"I wonder what's taking her so long?" Yukino stressed, clutching Happy a little too tightly as she paced.

"Y-Yukino...I...can't...breathe..." Happy gasped out, causing the woman to release him quickly with a silent apology.

"She likes to take her time on everything." Midnight brushes off easily, shrugging in disinterest.

"Yeah, you should see her in the morning. Freaking bimbo hogs the bathroom." Cobra grumbles out.

"Her name is Lucy, " Yukino glared at Cobra. "You should at least try to respect her while you're in her care."

The man only shrugged and crossed his arms across his chest, frowning. He'd never admit it to another soul and may God have mercy on the soul who overheard him. Cobra had come to a means of to...tolerate Lucy, for lack of a better word. She was loud and annoying, but he hasn't had a single soul be kind to him in a very long time. Midnight thought so, too. They didn't really converse with each other through years of working together.

"Should we go out and find her?" Yukino began pacing again.

"Oi, you're creating a draft! Your boyfriend went to get her a few minutes ago. Chill!" Midnight grunted in annoyance.

"Sting isn't my boyfriend! We're just teammates!" Yukino blushed furiously.

Who am I kidding? Sting-kun wouldn't want me as a girlfriend...WHAT! No. Lucy-san is much more important than my love life!

Cobra really wished she'd shut up. Her thoughts gave him a serious migraine. Like, everyone, he's ever come across, the thoughts were useless and overpowering his own. His lack of concentration left his mind unprotected from the swarming thoughts of random people.

Shit! How am I going to tell Yukino? Lucy isn't at the clinic! And I couldn't find her scent! Dammit!

The angry thought wafted into Cobra's head just before the apartment door opened. Speak of the Devil, both Sting, Rogue with their exceeds perched on both of their shoulders hurry inside.

"Sting! Rogue! Did you--?"

"No. She's not at the clinic, it's long closed. We've tried catching her scent, no luck there." Sting ran his hands through his sweat-beaded hairline, fully stressing.

"Then, let's go look for her!" Yukino pints with determination, grabbing Lucy's keys from the counter.

Since she was banned from using her magic by Porlyusica, Lucy left her keys so she wouldn't be tempted to summon Plue or any other contracted spirit. Yukino clasps the key pouch to her belt.

"Come on, you two. We're going to find Lucy!"

"Who died and made you queen of the fortress?" Midnight heaves himself from his seat.

"Don't argue, just follow along, emo freak!" Sting gruntled, following his teammate out of the door.

~ ~

"Ah!"

Pain erupts into my back. I'm pushed roughly into the alleyways' brick walls. My palms scratch against the wall harshly. I felt the stinging burst through my nerves.

"Do you know how long we've been looking for you, Lucy?" His voice swept into my ears like broken glass in a blender.

I say nothing as I swirl around, ready to confront my assailant. My anger spikes, but it soon plunges into the depths of my fear. My sight is suddenly facing the end of the alley. The stinging burns the left side of my face.

Before I could even comprehend the assault, hot fingers clutch around my throat. I choke on my air and fresh tears.

"Help---!"

"No one is going to help you, Lucy. No one did last time..."

I make eye contact with Natsu, fearing for the worst.

"No! No! Please! Not again!" I struggle with all my might, grabbing his arm, clawing at them viciously.

I kick out my legs, trying to knee him anywhere to make him get off of me. His touch burned me. It was excruciating just to be near him. I don't want this! Please, Someone! Help!

Somewhere in my anguish, I suddenly remember the ring. The ring Lahar gave me. The jewel and incantation gleamed under the dim lamplight. I gain enough strength to headbutt Natsu.

Our skulls cracked together roughly. Fireworks explode behind my eyes, cutting off my vision for a few short seconds. Natsu actually let me go, stumbling back, holding his head, growling in pain.

I bolt away, toward the street, trying to focus some of my magic into the ring like Lahar once instructed I do. My lungs fanned painfully as I run the short few steps, but my heartbeat was frantic. Pain suddenly bursts through my entire left arm up to my shoulder. I let out a scream, feeling the tremendous amount of pressure and heat gathering at my socket.

"Cheap shot, Luce. Who taught you that? Surely, it couldn't have been little ol' me!" Natsu grips my hair from the roots, dropping my painstakingly numb limb, letting it hang as he begins to drag me back toward the alley to probably finish what he tried to begin.

I scream, grabbing his hand with my good arm. "Please! Let me go!" I yell louder than my vocal cords could even handle.

"Shut up!" Natsu slaps me across the face again, yanking me to my feet.

I yelp as he grips my dislocated arm. I sob in pain and terror. What was he going to do to me than what's he's already done? Why was he doing this to me? I haven't done anything!

"You clever little bitch! I bet you sent Loke to attack me at the guild, and then you told Makarov. And then after that, you moved away." Natsu sneered, leaning his face in close to mine.

"You raped me, you bastard!" I spit in his face. "If anyone's done anything, it's you!"

Natsu scoffed. "I did nothing! All you had to do was let me stay, all you had to do!" He suddenly squeezes his eyes shut. "I didn't ask for this, either! It's burning me-e-e! It hurts!" He struggles with himself, reluctantly letting me go. He grabs both sides of his head, thrashing around like a worm on a hook.

I pant heavily, stumbling backward, but my heels got caught on a broken piece of the sidewalk. I squeak as I fall. My good hand flies to my abdomen. All of this...my baby... Fear blossoms inside my chest. My baby! No, no, no!

"It's all your fault! I have Lisanna! I have everyone! You have no one! They wouldn't believe you even if you told!" Natsu lashes my way, bearing his fangs at me.

He chokeholds me before I could even do anything. Pinned me to the wall again, tightening his grip as if trying to cut my airway off.

"It hurts...why does it hurt?!" Natsu groans.

"Please, let me go!"

Natsu's mental breakdown intensifies, leaning his forehead down to his wrist, breathing heavily, shaking his head rapidly. His hand becomes clammy, sweaty.

Please, God, Kami, someone! Help me. I don't know what kind of God would want to even help me out. Me, of all people. Why would I want help? Being pinned against a wall with a dislocated shoulder, a new hammering headache from being hit so many times, my butt hurt from falling, and the fear of Natsu choking the life out of me and my baby, so why would I need any help?

"I'm so sorry..."

What? How could he be sorry about his attacks? About beating the shit out of me? About yanking my arm from its socket?

My hair is swatted away from the right side of my neck. The hell?! Like a vampire from so many novels I've read, Natsu bears his canines, coming close to my flesh.

"No! Stop it! No!" I shout, wiggling vigorously, the sobs back and cutting my precious air off.

It was searing, tearing through my skin and barely nicking my arteries. The fangs spread acute stabbing and pricks throughout my right side. I ultimately stop moving because it hurt so much. It was like being shoved into a giant furnace full of fire and hot needles and branding irons and acid. Natsu had bitten me.

"LUCY!"

Natsu is yanked away from me quickly. I don't know what happened to him, a body in a white coat floods my vision. The brick wall snags my clothes and hair as I slid down to the ground. My good hand reaches up to my neck. Hot, sticky liquid is spilling from the puncture wounds. My jaw gapes open. My hand retracts to my line of vision. Sure enough, there my blood coated my fingers and palm.

"Oh my god..." I whimper, sick at the sight of my own blood. "Oh, my god..." I sob as I repeat myself.

"Miss Heartfilia, are you alright?"

"Don't ask that, stupid! She's clearly not!"

Dorinbolt kneels next to me, barely placing a hand on me. I flinch away from his touch.

"Take her to a hospital, " Lahar commands. "Now."

"I'm sorry, Lucy, I'll get you to safety." Dorinbolt eases his arms around me, careful to not jolt me. "You're going to be safe now."

But, will I be?