"Well Lucy, would you please tell me why you were running in the forest?", I asked, eager to know what the answer'll be.
"I was... Um..."
At that moment when Lucy was about to answer, someone knocked the door. I wonder who could that be. Then I realized that Lucy's eyes were wide and she was very pale. I got worried and was about to ask what's wrong, when she closed her eyes and whispered to her self.
"He is here. I couldn't make it after all", and started crying.
Lucy P.O.W
It's him, he found me. He's gonna take me back home and punish me for my reckless actions. It's gonna be the worst punishment this far. I have only one option. I have to run again. I was about to get up again but this time the pain was unsustainable. Everything went black again.
Natsu P.O.W
She fainted. At least she won't feel any pain now. But who is that 'he' she was talking about? Did 'he' make those wounds to her? No matter who it was, I will make that person regreat what he did to her. I will give no mercy.
"What am I saying?", I asked myself when I realized what I've been thinking. Why do I take this so personally. Yes, I am angry to people who hurt others for joy, but I've never felt this mad. This is strange...
"Oi! Open the door flamebrain!", that someone shouted behind the door.
"You have got to be kidding me", I went to open the door and found Gray grinning with two bottles of beer in his hands. "What do you want?"
"Don't tell me you've forgotten? We were supposed to go out tonight. Remember?", he said waving the bottles in front of me.
"We were suppose to go tomorrow, popsicle", I said in frustration.
"Oh, is that so? Well then we'll have to stay here for tonight", Gray said and came inside. I tried to stop him.
"That's not a good idea. I have something important I have to do...", I tried to push him back outside. It had no effect what so ever.
"Something important you say? What could that be, huh? Drinking tea and knitting?", he said grinning and headed to the livingroom.
*Sigh, I closed the door. I had no choice but to let him stay. I followed him and sat on the couch. He opened the bottles and gave the other one to me. I took it and had a little sip. It was clearly beer that Mirajane had done. The best beer in Fiore. I leaned back and relaxed. Gray did the same and we started talking. Someone who doesn't know us well, might think we hate each other. That's not true. Sure, there are times we don't get along but we're still good friends.
"So, what have you done today?", I asked.
"I had a mission with Erza and Elfman. We succeeded well and got 200 000 jewels each. Then I came here. You?"
"Well, I was supposed to go fishing with Happy but the weather was too bad. So we've been at the guild and here the whole day.", I didn't tell him about Lucy 'cause something made me feel like it was suppose to stay as a secret for now.
"That's too bad. How did Happy take it?"
"At first he was sad but when Mira gave him some fish his face brightened up immediately."
That's good to hear. What are you...", he stopped when he heard something. I heard it too. It was a scream and it was coming from the bedroom. The bedroom where Lucy was resting.
Lucy P.O.W
Where am I? It was so dark that I couldn't see a thing. I started walking without a destination. I kept walking who knows how long. Suddenly I could see... No. I could feel a white light forming around me. It was so warm and kind and... familiar? How could that be? The light wrapped it's arms around me and hugged me while whispering to my ear. The light didn't use words but I could still understand everything. I saw images. One of them was my Mama and father standing on the beach, laughing happily. I started running towards them. I wanted to be with Mama again. When I got closer to them Mama started fading away and father's smile disappeared and he became angry and aggressive.
When he looked at me, the light changed colour. Now it was dark black and instead of hugging me, it started strangling my entire body. I tried to escape but I couldn't because the light was too strong. My head started feeling dizzy and breathing became extremely difficult. Is this it? Am I gonna die? I started screaming, hoping that someone will hear and come to help. I only wish...
"Lucy... Lucy, wake up..."
Huh? What was that? Did somenone say my name?
"What's wrong with her? And who the hell is she?"
Where are those voices coming from? The light disappeared as I woke up and saw two figures above me. It was dark so I didn't recognize either of them. I got scared.
"W-who are y-you? What d-do you want?", I asked, pulling the cover up to my chin.
"Relax Lucy. It's me, Natsu", Natsu said.
"N-Natsu?", I said and started remembering what had happened. I ran away from home, Natsu found me and took me to his home.
"Okay, someone please explain me what the hell is going on?", the other figure said frustrated. By the sound of his voice I concluded that he was a young male.
"Shut up Gray, I will explain you everything later", Natsu said and turned to me. "How are you feeling? Guess you had another nightmare because you were screaming. We were at the livingroom and heard it. Would you like to eat something?", he asked.
"I feel like I've been hit by a train. I'm not hungry", but for objection my stomach growled loudly.
"Well, seems like you're stomach doesn't agree with you. Get up and come to kitchen. I think flamebrain has something decent to eat", the other one said smiling friendly. Natsu walked out of the room and headed to the kitchen. I was about to get up, but I realized I didn't have any clothes. Where the heck did my clothes go?
"Um... I didn't catch your name."
"I am Gray Fullbuster. And you're Lucy, right?"
"Yeah... Gray, could you please give me some clothes?", I asked blushing.
"What do you mean? Oh... That flamebrain stripped you naked, huh? Well I'll do the opposite then", He said and took his T-shirt off and handed it to me. I putted it on and for once I was glad that I was small. Gray's T-shirt reached a little above my knees. I sat on the edge of the bed. My wounds didn't hurt so much anymore. I carefully got up and took few steps. Then I lost my balance and started to fall. But Gray got me before I hit the floor.
"Take it easy. Guess you shouldn't be walking right now", he said and gently lifted me up bridal style. I didn't protest because I knew I couldn't walk after all. He carried me to kitchen and dropped me down to a chair. I thanked him with my eyes. Natsu had poured me some cereals and I started eating them while listening what those two were talking.
"Why the hell did you start stripping so early in the morning? And why is she wearing your T-shirt?", Natsu asked sounding a bit angry. Why is that?
"Maybe because you had stripped her naked, flamebrain", Gray answered a bit amused about the situation.
"Well I had to!", Natsu said a bit frustrated. He clearly didn't want to continue the conversation
"Then where did you put her clothes then?, Gray asked grinning.
"Her clothes were in tatters so I threw them away", Natsu said.
"And what is she going to wear now?", Gray asked.
"Your clothes apparently...", Natsu answered.
"Hey guys, you do know that I can hear everything you say?", I said amused. The boys looked at me and smiled at my comment.
"We're sorry", Natsu said and sat next to me. Gray nodded and leaned to the kitchen wall. I had eaten my cereals and wasn't hungry anymore. I leaned back on my chair but immediately regretted it because it hurt so much. Natsu and Gray both saw that and got worried.
"What's wrong?", Gray asked worried.
"It's nothing. My back just hurts", I answered and sat straight so the pain would be minimum.
"Are you kidding me? It's so not nothing!", Natsu said very angrily.
"What is not nothing?", Gray asked confused.
"Yesterday evening she was running towards my house but apparently tripped and lost consciousness. I went outside and found her. I brought her here, and saw that she had several wounds on her back, most likely whip marks, and a broken arm", Natsu said and looked at Gray. As Gray heard what Natsu said, he became quiet and angry. They just looked at each other for a moment. Then Natsu looked back to me.
"Who did this to you?"
I looked at him. His eyes were warm and I felt like I could tell him everything. But when I thought about everything that had happened, tears fell along my face. I looked down trying to hide my tears. I opened my mouth, ready to tell them the answer to that question.
"My father"