Hello dear readers! It took a while for me to finish this chapter because I was graduating and can happily say that I have a Master of Science title now, whooh!

I wrote an extra-long chapter this time, I hope will all like it! :D

Thanks for proof-reading, CJ!

''Oh hi, Lucy,'' Natsu casually said.

Just an 'Oh hi?' Lucy felt her astonishment slowly turn to anger.

''Where have you been all this time?''

He looked at her in surprise and leaned back nonchalantly. ''Come on, how long has it been? Five days?''

''Three weeks, Natsu! Three weeks!'' she blurted out, loud enough to make even Gajeel shrink back into the couch, ''You can't just stay away that long without letting us know anything!''

''I don't know where you live,'' her voice started to break, ''I-I don't have your phone number... Nothing!''

He raised a brow, visibly confused by Lucy's sudden outburst.

Lucy furiously broke their eye-contact and turned to Levy. ''Can I borrow this book?''

''Ehrm yes, of course,'' she stammered, a little shaken up as well.

''Thank you so much for having me over,'' she said to Levy and Gajeel, ''but I have to go home now.''

She put the book in her bag and grabbed her coat from the rack.

Levy signaled to Natsu to say something, but he didn't get the hint. She sighed.

''I'm glad you enjoyed it,'' Levy said and turned to Natsu, ''do you need a lift to the bus stop?'' she asked Lucy while eying him.

''I'll be fine, thanks,'' she declined and readied herself to open the door.

Gajeel groaned in frustration when Natsu still didn't move an inch. He gave him an evil glare and pointed at Lucy.

''Go,'' he mouthed.

Lucy opened the door only to find out the sky was pouring down. All that time at the window-less attic had made her unaware of the sudden change in weather. She turned around. Natsu stood in front of her, holding up his car keys.

''I guess you do need a lift after all.''

Lucy was at a loss for words. She was still upset and with every fiber of her being she wanted to yell at him again, but she didn't. For weeks she had wanted to at least hear him, let alone see his face again. They never got the chance to finish their date and she had given up all hope of him ever caring about that.

She exchanged a quick look with Levy, who nodded excitedly. She finally let her shoulders hang and let out a deep sigh.

''Fine,'' she said and snatched the keys from his hand, ''but I drive.''

Natsu blinked a few times as he stared at Lucy running outside, straight through the rain.

Levy and Gajeel couldn't help but laugh out loud at his stunned face.

''Hey!'' he yelled as he ran after her.

Lucy had already taken the passenger's seat and thrown the keys on the driver's seat.

''I don't have a license,'' she admitted with an awkward smile.

Lucy's phone buzzed. She had received a text message from Mirajane, saying Cana was alright and Elfman was looking after her. She quickly typed back a reply when Natsu took place in the car.

He started the car and the air between them grew tense. Lucy occasionally glanced to the side during the ride.

''What do you want to say?'' Natsu broke the silence.

Lucy could feel her face heat up. She wasn't prepared for this at all. ''Nothing? Why?''

''Because you keep looking at me,'' he said, not taking his eyes off the road, ''it feels like you're about to say something all the time.''

Lucy wanted to sink through her seat. Was it that obvious? She let out a deep sigh.

''I just want to know why you didn't let anyone know you needed some time to be alone,'' she said, pretending the raindrops on her window were absolutely fascinating.

''You're still dwelling on that?''

Lucy still looked the other way. ''Yes...''

It remained silent for a few seconds, aside from the windshield wipers squeaking. ''I guess... I'm just not used to people caring about me that much,'' he quietly said.

She looked up from the window, surprised by his honest answer. He was still focusing on the road before him, but his face revealed he was not used to talking about his emotions.

''I believe this is your stop,'' he said and let the car come to a halt.

''It is..'' Lucy said, somewhat let down that their little ride had ended. She stepped out and turned around to say goodbye.

''Can I ask you just one more question?'' Lucy asked, ducking to face him.

''Erhm, yeah, go ahead.''

''What were you doing at Gajeel and Levy's place?''

''You're too nosey, Luce,'' he said. He tried to sound annoyed, but he was bad at pretending, ''Gajeel is an ex-criminal. I needed advice on a lawyer for my brother's trial.''

Lucy felt burdened. ''I'm sorry, I didn't kn-''

''Can I ask you something too?'' he interrupted her.

''Hm?''

''Do I get another chance to end a date properly?''

Lucy almost teared up when she reached the last bus stop and already spotted her apartment in the distance. She hadn't been this happy to be home in a long time. She looked back at the text Mirajane had sent her. She had informed her that she had left Cana at home, but had let her brother come over to observe. Lucy had wondered why Elfman had to stay over, if there was anyone who was never scared to be alone, it was Cana.

She rang the doorbell. Footsteps on the apartment's stairs almost immediately followed. Lucy felt rather uneasy all of a sudden and turned around, almost expecting someone to lurk behind her. It was twilight and the last light of the day had started to make way for the faint lamps of the street lanterns.

Lucy couldn't help but contain a laugh. Elfman was nothing like her mind had visualised the first time Mirajane had mentioned her brother. In her head, he was the male version of her; elegant, slick hair and tall. Tall he was at least. The man before her stood at least two meters tall but was almost just as wide. Lucy had never visited a bodybuilding competition, but she knew for certain he had the body of a winning contestant. His clothes fitted tightly around every muscle and his head almost seemed to disappear into his neck.

''You must be Lucy,'' he said as he held his hand out.

''Yes, I am,'' she said and shook his giant hand, ''nice to meet you, Elfman.''

''By Mira's request, I'm staying on the couch tonight, if you don't mind.''

Lucy gave him a puzzled look. ''I think Cana will be fine, now that she won't be alone.''

Elfman signaled her to come closer. He looked up the stairs and lowered his voice to a whisper. ''Mira and Cana both saw someone lurking around on the street who seemed to be watching your apartment.''

Lucy's earlier feeling of being watched eerily crept up her spine again. ''In that case, be our guest, if you don't fit on the couch, just let me know and I'll drop a spare mattress on the floor.''

They were both startled by footsteps and looked up. Cana stood on the top of the stairs. Even from this distance, Lucy could see the tangled mess her hair had become and the stains of tears beneath her swollen eyes. She came down the stairs and Lucy ran up. They met halfway in a tight, silent hug.

''I'm so sorry Lucy, I have been such a pain in the ass,'' she sobbed into her friend's shoulder.

Lucy smiled through her upwelling tears. ''I haven't been a better friend either,'' she said as she kept Cana closer.

''Are you sure it's around here?'' Cana asked, pulling out books from their shelves one by one.

''According to Levy, there should be a secret library behind this bookshelf,'' Lucy said, ''but she couldn't remember what triggered it.''

After Lucy's return yesterday, they had talked all night. About Cana's cards, Lucy's golden key, and the things they had noticed about the Fairy Tail visitors lately. In particular, the fountain girl Cana had encountered. It all added up with their suspicion of the community home; how it was unfindable online, how other people were not able to see it from the streets and of course the mysterious birthmarks everyone who paid the home a visit seemed to have been born with. They had stayed up till sunrise. Elfman's monstrous snoring kept them awake anyway.

Lucy looked behind her to make sure they weren't being watched. She had no idea whether this secret library was a restricted place in the community home, but she was reluctant to find out before knowing the library's secrets. Fortunately, it was a quiet afternoon and no activities were planned anytime soon. Cana had participated in a talking group earlier, which Lucy was very proud of.

Lucy let her fingers trail over the book's backs and was surprised when she noticed one book not moving to her touch, as if it was glued to the shelf. She put some more pressure on it, but it wouldn't budge.

''Cana,'' she whispered, ''I think this might be it.''

Cana walked over and tried to pull on the book as well. When it didn't move, she hung on it with both hands. A rumbling as if gears were set into motion arose from behind the shelf and before the girls could think about what was happening, the entire wall flipped, taking them with it.

''Are you okay?'' Lucy asked and stood up with a loud groan. She had been hit in the back and could already feel the bruises forming. The room they now found themselves in was musty and the only light came from a dimmed lightbulb on the ceiling.

''Yeah,'' Cana replied, ''you too?''

Lucy nodded. She turned on the flashlight on her phone and shone around, creating rays of dust wherever she aimed her light. It was a narrow room and every wall had a ceiling-heigh shelf of books. The books varied a lot in size and amount of pages. Several binders were stuffed between the books as well, and Lucy reached out and pulled one out.

The binder wasn't closed on the bottom and several pieces of paper whirled down to the floor in front of Cana's feet. She reached out to one of the pieces of paper and realised they were pictures. They were in black and white and had turned sepia of old age. The picture showed a small group of people in 40's attire. She looked down at the rest of the pictures and saw that all of the pictures displayed a group of people that would vary per picture.

On the backside of every picture, names were written down. Cana quickly let her eyes trail over them.

Acacia Dragneel

Kira McGarden

Vulpes Fullbuster

Maria Lockser

Yuri Dreyar

Boris Strauss

Hestia Belserion

William Clive

Hughes Gryder

Juliette Heartfillia

Cana could feel her breath get stuck in her throat. Heartfilla. Lucy's last name. She read the names again, realising more last names sounded familiar. She looked at Lucy, who must have come to the same realisation when she looked through the pictures. Her friend stared back at her with her jaw dropped. ''Just what is this place?''

''Oh my,'' a voice behind them suddenly resounded. Mirajane stood in the opening of the flipped, hidden door with a look on her face they couldn't quite place. It did however give them the chills. ''You shouldn't have found out about that already.''