Lisanna's eyes were nearly the size of saucers, if not wider. Her shock and baffle were just enough to surge panic through me. I never expected to see Lisanna here. I should've, but I wish I would have braced myself sooner. I knew coming back to Fairy Tail had consequences and this is one of them.

What was she doing here? I mean, of course, I know why she's here! But, why in this particular place did we have to run into each other? Like, literally? Fate is being quite the bitch to me today.

"L-Lucy? You. . .you're here! How? When? And you're. . .pr-pregnant?" Lisanna stammered horribly, tears suddenly brimming her eyes. "Oh my God!"

As quickly as she made that establishment, she breaks out into sniffles and hiccuped sobs. Her hands fly to her eyes, covering most of her face

"W-wait! Why are you crying?!" I squeak, confusion filling me. "Are you okay?!"

"I'm so sorry, Lucy. . ." Lisanna collapses to her knees. "I-I. . .it should've b-been m-me!"

"H-hey now, " I attempt to crouch down, but I teeter painfully before crashing onto my knees.

Is Lisanna really blaming herself for what happened? My heart clenches twistingly.

"No, no, Lisanna, " I grab her shoulders, forcing her to look me in the eyes. "It's not your fault. And it's not mine, either."

"That's why you left, right?" Lisanna rebounds, sniffling.

I don't say anything. My fingers tighten around her joints, resisting the urge to grimace. She was right, and that hurt a lot more than all the crap that's floated around me. I levy myself onto my feet, pulling the youngest Strauss with me. Hearing someone approach the hall, my heart heaves into my throat and I shove the both of us back into the ladies' bathroom. Lisanna stumbles back in stun while I shut the door and lean against it.

"I. . .Look. I don't like it any more than you do, " My eyes trail up the bathroom's interior and then finally onto Lisanna. "I'm sorry for all the drama I've caused for you and Fairy Tail. I was scared of what everyone would think. . .an-and I didn't open up about the. . .t-the b-baby until a month a-after. Even M-Makarov had a difficult time believing me."

"I'm sorry he put you through that, I truly am, " Lisanna rubs her arms as she clamps down on her bottom lip. "If I had just let go of my. . .if I had just let Natsu. . .you wouldn't be in this situation right now."

My brows squish together, I frown deeply. "Don't think that, Lisanna! I-I don't know why this happened, but it did. There is no shame in not wanting to."

"I-I know!" Lisanna's fists balled up. "B-but—"

"Please don't tell."

"What?"

"No one besides Makarov and a few trusted others about m-my. . .r-rape, " I hiss icily. "I-I would appreciate it if you said nothing. To everyone else, they don't know who the father is."

Lisanna is silent for a moment. "Natsu's the father, isn't he?"

I lock eye contact with her. It's clear she didn't want to believe it. Doubt and fear swirled in her oceanic eyes.

"Yes." Grimace. "I'm keeping my baby, despite it all."

"M-may I ask wh-what happened?" Lisanna squirms, uncomfortable with the question. She didn't want to ask, I saw. In a way, she deserved to know.

"H-he came over, all agitated and fraught. I hadn't been visited by my team in weeks—months, even, " I begin, fidgeting. "I guess I had envied you. You were getting married, you had the attention of family and friends, you had the spotlight. I scold myself for even feeling the slightest bit of jealousy toward you. Coming home is the best part of life." I take a deep breath, feeling the pressure of anxiety, limbs suddenly trembling as my arms loop around my belly. "I didn't get much out of him, at first. All I wanted was a calm evening, which was easy, but he barged unannounced. He had said you wouldn't let him make love to you. . .which I understand. I felt uncomfortable in his presence so suddenly when I told him to leave, that I didn't want to be a part of h-his shenanigans. His demeanor changed, and he became a predator. I tried to fight back—I really did, but the second I went for my keys, he had me trapped, th-threatening if I had told anyone, he'd break my keys. I l-let h-him take a-a-advantage of m-me to s-save my fr-friends." I gulped with the giant lump increasing in size. I couldn't control the tears anymore, they let loose, dampening my face.

"I'm sorry, " Lisanna hangs her head in remorse. "I can't help but blame myself now. . .what—what can I do to help you?"

Wiping away my tears, "For one, you can start by stop blaming yourself. It's not your fault. Please stop telling yourself it is." I sniffle rather loudly. "Secondly, I want you to be a part of my baby's life." It's true. I always did like Lisanna. I may not know her personally, but I feel we were kindred souls, broken by the same beast, well one broken more than the other.

"You what. . .?! N-no! I-I can't be!" Lisanna immediately puts up her defensive barrier.

"You can, " I say, stepping toward her, a hand on my belly, and the other outstretched toward her. "I want my baby to know you, it's the same way with every Fairy Tail member. Hell, even Gajeel. It's a part of Fairy Tail. . .now and always."

The youngest Strauss woman hesitatingly took hold of my hand with an unsure smile. "I will do my best, Lucy."

"That's all I ask, Lisanna—Eeekk!"

A giant tremor cuts me off. The walls shake violently, as did the floors. It was like a sharp jolt, like suddenly turning a corner. Squeaking, Lisanna and I clash heads, nearly tumbling to the floor.

"What the hell is going on?!" I shout out, only to be answered with battle cries. . . battle cries? What on Earth Land is going on?!

Lisanna and I glance at each other before bolting for the door. The white-haired woman goes into her cat soul transformation, gesturing for me to stay behind her. I complied gratefully. What if we were being attacked? I felt stupid for even thinking that, but the infamous Fairy Tail brawls didn't get so serious and so dangerous.

"Give it up, Mira Jane!" Erza's dangerously stern voice speaks out among the power levels that continuously arose. She is equipped in her Heaven's Wheel Armor, her swords shining as they rotate with such speed. Her eyes darkened and focused entirely on her fellow S-Class, who seemingly was perched on the railings of the second floor.

I see some tables broken, and the rafts too. Some people fled and some stayed, hiding behind flipped over tables, avoiding the debris of magic. Well, they've got the right idea.

"Oho? Are you demanding my surrender?" Mira, clad in her Satan Soul, smirked twistedly. Lifting a claw, "I think it is you who should surrender! I will take the title!" A dark plasmic-like orb morphs in her frightening palm.

Attempting to defuse the two mages, I approach slowly. Bad idea! BAD IDEA! I'm so stupid, it hurts! I hear my friends shout at me from behind their protective barriers.

Erza grunts out, thrusting her arms out, her swords soaring toward Mira. "Dance, my blades!"

"Aren't you eager?!" Mira grinned, easily dodging the swords like water. "Ugh!" She gasps out, swiping her hand back at a sword that came barely inches from her face.

The blade spins quickly, plunging the floor. . .and me.

Oh shit.