Hey everyone, New chapter.

Warning: graphic content. read at your own discretion.

Disclaimer: Fairy Tail belongs to Hiro Mashima (Who by the way is a genius.)

Lucy now understood why Natsu was so against Erza's 'practice parties'. That's what she called them. But we all know it's just an excuse to eat more cake. After the New Year's party the Strauss sibling threw, Erza sent out texts to everyone about when and where the first practice party was.

Natsu had groaned about it and Lucy just thought he was overreacting, but boy was she wrong. It turned out to be hell. They went through what could have passed as military drills and didn't even get to touch any of the food.

The actual birthday party wasn't so bad. They got to just talk and have fun, and actually eat the food, which was absolutely delicious. Irene didn't show up. She sent Erza a gift though, but no one knew what it was.

Lucy was walking along the edge of the river, enjoying the warm February morning. "Be careful, Lucy!" said the man in the river rowing his boat. "I will!" she screamed in reply.

She had stopped staying at Natsu's about a week after school started up again. She was on her way to her apartment. It was about a week till mid-terms.

Lucy had started going to see Wendy during any free time she could manage. She seemed to be doing better now that Romeo was around. She suspected the two would end up dating.

"Lucy?" she was pulled out of her thoughts by a familiar voice. She was turning around to face the person. She got a glimpse of her old boyfriend before she was punched.

She fell into the water, knocking her head on the edge before losing consciousness.

Lucy woke up in her bedroom. Not the one in her apartment, the one in her old house. She shivered and tried to get out of bed. She winced at the pain all over her body.

She looked down at her arms. They were covered in cuts, so were her legs and her abdomen. He already started! She thought as tears rolled out of her eyes. She felt completely drained and fell back asleep.

When Lucy came to, her body felt stiff, like she'd been sleeping for days straight. She got up with a start, "Natsu!" He's going to be so worried.

Suddenly, she heard footsteps outside her room. The door was thrown open. "Hello, my little runaway," Jude said as he walked up to his daughter.

"Get away from me!" Lucy screamed as he reached up to touch her face.

Jude chuckled. "I see your time away has made you bolder," he was saying, "don't worry. I look forward to fixing that." He turned towards the guards standing outside her room. "Take her down to the cellar and have her ready for me when I get there." They nodded and Jude walked out.

The two guards walked up to Lucy. One of them whispered, "I'm so sorry, Miss Lucy," then she was knocked out.

In Magnolia…

"Hey, Erza," Natsu was saying to the scarlet haired woman. She turned to him. "Have you seen Lucy?"

"Um…" she said considering it for a while. "No. I don't think I've seen her since the week before mid-terms."

Natsu face fell. He came for her, he was thinking, the anger in him rising. "Where's Kagura?" he growled.

"At home," Erza said in reply. Kagura had been staying with Erza since there was no room in Lucy's apartment and staying at Natsu's house would just be weird. Erza looked up at Natsu. "Why are you asking?"

He considered telling Erza but changed his mind. He shook his head and said, "Get Cana and meet me at your place."

Erza didn't ask why. She simply nodded her head and got into her car. Natsu did the same and headed for Erza's house.

In the Heartfilia mansion…

Lucy was chained to a wall. There was blood dripping onto the hard floor that was just out of her reach. Her father had whipped her bloody because she wouldn't tell him what she knew about his… illegal business.

She knew exactly what he was talking about. She also knew it was the only leverage she had for getting out. So she kept her mouth shut.

"Tell me what you know, or I will kill you!" Jude threatened.

Lucy didn't even flinch. She simply closed her eyes and thought about Natsu, Levy, Erza, Gray and all the other friends she'd made at Fairy Tail. She hung on for them because she knew she would never be able to forgive herself if she didn't at least try to get back to them.

"What on earth could be making you smile at a time like this?" Lucy hadn't even realized she was smiling.

"Well you see," she said, her voice hoarse, "I'm going to get out of her, and there's nothing you can do about it. I may be bloody and beaten, but you won't break me. Never again!"

Jude laughed, wickedly. "I see." He brought the whip down on Lucy. She refused to scream and instead dug her nails into her palms. "You seem to think you'll be given the option of escape again." He laughed again as the whip came down on her body.

"I won't be 'escaping' as you put it, father," she said, the last word dripping with so much hate, "You'll let me walk out."

He walked up to her. "Oh my dear daughter, that will never happen."

Lucy smiled as he brought his fist to her head, quite literally punching her lights out.

In Magnolia…

"Where is she Kagura?" Natsu screamed as he walked into Erza's house.

She walked, calmly, out of the living room. She was looking at the floor. She knew! he thought. "Tell me!" he screamed.

"Sting came," she started. "Sting came and took her back to the mansion. I was supposed to be the one to do it. But I couldn't. I love her. So I couldn't bring myself to tell her that I knew sting was coming." She still wouldn't look at him.

"Get in the car, Kagura," Natsu said, almost in a whisper.

"What?"

"Get in the car," he said again, slightly louder.

Just as the two were walking out of the house, Ezra pulled up, with Cana in the passenger's seat. The two got out of the car. "Get in," he said pointing at his car. Cana sat in the front seat while Kagura and Erza sat in the back. Kagura still refused to look anyone in the eyes.

"What's wrong?" Erza asked her. She just shook her head. "Where are we going?" she asked Natsu.

"To Lucy's."

Cana looked at him, understanding the situation, "Do they know?"

"Know what?!" Erza asked, "Someone better explain what's going on right now."

Natsu looked at Cana, "Kagura does." He paused for a second, thinking about whether or not to tell Erza. Then he realized she was already in the car. It would be best if she knew what was going on. Then he nodded at Cana. She told Erza everything, Natsu filling in any details she missed out, or the things Lucy told only him.

In the Heartfilia mansion…

Lucy was lying in her bed again when she opened her eyes. She got up. She walked over to her door and twisted the handle. Locked. She walked to the window and tried that. Locked.

She let out a sigh and paced the room for a while. She eventually got bored of that too and walked up to her full-length mirror. She stood in front of it and started to take off her clothes.

She looked at her naked reflection, taking in all the new bruises and cut she had. She ran her fingers along them and let out another sigh. She closed her eyes.

In the darkness that her eyelids brought, she saw Natsu. She heard his voice saying he loved her and that he would never let anything happen to her. Her eyes shot open. You let this happen, she thought, bitterly. Then she realized she was blaming Natsu, of all people.

Natsu isn't the one who put these here, she thought. Natsu isn't the reason you're a runaway. Natsu isn't the reason your life is like this. Natsu is the reason you felt what it's like to be loved again, after 10 years. He's the reason you've been happy for the last few months. He's the reason you felt safe. He's the reason you have such amazing friends.

Lucy fell to the floor, still naked, and cried. She cried until her voice was hoarse and there were no more tears left. Natsu! She thought.

In the car, on the way to the mansion…

Natsu and Cana finished explaining to Erza.

"How long have you known?" she asked Natsu.

"Since we started dating."

"And you?" he asked looking at Cana.

"First day of school."

"And you?" she looked at Kagura.

"… When it started."

Erza took in a deep breath and waited a few seconds before releasing it. "Why didn't she tell me?"

"Because she didn't want any of us to think any less of her," Cana said.

"But she was fine telling you two," she said, the anger rising.

"Calm down Erza," Natsu said. "She's probably going to kill me for letting you know. It wasn't my secret to tell. She thinks of you as a big sister. She didn't want you seeing her as anything less than perfect. She didn't want to let you down especially."

Erza took another deep breath. "She couldn't let me down."

They rode in silence for a while the Kagura said, "I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault," Natsu replied.

"But it is. If I had warned you or Lucy about Sting, she might still be here."

"OK! One, don't blame yourself, or Sting for that matter. Jude is entirely to blame. And two, please don't talk about my girlfriend like she's dead."

Kagura nodded.

In the mansion…

Lucy got off the floor. She put her clothes back on and paced the room again. There was a click, and Lucy turned to her door.

She walked up to it and twisted to see if it was unlocked. It was. She opened it and looked down the hall. There was no one there. She walked out. The smart thing to do would probably have been to head for the main door and leave the godforsaken place. Instead, Lucy headed for her father's study.

"Father," she said when she'd walked in.

In the car…

"Ok, we're here." Natsu turned to Kagura. "Where would he be?"

"In the study. It's the huge double door at the end of the hall when you walk in."

"You go get Lucy. The rest of us can go…talk to Jude." Everyone nodded and they set their plan into motion.

In the study…

"So, Dad," Lucy said. "You wanted to know what it was I knew about your…side interests."

That caught his attention. He looked up from the papers on his desk and directly at his daughter. Lucy smirked and walked up to his desk.

"Well first, why don't we talk about me?" She sat on the chair in front of her dad's desk and folded her arms over her chest.

"What about you?" he replied resting his back in his chair.

"We can start with you letting me go."

"And why on earth would I do that?"

"I wasn't done, father," she said as the door to the study opened.

Lucy was hit with the familiar scent of cinnamon and campfires. Natsu, she thought.

"What is the meaning of this invasion?" Jude asked, furious.

Lucy heard Natsu saying, "We're here for a certain someone you stole." We?

Lucy finally turned around. She saw Erza and Cana. Then her eyes finally fell on her boyfriend. "Luce?"

"Hey," she said getting up. She stumbled a bit and Natsu was beside her within the second, helping her up. "I missed you."

"I missed you too," he said as he kissed her temple.

She whispered into his ear, "Is Kagura here?"

"Ye, in your room. Why?"

"I have a plan. Give me your phone." He gave it to her and let go of her. Lucy turned back to her dad.

"So, we were talking…"

So, guys, we're getting to the end. Let me know if you think I should do a sequel or a different story altogether. I can't believe it's almost over. The story ends with the gangs junior/senior graduation. After this, there might only be two chapters. Let me know if you want a prom or something like it. As always R and R. Hope you enjoyed this chapter.