You keep on building the lies
That you make up for all that you lack
It don't make no difference
Escaping one last time
"Angel" Sarah McLachlan
There was a very angry redhead outside of the apartment building where Lucy was staying when Natsu pulled into the parking lot. "Shit." He muttered under his breath, but gave her a jaunty wave.
"Erza! What brings you here?" Natsu asked casually, a smile splitting his features as he and Lucy walked towards her.
"Gray called me."
"Oh did he? I'll have to thank that frozen bastard later." Natsu's jaw clenched on the smile, holding.
"We need to talk. Miss Davis, you may go on up. I'm sure today has been another trying day for you."
The words came out so evenly that Lucy was not sure if Erza was being sincere or patronizing. Regardless, she did as she was bid, and went into the apartment. Closing the door behind her, she crept to the window with the lights still off, and pushed her face close to a break in the blinds. She could hear only a little, and see even less, but Natsu seemed to be gesturing wildly while Erza remained stoic.
"Grimoire Heart... Levy... started..." Natsu's muffled voice floated up.
"Not priority... working... is important..." Erza's admonishing tone. Natsu crossed his arms and turned away.
"Image... family..." His tone sounded as petulant as a child. Erza seemed to think so, because she put a hand on his shoulder and turned him back.
"This will help... once this is over... safe..."
"Not telling the whole truth..." Natsu's serious voice chilled Lucy, and she knew he was talking about her. He'd pulled away from Erza and was headed up the stairs when th older woman's voice floated clearly.
"You have to give people a chance to earn your trust, Natsu. She can help us, but we need to give her time."
Lucy jumped back from the window as she heard Natsu's angry steps up to the apartment, and she found a spot in the a folding chair just as he flicked the light on, and shot her a glare. The "real" Natsu, as Lucy thought of him had vanished and the cold-blooded killer looked out from his slanted gaze.
"Do you have something to say, too?" He asked, angrily.
"N-no." Lucy managed a stutter.
"Good. I'm going to bed. I have an early day tomorrow, so don't be surprised if someone else is here when you wake up."
"All right. Goodnight." Lucy left him and the little blue cat in the living room. Once inside the desolate bedroom, she sat on the lumpy bed and shook a few pills into her hand. A painkiller for her arm, a birth control and one of the others. Popping them all at once had the desired effect. The hydrocodone interacted well with her illegal percocets and soon she slept easily as her body floated away on clouds made of spun sugar and angel's wings.
Natsu listened closely, but other than sight shuffling noises, no sound came from Lucy's room that night. He felt badly that he had crossed the line at dinner – or, would have felt badly, if he believed himself to be wrong. But he wasn't wrong, he could feel it in his bones. The girl had secrets, and what was more, Gramps had secrets. Natsu could admit to not being the most discreet. In his mind, if the job went well, then Fairy Tail did well. He made no assurances against collateral damage.
It was clear, from what Erza hadn't said, that Lucy may well be collateral damage. Not now, not while she still had purpose. But if Gramps actually gave her membership into the Guild, did that make it okay if they gave her up later? Natsu groaned, his head hurting from thinking so hard.
Why did it matter so much, that Fairy Tail kept Lucy around? According to the Grimoire Heart goons, there were people lookinng for her and were willing to offer a reward for her safe return. Betraying Fairy Tail was unthinkinable, of course, but Gramps had a lot of leverage in the girl. Why not use it?
The night was a long one for Natsu, who twisted and turned on his blankets, images of crying girls and young boys with rose-colored hair, alone. Always alone.
Lucy woke up late, and groggy, with a slight side of nausea – the lovely "hangover" from her cocktail of meds the night before. Her phone told her it was already well into the afternoon, so she got up and dressed and washed quickly. Stumbling into the living room, she saw to her horror, Erza sitting primly at the table reading a magazine.
"H-hello." Lucy stumbled over her words. The other woman just looked at her. "I'm sorry I slept so late. Have you been here long?"
"Since about eight this morning. Natsu has business, but he had to see the Master first thing."
"Right. So, um, are there any plans for today?" Lucy asked awkwardly. She couldn't help remember what she had overheard the night before, and although Erza did not seem unkind, Lucy was a little bit afraid of the other woman. Levy had mentioned that, with the Master's son gone, Erza was in charged of all strategic operations for the guild.
"Some members have generously offered to bring by furniture odds and ends for you. They should start arriving soon. After that, we'll go to Fairy Tail. I need to have a couple of meetings, and you can get to know some of the members better."
Lucy nodded. There was a strange, crackling tension in the air that was making her hair stand on end. She didn't know what the feeling was, or what it meant, but she did not like it. Keeping busy sounded like a good plan, and Lucy was relieved that she would not have to look into Erza's soul searching eyes or see Natsu's brittle grin for the day.
In fact, the time passed quite smoothly. A steady stream of guild members brought by things like a couch, a small recliner, a television set, a better bed (and mattress, Lucy was delighted to see) and a small chest of drawers. There were also several piles of linens, a broom, and an old Dirt Devil someone brought as well. When Lucy mentioned grocery shopping, Erza informed her that she were welcome to do so but that most guild members ate at the bar. Mirajane worked the breakfast rush from 6am – 10am then dinner from 3pm-7pm. After ten o'clock it was only drinks and bar snacks.
"Who serves the booze when Mirajane's off the clock?" Lucy wondered curiously.
"Her sister Lisanna is the assistant manager, and then a couple of other girls fill in on days off. Mira makes the best food though, so the guild is always packed when she's there." Erza told her casually. "Lisanna was trafficked as a little girl. She was only able to come home recently. You might get along well."
Lucy's face dropped and she scuffed her toe. "I already told Natsu, I wasn't trafficked. I'm not sure why that's so hard to believe."
The change in Erza's expression was surprising, to say the least. Her face became softer, and her eyes warmed. "I apologize, Lucy. That was not what I meant to imply. I should have made it more clear. You and Lisanna are the same age, and both seem to have a knack for getting along with Natsu. I simply thought you might have compatible personalities."
"Oh." Lucy was mollified. It had been years since anyone had suggested that she befriend a person based on compatibility. "It's just a bit overwhelming, Miss Scarlet".
"Call me Erza." The other woman's smile was warm, and Lucy found herself warming, as well.
Author's Note: Hi guys. It's been a long time, hasn't it? This or that happened, but over the past two years, I have published two original novels. I can't say more, because I don't want to violate FF's TOS, but my author name is in my bio. I've had this bit written for a long time. This is just the first half of chapter seven, but I am publishing it in good faith because I plan to continue working on this story. Now, I am WAY BEHIND on the Fairy Tail manga, so please consider anything that happened in the manga since my last update null and void when it comes to this story. I hope you don't mind.