Riding atop a broom for ten hours had made Lucy numb and sore. She supposed Lisanna had found Plue's key by now along with her note by now. She just hoped she could carry out her end of the plan. Her captor had yet to notice the fact that her shackles had considerably loosened on her wrists or confiscate her hairpins. So far it seemed her little plan was working.

She tightened Natsu's scarf around her neck shivering as they descended through a cloud soaking her to the bone. She gripped the scarf in her hands and pushed back the tears she could feel welling behind her eyes. Now wasn't the time to be crying, she could save the waterworks for when she was reunited with Natsu and cry happy.

She imagined he was roaring with anger now that she was gone. The thought comforted her and made her smile a little thinking of how the angry Dragon Slayer was probably burning with anger. She giggled to herself when she realized that thought be taken literally. She hoped Lisanna was keeping Natsu in line while Heckler healed. The poor girl had her work cut out for her. Lucy just hoped three weeks would be long enough for her to enact her plan.

The broom dived down and city lights came into view. As the ground came closer she made out a large pitch of black they flew towards.

The rider landed on a large patch of grass slowly bringing the broom to a halt in front of a large house. The dark mansion looked ominous to her and she hoped she wasn't in over her head.

…..

Sunlight shone through the window illuminating the small room and rousing Lisanna from her sleep. She shifted in the bed squeezing her eyes shut against the harsh rays of light. She felt warm and comfortable in the fluffy feathery bed beneath the warm blankets. She pulled the covers over her head and clutched the pillow squeezing it to her face. She wanted to keep sleeping but the cruel sunlight had done its damage and she was slowing waking up from her peaceful dreamless sleep.

Surrendering to consciousness she stretched out moaning tiredly as her muscles loosened. As she sprawled out on the bed she then realized she was alone in the warm mattress.

"Heckler?" She asked sitting up from the bed expecting to see him sitting in the chair as he usually did but she found it strangely empty.

"Heckler?" she asked moving off the bed and moved to the dark hallway.

She looked down the narrow passage way to see her boyfriend hobbling down the passageway on one leg holding onto the wall for support.

"Heckler!" she said moving over to him, "what are you doing out of bed?!" She demanded irritably putting a hand on his chest.

"Getting breakfast," he answered simply leaning against the wall and clutching his side with his one hand.

He'd donned a white sleeveless shirt and now that she'd gotten closer she could see that it was stained with fresh blood.

"Damn it Heckler," She sighed inspecting the blood. "You pulled your stitches," she said, "This is why you shouldn't be getting up."

Heckler sighed, "I'm hungry," he complained, "and you were sleeping."

"Then wake me," she said, "If you need anything just ask, I'll get it for you."

"I'm not a cripple!" He growled tone harsher than intended.

Lisanna fell silent looking awkwardly at the ground, "I know," she whispered touching his face, "I know you're not a cripple… but you are wounded and you need to heal."

"I'm not exactly one for taking it easy," he said, "especially when work needs to be done."

"You need to heal if you want to save Lucy," Lisanna explained.

"Lucy might not have that kind of time on her hands," Heckler argued. "For all we know she's already lost her soul… I failed her! I promised I'd protect her and I failed Lisanna… I failed."

"I don't think so," Lisanna said, "Lucy gave herself up, and she had a reason for it… it wasn't just some meaningless sacrifice she's working towards something bigger."

"You think so?" Heckler asked doubtfully.

"I know so!" Lisanna said, she fished her hand into her pocket for the silver key along with the note she'd written. "Lucy left me this key and instructions to use it… she had a plan. She's a smart girl and she knows what she's doing… if she's already lost her soul then there's nothing we can do. But we need to wait and heal and trust her, because she's all we got and trust me she's not a helpless little girl she's a capable wizard."

Heckler looked at the tiny silver key in his hand weighing it and feeling its cool metal. "Why a silver key?" he asked, "Why this one?"

"I don't know," Lisanna said, "But she must have had a reason so please go back to your room and wait for me to bring you breakfast, let someone pamper you for a change."

Heckler sighed closing his fist on the silver key and note, "Fine," he surrendered, "I suppose there are worse things than having my gal dote on me."

"Good boy," Lisanna chided flashing him a warm smile. She turned on her heals and left Heckler to go back to his room on his own.

…

Lisanna walked up to the bar and took a seat catching Bret's attention. The burly bartender walked up to her and gave her a friendly smile. "What do you need?" he asked leaning on the bar.

"Hecker needs breakfast," She said and with the growl of her own belly she added in that she needed a hearty meal as well.

"Six breakfast specials it is," he smiled moving to prepare the food.

"Six?" she asked raising an eyebrow.

"One for you," Bret explained, "and five for Heckler I'm sure you've noticed he eats and drinks like a giant."

Lisanna chuckled, "Eating yes but he hardly holds a candle to Canna. She could drink anyone under the table, besides I haven't seen Heckler drink entire kegs of ale."

Bret smiled, "Fair enough," he conceded, "Anything else you need?"

"I need to speak with Violet," Lisanna explained, "I need to borrow some clothes."

Bret looked her up and down scanning her purple shirt and jeans, "Haven't you already borrowed some of her clothes?" he asked.

Lisanna blushed, "Well she sort of left out some important articles."

Bret raised an eyebrow, "let me guess," he chuckled, "she left you only skimpy lingerie to sleep in."

Lisanna's cheeks turned scarlet, "how'd you…?"

Bret chuckled, "Be careful with Violet," he warned, "she's probably testing you and your relationship with Heckler."

Lisanna raised an eyebrow, "Why would she do that?" she asked thinking back to her pleasant conversation in the bath with the girl.

"Violet a bit protective when it comes to Heckler," he explained, "he's like a farther to her, she's known him since she was very young so she might be trying to threaten you."

"I'm not doing anything bad to him?" she protested.

"I'm not saying you are," Bret said, "but try convincing her of that."

I'm sorry this has taken so long to come out and I know there isn't much to this chapter. I'm having a little spell of writers block and I'm busy with other work including my Final Fantasy 7 (check it out it's some of my best work yet) and I'm starting a Halo story based off a D20 game me and my friends are running. I promise I'll pick of the pace on this fic again and get it moving again I'm trying to transition thing and keep them interesting but the story is at a bit of a slow point so it's a little bit difficult to get from one place to the next and not focus to much on Lisanna and Heckler. I look forward to your reviews and opinions they make me a better writer and spur me on.