Chapter 1
No one's P.O.V
Natsu and Lucy sat together on the sofa staring into each other's eyes. She brushes his hair back slowly not breaking eye contact for a second.
Lucy's P.O.V
We smile at each other curiously, I can't help but feel like we're being watched. As he strokes my shoulder with his warm hand I feel a fire within me burn a little brighter and my whole body feels warmer.
No one's P.O.V
Outside a window of Lucy's apartment a hooded figure lurks sitting on the outside windowsill watching with jealous eyes as their beloved kisses another. The clock tower at the center of Magnolia rings midnight for all to hear. "Lucy's birthday" the figure whispers in a low, husky voice. The figure watches as Lucy and Natsu kiss slowly. As they do the figure chants a few words.
Lucy's P.O.V
He takes his arm away gently and we hear the bells of the Magnolia clock tower ring. "Midnight" I say, staring into his gentle brown eyes. "Happy birthday" he says leaning in and he kisses me on the lips. As he kisses me everything starts to change. I feel the urge to fight back, it's like I'm loosing everything…
As we pull away I stare at this man, this boy, who has just kissed me. Why did I enjoy it? He's a complete stranger, right? "Wh-who are you?" I stammer as I back away from him. I put a hand to my head as a headache of sorts start to form. He looks at me confused, as if he'd misheard me but I know what I've said. "Who are you?" I repeat, a little more serious this time. "Lucy?" He says trying to reach out to me with his right hand rising towards my own. Hearing him say my name, I stand up cautiously as my mind starts to waver. Clouds fill my mind as I fall to the ground with a 'bump'. I see the pink haired boy stand up urgently and kneel down by my side. He looks more confused than me as my eyes draw to a close.
Natsu's P.O.V
We pull apart but she looks distressed. Her pupils decrease in size as she looks at my face examining every detail. "Wh-Who are you? She says with uncertainty. Did I mishear her? Could she be serious? Questions with no adjoining answers seem to swirl round my mind. "Lucy?" I ask her, I don't know whether she's joking. She repeats her question of my identification as she stands up. She's upset slightly, possibly? I want to help so I reach out my hand but she just looks at it forlorn. She tumbles to the ground and as her eyes close I stumble to be beside her, her breathing slows as she grows unconscious. 'Who did this?' I ask myself, 'What happened to her?'...
I pull her sleeping body into my arms. I rest her head against my shoulder so she'll be more comfortable. My mind feels fit to burst with all the questions swimming round in my fiery brain. I run down the streets towards the guild hall as fast as I can. As I run I look down at her face, now that she's unconscious she looks slightly happier but her expression is still unsettled.
I barge in through the guild hall doors looking round for an authoritative figure or someone who could help. At the bar is Mirajane serving drinks as usual. The guild hall is empty for the most part. There are only those few who are here to get ready for Lucy's birthday party, it was supposed to be a surprise… I march up to the bar where MiraJane has noticed me and is staring at the unconscious Lucy as I approach her.
MiraJane's P.O.V
I laugh as a slightly drunk Elfman sits at the bar as I clean a glass. To my left is Gray and Juvia, she's gazing at him as he talks about his latest clash with Natsu, she blushes every time he so much as glances at her.
Suddenly the peace of the nighttime guild hall is disturbed Natsu barging through the doors holding what appears to be an asleep Lucy. The look on his face tells me something is wrong. He rests her slightly on the barstool in front of him not daring to let her go. "What happened?" I ask as he looks at me, his eyes yell urgency as the remaining guild members start to notice.
Natsu's P.O.V
Grey and Juvia have turned around now, noticing the body I am holding. "What did you do to her?" Gray yells, his fists are raised, ready to beat me with more questions. MiraJane desides against asking me again as she exits the bar and guides me through to Master Makarov's office. I rest my sleeping Lucy onto the sofa with haste, wanting her to be as comfortable as possible. The master is asleep at this time so MiraJane sits in his chair and gestures for me to sit opposite. "So?" She says the one word but it asks so much more. "We- we were sitting, in her house on her sofa-" I say, the panic in my voice is slowly dying down as I calm down. "We heard the clock and we knew it was midnight. I wished her happy birthday and we- we kissed." Mira looks unfazed by this information. "So? What happened next?" She says interrogating me. "I- she changed, she looked uncomfortable and she pulled away. She asked me who I was, twice. She didn't respond when I said her name and she just got up and fell although as I knelt down next to her to check if she was okay she fell unconscious and I carried her here." I say, slightly out of breath. "Okay" MiraJane says "we'll question her when she wakes up but for now I'll put her to bed in the infirmary and we'll see how she is in the morning. " but the party?" I stammer as Mira shakes her head. "I'm afraid the party will have to be postponed until Lucy has recovered from whatever this is.
MiraJane's P.O.V
We stand and I watch as Natsu picks Lucy up from the black worn out sofa of Master Makarov's ancient office. I hold the door open behind me and watch as Natsu carries Lucy's unconscious body out into the main communal area of the guild hall. A few people look forward at Natsu and Lucy worried as he proceeds to walk behind me. Gray looks at him disgusted, I sigh thinking 'I'll have to talk to him later, this isn't Natsu's fault'. We enter the infirmary and Natsu scans the plain room seeing that it is exactly the same room he has been patched up in a number of times. He waits as I pull away the covers and he lays her down on the bed second from the door. The room is empty besides the three of us, I pat Natsu's shoulder as he glances back at Lucy before leaving the room. "I'll take care of her Natsu" I say reassuringly "you go and get some sleep now". He's too tired to argue as he slumps towards the entrance of the guild housing. I watch him leave before summoning Gray into the infirmary.
Gray's P.O.V
I sit next to Juvia as Natsu wonders through with an unsettled Lucy in his arms as he follows behind MiraJane. He's done something to her I know it, or at least, someone has. 'Although I don't recall them being on any missions', I think to myself as I glance at the clock, 'especially on Lucy's birthday'. My thoughts are stirred as Natsu leaves the infirmary with MiraJane telling him to go to bed. She looks over to me once Natsu is gone and I join her in the infirmary.
"It isn't Natsu's fault" she says glancing at Lucy and sitting on the bed next to the sleeping birthday girl. "How do you know that?" I question as she looks at me distraught "did Natsu tell you that? Oh, I bet he told you every little detail!" I hear the sarcasm raise in my voice before I start to explain what I really think happened "he hurt her, I know he did". Mira listens to me concerned but she knows I'm just worried. Lucy's like a bro to me, I could never lose her. "Gray" she says quietly, I suddenly realise I was talking quite loudly and Lucy begins to stir, still not waking up. "It isn't Natsu's fault, he told me absolutely everything he knows" I look away disbelieving and I tut. "Trust me Gray, right now none of us know what's wrong with Lucy but we'll have to be supportive of one another if we're to get through this, especially Natsu".