I wake with a gasp.

"Nightmare?" Natsu asked, recovering from the shock I must have inflicted. "You alright?" He asked cautiously.

No. I'm not.

"Lucy?"

I hug myself. "Just a nightmare." I muttered.

"Do… do you wanna talk about it?"

"No."

No I don't. I don't want to talk. I don't want to remember. I don't want to remember how it looked, I don't want to remember how it happened.

I don't want to remember Dan Shield's dead, body, and how I was the reason he was dead.

I rub my face with my hands and took a deep breath. When I opened them again, I realized I was no longer in the comfortable seat of Natsu's car, but a bed from what looks to be a clinic. "W-What am I doing here?" I find myself asking, scared.

Had I… hallucinated?

God no please.

My eyes welled up at the thought. I start to panic when I felt Natsu's warm hand on my shoulder.

"O-Oi, calm down." He said. "I was trying to wake you up when we got to school but you weren't waking up. I brought you to the school infirmary." He said. "Speaking of, are you alright?"

"I'm fine. I just… I went to take a nap." I answered, but my sentence came out like a question. Natsu nodded and stood up.

"I'll go look for the Dr. Kelly." He said as he slipped out of the curtain separating my bed from the rest of the room. I look back at the chair he was just on. How long was I out? Had he been here this whole time? What just happened? Why?

I pound my head with question until I'm on the brink of tears, scaring myself at the possible situations I've put myself in.

The curtain opened again. A woman, clearly the school doctor, entered; Natsu was right behind her.

"Hi there." She smiled. Natsu said her name was Dr. Kelly. "You had us worried there Ms. Heartfilia. Though I can see your fine now." She pulled out a small pen, though when she pressed the ends of it and pointed it on my eyes, it was a flashlight. "Yes, you seem quite alright. Do you have hypoglycemia?"

"Huh?"

"Is your sugar low?"

"I don't think so. I had pancakes for breakfast." I swung my legs off the bed until I was sitting upright.

"Well, just to be sure…" She pulled out a small pad from her pocket and scribbled something down. "Natsu informed me you're under Fairy Tail's guardianship. They have a lab, I'll give you a referral to get your blood checked and have Porlusyca examine it." She handed the paper, not to me, but to Natsu. "It's just precaution."

Natsu nodded. I only stared at Dr. Kelly.

"I did mean for you to go now." She giggled.

"I have class." I answered her, obviously wanting to leave. I can do this later.

"You'll be excused."

"Natsu has class too."

"Eh, I was late forty minutes ago. Wouldn't catch a thing if I go now." Natsu shrugged. "I'll get her to the guildhall. Thanks Dr. Kelly." He told her. Dr. Kelly nodded at him before leaving. "You ready to go?"

"I have class."

"She already informed all the professors. She'll give you a slip tomorrow anyway." He reached out his hand to help me get up. I slipped on my shoes before I take it. "Come on Luigi, you had me worried."

"I'm sorry."

"And uh…" He scratched the back of his head. "I told Juvia."

"What?!" I gasped. "Why?!"

"Well when you weren't waking up, I panicked! I didn't know who else to call!" He raised his hands up in defense. I pinched the bridge of my nose with my finger. "Sorry." He apologized.

"No, don't." I shook my head. "I'm sorry. It's like every week something happens to me and you guys end up taking care of me."

"Don't mention it. We're all friends here. Would've done the same thing for me wouldn't ya?" He grinned. "Can you walk?"

I glared. "Of course I can." He laughed at me.

"Alright alright. Come on."

*.*.*.*.*.*

It turns out my sugar was low, according to Porlusyca. I look around the room. Wow, just wow. Why would Fairy Tail have their own clinic slash lab wing? And their very own doctor?

But then I remembered the fight that ensued my first day here.

Was that enough reason to have your own hospital?

"Lucy." Master Makarov distracts me from my thoughts.

"Master." I stand up quickly, though the rush action made me feel lightheaded.

"Sit down." Porlusyca glared at me, hard. "You're already lightheaded, are you seriously trying to cause more danger to yourself?"

"S-Sorry."

"Are you alright?" Master asks me, moving closer. I nod.

"Her sugar's low." Porlusyca said and laid down my bloodwork. "She'll be fine, just have her eat something sweet."

Master nodded, and I stood up, following him out of the room.

"I'm sorry I worried you Master." I hugged myself in embarrassment.

"Nonsense." He answers me. "We take care of each other here. There is no need to apologize. Are you sure your alright?"

"Y-Yeah. Just need something to eat." I smiled.

Master nods at me. "Have Mirajane make you something. Her food always makes everyone feel a bit better." He smiles. "I have to do some paperwork in my office, but the rest of the brats are downstairs."

I nod, turning my direction as he heads upstairs to his office. I walk down the stairs, spotting Natsu and Erza sitting at the table. I spot a large sundae on each side of the table.

Erza looks up first. "Ah Lucy." She smiles. "I heard what happened, are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." I smile back.

"Here, I got this for you." Natsu slides the glass of sundae to me when I sit down next to him. "Something sweet right?" He grinned.

I almost blush. "Thanks Natsu." I grab the spoon to scoop out the cherry on top of the cream.

"So, how are you? Is everyone in Fairy Tail treating you well?" Erza asks me.

"Yes, the ones I've met so far are really accommodating." I smile widely at her.

"That's good to hear." She nods. "If anything happens, please tell me. I don't like it when something undisciplined happens in the guild."

I then think back on my first day here. I blink, wondering if I should speak when I spot Natsu sweating buckets right beside me.

"N-No. I don't think anything… bad has happened. Not when I'm here at least." I tell her. I see Natsu calm down a bit. What's his problem?

"I see, and what do you think about Magnolia? Do you like it so far?"

"I haven't had a chance to see all if it, but so far it's been amazing."

"There's a sweets shop not too far from the guild, they sell amazing cheesecakes. I really recommend it." I see Erza's eyes twinkle in delight.

"S-Sure, maybe I'll stop there before I go home."

"You're excused from class today aren't you?"

I nod at her. "Yeah, I only had two classes anyway. I guess it's not like I'm missing much."

"Is it rude to ask which school you've transferred from?" She asks me curiously.

"It's not rude at all." I laughed light heartedly. "I'm from Fiore National University." I tell her. I see her and Natsu freeze and stare at me. "W-What?"

"That's the most expensive school in the country." Natsu pointed, spacing out.

"It's quite a privilege." Erza sounded off. "You were very lucky to get in."

"Well, the academic part of it was amazing. The other parts no." I scoop more sundae and shoved it in my mouth. "Because most of the students who attended were really privileged, could barely tell what's right." I stare at the sundae.

I remember the times Angel had paid off the professors to get an A in class. Dan hazing freshman pledges while the administration turn a blind eye. I remember a student jumping off the main building because Angel had pushed her to her limit. And I remember the horrified look on Angel's face when she saw it happen.

I shake my head. Memories. Just memories. I wait for Erza to ask why I transfer here, and I prepare my answer.

I wanted to be somewhere else. As simple as that.

Erza never asked however. She just nodded and ate her dessert. I was surprised when she changed our conversation to the tourist spots of Magnolia.

It eventually faded away from my mind.

I converse with Erza and Natsu like they're old friends, being distracted by various topics.

"Lucy-san!" I heard someone yell behind me. I recognize it as Juvia's. I turn only to be enveloped in her warm, honeydew scent. "Are you alright?" She places her hands on my shoulders. "Natsu-san filled me in. My goodness, you really ought to take care of yourself." She sighed. "Thanks for taking care of her Natsu."

"My pleasure." Natsu answered.

Again. I almost blushed.

I scratch at my head. "I'm fine, Juvia. I'm really sorry for worrying you."

"Oh, it's quite alright." She smiles at me. "It happens to everyone. I'm glad your alright. Hello Erza!" She waved at the scarlet haired girl as she moved to sit beside her.

"Juvia, how was your training today?"

"Tiring. But we can't help it." She laughed. My eyes were then drawn to a small package on Juvia's hands.

"What's that?"

"Oh it's for you." Juvia smiled and hands it over to me. "Aquarius sent it." I take the small package carefully examining it like a bomb. I shake it, surely enough, something was bumping around it, though it wasn't heavy at all.

I feel all three pairs of eyes stare down at me.

"What?" I look at Natsu.

"Open it."

"Why are you guys so interested?" I raise a brow.

"Why not? It's a package. Who knows what it is?" He laughed at me. "Come on, open it." I roll my eyes, as I dug my fingers in the plastic wrap and rip it open. I imagine my surprise when I pulled out my hand and see beady eyes looking back at me.

"A doll?" Natsu tilted his head in uncertainty. "Why would they give you a doll?"

I recognize it though. The small little doll in my hands, with its blonde hair, green beaded eyes, and her little blue dress.

It was Michelle.

I shrugged it off. "I must have forgotten this back home. It's kind of a good luck charm." I smile warmly as I place the doll back in the plastic, wrapping it carefully and placing it onto my bag.

*.*.*.*.*.*

Juvia had a date with Gray. It was adorable how she squealed like a teenage in high school when Erza and I helped her prepare.

Though before she left, she had made sure that I was okay, and that I wouldn't have any problems with myself.

She had also made sure to count the pills in the bottle to make sure I had taken mine. "You take care here, okay?"

I laughed. "Natsu's right across the hall. Unless he also has a date, then I'll be worried."

I loved having friends who took care of me, but I hated being treated like a ten year old.

This wouldn't have happened if you didn't burn yourself.

I push down the feeling of regret and humiliation back down. "You guys have fun." Juvia hugged me once more before leaving the room. I look at the clock. It was six in the evening.

I sighed. I grab my school bag, ruffling through its contents as I step into my bedroom, and I take out the doll. I feel myself smiling.

Mom gave this to me when I was around five. I named her Michelle because I had wanted a sister with that name. I pretended this little was my little sister, having tea parties with the other stuffed dolls and even putting it on a stroller.

I giggle and I place the doll on my nightstand. My heart softens at the thought of Aquarius, and how she must have remembered that for all the time that I've been alone in that mansion, this is what I kept as a good luck charm until my mother died.

Thanks Aquarius.

I grab my phone to text her a small thank you. I press send and toss it onto the bed. I walk over to my table to grab my laptop and headed back out the living room. I'll take this time to finally write.

*.*.*.*.*.*

I jerked up when I heard a knock on my door. Unwillingly, my heart beat faster and my blood boiled in nervousness. My breathing became unsteady as the person kept knocking.

Maybe it's Juvia?

My hands started to shake as I panic. Why am I panicking?

It's just the door.

I don't want to.

"Lucy? You there?" It was until then that I realized I had been holding onto my breath. I hear Natsu on the other side of the door, his voice starting to lace with worry and panic. "Lucy?"

"Yeah!" I shout, walking over to the door and opening it. "Sorry, I didn't know who was knocking."

"Oh." Natsu nodded, I see relief flood his face. "I don't usually knock. I guess I might have scared ya." He grinned at me.

"Little bit." I laughed. "What are you doing here?" His grin widens as he lifted a box of pizza in his hand.

"I got dinner." Without even waiting for me to let him in, he pushed himself inward, walking towards the coffee table.

I squinted my eyes at him. "Juvia asked you to look after me?"

"Well yeah, and it's not like I had anyone to talk to at my place." He shrugged.

I smile and shake my head. "Well, thanks for bringing dinner."

"I got tomato and olives." He opens the box. I nod at him and retreat into the kitchen to grab some plates.

When I returned, I was horrified.

Natsu sat comfortably at the couch, scrolling down on my laptop like he owned it.

"What the hell are you doing?!" My body moved on impulse as I smack his face away from the screen. "Stop that!"

"Oi!" Natsu squeaked as he fell off the couch. He glares at me. "Okay you've gotten me curious, what the hell is that?" He reaches for my laptop again and I kick his hand away.

"Stop it!" I nearly scream as I shut it and cradle it like a newborn. "Don't read it." I growl at him.

"Okay, that is only making me more curious." He crosses his arms and legs and stares at me. "What is that, a novel or something?"

"No!"

He grins widely. "It is! Lemme see that!" He reaches for me, and I kick him again, moving to stand,

"No." I glare at him before rushing to my bedroom. I slipped my laptop back onto the drawer of my desk to further hide it. I close my eyes and sigh in relief. Safe.

When I open my eyes I see Michelle sitting placidly on my desk, it's cloth body leaning against a stack of schoolbooks that I had borrowed from the library. Her green eyes were unseeing, but strangely focused in my direction. It was just sitting in my desk. It didn't move,

I blinked. Of course she didn't move. It's a doll. Dolls don't move.

Now that I think about it how Aquarius find this doll? It was in my bedroom, in the Heartfilia Mansion, in a box of my mother's things that I haven't opened since-

Since I went to the asylum.

I had reached into the box looking for a shawl or anything that might cover me from the cold and I accidentally took this out. I don't remember where I put her.

But didn't I place this doll in my nightstand?

I looked back at the doll. It was no longer smiling.

It was leering.

My skin crawled as I stood there, facing off with her as my heartbeat wildly in my chest.

No, not her. It.

"Luce, food's getting cold!"

I hear Natsu's voice but I couldn't feel myself move. And when I did, I snatch the doll of my desk and I walked towards my closet. I knew, I knew that the doll's expression had not changed. My mind was playing tricks on me. I open the closet's doors and slowly sit the doll down inside.

I nearly cried when I realized I had only been holding a blue hand towel. I look back at the desk, no doll. And on the nightstand, it sat there like it had never moved.

Because it had never moved.

My mind really is playing a trick on me.

I can't contain heaving feeling forcing it's way up in my chest as I fight to keep my face from scrunching up and cry.

You're insane and you know it.

I'm too busy feeling sorry that I don't hear the knock on my door, and the intruder stepping in. My hands wont stop shaking.

I scream when I feel a warm hand on my shoulder. I smack it away and turn around so fast that I might actually break my neck. I pant hard.

Natsu looks at me in shock. Shock that morphs to pity.

"Are you… okay?"

I can't speak.

"Lucy…" He began. "Hey, it's alright." I bring a shaking hand to cover my mouth as tears spring from my eyes and I can no longer control it anymore. Natsu stands there awkwardly.

"I'm… sorry."

My chest hurt, my eyes burned, I can't control the expression on my face.

Crybaby. I hear Angel's voice at the back of my head. I breathe with my teeth closed. I crack up.

"I'm sorry… I'm sorry." I cry. I feel Natsu take a step forwards bringing a hand to the top of my head, slowly bringing it down. So he couldn't see my face.

"I can't leave you alone." He says. He doesn't trust me to be alone. "I'll just stand here and not watch you."

"I'm sorry…."

"So just let it out."