Hey everybody!

We are back for another chapter!

I will apologize in advance,

This chapter is quite short and very poor quality

And I really hope it isn't too bad that you dislike it!

I'm am quite overwhelmed by school, dance and I'm also taking

Japanese classes so you can imagine it's a bit hard to find time to write when

I'm always coming home and passing out.

Anyway sorry again for the delay in my updates.

Enjoy!

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'Never know who you can trust, how far hate is from love-'

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Chapter 5: Hello Fear

~QOoOQ~

Lucy smiled lightly at the sleeping forms of the twins, they were so adorable. It had been a two weeks since Lucy decided to watch over Gem and Mini, Ms. Karen, as promised, had spoken to her superiors about the twins case and since they were special case, an immediate response was given. She had been turned down. They reasoned that the children needed a provider who had a regular schedule and could come home to them easily. A detective could not do either nor did they have normal hours.

Although, Ms. Karen brought up the proposition of just caring for the children for a little while, and having her friends get comfortable around them before handing them over and when they again, said no, she brought up the possible danger Gem and Mini were in. Ms. Karen's superiors had hesitated at that fact, it seemed they hadn't considered them to be targeted and after much debate, they reluctantly allowed Lucy to watch over the twins under the rule that Ms. Karen visit frequently to check up on the children. Lucy had no objections, the woman was tolerable and she liked Gem and Mini enough to do that for them.

It had been three days since the twins were discharged from the hospital and three days since they settled into her home.

Erik walked into the first unit headquarters a few hours later and nodded at his brother and sister before placing a file on the large table in the center of theorem. "Results came back from the lab on the fingerprints collected at the hotel and the crime scene. The bomb is the same as the last, another basic pipe bomb." Erik opened the file and held up a photo of a young blonde male, with dark and pointed eyes. "Fingerprints were compared to ones stored away in our criminal database and we found a match."

"A previous criminal?"

Erik nodded at Erza, "His name is Jackal Heat, he was previously convicted under arsonist charges and domestic abuse against his previous girlfriend, Seilah Moon who was also a convicted criminal charged with substance abuse and illegal dealing under the black market." He moved on, "Jackal was released a year ago on good behavior and parole but has had frequent visits to the hospital since his release-it's been revealed that Jackal has a psychiatric problem from past traumas."

"Like what?"

"He refused t give a straight answer but the assumption is a problem with his family from when he was younger."

Lucy paused a moment, "Is there any information on his family?"

"The father's identity isn't known but his mother was a former drug-addicted; her names Sakura Heat, age thirty-nine and has one other child-a daughter, Maria." Erik pulled out another photo of a young girl who looked similar to Jackal, a bright smile on her face and heavy dimples on her cheeks. "She's seven years old and her father is Shusuke Akizuki. Her parents are not married but are living together."

"Is there any chance that she would be willing to be questioned?" Mystogan asked, staring at the photo of Seilah.

Erik shook his head, "I doubt you'll get a word out of her, she despises the police."

"Any reasons as to why?" Natsu asks, staring at the photo of Seilah; she's a pretty woman, there was no doubt of that but it was the slightly cold look in her eye that told a different story.

"She refused to say," Erik answered. "I can't really tell you much; Laxus could provide a bit more information than I can, considering he was shadowing the person who dealt with this case."

"Would I still be able to attempt to obtain information from her?"

"You could try," Erik nodded, handing her the profile of Seliah. "I don't want you going alone however; Seliah may not have an alarming criminal record but we don't know how violent she can get with a cop if they insist on speaking with her."

"She wasn't going to be going alone anyway," Natsu told him; draping an arm around his partners' shoulders as she read through the profile (he was secretly glad that she hadn't attempted to push him away.) "Partners are supposed to protect each other, and that is what I will do."

"Anyway," Laxus interrupted, effectively diverting Erik's glare from Natsu and onto the table in front of them. "We've been trying to figure out what the hell Jackal has planned with this map-still can't believe he was so reckless as to leave this behind." Lucy snorted lightly and shook her head, switching her focus on the map she allowed her partners arm to fall from her shoulders to her back as she leaned forward to observe the map.

"It seems he only has twelve bombings planned; two of which he has already been successful with, that being The local Zoo and Oscar's Art Store, He has those two places labeled on their location with Z and O." Gray pointed two the two spots crossed off with re marker and then shifted to the other letters surrounding them. "There are ten more letters, k,d,I,c,I,l,e,r,l and a over locations we can presume to be his next targets however it's the order of which he is going to start in that we're unsure."

"Thank you for that Captain Obvious."

"I think he is trying to spell out something," Erza observed. "An accomplice perhaps? Or maybe a message? I doubt he is doing this just for fun if he has a layout of what he was doing; usually crimes that are purely done for the enjoyment are sporadic."

"If I could perhaps interrupt," Levy looked down at the map, "There aren't many words that begin with the letters Z and O, the map most likely spells out two separate words as well considering the amount of letters there are and limited vocabulary starting with Z." She sighed in frustration, licking her lips and desperately trying to articulate her thoughts. "Jackal said something about sins did he not? So if his crime is not only related to whatever he is trying to communicate through this map, but also in his words, why would he want to kill people by bombing them?"

"Sinning," Mystogan mumbled, briefly glancing at the map. "He's trying to eradicate humans by burning them and their sins."

"Exactly," Levy snapped her fingers.

"But he cannot kill everyone in the world, that's near impossible." Laxus observed.

"Yes, and I'm sure Jackal knows this, however the influence he has on people-bringing fourth fear from them by murdering countless people may-in his thoughts- try and rid themselves of their sinful ways."

"So he's trying to influence people to be like he wants them."

Levy nodded, "But if you think about it, Jackal may be trying to spell out a higher being-or what he thinks to be a holy being."

"What do you mean?" Gray looked at her, nothing was making sense in the way of her thinking but perhaps that was just what they needed. "Something like a God or deity?"

"That's what I'm thinking," she nodded. "Obviously it isn't the actually being that he is speaking about, but a human posing to be one or one holding his head higher than one."

"You mean, thinking they're better than a god?" Natsu laughed, "That is ridiculous."

"Perhaps to you but to Jackal, not so much." Levy continued, "I don't know of any Gods or deities with a Z at the beginning of their name other than Zeus but he doesn't have an O."

"Lucy? Do you know of any other than Zeus?"

Lucy shook her head at her brother, "There are a few more, in terms of Greek mythology, however the next letter in their names each start with an E not an O."

Levy nodded, "There aren't any names correlating with Z and O but there is a title of a group with those same two letters." She traces a line with a black marker from each letter, "The zodiac. We usually hear of them as the constellations however they have their back stories in Greek Mythology, all of which did an act worthy of having them placed in the sky to be remembered. The Zodiac were all holy beings, and never committed a sin."

"If what you said about there being an accomplice is true and that Jackal may believe they are of greater importance than the zodiac then the next word actually quite easy to decipher." Mystogan said before taking a blue marker and connecting the remaining letters together. "Zodiac Killer would be the final results."

Natsu glanced down at his partner when he felt her tense beneath his arm, her face had gone pale and her pupils had dilated to accommodate the wideness of her eyes. "Levy are you sure that's what this says?" Laxus asked suddenly, glancing at his sister from time to time.

She nodded, 'Almost a hundred percent, it makes sense as well. The Zodiac Killer made himself a name a few years back when he attacked a single mother and her daughter at home, effectively killing the mother and leaving the daughter just barely alive. He had burned part of the house and escaped before police could arrive but he hadn't left enough evidence behind to track him down properly. It seems he's making a comeback now."

"Mavis that's terrible," Erza gasped. "I couldn't imagine what that little girl must have gone through. Do we have any information about her? She could help us catch him."

"No, there wasn't much information from that file-it's been years so some things could have been misplaced over time."

It was almost laughable at how shaken she was over such a small discovery and she silently reprimanded herself for not being more professional about the whole situation. A terrible feeling was taking over her and she felt sick to her stomach. Her head was aching and the marks on her back that had long since healed were beginning to burn. She was paranoid; Lucy knew however she couldn't calm the rising fear that was building with her.

She found it ironic how just a title could put so much fear into her and yet being at the hands of a criminal with a bomb held little to no affect on her. She was still so weak. "Luce, are you okay?" She was a liar. Natsu continued to look at her for a moment before staring at their co-workers surrounding the table in the middle of the room, "You look sick."

Perhaps she did, she wouldn't doubt that her skin had turned a sickly color. "I'm just a little tired." She was, mentally-at least.

"How about a coffee?" Natsu glanced at her, "I'll buy." He seemed worried, she couldn't fathom why he would be worried about a person he barely knew but that was their job really, to worry about the well-being of civilians that they had no connection with. Perhaps he was just viewing her as another person who needed saving. She didn't need it.

"I'll take you up on that offer." Anything to get out of the suffocating room. Natsu appeared pleased when she agreed, gently taking her hand to pull her out of the room.

"Seeing as I don't know much about you-" Natsu started once he released her hand and slowed his pace to walk beside her, "-would you mind telling me a few things about yourself?" Lucy glanced at him; did he not already know she disliked sharing personal information?

"What need is there for you to know more about me?" She asked instead and he shrugged while she looked away and focused on the pedestrians surrounding them as they walked, "You only need to know my capabilities when working and the pace at which I like to work."

"However I do not know all those things," He pointed out to her, letting out a little laugh when she made a noise of disapproval. "Also, it's better to get a better relationship with your partner to improve our work performance while we work on cases together." Another reason why she preferred to work as a solo detective, having to form unnecessary relationships.

"Well then that means I will have to learn unnecessary things about you as well," She observed lamely and he nodded, bumping his arm into her own playfully.

"How about you start by telling me things you like and dislike," Natsu suggested simply, "I already know your name and the preference you have for it along with your family-Laxus and Cobra." She was appreciated him leaving out her father.

"Well I love reading," she started awkwardly. An odd feeling it was to be sharing things about her that she usually didn't talk about with anyone. "I actually would like to write a book one day."

"Why don't you?" He asked with a smile, "I'm sure you would be a great author."

"I doubt anyone would read it," she told him with a small laugh, as terrible as it sounded she really did believe that, "besides I'm not any good,"

"I would read it." He told her, a bright grin on his face, "And I'm sure you are an amazing writer Lucy, you just need to believe it yourself." She shrugged and looked away. "Anything else you like?'

"I'm interested in astronomy," she told him, her arms coming to circle behind her back as she straightened herself a little more. "I had actually considered a career in it for awhile before I decided to become a detective."

"You find this job to be your calling?"

"You could sort of say that." She thought a moment, trying to think of what else she could tell him, perhaps she could move on to things she disliked-he didn't need to know everything she liked. "It annoys me when people where their shoes in the house."

"Thank you!" He shouted in exasperating, "Someone gets it!"

"So I'm not the only one."

"No, quite frankly I don't see why you would want to wear shoes inside the house when they've been worn outside already, tracks in bacteria." Lucy nodded in agreement, because it did, excluding the visible marks shoes could leave on the floor form dirt, whatever was on the ground could bring in some nasty pathogens. "Like, what if you stepped in some dog shit-washing it off with the house isn't gonna clean them properly and then you wear them in the house-" She laughed when he gagged at his own thought.

"My brother could care less about all that," she admitted honestly. "Whenever he comes over, he claims to forget that he is wearing his shoes and strolls right through my clean living room!" Natsu made of face of mocked horror and play a hand over his mouth.

"I'm shocked," He looked to her, "I always thought Cobra to be a germaphobe."

"He is," Lucy laughed. "I was talking about Laxus." He paused at her words and gave her an inquisitive look.

"Wait, really?" When she nodded he blinked and turned to look back in front of him, walking with her when the lights changed and allowed them to walk across the street. "Wow, I'm disappointed in Sparky." She snorted at the nickname but nodded anyway. Oddly enough, as they continued to talk about themselves, Lucy found his small comments and genuine interest in her endearing and slightly less annoying than what he had been.

"Hey Luce?" He called, breaking the silence as they stood in line, waiting for their drinks. Lucy hummed to let him know she was listening. "Would you mind telling me why you looked so scared in first unit before we left?" He asked before rushing to assure her, "You don't have to tell me if you don't want, I'm just worried."

"But why?" She couldn't see a reason for his worry when they barely knew each other, sure they had been trying to create some sort of relationship to improve their partnership however she couldn't understand why he was so concerned with her. "You barely know me, we've been partners for only a month and you are only learning about me now. Why are you so worried about me?'

"Well isn't it natural to be worried about a friend?" He asked, "I realize we aren't close enough to casually start up a conversation that doesn't involve work nor are we close enough to go out for lunch or something during our breaks however you are a part of first unit now, Luce."

"What does that have to do with this."

"First unit is a family," he explained with a rather proud smile. "Now that you are in first unit, you've become a part of that family. We may be a little annoying at times and argue frequently-" she snorted. "-but we all care for each other."

"What about you and Gray?"

"Nah, that ice-bastard can go, he's on his own." She laughed but despite his words, Lucy could tell that he did care a bit for his "rival". "My point is that, I don't like seeing my family upset so I want to see f there is anything I can do to help." She felt a little odd hearing him call her family, her chest felt warm all of a sudden and maybe it was because she had just taken a sip of her freshly made coffee or maybe it was the way Natsu so passionately talked about people he considered to be his family. She wished her father was like that, valuing his family over everything.

"I don't think you can really help Natsu." She smiled despite herself, "but I will thank you for worrying about me, you don't need to thought, I'm capable of taking care of myself." She was stubborn and didn't like help and she wasn't quite willing to become much closer with her partner despite his eagerness to become close with her. She wasn't sure what to think just yet, this man-child was giving her whiplash with the way he could change her opinion on him so quickly.

"I might." He told her, "You won't know until you try."

"I think this one doesn't need to be attempted for me to know Natsu," it didn't, because she knew that he wouldn't be able to help her. This was something beyond him. "Anyway, you were telling me about your brother…"

"Oh yeah, Zeref, he is a little… different-"

…

There was an orange burn where the sun had been by the time they had finished their reports. They had decided working late would be a better option than picking up again tomorrow which is why there are now multiple empty cups of coffee from the Café down the street. Lucy hadn't gotten much done over the few hours since she got back, she was grateful Natsu had been able to calm her nerves slightly with his friendly attitude however once they stepped back into First Unit Lucy's stomach had begun to turn once again and her headache had returned. Her brother understood and helped her occasionally when he could but her focus was solely on the sky outside, reminding her of the burning flames her house had been.

This was what she wanted though. She wanted him to come back, to appear before her so she could arrest him herself because the police had failed to do so when she was a child. She wanted him thrown into solitude so he couldn't harm anyone and she wanted to be able to proudly stand in front of her mother's grave with the knowledge that she had caught her murderer. However, if she wanted all of this, why was she so afraid?

She was dizzy and nauseous and Lucy was finding it difficult to speak with the fear clawing at her throat, so she mainly kept to herself while she listens to the others and the occasional exception when she would assure her brother and Natsu that she was fine. They were forming a plan on how they were going to prevent further casualties with Jackal's bombing, analyzing the previous incidents over and over to predict the time he may attempt it.

Natsu was sitting beside her at a desk a little further from the rest, she was ordered to answer any calls First Unit got-apparently Guildarts thinks she needed a break and he needed to be a little more attentive and helpful with the situation so he switched with her. She didn't mind too much however, Natsu was helping keep her calm by sitting close to her, not saying much but just occasionally nudging her in concern and throwing a few insults at Gray.

He had quieted down mid-insult when the phone rang and just glared at Gray. Lucy sighed and gripped the receiver, "Hello this is Special Investigations First Unit how may I help." Lucy waited a moment, only hearing light breathing on the other end, "Hello?"

"So I was right."

"Excuse me?"

"So you're a detective now Lucy." She froze at the mention of her name, fingers curling around the phone and gripping it tighter. "It's been so long since I've last spoken to you." The low, melodious voice was giving her Goosebumps, harshly answering him back as she rubbed her arms, waving off her partners concern.

"Who is this?"

"I'm hurt Lucy," the man said, a breathy laugh following. "How could you forget me? We had such fun playing that game when you were little." Her eyes widened, finally recognizing the voice on the other end of the phone. Her breath hitched and her hands were shaking rather violently. "You remember me now? Of course you do how you could not is beyond my knowledge." She could fucking hear him grinning. "I've found you little dead body." The line went dead and the phone dropped from her hand with a resounding clatter that said more than the fear rising in her eyes.

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'-Turn on you before you turn on us, were all just savages.'

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ALaViola: Sorry this took so long for me to update and that it's so short. I've been a little stuck on this part lately but the next few chapters I've already got planned out so this was just the one I was struggling with. Hopefully this wasn't too boring for you, the next chapter will be more exciting, I promise! Thank you guys for reading!

Love it? Hate it? Review!