So sorry this took me so long guys. It's been a hectic month for me. A fun month for sure, but it's been busy! Thankfully, I managed to get this one done for you, and hopefully the next one won't take me so long. You know I love you guys, and I hate to disappoint. Thanks for being so great and understanding. I have to say I think I have the best readers in the world! You guys are wonderful!

I also want to send a shout out to my beta and fabulous friend, Deathsembrace137. If you haven't read any of her work, you're missing out!

Hiro Mashima owns Fairy Tail.

CHAPTER 29: NOT THIS TIME

ROGUE'S POV

We had only gone just a ways down the road, but already my nerves were on edge. I didn't like this, didn't like being away from Lucy even if it was only a small distance. There was some part of me that feared she wouldn't be safe without me there to protect her.

Chalking it up to my own paranoia, I shook my head and turned to the ice mage. "Now, what could you not tell me in front of Lucy?"

"It looks like he's coming back." Gray's voice was solemn and careful, his shoulders tight with tension. "He went through one of the rune stations at the edge of Magnolia earlier this morning. Then one of the traps closer to town signaled his capture, but when Erza, Gajeel, and Juvia showed up to collect him, he was gone."

My eyes narrowed at that. "What do you mean gone? Could Gajeel not follow his scent?"

"That's the weird part. Gajeel said there was no scent."

"No scent..." I trailed off, my brow furrowing with confusion as I began to pace. How was that even possible? I tried to find a possible reason for such a strange anomaly, but it just didn't make sense. Raking a frustrated hand through my hair, I came to a stop in front of Gray. "Everyone has a scent. How could he have been there and not leave anything to track?"

Gray grunted in agreement. "I don't know, but it really bothers me that he was able to get out of that trap. I've been inside one of Freed's rune barriers, and they're damn near impossible to escape."

I considered his words and once again tried to come up with some way to explain Tatankan's disappearance, but the answer eluded me. I couldn't think of a single way he could accomplish such a thing. Rune barriers worked on the premise of rules. If you follow the rules, you get out. If you don't, you stay in. So how did he manage to escape when the rules were specific to keep him locked inside?

Pinching the bridge of my nose in irritation, I sighed. This was getting us nowhere, and I still didn't like the idea of Lucy being back at her apartment without me. We needed to wrap this up and get back.

Looking over at the man Lucy called her brother, I could see that he was itching to get back as well. It was obvious that his nerves were on edge about the whole thing, but he was also determined. I could almost see the vow in his eyes, a promise to protect her as he hadn't been able to before. But there was more than that. He was afraid...afraid for her or maybe afraid he would fail her. I wasn't sure which it was, but after hearing his news, I had to admit, it sounded like he had a reason to fear.

Though my fight with Tatankan had not lasted long, I'd been around his magical presence long enough to recognize a very powerful mage. He was definitely not a man to be taken lightly, and that meant we'd have to be far more vigilant. We couldn't afford to take any chances.

The thought had scarcely passed through my mind when I caught the faint whiff of a scent that chilled the blood in my veins. "No..."

"What is it?" Gray asked, his body taking a defensive stance as he scanned the area around us.

"He found her..."

CANA'S POV

"Cana! Run!"

At Levy's frantic cry, I turned and saw it...a mass of smoke as black as pitch, and then it began to grow, coalescing into the form of a man. "No..." I shook my head in disbelief, only distantly noticing the way the walls flared a bright purple.

I didn't want to believe it was happening, that he had found Lucy again. She had only just begun to feel safe again. She'd only recently started reaching out to her friends again, and here he was, trying to ruin it all for her once more.

No, I wouldn't let him do this to her. He would not be taking her again. She wasn't alone this time, and I'd be damned if I let him touch a hair on her head.

Turning my head, I found her on the floor beside the couch, her face twisted in horror as she scooted back toward the wall. Her lips quivered in fear as a faint whimper fled her mouth. The sight of her pain struck me like a blow to the stomach, and I felt tears well in my eye before I firmed my resolve.

It was up to me to keep her safe. I knew from the swell of magic in the room that this man would take every ounce of fight I had, and even then it might not be enough. But I wouldn't give up. Even if it killed me, I wouldn't let him have her again. Turning back toward the smoke, I found he had coalesced into a human form and was looking intently at Lucy. With a low growl, I moved between him and my blonde friend. "Happy!" I shouted, pulling my cards from my bag. "Get her to the guild!"

Trusting Happy to get her away from the danger, I tossed out a card, sending vines shooting out to hold the man off. The man's face darkened with anger at my interference, and then he smiled, a dark knowing lift of his lips before he dispersed into smoke again.

"Shit!" I cursed as he flew out of my entrapment. He reformed just to my right, and I drew out another card, flinging it towards him. There was a small explosion, and as the smoke cleared, I couldn't see him. I spun around, looking everywhere for the evil mage, but couldn't find even a hint of him in the room.

I knew he wasn't defeated so easily, but I took the small reprieve to check on Lucy and Happy. Chancing a glance behind me, I found Happy picking Lucy up and flying her towards the open window. I felt a zip of relief as they neared the exit, but it was shortlived as Levy cried out, "Behind you!"

Whirling around, I heard a loud clap, and a bird three times the size of Happy flew past me, headed right for Lucy and the blue Exceed. "No!" I yelled, throwing several cards in a futile effort to destroy it before it reached them, but it was too late.

The smoke creature drove into Happy's small frame with a powerful screech, sending the poor cat crashing into the wall with a sickening crunch. Almost instantly, Lucy let out a pitiful wail and grabbed at a large book, winging it at the bird with a startling burst of strength. The animal burst apart as the book made contact, and Lucy sank to her knees with a sob, gathering Happy's crumpled body in her arms.

With tears stinging my eyes, I whipped around to face Tatankan. "You son of a bitch!"

He chuckled darkly as he dissolved once more, his voice echoing creepily through the room before he reappeared behind me, kicking me sharply in the back. My body was airborne for a moment, and then I crashed through the top of Lucy's dining table. I groaned as I climbed to my feet. My vision blurred as blood dripped over my eye, but I brushed it aside. I needed to focus.

I stumbled out of the wreckage of the table, and finding him headed toward Lucy, I yelled, "Don't you touch her!"

He stilled, then turned around slowly. His lips lifted into a cruel smile, then he spoke. "You can't beat me. You'll only get yourself killed." He stepped toward me, his large frame somehow seeming even larger and more dangerous than before. "Your friend over there is dying," he said with that cold grin, pointing towards Levy who had finally passed out. "And you'll be next. Just step aside and let me take my prize, and you both get to see another day."

I had never been more terrified in my life. I knew I couldn't take him by myself, but I couldn't let him hurt Lucy again. I was all that stood between her and her worst nightmare. I couldn't abandon her. I just had to have faith that someone would come for us before he killed us all. "Not a chance in hell, you bastard. I won't let you have her again."

"Then you will both die." His smile fell from his face at my defiance. "She belongs to me, and I will take what's mine."

At his words, Lucy gave a small mewl, shrinking back into the corner with a still unconscious Happy in her lap. Her head shook over and over again, and she whimpered, "No please...no...Loke help me..."

The Lion Spirit appeared with a loud roar just behind Tatankan, his body coming into focus with his arm reared back to strike. His face was carved with rage, his countenance more feral than I'd ever seen him, but with his anger overwhelming him, he had missed the way Tatankan's body had begun to shimmer out of focus. I could see what was going to happen and tried to warn him, "Loke! Watch out!"

Before he could react, the large man had dissolved into smoke and slipped around behind Loke. I gasped as he reformed and abruptly ripped a hole through the Spirit's body with his arm. Loke's face paled with regret as he looked over at Lucy.

Loke drew in a ragged breath and winced at the pain it caused, but didn't take his eyes off of Lucy. Tatankan gave a vile laugh of victory at the agony he had caused, before he leaned his face in to Loke's to offer a final jab. "What made you think you could save her this time?"

Tears slipped down Loke's cheeks at the cruel barb, his guilt pouring out in twin streams of anguish. I could feel how much this had hurt him, could see how grief in his eyes, but I couldn't help him. I could only watch in horror as he began fading away, his voice heartbreakingly soft as he apologized to his master.

"I'm sorry...Lucy..."

LUCY'S POV

A sob slipped from my mouth as Loke once again fell trying to defend me. I felt so guilty. My friends...they were all getting hurt because of me. More than anything, I wanted to stand up and fight, but I couldn't move. I was frozen with fear. I couldn't make my body respond.

I was so afraid. He was going to get me again, and this time, he'd destroy me. I knew it as surely as I knew my name. I wouldn't be coming back from this. I wanted so badly for Rogue to come, to save me again. Where was he?

A shriek of anger drew my eyes back to Cana, as she drew three cards and fired them at the man who had done so much damage. A volley of lightning shot from the trio of cards, arcing straight at his body, but he was no longer there. He had already changed into his smoke form and launched himself at Cana.

He appeared with his hand around her throat, his face dark with a scowl as he slowly tightened his grip. "You've gotten in my way for the last time."

"Cana!" I cried, scrambling to my feet to try to save her.

He was going to kill her. I could see it in his eyes. He would snuff out her life like it was nothing, and I couldn't bear that. "No please! I'll go with you. Let her go...please...I'll go!"

Tatankan turned to me with a hungry look, then looked back at the brunette in his grasp and threw her violently against the wall. I cringed as she smacked against the wall and dropped to the floor lifelessly. Please be okay...please be okay...

My lip trembled as he walked towards me, and I couldn't resist backing away. I knew what he was going to do to me. It would be worse this time because I'd gotten away. He'd make me pay for that.

His eyes followed my movements in sadistic amusement. "Where do you think you're going? You can't escape me. Didn't I tell you that?" Suddenly, his face contorted into a mask of wrath. "Didn't I tell you that you're mine?!"

With that shout, he launched at me, and I closed my eyes, waiting for the hit, but it never came. Instead, there was a massive roar and a familiar heat I hadn't felt in a while.

"Get away from her, you bastard!"

My eyes sprang open at the sound of Natsu's voice, and I gasped as Tatankan was thrown back with the force of the Fire Dragon's flames. Scales lined his face as he stood between me and the man who'd taken me before. He glanced back at me, his eyes dropping to the sight of Happy in my arms, and he growled deep in his throat.

Turning his attention back to the man now standing to his feet, Natsu snarled, "You're gonna pay for this...you're gonna pay for everything you've done."

A/N: Okay, so I know this chapter is a bit on the short side, but don't worry. The next one will be longer. I've already got over 1,000 words done on it so far, mostly Natsu's fight with Tatankan. There will be more of Rogue and Gray as well as Lucy.

Now that that's out of the way...who was surprised that it was Natsu?