Her mind still reeling from their argument, Lucy turned her key in the lock, not paying attention to the goings on inside. Usually when she entered her home, the first thing she looked for was her fathers shoes. If his shoes were there, she would very quietly walk to the door of his office. If it was shut, she was safe...if it was open it all depended on if he was in a meeting, on the phone, filling out work papers or just sitting reading a novel. As a little girl and well into her teens on his "good days" the two of them would sit in this library for hours reading...then one day he'd moved all of his things out, leaving the room and the books for her to do as she would.

This was where Lucy went to now, not bothering to be quiet as was her normal routine. Lucy's mind wasn't focused on hiding herself from her father. Right now, it was focused on her and Natsu's argument. Even now, his question burned through her mind, an endless echo.

He's at it again, isn't he...isn't he...at it again, isn't he...

The look in Natsu's eyes...the pain, the worry, the anger. She knew now that it wasn't aimed at her but at the time she had tried to convince Natsu that her father was just stressed out and the drinking helped him relax, she just got in the way! As soon as she tried to cover it up – his hands burst into flames, his voice raised. For a moment, she thought he was going to hit her, instead he set fire to the item in his hand eyes focused entirely on Lucy. Just as quick as he set his hands aflame, the flames died out and he stepped forwards wrapping his arms around her. A few seconds later, a loud whoosh of air and both mages were soaked head to toe in fire extinguisher foam!

After they were out of the store, Natsu acted as if normal, helping Wendy in the truck, setting the groceries in the truck bed and even helping Lucy up...but she noticed differences. He didn't hold as tight to her hips as before, when he got in, the door slammed a little harder then necessary, the music was a tad more loud. Instead of going back to his home, Natsu had pulled up into Lucy's driveway.

Sitting in the idling truck, the Heartfillia home stood out as a beacon of luxurious living. A well kept lawn, the gate they had to drive through – Lucy trying her best to not blush as she leaned over Natsu to give her thumb print identification password, her hand holding tight to his cargo pants so she wouldn't slip...the ivy crawling up the stone walls, right to the chimney, even the windows with their smooth glass, stained glass for the library...Lucy could see the open wonder in Wendy's eyes, the veiled wonder in Natsu's. To her – it wasn't as they saw it...to her it was the cave housing the monster that was her father. To her, it was a place of nightmares and pain that overshadowed memories.

"Sooo...um...thanks for everything, Natsu. Wendy, it was so good to see you again! Please say thanks to Carla for me...?"

At Natsu's nod, she sighed and got out of the truck. The walk to the door seemed forever to her and when she turned around, all she saw was the back of Natsu's truck, the glowing head lights a pair of red eyes glowing accusingly back at her...

"Where the hell have you been, young lady!"

At the sound of her fathers voice, the memory abruptly stopped. Dropping the book she was absently leafing through, Lucy could feel her hear pounding in her chest. Her father stood there, his presence seeming to take up the whole room. Quickly looking over her father, Lucy could tell that she wasn't going to get out of this very easily. Jude stank of booze. The smell was so powerful, when he stepped closer, Lucy found herself holding back a gag. It was an aura of pure odour surrounding him, strong enough to sting her senses. When Jude shut and locked the door, the blonde mage cringed, trying to back against the bookshelves as much as she could. Even though she knew what was coming, it was still a surprise to her when his hand shot out, quicker then should be possible for a man in his inebriated state, clamping around her wrist in a vice grip. Jude tugged his daughter closer, his face right close to hers, breath making her want to vomit with it's horrid sour smell.

"I asked you a question, Lucy."

"I was with Levy!"

"Don't lie to me, little girl!"

The anger in her fathers roaring voice sent shivers through Lucy – any minute now she would feel the sting of his hand against her flesh...the numbing burn of his fist as he hit her in places that didn't show. Sharp pain seared her shoulder as her arm was roughly twisted and yanked behind her back, her father yelling into her ears, his words near incoherent in their drunken slur.

"I'm not lying! I was with Levy and Wendy! We went shopping!"

Not a total lie...she was shopping – just not with Levy...

"Oh, so now you're spending my money all over town, hey?!"

Fear spiked through Lucy at her fathers accusations and angry words, he was twisting what she was saying, making it sound like she was the "bad guy". Lucy had her own account and each month her father's accountant gave her a set amount. Once that was gone, that was it until next month! Her father didn't even give her a credit card for emergencies!

"No! I was helping Wendy -!"

The noise of skin meeting skin as he slapped her was a sickening echo through the library. Lucy knew this wasn't even close to the end...

"I told you don't lie to me, girl!"

Cringing away from the next blow, Lucy bit her lip against the scream that wanted to escape. Pain seared through her hip as his fist landed, sending her sprawling against the bookshelves. Trying to block out the pain as his fists landed against her ribs, legs, back, stomach...Lucy smoothed her hands over the spines of the books she loved so much. The dry tang of the dust replaced the bitter sting of the alcohol. Crisp edges of the paper distracted her from the stinging blows of her fathers fists. As the tears fell down her cheeks, her mind wondered to places far away. Away from the bloodshot eyes who were supposed to be protecting her from monsters under the bed, away from the beating, gripping hands that were supposed to be holding her hand as they crossed the street, away from the angry voice who was supposed to whisper that everything was going to be okay...

Instead, her mind wondered to that day. Wendy snuggled against her as Lucy held the not so little girl. Twelve years old! Of Levy and Gajeel, nuzzling at the table, the two clearly in love...Natsu helping her out of the window of his truck, protecting her as she fell...him holding her in the store isle...

Lucy lay there for what felt like hours after her father was done beating on her. Curled into a little ball, the fallen book held to her chest, she silently cried until she had no more tears to soak the already sodden pages. Stiff from being curled up for so long, Lucy finally got up and snuck upstairs, Feeling every bruise, every bump, every scrape...

Gathering her school bag, Lucy stuffed in clothes, some novels, her Celestial keys and her special box from the top of her closet. Zipping the bag, the blonde mage snuck outside, clutching her cellphone to her chest. Lucy's fingers itched to dial Natsu's number, to scream into the line, call for help so she could feel his arms around her again. Instead, she tucked her phone away and clutched a golden key to her chest, her voice barely a whisper.

"Loke...I need your help..."

In mere seconds, her Celestial lion spirit stood in front of her, his dark suit and crisp white shirt a welcoming sight.

"Lucy? Are you alright?"

Not even bothering to voice her command nor answer his question, she grabbed his hand and ran away from her home, straight to the one place she felt safe...the one place she knew she would be accepted, no matter what...