HEY! Sorry for not getting this chapter out sooner! School got in the way so that was my main priority at the time. This chapter (without the author's note and stuff) was 2,016 words! WOOT! That's a big improvement for me because normally my chapters are only around 1,500. Also...WE HAVE 31 FOLLOWERS! That's AMAZING! Thanks a ton guys! I'll do my best to keep it up! Anyways, enjoy my adorable little flooffers! 3

Lucy gently poured the hot water into the teapot and set the pan back down on the stove. The power was back on in her apartment so she could use all of the utilities again. She grabbed the tea pot carefully and walked it over to where her father was sitting on her couch. She gently poured the hot water into a tea cup, and watched as the tea and water danced together until they became one. She set the teapot down and took a seat on the floor, parallel to where her father was sitting.

Lucy wasn't mad at her father, she was just hurt. After her mother died, he had completely ignored her. He had actually hit her once, but she never told anyone that. He hadn't meant to, or that's what he claimed. Lucy inwardly slapped herself, trying to focus. It was just another thing that made her weaker, she shouldn't still be hung up on it.

"I came here to talk about business matters," He paused, taking a sip of tea, "there have been some changes regarding ownership, along with future plans for the business."

Of course, it was always about business. Lucy cleared her throat before replying, "What do you mean?"

Jude stood up and started to pace behind the couch, "I've re-married."

His words tore through her fast, unexpected, and ruthless. He had re-married? What about her mother? There was no way that he would've done that, she must've misheard.

"Sorry, come again? For a moment I thought you said that you re-married-"

"Her name is Madellyn." Jude cut her off, " I'll be bringing her by later on this evening. I would also like you to come back to the estate to meet a possible successor for the business to take your place..."

Lucy's ears started to ring, tuning her father out. She stared at the teacup in front of her, drowning in her thoughts. He had re-married. It was true. Why hadn't he told her about this woman. What was so great about this woman that he felt he had to do so much as to marry her? Lucy's gaze drifted to the box, tucked away under her desk chair; half open, a letter sticking out of it. She wrote to her mother every day while Lucy's father was jerking off with another woman without giving a second thought to it. Lucy poured everything she had in her into those letters, hoping that somehow her mother would see them and smile up in heaven. She visited her mother's grave every year and placed flowers on it and prayed and prayed and prayed for hours while her father was merely acknowledging her existence! Who did he think he was? Lucy's hand bunched up into a fist, anger raging through her veins, urging her to punch something, someone. Her father was just another idiotic toy that had one goal; money. Lucy's thoughts were shaken when her father noticed she wasn't listening.

"Lucy?! Listen to me when i'm talking to you!" Jude slammed his fist on the table in front of Lucy, causing the teacup that Jude had drank from to fall on the floor and break into jagged pieces. A stray piece flew at Lucy and cut her wrist, making her flinch. It stung, but Lucy was too far away to feel it. Blood fell like a blanket of crimson onto her hand and pants. Jude looked at the broken cup before standing up and fixing his tie.

Lucy glued her eyes to her red stained hands, her knuckles turning white at how much she was gripping her pants.

"Now that I have your attention," He hissed, "I'll be coming back over with Madellyn later tonight around 8:00 p.m.. I expect the best of you." Jude threatened, disapproval laced through his voice.

'How dare he…" Lucy's thoughts were clouded with rage. How could he brush off her mother like that. Layla was the best thing that ever happened to him and he knew it.

Jude smirked, thinking he won, and slowly walked towards the door. His hand rested on the handle, waiting for a response from Lucy. When he heard none, he opened the door and walked out into the hallway. He was about to close the door but was stopped when a foot slammed on the ground, forcing it to stay open. Jude's eyes met with Lucy's fiery brown one's, flakes of dark brown reflecting light. She swung the door open and stepped up to him, her aura dark and threatening.

She spoke in a black and thunderous tone.

"I don't care, that you mentally and physically abused me, that you don't care about my existence, and I sure as hell could care less about you. But if you disgrace my mother like that, then you've crossed the line. Don't go around acting like you don't miss her because I know that you do. I've written a letter to her every day knowing damn well that I will never, NEVER, get another moment with her and you," Her voice quivered with pure rage," you just go on and fuck another woman?! Like she NEVER EXISTED?! If ANYONE'S the disgrace in this family, it's you. I don't want to see your disgusting face anymore. Get out of my life, before I make your's a living hell. And take your stupid bitch with you while you're at it!"

Before Jude could react, Lucy slammed the door in his face, hatred and adrenaline coursing through her. She shook violently and took a step backwards, recoiling from her own words. A silence filled her apartment, an ugly empty silence that Lucy hated. She listened to her father's footsteps fade away as he walked down the stairs that led out of the building. She sat fell to her knees, her head hung in resentment. She hated how her father looked at her, like she was a bird that couldn't fly, with pity. She looked to the box where she kept the letters that she wrote to her mother. She stood up and lifelessly walked over to it, her eyes gray, void of emotion. The letters were neatly stacked into piles, sorted by date. Lucy picked up the box and walked it over to her trashcan. Her mind was telling her to stop, to scream, to lash out, to do anything other than what she was about to do, but her body wouldn't listen. Something in Lucy snapped as she watched the letters fall into the bin in a cascade of ink and paper.

She ran to her snow covered window and threw it open, not bothering to grab a sweater. She jumped out into the cold afternoon and slid off the roof, stumbling when she hit the ground. She started to run, letting her legs lead her. The grayness in the corners of her mind clouded her thoughts as her bare feet slapped on the ice covered streets. She remembered how broken her father had been when Layla first died. She had watched him fall apart at the foot of her mother's grave. The next day he drowned himself in his work. She felt no sympathy for him now.

Lucy ran the streets of Magnolia, blinded by rancor. Her father had managed to make her life a living hell yet again, so why should she care anymore?

Natsu growled and sat up from his bed. Lucy had left a few hours ago, leaving him to his thoughts. He had messed up, calling her his best friend when she was clearly more. Natsu scoffed in disgust for himself. He stood up and walked over to the bathroom and turned on his shower. He stripped his clothes off and sighed as he let the hot water run down his spine. He clenched his fist as images of Lucy scattered his vision. He couldn't get her out of his head! He hadn't meant to say it, it just slipped out on instinct. He always assumed that Lucy would never be more than his best friend, but these last few months had proven that wrong. He always caught himself staring at her when she wasn't looking. It wasn't his fault though, she was just always beautiful, funny, smart, powerful, and her curves weren't anything to laugh at either. Last night, Lucy looked like she was glowing while she slept, so calm. Natsu exhaled, he knew he had to go make things right, he wouldn't be able to face her if he didn't and that would just make it worse. He wasn't going to find anyone like Lucy every again, and he knew that.

When she had woken up this morning in his bed, it felt right to him. Like she was meant to be there. Maybe she was.

Natsu shook his head, clearing his mind of images of Lucy. He punched the shower wall, making a deep indent in it. He messed up, big time, and he wasn't about to let things end up like this.

Natsu quickly turned the shower off and grabbed his towel. He dried himself off and threw on new clothes. He pulled on a tighter-fitting, long sleeved, gray shirt along with dark skinny jeans. He wore a black jacket over his shirt and put his scarf around his neck, like always. He grabbed a pair of dark red gloves and threw them on as he ran outside, barely closing the door behind him. The cold nipped at the little openings in his clothes but he ignored it. He ran down the pathway towards town where Lucy's apartment was. He would tell her how he felt, he would make things right.

Natsu darted through the heavy snow, moving lightning fast. He turned a corner and jumped over a group of people, barely avoiding a woman's head. The woman yelled and ducked, her hands covering her head where Natsu's foot had just brushed. He looked back apologetically before pushing his legs to go faster. He didn't have time to stop and waste time on empty apologies, he had to tell Lucy how he felt. Natsu was diving through two people when his eyes caught on something, no someone. Natsu stopped hard, feeling his leg muscles strain at the sudden command. He ground his teeth and turned on his heel and came to a complete stop. He stood up and made himself look as tall as he could. The man he had caught eyes with stepped out of the heavy crowd and met his stance with equal confidence. A tiny crowd was slowly forming around them, murmurs and whispers rolling around from person to person. Natsu swallowed hard, his stomach suddenly dropping. Something was wrong.

"What did you do?" Natsu hissed, poison entwined through every syllable as the words left his mouth.

Jude stared at him with dangerous eyes and flashed him a tight smile.

"I haven't done anything, I simply just wanted to see my daughter."

"Bull shit." Natsu spat, his eyes turning a red as deep as wine.

Jude snarled and turned his back to Natsu. Natsu scoffed and stopped himself from taking a step forward. Instead he took a step back and spoke, "I don't want to waste my breath on the likes of you."

Natsu turned and bolted off in the direction of Lucy's apartment. He would find Jude later, right now, Lucy was his main priority. He knew something had happened the moment he had caught the mischievous glint in his eye. Natsu stumbled, barely missing a young boy, holding his mother's hand. He regained his balance, forcing his numb legs to go faster. He saw Lucy's apartment come into view, his heart swelling with hope, but he already knew she wouldn't be there. He jumped onto the roof, and jogged up to the already open window. He cursed and jumped through the window of the familiar apartment.

"Lucy?" He yelled, out of breath.

No response.
He shouted in anger before throwing himself back out into the frigid, winter air.

He would find Lucy, if it was the last thing he would do.

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~Lanybug135