Lucy couldn't remember the last time she had ever been so scared. She tried so hard not to look down but that's almost impossible to do when you're dangling like a worm on a hook.

"Nice view isn't it blondie?" Her captor said in his horrible voice.

"What do you want from me?" She asked. "Who are you?"

"We used to be someone you knew." The black ooze mask then briefly pulled away to let her see his face.

"Laxus?!" She cried in terror.

"Not anymore. Now we are Black Dragon."

"Please let me go. I've never done anything to you."

"Of course you haven't. But your red scaly boyfriend has done plenty to me."

"What are you talking about?"

"You'll find out soon enough. Just keep your pretty mouth shut and pray that he comes before those bonds snap."

At those words, Lucy glanced up at the black ooze lines holding her up and saw the some of them were starting to weigh.

"That's right, those won't hold you forever." He chuckled wickedly.

Down below, the police were desperately trying to find some way of reaching her. Among them was Jude and when each attempt failed he decided to try negotiate with the new criminal.

"Attention Black Dragon!" He called from a megaphone. "This is Captain Jude Heartfilia!"

Laxus covered his face again and lowered himself down to hear him better but not close enough to be shut.

"Good day officer. It seems you need help keeping track of your daughter, huh?"

"Listen creep, if you touch her I'll-"

"Let's dispense with the ugly what if's and get to the business at hand."

"What do you want? Money? Drugs? Whatever it is, it's yours! Just release my daughter!"

"Aww how sweet. A father willing to do anything for his child. I wish I knew what that felt like." He mocked. "But the thing is officer what I want is something you cannot provide."

Suddenly Laxus sensed something coming and saw Red Dragon climbing up the building to where Lucy was being held. He grinnedvindictively at the sight.

"But the person who can provide it has just arrived."

Natsu climbed the building as quickly as he could, his gaze directed only at Lucy and nothing else. His thoughts were only of her and how he would save her.

"Red Dragon." She said fearfully when she saw him coming. "Please help me."

"Don't worry." He assured her. "I'm gonna get you out of this."

"Watch out!" She cried.

But her warning came too late and out of nowhere he was tackled by Laxus. He then picked him up, slammed him on to the floor, and held him there with his inhuman strength.

"You are so predictable Dragneel." The symbiote possessed villain said hovering over him like a predator does to it's trapped prey. "We knew you couldn't resist coming to rescue your precious Lucy. Hence why she made the perfect bait."

"Look I know you're pissed at me but leave her out of this." Natsu said. "We can find a way to settle this."

"You're so right. We think the best way to settle this is to ruin your life. Like you ruined ours. You humiliated us."

"I humiliated you!" Natsu said. "You're right when I attacked you like that but I was wrong. But it was you I wronged. Not the symbiote. I know what that stuff is saying to you, it's trying to convince you that you're the same as it. That the whole world is against you and that it's the only thing that cares but it's a lie. It said all those things to me too. It used my pain and frustration to control me! Believe me, I know how you feel!"

"You know nothing!" He snapped. You think you had it rough?! Please! You never knew any real pain in your life!"

"Laxus my mother abandoned me when I was a little kid and my father was murdered! You know that!"

"Yes but your father loved you didn't he? You were his whole world! He was always proud of you! You were never once considered a burden or a disappointment to him! And when he died you had your friend Gray, his aunt, Professor Clive, and now Lucy to comfort you and care for you. Not us! We've always been alone! We've never had anyone except each other!"

Though terrified beyond all reason at the moment, Natsu could not help but take Laxus's words to heart. Was that how Laxus really felt? Did he feel alone and unloved? Did he have nobody? Suddenly he remembered back in ninth grade when there were rumors going around that Laxus's father was under investigation for child abuse. Back then he thought it was only a rumor but now he wasn't so sure. Was Laxus abused by his father? Was that why he spent so many years trying to make his life and Gray's miserable? Because he was jealous that they had people who loved them and he didn't? For once in his life Natsu felt sorry for Laxus.

"Now what should we do first?" He said. "Should we wait for tiger boy to come or should we just go on ahead with the killing? Or better yet maybe we could have a little fun with blondie first, if you know what I'm thinking."

Okay Natsu felt sorry for Laxus but not enough to let him lay his dirty mitts on her. His eyes flared gold and reptilian like with rage and he punched Laxus in the face. Natsu then attempted to climb back up and free Lucy but Black Dragon dragged him down and threw from the building. Natsu fell on to a metal beam but before he could react, his opponent pinned his wrists and ankles there with some of the goop from his suit. A symbiote lasso was thrown around his neck and Laxus proceeded to use to strangle him.

He couldn't move, he couldn't breathe he willed himself to break free but it seemed completely hopeless. The lack of oxygen made his vision blurry and it was hard to him to see things clearly. The only thing he could make out was Lucy, still dangling. He managed to free one hand and he desperately reached it out to her. No, not again. Not again. Another person he loved couldn't die all because he did nothing. If God would have mercy then he wouldn't let this happen twice. If this happened again then his life would be over. Although despite his will, it looked like this fate would happen figuratively and literally.

But looks can be deceiving and Lucy was not your average damsel in distress. As her bonds started to loosen and lower her, she noticed a cinder block perched on the edge of the building. It was high above Laxus and just a few inches from her. She stretched her leg to the cinder block as far as she could, willing it to reach her target. It was a bit of a strain but her foot managed to make it. With all her strength she kicked the block off the ledge and it fell right on to Laxus's head. Nothing fatal but the impact hurt him to give Natsu a chance of escape.

Laxus recovered very quickly but his next attempt to attack was thwarted by something being thrown under his legs. It made a beeping noise before it released a substance that spread all over his lower half and cemented him to his spot.

"What the hell is this?!"

He tried to break free but not even the symbiote's enhanced power could break it. Then Gray appeared with Erza.

"That won't hold him forever!" Erza said. "Get the symbiote off of him now!"

"How?" Natsu asked.

"With those!" Gray said pointing to some discarded pipes lying just above them.

Natsu and Gray threw the pipes down which released sound waves that filled the symbiote and Laxus with extreme pain. They jammed the pipes into the floor, trapping him in a circle of pipes which made the sound waves louder and stronger.

"Stop it!" Laxus shouted. "Stop it! It hurts! It hurts us!"

But Gray only struck the pipes repeatedly while Natsu grabbed on to Laxus and started to pull the ooze off of him. It was much harder this time because Laxus's will was still connected to the symbiote. He fought and struggled, manged to even break out of the cement but by then it was too late. The black ooze had been completely removed from his body.

"No!" He shouted. "No! You can't do this! Don't leave me!"

He blacked out and Erza quickly sucked it up the ooze then trapped it in a container.

"There we go." She said.

"Phew!" The boys sighed in relief.

"Thank God that's over." Gray said.

Suddenly they heard a scream and looked up to see that Lucy's bonds were almost broken entirely. Natsu climbed the building faster than he had ever climbed in his entire life. But he wasn't quick enough, her bonds broke and she fell. All in Magnolia held their breath as they watched Red Dragon go after her. Jude's heart stopped at the sight and was certain that it wouldn't beat again if the hero failed.

Natsu's arms caught hold of her waist and he pushed himself against another building, using his talons to slow down the fall. There was a loud screeching noise that made his ears bleed and his hand burn but the pain was worth it because they both landed safely. The entire crowd cheered and applauded in astonishment.

"Are you alright?" He asked her in concern.

"Yes." She said in shock and awe.

"Lucy! Lucy!" Jude came running toward them in feeling afraid and relieved. He threw his arms around her and hugged her tightly.

"Daddy." She said embracing his neck.

"I'm so glad you're okay. I don't know what I would have done if I lost you."

Natsu smiled at the sight of their loving embrace. Not only had he saved the woman he loved but he also prevented another parent and child from being separated from each other.