Chapter 9

"Mo..om" "Yes Layla.." she cooed. She turned her head just enough to see Lucy's face. "I.. see you" Tearfully, Lucy cried "sso glad babby. are you feeling?" "The..burning sstopped…." "Layla, stay with me baby, don't go to sleep" Shaking her head, Layla heavily opened her eyes. "Mom" "What?" Small tears started falling alarming Lucy.

"Baby girl, what's wrong!" she asked when she saw a look of fear on Layla. "I..I..ccan't feel..my toes or my fingers" "Layla, don't go to sleep, you hear me! Whatever you do, DO NOT GO TO SLEEP!" "But..I'm sso..ttired" "I DON'T CARE! LAYLA DO NOT GO TO SLEEP; I WILL SHOUT IF I HAVE TOO" her voice trembling. "Mmmom.. let ddadd ggive up his mmafiaaaa" she slurred giving Lucy a smile as her eyes rolled and slowly closed.

"Layla..Layla..LAYLAAAAAAAAA, NOOOO ANSWER MEE! NAAAATSUUUUUUU" she shrieked pulling on the chains as hard as she could. "AHHHHHHHHHHHH" Terrified she tried yanking her hands out of the chains slamming them against the wall. "BREAK!, COME ON YOU PIECE OF SHIT , BREAK!" Panting she rested a red, bloody hand on the wall. "Natsu..where are you..please..hurry" she pleaded looking over at Layla barely seeing her chest moving.

Arriving at the next area, they spotted people there but before Natsu could do anything, Sting and Jellal grabbed him dragging him to a corner. "Natsu, don't be stupid. We don't know how many guys are in there , let alone how many have actually been to the base." "I don't care" he sniped trying to wrestle his way out of Sting's grip.

"Natsu, come you know that wont work. You're the one who helped me get this strong remember" With an annoyed look he said "now is not the time for fucking memory lane" He started to growl when Tristan frantically pulled on Jellal's shirt. "What is it Tristan?" "One of the guys… I recognize his face."

"Are you sure?" asked Natsu. He was listening attentively "Yeah..but It would be better if we could hear him. I barely saw faces when Lily and I were hiding." Sting and Gray loosened their grip as Natsu wrenched his arm away. "Let's get closer then, the rest of you stay here" he commanded.

Crouching down, the two snuck in and dived behind a corner. Pressing his ear against a wall, Tristan waited, hoping he was right. "If I'm wrong then we are screwed. Please, please let me right. For Layla's sake." He thought dreadfully. Suddenly his eyes widened when he heard talking. "That's him Natsu! That's him!" His whole body started shaking as he remembered hearing that voice when they grabbed the girls. He stopped shaking when he felt Natsu's hand grip his shoulder.

"Lets get back to the others, we just need to wait till he's alone" Hearing the low rage in Natsu's voice, he nodded quickly and snuck back with Natsu. "Is it him?" Gray asked. Silently, Tristan nodded. "There he goes" Sting said, his anger setting Tristan on edge, but he shook it off. "I understand. "I understand Sting's anger" he thought vengeful as he balled his hands. "Easy kid" cautioned Jellal. He looked at Jellal who looked at him with empathy.

He unballed his fists and relaxed some. "Trust me, I know what your feeling..but one raging is enough" he said motioning his head . Tristan looked and saw Natsu wasn't paying attention to anything but the man in front of him as he stealthy followed behind him.

Grabbing him, Natsu clamped a hand over the man's mouth and dragged him to an empty area. With Jellal's signal, the others followed behind him. "Start talking you piece of shit" said Natsu throwing the man on the ground. "You won't get anything out of me" he said aggressively spitting at Natsu's face.

"Big mistake" he said as he wrenched his arm back and brought it to the man's jaw He screamed as Natsu felt bones crack. The others stood safely back, not wanting to incur Natsu's wrath. "Okay, okay I'll tell you but for a price" he said with a slimy grin. "TELL ME NOW!" his voice boomed off the walls making Tristan shiver while everyone else was calm. "This is why you don't fuck with Natsu Dragneel or his family" Gray said flatly.

"What's your price?" "Two million" "Done, now tell me!" "Okay, its forty-five minutes. Ju-jjust g-ggo down the dirt ppath" "Tristan!" he barked. "Yes, ssir" he answered nervously. "Get your ass in the car" Obeying, he ran as Natsu slammed the guy's head knocking him out. "People like you disgust me. Trading out your own gang for money. I don't care what kind of mafia it is, you never betray your own" With distain, he kicked the guy hard then turned and ran. "LET'S GO!" he shouted as everyone piled into the car. "Lucy..Layla..I'M COMING!"

"SOMEBODY GIVE ME A FUCKING TIME" "Natsu" Whipping his head around, Tristan saw the wild look in his eyes remembering Gray's words. "When Eitherious comes out, stay out of his way"

"Nnnothing" he said quickly stumbling over his words as he sat back in the seat. 'It's not Natsu anymore' he thought terrified for the ones about to get pounced. 'NO, I shouldn't feel sorry for them. They hurt Layla and Lucy. All for that jerk!' "Unclench your fists" whispered Gray.

Not realizing , he let out a breath. "Feel better?" "yes, thank you." "No problem, listen when we get there, stick with me okay?" he said in a serious tone. "Yes" he replied. "We all need to stay far away from Natsu right now" "Got it" "TIME NOW!" he screamed outraged. Jellal looked at his phone then at Natsu with regret.

" Eitherious…we're out of time" he said showing him the time. Shaking his head ,Eitherious said "doesn't mean a fucking thing! Just means It's in her system. She's a fighter, she's still going to be fighting" "Eitherious…" "FUCK!" he cried screeching the tires , he whirled down the dirt path and slammed on the brakes.

Throwing his door open, he glared at the door to the mafia and in low, dark tone said "move" They all scattered in different directions as Eitherious busted through the door where guards were waiting.

" I don't have time!" he yelled. Grabbing one of the guards, he snapped his neck and used him as a shield firing at the others. "Are you giving up then?" he looked in the direction he heard the cocky, arrogant voice was coming from. Out of the shadows walked James. "Your out of time" he said with a wicked smile.

"FUCK YOU" Without hesitating, he went straight for him. Leaping off the floor, he double kicked him as James landed a punch on his face un phasing Eitherious. "You aren't the only mafia leader here" James boasted . He lifted his hand to deliver another punch when Eitherious grabbed it.

"I'm not just a mafia leader you stupid son of a bitch…I'm something else entirely" he said with a twisted grin as he took James hand and crushed it making James scream in agony. "Wha…what are you!" he screamed. "That…that look" he said trembling grabbing his hand as Jellal and the others came rushing in. "I'll deal with you later, grab him!" he ordered as he ran off.

"LUUUUCYYYYYY" he called out. "NAAATSUUUUUU" her voice filled with despair and pain alarming him. Breaking the door down, he saw Lucy sobbing sitting on her knees. "Lucy" he said lovingly running and touching her cheeks. "Baby are you okay?" he said quickly looking her up and down.

"Your hands." Bloody and red, he went to pick them up when she pushed him away. "OUR BABY!" she shrilled as he looked and saw how pale and sick she looked. Her arms and legs were covered in black, botchy, bruises, hives while her face was white. "Layla, baby girl say something" he cried frantic but there was no response. Putting a finger to her throat, he thought 'It's barely there' Ripping the chains off he grabbed Layla.

Ripping Lucy's chains off he said "time to go" as they ran out. Together they raced out past everyone. Hitting the ground, he stopped on a dime. "MY BABY" she screeched. Natsu set her on the ground. "Come on Layla, open your eyes baby girl" he begged but she made no movement Leaning down, he put his ear to her heart.

Lucy watched as his eyes gave her the answer. "No..no..NOOOOOOOO MY BABY, LAAAAAYLAAAAA" Pounding his fists into the ground, he raised his head and let out a cry that to anyone, but his team sounded like a bewitched animal. They could hear it clear across the base along with the fallen halo members who started running the moment they heard.

"No..It, it can't be" Tristan dropped to the floor with his face in his hands. "We were too late" admitted Sting holding onto James's shirt while James stayed on the ground holding his hand.

"Come on" said Gray gently as he pulled Tristan up. "Not here, let's go..to them" Crying he nodded and followed Gray while he led everyone out. They walked until they saw Lucy unconsolably sobbing while Natsu cried over her body until suddenly he started pressing down on her chest.

"Natsu!, what are you doing?" she yelled in an ear-piercing scream. "Giving her a chance, a person can be dead for five minutes but as long as you keep the blood pumping, there's a chance" informed Natsu.

"Gray…could it actually work?" Tristan asked in a cracked voice. "I don't know kid. I really don't" he answered honestly. Continuing to cry, Lucy looked up hearing someone approaching. "Je..Jellal" "I'm so sorry" he said getting to the ground hugging her as she soaked his shoulder. His niece, a child he had known her entire life and seen take her first steps was gone.

"Damn it" he thought angrily as tears began forming drifting slowly down his cheeks. 'How am I going to tell Erza' "Come on Layla, I know your still there" "Natsu" Sting said depressingly. "NO" "Come on..please baby" he said holding as tight as he could to the hope she could come back when he pressed straight down and out came a gasp of air.

Stopping immediately, everyone froze. Holding his breath, he looked at her. Squeezing them, she slowly opened them. "Dad ?" the tiny voice brought him to tears as she looked. "Yes, baby dragon. It's me" he said happily. "Daddy!" she said with cheer as he wrapped his arms around her lifting her slightly off the ground.

"Baby girl" Lucy choked out through sobs as Jellal let her go. Grabbing her hand, Natsu pulled Lucy down wrapping his other hand around her. Tears rolled down their faces onto Layla's hair as they buried their faces into her shoulders. "Mom " she said muffled as she coughed. "Sorry baby girl" he said realizing they were suffocating her and had them loosen their grip.

"Oh baby" Lucy cried smiling. 'She'..s alive' thought Tristan hugging Gray who rubbed his shoulders. Looking up, he couldn't help but be a little shocked seeing tears drip slowly down Gray's cheeks. "I shouldn't be surprised. He's Layla's family..they all are.' Looking around, he saw they all had tears coming down but not nearly as many as Lucy and Natsu had. "Dad..I had a strange dream" Concerned Natsu faced Layla.

"What was it Layla?" She let out a stifled cough, "I.. I heard you dad. It was almost like a faint whisper. You were yelling for mom, and then I heard nothing" Natsu and Lucy looked at each other with the same expression and looked back towards their daughter. "Mom..da. what's wr-" she attempted to ask when she started coughing but what alerted them was the blood she coughed up. Picking her up immediately, Natsu ordered "everyone move!" as him and Lucy ran to their car. "LET'S GO!" she screamed to everyone waving her hand at them as they ran to their cars.

Shoving James into the trunk, Sting jumped into the car and they all drove to the mafia hospital. Lucy sat in the back with Layla holding her hand for dear life. "Mo..om" "Shh , don't try to talk baby" she whispered gently lightly putting a finger to Layla's lips. Faintly nodding, she closed her eyes and fell asleep.

"Natsu.." she said, the worry in her voice clear. " Going as fast as I can Luce, I promise" he told her slamming his foot on the gas. "Jeeze , are you going to be able to keep up with him Jellal?" asked Tristan having gotten into Sting's car with the others leaving Natsu and Lucy with Layla. "Jellal?"..he asked again until he saw Jellal's face was completely focused on Natsu's car.

'I'm not trying to stay in directly behind him. He's completely in the right to leave us in the dust if he needs too. I know where the hospital is.' He thought as he watched Natsu's car accelerate. "Don't worry kid, Natsu's got this. Layla will be fine" Sting said confidently as Jellal suddenly pressed down on the gas sending the others slamming back into their seats.

"Sorry guys" he apologized. "What's the accelerating Jellal?" "I don't have to follow him but damn I don't want to completely lose sight of him" he said to Gray. "Hold tight Tristan" he warned and before Tristan could ask why, he was shut up by Jellal zooming down the road.

Thirty minutes later, they all arrived as Natsu threw open the door and grabbed Layla gently from Lucy's arms. With her in his arms, he kicked open the door. "WENDY!" he shouted running. "What's wrong!" she said alerted coming around the corner, but she stopped asking seeing Layla's frail condition.

"Follow me, now!" she commanded turning on her heels as Natsu and Lucy followed behind her. Tristan went to follow before Gray grabbed the back of his shirt yanking him backwards. "GRAY! LET ME GO" he shrieked pulling at his shirt. "Tristan, stop!" Jellal yelled as him and Sting gave Tristan a hard look getting him to stop pulling away. Releasing his shirt, Gray put a comforting hand on Tristan's shoulder. "We can't go back there anyway right now" he said as they all looked to the doors Natsu and Lucy ran through with nothing but hope.