mavis reminded us, now collecting the empty coffee cups and placing them in the sink at the other side of the room.

I examined the safe; it wasn't the usual type with the knob on the front that you spin in different directions. It just had a four number code that had to be put in.

"How are we ever going to open this thing." I sighed, placing my head on the table in a huff.

There was a few minutes of silence; everyone thinking hard about the situation.

"I've got it." Said Igneel out of nowhere.

My head shot up, all of us sitting up in our seats. He what?

"You what?" Said Natsu, voicing my thoughts, his face distorted with confusion.

"I've got it. I know what the code is." Igneel repeated, pulling the safe towards him and spinning the numbers into the correct order.

"During my time at Crimson's base, all the doors had locks on with four numbered codes. I memorised the sound that each number made everytime they entered my room and tested it one day." He explained, still spinning the numbers into order.

"4... 8... 3... 6..." He said, putting the last number in place. We all sat in anticipation, waiting.

A click echoed through the room, signalling the numbers were right. Igneel pushed the safe back into the middle of the table so we could all see when he opened it. We crowded around the safe, all getting a good view.

Igneel reached out, grabbing the hand on the side of the safe and pulling it to. It slid out of place easily, allowing the door to open.

Intensity swung through the air as the door slowly crept open, all of us unable to wait to see what was inside.

But believe me were we suprised.