*Chapter Twenty-Three: The jury is out
(December 8th, 2017, Friday Morning)
Natsu couldn't hear himself think over the loud roar in the arena. He was yelling too, demanding answers like everyone else. His eyes narrowed at their leader, Makarov standing on the bleachers while his people flooded the floor, desperate to know what was going on.
Some were like Natsu, worried about Lucy. However, far more cared about their own safety, yelling things that made Natsu's anger spike.
"I say we just kill her! Why take the risk?!"
Natsu's stomach turned when people agreed with the ridiculous idea. He was one of the ones screaming at their leader to keep Lucy safe, terrified that mob mentality would cause Makarov to side with the majority.
"We're not killing anyone!" Makarov yelled back, silencing the rowdy crowd for a moment. He took advantage of it, his voice firm as he said, "We're going to keep her quarantined until we find out if she's infected or not!"
The quiet didn't last long, Makarov's plan sparking a new wave of yelling, most doubting the idea or shooting it down all together.
"How do we find out if she's infected?!"
Makarov didn't have an answer, making the survivors all the more anxious. Natsu knew they were past the point of walking on eggshells. Everyone was pissed and confused, Natsu included. He needed answers, needed to know if Lucy was okay.
He assumed she was still breathing if Makarov said she was going to be quarantined, but how long would that last? They hadn't done anything like that before. It wasn't as if they were experts on how the virus or infection or whatever it was worked. They were all guessing, and sometimes that got people killed.
Natsu swallowed, hoping no one else would die from today's incident. It was unfortunate two survivors fell because they didn't take better precautions with Warcry's body. A knife should've been driven through his brain when he was found dead to prevent something like that from happening, but there was nothing they could do now to fix their mistakes. They would have to live with what happened, and hopefully learn from it so it wouldn't occur again.
Natsu almost growled when Macao climbed the bleachers, his blood boiling as his eyes followed the man. Macao should've made sure Warcry was truly dead before letting Lucy near that body. Natsu knew things would've been different had Macao been present when everything went down. Instead the bastard was hiding in the school while Lucy was being attacked, all because he was too chickenshit to fight.
There were shovels laying around. He could've done more, but he did nothing but hide.
Macao raised his hands, shouting for everyone to shut up and listen. He had to yell over some of the survivors who refused to quiet down, but Natsu was able to hear him loud and clear. "When Warcry bit Betty she turned immediately! It's obvious to me that dog bite somehow infected him, I just don't know how! I don't think Lucy is infected though! She would've turned by now if she was!"
"Warcry didn't turn until the next day!" someone behind Natsu shouted, causing him to grit his teeth.
It didn't make sense to him either. Why did it take so long for Warcry to turn, but he was able to infect the guard immediately. He didn't see Betty get bitten, turned, or killed, but he had seen the dead body on the ground when he arrived. That only made what Macao said more infuriating. Macao had been there to witness what happened, yet he did nothing to help Lucy.
Natsu knew Macao wasn't going to win any father of the year awards, but the least he could've done was make a better distraction or something to get the zombies away from Lucy. Instead he acted like a coward, and Natsu didn't think he could forgive Macao for that.
"What exact time was he bit?" Makarov asked, having to repeat himself a few times before everyone quieted down enough for him to be heard.
Natsu would have answered if he wasn't so angry, his mind fuzzy as he tried thinking about what happened yesterday. The only thing occupying his mind was the look of fear in Lucy's eyes before she was forced away, but considering the alternative, Natsu was relieved that was what he kept remembering.
He didn't want to think about how scared he had been when she was under that zombie, his heart threatening to break from his chest from how hard it was pounding. He honestly thought she was going to die today, and now he was scared someone was going to do something reckless to protect themselves.
He feared they would kill Lucy without a second thought, thinking it was for the good of the people. While he understood everyone wanted to be cautious, he couldn't get behind a plan like that, no matter who the person in question was. He had more invested in Lucy than a lot of the other people on base, but that wasn't the only reason he wanted to keep her alive.
She was a human who deserved a chance at life, and he wasn't going to stand by while someone robbed her of that chance. He would fight like hell if it meant she stayed safe. He just had to find out where they were keeping her. He needed to see her because he knew she was freaking out.
Natsu was torn from his thoughts when he heard Laxus' booming voice shout from the back of the arena, silencing everyone else. "It was sometime around three in the afternoon."
Makarov nodded before looking over the crowd of survivors. "Okay. He died sometime last night. That's anywhere from... seven to fifteen hours after he was bit." He paused, shaking his head as his brows furrowed.
After a moment, Makarov sighed, voice strengthening so it would carry to every person in the arena. "I say if Lucy can last twenty-four hours without showing any signs of infection, she's safe."
Natsu didn't like the idea of Lucy being locked away for a whole day, but considering they were unsure how Warcry got infected, it seemed reasonable as long as she wasn't being mistreated.
However, Makarov's solution wasn't good enough, his words followed by an immediate uproar of protests. People shouted that they didn't like his plan while others demanded Lucy be put away for longer. Every scream against Lucy made Natsu's stomach twist tighter, feeling sicker than he was when he rode in a vehicle with no medication.
"Quiet! QUIET DOWN!" Makarov yelled, his face turning red as he glared at everyone. "We won't get anywhere if you keep yelling!"
He waited until the voices dulled into a low murmur before continuing, aggravation coloring his tone. "What would make you feel better? A day and a half? Forty-eight hours?"
Natsu's fists coiled so tight his knuckles turned white and his nails dug into his palms, but he didn't let up, angry by the way they were discussing what would happen to his friend.
When people started nodding their heads at one another, Makarov said, "Raise your hand if you're okay with Lucy being quarantined for forty-eight hours."
Hands all around Natsu shot up, his heart sinking at the thought of her being isolated for that long. He already knew her progress was ruined. There was no way she was coming back from that without some issues, and he couldn't even blame her. He had been a mess after he almost got bit by a zombie, and he didn't have nearly as many problems as she did before then.
Natsu tensed when he noticed Makarov's gaze trained on him, his eyes widening when it dawned on him. Makarov was waiting on his decision, seeing if that was a good compromise.
'I don't want to keep Lucy locked up, but...'
Reluctantly, Natsu raised his hand, his throat tightening as he gave in. He didn't know what else he could do. No one was going to listen to him if he said he wanted Lucy out now. Besides, as much as he didn't believe it was true, there was a chance Lucy was infected. He saw the blood on her face. He didn't know if it came from her or Warcry, and without knowing, they couldn't take that risk.
Natsu felt a deep sense of shame as he kept his hand up, thankful Lucy wasn't there to see him. He didn't want her knowing he was essentially going along with their plan, even if he didn't see any other option. He could try to fight and get her out, but what would that get him?
'Probably kicked out of Fairy Tail.'
Natsu swallowed, his fist by his side shaking with anger at everyone, but mostly at himself. He wasn't able to protect Lucy, even though she trusted him to do so. That was the whole reason she went to Fairy Tail in the first place, because he said he would look after her and make sure she didn't get hurt. Now she was probably scared and alone, and he couldn't do anything.
Natsu glanced around the arena, seeing most people's hands up as well. Even Dan held up a hand, his other pressing a handful of paper towels to his bloody nose. Even though Natsu knew he might get in trouble for hurting another survivor, he felt no regret for punching Dan in the face. Dan deserved it after holding him back. Sure, Natsu didn't have a weapon, but there were so many things he could have done to help. He could have kicked the zombie off Lucy before grabbing the shovel to kill it. It wouldn't have been as effective as his knives, but Natsu would have made do.
Though, Natsu had to admit, a small part of him was okay with being held back. If he had charged up and fought the zombie himself, he never would have seen Lucy kick ass. She may not have killed the zombie on her own, but she put up one hell of a fight, and he was proud of her for that.
Honestly, Natsu didn't think she had it in her.
Lucy did what everyone else was trying to do. Survive. Instead of congratulating her for her small victory, rifles were stuck in her face before she was put in handcuffs. Natsu's body tensed as he tried breathing, the anger coming back in crashing waves.
He couldn't believe how poorly she was treated, and that had been when she was still visible to everyone. Natsu didn't want to think about what happened when they got her out of view, refusing to acknowledge the dark thoughts looming in his head.
Part of him worried Lucy was already gone, that the guards took matters into their own hands and put her down. Natsu struggled to get a grip with himself, doing his best to push down the thoughts that wanted nothing more than to torment him.
If Makarov said Lucy was still alive, he was going to believe him.
He had to believe him, otherwise he didn't know what he was going to do.
Natsu focused on Makarov's voice, trying to use that as an anchor so his mind wouldn't wander. He lowered his hand with everyone else after their leader nodded his head, accepting the majority vote.
"We'll wait forty-eight hours. If Lucy shows no sign of infection, she'll be released. I think that sounds more than fair."
Makarov narrowed his eyes, the small man looking somewhat intimidating as he gave them a warning. "No one is to disturb her. The less contact she has the better. We don't know how this infection spreads, and we can't take any risks."
Makarov took a deep breath, his brows pinching together as his voice grew grim. "Now that that's solved, we need to address the issue with the pets at Fairy Tail."
Natsu's eyes widened, his body slowly growing numb as Makarov kept going, his words bringing no comfort.
"I believe the dog carried the infection. I don't know how it did it, but that's what I believe. Maybe it had some infected blood on its teeth when it bit Warcry? Maybe some infected blood from Warcry's clothes got in the wound on accident? I don't know, but I still think the dog is responsible."
Natsu felt pressure on his chest as the people around him nodded, agreeing with their leader. He was terrified of what Makarov would say next, trepidation making his blood run cold.
"All the pets on base need to be locked up until we figure out what's going on."
That was enough to snap Natsu out of his frozen state, refusing to accept that. He didn't hesitate to protest, his voice roaring as he yelled, "You can't take Happy away from me!" He wasn't the only one yelling, Sting, Rogue, and a few others joined in, all angry with Makarov's decision.
Natsu glared daggers at Makarov, but the man didn't relent. In fact, he had the audacity to sound upset when he said, "We already took them."
"What?" Natsu tried to ask, but his voice got lost in the crowd, people shouting too many things for him to pinpoint everything. He heard a few things, but they didn't make him feel better, his stomach churning at the thought of them taking his beloved friend away. They couldn't do that. He didn't understand why they'd take away his companion.
"We should just get rid of all the pets!"
Natsu wished more people disagreed with that statement, but he heard several people adding similar thoughts, everything from banishing the pets to straight up putting them down. It made Natsu sick, bile rising in his throat at the thought of losing his friend. He didn't care how safe Fairy Tail was. He would rather leave than let them harm an innocent animal.
"I don't believe a dog bit Warcry! The clearers are just covering something up!"
That got more of an uproar than the other comments, the clearers yelling that they were there and saw the whole thing with their own eyes. It was quickly turning ugly in the arena, but Natsu remained still, his glare trained on Makarov.
"THAT'S ENOUGH!"
Everyone fell silent as they looked at the bleachers. Laxus now stood beside his grandfather, towering over the crowd of worried people. After shooting everyone a warning glare, he took a step back, allowing Makarov to have the floor again.
Clearing his throat, Makarov prepared himself for what he was about to say. "I believe Laxus when he says a dog bit Warcry. If we start doubting everyone's word, we'll have chaos. The pets are being quarantined as well until we figure out what's going on. There's nothing more you can do right now. Everyone needs to get back to work!"
Makarov took a deep breath, eyes scanning the crowd. "I'll hold a meeting during dinner tonight to discuss if there's any changes. So far the pets and Lucy have shown no signs of infection. Everyone needs to focus on their daily tasks to keep this base running. We don't know if that gunfire earlier drew more in, so we need to check it out before we get too many of them at our fences. Clearers and runners, go back to get your weapons. You'll be staying close to the base today to guard it. Everyone else, go to work. We all need to work together, otherwise we'll fall."
Makarov held their stares, waiting until someone made the first move. It took a moment, but finally a few people nodded before turning, heading towards the exits. The more people joined them, the more relaxed Makarov looked, but his body remained more tense than usual.
He looked through the crowd, seeing the few individuals who refused to budge an inch. He sighed, tone reflecting the irritation that morning had already caused. "If you have a pet, you can stay behind."
Natsu didn't care if he got permission or not. He was going to stay and find out what the hell was going on. It wasn't fair that they took Happy away from him, especially without telling him about it until the deed was already done. He felt betrayed by their leader.
He thought Fairy Tail was a place for people to feel safe, but how was he supposed to do that when he knew people came and took as they pleased? It was no secret Makarov had master keys for every door in the buildings, but Natsu never thought he'd use them in such a way.
Makarov waited until the few pet owners were left, all of them gathered at the bottom of the bleachers. Laxus stayed behind, his presences a reminder that they shouldn't get physical when demanding answers, otherwise they would be in a world of pain.
Sting was the first to address everyone's concerns, his voice strained as he asked, "Where'd you take them?"
Makarov looked over the pet owners, sadness in his eyes when he said, "We put them in cages in an empty classroom. They'll be secured there until we figure out what to do."
"How long is that gonna take?" Natsu asked, unable to keep the bite out of his tone. He was angry, his blood running hot and his hands shaking by his sides. He wanted to go see Happy and Lucy now instead of getting a bullshit answer that didn't actually answer anything.
"I don't know," Makarov said, eyes falling on Natsu. "They'll be fed and watered until we know what to do."
"What does that even mean?" Wendy asked, her meek voice causing Natsu to turn his head to look at her. His heart broke when he saw tears in her eyes, Grandeeney holding her hand while the other was wrapped around her body in an attempt to protect herself. "You're not going to k-k—"
"We don't plan on killing any of the animals," Makarov said, as if that would put an end to that thought.
Natsu wasn't buying it. He had heard what the crowd said. They would rather kill so they would feel safe, even if the creature they killed hadn't hurt anyone. "If anyone hurts Happy I'm—" Natsu started, but his voice cut out when Laxus took a step down from the bleachers, clearly riled by Natsu's aggressive behavior.
Laxus held Natsu's stare, his voice rough but firm. "Don't say anything you'll regret."
Natsu had to bite his tongue to prevent himself from doing just that, frustrated at the turn of events. He thought it was ridiculous they would think Happy was infected. Natsu had him since before the outbreak started, and that cat had never been too close to a zombie in the first place. Natsu always protected Happy, so the idea of his cat having the virus was asinine.
Natsu huffed through his nose, his eyes narrowed as he let a low growl rumble in his chest. "If anyone decides to put Happy down, I wanna leave with him before that can happen."
Makarov's eyes widened, but Natsu didn't think it was that shocking. Happy was one of his best friends, and he'd rather die than let someone hurt his friend. If he had the choice, he would leave Fairy Tail with Happy safe than to have someone kill Happy 'just in case'. He knew it wasn't safe off base, but he would take that chance, with or without his friends joining him.
"Me too," Rogue immediately said, Sting nodding beside him.
Grandeeney cleared her throat, giving Wendy's hand a squeeze before she agreed. "We'll leave too."
"No one has to leave," Makarov quickly said, holding his hands up. "No harm with come to your pets. You have my word. We have Levy and Eve in charge of their care. I trust them to keep them safe. There's also a guard watching their room just like there's one watching Lucy's."
Natsu's heart pounded faster at the mention of Lucy. He needed to see Happy and her to make sure they were really safe. He was starting to think everyone's word wasn't as reliable as it should've been, and that doubt only made him more wary.
"I want to see Happy," Natsu announced, pulling a frustrated sigh from Makarov when everyone else demanded they see their pets as well.
"You can see them after work. They're all being taken care of, so you don't need to worry about that. Just focus on today, then you can see them." Makarov paused before his shoulders fell. "Honestly, this is just a precaution. I don't think they're infected. It's just to make sure everyone calms down. Your pets are safer being guarded than left alone in your rooms all day while your at work. We just need everyone to calm down before they can be released. Okay?"
Makarov earned a few nods, but Natsu wasn't one of them, his teeth clenched as he waited for something more concrete. However, he didn't get it, Makarov dismissing the group a moment later. Natsu stayed behind, but Makarov and Laxus didn't look surprised by his stubbornness.
"I want to see Lucy," Natsu said, deciding that was who he needed to see first. He trusted Levy. If she was taking care of Happy, he was in good hands. Lucy on the other hand, was a mystery. He had no idea who was guarding her, or how she was doing. He needed to see her and make sure she was okay. The empty feeling in his stomach wouldn't allow for anything less.
"You can, later," Makarov said, but that answer wasn't good enough.
Natsu shook his head, reminding himself not to get too aggressive since Laxus wouldn't hesitate to put him in his place if he got unruly. "I want to see her now." He wouldn't budge, and Makarov must have realized that.
With a sigh, Makarov slowly nodded his head, looking up to address his grandson. "You should go join the others. I want all the clearers and runners guarding the base today. Just go a mile or two in each direction and make sure the gunshots didn't attract any. Okay?"
Laxus grunted before narrowing his eyes at Natsu. "Don't do anything stupid," he warned, letting that be his parting words before he left.
Natsu's chest constricted, but he pushed past the uncomfortable feeling, knowing he had to be strong. Lucy was probably panicking, and he had to show her everything would be fine.
Even if he didn't believe it himself.
Natsu hesitated before opening his mouth, feeling less sure of himself as he said, "The same goes for Lucy. If she's not infected and you guys want to hurt her, I want to leave with her before that can happen." Natsu didn't know Lucy as well. He hadn't formed a strong bond with her like he had with Happy, but he felt pretty confident in his decision.
If she didn't show any signs of changing, yet they wanted to put her down just in case, he would rather leave with her safe than to stand by and let them kill her. He didn't want to leave his friends, but part of him hoped they would be willing to go with him. They didn't know Lucy well, but they were all caring people. He hoped they would see things the same way.
But, hopefully it wouldn't come to that.
Everyone was panicked from the incident with Warcry, making them act outrageous. 'Maybe they'll calm down and things can go back to normal. They're probably just in shock or something.. Things'll work out... right?'
"You don't have to worry about that," Makarov said, his voice holding more confidence than Natsu felt. "No one will hurt her unless she turns." He stepped off the bleachers, gesturing for Natsu to follow him. "If you break any of the rules I've set out, I won't hesitate to punish you. Got it?"
Natsu nodded, but Makarov couldn't see it, his eyes facing forward. "Yeah. I got it."
"Good. This is a serious matter. We're not quarantining her for the fun of it. We need to keep everyone safe, even if that means making a few people uncomfortable by doing so."
Natsu tried controlling his anger as they left the arena and made their way to the annex. Fire burned in Natsu's eyes when they walked through the doors, entering the building attached to the school. He didn't know where they were holding Lucy, but luckily for him, Makarov was leading the way.
"Down this hall," the old man said, sounding as if he had a long day despite it still being morning. Natsu couldn't blame him for that, feeling worn out too, physically, emotionally, and mentally. He wanted to rest, but there were more important things to take care of, giving him a surge of energy as he pressed on.
Natsu clenched his teeth once they rounded a corner, his eyes fixing on the lone guard in the hall. It wasn't hard for Natsu to connect the dots. The guard was armed, standing in front of a door. He had to be the one looking over the room they were holding Lucy in.
Natsu swallowed, his throat raw from all the screaming he did earlier. He would be shocked if they didn't have zombies knocking at their gates with the commotion they made, but then again, they were good when it came to clearing areas. Even when an area was deemed cleared, sometimes they would send people back out to double check older areas to make sure no wanders found their way to those sections.
Natsu released his breath when they stopped in front of the guard. He had to remind himself to keep his cool, letting Makarov do all the talking. He tried peeking in the small window on the door, but he only saw the boarded up windows and the empty walls. Without taking a step closer, he was unable to see if Lucy was even in there, or more importantly, if she was unharmed.
His heart raced, worried for his friend. He may not have known her as long as his other friends, but that didn't mean he didn't care about her safety. If anyone had laid a finger on her, he swore he would burn the sorry son of a bitch to ash.
Rules be damned.
"Natsu's going to visit with her for a few minutes," Makarov explained, looking up at said man. "I can't open the door for you, but you may speak to her through it if you wish. I'm going to go check on some things. When I come back you better be ready to go to work."
Natsu nodded once, his eyes trained on the door. He didn't notice the guard stepping away to give him some privacy, but he did notice the extra lock on the door. It could only be opened from the outside, meaning Lucy couldn't try to escape even if she wanted to.
Natsu waited until Makarov was walking away before stepping closer, his hands resting on the door. He looked through the small window, thankful the door came with one since not every door at Fairy Tail did.
He found Lucy instantly since there was nothing else distracting him in the room. A single bed and blanket were the only other things occupying the room besides Lucy, her small body buried under the covers. The only way he knew she was there was the stands of blonde hair peeking out from the blanket, though they were a bit darker than usually. He figured she would've washed the blood off, so he didn't pay that any mind.
Natsu swallowed before knocking on the door, seeing Lucy flinch immediately. His heart fell when she tried hiding more, letting him know she wasn't in the mood for visitors. He should have left her alone, but he couldn't. He needed to make sure she was alright, physically and mentally.
He knocked again softer before saying, "Lucy. It's me, Natsu."
Natsu's eyes widened when he saw Lucy throw the blanket off, her head moving until she was looking at the door. When their eyes locked, she parted her lips, but he didn't think she said anything since she didn't move her mouth.
Lucy pushed the messy hair from her face before standing, her wobbly legs carrying her towards the door. He saw she was wearing different clothes than earlier. The only thing that was the same was the pair of shoes she owned, but the shirt and shorts were new. Not only that, she no longer had her jackets, but Natsu understood why. They were covered in blood, and without a current laundry detail, it wasn't likely they were going to let her keep the bloody clothes.
Natsu clenched his teeth when Lucy stopped in front of the door, her hand reaching towards the handle before pulling back, probably realizing she wouldn't be able to open it. She shook her head, her eyes flooding with tears as she pressed a hand to the bottom of the window.
"Wh-wh—" Lucy coughed, clearing her throat. Natsu had to strain his ears to hear her through the door, and even then her voice still sounded muffled. He wished the door wasn't between them.
He wished none of it was happening. It was supposed to be a regular Friday. Wake up, eat breakfast, go to work, relax, eat dinner, hang out, then go to bed. Just like every other day. No one was supposed to get hurt.
"Are you okay?" Natsu asked, placing his hand on the door, wishing he could burn a hole through it. He didn't think she was infected. Her eyes may have been watery, but they were clear, not bloodshot. Her skin wasn't a sickly pale, instead flushed on her cheeks and neck. He wasn't an expert, but he thought she was just fine, physically anyway.
Lucy shook her head, her lower lip trembling as she struggled to talk, reminding Natsu of the progress she had lost. He hoped it wasn't permanent, but he wouldn't blame her if it was. She went through something traumatic. Not many people battled hand-to-hand with a zombie and lived to tell the tale.
"N-no," she said, tears breaking away to fall down her cheeks. "I-I'm n-not."
Natsu's chest tightened, wishing he could help her somehow. He knew he couldn't try busting her out of there. It would only make things worse. "You're gonna be fine," he said, hoping he was telling the truth. "Makarov's gonna keep you separated for forty-eight hours, then you'll be good."
Her eyes widened, fear crossing that deep brown. He frowned, knowing he wasn't comforting her, but he had to let her know what was going on. She had a right to know.
"It's not so bad," he lied, thinking he would be miserable in her place. She was being held as a prisoner, and she hadn't even done anything wrong. She was being punished after being attacked. It wasn't okay in any sense of the word. Still, he continued, wanting to ease her stress. "You don't gotta go to work for two days. That's... something."
Natsu reluctantly turned away from her to search for the guard, finding him leaning against the opposite wall staring at the ground. "Hey," Natsu said, startling the guy. "She's still gonna get fed and stuff, right?"
The guard nodded, letting his rifle hang on the sling around his body before crossing his arms. "Yeah. Yukino's supposed to be coming by in a few hours to take her to the bathroom too. She's gonna get taken care of."
Natsu breathed a sigh of relief, happy to hear the news. While Lucy wouldn't be in the best mental state, she was going to be treated well, all things considered. He turned towards her, seeing the uneasiness written on her face. "Sorry," he said, unable to think of anything else to say.
Lucy took a shaky breath, her fingers curling against the border of the window. "Am... I-I in... infected?"
Natsu flinched, not expecting that question. He recovered fast, shaking his head so she wouldn't have a chance to panic. "I don't think so. Everyone I've seen changed pretty fast. If you got bit or scratched I think you'd be..." He had to take a deep breath, calming his racing heart. "You'd be dead by now if you got bit."
He inspected her face, his brows pinching together when he saw the bruise forming on her nose. He didn't know why he didn't notice it earlier. Anger flooded him in an instant, his voice almost a snarl as he asked, "What happened to your nose?"
Lucy's hand left the window to cover her nose, but it did nothing to take away his growing fury. She shook her head, stumbling over her words as she tried explaining. "My sh-shovel, I— Wh-when I-I fell, I—"
"Did someone hurt you?" he asked, not liking the way she hesitated before muttering a no. "Then what happened?" She didn't have that bruise when she woke up. He was sure of it. "If someone hurt you, you need to tell me!"
Natsu's eyes widened when she flinched away from the door. He muttered a curse, realizing he let his temper scare her. "I'm sorry," he mumbled, unsure if she could hear him. He raised his voice, but didn't shout like before. "What... What happened?"
For a moment, Natsu was met with silence. He wondered how much progress had been lost. Would it take months to get her back to how she was before breakfast, or would she decide it wasn't worth trying to get better? He didn't want to be pessimistic, but it did seem like every time she made some solid progress, something happened to knock her back again. It was exhausting for him, so he could only imagine how she felt.
Lucy scrubbed her face with the back of her hands, her skin and eyes red, but not from an infection, just from the overwhelming stress of the situation she was in. "I..." Lucy gulped before pointing at the ground. He furrowed his brows in confusion, needing a better explanation than that. "Fell," she started, her lips curling back to show her clenched teeth.
Some of his anger dissipated, realizing she was just as frustrated with herself as he was. His eyes softened, heart sinking a little as he said, "Take your time. It's okay." If she said no one hurt her, he believed her, but something had to have happened to make her nose bruise like that. He didn't see Warcry hit her face when he was on top of her, leading him to believe something happened after the incident.
Lucy nodded slowly, wrapping an arm around her waist before releasing a long breath. "I... fell." She pointed to the ground again, but instead of letting his confusion get the better of him, Natsu waited patiently. "M-my shovel... it w-was on the gr... ground."
Realization hit Natsu as his lips parted, understanding what happened now. "You hit your nose on the shovel?"
She nodded again, dropping her arms to her side. "Y-yes."
Natsu released the last bit of anger he was holding onto. He didn't know what he'd do if someone hurt Lucy, but he knew it wouldn't end well. He vowed to keep her safe, but he already felt like a failure. He thought her being on base would guarantee her safety, but he was wrong.
Dead wrong.
"I'm sorry," he said, seeing the confusion in her eyes.
She raised a hand, touching the tip of her nose with a finger before wincing. "It's o-okay. Y-you didn't d-do it."
Natsu shook his head, swallowing down some self-loathing. "That's not what I mean... I'm... I'm sorry I wasn't able to protect you earlier." He could make excuses about being held back, but they wouldn't make a difference. He said he would protect her, but he was unable to do so.
Lucy's eyes widened before she took a step closer to the door. "It's n-not... not your f-fault."
Natsu wasn't convinced, clenching his teeth as he struggled to keep her gaze. He didn't know if she was telling the truth or just trying to make him feel better, but she took another step towards the door, her voice almost too soft for him to hear her when she spoke. "I don't... I d-don't blame you."
Natsu felt his shoulders and jaw relaxing, the tension stored in his body fading away. His chest lightened, some of the guilt gone. He blamed himself for Lucy being in there, but she didn't. He was the only one holding himself accountable for something he didn't do.
Natsu exhaled slowly, nodding as he tried accepting what she said as true. That didn't mean he was okay with knowing she got hurt, or was put in danger. He thought her being on base would make her safe, but clearly they had to rethink their rules and protocols, that way nothing like that ever happened again.
Natsu opened his mouth to tell her thank you for saying that, but his voice cut out when he heard something from down the hall. He turned his head just in time to see Makarov making his way around the corner, Natsu's heart sinking when he realized he was out of time.
"Shit," he muttered, not ready to say goodbye yet. There was more he wanted to talk to her about. He hadn't even found out what happened after she left with Macao. He had a good idea since he saw part of it, but he wanted to know more details. Not only that, he wanted to make sure she was in the right mental state before he left, but it looked like he wasn't going to have enough time for either.
Natsu looked at Lucy, his stomach in knots as he asked, "Is there anything you need? I'm gonna come back tonight to talk to ya... if that's okay?"
Lucy nodded as she wrapped her arms around herself. "C-can you br-bring Happy?"
Natsu's heart fell, the heaviness he felt earlier coming back like it had never left. He didn't have the heart to tell her Happy had been taken away, his throat tightening just thinking about muttering the words. She didn't need anymore stress.
"I'll... I'll..." He wanted to lie and tell her he would see if he could find him, but he couldn't do it. He couldn't lie to her. He could see it in her eyes. It was small, but that didn't matter to Natsu. He could see Lucy was trusting his word, and he wouldn't break that trust, even if it meant telling her something she didn't want to hear.
Natsu shook his head, seeing the confusion and hurt in Lucy's eyes before he told her the reason. "They... They're quarantining the animals too, since a dog bite probably started all this." Natsu took a deep breath, needing it to calm himself down. He didn't want to think about how scared Happy must have been feeling at that moment, locked up in a cage without Natsu to give him comfort.
'I'll see Happy when I get off work,' Natsu reminded himself, thankful Levy was watching over him.
Natsu grit his teeth when he felt the back of his eyes pricking, refusing to cry. He didn't have time for it. He dug his nails into his palms as he blinked, ridding himself of his tears. "I-I don't know when Happy's gonna be released. They didn't say, but... h-hopefully it's not too long."
He didn't know what he was supposed to do or think. Everything was getting out of hand too fast to keep up with. His frown deepened as he pushed the ill feelings down, knowing he had to wrap it up. Any second he was going to have to leave, so he needed to use his time wisely.
"Levy's watchin' him, so he's in good hands," Natsu offered, hoping that would help. He saw the tension in Lucy fade a bit, both of them knowing Levy was a kind person. Natsu knew it better, but judging by the way Lucy spoke of Levy when Natsu asked, she thought Levy was nice too. "Look, I gotta go."
He felt a pang in his heart when Lucy flinched. She may not have been ready to say goodbye either, but they didn't have a choice. Makarov was allowing him to go to work late just so he could visit her. Natsu didn't want to disrespect their leader, even if he didn't agree with every decision Makarov made.
"Is there anything else I can bring ya?" Natsu asked, seeing Makarov waiting in the corner of his eye. He hoped the man would allow him a few more seconds, even if he already got more time than he originally expected.
Lucy nodded, swallowing hard as she looked at the lone bed in the room. "M-my blanket?" Her fingers dug into her arms. Natsu couldn't tell through the glass, but he wondered if she had goosebumps on her skin. "It's k-kind of c-cold in here..."
"Yeah, I'll bring it." He would bring her one of his jackets too, and maybe a book. He could afford to let her borrow his phone for a few days as well. Forty-eight hours was going to go by slowly for her. The least he could do was give her a distraction.
Natsu was about to say goodbye, but stopped himself when he saw Lucy open her mouth again.
She lowered her gaze, her body curling in on itself, as if she was trying to appear smaller. "C-can... can you t-tell... Gr-Gray... thanks?"
Natsu blinked, not expecting that from her. He thought back to when Gray killed Warcry, more guilt flooding him when he thought about how he should've been the one protecting Lucy.
Despite the bitter feeling he had from not keeping his word, a small smile surfaced on his lips. He was proud of Gray for defending Lucy, even if Gray would have killed the zombie no matter who it was attacking. Gray could have held back and let someone else take care of it, but he owned it and took charge, putting the zombie down so everyone could be safer, Lucy included.
"Yeah," Natsu breathed, nodding as he saw her look up at him. "I'll let him know."
"Pl-please... come back t-tonight," Lucy said, her tone holding a bit of disbelief.
He wouldn't let her down, knowing he would visit her once he saw Happy and made sure his cat was alright. "I promise, I'll be by tonight."
Lucy gulped before nodding, her small frame shaking a bit, either from the cold or her nerves, or perhaps both. Natsu wished he could say the right thing to make her feel better, but he was at a loss for words. He looked down at Makarov, seeing the man's patience running thin, which was saying something since Makarov was one of the most patient people he knew.
Natsu turned to Lucy, knowing it was time for him to go. "Do me a favor? Just be good and this'll all be over soon." It wasn't fair, but she still had to obey, otherwise they might really take matters into their own hands.
Natsu forced himself to smile more, surprised when it wasn't that hard to do it. It helped that he believed his words, putting a lot of trust in Makarov's promise to not hurt Lucy unless she turned. "You're not infected. It's just a matter of waiting it out. Just keep focusin' on you. Okay?"
He waited until Lucy nodded before breathing a sigh of relief. "I'll see ya later."
Lucy whimpered when Natsu took a step away, his heart falling when she put her hand on the glass again. "Bye," she whispered, Natsu unable to hear her voice, only knowing what she said by reading her lips.
He swallowed thickly, his stomach twisting violently as he turned away from her. "Bye."
Natsu's mind raced as he walked away from Lucy, angry with how things were turning out. Her and Happy were locked up, but there was nothing he could do about it except wait. He had to trust that everything would work out for the best.
Considering how shitty things were, he figured everything was bound to get better soon. Natsu didn't think things could get any worse, but it wouldn't be long until he found out he was wrong yet again.
.
.
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Natsu hasn't heard about what the guards did to Lucy yet, but it won't be long until he gets an idea of what went down. Let me know what you thought of this chapter or of Makarov's decision/everyone's reaction. People are scare for their lives. They're going to think and do some reckless shit in their panic. How do you think you'd handle it if you were in Natsu's shoes? Anyone like Lucy's reaction to seeing Natsu? She really needed to see him.
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Up next, Chapter Twenty-Four: Overwhelmed
Wonder who's overwhelmed?