HAI GUYS! yes yes I'm not dead and yes I still haven't updated any other chapters because my laptop was being stupid BUT HERE I AM uploading another multi chapter story I probably can't keep up with.

*cough cough*

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Fairy Tail, ok? it belongs to Hiro Mashima yep

"HAHA, LUCE – erm, Heartfilia!"

The said blonde face-palmed, listening to her companion chuckling immaturely at something, and even messing up her title. For goodness' sake, the chief of police was right over there.

The blonde, after moments of debating in her head, abruptly stood and made her way to her partner, Detective Natsu Freakin' Dragneel's, desk. Her heels clicked along the marble floors, rather loudly as a result of her (almost) stomping. She had yet to put down the files she was looking at while she was interrupted, and she used those very files to whack Natsu's head with.

"OW! LU- um, HEARTIFLIA, that huuuurt!"

Lucy shook her head and looked directly into her partner's eyes. "Why are you messing around when you have a job to do?" Her scolding tone quickly escalated. "I swear, it's a miracle that you're HEAD DETECTIVE."

Natsu pouted, rubbing his head where she hit him. "I was just gonna show you a funny video," he said nonchalantly.

Lucy rolled her eyes, so much, in fact, that she feared they would roll into outer space. "You are the most immature officer I have ever met," she muttered under her breath. She sorted through the files in her hand and proceeded to slam a piece of paper in front of the pinkette.

"How 'bout you actually do your job, Dragneel," she suggested venomously. "You know, that one case we've been working on all week?"

Natsu picked up the paper and stared at it, blinking a couple times. "Oh yeah!" he said triumphantly. A wide grin spread across her face. "I forgot to tell you, but I've figured out a new lead for this."

Lucy, surprised and frustrated, let out an exasperated sigh. He may seem to not take his job seriously, but he was good at it. She knew it was helpless to scold him any further, so she just grabbed his arm to pull him up out of his seat. "Then tell the Chief so we can get going!"

She pulled him by his wrist towards the Chief's office when she heard Natsu still chuckling about that stupid video.

Lucy sighed.

"Oi, Luce, I got takeout!"

Lucy stood with her hand on the doorknob and the other on her chest, trying to calm her racing heart.

It was nine thirty and she just got home due to some late paperwork. She was greeted by a loser scaring her half to death in her house, casually munching on some Chinese noodles.

Let's just say that was not a great was to end the night.

"Natsu!" Lucy half-yelled, too tired to put up with his weird antics. "Why are you here! I could arrest you right now for breaking in, you know."

Natsu grinned. "I know you won't do that. Here, I even saved you some orange chicken!"

Lucy succumbed to her growling stomach, and she had to admit it was nice to come home and eat without any effort in actually cooking. She set down her purse and sat at the small table with him.

"Here's to wrapping up that case today!" he cheered, holding up a takeout box.

The blonde girl smiled tiredly, grabbed some chopsticks, and began eating. They began to talk a little bit when Natsu snapped his fingers.

"Right! Almost forgot to tell you, but Gramps put us on another case already." Natsu smiled sheepishly, knowing that Lucy wouldn't be too happy about that.

Her brown eyes grew wide. "WHAT, already? Doesn't the Chief know I need a tiny break or something?" She rubbed her eyes.

Natsu shrugged. "I tried to tell him that for you, but he says it really important. He wants us to start investigating tomorrow."

Lucy frowned. She was thinking of calling in sick, but she decided against it. "Okay okay," she outwardly said, defeated. "What are the details so far?"

Natsu sat back, trying to rack his brain for the things Gramps said. "Um… he said there was a murder of a man… Gramps said he has relations with Grimoire Heart, that weird company we've had to look into a couple times before."

Lucy felt a small pain in her heart. Sure, they've dealt with murders before, but it would always hurt Lucy to hear that someone's life was taken away by another. The idea of that sickens her over the edge, and if it turns out that Grimoire Heart was in charge of it, that already shadowy organization would be one of the worst to Lucy.

"Oh." Lucy said quietly. She cleared her throat and regained her posture. "Okay, I guess we'll look at that. But I just want to sleep now."

Natsu noticed Lucy's odd behavior, and he's been around her long enough to know why she's acting like this. Every time they worked with a murder or death she'd seem a little down because she was too nice to not mourn over the demise of someone. But she'd always still perform her job excellently and she'd pretty much solve it. It confused Natsu a bit as why she took up this kind of job, but he was happy to be her partner nevertheless.

"Luce, I could get someone else to work on this case if you want."

Lucy waved her hands around. "No, no! I'm fine, what kind of a detective do you think I am?"

Natsu looked at her with concern in his eyes, but decided not to pursue the subject. "Alright," he said with a small sigh.

Lucy slapped on a smile to assure Natsu she was fine. She was flawed though, because it was too bright to be real in the tired and saddened state she was in. Natsu saw and couldn't get the feeling she was acting especially weird about this murder.

Lucy waved to Natsu, seeing him off as he left towards his house. Once he left her line of sight, she stepped back inside and closed the door.

She thought back on the case Natsu explained a while earlier. She felt her bottom lip tremble a bit. She had to get this case this week of all times, didn't she?

She shook her head and then got ready for bed. After showering and brushing her teeth, she kneeled in front of picture just like she did every night, except this time, she was in a little more of a wreck than usual.

"Goodnight, mom," she said with a tremor in her voice. "I promise I'll be strong about this."

Tomorrow was the anniversary of when her mom had passed away.

Or rather, murdered.

The nightmares would come again.

GASP Poor Lucy! Why is she a detective if she can't handle little murders like this?

oh noes!

Well read on mah friendz once I get up more chapters :)

BYEEEEE

-Inksomnia