I sat at my desk in my little corner office, rubbing my thumbs against my temples. The stack of paperwork was piling up at a rapid rate. Though I knew most of it came from one of my best teams, it was still an irritant to always be making excuses for their damage to public and government property. Letting my balding head fall back against the soft leather cushioning of my chair, I noticed that the department had suddenly gone silent.

Sitting up and looking out my covered window, I immediately saw why. Soon enough though people had started to speak again after a phone rang. A faint smile curving my lips, only to be hidden behind my mustache as I watched the young lady walk through the sea of desk towards my office. Looking down at my desk, pretending to be busy as she knocked softly on my partially open door. Not bothering to look up as I called out for her to enter.

This had become our routine over the last few weeks. It was a rather sad and depressing routine, but it was what kept the girl going. Eventually, I stopped fiddling with my papers, looking up at her, taking note that her face looked gaunt, there were bags underneath sunken eyes that looked so lost and lonely. It pained me deeply to see this once vibrant, cheerful and outgoing woman look so haggard. Her blond hair was tossed up in a half bun, letting a few stray strands of the once shiny gold hair, to frame her face.

"What can I do for you Miss Heartfilia?" I asked as I clasped my hands before me on the desk.

With a soft sigh as she looked at me, her eyes blank and unresponsive, she replied in a dead voice, "Have you heard anything yet, Commissioner Makarov?"

Unable to say anything to her, I just shake my head no. Watching as she further wilted into the office chair across from my desk. Slowly I let my eyes take in her appearance, seeing that she was in rumpled clothes that looked like she might have slept in them, no makeup on her cherubic face, as white-knuckled hands clutched at the Coach purse in her hands. At one glance you wouldn't think that this was the daughter of New York's Governor, Jude Heartfilia. The pride of our community, Lucy Heartfillia, who was the spitting image of her mother at that age.

As we sat there in companionable silence, I recalled how it had all happened. The day they were having a charity ball, and Jed had asked me to provide the best men I had as security, on top of the Federal agents being supplied by the government. Jed had received some threatening letters, telling him to back off and step down out of office. But it didn't deter him from doing what was right in this city, no it only made him more stubborn. So I had applied all of my best men to guard them and the area perimeter in Madison Park during the event. That was how they had met, how things had all begun. One wouldn't think that they'd be a perfect match, not when they obviously came from two different parts of society. My best undercover cop, Gajeel Redfox was assigned detail as her personal bodyguard. At first, Lucy refused to have a bodyguard at all, which coincide with Gajeel not wanting to 'babysit' a spoiled little princess like that.

It had been amusing to watch their interactions, as each baited and barbed at the other. Causing little scenes of bickering. Throughout the whole Charity event, it was evident that they were slowly getting used to it. So it was a major shock for me, when two weeks after the event I got a call from my friend Jude, asking for information on Gajeel. It had struck me as odd, so I promised to come by and talk to him about later that day. Only to find that as I arrived, Gajeel was escorting Lucy away somewhere on his motorcycle.

Apparently, my confusion showed on my face, earning me an even bigger scowl from Jude told me all I needed to know before we even began to speak. Seeing a smile on the man's lips for the first time in four years after losing his partner, Levy McGarden, only made me want them to be together again. Though as I briefed Jude on all I could about Gajeel, including that he has been of late, pestered by the FBI and CIA to join their ranks, he kept turning them down. Though I agree with why he was doing it. And it took all I had to convince Jude to let them date for now.

But six months ago, the FBI had waltzed into my precinct office, asking specifically for Gajeel's help with a biker gang, that was running not only illegal narcotics into the state but all heavy ammunition complete with arms. It was supposed to only take three months for the operation to finish before the bust was to be made. But new information had come to light as well as more dangerous connections to a bigger international mob ring. Meaning that he would be gone longer, while in twice as much danger of being found out as a mole.

Letting out a sigh, drawing her lonely, haunted gaze to mine, as she silently pleaded with me. "I am sorry Lucy, we are doing the best we can. His contract was supposed to call us already today, but nothing has been heard. And we are telling you all we can about this operation, though it is so little. I am truly sorry, do you want to wait here a bit longer, or would you like to go home?" I asked her.

A tear slipped from her eye, running down her cheek as she shook her head. "No, I will go home. Please Macky, call me if you hear anything about his welfare. I just want the man I love to come home. I feel so lost and alone without him. The feeling of being sick with worry is driving me slowly mad. Any news, even if it is of his death would set me at ease at this point."

I hated how despondent her voice sounded, as I watched her rise from the chair. Sliding out of my chair and walking around the desk, so I could walk her out of my office. At the door, she bent down to hug me, making me feel my age as she did her best to hide the shuddering of her body from me during the hug. As she released me I grabbed her hand, looking her in the eyes.

"Would you like me to have someone make sure you get home safe, Lucy?" I asked as I let her hand go.

"No thank you. I will be fine on my own, so have a good evening and take care not to work too hard." was all I got as she turned away, walking out of the 97th New York precinct police department.

The office had gone oddly silent again, each person's face clearly showing their worry over the girl as she vanished out the front doors. It wasn't just me that was hurting from seeing her like this, it was everyone in the department, who had come to know and love the vivacious girl. Closing my eyes, before pinching the bridge of my nose, as they all began to whisper their concerns for her. Finally, after two or three minutes I opened my eyes and let my hand drop to my side, as I made my way back to my desk. Silently wondering when I would even get my call so that I could tell her something, and hopefully, make that lonely look in her eyes go away.