. Paranormal .

Lucy arrived at the café long before Cobra did, and she paused to greet Mirajane and Yukino, who was working at the moment. Yukino had scolded her for coming when she wasn't supposed to drive and Lucy had flushed and reassured her that she was going to get a ride with someone else to go home.

A few regular customers greeted her as she found herself a table, and Lucy chatted with a smile, pushing the ache in her head to the back of her mind for the time being. A child greeted her with a flowery gift, and Lucy only laughed as she took it.

Eventually, Cobra finally showed up, and Lucy straightened, face immediately becoming serious. Arching an eyebrow as he dropped into the seat across from her, arms crossed and an annoyed look on his face, she said impatiently, "What do you want? I'm going to be in trouble with Levy and Erza for driving myself here."

"Titania can screw off," he muttered in response before digging in his pocket. "This."

He dropped a small file onto the table.

Reluctant to see whatever he'd brought - she had the feeling that she really wasn't going to like it - Lucy reached across to snatch it up, her fingers trembling. As she was sliding it open, she glanced around - and then paused at the sight of a rather nasty looking spirit that was staring in the window at them, dead gray tongue hanging out of its mouth.

She cleared her throat. "So you can see the dead, too?"

Cobra scowled, glancing over to look at it. He made a face. "Fucker."

"Children are in here," she chimed and then looked down at the file.

A startled sound left her lips and she dropped it onto the table, standing up quickly enough that the chair tipped back, earning several stares on their behalf. Cobra's hand snapped out to cover the pictures that she'd pulled out before anyone else could see them.

"Yeah, they're kinda bad, even for Cubellios," he muttered. "And she's seen some shit, let me tell you…"

Lucy reluctantly settled down again, her body shaking as she picked them up, fighting the urge to retch.

They were crime scene photos. The scene was sprinkled with ash and embers, smoke still drifting around those in the picture. There was a cop, his face smeared with black and his face grim as he looked over what Lucy recognized as none other than a corpse.

Or at least a portion of one.

One side of the body was gone. Pieces of a shoulder and what might have been a hip remained as well as a side of a charred head, but the rest was blown away, incinerated upon impact with the explosion, because Lucy knew exactly whose body she was looking at.

"Oh, Natsu," she whispered, her voice breaking and sympathy filling her.

It must have hurt so much…

"Found 'em in a hidden file," Cobra told her as she switched to a picture of the demolished facial features. There weren't even eyes left in the body, she realized with horror.

"Did you...did they ever catch the one behind it?"

Cobra rested his elbows on the table. "That's the thing. There was never any sign of someone leaving the scene, or any trace outside of the bomb that was ever found. We think it was a suicide bombing. At least, the police do. Titania, Cubellios, and I...we think that the fucker walked away without so much as a scratch. They found nothing from his person on the scene, but there's always some kind of signature that psychos like this leave. So I went lookin' into stuff, right? And I figured out that the chemicals in the bomb are known for being used by one man in particular: a man by the name of Jude heartfilia." Cobra slid another file over, and Lucy opened it.

Lucy's gaze sharpened angrily. "My father didn't do it," she snapped angrily. She took a deep breath to calm herself. "He was a lot of things in the best moments, but he wasn't a murderer, Cobra."

"No," he agreed, "But his company did produce the chemicals and necessary ingredients for whoever did it. Cubellios didn't want you to know that he was involved, but I figured we should warn ya ahead of time. 'Sides. The man in charge now knows ya. You'll be a big help in the matter."

"Thank you for telling me," Lucy told him, sighing softly. "Quite the surprise, though…" She slid the files back over to him after readjusting everything and putting it away, taking another moment to study Natsu's body.

Her heart ached. "Poor Natsu," she repeated softly before shaking her aching head. She sat back in her seat as Cobra watched her face with care, curious about how she was responding to all of this.

Suddenly, his phone rang, and he answered without look at the caller ID. "Cobra," he greeted. A moment of silence, and then he sighed heavily. "Kinana, look, it was necessary - yes, I know that I could get into trouble for this, and yes, I am prepared to deal with the consequences that won't happen as long as we keep our mouths shut. No, she's not panicking. No, she's - woman, the hell are you talking about? She's not some little doll. She's dyin'. Doesn't mean she can't help us."

Lucy grimaced. Cobra was harsh and curt in his talking, though she knew he meant well. Kinana, huh? she mused silently, her lips curving into a smile. So that was Cubellios' true name. It was a pretty name, one that matched her well.

"Yeah, yeah, see ya later." He uttered something under his breath to her, tone soft and gentle before hanging up, and Lucy smiled tauntingly.

"Does someone have a girlfriend?" she purred.

To her surprise, the detective actually took on a small blush, his eyes darting away. "Shut up, lady. Go and eat a piece of bread or something."

Lucy was still laughing when he walked out and a playful Yukino came over to nudge her with her hip and ask what that was all about.

Lucy only winked and asked if Yukino had a break, because she admittedly needed a ride home due to a nasty headache that was forming in between her eyes.

When Lucy had returned home, she was met by a sharp-eyed Levy and a guilty-looking Natsu. Lucy's dark eyes darted between the pair before she turned to Levy, who scolded her sharply for having left without getting a ride with someone. After that was said and done, she'd jerked her thumb in the direction of the poltergeist.

Apparently, Natsu had scared the hell out of the parents of the kid next door when he'd accidentally knocked over a picture frame while entertaining the child. With the parents in the room."

Natu gave a sheepish smile when Lucy moaned in frustration and buried her face in her hands. "Natsu!"

"Sorry," he mumbled, "I got bored and I didn't mean to...I left right away. Do you think they'll bring in an exorcist?"

Lucy repeated his question to their friend, who tapped her lower lip in thought. "If you leave them be, they shouldn't," Levy murmured thoughtfully, and then looked over at Lucy when Lucy turned to her. The blonde's dark eyes were serious - and pained. "Do you want some medicine? I can get it for you."

"It'll make me tired," Lucy said, waving her concern off. "I'll take it after I tell you why I had to go out. Cobra made a call." Levy's gaze snapped to hers and Natsu leaned forward, losing his smile, anxious. "It was about Natsu's case."

"Lucy," Levy cut in, horrified, her eyes shooting to the heated space beside them, but Lucy was quick to reassure her with a hesitant smile and admitted, "He wants to help. I asked him for permission and he agreed and told me what he could. Anyways, Cobra showed me the crime scene pictures."

There was a moment of silence before Natsu's face twisted into one of anger. "What the hell is he doing showing you those?!"

Lucy ignored him and said softly, "It was horrible. The explosion completely destroyed you, Natsu, you were missing pieces on your body. But that wasn't the worst of it." she tucked her blonde hair behind her ear and locked gazes with Levy. "Father was involved."

"Excuse me?" Levy sputtered, her eyes horrified. "Your…what?!"

"Jude Heartfilia," she said quietly. "His company was the one that produced the ingredients that made up the bomb that they found if the traces were anything to go by." She sighed heavily, glancing quickly at the quiet ghost.

Natsu took a moment. "Your...dad helped kill me?"

Recognizing the signs of a tantrum beginning to form in his eyes, Lucy hurried to say, "Natsu, we don't think he knew it. I think it was someone who was working under him who was behind it all. We just have to figure that out, and we may be able to find out who - damn it!" She suddenly cut off, pressing a hand to her head and throwing the other out when she nearly fell over.

The anger disappeared from Natsu's eyes almost instantly, and he moved over, gently touching her shoulder with a muttered, "Damn it. I hate this."

Levy simply disappeared into the kitchen, grabbing the medicine that Lucy would need before coming back. "Here," she murmured after grabbing the proper amount. Lucy dry swallowed the pills, giving Natsu a reassuring smile before staggering over to the couch with Levy's help. Once there, she curled up into a ball, holding her head and pressing it into her knees to try and rid herself of the pain.

Levy took a deep breath as she watched Lucy for a moment, unaware of the anxious poltergeist moving to protectively drape himself over the back of the couch, arms resting on her shoulder and chin on top of her head, glaring irritably at her. Natsu wanted Levy out. She was the one who'd caused the headache this time. Not Cobra.

A sound somewhat akin to a snarl left his lips when she simply stood there. Get out, get out, GET OUT!

Lucy didn't look up when books flew off of her bookshelf and clattered to the floor, startling Levy. "Natsu," she mumbled pleadingly, and he paused to look at her. "Not now, please. Leave her be."

"I want her out," he retorted, his onyx eyes not once leaving Levy.

"Levy's allowed to be in here. Leave her be," the blonde repeated. She closed her eyes and waved for Levy to do what needed to be done. "Do whatever you want in here, Levy-chan. Make something to eat or whatever. Ignore him. He's crabby."

"Lucy," he whined in her ear.

She ignored that and instead smiled when Levy returned her words with a shake of her head. "No, I can tell that he's not just crabby. He's needy today, I think. I'll head back to my own apartment. Natsu, call me if she needs anything, okay?"

Her response came in the form of two stomps on the floor, mostly because the poltergeist didn't want to move from his comfortable position. Lucy played with the scarf tassels as Levy smiled and bid them farewell before leaving the apartment. "This is my place, Natsu," she murmured, "You can't kick people out. She's worried."

"We're all worried," he bit back. "I said I'd take care of you though, so I will."

Her lips twisted into a sad smile. "I don't want to die," she mused suddenly. He glanced at her, worried. "I really don't. My mother lived to be old enough to have me before the cancer took her away. I wanted a child, too, a family. Guess I won't get that."

There was a heartbeat of silence, before she felt that pressuring grip tighten. "You don't need a child," he muttered to her. "Or a family. You have me."

Lucy couldn't help but laugh at his jealous tone. "I do," she agreed, "And I do have a family. Levy...Gajeel...Erza...Gray...all of them. They're all my family, you know? Blood isn't the only link. I love all of you." She touched a hand that had made its way around to her other shoulder, so that her head could rest back on the ghost's shoulder, and she gave a small sigh when he jumped, startled that her head didn't fall back onto the couch. Instead, it seemed to almost rest there against him. "And I think you and I will get to stay together. But I'll miss them. So please don't chase them away. Not anymore."

"I won't," he mumbled, promising her that. "I'll drag 'em in instead."

"Good ghost." Lucy giggled at her own words before closing her eyes to nap, exhausted as the medication began to kick in.

He simply remained there, not moving as she dozed off. His lips brushed against the top of her head, his eyes sharp as he protected her from what he could.

The tightness he'd felt in him when Levy had stressed him out disappeared as she slept, and he practically purred as he buried his face in his scarf.

She was safe, he told himself.

And he'd made damn sure that she stayed that way.

When Lucy woke up, she was refreshed and ready to clean up her messy apartment. Natsu stalked along behind her, watching her with curious eyes as she moved like she hadn't just been brought down by a powerful migraine.

Natsu would admit that she was, by far, one of the strongest people he'd ever come across. What other person could deal with an illness like this and move on like it was nothing?

"Do you think," Lucy said as she was scooping up a few books, Happy purring and rubbing on her ankles, "That my father really had something to do with your murder, Natsu?"

Natsu paused, startled by her question, and then shrugged, folding his hands behind his head as she shoved the scarf out of the way of her face. "I do," he said honestly. "It feels right. I can kinda sense that he did have something to do with it, but I don't think he was aware of it, Luce."

"Good." Lucy bit her lip, glancing at him, and he watched her with sharp eyes, worried that she'd get another dizzy spell. "I was worried that you'd be upset if he was. I know he wasn't the best man in life, but I really don't think he was capable of murder."

"Nah." Natsu rocked back on his heels, smirking. "I mean, you might be, but doubt some crazy old man was."

"Natsu," she chided, rolling her eyes. But there was a smile on her face, and she looked relieved. Suddenly, she giggled, clapping her hands in excitement like a child. "Natsu, you didn't create any plasma in my apartment today! I bet that means you're completely normal again!"

A proud look crossed his face. "Oh, yeah! Forgot about that! Was gonna tell you, but the thing with the kid's parents happened and I kinda forgot…"

"Good job," she laughed, and then glanced over when there was a knock on the door. Natsu didn't look concerned, only reported that Juvia was there before slipping away to open the door for the young woman.

Juvia came bustling in, not at all concerned about the fact that a ghost had let her in. In fact, she said, "Thank you, Natsu, Juvia is grateful for letting her in. Excuse me now, though, Juvia wants to talk with Lucy about something - no, Juvia lied, Juvia needs you here, too."

Natsu closed the door and reappeared beside Lucy, glaring. "About what?"

It always surprised Lucy whenever Juvia spoke to him. She was so used to everyone else not seeing him that she'd grown used to having to explain his words to everyone else, but Juvia didn't need explanations. She simply turned to face him and said, "Lucy has ghosts trailing after her."

"...huh?"

"Lucy," Juvia repeated, glancing at the equally as confused blonde, "Has ghosts chasing her. They're attracted by the scent of death that you're giving off. Ghosts can sense when people are dying and flock to them, trying to taint their souls."

Natsu scowled angrily at the thought, heat flaring dangerously around him. "They won't touch her," he snarled.

"No, Juvia knows they won't," Juvia promised soothingly. "Juvia just thought it needed to be explained. Lucy needs to know."

Lucy came to join her friend at the couch, frowning. "Explain then. I did notice that they kept appearing today...I didn't know why. Yukino hit one without even knowing it, and it scared the freaking hell out of me."

"Like Juvia said," Juvia sighed. She tucked some hair behind her ear and then glanced up from beneath her eyelashes. "Ghosts like the scent of dying people. They're attracted to the entire situation because they wish to taint the soul of the one that is dying. Depending on who the person is, they don't usually succeed, but for those of us who can see the dead, it's harder. Juvia knows that Natsu will protect Lucy, but Juvia needed to tell her."

"And I'm going to thank you a thousand times over for telling me that," Lucy told the other woman gratefully. She smiled kindly. "Because while a certain someone is a ghost himself, he knows absolutely nothing."

Juvia flushed proudly. "Juvia was thinking," she said after a moment, "That Juvia would like to have a career in paranormal investigations. Juvia was going to ask you if you'd join in, but...Juvia doesn't think that'll be possible now."

"Oh, that's a brilliant idea," Lucy praised, beaming. "You could help people or ghosts or even both! If the ghosts are able to be saved of course...and no, I guess I wouldn't be able to do anything for it...but…"

"Levy would do it with ya," Natsu cut in, eyes thoughtful. "She'd like it, I think. Interested in all that anyways. Erza, too."

"Do you think so?" Juvia said hopefully, excited by the idea.

"Definitely," Lucy agreed.

Juvia clapped excitedly, and then began to chat about the different ideas she had for such a thing, about setting it up and what they could call their team.

Lucy could only smile and offer suggestions, wishing she could join as well.

No joke, I'm barely awake right now. I hope you enjoyed! :D Thanks to reviewers (iBookKeeper, RunningWithTheRiptide, shippininjune, wolfygirl78, LoveTheMonster, Moon Stone Tiger Lily, PinkFireandGoldenStars, Doomcabbit, SunflowerChrysalis, ilftnatsu, Nanami B, sailorkitten22, Dragondancer81, NaLu x Buckets, HellsChaos, Sailor Tiamat, Guest, ultraviolet read, Alicia Trinidad, Justloverly, CaseyFlossy9697, AFallenAngel1221, PuckSabrinaDaphne, animechic12, and Nalu and InuKag!) as well as those who favorited and followed!