Chapter 7

Lucy clenched her teeth, moving to point her gun at the man who had talked to her.

"Who are you, and what the hell do you want with my father?" Lucy demanded. But the man with the black hair just laughed, and stepped towards Lucy. Lucy's eyes narrowed. This man looked like he was the leader. His black suit looked expensive, and had a European cut, and the rings on his fingers glinted, the light reflecting off of them as he moved forward.

"Stop, or I'll shoot" Lucy said, clenching her gun tighter. The black haired man's face broke into a cruel smile, making Lucy shiver. The smile distorted his handsome face, making him seem menacing and cruel.

"I don't think you will Lucy, because we outnumber you" The man said, moving his hands to the two men behind him. "One shot from you, and my two helpers here will shoot you and your father". Feeling her stomach drop , Lucy's eyes flicked between her father and the black haired man. Her father began to struggle against the man who was restraining him.

"Lucy, just leave! It's not worth it. Please" He pleaded, looking at his daughter.

Tears welling in her eyes, Lucy took in a shuddering breath.

"Put the gun down Lucy" The black haired man said. Lucy sobbed. She just had to come here alone, if she lived through this, she swore she would apologize to Natsu. She wouldn't run off like this anymore. She would apologize to her father, and try to start talking to him again. Feeling a tear drop down her face, Lucy closed her eyes and held up her hands. She felt the gun get ripped out of her hand, and her arms pulled roughly behind her. With a click, a pair of handcuffs were attached to her wrists, and she was thrown down on her knees by her father.

"Lucy" Her father breathed, looking down at her.

"I'm so sorry Father, for everything" Lucy whispered, tears flowing down her face. But Jude was shaking his head. "No, Lucy, I am the one who is sorry. No matter what happens to me, remember that, and that I love you, and always have." He said, looking at his daughter's face, as if he was memorizing it. Then he turned and looked the black haired man in the eyes.

"Zeref, do whatever you want to me, but please, leave my daughter alone." He pleaded. The man, Zeref, laughed, and nodded towards the man who held Lucy's father.

"I can make no promises Jude. You were found out. That pesky little Fairy Tail operative uncovered the truth about you, and now I have no use for you anymore. Though I did not know that Jude Heartfilia's daughter would make an appearance, which makes tonight even more fun." Cocking his head, Zeref regarded Jude, who was on his knees in front of him. "Did you know Jude, that your daughter is a part of Fairy Tail? No? How precious. Well after she ran away, she lived with Igneel Dragneel, who you had the pleasure of working with a few years ago."

Lucy cried, pulling against the man holding her arms, but he pulled a knife from his side, and pushed it against her throat, hard enough to draw a line of blood, which dripped down over her collarbone.

"Don't worry, I have something special planned for her once I'm through with you, Jude" Zeref said smoothly.

"Leave her alone Zeref!" Jude shouted, but was cut off by a swift kick to the face, which send Jude sprawling to the ground with a spray of blood.

Lucy screamed, sobs ripping through her throat, hot tears running down her cheeks, clouding her vision. See could do nothing as she watched the man kick and punch her father over and over. Her father had slumped over onto the ground, his face turned towards her. Lucy grew limp as well, meeting her father's eyes, still bright behind his bloody and bruised face.

"You look just like Layla" He whispered, voice harsh. Lucy's eyes widened, her breaths coming out in gasps. Jude just smiled at her, and closed his eyes as Zeref walked forward and grabbed his suit jacket, pulling him up.

"Thank you Jude, for all that you have done. Now your debt is paid" He said, and dropped him into the ground. Before Lucy move a muscle, the man pulled out a gun and shot Jude in the temple. Lucy choked, leaning forward to throw up, sobbing as she collapsed to the ground, no longer held by the man behind her.

"Father" She whimpered, looking at his limp body, never to move again.

Suddenly, she was pulled up by her hair. But Lucy was numb, she didn't feel anything anymore. Slim fingers grabbed her face, forcing her to look into blood red eyes.

"You tell Makarov this, Lucy Heartfilia. Tell him that I want Lumen Histoire, and that I will be coming for it." Zeref said, grinning at her.

"I'm only keeping you alive as a message to the meddlesome old man. But remember this Lucy, next time we meet, you won't be so lucky". With this, Zeref stroked Lucy's cheek, and stood up, turning to stride out of the room. The man holding her clicked his tongue, dropping Lucy back to the ground, and kicked her in the stomach, causing her to scream, and stepped over her, following Zeref out of the room.

Gapsing in pain, Lucy lay on the ground, watching the feet of the men walk out of the room. They had left the handcuffs on, so Lucy wasn't able to move her arms. Using her legs to push her, Lucy moved closer to her father. Bending over his body, Lucy began to cry, the sobs racking her body. Why hadn't she done more to save him. It was her fault that he was dead. Hers. Crying, Lucy lay there for what seemed like hours, until she was numb, and the tears had stopped.

She was still laying there when the storm of Fairy Tail operatives burst into the room. Lucy could hear them shouting, and talking to her, trying to move her, but she was numb. She couldn't move, she didn't want to move. Lucy felt like she was watching herself from afar, and that it wasn't her answering the agents questions, like she wasn't in control of herself. After a while, Lucy grew quiet, and the agents gave up on their questions, letting her sit on the floor in the corner of the room, watching the operatives mill around, trying to figure out what happened in the room. Lucy looked down at her hands, and was surprised to see them shaking. A whimper escaping her, she clenched her fists in her hands, nails digging into her hands until she drew blood.

Blinking, she felt a hand against her cheek, soft and warm. In front of her, was a familiar face, with bright green eyes, and messy pink hair.

"Natsu" Lucy croaked, her voice scratchy from screaming and crying.

"Hey" He said softly, running a finger over her cheekbone. "Let's get you home, okay?" He soothed, his hands moving down to her hands, where he uncurled them, and gently took them in his own. Lucy blinked, searching his face, then nodded. Natsu gave her a small smile, and slid an arm under her legs, and another around her back, swinging her up into his arms princess style. Clutching his shirt, Lucy felt a tear slip from her eyes, and she buried her face into his chest, trembling in his arms. She just felt the steady rocking of Natsu walking, stopping occasionally to answer a question from an agent who was still in the house. Then she was outside, the harsh light from inside was gone, taken over by the inky darkness of the night, as Natsu brought her to his car.

Natsu hadn't said a word as he drove them back to her apartment. Face blank, he went about his business. He had silently checked Lucy over for injuries, after she had changed, but he was still hesitant and cautious with her. Lucy could tell. Natsu didn't know what she needed, what he could do to help. He was watching over her like a hawk, his eyes sharp, as she made her way to her bed. He followed her, helping her pull the sheets back, and climb wearily into bed. Bending over her, he gently pressed his lips to her forehead, and squeezed her arm before turning around to walk out of her room.

"Natsu?" Lucy called softly, before he could leave. "Can you stay with me tonight?" She asked. Smiling sadly, Natsu nodded, coming around to the side of her bed, and slipping under the sheets. He curled close, pulling Lucy over, and letting her rest her head on his chest. Wrapping his arms around her, Natsu leaned his cheek against her head.

"How are you doing? He whispered, his first words since he found her on the floor in her father's house. Clenching her hand around Natsu's shirt, Lucy took in a shaky breath. Swallowing, she spoke.

"It was my fault Natsu" She began, " I disobeyed orders again, and look what happened. I should have fought harder, I should have done something." She went on. "Natsu, I just gave up" She breathed, her breath hitching in her throat.

Tightening his arms around her, with one hand drawing small circles on her back, Natsu hushed her softly.

"You had no choice, you were outnumbered Luce, and they would have killed you if you fought back"

"But i should have, Natsu. My father-" Lucy broke off, as sobs once again took over her body.

"I know baby. He loved you so much, even though he may not have shown it at times" Natsu said, smoothing Lucy's hair away from her tear stained face.

"I never got to say I was sorry, for running away" Lucy whispered. Natsu didn't say anything, but only pressed his lips to her forehead. Lucy sighed, and curled closer to Natsu, hand clenching the fabric of his shirt tightly, as if she would fly away if she let go.

"When I was searching, I found paperwork in his desk. It turns out that after I ran away, he looked for me, he hired dozens of detectives to try and find me-" Lucy went on. "I had no clue. I thought he hated me, that he didn't want to be a part of my life or have me in his, but I was wrong. I was wrong" Lucy buried her face in Natsu's chest, tears dripping onto his t shirt.

"I couldn't find you either, Luce. I woke up and you were gone" Natsu murmured, running his hand slowly through her blonde hair, which had been taken down out of it's ponytail.

"I'm so sorry" Lucy said, her head coming up so she could look him in the eyes. "I know what I did was wrong, I know I disobeyed Makarov, and I'm suffering the consequences. But I promise, I will never do anything like that again, especially not alone" Lucy said firmly, her eyes never leaving Natsu's.

"I was too full of myself and of my abilities, and I walked into a situation that I wouldn't have been able to win" She continued, voice scratchy.

Under her, she felt Natsu sigh.

"I'm just glad that you are alright. I just got you back, I didn't know what I would have done if I had lost you again" He said, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.

"I'm still here, and I promise I won't be going anywhere, anytime soon, okay?" Lucy promised. Natsu held her gaze for a few seconds longer, before pulling Lucy back down, wrapping his arms around her again.

"Try to get some sleep Luce" He whispered, running his hand up and down her back lightly. She was silent for a long time, long enough that he thought she had fallen asleep, until he heard her whisper.

"Thank you, Natsu".

Hi everyone! Here's the next chapter. Some pretty big stuff went down, but now that story is finally falling into place. I promise there will be some happy chapters coming up, it won't be all doom and gloom! Anyways, thank you to everyone who followed and favorited! I hope you all enjoy this chapter!

-Sonchia