Hey everyone! The next two weeks are so I'm going to be busy but I should find enough time to be able to write. Especially since everything's planned. For old readers, I'm stretching this out a bit more, putting in more plot and character development and all that. And you'll see some foreshadowing as well ;) I have Grammarly running for my computer because of school and GOD it hates this document XD I like when it tells me not to use swear words because they might be considered offensive.

Natsu and Lucy had said good night to the others before getting into Natsu's car. "What's wrong Lucy? You've been quiet," Natsu said.

"Just tired," she sighed. It wasn't a lie, she was exhausted. A glance at the console at the front of the car said it was close to 3 in the morning. It was the latest she had stayed up in a while. The issue with the trackers is what was weighing on her mind, although she knew that argument was one that wouldn't be resolved easily. Natsu clearly thought that it was necessary and, while Lucy hadn't known him long, she did know that he would never back down on that. Something had happened that had warranted that as a necessity, she was sure of it. Natsu's wild reaction to hearing Alvarez mentioned wasn't lost on her either. Zeref. It was a name Natsu had said with such hate and vitriol that Lucy wasn't sure she wanted to know who Natsu had been referring to. That anger must have come from something personal.

"Something's on your mind," he pressed.

"Natsu, can we just talk about it in the morning?" Lucy whined. "I'm really not in the mood." Natsu turned to look at her and narrowed his eyes. "I'm not telling. I just have a lot to think about." Natsu huffed and twisted to lay down on his seat that was across from her.
"Suit yourself," he said before closing his eyes.

They went their separate ways when they got back to Natsu's house. Lucy trudged up to her room, wishing that Natsu could have installed an elevator. Natsu waited until he heard her door slide shut before going up the stairs and going to a room that had been left untouched. The door slid open and Natsu went to sit on the bed. He glanced at the picture sitting on the night table and smiled sadly at it.

Natsu picked it up and brushed his thumb over the girl's face. "Hey Evie." It was one of his favorite photos that he had taken with her. He had Evelyn on his back, both grinning widely, in the pool at Fairy Hills. It had been taken three months before she had gotten kidnapped. "I'm sorry I haven't been able to tell you about everything that's been happening." Natsu rolled over on the bed and placed the photo next to his head.

Every so often, as often as he could bear it, he went into Evelyn's room and talked to the picture of her. It made him feel like he still had some sort of connection with her, and he could hear her responses to everything he would say. It made him feel less alone. Natsu had never hated himself more than when Hibiki had called with the grim news that he had seen a security video feed of Evelyn getting ambushed.

So he let himself have this moment of solace to tell his little sister about everything that had happened starting from finding Lucy. "You would love her," he said to the picture, "she gets along really well with everyone. Erza hasn't even yelled at her yet. She was yelling at me in five minutes."

Natsu could imagine Evelyn saying "of course she was yelling at you in five minutes. You need someone to beat some sense into you from time to time."

"Sting and Rogue like her too. You would have had fun tonight," he said with a sigh. "You always love sneaking into areas you don't belong in, don't you?"

"If I didn't sneak into places I wasn't supposed to be, I would have never found you." Tears came to his eyes, unbidden. Natsu exhaled and he gripped the picture tightly to his chest.

"Just please be ok," he pleaded in a whisper as tears filled his eyes. "We'll find you Evelyn, I swear it. Stay strong."

"Natsu?" Happy asked from the doorway. "Are you alright?"

"What kind of an older brother am I?" Natsu laughed bitterly. "I couldn't even keep her safe. I broke my promise." A soft paw was placed on Natsu's knee.

"We didn't know. I'm sure if you had, this wouldn't have happened," Happy did his best to console his friend but Natsu showed no signs of acknowledging what the Exceed had just said. With a soft goodnight, Happy walked out of the room leaving Natsu alone in the room. He flicked the lights off and buried his nose in her blankets. Evelyn's scent of campfire smoke still lingered on her furniture. With no one around, he let his emotions run wild and he cried and cried and cried until he fell asleep.

Natsu woke up when sunlight came peeking through the drawn blinds of Evie's room. Happy was nowhere to be found. His eyes were dry and gritty as he yawned before rolling out of bed, still wearing the clothes from last night. He trudged down the stairs to the kitchen, grumbling to himself about how bright it was.

"Wake up on the wrong side of the bed?" Lucy asked and Natsu jumped. Lucy and Happy were sitting at the kitchen counter, both staring at him with concerned looks on their faces.

"When did you wake up?"

"Half an hour ago, why?"

"Just strange to see you up before me," he managed to say.

"Are you feeling ok, Natsu?" Natsu blinked and shook his head a few times.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Just weird dreams." Neither of them looked convinced, and it showed in the glance Happy and Lucy gave each other.

"If you say so," Lucy responded skeptically, one of her eyebrows raised. Natsu sighed as he leaned his elbow on the counter of the island in the kitchen, his head propped up in his hand.

"You all go to HQ without me today, I don't feel like it."

"Ok now you're acting really weird," Lucy said. She sat up straighter and crossed her arms. "Are you sure you're ok?"

"I'm fine, what was on your mind last night?" he asked, not-so-subtlety attempting to change the conversation. Lucy cast him a wary glance, and that just made Natsu feel worse. Now isn't a good time to get into an argument with Lucy, Natsu thought. Hearing Zeref's name made everything worse. He gritted his teeth, but I can't have her feeling attacked. The urge to hit his head on the counter until he got a bruise was tempting. Why do I let myself get into situations like this?

"Maybe I'll ask later when you're in a better mood."

"Ask me now!"

"Don't get mad if you don't like the question," Lucy warned. "Why do you use trackers?" Natsu rolled his eyes.

"This again? It's a safety precaution! It doesn't hurt so why does it matter?"

"That's an invasion of privacy!" Lucy argued back.

"Are you insane? It's not like we keep trackers on all the time! If bad news happens and they're suspected in it then we turn the transmitter on. That's it. That's all it does. Everyone in Fairy Tail needs to get one in case anyone goes missing."

"Someone got lost," Lucy realized, although she kept her voice quiet. Natsu's clenched fists were evidence enough. "Was it that girl who you have a picture of in your office in at HQ?"

"Evelyn," was all Natsu said as he looked down at the counter. "She got on a train to Crocus by herself and got kidnapped. We've been trying to find her for a year." Lucy got the temptation to place her hand on his arm, so she did. Lucy did her best to not focus on how muscular his arm was. Natsu glanced at her from the corner of his eye but didn't say anything.

"Was she a friend?" Lucy asked. From how Natsu had reacted when even the mention of the girl was brought up, Lucy figured their relationship had to be something closer than just a good friend.

"A year after Igneel disappeared, a girl had just come wandering into the backyard. Don't know where she came from. All she had were her clothes and her name. I took her in as my little sister." Lucy just nodded sadly.

"Do you have any idea who took her?"

"No," Natsu lied. "We have a lot of enemies; it could be anyone." Natsu couldn't bring himself to say that her father was their prime suspect. The sudden realization that it was possible she had been sent to Alvarez hit him like a gut punch. His chest constricted and everything seemed to freeze. He couldn't see past the haze of worry that suddenly clouded his mind. It's not possible for her to be there, Natsu attempted to comfort himself. Invel or someone would have contacted me by now if they had her. I bet he would love to use that as leverage. He slowly exhaled and closed his eyes. Someone definitely would have bragged to him about that by now if she was in Alvarez. She must still be here with Heartfilia, Natsu thought. Thank god for small miracles.

"I'm sure you'll find her soon," was all Lucy could offer. "Another question from last night…" Lucy hesitated.

"Spit it out already," Natsu demanded, and Lucy sighed.

"Who's Zeref?" Nastu went rigid and as he stood up, the stool he was sitting on nearly tipped over.

"We're going to HQ," he growled. "Get dressed." That had gone about as well as Lucy had expected it to go. The name was interesting to her, she had never heard it before, even in all the politics lessons she had had to sit through growing up. Then again, those lessons were always about Fiore, not other countries. And especially not the large country across the ocean from them. Lucy turned to Happy.

"Do you have any idea who Zeref is?" Lucy asked Happy. Happy shook his head.

"Beats me. Natsu's mentioned Alvarez before, I think he's been there once, but he never said anything about it. He was weird for a week after he got back though. Maybe someone at HQ knows."

"Maybe," Lucy murmured. As curious as Lucy was, if Natsu didn't want her to know, if it was something that made him that angry, she had no desire to go researching. That was just asking for a fight, and one that she really didn't want to have. I'll bring it up with him another time. When he trusts me more. When we know each other better.

Lucy did as Natsu said and went upstairs to get changed. As Lucy was walking down the hall she stopped and saw a door open that she hadn't seen open before. Against her better judgement she walked to the doorway. Like all of the rooms at Natsu's house, a large bed was centered on the wall opposite sliding glass doors that were framed with bright yellow curtains. The blankets were yellow, gray, and white. Lucy saw a picture on the bed and went to pick it up. It was a picture of Natsu and, who she now knew was Evelyn. Lucy noted curiously that Evelyn had the same beautiful dark eyes as her adoptive brother and the same sharp canines.

"She wanted her eye color to be the same as mine." Lucy jumped as Natsu spoke from right behind her.

"When did you get here?"

"She figured while she was at it, she wanted the sharp teeth too," Natsu continued, as if Lucy hadn't even spoken. "I could never say no to her. If it made her happy, I would let her do everything. She would've loved the job last night." Natsu was silent for a minute before saying "go get ready to head to HQ." Lucy nodded and walked down the hall to her own room.

The drive into Magnolia was quiet but Lucy didn't mind. Natsu looked lost in his own thoughts and Lucy felt her heart twinge in sympathy. Natsu must be worried sick, no wonder he was so irritable. He was probably stressed, constantly wondering about what was happening to his little sister.

As soon as the car was parked in the underground parking garage, Natsu stormed up to the lounge and immediately made a beeline for his long-time rival. Natsu greeted the black-haired teen with a strong punch to the face.

"What the fuck was that for charcoal breath?" Gray snapped as he tenderly pressed at the sensitive area on his cheek. That was going to leave a bruise.

"That was for two weeks ago when you stole my food!" Natsu yelled back. That event had happened, however.

"It was a damn accident!"

"Well I don't care!" With no other words the two got into a fistfight.

"Hey Mira," Lucy said as she took her place next to Lisanna who was watching the unfolding brawl with interest. "Hello Lisanna."

"Hello Lucy, how are you today?" Mira asked, her younger sister still somewhat absorbed in the fight.

"I'm ok…" she hesitated, wondering if she could tell Mirajane about what happened that morning. "I'm not sure Natsu is though," she dropped her voice to a whisper to avoid being overheard.

"Was it something to do with Evelyn?" Lisanna questioned, already knowing the response. Lucy nodded her head and the two Strauss sisters sighed.

"Can you tell me more about her? Natsu was pretty vague about it."

"Evie was great; she and Natsu had similar personalities. Both of them were energetic and always up for a good fight. Natsu had trained her well, she could even hold her own against Gray if she really wanted to," Lisanna described. "She got into just as much trouble with Erza as Natsu does, no matter what she argued. The day she went missing was terrible for all of us."

"You don't have any leads?"

"We have some," Mira said. Lucy narrowed her eyes.

"Natsu said he didn't have any."

"Even Natsu doesn't tell us some things," Lisanna said answered with a shrug. I know that, Lucy thought. How Natsu had snapped when he had heard the name Zeref last night and his cold reception to her question that morning was proof of that.

"Does he have ties to Alvarez?" Again, the sisters looked at each other.

"He's been over there a few times. He never said what happened whenever he returned. He would just close himself off for the few days after his return," Mira recalled.

"He always seemed a bit angrier too," Lisanna added. She had her head tilted like she was lost in thought. "He never said anything though. At least not to us." Lucy nodded. Natsu seemed to be an expert at keeping secrets and, if not lying, then certainly omitting information. The elevator opened and a blue-haired girl Lucy hadn't seen before stepped into the room. Her eyes lit up as she saw Gray fighting with Natsu.

"Gray my beloved!" she cried and practically threw herself at Gray. Gray managed to catch her, although he looked less than pleased.

"Hey Juvia," Gray said. "How was your trip?" Juvia then turned to Natsu.

"I wasn't able to find much," she started. Natsu sighed and ran his hand through his hair. "But I did find communications that originated in Alvarez." The hand Natsu was running through his hair stopped and something dark flashed over his face. Natsu snarled at nothing in particular and stormed into one of the elevators.

"Welcome back Juvia," Mira greeted with a cheerful smile. Juvia squinted her eyes as she saw Lucy. As Juvia stalked over, Lisanna patted Lucy's shoulder.

"Good luck," Lisanna said and turned towards the drink Mira had put in front of her.

"Love rival?" Lucy glanced at Mira for help. Mira simply smiled in response.

"You're the one that's obsessed with Gray," Lucy remembered. Natsu had told her as much last night. Had it only been last night? It felt like ages ago.

"I'm in love with him," Juvia sniffed. "You're not in love with him are you?" Lucy frantically shook her head; Juvia seemed to radiate waves of violence and it almost seemed like she wanted Lucy to say yes.

"No, I prefer men that keep their clothes on," Lucy said, shaking her hands in front of her. Juvia still looked suspicious but sat on the opposite side of her.

"How was Akane, Juvia?" Mira asked as she busied herself making a drink, presumably for Juvia.

"It was fine, I suppose," Juvia sighed. "The whole resort looks more and more suspicious the more time I spend there."

"How so?" Lisanna asked. Juvia looked up as she thought about what to say.

"It's hard to explain. I always feel like I'm being watched even though it appears normal. I might need help with it."

"I'm sure if you asked Natsu, he could order Gray to go with you and act like a couple on their honeymoon," Mira suggested innocently. Juvia's face brightened considerably, and she clasped her hands together.

"You think so?" Juvia asked eagerly. Mira nodded just as enthusiastically. Lucy saw Lisanna roll her eyes, neither Mira or Juvia saw it, but Lucy snickered.

"She likes playing matchmaker," Lisanna whispered to Lucy.

"I hadn't noticed," Lucy said drily. "I'm sure she runs betting pools too." Lisanna's face turns serious. "You've got to be kidding."

"Mira takes it very seriously." Lisanna leaned closer. "I've even heard that Mira's considering starting one for you and Natsu."

"What!" Lucy shrieked.

"Something the matter Lucy?" Mira asked with a voice that seemed just a bit too nonchalant.

"No Mira, nothing at all," Lucy stuttered and gently elbowed Lisanna. She responded with a giggle. "There's no way anything would ever happen between Natsu and I," Lucy continued with a scoff. "He's too much of a jerk."

The smart wall started ringing and Lucy jumped, still not used to having phone calls broadcasted to the entire room. Natsu's face flickered into sight, and he looked rather annoyed.

"Juvia, come up to the 19th floor. Bring either Gajeel or the stripper with you," Natsu ordered before the video closed. Juvia clapped her hands excitedly and sprinted towards Gray.

"Gray my darling," she practically sang.

"Wait Juvia, hold on!" Gray's protests went unheard as Juvia dragged them into the elevator.

"Poor Gray," Lisanna said with a shake of her head. Mira just giggled and Lisanna gave her sister a withering glance.

"You told Natsu to do that didn't you?" Mira didn't say anything but hummed as she started cleaning dishes behind the bar. Lisanna made eye contact with Lucy and rolled her eyes. Lucy laughed; she loved the Strauss sisters.

Gray sighed as he leaned against the elevator wall, Juvia practically vibrating in excitement next to him. She was rocking back and forth on her heels and Gray just sighed in annoyance. "Do you know what this is about?"

"Probably about Akane," Juvia thought out loud. "He might have found something related to the update I gave him."

"That was fast then," Gray commented.

"You know he's always been strange whenever Alvarez is mentioned," Juvia replied with a shrug. "Did he ever tell you anything from when he came back from those trips?" Gray shook his head.

He knew as well as anyone that Natsu had some connection to the country across the ocean. Gray, nor anyone else from Fairy Tail, knew what it was. An anger and hatred that Natsu rarely displayed always rested on his face whenever Alvarez was mentioned. Not even Evelyn knew, or if she did, she hadn't told anyone.

The door to the security and observation room slid open and Natsu was talking to a hologram of Minerva from Sabertooth. "Here they come now," Natsu told her. "Took you long enough," he scoffed at Gray.

"Then make the elevators faster," Gray shot back, "that's under your control."

"Also find a shirt," Natsu added and Gray looked down.

"Damn it!"

"It's been a while Juvia, Gray," Minerva interrupted with a tilt of her head.

"Hey Minerva, how's it going?" Gray said with a wave.

"I'm doing well, thank you. Now Natsu," the small smile left her face. "What was it you wanted to talk to me about?"

"Sting told me you're undercover with Tartaros."

"I am."

"Where are they operating out of?"

"The largest resorts in the country."

"Including Akane!" Juvia exclaimed. "I knew there was something happening there!"

"I can give you some information without raising suspicion."

"You working as a double agent?" Gray asked although the answer seemed fairly obvious. Minerva just nodded curtly. "How'd they let you join?"

"My father." Gray nodded and backed off. He knew how much Minerva, and Sabertooth in general, hated her father. "Sting gives me information to leak to them while I report back to him."

"Do you know what they want with Alvarez?" Minerva shook her head.

"I'm certain only Mard Geer knows, and I can only do so much without arousing suspicion." Natsu sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

"It's ok Minerva," he grumbled.

"I can get you information about their Akane branch," she offered, "for the next time you go there."

"That would be amazing, thank you Minerva," Juvia enthused.

"I'll get that to you in the next few days," Minerva said with a nod. "If that's all you needed from me, I'm going Natsu."

"Punch Sting and Rogue for me," Natsu said in lieu of saying goodbye. They saw Minerva laugh softly while shaking her head before the video ended.

"Do you want us to go to Akane now?" Juvia asked.

"When you say 'us', does that mean the two of us going?" Gray asked.

"Of course!"

"Yeah, let's hold off for a little bit," Gray said. Natsu smirked and Gray flipped him off.

"I'll let you know when to leave, but it won't be for a week or two," Natsu said, the comment meant as a dismissal. Juvia pouted when she heard they wouldn't be heading back out but Gray said a silent thank you to Natsu. A small tilt of the head was the only acknowledgment he got. He and Juvia headed back into the elevator. Gray tilted his head to listen to the music that was playing before a devious smile grew on his face. He turned to the panel on the wall and brought up the jazz music.

"Let him and Gajeel get into a fight over it," Gray snickered.

"If he finds out it was you, he'll fight you too," Juvia pointed out through her laughter.

"Like he can beat me in a fight," Gray bragged.

"Of course he can't darling!" They were quiet before Juvia asked "what do you think about Lucy?"

"She'll be a good friend when she gets more comfortable here," Gray said with a shrug, keeping an eye on Juvia out of the corner of his eye. Even if I did like her like that there's no way I'd tell you Gray thought. Juvia looked at him suspiciously but didn't say anything. Gray exhaled through his nose. She had gotten way less clingy than when she had joined Fairy Tail but her obsession with him hadn't disappeared. He was thankful Erza had made a rule that guys couldn't sleep at Fairy Hills unless everyone living there agreed. If that rule wasn't in place, Juvia would have tried to kidnap him years ago.

When the elevator door opened again, both of them went to the bar. Lucy and Mira were still there, Lisanna had left.

"What did Natsu want with you two?" Mira asked. "Are you going to pretend to be honeymooners?"

"What?" Gray yelled. Lucy flinched at how loud his voice was.

"He just gave us more information about Akane, turns out Tartaros is operating out of there. That's all," Gray explained with a huff. Mira smirked.

"When the two of you go there, you should pose as honeymooners though," Mira suggested innocently, "it is a popular resort for newlyweds." Juvia's eyes were sparkling, and Gray wanted to be anywhere but there.

"Ok, I'm heading up to train," Gray announced and walked as quickly as he could before Juvia could catch up to him. Naturally he saw her practically running after him as the elevator doors were closing.

"Is she always like that?" Lucy asked. She wasn't quite sure what to make of Juvia.

"Has been since she met Gray," Lisanna said. Lucy glanced back to see Juvia impatiently tapping her foot, waiting for the elevator to arrive. "She's accused everyone in Fairy Tail and pretty much everyone we're allies with a love rival at some point, even Natsu." Lucy burst out laughing.

"I'm sure they both loved that."

"I've never seen either of them turn so red so fast," Mira said, laughing.

As Lucy let the conversation flow, she couldn't help smiling softly. She wouldn't say that she was entirely comfortable in Fairy Tail, but she was definitely on the track of beginning to like it.

The sunshine child (Natsu) has to suffer. I don't make the rules.

See you next time!

~Red