No author's note this time, simply enjoy!

Chapter 13: Retrieval

Gerard shut the door behind Natsu and smiled at the heavy wooden door. "What a fool." He turned and walked back down the hall to where Natsu had stood just moments before. He ran his own hand along the wall. "So close, yet unknowingly so far from you." He said sadistically. "Your child will fetch a large sum. Rumor has it that it will be a Dragon Slayer like its father. I hope for your sake it is. We won't have to kill you afterwards if it is. We can use you to breed more."

Mirajane glared through the spell at the mage that held her hostage. 'Natsu will find me.' She thought to herself. 'He won't give up until he does.'

Natsu cursed under his breath. Darkness was just taking hold over the small town and her scent was fading rapidly. Her scent ended inside that house and he knew she was there. Despite the faint scent when he had been there the first time, he had felt her presence.

In that one particular spot, Natsu had felt as if she were standing right in front of him. He could not have started a fight there and then. If she had been right there in front of him he could not have chanced hurting her in the process of saving her. He had to be careful with the child growing inside her.

Now crouching outside of the building just a few houses down, Natsu reached up and ran his hands through his hair. He had been sitting there for the past few hours, waiting for them to try and transport her to wherever they planned on holding her in the future. No one had left the house, but he had seen quite a few people enter.

Whoever was really behind Mirajane's abduction was organized, but the people they had hired had a scruffy appearance, almost as if they had been picked up off the streets just for this purpose.

Every passing moment ate away at Natsu's thin patience. He knew how destructive he was, knew that no matter how much he tried, he would only bring harm to those around him. It brought more questions to his mind, could he save her? Would he be able to protect her in the future? Where was Happy? Why had they left him on the train in the first place?

As the thoughts pounded their way through his mind, he could feel himself losing his rational line of thinking. He was growing desperate to save her, to get his mate back. All thought stopped when he felt the brick under his hand shatter.

Natsu forced himself to take a slow calming breath and let go of the jagged fragments of stone. After a few breaths, Natsu leapt into action. He had had enough of waiting.

If all he could do was destroy, he would grab his enemies' attention and force them to come to him. With a roar, Natsu called forth his magic and let the flames burst from every portion of his body in a vortex. "Mirajane!" He called out.

Metal melted under the intensity of his fire and a loud screech ripped through the air as he ripped the gate from the fence and threw it across the lawn. His fire browned the grass around him and blackened the stone under his feet with every step he took. "Give me back my mate!" He roared.

Gerard pulled the curtains from the window apart and let out a gasp, holding his hand over his heart in feigned surprise. "I dare say it took him long enough to come back for you my dear." He called back to Mirajane. "Your fool of a husband didn't even go for help."

Mirajane couldn't help the flutter of hope in her stomach. Instead she funneled it into a heated glare, fixing her eyes on Gerard. "You are a fool yourself if you think you can take him on yourself."

"Oh, my dear, you have me all wrong. My magic will not work on him the same way it does you. I have more men to take care of him; men much more suited to killing." Gerard explained with a sly smile.

"What do you mean it won't work the same way on him? What exactly did you do to me? Why is it so hard to move my body?" Mirajane spat out.

"I did nothing to you. You were the one that neglected your magic for so long. Everything that has happened has been of your own accord. Your body does what I want it to, but only because I showed it that you weren't suitable to command it. I can't control your body, but I can control the magic within you to move you as I see fit. I can make you do anything I wanted." With a dismissive wave Gerard turned to look out the window. "Enough of that; come now and watch your beloved husband fall."

"You can't kill a Dragon Slayer like you can anyone else, let alone Natsu. Not only is he one of the strongest members of our guild, but he has more heart than anyone I know. He won't give up until he has what he wants." Mirajane countered, folding her arms across her chest.

Gerard looked back over his shoulder and his smile grew larger, more devilish. "He isn't the only Dragon Slayer that wants you for himself. The boss sent us to get you as soon as he heard you two were married."

Mirajane tried to hold herself in place against the wall but Gerard beckoned her over with a crook of his finger. Her body slowly moved as if it had a mind of its own, no matter how hard she fought it. "Natsu won't be defeated that easily, it doesn't matter who he is up against. He won't just let another Dragon Slayer, let alone anyone else, have me against my will."

Gerard bent down and grabbed her by her jaw and made her look up at him. "That's the beauty of it all, my dear. With my magic, he won't know it is against your will." Mirajane opened her mouth to object, but nothing came out. "See? You cannot deny that you don't' want this. If you can't put words to your plea, he will never know."

Mirajane looked over the scene out the window and froze. For a brief moment she thought she had met Natsu's black diamonds but no recognition appeared from him. Instead he continued to scan for her, searching the windows and the side of the building. Somehow, Gerard was still masking her sight from view. 'Be safe Natsu.' She thought to herself. No matter how much power Gerard had over her physical body, he couldn't force her mind to agree.

Natsu dropped into a fighting stance when men started to pour out from the main entrance of the mansion. The flames died out around him so he could preserve his energy, but the fire around his fists remained. As if turned by a switch, the men attacked as one. Natsu widened his stance and smiled. "Fire Dragon's Roar!" He called out, puffing his chest up before expelling fire at the oncoming attackers.

Some of the men managed to dive out of the way with a cry, more out of surprise than fright. Multiple men quickly recovered though and regained their footing and sprinted towards the Dragon Slayer. Knives, swords, and large blunt objects split through the air but Natsu confidently maneuvered his way between the men. He dodged around their attempts to wound him and returned their aggression with a flaming kick.

In a matter of minutes Natsu had cleaned up the weak henchmen. He stomped to the door, but before he could open it, it kicked open causing him to flip back out of the way. Gerard stood in the doorway with Mirajane a step behind him and to his left. She stood with her eyes down, her hands clasped in front of her meekly. "I think you have caused enough trouble for today young Dragon Slayer. As you can see, Mirajane here is unharmed." Gerard gestured behind him, half turning his body to give Natsu a better view.

"Mirajane!" Natsu called out, stepping closer to her. Gerard stepped fully in front of her and folded his arms across his chest. "Get out of the way, butler. You have held my wife here long enough. I'm taking her home."

Gerard smiled slyly. "She doesn't want to go with you."

"What are you talking about? Get out of my way!" Natsu cried out.

"I will say it one more time. Mirajane does not want to go with you; she wishes to stay here, where she can be protected." Gerard said narrowing his eyes. "Ask her for yourself if you don't believe me."

Natsu looked over Gerard's shoulder at Mirajane and frowned. "What is he talking about Mirajane? Why is he saying you want to stay? Is that why you left me on the train back there?" He asked, his fears gripping him tightly. "Where is Happy?"

Mirajane lifted her face and shook her head, but said nothing. "I need to hear it from you Mirajane. Why?"

Mirajane once again shook her head, but opened her mouth to speak. "Just… leave." Her voice was strangled as if it hurt her to say it. Her eyes spoke of that pain, but she didn't back down. "I didn't want it to end like this. Please… just go."

Natsu smiled despite what she was saying. "I don't believe you. If you really wanted this to end, you wouldn't have hid from me."

"You are a bigger fool than we had thought. We thought that if she told you what she wanted, you would do as she wished. Maybe we were too kind. Mastery Ryou?" Gerard said turning around. "Would you care to prove it to the young Dragon Slayer?"

At Gerard's suggestion a dark cloaked man stepped forward from the interior of the house, drawing Mirajane out the door with him to stand a few feet from Natsu. "Perhaps you are right Gerard." Pulling his hood off, Ryou pushed his long green hair from his eyes, fixing Natsu with his dead hazel eyes. "You would have gotten your mate killed had I not found her in time. You don't know what our magic puts on women that aren't prepared when they get pregnant."

Natsu stepped forward and grabbed Ryou's arm roughly. "I don't care what you think you know. There hasn't been a Dragon Slayer born in over four decades. Mirajane is stronger than you think she is."

Ryou smiled and pulled his arm back from Natsu, but it never met his eyes. "I lost my mate because I didn't know what we were getting into. I came to your mate to keep her from meeting the same fate. Don't blame me that your mate decided you weren't strong enough to save her. She stays with me by her own will."

Mirajane stepped closer to Ryou and hugged onto his arm. "Don't make this any more difficult than it already is Natsu. Please… I don't want this."

Without warning Ryou pulled Mirajane away from Natsu and pulled her towards the door. "I'll take care of her. You won't have to worry about that."

Natsu grabbed Ryou's arm again and pulled him roughly away from Mirajane, making the other Dragon Slayer let go of her arm. "You weren't listening to what she said." His eyes narrowed on the lifeless hazel eyes. "No matter what she does, you can't hide that she doesn't want this. I can see it, but more that I can feel it."

Ryou grabbed Natsu by the throat and lifted him from the ground. "I am older and stronger than you. If you won't let her go, I will take her from you." He threw Natsu back a few feet. "I am tired of trying to play this the nice way. Gerard, take her inside, I will be there in a few minutes."

Gerard grabbed Mirajane's arm, but she didn't move. Her body shook visibly as if she didn't want to move from the spot. "Get moving Mirajane, you will do as you are told!" Dragging her along, Gerard continued to berate her verbally.

Fire burst up Mirajane's arm, singing Gerard's hand so that he pulled it away. Mirajane fell to the ground with a cry, reaching her hand up to hold it over where she had felt the fire. Her hand came away clean, but she felt as if someone had pricked her nerves.

"What was that?" Mirajane whispered to no one in particular. A sickening thud brought her head up to see Natsu lying on the ground beneath Ryou's feet.

"That was your child reacting to your emotions. If you don't get it under control soon, your child will burn you from the inside out." Ryou said without taking his eyes off Natsu.

Natsu grabbed Ryou's ankle and looked up at him. "I won't make the same mistake you did. I know what you feel with what you lost. If you keep trying to take my mate from me, you will only bring that pain on someone else."

Ryou smiled down at Natsu. "You are weak to believe you can stop me. You don't even know what kind of power I have. I could destroy you where you lie."

Natsu smiled up at Ryou. "I won't let you have her. If you plan on killing me, you will have to just try it. I have to live to make sure she is protected. That and so our child will grow up happily with both of their parents."

Ryou lifted his foot to stomp down on Natsu, but Natsu caught his foot and shoved him back. Natsu jumped to his feet and launched himself forward. "Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!"

"Water Wall!" Ryou called out a brief moment before Natsu's attack connected. The Water Dragon Slayer let the attack drop and smiled at his opponent. "My turn. Water Dragon Spear!" Two jets of water shot from Ryou's hands and solidified in the air as he advanced. Natsu followed in his example and brought out a bar of fire from his hand, focusing on keeping it solid as he attempted to fend off Ryou's attacks.

"Pitiful." Ryou spat, stabbing with his spears. Natsu created a wall of fire around him briefly that turned the water into steam. Ryou smiled and threw more attacks, letting the steam of his water fill the air around them. He advanced faster, attacking unrelentingly.

Natsu retreated little by little, keeping at the edge of the growing steam before he abandoned his attempts to guard himself and threw himself forward. "Fire Dragon's Talon!" He called out flipping himself through the air as he lashed out with deadly kicks.

Ryou deflected Natsu's attacks with the palms of his hands, the water he was using to protect himself disappearing instantly. Ryou jumped back holding his hands tightly, knowing they were burnt. Natsu's flames burned hotter, his eyes filling with hatred for the other Dragon Slayer. "Dragon Slayer's Secret Art! Crimson Lotus: Exploding Flame Blade!" Natsu spun his arms in front of him in a circle and unleashed his attack in a fiery explosion. Before Ryou could recover from the attack, Natsu was there again to slam him into the ground. "Fire Dragon's Flame Elbow!" Fire jettisoned out of Natsu's right elbow, propelling his fist forward fast enough to drive Ryou's head into the ground.

"Natsu stop!" Mirajane called out, surprising herself that she was able to speak of her own free will. Natsu spun on her, his eyes fearful of why she had stopped him. Mirajane looked around for Gerard and saw him kneeling motionless in the grass not far off, his eyes glued to the immobile figure of his master. "He knows more than anyone on what to expect, he can help us!"

She didn't know whether she went to him or he came to her, but before she could blink they were standing in front of one another. Natsu reached out tentatively to her, touching her cheek gently. "Did they hurt you?" He whispered. Mirajane shook her head silently, wrapping her arms around his shoulders to bury her head into his neck.

"Do you know where they took Happy?" He asked after a moment. With another shake of the head, Mirajane pushed back from Natsu.

"I knew you would come back for us." She admitted before gesturing off towards Gerard. "He would know if anyone would about what they did with Happy." Steeling herself, Mirajane walked over to the cowering mage and grabbed him by the collar of his jacket.

Gerard's eyes widened at the sight of her, but he turned a ghastly white when Natsu stepped up behind her shoulder. "I swear I only did what I had to do, he made me do it!" Gerard tried to reason.

Mirajane wasn't having any of it. "What did you do with my friend? The blue cat I came in with, where did you put him?"

Gerard opened and closed his mouth, trying to find the words he needed to explain their actions, but they didn't come out. "What did you do with Happy?" Natsu demanded in a growl. Gerard lifted a hand shakily and pointed towards the doorway. "Down the hall… last door on the right and down the stairs. We threw him down there to stop his whining."

Natsu took Gerard from Mirajane and gestured with his chin for her to go get their feline friend. "I'll keep these two company while we wait for the council's army to get here." Mirajane didn't wait for another moment before she disappeared into the doorway of the mansion, her hands tightening into fists for fear of what she would find.

True to his words, the council's army showed up within the hour. Mirajane held a limp Happy in her arms, but from what she could tell he wasn't hurt, just exhausted. Tears stained his fur and he had slight bruises over his paws where she expected he had tried to escape from the room to no avail.

Natsu held one arm around his mate, refusing to let go. "Natsu… I'm sorry we left you on the train. I wanted to show you that I was strong enough to do this on my own. But, as you can see, I couldn't do it…"

Natsu shook his head slowly. "We both were in the wrong here. You were right to keep the job from me, but we should have thought about it before we rushed in without heads on backwards. From here forth until our child is born, we should look into having you stay with the guild whenever we aren't together. No one is stupid enough to attack us there." With a sigh Natsu ran his fingers though Happy's matted fur. "I'm sure he would be angry with us for how things turned out… We probably will get an ear full when he wakes up. Come on, let's go home."

Mirajane nodded sullenly and watched briefly as the army took the Dragon Slayer and all of his henchmen, only moving when Natsu gently tugged on her arm to get her walking.

As always, R & R please!

Before anyone says anything, yes Ryou will make another appearance, but I'm not sure yet whether he has evil intentions or not.