Lucy

Lucy found herself dropped unceremoniously on to a hard stone floor in what appeared to be a cell. Not moments after she dropped down the bars around her flashed red, her swords and star dress quickly vanished back to the celestial realm along with the enhanced abilities that had come with them as she was back in her original clothing thankful at least that had returned.

She ran her hand down to brush her keys and they felt cold. Not once in the time she'd had them had they felt like this – she couldn't feel any magic coming from them, nor did she have any connection with them as she normally did where she could converse with them through their keys.

Panic set it along with unrelenting anger, and she quickly looked around for any possible escape route. She needed to get out of here and fast – she hoped that it was just her magic cut off that caused her keys to go cold but she dreaded that somehow her captor had done something to her spirits and that just riled her up more.

She couldn't see anything around her cell that could help her escape – her cell had two fully stone walls, one had a small window with bars across it and the other two walls were all bars with nothing even looking like a door in them. All of the bars seemed to hum in a red glow. Figuring she'd try her luck with strength (however unlikely) she went to wrap her hands around the bars on the window hoping to be able to wiggle them lose, a sharp prickling sensation at her neck had her pausing and craning to try to see the little dragon she knew was there but alas she couldn't see him.

Turning back to her mission she reached out again, the prickling coming back but with no way to see what the dragon was doing she continued on – reason stood that it was a form of warning but she was too concerned with her escape and the safety of her spirits that she was willing to take the chance. As she wrapped her hands around the bars she soon regretted ignoring that prickling as she was swiftly shot back from the bars and harshly into one of the brick walls.

"Well, that was quite entertaining to watch – please do try again my dear"

Lucy was quickly back on her feet in a ready fighting stance towards the voice – one hand dropping to her Fleuve d'etoiles that she still had with her before realising that it was also cold, it seemed no element of magic survived this cell, raising her hand back up to join the other ready to take him on without magic – she was a Fairy Tail mage after all, she wasn't anywhere near ready to give up.

"Ha! As much as I'd love to battle with you and have you surrender to me I'm afraid I just don't have the time for that. You see the full moon is to come out soon and I need every drop of your precious blood"

"What could you possibly need my blood for!?"

"Ah now that would spoil the surprise dear, now just sit pretty for me and I'll be back for you in time for the moon."

And with that the green masked man turned and walked away from her leaving her alone again in her glowing prison, slowly freaking out about what he could possibly want with her blood and what it would mean for her…nothing good she was sure about that. Her breathing started to pick up speed and she could feel herself starting to hyperventilate.

Just as she was spiralling out of control she had a soothing warmth spread throughout her body, waves coming from the site of her dragon.

Natsu.

He would come for her, he always would.

She gently slid down one of the stone walls to the floor, a hand over her dragon mark. The warmth was fading but it had done its job – Lucy was no longer panicking she was back in control and had no doubt Natsu would come storming in, let her out of this cell and they'd take down the crazy captor who no doubt is the one who messed with Laxus. She'd be sure to get an extra hit in as payback for Laxus too – he was nakama and nobody hurt her nakama.

They were partners and they'd always find each other.

Natsu

The guild was in chaos.

Happy was flying around in circles up in the rafters with Carla stood on one of the beams telling him to stop being so childish and sit down. Levy was furiously looking through book after book on tracking spells, trying several to no avail. Cana was trying her cards to pinpoint Lucy's whereabouts but nothing seemed to work and her cards kept pulling confusing contradictory directions.

"I'm going to burn every one of his stupid dolls to a crisp! Now hurry and let me go" Natsu was pacing back and forth in the guild – scorching a path along the wood in the floor. Mira had chastised him to start with but when she found Lucy had been taken she'd let the dragon slayer off – provided no flames came from the floor she would leave it be.

"Yeah, flame brain we all want to get Lucy back! But we don't know where she is!"

However much Natsu wanted to argue with Gray, it was true. The only thing stopping him from storming off on his own to track her was his nose, his unworldly sense of smell had failed him for the first time in his life and at what was the worst possible moment. Lucy was gone, his Lucy and worst she was taken from right in front of him and he did nothing to stop it.

He continued on with his angry pacing until Erza slammed down on his head for him to 'calm down so they could all think'. He didn't know what they could possibly think of – if Levy and Cana couldn't find Lucy by magic then the next best thing was just to split up and look as far as he was concerned, he was just about to call to Happy to start doing just that when he was suddenly overcome with panic and fear.

It was a good thing Erza had essentially made him sit down on the ground else he was sure he'd have been there soon enough as he started to hyperventilate. He was confused – he knew he was on the edge with Lucy gone but this wasn't a normal path for his emotions.

Then he felt her. Lucy.

Clear as day he could feel all her emotions – could unpick them from his. She was panicking and scared, really scared.

The group around him went suddenly quiet as he growled from the ground, head bent. They exchanged some questioning looks between them, with some pointing to decide who was going to dare approach the 'beast', rolling his eyes Loke dropped down in front of Natsu.

"Natsu. We know you're mad, we all are, but could you stop with the growling? It's kind of distracting"

He lifted his head to look at Loke – distress clear on his face, not an emotion normally on the usually chipper dragon slayer.

"No."

Well that threw him, he didn't expect Natsu to be that unreasonable.

"Now Natsu, that's no way to speak to your friends. I insist you stop growling and help the group to find Lucy"

"I can feel her Erza. She's scared – real scared."

Something clicked then for Loke and he reached forwards grabbing Natsu's shoulders and forcibly shaking him.

"OI!"

"Natsu! We can find her!"

"Yeah course we are gonna find her Loke but HOW?!"

"Well with the 'new' bond that you and Lucy have", he could feel himself cringe at describing the new relationship of his master but it may well be what could lead them to her.

"Interesting. Please do explain Loke." Unconsciously Erza held a sword to Loke to which he raised an eyebrow at her, she quickly sheathed it again with a quick apology and mumbled 'force of habit'

"I think we can use Natsu's bond with Lucy to track her. You all said that Lucy could feel where Laxus was and ran for him?" confirmation nods prompted him on, "well then I think if Natsu can work it out he can track Lucy the other way. He can already feel her emotions – figuring out where she is should be much simpler"

That was enough to get Natsu off the floor with some determination back, "yeah let's go find Lucy", his enthusiasm and optimism spread like his usual wildfire and everyone was instantly back in high spirits pulling Natsu to the centre of their group as someone rushed off to see if Laxus had any recollection of how to track your 'marked one'

"There's something I have to do first"

And with that he dropped to a cross legged position on the floor closed his eyes and dropped his hands to his knees. He could still feel Lucy spiralling out of control – not unlike how he had been but now he had a plan, he was calm and focussed and he wanted Lucy to be calm too. He sat there focussing solely on Lucy but rather than fixating on the feelings of panic and fear he was getting coming through from her he focussed on his own feelings of determination, hope and tried to convey to her all the faith he had in them finding her.

He felt her panic ebb away and the fear replaced with that Lucy determination and stubbornness he knew so well, smiling he stood up and made his way towards where his group had gathered as Laxus made his way across too.

They would find her, he had no doubt.

They were partners and they'd always find each other.

It has been too long! Many things going on but I am back in action with lots of ideas on where this story is actually going. I was going to wrap this up quickly but when I started typing this chapter out I ended up down a tangent path which I think will lead us somewhere interesting with this story. I'd never intended for Lucy and Natsu to have a long distance bond but hey it's part of the creative process and comes with the nature of not seeing where the story takes me. Still anticipating maybe another 5 chapters but will see what happens!

I hope you like the chapter and the direction, I quite like the notion that the lil fire dragon is more than just a mark to Lucy.

Let me know what you think in the comments - I always love hearing reactions to my stories as they come along.

Until next time - I'll endeavour to make it quicker! :D