Lisanna felt like she was going to be sick. It bubbled and rumbled within. It heated and greeted her as quickly as she witnessed the scene before her. After Natsu stormed from the pharmacy, she purchased the patches and tried to follow his anxious self.

She didn't like what she found.

It all happened so quickly as she watched, unable to save Lucy from her fiancee's violent assault. Horror filled every inch of her, from the molecules to her blood vessels. Lucy screamed as Natsu broke her arm and began to drag her back toward the alleyway. Lisanna wished this was all a very bad dream and the nightmare would come to an end.

But it didn't.

Lisanna trembled, tears of horror slipping down her porcelain cheeks.

Natsu hit Lucy. He thrashed her around as if she were some ragdoll. A horrible wail pierced Lisanna's ears.

Then did the nightmare end.

Lisanna fled the scene. She knew she could've helped but for the nagging reason of her soul...she couldn't. Millions of doubts and thoughts swirled within her mind. Voices and memories of whenever Natsu up and disappeared.

And then it set ablaze. That one thought that has plagued her since over two months ago. It hit her so suddenly and it made sense!

Loki had been right.

Hearing pounding footsteps that may or may not have been too far behind her, frightened, Lisanna quickly hides behind a slab of the brick and cement buildings. Angry panting filled the night air. Heart pounding, breath hitched and shallow, her fear only rocketing sky high.

Peering slightly around the slab, Lisanna caught glimpse of her fiance breathing rather heavily, his shoulders dramatically heaving with each breath. She couldn't see his face, and she didn't want to see what expression he developed just then. Lisanna held in a squeak, quickly yanking back as Natsu suddenly snapped his sight her way.

Just then, an orange brilliance lit the street. Crap! He was going to hurt her too! Lisanna held in the whimper and that nastily painful lump in her throat.

"I know you're there! Come out now!" Natsu had spat coldly.

Her heart jumped into her stomach, which wasn't doing so hot either. Not like 'this is so scary, I'm about to pee myself!', but more of 'I have a weak stomach and I might either pass out or vomit'. This wasn't the Natsu she knew...this Natsu, she didn't like this Natsu. Not at all...This Natsu terrified her to her very core and triggered every nerve and red light that are now going off inside her brain. Her cells screamed she was in danger and that she should flee back to Erza and the others.

"I said come out! I will fire, I swear!!" Natsu shouted again.

Her fists curling with bodily trembles, Lisanna exhaled. She reluctantly slides from the slab, her hand never leaving the wing of the cement. Natsu changes completely, his fire went out and the expression he had melted into a much calmer one.

"Lisanna? What're you doing here? I thought you were a stalker or something! I could've hurt you!" He says as the young Strauss took baby steps toward him.

"S-s-sorry...I thought the same thing..." She lied shakily. Her fear worked in her favor because it seemed Natsu didn't suspect a single thing.

"Are you okay? You're not hurt, are you?" His darkly lit eyes scanned over her body as if looking for any cuts or bruises. "You seem okay, though."

"I-I am! I-I'm just sh-shaken up, i-is all!" She forced a smile, nearly flinching away as Natsu grabbed her hand. She didn't want him knowing she knew about what he had done. If he knew she knew, she couldn't guarantee what'll happen, and that's what scared her most.

She used to always feel safe with Natsu. Always. But now...she wanted to inch away, cower behind Mira and Elfman.

"Did you get the patches?"

Lisanna couldn't speak now, she just nodded. She was afraid if she spoke out, she'd spill about what she saw him do. She didn't want to become another source of beatings and blood.

"Good, then let's get back to the group, I'm sure they're getting worried!" Natsu grinned, accidentally bearing his fangs.

Lisanna shudders, averting her eyes to the ground. She bit down on her inner left cheek. No, Lisanna! Don't lose it now! She kept repeating this within her mind.

"Ye-yeah!"

"You're acting really weird..." Natsu observed with squinted eyes. "Are you sure your okay?"

"Perfectly! We should go before Erza sends out a search party!" Lisanna regains some confidence, hurrying away from Natsu, toward the direction of the hotel they're staying at.

Natsu watches her frame become smaller as she walks up the street, unable to think of her weird behavior. She couldn't have...? No. Natsu shook himself of the thought. She doesn't know. The pink-haired mage hurries after the Strauss.

~

~

"What's with this place?"

"What do you mean?"

Midnight stuffed his hands into his pants pockets. "This place is like a freakn' ghost town. Where is everyone?" His red eyes scanned the empty streets suspiciously.

Briefly explained, Yukino and the others are currently searching for Lucy, well, Rogue was at Lucy's apartment. Happy and Frosch and Lector were upset and Rogue was calming them down. Happy more upset because he didn't want to lose Lucy again. Before they left, Yukino tried to reassure the blue exceed that Lucy wasn't going anywhere and that they were going to make sure she came home safe and sound.

"Well, we're in the more careful part of Crocus, " Yukino responds after a moment of thinking. "People are just very cautious around here. You never know what could happen."

Sting grunts loudly, throwing his arms above his head. "You guys should've gone with Lucy in the beginning! We would've been eating a nice meal by now if you were!"

"Is that all your walnut brain can think of? Is food?" Midnight frowned, glaring at Sting through his peripheral vision.

Sting says nothing. "Well...no. I want to find Lucy and--"

"There you are!" A familiar voice cut Sting off. "I've been looking for you!" He appeared panting and pale. Pale as a white sheet of paper or fabric.

"Why're you here, Dorinbolt?" Cobra glared at the man who was sweating like a cow. He really didn't like seeing him. He hated how his face was stupid and how bossy he was. His thoughts weren't so clean as his clothes.

"I went to Lucy's apartment, I've met up with your companion---" He began.

"Get on with it, shithead!" Cobra growled menacingly.

"Cobra! Be nice to him!" Yukino scolded before gesturing for the soldier to continue his sentence.

"It's Lucy, she's been attacked."