Holy moly. This chapter took me far longer than I ever intended, and I feel so badly about that. Life has been hectic lately, and my inspiration has been scarce to say the least. I'm so very sorry it took me so long to get this finished and published. I hope you can forgive me and that you'll enjoy this chapter as much as the previous ones.

I can't say with any sort of certainty that my next chapter won't be a long time coming, but I can promise to do my best to update much quicker next time. Keep your fingers crossed for me, and I'll keep working hard.

Now, without further ado, I give you chapter 43...and the beginning of the end. *laughs cryptically*

Enjoy!

Hiro Mashima owns Fairy Tail.

CHAPTER 43: THE MIGHTY FALL

"Rogue, I need to talk to you."

I watched as the face that matched the voice filled the communications lacrima and felt the first stirrings of anger hit me. How the hell could he possibly think I wanted to talk to him? "Did I not tell you to leave me the hell alone?"

"Actually, you told me to get out of your sight and not come back," he snapped, his usual attitude surfacing for a fraction of a second before his expression smoothed out. "Look Rogue-"

Now contrite, he fumbled for words, but I'd had about enough. That momentary infraction was more than enough to get my hackles up.

Even now, knowing what Lucy had gone through, what he could have cost me, he was still full of arrogance. Not one damn thing had changed in the time we'd been apart. I'd hoped he would take stock of where he went wrong, but I should have known better. And now, for the first time in the entirety of our association, I had neither the patience to deal with his behavior nor the inclination to excuse it.

"In that case, let me clarify it so there will be no further misunderstanding. It is my desire that you cease contacting me in all forms - calls, letters, or any other damn way you might consider getting a message to me. I'm not interested in anything you have to say."

That said, I moved to set the lacrima back on the counter, already beginning to cancel the magic necessary to connect the call, when Sting called out.

"Rogue! Alright, I'm sorry! Rogue!"

The tone of his voice had me pausing mid-step. It was rare for Sting to show regret, and now, he was not only revealing the emotion but apologizing as well. I was...astounded. No matter what situation we'd been in during our past, no matter how badly he'd screwed up, Sting had never apologized. It wasn't in his nature to freely admit wrongdoing.

It had taken me years to figure out why, and once I did, I realized it was all a part of the mask he wore. It was a way of protecting himself, so I'd been okay with it. I understood it for the most part - the unshakable confidence, the unbreakable cockiness. It was his way of hiding, and that I understood well. Still, I'd never seen that mask crack, not in all the years we'd known one another, save for the time he'd lost Lector.

That had nearly destroyed him, and now, I could hear it there again. The slight tremor in his voice, the desperation. It did something to me, made it unbelievably difficult for me to stay angry and nearly impossible for me to ignore what I'd heard.

Then again, I also wasn't a fool. And no matter how generous I was feeling at the moment, I still wasn't quite ready to forgive him for his part in separating me from Lucy when she needed me so much.

Expelling a weary breath, I lifted the lacrima again. "What is it that you want, Sting?"

It was quiet for several ticks of the clock, and then he spoke somewhat hesitantly. "You doing alright?"

The question was so far from what I was expecting that I drew back, my eyebrows pulling together in confusion. What in the world was this? Small talk? Sting didn't do that. He wasn't the type to engage in simple conversations or honor traditions of civility. He always got straight to the point - no hinting, no beating around the bush. For the most part, I'd only ever found it annoying. But now, with him willingly playing nice, I knew something was up. Sting only ever did that when he needed something...or when the proverbial shit was about to hit the fan.

So which one was prompting Sting's odd behavior?

"Sting...get to the point," I snapped, my patience at an end. "What exactly is the problem?"

"Rogue!"

I turned at the sound of Lucy's voice and found her face tinged with disapproval. It wasn't a look I was used to having directed at me, and it bothered me more than I cared to admit. But Lucy didn't know Sting like I did. The man was nearly always up to something, and normally, I'd be fine with letting him do his own thing. But now, I was tired of the game.

Walking back toward her bed, I sighed. "Lucy, you don't-"

"Give him a chance."

That was all she said - four little words that shouldn't have had any bearing on what I thought or felt - and yet, I found myself weakening. It made no sense. I was my own man; I made my own decisions. But the minute I thought my mind was made up, she had only to say one word otherwise and everything inside me was ready to fold.

But it wasn't that simple. I didn't actually want to give him the opportunity she seemed to think he deserved. I'd trusted him before, and look what had happened.

Stopping next to her, I let the arm holding the lacrima drop to my side. "Why?"

"Because," she said, smiling up at me as she reached for my other hand. "He's your friend."

And there it was. The whole reason she was a Fairy and I was a Saber. It would never occur to her not to forgive one of her friends. Once a relationship was established, Fairies fought for it. And Sabers...well, we weren't like that. Everything had a price, and we made sure it always got paid.

I stared at her, wondering if I could do what she so easily suggested...if I could actually just let it go and give Sting another shot. There was no way of knowing what he would do with it. He could very well go back to being the same self-centered ass he usually was, and then I'd be right back where I was before.

Or he might actually change.

I paused at that and felt my head shake minutely in disbelief.

Was I actually contemplating this?

Normally, when I said goodbye, it was for good. I didn't waffle on my decisions, didn't second guess myself. But there was something about Lucy that made me want to be different, more like her and the rest of her Fairy Tail family. And that part of myself seemed to be winning, because I found myself exhaling in defeat until Sting decided to toss his opinion into the mix.

"You should listen to her, Rogue. She sounds pretty smart."

Scowling, I lifted the lacrima and snapped, "Nobody asked you!"

Laughs went up around me, and I whipped around to find Gray and Cana both fighting to cover their amusement. Lucy too seemed to find the whole thing funny, and it wasn't long before she was giggling right along with them.

"You might as well do what she wants, man," Gray commented, his lips still twisted in a knowing grin. "Trust me - it's easier that way."

Huffing, I turned back to the blonde on the bed. "I'm beginning to see that."

Facing the lacrima again, I folded my face into an expression of neutrality and mumbled, "Consider this your official second chance. Don't blow it."

Hearing an exasperated huff from the woman beside me, I shot her a warning look. She may not like how I was handling things, but she was just going to have to deal with it because this was as good as Sting was going to get. In my mind, he deserved a lot worse, and quick frankly, the only reason he had even gotten this far into the conversation was this ridiculous need I'd developed to keep her happy.

Still, I had to draw the line somewhere, and I had my pride to consider. So, while I was wasn't quite capable of telling her no, I decided there was no real reason to pretend to like it.

And from the grunt of approval coming through the lacrimal connection, it appeared that Sting agreed with me. But before I could push for more information, Gray walked over and stepped into the viewing area alongside me. "Now that we've got the bromance back, what do you want?"

"Gray!" Lucy called out, her voice a blend of both frustration and amusement.

"What? You didn't say I had to be nice."

Cana snickered as she moved to plop down on the bed beside Lucy. "He has a point. Besides, Sting was the one that took your man away."

"Her man?" Sting immediately perked up, and I fought not to roll my eyes. I'd never hear the end of this.

"It's not like-"

"Why do you keep saying that?" Lucy interrupted with a squeal, swatting at her friend, nearly making the brunette fall off the side of the bed.

But Cana was a pro at blocking the blonde's attacks and continued to laugh as she caught both of Lucy's hands in her own and called back, "Because it's true!"

Knowing there was no way Sting and I could hear with the two of them going on like that, I headed back to the other side of the room with Gray following close behind me. Normally, I would have objected to having someone insert himself into the conversation like that, but Gray had long since earned my trust, and if this had anything to do with Lucy, then it would be best he listened in anyway.

Ignoring the steady chatter coming from the girls for the moment, I raised the lacrima and sighed, "Okay, what is it?"

It didn't even take a second for the amusement to fall away from his face, and suddenly, he looked deathly serious. "Minerva."

That one word was enough to send a ripple of unease up my spine. "What about her?"

"I think she's on to us. She cornered me at the guild, asking all these questions about you."

I wanted to ask about what had surely been an interrogation, but my mind had gotten stuck on the first part of what he'd said. I think she's on to us. My mind circled around that one sentence, making it impossible to move on. I just couldn't understand why he would say that.

Other than helping me track Lucy's attacker, he had done nothing. Well, unless you counted him being inside Fairy Tail walls earlier, which of course Minerva would. But still, why would he say it like that, like he had been a part of this from the very beginning? I would be punished for helping Lucy. I knew that, and I'd long ago decided if that was the price of being there for her, it was worth it. But that hadn't included Sting. I'd never intended to drag him into anything outside of taking that initial job for me.

And yet, here he was saying us, like we were a team again. Like old times.

"Us?"

It took a moment to realize I had spoken out loud, but now that the question was out there, I realized I had to have an answer. From the very beginning of this thing, he'd done nothing but discourage my involvement with Lucy. He'd hounded me about walking away, going back to 'my life', and the possibility of Minerva finding out. So why now was he speaking about it all in such united terms?

"We're still a team, Rogue, whether you want to kill me or not."

As expected his response made little sense in normal terms, but it was so like Sting that I couldn't help but shake my head in amusement. "That is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard."

He shrugged, clearly unperturbed that I didn't see the wisdom in his words. Gray though seemed to completely grasp what Sting was getting at. Laughing, Gray nodded his head. "I get it."

"At least someone does," I muttered, then felt my brow crease when I recalled what we were discussing. "What did Minerva want?"

"I went to pick up a job, late when I thought no one would notice, but she caught me and wanted to know if you were going with me. I didn't know what to say so I told her you were an emo dork, so I didn't know."

I pressed my thumb and index finger against the bridge of my nose and sighed, " An emo dork?"

"Yeah, you know - all antisocial and shit."

I couldn't help it. I rolled my eyes. "You are so..." Pausing, I drew in a deep breath and tried to remind myself that reacting to him would only encourage a longer conversation, and that was the last thing I was interested in at this point. "Nevermind. So she believes I may not go with you because I don't feel like being around you and listening to the imbecilic things you say."

"Yeah, pretty much," the blonde answered, still not peeved by my very deliberate put-down. "Only problem is she wants an update before I go so she can notify the requester."

"Fine, then tell her I'm not going."

Immediately his head shook. "Won't work. She knows you've gotta need money. It's been a long time since you went out on a job. If you ignore this one, she'll know something's up."

"He has a point," Gray acknowledged.

Grudgingly, I nodded my head. "He does."

But what was I supposed to do about it? After what had happened with Lucy the last time I left, I couldn't bring myself to actually go out on a job. Taking into account the average travel time our jobs entailed, I would be looking at a couple days at the very least. That simply wouldn't work. Neither apparently would staying away.

"What if...what if I just go by the guild for an hour or so? Let her see me there..."

Even as I said it, I knew it wouldn't work. And so did Sting. He shook his head. "I don't think that's going to cut it, man. You know how she is. She's got you in her sights now. You gotta play it smart."

He was right of course. I'd been gone from the guild for too long now for a brief appearance to work. If Minerva was asking about me, it wouldn't be long before she started looking for me, and that would lead her right to Lucy. After the beating Lucy had received at Minerva's hands, that was the last thing I wanted happening.

But even knowing all that, I couldn't decide what to do. If I had the choice, I'd do nothing but watch over Lucy. I'd climb right back into her bed and pretend Sabertooth didn't exist, that Minerva didn't exist.

But she was real. As was the threat against Lucy.

So what was I supposed to do? Leave her? Go on a job with Sting and hope she was still here when I got back?

The thought had my stomach twisting into a knot and my chest feeling tight. How could I do that? How could I abandon her again when so recently she'd nearly taken her life? How could I walk away, even for a short time, knowing she could attempt such a thing again?

"I...I can't," I mumbled, turning to watch the blonde across the room.

"Rogue," Sting said, his voice rising with what I could only term panic. "You can't ignore this. If you don't come with me, she's going to know something's up. She's going to find you. You don't want that, man. Think about it...if she finds you, she finds Lucy. You really want that? After what happened at the Games?"

I'd had the very same thought not even 30 seconds before. I knew what a disaster that would be. Minerva was cruel and sadistic, and I'd broken her rules. She'd stop at nothing to make me pay for that using any means available, including hurting Lucy.

What choice did I have? Either way, Lucy was at risk. Either way, I would be putting her in harm's way. I was well and truly stuck. It was as if I was underwater, too deep to see and no idea which way was up.

So consumed with my thoughts, I nearly jumped out of my skin when a heavy hand came down unexpectedly on my shoulder. I looked up immediately and found Gray watching me, his brow creased in seriousness.

His fingers tightened briefly, just long enough to offer a moment of reassurance. "I'll be here the whole time. I won't leave her alone."

Meeting his gaze, I could see he meant it. If my time with Lucy had taught me anything, it was that Gray loved her and would protect her with his life. For that reason, there was no one I trusted more with Lucy, but even that could not completely erase my fear.

I nodded once more, trying to quiet the worry inside me. "I know. It's just...last time..."

I didn't even have to finish. He knew precisely what concerned me. As one, we glanced back toward Lucy's bed and found both women looking in our direction, each with a cautious expression on her face. And I couldn't blame them. Lucy had made me a promise, and now, it was sounding as if I didn't believe her. And the truth was, she'd never lied to me or given her cause to doubt her word.

In point of fact, I actually did believe she wouldn't attempt suicide again. And that meant my fear didn't come from wondering what she might do while I was away but rather what might be done to her while I was away. To put it bluntly, the problem was mine. I was afraid - of leaving, of not being with her, of losing her. And it wasn't right to assign my own issues to her.

So, I pushed a smile onto my face, determined to reassure her that my faith in her hadn't waned. "You know...I think she'll be fine."

At once her expression brightened, her lips curling up ever so slightly, and I knew I'd made the right choice. It didn't matter if my stomach felt like someone had twisted it into knots or that my heart was only beats away from hammering its way out of my chest. All that mattered was Lucy. I could give her this.

Pulling in a steadying breath, I turned back to the lacrima. "Alright, what's involved with this job?"

Sting's eyes widened comically, his face freezing until suddenly he was grinning from ear to ear and rambling like a teenage girl. "You're coming? Oh man, that's great! You don't know how worried I was! I mean-"

"Sting!" I snapped impatiently, "The job! I don't have all day!"

"Oh right...right. Sorry about that. I should have realized-"

Gray snickered. "Wow, he's like a damn chick."

Sting's middle finger immediately shot up. "Why don't you-"

"For the love of shadows, can you please focus?"

"Fine," my partner grumbled, finally tearing his eyes away from the man beside me. "It's a standard bandit job. Nothing too crazy."

I nodded, pleased that I was finally getting somewhere with him. Now if Gray could just keep quiet long enough for me to finish up with Sting and cut the connection. "And the location?"

Sting's head tipped to the side in lieu of directions. "Just over in Clover. Shouldn't take more than a half a day to get there and 2 more to round up the bandits. You'll be back in no time."

"That's not exactly 'no time'," I corrected with a frown. "I don't want to be away for 3 days."

Three days was far too long for me to leave Lucy unprotected.

Alright clearly, she wouldn't be unprotected. Gray would be with her, and Cana, and every other Fairy setting up shop downstairs. She wouldn't exactly be alone, but I also wouldn't be here to assure myself of her safety. And that's what bothered me.

"How about this..." Gray suggested, "You go with Sting now, spend a few hours helping him with the bandits and then come home. Then, go back when Sting is just about done finding all the bandits and finish things up. You can meet with the requester both times. That way when Minerva talks to the requestor later, she'll have no reason to doubt the story."

In that moment, I could have hugged him. I wouldn't have actually done it of course, but his idea was nearly good enough to deserve it. He'd found a solution I could live with. It wasn't perfect by any means, and there was no guarantee it would actually work, but at least it gave me a chance of getting through this insanity.

"That is...brilliant," I hummed, offering Gray a relieved grin. "That should work nicely."

"Awesome!" Sting yelled, clapping his hands together. "Let's get this show on the road!"

I couldn't help but roll my eyes at the abrupt reversal in tone. He was like a child with his mood changing every other minute. The only other person I'd ever seen with the same sort of mannerisms was Natsu. The two were so similar in some ways, they could almost be brothers.

"I'm still in Magnolia, Sting. It'll take me a while to get back."

My blonde partner nodded, then suggested, "Why don't you just meet me at the train station here? Lector and I are already packed and ready to go, so it'll give me time to throw some stuff in a bag for you."

It was one of the most thoughtful things Sting had ever offered to do for me, and I found myself fumbling for words to respond. I wasn't used to him behaving in such a way. Though we had spent more than 5 years together, our relationship had been built on mutual benefit, the idea that two dragon slayers were better and stronger than one. We were partners - friends, but not in the way of Fairy Tail. And I'd had no reason to think things would ever change.

Now though, it appeared it had.

Taking a moment to clear my throat, I said, "T-Thanks. I appreciate it. Would you mind packing a few things for Frosch as well?"

"No problem, man. See you soon."

With that, he was gone, and as I set the communications lacrima on the counter, I was left with the sensation that everything had shifted. I'd believed that only I had been changed throughout this whole encounter, but now, after seeing and speaking to Sting, it seemed I was mistaken. We were all being affected, and while I wouldn't have wished any of this on Lucy, I couldn't regret the difference it had made on us all.

Before I could think further on the subject, Lucy called out, breaking me from my self-reflection. "You have to go?"

I looked up, expecting to find her upset or anxious, but instead she was staring back at me with an almost serene expression. I found myself faltering, wondering how she could look so calm in the face of us being apart. And then she spoke.

It was as if she'd heard my inner ponderings, as if she knew my secret worries and wanted to erase them. "Okay, when do you think you'll be back?"

There was a certainty to her voice, a surety that I'd return, and I felt the tightness in my chest ease. Her faith in me hadn't lapsed. Her trust was fully in tact, and that seemed to make it all better, easier to handle our coming separation. Her reaction showed me that she understood, that she knew I'd only be leaving if I absolutely had to.

That was all it took to pull my lips into a smile. I made my way over to her, dropping down right in front of her and taking her hand. "I should be back in a few hours."

"A few hours?" she asked, her face brightening with a small grin. "Really?"

"Yeah." I nodded in Gray's direction. "Gray figured it all out so I wouldn't have to be gone long."

Lucy shot the ice mage a wide smile, and I watched as he moved forward to ruffle her hair. "Anything for my best girl."

"I thought we already talked about that," the blonde laughed. "I'm not-"

"Shush," he muttered, reaching forward to push at her forehead so she fell back on her pillow. "You talk too much."

Giggling again, Lucy winked. "Whatever you say."

I shook my head. "There are entirely too many private conversations going on around here."

"And there's about to be even more," Cana crowed, flopping down beside her friend and grinning. "We'll have plenty to talk about while you're gone."

The woman looked positively mischievous, and I couldn't help thinking that nothing good could come from this. What did she intend to talk to Lucy about? Me? About what she'd asked me?

Shooting her a warning look, I turned to Lucy. "Your friend has lost her mind."

The blonde lifted a brow, peering between the two of us before asking, "Why do I feel like this is another private conversation?"

"Don't worry," Cana assured, patting the other girl's hand. "I'll tell you all about it."

Rolling my eyes, I stood to my feet. "And that's my cue to leave."

Gray laughed as he stepped toward me and clapped a hand on my shoulder. "Probably for the best."

"Hurry back," Lucy said, raising up on her knees and holding her arms out.

I couldn't help but smile at her silent request and moved back next to the bed to take her into my arms. "I'll be back soon, okay?"

She squeezed me for a single instant, then let go with a smile. "Be safe."

"I will."

It was hours later, nearing dark when I finally stepped foot on the back road that would lead me back to Fairy Tail. I was tired, but grateful to be back, to be only minutes away from seeing Lucy again. The time away hadn't been as bad as I'd expected, due in part to the blonde's confident send-off and Sting's unusually pleasant behavior.

The job so far had been easy, thankfully, easing my mind about leaving Sting to handle the remainder on his own. At least it wouldn't be overly complicated.

I'd been surprised though when it was time to go to hear Frosch ask to stay behind. Usually she stuck close to my side, but considering how little she'd seen Lector over the last week, I could understand. They'd been fast friends for as long as Sting and I had been partners, and with the four of us living together, she'd never had to go for long periods without seeing him. Apparently, that absence had gotten to her because when I'd wanted to head back, she had nearly cried.

Instantly, I'd felt guilty. I'd thought so much about what I wanted, what Lucy needed that I hadn't considered what Frosch might want. She had instantly forgiven me when I'd apologized, but I promised myself I'd do something nice for her after all this.

My little friend deserved that much and more.

Looking up, I could finally see the guild in the distance, and I felt a smile pull at my lips. I was nearly there. In no time at all, I'd be back with Lucy, and I could finally relax. Well, after a shower, that is. I couldn't exactly climb into her bed smelling of dirt and sweat.

Suddenly, a sound caught my attention, and I slowed to look behind me. It had only been a whisper of noise, but one I knew I'd heard before. Stilling, I scanned the area, listening intently for any sign of trouble when I heard it again. And this time, I knew exactly what it was. Or rather who.

In my haste to get back to Fairy Tail, I'd forgotten to pay attention to my surroundings, and now it appeared I was going to regret it. Because there were at least a dozen people out there scattered in a tight pattern around me.

And one of them was her.

My chest tightened with nerves as I took a step forward, wondering if I was fast enough to get through them without harm. The others, I wasn't too worried about. My shadows allowed me much in the way of maneuverability, and if it was just them, I could probably get away.

But it wasn't just them.

Just dealing with them would be a challenge, especially considering there were some out there I didn't know. But with the added threat of Minerva, things were substantially worse.

As if called by name, she walked out from behind the building in front of me and smirked. "Well, well. What do we have here?"

I immediately stepped back, letting my shadows ease out around me. If I had any hope of making it out of this, it would be in shadow form. There were just too many to fight.

"Don't make this harder on yourself than you already have, Rogue," she called, that cruel grin widening as her men filed out around me. "You won't make it."

She seemed so certain of that, so sure she had me, and if I was being honest, I was worried she might be right. Looking around, I could find no easy avenue of escape. If we'd been in the woods, it would have been easy, but inside the city, things were different. Buildings were to every side of me, boxing me in. While I could easily make it up the side of the building and over the top, it would leave me exposed for too long.

She knew that, and armed with that understanding of my abilities, she'd chosen the perfect spot to ambush me.

Saying nothing, I let my body sink down into the shadows and then zipped back in the direction I'd come from. A handful of men closed in from behind, and suddenly, magic was flying all around me. Fire shot past me, forcing me to alter my course several degrees and putting me right into the path of a man I'd seen before at the guild. His hand raised just as a violent grin slashed across his face, and then a jolt of electric current hit me.

A sharp cry billowed up inside me, and I veered left, trying to avoid him. Only, it didn't help. She'd kept my shadows in mind when she'd gathered her crew, only bringing ones with magic she knew would actually make contact in my shadow form. This was going to be harder than I thought.

I barreled to the right, pushing myself hard in the direction of a man I'd never seen before. Perhaps his magic would be one I could counter.

Luck wasn't on my side though as I watched his fist stretch out and then open. Almost instantly, a vortex appeared and began to stretch out in my direction. It pulled at me, sucking my shadows into the center of its massive funnel, and I knew I wouldn't make it like this. I was going to have to fight.

Spinning out, I dropped to the ground in my regular form and sent a blast of magic in his direction. "Shadow Dragon's Roar!"

My roar raced right for him, coalescing with the vortex and increasing its speed so that even he could not stop it. It hit him hard, sending him flying back into the stone face of the wall with a loud crack.

"Idiots! Get him!"

Wasting no time, I dropped back into the shadows and shot forward at the man to his left. An alley lay just behind him, an alley that promised freedom. If I could just take him down, my escape route would be clear.

His hands lit with magic, and before I knew it, a blast of arctic chill hit me. It pushed me back, causing a moment of panic as the others crept up behind me, but I forced it all down and whipped my shadows out and around the steady stream of icy slush. Just a little further!

Shadow Dragon's Waxwing Flash!

With just a thought, I surrounded him, assaulting his body on every side with my shadows. He screamed as I made contact, and I felt a flash of victory as I extracted myself and shot down the alley. I was going to make it!

"Don't let him escape!"

I could only imagine Minerva's face. She'd been so certain she could keep me, but I'd just proven her wrong. Now I just had to get to Fairy Tail.

The end of the alley was coming up fast, and I held my breath as I poured on the speed. I could hear them behind me, but I was just too fast. They couldn't catch me.

But their magic could, and they were giving it all they had. It forced me up and onto the side of the buildings to either side of me, but I just kept my eyes ahead of me and my path as erratic as I could. Hopefully that would be enough until I could get out into the open.

The thought had barely skittered through my mind when a flash of red burst into my vision. Pain lanced through the shadows hurtling me forward, my entire form seizing up in agony and ripping right through my control. I exited the shadows with a shout and landed several yards ahead with a heavy thud.

It was without a doubt one of Minerva's attacks. I'd seen her use it before, changing the properties of the space I'd just occupied and causing it to explode. But seeing it in action was nothing compared to what it felt like as the intended victim.

Gasping, I scuttled to my feet, not bothering to look over the burns that were surely littering my body, and forced myself around the corner and down the next alley. Every step was torture on my body, but I knew if I stopped for every a second, I was a dead man. I glanced back and felt my stomach roll.

There were too many, and they were too close. Running, I closed my eyes for an instant, trying to push my body back into the shadows, but it wouldn't work. I was too hurt, too panicked. If I had any chance of getting out of this alive, I had to get my shadows back. Drawing in a too-short breath, I tried again, picturing Lucy in my mind. She needed me. I had to get back to her.

Goddamn it! Work!

The change happened so fast, I nearly wasn't prepared for it, and I shot forward once again to the sound of curses behind me. Relief flooded my system, especially when I realized that their attacks were getting further and further away. Even still, I knew I wasn't out of danger. I wouldn't believe myself to be safe until I hit the doors to Lucy's guild. Funny how the Fairies represented safety to me now, when not long ago, they'd been my enemies.

I waited for another hit. I knew it could still come, but it didn't. At least not in the way I'd expected.

Instead of an attack, I found myself suddenly teleported back into the midst of the men chasing me. It took only a fraction of a moment for me to understand that Minerva had switched our positions, hoping to erase the distance I'd put between me and the rest of her men.

"Take him down, you useless pricks!"

Shit!

Throwing on a burst of speed, I zipped between their legs and out the other way. They reacted instantly, and I felt more than saw their attacks hit home. But I didn't stop. I kept going in spite of the way my body burned and ached. It was my only shot.

And for a moment, it looked good.

Until several giant clouds of smoke appeared at the end of my alley, depositing a dragon, a wyvern, and Tatankan right in my path. His lips curled with vile humor, and I felt anger well up inside me. Here he was, the bastard that had tortured Lucy, scarred her, taken her virtue, and tormented her with nightmares, and there wasn't a damn thing I could do about it.

I was injured, with Minerva and her hoard behind me. I couldn't fight them all. The only choice was run.

But God, it made me sick. I wanted him to pay. I wanted to rip him apart with my bare hands and watch as his blood poured out all over the ground, just like he'd done to Lucy. But I couldn't.

I could only bite back my rage and hope I could find a way past him.