-Rio POV-

My face was plastered against a stone floor. I was not enjoying the experience. It reminded me too much of the stone floor in Valkyrie's basement, where I spent most of my life, barring that one year where I managed to run away and train with Mosoroth. Of course, that floor had always been cold and consuming, whereas this floor was warm and smooth. I knew I had to stop following this train of thought before a memory kicked in, so I frantically searched for something else to think about.

I forced my eyes open. Actually, I only managed to get one eye open, the other was held shut by the weight of my face against the stone floor- Anyway, I couldn't see much. Puddles of water in the cracks of the cobblestones, a blurry and distant wall. I looked for my friends but with my narrow field of vision I couldn't see any part of them.

Unable to examine my surroundings properly, I focused instead on examining my own condition. I hadn't been bitten anywhere, that was good. My head hurt slightly from it's sudden impact on the pavement, but not enough to cause concern. The reason I couldn't move was because I'd used up so much of my magic so quickly. It was almost pathetic, to be out of magic after a single attack, but also understandable. I hadn't used my magic- hadn't been able to use my magic really- since I was recaptured. It only made sense that my ability would have atrophied. But I couldn't afford that now.

I had to get help for the others. What if I'd accidentally washed them away with the spiders? They could have drowned or might be drowning and I would just be lying here! I wouldn't let that happen. I tried to move my arm. It responded, if slowly. I tried to push off the ground but my muscles screamed out. I face planted all over again and rested there, panting for a second, gathering my courage before I could try again. I never got the chance.

Large, rough hands grabbed my shoulders and flipped me onto my back, into someone's lap. I didn't bother opening my eyes. I knew that smell, pine forests and coffee: Laxus. "The others?" I croaked out, it made my throat hurt.

"They're fine. Rio what happened? Are you hurt? Rio...?" I blacked out before I could answer his questions.

-Laxus POV- -A Few Minutes Ago-

"Laxus, I'm sure you're worried about nothing," Freed was saying, "We both know you can't be right next to Rio all hours of the day forever, and Ever is with her. Even if something were to go wrong, which is unlikely, Rio would have Ever right there to help."

I sensed something and my head snapped to the West. At first I thought it might be nothing but then I noticed that Natsu, Gajeel and Wendy were all facing the same direction. "That was dragon slayer magic…" Wendy muttered.

"The only dragon slayer not already accounted for is Rio," I realized, jumping the S-Class balcony. "Wendy come quickly!" I called over my shoulder as I transformed into lightning and raced toward the source of the magic. I didn't bother waiting for a reply.

Rio was lying facedown on the ground in the middle of the street, surrounded by water. The others were unconscious too. I lifted her up. "The others?" she asked. I hadn't realized she was awake.

"They're fine," I assured her quickly. "Rio what happened?" I asked, "Are you hurt? Rio, come on, talk to me." I shook her lightly but she didn't respond. I could tell her breathing was regular though so I tried not to panic. It didn't work very well. I barely sensed any magic power coming off of her and she was horribly pale. My instincts were screaming that she was in danger and that I had to do something about it, but as so often happened with Rio, there was nothing I knew how to do.

Before long I heard footsteps racing up behind me on the cobblestone roads. Turning I realized that Natsu and Gajeel had lost their patience with Wendy's pace and the older dragon slayer had thrown her carelessly over his shoulder, carrying her with as much care as he would give a sack of potatoes. Gajeel set her down unceremoniously and she nearly fell on her butt before Natsu caught her.

"Wendy, are they okay?" I asked. "Can you tell what happened?"

"Give me a second," she said. She checked Rio first. "There's nothing wrong with her, she's just exhausted her magic. She'll recover on her own." Gajeel was kneeling by Levy and held her up for inspection. Wendy extended her glowing hands and gasped. "Poison," she murmured, making Gajeel growl, "Give me a moment."

I noticed Levy's breathing even out and some color return to her cheeks. Her eyes fluttered open just in time to have her face crushed into Gajeel's chest. "Don't do that to me, Shrimp," he ordered.

Wendy went on to heal Ever and the others as Natsu asked, "Levy, what happened? What's going on?"

Levy's eyes flew wide as she remembered. "Rio! Where is she?"

"I've got her," I said, "She's safe, she just used up all her magic."

Levy breathed a sigh of relief before panicking all over again. "Where's that creepy lady- Archana?" she asked, "Did she get away?"

I growled. Finally something I could seek out and punch for Rio's sake, and a name I remembered at that. "Do you know which way she went?" I asked.

Levy shook her head, "I blacked out," she admitted, apparently embarrassed.

"It's fine Shrimp, as long as you're okay," Gajeel said, hugging her to him again.

"Natsu, can you watch over things here?" I asked.

"I've got it," Gajeel interrupted. "Nothing's getting through here. You two go after that Archana chick and kick the shit out of her."

"I'm all fired up!" Natsu shouted and I had to resist the urge to hit him over the head. He was still pretty annoying.

"Yeah, whatever. She can't have gotten far," I said, "Keep up Salamander!"

-Lucy POV-

"Lucy, are you awake? Lucy?" I opened my eyes to see Wendy looking down on me.

"What happened?" I asked.

I heard Gajeel grunt, "We were hoping you could tell us that."

"You were poisoned pretty badly," Wendy explained, "so was everyone else. Laxus and Natsu are looking for the one who did it. Everyone's recovering though."

My eyes shot wide, "Rio!"

"Is fine," Wendy assured me. "She used a lot of her magic and passed out but she'll get better soon. There's nothing to worry about."

I sighed in relief. "Thank goodness," I murmured. "She's the one who took out Archana. None of our attacks were working because she would block them and we could only hit her spiders. But Rio just blasted her with- something… and she went flying and that's when I blacked out. But she's okay, right? Rio I mean."

"Don't worry Lu," Levy promised, "Wendy says she'll make a full recovery."

"Yeah," I said, "But she should never have been in danger in the first place. And, now that it's clear they know where she is, what's to stop them from coming again?"

-Rio POV- -Some Time Later-

Consciousness returned to me slowly, one sense at a time. I could hear voices, but I couldn't seem to focus or figure out what they were saying. Then I could identify the smells: Laxus, Lucy, Wendy, Gramps. I realized my mouth and throat were painfully dry and gasped a little. Breathing hurt.

"She's awake," I heard Laxus say. I tried to speak but it didn't work, just resulting in a weak croak and lots of pain. "Don't try to talk just yet," he told me. I felt something pressed against my lips and tasted water. I downed the whole container before opening my eyes. Everyone was looking at me, concerned.

I swallowed before trying to speak. "Where are the others?" I asked. I didn't see Levy, Evergreen or Cana anywhere, couldn't smell them either.

"Everyone's okay," Laxus promised, "You're the last one to recover."

"Archana?"

He growled, "She got away." He said, "By the time we got there she was long gone, we couldn't find her anywhere and we didn't know what her scent was so we couldn't track her."

"I'm sorry," I said. "I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to apologize for, child," Gramps said.

"But it was my fault," I could feel tears forming in my eyes and running over. "If I weren't here then nobody would have gotten hurt. It's my fault."

"Absolutely none of this is your fault," Laxus said firmly. "If I had been there nobody would have gotten hurt."

"But you didn't know this was going to happen," I protested. "I should have seen this coming. I should have known."

"And what would that have possibly changed?" Lucy asked. "It's not your fault if your parent goes psycho and tries to steal you back. You have a right to be happy. If you are happier here then you have a right to be here, and it doesn't matter what anybody else says. So you tell me: Are you happier here than you were back there?"

"Lucy…" I didn't know what to say. I couldn't possibly be that selfish.

"Answer my question," Lucy demanded, "because earlier you called us your friends and you fought for us so I want you to tell me. Do you want to go back?"

I felt sick at the thought. "No, but-"

Lucy wouldn't hear my protests. "Then you are staying here," she declared, "and you will not wallow in self pity and you will let us fight beside you next time. Okay?"

I nodded. "Thank you," I said. "Thank you." I started crying, but for once it was a good thing. "Thank you." Laxus pulled me into a hug and I just kept crying. I don't remember ever being so shatteringly happy.