Chapter edited 8/24/18.
"You need to get cleaned up," he said, clearing his throat in the silence. She'd gone quiet after her thank-you, sobbing into his shirt. He flexed his fingers on her back, ignoring the stiff feeling in his neck from holding still for so long. "Come on, I'll help you find something else to wear. We need to get the cuts cleaned."
Lucy stiffened for a moment at his words, her cries going quiet as she tensed. She slowly unwound her arms from his neck, staring at the floor as she moved back.
He frowned, letting his arms fall away from her. She looked like hell, the blood more prominent beneath the bright lights. He didn't want to hesitate having her get clean, and he didn't really want to fight her on it. If blood dried to the wounds anymore it would just hurt to scrub off. Freed glanced towards the shower, noting it didn't appear that she made it that far.
He really wanted a better look at her head. Her hair was too matted to see if there was a wound there, or if it was blood from other marks and lying on the floor in a pool of it. But they couldn't leave it untreated. It was the one wound he was seriously worried about handling. Aside from the bad lighting in that house, he hadn't actually gotten a proper chance to check her since they ran out of there.
And he wasn't quite sure how to. She was so hesitant compared to the loud blonde he was used to he didn't know how to survey her without being creepy. She already freaked out when he tried touching her, so he was sure looking her up and down wouldn't help matters.
Discarding that thought, he stood slowly enough to not startle her and held out a hand again. One thing at a time. "Come on, I'll start the water if you like. Take as long as you want in here, okay? I'll just be in the room if you need something."
She hesitated a moment, looking so broken as she stared up at him from the floor that he felt his anger flare up again. He'd never seen her look so defeated, despite how often she got into sticky situations. After a moment she took his hand, struggling to stand up even with some assistance. "You don't need to start the water, I can do it."
"Are you sure?"
Lucy nodded, her arms coming around to hug herself. She tried to smile, failed, and settled for staring at a spot somewhere off to the right of him. "Yes, I can handle it."
Freed relented, stepping past the blonde to make his way out of the bathroom. He cast one last glance over his shoulder as he left, unsure why she had started crying last time. Closing the door, he wondered if she was afraid of being alone.
After all, that is how he found her. As a celestial mage she was used to having companions on her hip, someone she could draw out when she needed company or help. Without her keys, she had to feel terribly alone.
He hadn't gotten far when he heard a thud from the bathroom, cursing quietly under his breath. He was afraid something might happen. If the mage was trapped for a week and denied basic things like food and water her body was extremely weak, and couldn't potentially support her for long. He'd been hoping that wasn't the case, especially with how defiant she was being, as he wasn't totally sure she would actually let him help. Turning smartly on his heel he marched back to the bathroom, not bothering to knock on the door.
Formalities be damned. If she smacked her head on something while falling that would be one more thing to deal with. Adding that to a potential injury she already had, Natsu and the others would crisp him for letting her harm the same wound again.
Freed immediately focused on the wall when he entered, well aware that she might freak out if he walked in on her changing. In the brilliant light of the room he could see her raw skin, her back partially stitched from his earlier work. Over that however he could see faint, bleeding lines across the skin. His quick handiwork couldn't stop the wounds from reopening if she pushed herself too much, and it looked like any amount of movement would cause the gashes to open. Even the smaller stab wounds were bleeding again. He wasn't sure if they were the result of being whipped or part of the magical rune torture she endured whenever she screamed in pain. Surveying the marks briefly, he realized he would probably need to do some more stitching.
The girl in question had collapsed onto her knees, her body breathing heavily as she tried to keep herself from crashing into the tile. Her shirt hung away from her body, revealing too much of her chest. He could clearly see every bit of her torso through the few remaining strings of her shirt and chose to not look.
He didn't dare shift his eyes lower, lest he see something to cause him to truly blush or worse - receive a proper Lucy kick.
"Freed?"
"Did you fall?" he asked, reaching out blindly to grasp her shoulder. She stifled a cry as he pulled her up, cringing at the sound himself. She sat on the edge of the tub, taking deep, uneven breaths as she fought through the pain.
He didn't really mean to, but helping Lucy maneuver forced him to look her way again, even if that was probably the last thing she wanted right now. Even for the brief moments he had to look at her, he got an idea of how far the beatings went. In the light he could now see the bruises on her chest and stomach, like someone held her down.
He tried to compose himself again. He still didn't have a story from her, maybe he shouldn't be jumping to conclusions and flaring with anger yet.
"Y-yes," Lucy replied, taking her time to answer his question. Her legs were shaking, and he was seriously starting to doubt she could stand in a shower, much less get up from the tub.
"If you want we can try cleaning the cuts with a towel," he said gently, keeping his eyes focused on her face. She looked frustrated of all things, like she couldn't believe she'd collapsed so quickly.
"No," she said determinedly, standing up. She swayed a couple times, giving Freed a good idea of all the new cuts he hadn't noticed before high on her thighs, her lack of clothing not hiding the obvious wounds. Most looked too small to fret about right now. "I want to shower. I have to get clean."
He frowned, watching her push herself past her limits. He wasn't fond of her choice of words. It was clear she was exhausted, and he wondered if she slept at all in that place. While her gaze was focused the rest of her was shaking from the effort of keeping herself up. Honestly, he couldn't fathom why she felt the need to prove her strength to him.
He didn't care; everyone got beat down sometimes.
"There's no shame in being beat Lucy," he sighed, watching her shoulders stiffen. "We lose to our enemies so we know how to improve ourselves in battle the next time."
"If I can't get my keys back from him there won't be a next time," she said quietly, keeping her gaze away from him. "I don't have time to cry, I need to be out there getting them back."
"Going out right now won't do you any good," he reasoned, arching an eyebrow beneath his hair. Her emotions were a mess, flip-flopping from teary-eyed to driven. "Just worry about getting clean right now. I'll secure the room so no one can disturb us. Perhaps when you're finished you can enlighten me about what's going on?"
She didn't reply, letting the silence hang between them again. By the time he decided she wouldn't be responding and turned to go she surprised him, clearing her throat uncertainly. "Um, Freed?"
Halfway turning back to her, he ensured he couldn't see any part of her he shouldn't. "Yes?"
Lucy blushed, looking away from him. She fidgeted with her fingers, inwardly fighting with herself over something he couldn't fathom. She wrapped her arms around herself, taking a deep breath before she dared to speak. "Don't… go."
"I'll just be in the room," Freed assured, arching an eyebrow. He couldn't imagine she was actually considering what she was saying if she dared to ask something like that. He didn't think his mind could stand seeing anymore wounds right now, and he needed a break to compose himself before he went off. Besides, if she was so afraid of him even touching her he didn't imagine staying in there while she showered would go over well. "I'll be close if you need something."
She twitched, her hands pressing harder into her upper arms. "B-but…"
Freed turned to face her fully. He really didn't like this side of Lucy, the unsure stuttering girl who couldn't get out what she wanted to say. Even when she was uncertain of something before, she never looked so vulnerable. "But what?"
She bit her lip, the action looking painful. Her skin was just as raw there as everywhere else, her lips chapped and bleeding. "Please…"
He felt surprise overtake him, her eyes dropping again. "Lucy, you don't want me to stay in here with you. It won't make you any more comfortable."
"B-but if you leave me alone-"
"Nothing will happen," he assured, wondering how she got caught in the first place. Was she really so scared of being left to her own thoughts? Surely she knew he wouldn't let someone break into the room. "I can leave the bathroom door cracked if you want, but it might be cold. I'll be able to hear you if you call out for me."
Lucy hesitated. "And I'll be able to hear you?"
Freed smiled gently, hoping to put her mind at rest. "Yes. Come out whenever you are ready. I'm going to see if this room has a bathrobe or something you can wear when you're done, okay?"
She didn't reply, and he took it as his sign to leave. He left the door cracked, hoping she would shut it if she needed more privacy. He wasn't sure why she wanted it cracked, it didn't seem like it should make her feel any safer. Actually, he thought it might have the opposite effect on her, but it's what she asked for. Who was he to decide what she needed when he wasn't sure what happened to her?
Sighing, he looked around the room. He had to still call Master Makarov, not to mention finding her something to wear. Taking a moment to compose himself, he attempted to clear his mind. It was time to get to work. He could be pissed off about things later.
Lucy tried to ignore the sting of the water on her body. Her entire being ached, and she'd spent nearly ten minutes trying to pull the shreds of her clothing off of her body. She'd managed to get everything off aside from her underwear, unwilling to take them off just yet. Her body shuddered under the water, legs feeling like jelly.
She couldn't get the feel of him off of her, even as she scrubbed at her skin. Her breathing wasn't normal, alternating between hitches and hiccups. She'd tried using soap twice now but it hurt, the water draining a pinkish-red color as it cascaded off her body. She felt so dirty, and positively useless without her spirits.
She didn't even have her Fleuve d'étoiles to defend herself against him. After Virgo got taken out during the fight, and before her keys were ripped away, she'd lost the whip somewhere before being grabbed. She had no idea where it was now, and that was long before she woke up in that house.
Choking down a cry at the loss of her spirits, she tried to think positively. They were out there someplace, she just needed to find her keys. Doing that would be difficult, especially if she had to face him again. Her body shuddered once more, thinking of all the pain she'd been in for the majority of the last week.
All because she wasn't strong enough in battle. She felt tears dripping down her cheeks, her fingers digging into the unblemished skin of her palms.
She didn't have time to pity herself, she needed to find them! They were her companions, dependent on their contracts and as much a part of her fighting force as her magic itself. He was strong if he could fight off her spirits coming through their own gates, especially Virgo and Loke. Wherever they were, she hoped they were alright.
Giving up on soap for the third time, she settled for scratching at her raw skin to try and get the grimy feel of everything off of her. It didn't matter if she made a few more marks, who could tell the difference now? All her beautiful unblemished skin was ruined by the gashes and cuts lingering there, the little bruises like an eyesore when she stared at her body.
She'd seen the look in Freed's eyes. The wounds hadn't healed yet and wouldn't for some time without Wendy, but she could feel the judgment. Why else would he focus on her so much? They weren't close, just fellow guild mates. He had an obligation to help her.
The horrific damage done to her would make anyone else run off. Least he decided to hang around. The marks she made on her skin now would never measure but to the gaping wounds he left behind, so even Freed shouldn't notice. It's not like he'd be able to tell the difference anyway.
She turned around, cringing as the water hit her back, burning on the gashes. She swallowed a scream, knowing she had to do this, no matter how unpleasant. Even if she couldn't clean the marks there, at least the water might get rid of some of the dirt and dried blood. She wasn't sure she could stand trying to clean the spots with soap again after almost screaming earlier.
Lucy could hear Freed out in the room, talking to Makarov. His voice was faint over the water, but she could still make out bits of his side of the conversation between them through the cracked door.
"I don't know what happened, she doesn't feel comfortable sharing just yet… no, her keys are missing and she hasn't told me who took them… I don't think that's necessary Master, whoever did this hasn't turned up yet. If Wendy is able to stop in Crocus instead that might be better … You have my word, I wouldn't let something else happen to her…"
Unable to focus on the conversation and stand, she zoned him out once more. She wanted to rest, her limbs tired from her last week of being tortured and beaten. She felt pathetically weak after having not eaten, but she wouldn't tell Freed that. He'd already successfully saved her from a sticky situation and given her more water than she'd had in days. She needed to hold her own now.
Even when he mentioned food in passing earlier, she hadn't been able to think of anything particular that she wanted to eat. Honestly anything would do to fill the gaping hunger that lingered in her stomach. Maybe if she was feeling awake enough later she'd ask if he had any food. Right now she was more concerned about staying conscious through the duration of her shower.
Besides, her situation was an extra burden on Freed. She wanted to make the rest of this journey as easy as possible until they got back to Magnolia. No reason to trouble him anymore, right? If Wendy would be coming this direction, all she needed was some good old magic and she'd be almost good as new.
Turning off the water with shaky fingers she stepped from the shower, keeping one hand on the glass at all times. She reached out and grabbed a towel, ignoring her hair for now. The water hadn't run clear yet, and she was certain there were still spots on her that needed to be cleaned. She just didn't have the energy to keep standing there while the water cascaded over her, and scrubbing was pretty much out of the question. Her fingers barely worked at this point, an she desperately wanted to sleep.
Which meant asking Freed for help, again. Most of the wounds were on her back and legs, strategic areas she couldn't heal or necessarily reach even before that awful rune spell was placed over her. Hugging herself, she wondered if she should just skip anymore treatment until Wendy showed up. She wasn't sure she could take more humiliation by being continuously stared at by the Rune Mage.
She didn't want pity. She just wished none of this happened.
Forcing herself to put her hair up, she swallowed down the sick feeling in her stomach. She was feeling faint, the need for a nap outweighing her desire to get stitched up.
Patting her head, she distantly noted that the towel on her head was turning darker on one side than the other, practically sucking up the moisture in her hair. The mirror was foggy, which meant she didn't have to focus on how atrocious she looked.
Her head felt fuzzy. She'd give anything for that nap right about now.
"Freed?" she called, hating the way her voice came out scratchy. She desperately wanted to drink more, but knew she had to pace herself. She'd been deprived of a lot of food and water, and if she took too much in at once she would just be sick. She cleared her throat, hoping it wouldn't sound so awful a second time.
"Lucy?" he asked, his voice surprisingly close on the other side of the door. He said something, but her head felt like it was floating as he continued talking, "I found a bathrobe… it's all we have available… see if the gift shop downstairs…"
He kept talking, but her mind was floating away, the exhaustion winning out. When did she last have a true nap not riddled with pain?
"…Lucy?"
She closed her eyes, her head lulling back with the weight of the towel on her head. She thought she felt herself falling, but the feeling of letting go felt too good. The last thing she heard was the door opening before darkness too her.
Freed wasn't entirely sure when, but at some point during his brief nap she'd gotten up and retrieved his coat from the bathroom floor. Now it was draped carefully over the arm of the sofa. He couldn't say he really cared about that, her health the main concern, but her consideration was touching nonetheless.
Wasn't he supposed to take care of her?
Presently he was busy watching the mage across from him pull uncertainly at the towel still half-on her head. She'd passed out earlier, probably from sheer exhaustion, and he was silently scolding himself for not having her sit down sooner. Cleaning the wounds was important, but it didn't actually help if she smacked her head all over again.
He couldn't believe he didn't act until she literally passed out. Other than getting her into the bed after she fell, he hadn't dared to do anything else. She was too hesitant, and he didn't want to make her anymore uncomfortable.
The life-threatening wounds were stitched closed. Anything else she had right now would be painful but not fatal, the only consultation he actually had. At least she woke up easily after the fall, even if she fought him on it. He'd only gotten to doze himself for about ten minutes, something that was more of an accident than anything. When he woke up she was in the middle of trying to change the sheets, and he'd quickly scolded her for it.
The hotel can deal with it when we leave. It's really the last of my concerns. If they want to charge me for the damn sheets they can go right ahead. Now lay down.
"Did the shower help?" he asked, finally breaking the silence. She hadn't said a word since he woke up and made her rest again, alternating between staring and looking away.
"It's nice to be cleaner," she whispered, shifting her gaze away again. He could hear the waver in her voice, knowing she'd been crying while he snoozed. Internally, he scolded himself for being so careless.
Ignoring how she still seemed to think herself unclean, he cleared his throat. He had no idea what time of night it was, just that it was still dark out. "I know it'll be hard in a towel, but if you can't dress the other wounds I need to at least check them. I know you had more cuts, Lucy. Even if they are clean the larger gashes need to be mended. How's your head doing?"
She shrugged, her hand moving to rub over the towel piled high on her head again. She had yet to put on the robe he found, something he simply didn't understand. She'd be more comfortable covering more of her skin, right? "I don't remember getting hit in the head."
"That doesn't mean you don't have a wound," he reasoned, thinking of her tumble earlier. He'd hardly managed to keep her from splitting her head open on the ground, and blush rose up on his cheeks when he recalled the towel coming completely undone. Hardly registering the fact that she still had underwear on, he folded the towel over her again as quickly as he could. He didn't exactly want to oogle her right now. It was his job to make sure she was alright, especially since he was the one who found her, and so far he wasn't sure he was doing a good job. "Come now, let me see if I feel a gash. We don't even know if there is a wound or not. Least I can do is make sure the bleeding stopped if there is."
Lucy tensed, reaching up to grasp the towel around her slim frame tighter. She glanced at the bathrobe he'd set out, like she was still warring with herself over putting it on. "You're just going to check my head?"
Freed frowned, hearing the fear in her voice. Of course he would only check her scalp, he had no reason to search any lower at the moment. His little accidental view of her confirmed other gashes, but nothing immediately fatal. "Of course."
Nodding once, she removed the towel with one quick tug, letting her hair fall out into a mess around her head. He realized she hadn't tried brushing it, the lengths sticking out at odd angles. It wasn't bloody like expected, but almost a copper color like the blood soaked in and tainted her blonde locks. She'd have to take a second, proper shower to really get the off-color red to go away.
His eyes widened. She hadn't so much gotten the blood out of her hair but pushed it around like shampoo. The towel itself was stained a red-brown color, one side a lot more coppery than the other. Reaching up, he ran his fingers through her locks, immediately coming back red.
He had serious doubts she'd cleaned the rest of her skin well if this was the state of her hair. Now he was worried the wounds weren't so clean after all and her limited efforts were wasted.
"Did the water turn red?" he asked, watching her cheeks color. He cleared his throat, wishing she'd talk to him. It would be so much easier to figure everything out if she didn't hesitate. "Did you get all the blood off your skin?"
"Most of it."
Freed's frown deepened, glancing at her arm. The towel didn't hide the scratch marks on her wrist, surrounded by raw skin still partially circled in blood. It looked like she had cleaned what she could and at some point simply gave up, even leaving dried blood patches on her limbs.
Staring at her without the towel on her head now, he wondered what to do about the potential head wound. It was dangerous that she'd fallen asleep, even briefly, especially if she was actively bleeding. They might be better off staying awake the remainder of the night.
He thought it was kind of peculiar she slept so soundly and woke so silently compared to how skittish she was while awake. If she had a nightmare, he was almost certain the sound would draw his attention.
Rubbing the bridge of his nose, he hoped Wendy arrived safely. She'd be coming tomorrow on the first train. After updating Master about Lucy's condition, Makarov decided Wendy would do better coming here than risking taking Lucy someplace else.
He hoped the sight of a familiar friend would ease her mind a little. Lucy wanted to jump back into action and go find her spirits, but she simply couldn't until she was healed. Maybe Wendy could even save her from severe scarring.
However, he feared she would not be psychologically prepared for a new adventure. She was still timid near him, and even if she felt comfortable around close friends that wouldn't help her with strangers. She didn't need to rush to the aid of celestials who could more than handle themselves.
Wendy would be there in the morning with Carla. Maybe she'd be less afraid around them.
"Should we worry about someone trying to break in tonight?" he asked, glancing towards the window. He'd already placed more than enough protection runes around them, but that didn't mean someone wouldn't show up. At least he wouldn't have to worry about something ridiculous like her getting kidnapped. As a precaution, he'd also set a requirement that she couldn't leave the room until morning, just in case she tried to do something irrational if he started to doze again. "Do you think whoever attacked you might be able to track us?"
Lucy flinched but didn't look surprised by his question, shifting around under the blanket. "I don't know if he'll bother following me. He got what he wanted."
"And what exactly was that?"
"My keys," she whispered, raising her head to meet his eyes. "He didn't need me once he got ahold of them, but he kept me in the basement for three more days."
Freed frowned, watching her face fall as she thought back on her experience. Glancing away for a moment he reached across the bed, trying to ignore the way she stiffened. He picked up the bathrobe lying there, gently handing it to her. "I tried to lay it over you but you kept pushing it off."
"Thanks," Lucy replied, forcing a smile. Holding the towel with one hand she pulled the bathrobe on over herself, tying it over the towel. "It's cold tonight."
"Probably the wet hair," he mused, eyeing her scalp. "I can find you a fresh towel if you want, but I haven't found anything else in the room for you to wear. Perhaps when Wendy is here in the morning I can go looking."
This time she did genuinely smile, the expression tugging at her lips. "That would be nice."
He nodded, bracing for the argument he could feel coming. "Lucy, I know it's difficult but you will need to tell someone what happened. If not me perhaps Wendy when she arrives. We will return to Magnolia as soon as you're healed."
Her lip quirked up a moment into an almost smile before the expression dropped again, her eyes drooping. "I'll have to tell Master I didn't complete my request."
"I'm sure that's the least of his concern," Freed admitted, surprised. She wouldn't look at him now, turning her head slightly away as he spoke. "He was worried about your wellbeing and asked Wendy personally to come here instead of heading back right away after her mission. Master doesn't care if your job goes unfinished."
Lucy raised her head, turning to meet Freed's eyes. "But I wouldn't have lost my keys if I finished."
"How would the completion of a job affect the loss of them?"
She smiled, surprising him with such a bright emotion even as her eyes filled with tears. "If I complied, he promised to leave them all alone. He…" she let her voice trail off, the smile slipping off her face.
"Complied to what?"
"Nothing."
Taking a breath, he pushed down his frustration. Just because he wanted an answer didn't mean she owed him one. Glancing at the clock, he noted how late it'd gotten.
"Well, we only have a few hours until Wendy and Carla should be here. What do you want to do until then?"
"Oh, Lucy," Wendy said, her eyes welling with tears as she studied the blonde. Presently, Lucy was doing her best to not look towards her young friend, much to Freed's disappointment.
He'd hoped she'd be excited to see someone she was close to, but all he saw in her face was shame. So far since the bluenette showed up she hadn't looked in her direction, keeping her eyes downcast.
"Has she been that way since you found her?" Carla asked, sitting on the sofa beside him. They stayed back, watching Wendy chat with her silent friend as she went around fixing the different marks on her skin.
"She talked a little before, but mostly she's been quiet," Freed agreed, looking around. Carla already took initiative and got some clothing from downstairs for Lucy, so at least that was taken care of. He was marginally terrified of trying to find something the girl would wear. "She hasn't really told me much about who attacked her."
"Master feared she was in bad shape," Carla sighed, "but I don't think he imaged this." She watched Wendy heal some of the cuts on Lucy's shins, the largest marks on her back having been dealt with already while Freed showered. "I imagine Master Makarov already told the other members of Team Natsu, and I will almost guarantee that they will beat us back to Magnolia. Lucy will feel better when she's home."
Freed nodding, having the same thoughts. If her team was on their way back, she'd be safe when they got home. Maybe she'd even divulge what happened to her when she felt more comfortable.
He imagined he wouldn't need to do much as soon as the others saw her. Natsu would get all fired up and try to hunt down whoever hurt her even without knowing. Erza would attempt to corral him, Gray would become infuriated with Natsu's temper, and the entire experience would go up in smoke while they argued.
Blinking, he reconsidered. Maybe it wouldn't be such smooth sailing when she was back with her friends. They had proven on numerous occasions handling a situation in an orderly manner was not their strong suit.
At least things would be normal when that happened. Freed had no idea how to help her, much less what to do to make her feel comfortable enough to tell him what happened in that house. She hadn't felt like she needed to last night, so why would that change?
"I think your head is alright," Wendy said, breaking his train of thought. "It looks like the blood in your hair is a result of the other wounds. I haven't noticed anything else, but you might want to take another shower after you eat to get the rest of the blood off."
Lucy nodded, looking a little better than before. She was still wearing the bathrobe, Carla's bundles of clothes sitting beside her on the bed. He could see that she'd even healed the scratches on her wrists. Her skin looked pale but better, no longer raw. Wendy couldn't do anything about chapped lips or the bags under her eyes, but she looked more like her old self again.
Smiling, Wendy wiped her brow and stood back. "Freed said he would order us some late breakfast before we head out. If you notice any pain in the shower let me know, you might have some stiffness in your joints."
Lucy's response was too quiet for Freed to hear even from his position on the sofa. They remained quiet as she slipped back into the bathroom, his ears perking up in case he heard her crying again.
No, he wasn't sure he needed to do that. Wendy was here, and she could probably provide more comfort than he would.
When the door clicked closed, Wendy turned to face him, her eyes wide with tears like when she first entered the room. "Who did this?"
"I already told you, I don't know. Lucy isn't comfortable enough yet to tell me. I was hoping she'd tell you."
"But that magic," she whispered, hugging herself. Carla hopped off her spot on the couch, moving over beside Wendy to pat her leg affectionally. "I could feel it. There was so much anger and darkness and hate put into those wounds… what kind of wizard has that power?"
"We're always meeting new wizards," Freed reasoned, his brows drawing together. "This might be someone we don't know anything about. Whoever it was has enough knowledge of rune magic to cast a binding spell strong enough to keep her trapped. I don't know anyone with that talent."
"I just don't get why someone would want to hurt Lucy," she continued, looking down. "She is one of the nicest people I know. Who would want her keys other than a celestial mage? There aren't even that many out there."
Freed shook his head, unable to give her a real answer. He didn't know anything about what she was wanting, and he couldn't make up anything either. He simply didn't know.
Glancing to the bathroom again, he kept himself on edge. She hadn't made any noises yet, but that didn't mean she wouldn't. After last night, he'd be surprised if she recovered for a while.
A/n: So, I cut this chapter off because I wanted to do another jump scene here and it was getting ridiculously long. Sorry for the delay in updates, time got away from me here. I tend to take my time or "slow-burn" with stories so don't expect Lucy and Freed to fall in love right away, it's just not my thing,
Now that it's April I feel I need to make an update on my stories so everyone knows what's going on. In October I will be getting married, so the wedding planning is well underway now! The closer we get to the big day, unfortunately the slower updates will become for a while but they will still happen, trust me there.
It's crazy to think I can officially tell my readers I'm getting married. When I first started on the site 9 years ago, I was barely old enough to use it and now I'm getting hitched! Thanks to everyone that's ready along, and don't forget to review!