Okay guys, a warning here. If you don't have a tissue box right now, you may want to go get one, because this one was rough. Love you all for reading, and thank you all for sticking by me. Thanks to Deathsembrace137 for checking this chapter! Loves ya!

Hiro Mashima owns Fairy Tail...

CHAPTER 20: JUST A DREAM

LUCY'S POV

I pulled against the ropes frantically, ignoring the way they dug into my skin, leaving nasty red burns. He would be back soon, and I had to get away. This was my only chance. I cried out in panic, as I struggled against my restraints, but they wouldn't budge. I couldn't seem to find the strength to so much as loosen the knots to afford myself enough room to scrape my hands through.

Suddenly I heard the distinct crunch of footsteps around the corner. He was coming. I jerked on the ropes, yanking with every ounce of energy I had as a sob shot out of my mouth. I wasn't going to make it. I knew it, but I couldn't stop myself.

As he strolled into the alley, I whimpered, my struggles dying away as I cowered against the wall. He watched me with cold eyes before a cruel smile broke out on his face. My heart shot up into my throat as he got closer, and I couldn't stop the tears that poured from my eyes as I shook my head. I knew what was coming. He'd told me he wasn't done with me yet.

My fears were confirmed as he lifted his hand to my naked body and hauled me up next to him. "You ready to have some more fun," he breathed into my ear, before sliding his wet tongue down my neck. I let out a shrill yell, calling out for help, begging for Natsu to come, even though he didn't love me anymore. I kicked out, trying to break his hold, but I couldn't get away.

His hand closed around my throat, and he growled, "Stop screaming, you stupid bitch! No one's coming for you."

Tears poured from my eyes, as I realized that he was probably right. No one was looking for me. Still, I fought, but that did me little good. He let go of my neck, only to send a fist into my cheek, snapping my head back against the wall behind me. I gasped as my eyes went dark for a second, before my vision cleared and his face came back into view.

I sobbed as he reached for the fastening of his pants, and-

I woke to someone shaking me harshly, and I burst into action, my body launching into fight or flight mode. Distantly, I heard my name being called, but I shoved it aside, knowing it had to be a cruel trick. There was no one there to help me, and if I didn't fight, he'd have me again.

"LUCY! STOP IT!" I heard again, the voice sounding strained and worried, and then I realized how familiar it sounded. I sucked in a sharp breath, and that was when I smelled him, the one I could trust. He wouldn't hurt me. He had saved me. I opened my eyes slowly, afraid it was a lie, but there he was, just beside me, his face tinged with concern, his red eyes the most comforting thing I'd ever seen.

I stilled immediately, a choked cry slipping from my mouth at the sight of him, and I tugged against him, willing him to let my arms go. He released me, only to reach out and pull me up onto his lap, his arms sheltering me like a small child. He leaned against the wall, holding my shaking body close to his chest, and murmured, "It was just a dream, Lucy. I've got you."

His deep voice swept over me, calming the terror inside, as he repeated his words over and over again, like a song on repeat. A song that struck a chord deep inside me, filling me with the knowledge that I was finally safe. I buried my face in his shirt, and sobbed, wrapping that feeling of safety around me as I waited for the tremors to ease.

Rogue said nothing more, never once asking me to relive my nightmare, and I was overcome with a deep sense of gratefulness for his sensitivity. I couldn't imagine trying to tell him or anyone else what had happened. In all honesty, I didn't know if I'd ever be able to talk about it. All that had happened was like a deep well of anguish, and I would do everything I could to never ever go there again.

I didn't need to visit it or see it again. It would haunt me for the rest of my life. It wasn't one of those things that you go through, and you can put it aside, pack it up in a neat little box and put it away. This wasn't something I knew how to deal with or get past, and I longed to find some way to forget.

A hand brushed over my hair tentatively, and I stiffened at the new touch, at the sensation of my head being stroked. I breathed in Rogue's scent, filling my lungs with it, letting it bathe me in its familiarity, and relaxed. Nothing could touch me here. I closed my eyes, and just let go. I let go of it all, the fear of being touched, the pain of my memories, and the worry of being taken again.

I laid there atop Rogue, and just released it all, feeling that incredible sense of peace only Rogue could provide. I felt my breathing become normal, and I sank into his warmth, pushing all the negative away, and just sank into the man who had become my refuge.

"You okay?" his voice came softly some time later, and as his chest rumbled against my ear, I felt my lip curl up for the first time since my attack. I wasn't even sure why that small thing brought me a measure of happiness, but I couldn't deny that it felt good.

"You're smiling," he mused in surprise, as he leaned his head to the side to get a better view, his hand stilling on my head at the distraction.

I blinked slowly, and nodded my head against him, saying quietly, "A little."

His face eased into a small smile as he looked at me, and approved, "I'm glad." His arms loosened a bit, and the smile fell from my lips as he asked, "Are you getting hungry?"

"No," I offered simply, wondering if it would be wrong of me to ask him to hold me for a while longer. I felt like he was doing so much for me already. Should I really continue asking for more? He had said for me to ask for what I wanted, but I felt so guilty for his life being on hold because of me.

I fought with myself, yawning as my restless night caught up to me, and decided to just chance it, but before I could open my mouth to ask, Rogue spoke, "Still tired?"

In lieu of a response, I nodded against him, feeling no compulsion to verbalize my affirmation, and he set me gently on the bed beside him. I sat there pained at the disconnection, but he eased himself down, stretching his body out to lie down, before reaching out a hand for me.

"Come on, lay back down for a while. You need some sleep. It's still early anyway," he directed, tugging me down to tuck me into his side, pressing my head gently to his chest.

I sighed as he pulled the blanket over us both, and nuzzled into him, closing my eyes as I drifted off to the sound of his steady heartbeat.

LAXUS'S POV

We made our way through the city to the first location on our list. Freed and Levy had worked it all out early this morning, the perfect placement of the runes stations throughout the city. Looking at the map, I had to agree that they'd done well, seeing the runes situated strategically to form a network over the entire area. By the time we finished, it would spread out over the city like a large web.

As a group, we'd decided that the outer ring of stations needed to be done first. That way, we would know if Tatankan was moving into or out of Magnolia. I think most everyone was torn between hoping that the man had left the city - and be as far from Lucy as possible - and wanting him to stick around so he'd be caught and punished. It wasn't an easy thing, but I knew the only hope we had of catching him lay in these runes.

We'd had such a difficult time even getting close to him, and it had seemed that every time we were certain we had him, he would slip away. My jaw clenched at the feeling of impotence. It had been a long time since I felt the sting of powerlessness, but in this situation, my contribution could only be protection.

I, like everyone else in Fairy Tail, was raging to destroy the man who'd harmed our family, to tear into him and scatter his bits to the wind as a warning to all who would think to come against us. It wasn't our way to wait, to observe and plan, especially with the bastard still running around, free to come and go, free to find Lucy again. However, we had no choice in the matter this time.

This situation was different from any other we'd faced. We couldn't go at it straight on, sending everything we had at the problem and win. This, we couldn't fight the way we always had, sending our best and strongest out to defeat it. No, this time, we had to rely on the ones in our guild who made it their business to think and plan for every eventuality.

Now, our success or failure fell upon the shoulders of Freed and Levy, on their ability to capture this monster. We were pinning everything on them, on this plan of theirs, and I knew this weighed heavily on them both. It had been easy to see in the long look they'd shared before we left; they feared what would happen if they failed.

As I followed my team, my mind went back over how everything had changed since my attack on the guild, and though I felt an instant pang of guilt, I also felt proud that we'd found our way back. I had long ago come to understand what my grandfather had tried to teach me, that we didn't all have to be insanely strong to belong together. We belonged together because together, we were strong. I knew all that, but it had never struck me as strongly as it did now, now when everything depended on my best friend and the tiny Script mage I used to think so little of.

I couldn't help but think of what might have happened in this situation, if we hadn't had Levy with us. It had been her that had come up with the perfect placement of our network of traps, her research of city maps that had given us a place to start, and her tireless studying of Freed's runes through the night that cut Freed's work in half. Long ago, I would have seen her as weak and unworthy of a place in our guild, but now I knew different. We needed each of us, with all of our differences, to be what we were.

We had all come so far, forming our odd family into the strongest guild in all of Fiore, and now someone had taken a stab at us, leading us on a chase we were finding ourselves ill-equipped to handle. This mage was something we hadn't encountered before, and we would would need caution and patience to catch him. But catch him, we would. He could not hide forever, and Fairy Tail was nothing if not persistent.

As I walked to the edges of town with Freed, Bixlow, and Evergreen, I nodded my head slightly to myself. That sick bastard would never win. Fairy Tail's wrath had been awoken, and it wouldn't be satisfied until Tatankan's head was on a spike. We would not tolerate anyone hurting our nakama, and he would soon see just how unyielding we could be.

A/N: Now, just to let everyone know. I will never include the rape scene in here. I know after reading that, some of you will wonder, and let me lay those fears to rest right now. We all know that rape is inconceivably horrifying. I don't need to write that, and I refuse to. She will flashback to it, and I may give you a small part like I did here, but that is all. I hope you all are okay with this. Let me know if you ever find it to be too much, guys.