Chapter Fourteen: Recovery
The next week was a challenge for Natsu and Lucy.
Natsu had to stay overnight on Saturday at the hospital due to his injuries. The doctors said they wanted to make sure he was doing fine before releasing him. He tried to convince them he was alright, but then when he tried to stand up, he winced and shuttered at the pain coursing through his body.
Needless to say he wasn't able to convince them he was good enough to leave.
Lucy tried to get him to call his parents and let them know what happened, but he refused. He said he didn't want to worry them. He'd be out soon anyway, so he could always tell them when they got back to Magnolia. She reluctantly agreed, even though she felt like they should know.
Lucy stayed by his side the entire day and night, vowing to not leave him no matter what. Even when the police came the next morning to gather their statements, she refused to leave him.
Of course that didn't sit well with Officer Agria, who said they needed to get her statement in private. The furthest she was willing to travel was the other side of the room, causing the female cop some irritation, but she complied anyway.
Detective Chaney accompanied her, getting Natsu's statement before asking if he'd like to press charges against Jackal for assault. Natsu had to think about it for a while. As much as he wanted to get back at that bastard for fighting him, he didn't want to be publicly humiliated more. He felt like if he pressed charges it'd be showing the world he was defeated by that asshole. But he also didn't want him to just get away with it...
Gritting his teeth, Natsu nodded, "yeah... I'll press charges..."
That started up a new process. More statements were taken for the incident, this time Chaney asked him for more detailed answers to help with the case.
When that was taken care of, Natsu demanded answers about what was happening to Jackal. It was at that time Lucy joined him beside the bed, wanting to know the news as well.
The detective sighed before saying, "I'm not going to lie, it's not looking very good. We almost weren't able to make the arrest for him violating the protective order stick."
"Why's that?" Natsu asked, subconsciously gripping the thin bed sheets. He had an unsettling feeling in his gut from the wary look on the detective's face.
"Your name was spelled wrong on the protective order," Officer Agria started. "Your husband-"
"Ex," Lucy cut her off. "He's my ex..." She tried to keep her voice civil, but everyone could hear the anger boiling under the surface.
The female officer nodded before correcting herself. "Your ex-husband's lawyer was trying to dismiss the charges because technically the protective order wasn't for you. Luckily Chaney here," she glanced over at the detective, "was able to find a part in the recording where you can clearly hear Jackal sounding surprised that your name was spelled wrong. It was just enough to make the judge keep the charges."
"Well that's good," Natsu put a hand over Lucy's, hoping to give her strength, even though he had very little of his own.
After the drunken night they shared together, followed by a day's worth of driving, then the altercation at Jackal's estate, then the emotional roller coaster they went through with confessing about their addictions/issues, it was too much. The fight he had with Jackal afterwards was the last straw his body had. Any other day he knew he could take down Jackal, but after all that, he was lucky he was able to break that bastard's nose.
As much as he wanted another go at it, he'd rather never see that smug asshole again. However, pressing charges against him insured he'd be seeing him again sometime soon. He almost regretted saying he wanted to press charges.
"So what happens now?" Lucy asked, her other hand covering Natsu's. Her body felt a little hollow, so the warmth of his body was a small comfort during this difficult time.
She just wished Jackal would have let her go when she filed for divorce. She couldn't understand why he'd want to keep her anyway if he always said how much he hated her and how much she disgusted him.
Lucy felt herself withdrawing from reality again, the urge to cut pressing itself higher in her mind. As if sensing her distress, Natsu's hand squeezed hers, drawing her out of her shell and back to reality.
After taking a deep breath, she reminded herself that she didn't have to go about this alone. She had Natsu with her. It was selfish to rely on him completely for her recovery, but it'd be worse if she just gave into temptation without even trying to let him help.
"Since he showed he's not capable of being out on his own recognizance, his bail was denied." Detective Chaney had to suppress the urge to smile when he saw Lucy's eyes light up.
"That means..."
"Yes, he's in jail right now. He can't hurt you." Officer Agria loved delivering good news. It made her job worth it. She saw far too much pain and misery brought on by technicalities. It was nice to have a small victory.
"Wait..." Lucy furrowed her brows, "what recording?"
Natsu was caught by surprise too. He heard them say it, but he didn't think anything about it until she brought it up.
Detective Chaney's face turned a bright red as he started explaining, "your father has security surveillance set up around the house... One of the tapes caught the audio from the assault..."
Natsu cocked his head. "It doesn't have video?"
The blush on the detective's face intensified. "Uhh... It does... It's just the camera was pointed at the porch... You can't see the actual assault take place."
It didn't take a genius to figure out why he was blushing now. "Did... you see?" Natsu gulped when the detective nodded. "S-sorry..."
"It's alright," he coughed, trying to clear his throat.
Lucy looked at the detective, then back at Natsu. She didn't understand what was going on. "What?"
Natsu leaned over, even though the action hurt his ribs. He quickly whispered, "I played with you on the porch."
Lucy's face burned in embarrassment. "Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry!" She dropped her head, letting her bangs cover her eyes. She felt so ashamed of herself, getting recorded while fooling around outside. And someone saw it! She could die right then and there.
Officer Agria hadn't seen the recording, but she did hear Chaney's short summary. She could only imagine how humiliating it would be to get caught like that. She didn't say anything, not wanting to accidentally make it worse.
"Anyways..." Detective Chaney cleared his throat once more, "Lucy, your first court date will be Thursday."
She nodded, but didn't dare bring her head up to look at him. She guessed he was talking to Natsu now since he said, "I'll have to let you know when your first appearance will be. We're going to go back to the station to file this. Since he's already in jail we can skip the arresting him part."
Officer Agria almost pouted. She'd seen the nasty bruises that man left on Lucy. She didn't know this girl personally, but she couldn't stand seeing anyone beaten, man or woman. She'd gladly arrest Jackal a hundred times if she had to, just to cause him a fraction of the pain he caused Lucy.
"You'll be hearing from us soon," Detective Chaney said as he stood. "I hope you have a quick recovery."
"Me too," Natsu groaned, his side feeling like it was on fire. It hurt to breathe, but his doctor told him he needed to breathe regularly to avoid getting pneumonia. At least once an hour he had to take a really deep breath to prevent it from getting worse, even if that hurt like a motherfucker.
After what felt like hours, the two finally left, leaving Natsu and Lucy alone again. They were both exhausted, opting to sleep instead of talk. Natsu passed out on the bed again while Lucy laid her head near one of his side, keeping far away from his broken ribs.
Sunday evening came before either of them knew it. A nurse came in with a tray of food. He said he was there to check on Natsu, waking the two from their deep sleep. When the nurse finished getting his vitals, he left, saying he'd be back later to check again.
"My head hurts," Natsu groused, hand coming up to grab at his temple. "I hope they let me leave soon."
Lucy rubbed the sleep from her eyes, then yawned. "Me too," she felt like she hadn't gotten a decent night's sleep in years. She glanced at the clock, seeing they'd been out for most of the day.
When she looked back at Natsu, she saw he was inspecting a cup of jello on the tray. Lucy helped move the tray closer to him so he wouldn't have to bend so much, seeing as he winced in pain every time he reached for something.
Not wanting to leave his side, she ate the cup of fruit they gave him while he munched on the sandwich. They fell into a comfortable silence while they watched old reruns on the television.
Finally a doctor came in to tell Natsu the good news. He was being discharged!
When Lucy went to gather his things, she paled, realizing they weren't where she left them the night before. At that moment Virgo and Jude walked into the room, the maid carrying a bag full of his clothes.
"I washed them this morning," Virgo explained as she handed the bag to Lucy. "We tried to visit earlier, but you two were asleep."
"Oh, thanks," Lucy put the bag on the chair beside Natsu. "He's going to get dressed, then we should be able to leave."
That was their cue to exit the room, giving Natsu some privacy to change. Lucy helped Natsu put his clothes on since moving around still hurt. The doctor warned that he'd be in a lot of pain for the first few weeks, but then it would gradually lessen as his ribs healed.
When Natsu was dressed and standing up, the doctor came back in, asking for a moment alone with the patient. Lucy wanted to protest, but she figured if she cooperated it would expedite the discharge process.
As soon as Lucy left, the doctor started. "The first two weeks are going to be the most painful for you. Remember to continue to breath deeply and fully to avoid further complications."
Natsu nodded as she went on. "We're prescribing you some painkillers, but first I need to ask you a few questions."
He felt wary as he said, "... okay..."
"Before this have you had any type of breathing problem," she started, seeing he shook his head to the question. "Any history of head injury, brain tumor, or seizures?"
Once again Natsu shook his head. The next question she asked made his heart jump. "Any history of drug use, alcohol addiction, or mental illness."
Natsu felt himself about to shake his head, but he stopped. In a strained voice, he said, "y-yes."
The doctor gave him a quizzical look as she asked, "to which one?"
"Th-the alcohol..." He really didn't feel comfortable admitting it, but he already knew the risks to painkillers. If he got addicted to alcohol, how was he supposed to handle drugs! As much as he wanted to remain quiet, he wanted to get better more.
"I see," the doctor pulled out a pad and started scribbling on it. "Then I'm going to prescribe you enough to last only two weeks. This kind isn't as strong, so you'll still feel pain, but I'm sure you know it's better than the risk of an addiction to pills. Painkillers help relieve pain after an injury, but they are still a narcotic and can be addictive."
Natsu said nothing. He accepted the small slip of paper when she handed it to him, then nodded when she told him to go down the hall until he ran into the pharmacy. That's where they'd give him the medication.
When Natsu came out of the room, he found three pairs of eyes staring at him, waiting for him to say something. "Uhh..." He held up the paper. "I gotta get this filled out, then I can leave."
Lucy smiled, carefully holding onto his arm as they walked down the hall with Jude and Virgo behind them. Lucy decided not to say anything when she saw him get painkillers. She would talk to him later when they were alone to make sure he was fine with taking pills, seeing as he was already an addict.
Before they left they stopped by the front desk to ask how to obtain Lucy's medical records. They would be needed for the case against Jackal. They directed her to a few places where she filled out paperwork, then told her she could come back in forty-eight hours to collect them.
The ride back to Jude's estate went less than well. Virgo had to drive slower to avoid bumps that caused Natsu more pain, but that only made his motion sickness act up since the ride lasted longer than usual. By the time they arrived, Natsu had an upset stomach and a pained side.
The rest of the day was spent in the living room, discussing the issues at hand. Jude hired a lawyer for Lucy, though most of his time was spent trying to recover what he could of his business. He already received a letter from Jackal's lawyer about the buyout, stating that Jackal wanted to end the partnership due to breach of contract.
Jude wasn't going to fight it. He was tired, overworked, and now miserable. He threw his whole life into his business for a better life for his family, and what did it get him? His wife was gone and his daughter was now going through something she should have never been dealing with. He felt like a failure, but he kept that to himself. He knew the last thing everyone needed was his self-pity.
The lawyer went over Lucy's case with her. Unfortunately for her, she didn't have a lot of evidence against him. The bruises Jackal left her when she went to his house to grab her stuff helped, but it wasn't enough to form a pattern.
After the beatings he gave her, he never took her to the hospital afterwards. She recovered in their room, never allowed to see the light of day as long as the bruises could be seen on her face or arms. He never broke any bones, so there was no solid proof he abused or raped her.
Lucy's only hospital visits had been centered around her trying to get pregnant. The lawyer asked if there might be anything in the records that showed signs of abuse, but Lucy shook her head. Her husband was always in the room with her whenever the doctors looked over her, even when they did her Pap smears. She had no privacy, so she couldn't tell the doctors she needed help. He also made sure they didn't see the bruises on her body.
When asked about her cuts on her legs, Jackal lied, saying she was seeing a therapist about her problems. Not a lot of people questioned Jackal seeing as his pockets were deep and his tongue was silver. He could bribe anyone if they got suspicious of him. So far she'd never seen anyone turn him down...
Except her... that is... but look where it got her.
"So what's he most likely facing?" Natsu asked, body leaning back on the couch. Despite not moving, his side still stung. He hadn't taken his painkillers yet, fearful of what they might do to him.
Her lawyer, known as Mr. King, sighed. "It doesn't look good. If we're lucky he'll get a slap on the wrist. Domestic violence cases are hard to prove. It's usually he said she said stuff, and the lack of evidence helps him out. There's really no way to get the rape charges to stick without any proof, so the best bet is to shed more light on the abuse since we have one confirmed incident. But even that's not enough. We'd have to establish a pattern, but once again we can't do that without evidence."
"So..." Lucy felt her eyes prick, "what you're saying is... it's hopeless?"
The silence in the room answered her question.
"Maybe I should just drop the charges and leave. H-he might just give me a divorce and let me leave..." Tears welled up in her eyes, but she didn't let them spill. Instead she held on to that empty feeling, letting her soul get trapped in the darkness that plagued her. She could never truly be happy. Even if she got far away from that man, she'd still never get justice for what he did to her.
She closed her eyes, the tears racing down her cheeks. Everyone stayed quiet, but she felt a warm hand on her back, drawing circles against her shirt in an attempt to sooth her. It barely worked, since her body was going numb.
"D-do you think he'd agree to a divorce?"
Mr. King frowned. "Mard Geer told me Jackal would like to work things out with you."
"No," she shook her head, feeling herself shrink into the couch. "I can't be with him! I won't!"
Natsu flinched a little from her scream. Her hands came up, grabbing at her blonde hair. "What will it take for him to just give me a divorce and let me move on with my life?"
The lawyer sighed, stood up, and said, "I'll find out." And that was the last thing he said before he left.
The next ten minutes was spent trying to get Lucy to stop crying. She sobbed, feeling like a broken toy Jackal liked fucking with. Even from jail he could make her life a living hell. If he didn't sign the divorce, then they'd have to go through court to get it done. That meant time, money, and energy.
Lucy was out of all three.
Even if she sold all her and her mother's jewelry, she still wouldn't have enough to pay for the lawyer's fees and have enough money to live off of. Plus Natsu was now out of work because of his injury. He had called his boss in the hospital, then faxed over the paperwork from the doctors.
Natsu was instructed not to go to work for at least three weeks since his job was a physical one. Natsu didn't live paycheck to paycheck, but he also didn't have a nest egg for situations like this. He barely had enough for rent, but not enough for the other essentials like food and utilities.
The three weeks would eat Natsu alive. He would have to get a loan just to pay his next month's rent. That wasn't even including his hospital bills. He hadn't received it yet, but he knew they could get expensive. Especially for someone like him who didn't have insurance.
Natsu kicked himself in the ass for that one. He had the option to sign up for insurance at his work, but he'd been stupid, thinking he wouldn't get hurt or sick. He could have signed up for government insurance, but he didn't want to do that either. Now it was going to cost him, and he didn't exactly have the means to pay for hospital bills on top of his other bills.
Especially if he couldn't work at the moment.
Jude was about to be cut off from his business, leaving him in a similar predicament. It wouldn't be long until he ran out of money as well, ensuring his daughter wouldn't have the funds to keep her lawyer.
At that very minute Jude was already working on his plan for when his company got taken over. So far it just included retirement since there wasn't much left for an old man like him to do with his life.
Virgo came in, breaking into everyone's thoughts by announcing that dinner was ready. They mindlessly went to the dinner table, waiting to be served. This time when Virgo went to pour the wine, Natsu felt better about refusing the alcoholic beverage.
"No thanks," he mumbled, grabbing the glass of water instead. "I'll be fine."
The maid thought nothing of it as she went on to Lucy, but she also refused to drink. Jude didn't deny her, taking a full glass of wine to combat his stress.
Natsu gave Lucy a knowing glance, then quickly mouthed the words, 'I love you.' She felt her tears building up again, but this time because she felt undeserving. She didn't think she was worthy of being loved, not after everything she went through. Deep down in her heart she knew most of her insecurities had to do with Jackal's verbal and physical abuse, but that wasn't enough to wash away the doubt and self-loathing that seemed to burden her most of the time.
Lucy gave him a weak smile before looking back at her meal. She wasn't hungry, but she ate anyway. The food was probably delicious, but she couldn't taste it. The emotional turmoil and struggle she felt ruined the food for her, but she still managed to eat it, knowing she'd need her strength.
That night Lucy brought Natsu to her old bedroom. Jude was about to protest, once again not liking the idea of his daughter being intimate with a man who wasn't technically her husband, but he said nothing. Jackal was only attached to her by a piece of paper that would be voided soon if they had anything to do about it. He would turn a blind eye once again, this time knowing for sure Lucy would be safe.
Lucy helped Natsu undress, then he climbed into bed after he took his first painkiller. She asked if he would be fine, but he said he didn't know. They gave him enough for two weeks, but he had no idea if it would be enough to cause another addiction. He hoped not.
After turning off the lights and slipping into bed, Lucy curled up to Natsu's good side. He still winced, but it wasn't nearly as bad as it could have been. His broken ribs still pained him, but he was optimistic the painkillers would do their job soon.
Lucy placed a hand on Natsu's chest, then scooted up until their noses touched. She pressed her lips against his, trying to seek out more comfort. Natsu kissed her back, lips parting to drag his tongue against the seams of her lips. She got the hint, opening her mouth to deepen the kiss.
As their kiss continued, Lucy's hand lowered down to his boxers. His cock was already hard, begging to be touched. She gave him an experimental squeeze, feeling him moan in her mouth. It was followed by a groan when his abdominal muscles tensed up.
"Fuck," he cursed, pulling away from her mouth. "That kinda hurt..."
"What?" Lucy asked, stroking over his boxers once. "This?"
Natsu clenched his teeth as his body fought within itself. It was pleasure and agony combined. "Yeah," he huffed, "my stomach hurts..."
"Do you want to stop?" She asked, hand already leaving his hidden cock.
"No," he shook his head, though he didn't know if she could see him in the dark. "I can handle it."
"Okay..." Lucy figured he knew his body best, so she trusted him. As quietly as she could, she spit in her hand to get it nice and wet. Her hand dipped under his boxers to get a better grip on his arousal. She slowly pumped him, being cautious of her movements.
Natsu tried to be completely still, face scrunched up as the battle started to rage within him.
He tried to keep his breathing even, but the way she touched him prevented him from doing so. His hips would buck into her hands, then immediately a searing hot pain would come from his damaged side. He hadn't thought to ask the doctor when he could have sex again, thinking his injury wouldn't get in the way.
Boy was he wrong.
"Gaah," Natsu clenched his stomach when her hand swiped over the tip of his cock, causing the pain to build up. What she did wasn't hurting him, it was the way he reacted to her touching him that did it.
"Sorry," she mumbled, going slower. Lucy felt awful. She just wanted to give him pleasure, but it seemed like she was doing more harm than good.
"It's fine," he said through clenched teeth. "It's not your fault."
Lucy felt a sting of guilt strike her heart. She still felt like this was all her fault, regardless of how many times he said it wasn't. "Do you want to keep going?"
Natsu cringed. "Maybe not tonight... Is that okay?" He hated denying Lucy, but the pain was too excruciating, and that was just from a handjob. He couldn't possibly have sex at this point.
"Yeah," she said, pulling her hand from his boxers, then adjusted him inside them. "Maybe another time."
He frowned, wondering when exactly he'd be able to withstand the pain. The doctor said the first two weeks were the hardest, but he hoped he'd heal up faster than that.
"I'm sorry," Natsu sighed, letting his head sink into the pillow. He felt awful. He felt like he let Lucy down. Not necessarily from being unable to finish, but from losing the fight against Jackal that caused this pain.
He felt like less of a man, getting defeated at every turn.
"Don't be," Lucy said, resting her head on his chest. He wrapped his arm around her, trying not to wince when the stretch pulled at his sore body. "I love you no matter what."
It took all his efforts not to snort. "Thanks." He gazed up at the ceiling, even though he couldn't see it. "I love you too, you weirdo."
Lucy let out a soft giggle as she closed her eyes. She listened to his heartbeat as it lulled her to sleep. Things might not be perfect between them, but that wouldn't change how they felt about each other.
It took longer for Natsu to fall asleep. The pain in his side was a constant thing as long as he breathed... Which he kind of needed to do. Eventually he relaxed enough to drift to sleep, letting go of the pain until morning.
During breakfast Monday morning, Natsu received a strange call. He excused himself from the table to go to the living room so he could answer it. "Hello?"
"Mr. Dragneel, this is Mard Geer, Jackal's law-"
"I know who you are," Natsu cut him off, eyes narrowing. "What do you want? Wait, how the hell did you get my phone number?"
"That's not important," he said, and Natsu could almost imagine him waving his hand to dismiss the thought. "I have an offer for you from Mr. Tartaros. Will you be available this morning to discuss it?"
Natsu's mouth dropped for a moment. "What? No!"
"Is everything alright?" Lucy's voice entered the room. He turned around, seeing her walking towards him.
Natsu's lips twisted as he shook his head. He didn't say anything to her though since the lawyer was now talking in his ear. "Tell me Mr. Dragneel, have you ever pressed charges on someone before?"
"Well... no..." Natsu raised a brow. "Why?"
"Can you afford a lawyer?"
His teeth ground together for a moment before admitting, "no, but the cops said I don't need one to press charges."
"That's true," the lawyer paused, "but I'm assuming you won't be able to pay for your medical bills on a welder's pay." Before Natsu could say anything, he continued. "Do you know how much it cost to go to the emergency room at Crocus hospital is without insurance?"
Once again, Natsu wasn't able to answer before Mard Geer spoke again. "It's usually around twelve hundred dollars, and that's just to show up. Do you know how much an ambulance ride is?"
Natsu was already sweating. $1200 was a lot of money. His rent wasn't even that much! He tried to do the math in his head, seeing that it would take weeks just to come up with that kind of money, and that was only if he skipped out on paying his other bills.
"If you had an Advanced Life Support ambulance ride that'll cost you some big bucks. In Crocus those usually start out at one thousand dollars, not including distance, and the supplies they used..."
Natsu blinked a few times, trying to add up everything in his head. At least $2,200 now. It didn't seem like a horrible number, but it was definitely inconvenient. He cursed himself more now than ever for not signing up for health insurance when he had the chance.
"There's also the X-rays. I'm assuming they took some. Usually they can cost up to one thousand dollars, but that's just a guess. I think the most shocking one is the overnight charge..."
Natsu's eyes widened a bit. "What do you mean?"
Lucy watched as Natsu flinched, then immediately sat down on the couch, barely hitting the edge of the seat. "There's no way!" He shook his head, "that's outrageous!"
Lucy went to take a seat next to Natsu, then placed a hand on his knee for support. She had no idea what was going on, but it didn't seem good.
"It is outrageous," the lawyer agreed. "And that's just the average. It could even cost you more than ten thousand dollars. But, if you have insurance, you don't need to worry about most of that."
Natsu wanted to punch the shit out of this guy. "I don't..."
"That is a shame. Tell me, can you afford a lawyer to try to sue Mr. Tartaros for that much money if he's found guilty?"
Natsu stayed quiet, not sure if he should even answer that. He obviously couldn't afford a lawyer, let alone attempt to pay that much debt on his welder's pay. He made enough for his life style, and that was it... He never thought about needing to pay anything extra. Hell, he didn't even have a car! How could he afford thousands of dollars in medical bills?
"There is another way," Mard Geer started, sounding oddly nice. "If you have a meeting with me, we can make this all go away."
Natsu furrowed his brows. "What do you mean?" He knew he was being manipulated, but right now he didn't care. He could at least hear the man out.
"Meet me at my office in one hour, and I'll show you." With that, he hung up the phone, leaving a dumbfounded Natsu in silence.
He slowly dropped the phone to his lap, his mind flooding with conflicting thoughts. As much as he wanted to tell Mard Geer and Jackal to fuck off, he also couldn't ignore the 'offer' he was dangling in front of Natsu's face.
"Hey Luce..." He started, voice growing hoarse, "can you drive me somewhere..."
Lucy squeezed his knee as she said, "yeah. Where?"
He only frowned, upset at himself for even saying it. "To Jackal's lawyer's office..."
After the horrible car ride over, Natsu was finally standing in front of the law firm. Lucy was beside him, holding his hand for support. They already talked about what might happen inside, but they still felt unprepared. They decided not to tell Jude or Virgo what they were doing, knowing the two would only try to stop them. Honestly at this point, both of them just wanted this all to end.
The elevator ride put Natsu's stomach through hell again as they made their way to Mard Geer's office. 'Of course that smug asshole has to have an office on the top floor.'
The meeting was pretty straight forward. It was just Mard Geer on one side of a table while Lucy and Natsu sat on the other. The assault case was the only issue between Natsu and Jackal. Mard Geer mentioned the camera angles didn't catch even a sliver of the fight, only words could be heard, and even that didn't prove who threw the first punch.
Before anyone could mention the witnesses, Mard Geer dismissed it. "I'll just argue that you're lying to cover up whatever actually happened. I think you and your family would say anything to get Jackal's name dragged through the mud, and that's exactly the defense I'll use. Then it'll become a he said she said case. Natsu, you have a record of fighting, don't you?"
Natsu remained quiet, knowing he was referring to the many fights he got into when he was at school. Most of them were just fights for fun with his friends, but others were legitimate ones that got him in some trouble.
"That's what I thought. There's also a record of you punching Jackal in the face for no reason four years ago."
Natsu clenched his fists together, trying to remember to breathe normally despite the pain in his side. He remembered that day perfectly. There was a very good reason for him to punch that arrogant douche in the face. He announced his engagement to Lucy, and Natsu couldn't stand for it. He let his anger get the better of him, so he took it out on Jackal with violence.
"If you're lucky, which I don't think you'll be," Mard Geer started, "Jackal will be found guilty. But my client has no criminal record, and there were mitigating circumstances. He felt threatened by you, so he might have acted in self-defense when you threw the first punch."
"I didn't punch him first," Natsu cut in, but the lawyer was already moving on.
"The prosecutor might just let Jackal serve out his sentence on probation, meaning no jail time. Often the charges will be dismissed once the probation is completed anyway, leaving his record clean."
Natsu hated to admit it, but this lawyer was good, knowing exactly what he was talking about. He already knew Mard Geer was one of the best, if not the best lawyer in Crocus. Natsu started to think he didn't have a chance, causing his shoulders to sag and his fists to loosen.
Mard Geer laced his fingers together over the table. "There is another way, like I said over the phone."
"And what's that?" Natsu practically hissed.
Mard Geer grabbed a slip of paper on the table, then slid it over to Natsu face down. "You drop the charges and you get this nice check. It's a win-win situation."
"How can he drop the charges if they already started it?" Lucy asked, finally speaking up.
"Most states don't allow someone to drop the charges after they've been picked up by law enforcement, but luckily for you," Mard Geer smirked, "Crocus allows it. Especially in assault cases where both people were injured."
Natsu stared at the edge of the table, wondering what he should do. If the lawyer was telling the truth it looked like he wasn't going to have very much luck in court. If they found that Jackal was innocent would that mean Natsu would be stuck with his hospital bills and still not get revenge for losing to that asshole?
"Before you decide," Mard Geer's voice was really starting to annoy Natsu. "I suggest you take a look at that check."
Natsu wanted to say he couldn't be bribed, but once he flipped that check over he choked, allowing no words to escape.
Lucy glanced over at it, her own eyes widening from the amount. She had no idea how much Natsu's medical bills would be, but she felt like the amount would cover that and possibly his lost wages at work too.
His fingers twitched as he finally said, "can I talk to Lucy alone for a minute?"
"Of course," Mard Geer stood, then walked towards the door. "I'll be back soon to hear your decision." He left the room, leaving them alone again.
"Fuck," Natsu grunted, dropping his head until his forehead rested against the table. "I don't know what to do."
"Me either," Lucy frowned. She thought this whole process would go easier. She would tell the police what Jackal did and he would probably confess since he seemed like he didn't think he was doing anything wrong, then they would put him in prison and she would move on with her life...
She found out quick that wasn't realistic at all.
"Will it be enough?" Lucy asked hesitantly.
Natsu shrugged his shoulders. "I dunno. I haven't gotten my bill yet, but how the hell can forty grand not be enough?"
Lucy could only softly nod her head. To her, it didn't seem like a lot of money only because of the life she lived before this moment. She knew Jackal could drop forty grand in a single weekend on trivial things if he wanted to, but to a person like Natsu, that was a lot of money. That could be a down-payment on a house, that could be an entire car loan, or it could be enough to pay for his hospital bills since he didn't have insurance.
The thought of dragging this process out was the thing that made them both agree to take the deal, even if it was risky.
When Mard Geer came back, he already had the paperwork Natsu needed to fill out to drop the charges. A police officer was with him -probably on his payroll, but that was just speculation. Natsu signed the damn papers, then grabbed the already-signed check.
Before they left, Mard Geer asked, "Lucy, is there anyway you'd be willing to drop your charges as well? We can make it worth your wild."
To that, Lucy shook her head. "Tell Jackal I'll see him in court on Thursday." Then they left, not caring about the frown that surfaced on the lawyers face as they walked away.
Neither spoke about what happened on the ride to the bank. It was mainly due to Natsu's motion sickness, but it was also because they were still unsure if they made the right decision. It was too late to turn back now, so she drove to one of Natsu's bank's branches so he could deposit the money.
Lucy didn't trust Jackal, so she wanted to make sure Natsu got what he deserved before anything could happen.
Natsu deposited the check, even though it took three times as long as it usually would if he were depositing a regular check. The bank had to call to verify that the check was legit, then Natsu had to fill out papers for the IRS because it was over a certain amount. In the end the check cleared, and Natsu's bank account added a few extra 0's to it. He decided not to cash it, wanting to wait to make sure the money really would stay in his account for a while before withdrawing any of it.
On the way to Jude's house Natsu suggested using the money for Lucy's lawyer, but she refused, saying that was his money to pay for his bills. He eventually dropped it, saying they'll figure something out. He would just hold onto the money until he received his hospital bill. He just hoped he didn't agree too soon, and that the medical bill might be more than the check was. It was all just a gamble at this point.
Tuesday morning, Lucy got a call from Detective Chaney. He asked if Lucy would come down to the courthouse to meet with him and the prosecutor for her case. She agreed, saying she'd be there soon. Before they hung up, she asked if she could bring Natsu. Chaney said yes, and told her to also bring her lawyer if he was available.
One phone call and a drive later, Lucy, Natsu, Jude, and Mr. King were walking into the courthouse. Detective Chaney and a woman named Minerva Orland, who was the Assistant District Attorney, were waiting outside when they arrived. They led the group to a private room in the courthouse to discuss why they asked Lucy to come.
"A plea bargain?" Lucy asked with a raised brow. "What do you mean?"
Ms. Orland was the one to answer. "We want to avoid the difficulties of a trial, so we'd like to offer Mr. Tartaros a plea bargain. However, we'd like you to agree to it before hand."
She felt a little feverish from this news. Lucy felt a warm hand on her shoulder. She glanced up, seeing Natsu standing right behind her. It was just enough comfort to keep her strong. "What's the plea bargain?"
Detective Chaney set out a paper in front of Lucy's lawyer. He sat down at a table so he could read it while Chaney spoke with Lucy. "First I want to say we're willing to go to trial if you want that, but honestly..." He paused as he sorted through his mind for the right words. "... It doesn't look promising. Some of the maids said they might have heard something going on, but it's not enough to prove something happened. We definitely have a case for the assault that took place at Jackal's estate this Saturday, but we have virtually nothing on the rape allegations."
Lucy's face fell. "Oh... I see..."
"That doesn't mean we won't fight if you want us to," Chaney quickly added. "Right now we can get a guilty conviction for the assault, but his lawyer said he's prepared to plead guilty if you drop everything else."
"You mean the rape part," Lucy's brown eyes dulled.
"Yeah," he nodded. "However, if he pleads guilty, the judge might drop the felony down to a misdemeanor. It's common for that to happen. He'd be looking at probation, and maybe community service."
Lucy had to take a seat, overwhelmed by the news that even if he pleaded guilty, he would basically get away with it. She couldn't help but think it wasn't fair. How could he get away with beating and raping her for years? Wasn't her word enough?
"What happens if I go to trial?" Lucy asked, not wanting to give up that easily.
Chaney and Orland shared a sad glance before he finally said, "your personal life will be made public..."
"I don't really care about that," Lucy lied. Of course she didn't want people to know her business, but she also didn't want to let him get away with everything.
"Okay." The detective nodded, a slight twitch in his cheek. "I have to warn you... Mard Geer will probably use your relationship with Mr. Dragneel against you."
"H-how so?" She asked, stealing a glance at Natsu before looking back at the detective.
"We didn't take the first set of pictures of your marks until after you admitted to sleeping with another man. Mard Geer will argue that Mr. Dragneel caused those bruises... Plus he can use the footage from the porch."
Lucy's eyes went wide at hearing that. Before she could ask, Chaney shook his head, "the video won't be made public, but he can use that information against you. It also doesn't look good for a rape victim to be sleeping with multiple people..."
Lucy felt her eyes prick with fresh tears. Natsu himself let out a soft growl, angered by what the detective was implying. He didn't say anything though, not wanting to make this situation more complicated.
"What's the plea deal look like?" Lucy asked, her eyes watery and her bottom lip quivering.
Mr. King was the one to speak when he set the papers down. "The rape charges get dropped, the assault stays. He'd get six months in an anger management class, five years probation, three months of community service. The felony would be dropped to a misdemeanor."
Lucy narrowed her eyes. "That's exactly what you said earlier though..."
"We know," Ms. Orland said. "The case doesn't look very promising. If we lost this case, he'd get off free. Plus if we go this route, you won't have to stand trial and face that hardship..."
Lucy shook her head. "No, I want something else. Probation and classes aren't enough for the hell he put me through!"
Detective Chaney nodded slowly. "Very well. We'll push forward with the case. If you think of anything else that might help, let us know now."
"The maids," she started, her mind frazzled from overthinking. "I can give you the names of at least three maids who I know saw what he did to me."
"That will help. Here," he handed her a pen and notepad. "Write them down, I'll go interview them as soon as we're done here."
She shakily wrote their names down, hoping they'd be on her side and tell the truth. Maybe getting confronted one-on-one with the detective would be enough to rattle them into confessing the truth... Maybe...
"I want the divorce," Lucy said, her voice steady as she steeled her resolve. "I want it now."
Ms. Orland looked over at Lucy's lawyer, then back at her. "We'll see what we can do."
Lucy straightened her shoulders as she prepared herself. She really didn't want to use threats, but she was backed into a corner. "Tell Mard Geer if his client doesn't agree to the divorce by tomorrow, I'm going to the press with my story."
Lucy's threat lit a fire under Jackal's ass. Mard Geer called her later that night to ask what she wanted in the settlement. Her answer was simple. "I want my car and my trust fund."
The car was easy since it was completely in her name since Jude paid for it. The trust fund was somewhat of an issue though. When they married, Jackal took over her finances. She wasn't allowed to spend money without his permission, and she wasn't allowed to touch her trust fund, even when it was available to her when she reached the age of twenty-one.
The amount in the trust fund was half a million dollars. It wasn't enough to save Jude's company back then, or pay for Layla's very expensive medical bills, but it was going to be enough to pay for her college degree when she eventually went... Which she never did because Jackal convinced her she didn't need a degree.
Apparently Jackal already invested the money from her trust fund into his business, so it created a bit of a complication. However, Mard Geer and Mr. King were very good lawyers who worked last night on coming up with the paperwork needed for their expedited divorce.
The only thing left was to get their clients to sign.
Mr. King and Lucy sat on one side of a table while Jackal and Mard Geer stayed on the other. Lucy was going through her paperwork, signing it as Jackal did the same. Neither spoke to each other, but it was probably due to Officer Eucliffe, Officer Agria, Detective Chaney, ADA Orland, and two Notaries being present in the room.
Lucy requested that there be plenty of witnesses this time, since every encounter she had with Jackal lately resulted in someone getting injured.
Natsu, Jude, and Virgo were right outside, waiting in the hall for them to finish. Natsu couldn't deny how nervous he was. Despite being with Lucy intimately, he still felt like they weren't truly together since she was still technically married. In a little bit, she would be a free woman.
He only hoped that she still wanted him then.
Virgo was grumbling that they confiscated her knife, while Jude was on his laptop sorting out what was left of his business. It honestly looked pretty bleak for the businessman. With any luck, he'd walk away from this without owing Jackal's company money. As long as Lucy was free from the abuse, he could handle whatever was thrown his way.
Natsu nervously picked at the end of his long-sleeved shirt as he waited for Lucy to come out. He almost jumped when he heard the door finally open. Mard Geer and Jackal emerged, the latter wearing a deep frown on his face.
His eyes met Natsu, then narrowed. "Good news," he sneered, "your cash cow is finally free."
If Natsu's hands didn't grab at the handles of his chair, he would have stood up and punched that asshole right in the broken nose again. He let out a low growl, but stayed firmly in his seat. There was no way he was messing things up for Lucy now. He could tolerate a little shit talk from Jackal if it meant she was actually free from his abusive grasp.
Besides, Natsu knew the truth. He wasn't with her for money. Hell, he'd be fine if they stayed in his little apartment for the rest of their lives. As long as he was with her, he was happy. Plus there was no way she could be considered a cow. She was beautiful, inside and out, unlike that horrible man who was now walking down the hall where he was no doubt heading back to his jail cell.
That was enough to bring a small smirk to Natsu's face.
Things might not be working out completely in their favor, but at least they were somewhat getting ahead. Lucy was getting her divorce, and tomorrow she would be showing up for her first day in trial against Jackal. Natsu had no idea how it was going to go, but he felt hopeful. Maybe the law would be on their side.
A few more minutes passed before other people started exiting the room. First it was the two Notaries, followed by the two officers. Mr. King was next, carrying a handful of papers. He stopped by to say something to Jude before walking down the hall.
Natsu felt anxious as he waited for Lucy to show up. When she finally did, he frowned. Lucy's face was pink, her eyes red from crying. His heart sank as he watched her slowly walk up to him, taking his hand to lead him down the hall without speaking a word.
He followed, hearing the footsteps of Jude and Virgo behind them as they exited the building to go to the parking lot. "Lucy... What's wrong?"
She tensed a little, but slowly relaxed. "It's nothing," she said, her blonde bangs shielding her eyes. "Jackal just called me worthless... It's not like I haven't heard it before..."
Natsu stopped, holding onto Lucy's hand so she would stop too. "Natsu, I-" She went silent when his arms wrapped around her, smothering her in a warm hug.
"Don't listen to that jerk," Natsu spoke into her neck. "You're amazing. You're smart, caring, and sexy as hell. You couldn't be worthless, even if you tried."
Lucy started to tremble as she cried against Natsu. She hugged him back, but then loosened her grip when she heard him wince in pain. She still wasn't used to his broken ribs.
Jude and Virgo stood there awkwardly, wondering if they should say something, or just wait. The answer was made up for them when the two finally separated.
Natsu peered down at Lucy, wiping the tears from her eyes with his thumbs before saying, "Lucy... I know this is probably a little too soon, but I need to know... Will you be my girlfriend?"
Lucy's brain stopped working for a second. "What?" She blinked, unsure if she heard him correctly. She saw pink gather in his cheeks, matching his spiky locks. "Y-you want me to be your... girlfriend?"
Natsu felt like a flustered teen as he nodded. "Uh... Yeah... I-I do..."
She couldn't help but smile, knowing she'd been dying to hear those words since she first developed a crush on him so many years ago. "Of course!" She leaped into his arms, then heard the hiss that came from him when she hit his ribs again. "Oh! I'm sorry!"
"It's okay," he groaned, shifting Lucy to his better side. "Still hurts a lot..."
Natsu tried not to laugh since it caused him pain while Lucy giggled. They separated, holding hands as they walked to her car. Before they got in, Jude spoke up.
"Lucy," he started, catching her attention. "Can you tell us how it went?"
She nodded, realizing she completely skipped over everything that happened in the room. She explained that she had to sign a lot of paperwork, and that Jackal had to sign the paperwork as well. The divorce still needs to be finalized, but it should be taken care of either tomorrow or the next day. She received a check from Jackal for her trust fund, but she didn't say the amount since Jude already knew how much it was. He set it up when Lucy was younger and his business was in better shape.
Lucy said after she deposited the check she was going to report to the courthouse where Ms. Orland will be prepping her for court tomorrow. It will be a closed courtroom since it's still technically a matter between husband and wife until the divorce is finalized.
Mard Geer was working extra hard to keep this all away from the public's eye, which is why he hired a private judge. Lucy said at first she was skeptical since it sounded really shady, but apparently it happens more often than one would think. Supposedly the judge is neutral, and by hiring a private judge they can get the court case solved faster. Of course that mades things difficult for Lucy since it gave the prosecutors less time to gather evidence for the case, but at this point Lucy figured they had all they could get anyway.
Besides, she just wanted this to all be over. That didn't mean she was going to give up completely though. She fully intended on standing up against him, even if she was sure to lose. At least then she gave it her honest effort.
After Lucy was done explaining, the group gathered into Jude's car. Virgo drove them all to the bank where Lucy had to set up a new bank account separate from her soon-to-be ex-husband.
Right before going inside, she asked Natsu if he would be on her account. He politely declined, saying he felt she should be independent with this. She felt a little hurt, but realized Natsu was just being a nice guy, so she tried not to take offense.
"I shouldn't have the money long anyways," she said before walking towards the bank.
Natsu raised a brow at her. "Why's that?"
Lucy smiled as she said, "I plan on doing something big with it."
"Oh, like pay for the lawyer?" He asked as he held open the door for her.
"Among other things," she purposely kept it vague. "You'll see."
Natsu let out a playful snort at her, but decided he could wait to see what she meant. He had the rest of his life to spend with Lucy. He wasn't in a rush.
That night Natsu and Lucy made love to celebrate officially being boyfriend/girlfriend. It wasn't exactly as rough and exciting as they both wished it could be, but it was still nice. Natsu laid on the bed, trying to hold back his pain as Lucy rode his cock.
She had to take it slow in order to keep from hurting him, but the constant movements and the way his stomach tensed up didn't help. He pulled through in the end, eventually groaning in pleasure more than pain. He told her he loved her over and over again as her pussy took in his cock.
Natsu tried to buck inside her, but that was going too far. Even with the pain medication, he still had to take it easy. He rubbed her clit fervently to make up for it while she fucked herself on him. Natsu was just happy that Lucy was able to come around his cock. Once her inner walls started to convulse around him, he wasn't far behind her, spurting everything he had deep inside her to fill her up.
They fell asleep shortly after, trying to keep the worrisome thoughts of tomorrow's trial out of their heads without much luck. They were in for a tough time, but as long as they had each other, they could conquer the world.
Or so they thought.
Simply put, the first hearing of the trial did not go well for Lucy.
Before it started, they presented her with another plea bargain. She refused it, saying she wanted Jackal to have at least four years in prison. He put her through four years of hell, it was only justice that he got the same. Mard Geer said they couldn't agree to that, so the trial started.
The prosecutor didn't have as much time to prep Lucy for court as she would have liked, so she decided not to call Lucy up that day.
Ms. Orland called two of the maids Lucy listed up to the stands, but neither gave any reliable information. In fact it actually made things worse, especially when one of the maids said she did walk in one them one time, but it didn't look like Lucy was struggling. She was just sort of laying there, taking it.
'Great,' Lucy thought, chewing on her lip as anxiety started to bubble up inside her chest. 'It doesn't sound like he raped me... It just sounds like I'm a boring lay.'
Jackal wanted to keep this as private as possible. That included getting a closed courtroom, getting a private judge, and having a judge trial instead of a jury one. That made things worse for Lucy. Juries tend to be more sympathetic towards victims, but a judge usually looked more at the hard evidence, which Lucy unfortunately lacked.
There wasn't enough time for Lucy to take the stands, despite her telling Ms. Orland that she needed to confront Jackal. "In due time," was all she said before bringing up one of Jackal's security guards.
The first hearing ended with them saying they'll resume the trial on the following Monday, meaning Lucy had to decide if she was going back to Magnolia with Natsu, or if she was staying in Crocus.
It wasn't a hard decision to make, seeing as she didn't want to be away from Natsu too long. On the car ride back to Jude's estate, Lucy bought the plane tickets for Natsu and herself using her phone. She had to pass it to Natsu to have him fill out some of his information since she didn't know his social security number, or the official address for his apartment.
By the time they reached the estate, the tickets were already purchased and being processed. Lucy packed up her bags while Natsu awkwardly sat in the living room while he waited. He'd been switching between two outfits the entire week, making him feel pretty gross. If he knew they were staying for a week he would have packed better. This was only supposed to be a quick trip after all.
Natsu made a quick phone call while he waited. He had to check on something before they got on the plane, and he wasn't sure he could do it while flying in the air.
Before Lucy and Natsu left for the airport, she asked Jude if he would take care of selling her car. She told him he could keep the money since he paid for it in the first place. When he asked if she was sure, she said yes. Lucy knew he would need the money more than her since his business was about to fail.
Natsu had to pop his painkillers and his motion sickness medication before boarding the plane. He'd never flown before, so he had no idea how his stomach was going to react. He had a plastic bag ready just in case.
About an hour into the flight Lucy started crying. The emotional toll was just too much for her to keep bottled up inside. Natsu let her cry into his neck so people wouldn't see her. After a few minutes, she pulled away, saying she should just drop the charges and give up. It wasn't worth this much stress.
Natsu shook his head, brushing away a few tears with his thumb. "You're stronger than this, Luce. You'll get through it. I believe in you."
Lucy mumbled, "you're just saying that..."
"I'm really not," he leaned in, kissing her softly on the cheek. "You're the strongest person I know. Stronger than me."
Her watery brown eyes locked with his. "R-really?"
"Really," he said without hesitation. "You shouldn't give up. If anything, I wish I would've stuck it through too instead of settling." Natsu took a deep breath before admitting, "one of the reasons I didn't was 'cause I was embarrassed he beat me."
He swallowed hard, feeling weak and vulnerable in that moment. If there was ever anyone he trusted to show this side of him though, it was Lucy. He knew she wouldn't judge him or make fun of him. She would only love and support him, because that was the kind of person she was. She was truly a gentle soul...
That didn't necessarily mean she didn't have a tough side though. Her 'Lucy Kicks' were enough to convince him of that.
"You have nothing to be embarrassed about," Lucy said softly, placing a hand on his scarred cheek. "You have an excuse. You were tired and sleep deprived. Jackal just happened to have an advantage. Any other day I know you would have beat him."
Natsu smiled, leaning into her touch. "Thanks. I think I needed to hear that."
"Anytime," she whispered, leaning in to give him a kiss on the lips. He kissed her back, but didn't push it any further. He didn't want to make a scene when people could see them.
Instead they pulled apart, Lucy resting her head on Natsu's shoulder while he rested his head on hers. They both easily passed out, worn out from everything they'd been through.
Exactly one week ago they met again after spending over four years separated. If only they knew just how exhausting their week would be when they saw each other in that bar.
Neither would trade it for the world.
"Do you want to get something to eat first?" Lucy asked when they climbed in the back of a cab.
Natsu barely nodded, the motion sickness pills already wearing off. He didn't want to take more since they were already in Magnolia, so he suffered through the ride until they reached his apartment.
Happy was meowing like crazy when Natsu opened the door to his little home. The blue feline went straight to his food dish, meowing at the dry cat food sitting there. Natsu chuckled, knowing Happy preferred eating real meat. He couldn't blame Gray for taking the easy way out, sticking with processed food instead since it took less time.
Speaking of Gray, Natsu sent him a quick text thanking him for taking care of Happy while he was gone. His reply was immediate, but it was also confusing.
Icicle Head: No problem. I'll see you tomorrow.
Natsu furrowed his brows as he texted back, For what?
He went to set his bag down by his laundry room while he waited for a response.
Icicle Head: Elfman's party. Mira said you'd be there.
"Fuck," Natsu groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose as he tried to come up with some excuse to get out of it. None came to mind, so he texted back, Yeah... I'll be there. See ya.
"What's wrong?" Lucy asked, setting some of her dirty clothes in the hamper by the washing machine. "You look stressed."
Natsu released his nose, then gazed at his girlfriend. 'Girlfriend. Sounds so sweet...'
"I forgot I agreed to go to a cookout for Elfman's graduation," he sighed, then realized something. "You should come too!"
"I should?" She asked with a hint of skepticism. She hadn't seen their friends in a while, but she didn't know if she was ready to jump right back into it. Especially after the week they just went through.
"Absolutely!" He nodded, actually getting excited of the idea of hanging out with people. "It'll be great!"
"I guess so..." Lucy still felt a little wary, but Natsu's bright grin was enough to melt most of the tension she was carrying away. "But we should talk about it later. Doesn't your meeting start soon?"
Natsu looked at his phone, seeing she was right. "Damn. Yeah, I guess we'll have to skip eating." He was about to start walking when a thought crossed his mind. "Wait... You still wanna come... Right?"
Lucy didn't giggle at his silliness, not wanting to accidentally upset him. "Right."
His toothy grin grew as he took her hand. "Awesome! Let's go!"
And so they went, out of the apartment complex and into a cab that would take them to Natsu's destination. It was a large building, but the room he sought out was rather small. When he showed up with Lucy, there were only ten other people present. They both easily recognized the brunette running the meeting since she went to high school with them.
"Hello, take a seat newbies," Cana greeted, extending a hand to show some empty seats.
They thankfully showed up just as the meeting was starting. Natsu would have hated if he was late to his first one. Cana started the meeting, smiling softly at everyone.
"My name is Cana, and I'm a member of Alcoholics Anonymous. I was addicted to drinking for more years than I can count, but about two years ago I sought help for my problem. I'm proud to say it's been twenty months since my last drink, and I have the support of my friends, family, and you all to help me get through another day sober."
It was at that moment that Natsu started to feel a little nauseous. Cana had been sober for twenty months and she was still going to meetings. It hadn't occurred to Natsu that this would be a lengthy process.
He stayed quiet as he listened to the brunette continue. "Since we have some new people with us today, I'd like everyone to introduce yourself. We'll start with you," she looked at a man to her left. He introduced himself in a similar fashion to how Cana did, saying he'd been sober for eleven months. The next person was a woman who said she'd been sober for fourteen months. It carried on like that until it became Natsu's turn.
He bit back a cringe as he said, "h-hi... Umm..." He could already feel himself sweating. Just as he considered jumping up from the chair and getting the hell out of there, a small hand grabbed his, gently squeezing it to give him reassurance.
He swallowed thickly as he said, "my name's Natsu... and I'm an alcoholic... My last drink was... a week ago... I would've been here earlier, but I kinda got in an accident..." It wasn't an accident, but they didn't need to know that.
"Hi Natsu," everyone said in chorus.
He couldn't help but smile a little. He had said all that and no one was looking at him with shame in their eyes. It made him feel relieved. Natsu looked at Lucy just as everyone else turned their gaze to her as well.
"Oh, me?" She shook her head. "I'm just here to support Natsu."
"Support is always welcomed here," Cana smiled, then looked at the woman beside Lucy. "Your turn."
The rest of the group introduced themselves, then the actual meeting started. Some people talked about their past experiences while others stayed quiet. Natsu decided to be one of the silent ones, observing everyone else to get a sense of what these meetings were about. The meeting lasted a little over an hour. When it ended, Cana gave Natsu a white coin, similar to a poker chip.
"It's a twenty-four hour chip," she explained. "We don't have one for a week, so this will have to do until you reach a month without drinking."
"A month," Natsu said, his tone daunting as he gazed at the plastic chip in his hand.
Cana grabbed his hand, forcing his fingers to curl around the chip. "It will happen. Just keep coming back, keep leaning on your support, and be determined to stay away from alcohol. It is possible to get better."
Natsu's fingers gripped the chip on their own accord. When he did that, Cana let go of his hand. "Welcome to AA. Hope to see you this Sunday."
"I'll be here," he promised, feeling a small flicker of hope in his heart. He glanced over, seeing Lucy smiling at him. "What?"
"Nothing," she said, taking a step closer to her boyfriend. "I'm just proud of you."
"Thanks." He already felt a blush form on his cheeks. "Let's get going, I'm starving," he wrapped an arm around Lucy, wincing when he remembered once again that he couldn't just do that with the arm on his bad side like he wanted to.
Lucy moved around until she was on his non-injured side so he could hold her as they left the building. "Thanks for coming with me," Natsu took a deep breath, letting the fresh air fill his lungs even if it hurt his ribs.
He might not have participated during his first meeting, but he did feel a tiny bit better. After seeing everyone else's success, it made him hopeful for his own recovery.
Lucy leaned into his body as they walked down the sidewalk together. "I'll be there for you whenever you need me."
Natsu didn't have to ask. He already knew she meant it.
Thank you for the favorites & follows. Thank you to those who reviewed: sthokatrina, MarSofTheGalaxies, FairyTailLover04, Kmb1216, Grizzly98, katiekat2001, kittykate2016, Monika, sarara1.8, Argo0, FlameDragonHime, sidjr100, Soul-of-glass, Crimsonlink310, quite-a-riot, Ashnmarley, Mara fray, fanficlove2014(x2), and Adtrboy0916!
Up next, Chapter Fifteen: Cookout
I understand this chapter had a lot to take in, but hopefully it wasn't too confusing. Keep in mind I have no experience with the law/court/lawyers, so I'm getting my information from the internet.
I'm sorry for the lack of smut, but I'm honestly not in the mood to write it at the moment. I'm going through some personal things, and it's making it impossible to write decent smut. If you'd like to know what personal things I'm going through, you can find out in one of my other stories. "Various NALU one-shots" chapter 7, "I miss you." To those who already know and said something to me about it, thank you. Your words really help. It still hurts, but it's good to know I'm not the only one going through this.
Let me know what you thought of this chapter. Thank you for reading. Have a good day/night!