Chapter One: Homecoming
The day that Lucy disappeared was like any other day. There was nothing that signaled that today would be different, there was no ominous flash of lightening when she left the guild and there was nothing in Cana's cards that told them something would go horribly wrong. Team Natsu had stayed behind for this particular mission because the mission Lucy had chosen was only for rent and there wasn't enough jewels in the reward to split between two people, let alone 4. So Lucy had gone alone. No one was particularly worried, the request was simple enough. Somebody from a town over needed a mage who could help her clear out some rather troublesome pests that were eating all of her cabbages. And even if it wasn't simple, everyone had faith in Lucy's ability to take care of herself. It shouldn't have take more than a day, maybe two if the person had under sold on just how many creatures there were so they didn't have to pay so much.
So a day passed. Than another. Than three days and they still weren't very worried, knowing Lucy she had probably gotten sidetracked by a book or a spa or something. Than five days passed, than a week and Team Natsu was dispatched to go and find her. According to everyone they met, they told them that the mission ran a day late. In all it took Lucy two days to deal with the pests but an extra day to deal with a small but deadly gang that had taken residence in the small town and was forcing everyone to pay protection money from them. But she had gotten paid (for both the official and unofficial job) and they all saw her make her way through the town gates and to Magnolia. Natsu, Gray, and Erza were stumped, where could Lucy have gone? As they were taking another lap around the outside perimeter of the town, Natsu caught on to the faint and quickly disappearing scent of Lucy. The team followed the scent to the edge of a ravine, there were fallen trees, scorch marks, and deep gouges in the Earth that told them that a fight had recently happened there. A big one. Lucy's scent was all over the fighting ground, and hanging onto a branch Erza found her keys.
It's been five years since then, or rather 4 years, 9 months, and 27 days but who was counting right? During the first year of her disappearance Fairy Tail tore up Magnolia and any neighboring villages and towns trying to find her. They hired the best magic and non magic trackers. And search parties were sent out daily to no avail. It was like Lucy had just disappeared off the face of the earth. During her second year, search parties were cut down to bi weekly things. During her third year monthly, and during her fourth year they still looked for as hard as ever but only every few months. Fairy Tail never lost hope that they would get back their blonde guildmate though. That was the one thing Fairy Tail never lost. Hope. Every time there was a rumor of a girl that looked vaguely like Lucy, talked like her, breathed like her, fought like her it sent the guild into a frenzy trying to find her. But each lead only lead to a dead end.
"Do you think she's still alive?" Gray asked, unusually quiet. Than again, the entire guild was. Had been the day they found out Lucy was missing. Over the years they had started to retain their liveliness, their partying and recklessness but it was like with Lisanna. It would take time to heal this wound, if it ever healed at all.
"Of course she is! She wouldn't just leave without saying goodbye! She's too strong, anything that tries to kill her will get it's ass kicked a thousand fold!" Natsu yelled, as heated as ever. Though he sounded more like he was trying to convince himself than those around him.
"Juvia is going on a quest now," Juvia said to the group, though her eyes were focused on Gray. The man in question just quirked an eyebrow and nodded in her direction. Blink and you would have missed the soft smile he sent her way. They weren't a couple but they were a thing, having started it a year after Lucy's disappearance. Lucy going missing had...set things in perspective to say the least.
"Stay safe Juvia," Wendy said sweetly, the little crease between her eyebrow showing her worry. Erza stayed silent but nodded in agreement. The blue haired woman smiled and started towards the door, but it opened before she could reach it.
"Lu-" Juvia's eyes went wide at the blonde, slim figure silhouetted in the guild doors.
The figure's pink lips curved up into a tiny smile, big brown eyes hazy. "Juvia." She murmured before her eyes rolled into the back of her head and she started swaying.
"Lucy!" Juvia yelled, loud enough that everybody's attention was caught and their heads swung to the front of the guild. The water mage ran forward, catching the woman in her arms before she could fall to the ground. "Lucy! Lucy!"
There was no mistaking the celestial mage, her blonde hair was dirty and limp and matted, and she looked to have lost at least 50 pounds, and gained a layer of dirt and blood but it was her. It was Lucy.
"Someone get Porlyusica!" Erza ordered, snapping to her senses as she stood up. Everyone scrambled to do as she ordered. "Someone get a bed and a bucket of water! We're gonna need new clothes, food, and a bed for when Lucy wakes up. Someone find out where the hell she came from and what happened now!"
While everyone ran around to do as she said, Erza stared at Lucy worriedly. The blonde was cradled gently in Natsu's arm as their team crowded around her unconscious form. Erza touched Lucy's forehead gently, staring at her slack face. "Please wake up soon."
"We had a deal!" The blonde was angry, her brown eyes alight with fire and her entire body was tense. "I fight and nobody dies!"
"Sorry but the deals off bitch," the man grunted, a malicious look on his face as he stares down at her. He hated her, hated everyone in the damn Pen but they made him and the rest of his crew good money. Still, he hated this girl-the one everyone called Star-the most because he knew that if it came down to it no one could beat her in a hand to hand fight. That was why whenever they dealt with her, everyone had a shock stick. The last person to deal with her without one ended up with a broken femur and missing his ear. He knows what she's capable of but it still surprises him every time. Like her speed, you wouldn't think she was fast. She was too skinny and too malnourished but she was though. She was fast. In a blink, she struck and grabbed the army knife strapped to his belt. She didn't hold the threaten his life or any of the other guard's lives though.
She held the knife up to her throat, jaw set and eyes determined. "Deals back on. Unless you want to lose your biggest cash cow. Bitch."
Lucy's eyes opened slowly, a small moan escaping her lips.
"Guys! She's awake!" Natsu yelled, Lucy opened her eyes to find Natsu's face directly in front of her.
"What the fuck!" Lucy yelped, reacting on instinct and punching Natsu off her.
"Shit Lucy, what the fuck did you do that for?!" Natsu complained, rubbing his cheek. It was red and already starting to swell. Fuck, was Lucy's punch ever that strong? Her kicks usually were but not her punches.
"Maybe next time you shouldn't-whoa," Lucy's vision went double for a moment as the room around her seemed to spin. She looked around, realizing that she wasn't dreaming. "Wh-where am I?"
"You're in Fairy Tail's infirmary. Porlyusica just finished healing you," Erza explained, biting her bottom lip and deciding to not mention the look in the medic's eyes as she examined their previously missing comrade. It was fear and suspicion, something she would never have thought she'd see in Porlyusica's eyes. Especially not directed at Lucy.
"Forget that, where have you been Lucy?" Natsu demanded, jumping to his feet and asking the question on everybody's mind. His eyes were intense, grabbing the bed railing and leaning in close to her face. "You've been missing for five years Lucy. We tore up all of Fiore looking for you, so where were you?"
"I don't..." Lucy suddenly seemed to shrink in on herself, drawing her knees up to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. She tilted her head forward so they couldn't see the fear on her face with her blonde hair covering her face. She choked out. "I don't want to-"
"What are you doing bothering my patient! All you stinking humans are getting in the way of her healing! Out! Out! Out of you brats get out!" Porlyusica yelled, barging in with a broom in her hand and chasing everyone out. When everyone was gone and the room had quieted down again she leaned her broom against the wall, walking over to Lucy. "We have a lot to talk about."
"I don't want to talk about-" Lucy whispered, as her limbs slowly untangled themselves.
"Who said you were the one talking?!" The Medic said loudly, making Lucy jump and stare up at her with wide eyes. She scowled, "I'm going to talk and you're going to listen and answer my question. Got it? Got it?" Porlyusica asked again when Lucy didn't answer. The blonde nodded hurriedly. "Alright, now you got a lot injuries over the years girl. You've fractured your collarbone in three different places, broken your leg twice, and your arm four times. None of those times have any of your limbs set properly. And that's not even including the damage to your ribs, some are years older. Going all the way back to Phantom if I'm right-" Lucy's eyes got wider and she shook her head, begging the pink haired woman not to say anything to the others "-but I won't tell the others anything, let alone the extent of the damage Gajeel really did to you. Frankly I'm surprised your ribs haven't just popped out and pierced your heart."
"I know more first aid than most," Lucy tried for a joke with a weak grin.
Porlyusica kept going like Lucy had never talked, "And your heads and feet...that's where the real damage is. Judging by your bruises and injuries I would have to guess that you've been fighting these last five years haven't you?"
Her red eyes focused intently on Lucy as the girl slowly raised her eyes to meet her head on. Her pink lips parted, the words gliding past her tongue not what the healer expected. "Do you know any good therapists Porlyusica?"
Silence reigned between them for a good while, red eyes meeting brown and either backing down for a moment. Finally, Porlyusica's eyes slid closed as she sighed sufferingly. "I supposed it's none of my business and I should just be grateful you're not as hardheaded as the rest of these idiots and know when to ask for help."
"Something like that," Lucy said with a small smile, her eyes falling to the white bed sheet and distracted. Her ears were still ringing with the sound of fists meeting flesh and the sound of blood thirsty cheers. "So do you?"
"There's a person living in the middle of town, on Golden Street. Her name's Kira and she's one of the best, helped me adjust to Earthland when I first came." Porlyusica nodded, scribbling something on a piece of paper and hand it to Lucy. Lucy took it tenderly. "She doesn't take walk ins but show this to her and she'll be available whenever you need her to."
"Thank you," Lucy whispered, tears pooling in her eyes as she stared at the piece of paper. It was finally starting to sink in, she was home and she was safe and it was over. It was all over. Tears spilled over and ran down her cheeks, dripping onto the infirmary sheets. "It's over. It's all over."
Porlyusica watched the girl cry with a bittersweet smile on her face, she hoped it would be over for her. She was still so young but she had gone through so much. However, something told the old woman that it was far from over. That it had just begun.
Hey guys, so it's been a hot minute since I've posted anything and truth be told this story has been bouncing in my head for at least a year but only just recently have I been able to 'finish' it. I've already written the technical ending and the chapters leading up to it but if anyone wants to beta it for me you'll be a real life savior! As always: favorite, follow, and review!
