A/N: Hi I don't remember what I wrote so hopefully it's good. I honestly don't know what's going on anymore so...yeah haha. Stuff gets written, and I post it, and ?.?.?.? (It won't let me post a string of question marks boooo how else am I supposed to express confusion?)

Thank you for the kindness. Enjoy today's chapter!

When I went into the library, Levy was with Jet and Droy, her nose buried in a book. Textbooks lay spread out on the table before her neglected in favor of the novel in her hands. Jet and Droy, meanwhile, were joking around with each other in hushed tones. They looked up from whatever they were looking at on Jet's phone when I approached the table.

"Hey," I said. Levy looked up too, hearing my voice. "Can I talk to Levy for a sec?"

Jet gestured toward Levy. "Go ahead," he said.

"Alone," I clarified.

Jet and Droy looked at each other. "Yeah, sure." They got up and said their goodbyes to Levy before leaving the library. Jet put a hand on my shoulder as he passed me on the way out. "Good luck," he whispered in my ear.

I took the chair Droy had been sitting in. "So," I said.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"A couple things, but we're not talking about me right now. We're talking about you."

"Oh."

"I know you don't want to talk about it, and I've kept my distance to let you work things out, but I'm worried. We're all worried."

"Sorry I couldn't be there for Juvia this past weekend," Levy said.

"Family issues, right?"

She looked down at her book. "Yeah."

"Juvia heard some things from Gajeel's aunt and uncle."

Levy looked up sharply.

"We didn't want to assume, but if the shop that's closing is your parents', we thought it could explain what's been bothering you lately. And I just want you to know that no matter what it is, we're here for you. I mean, we could be entirely wrong, but you haven't told us anything recently so when we heard that, we got worried. At first I thought it had something to do with Gajeel, which I guess it still kinda does, but..."

"Yeah," Levy said, "what you guys thought is right."

I looked up at her face, still tucked behind her book to avoid meeting my eyes. Sadness washed over me. "No way. I'm so sorry, Levy."

"It's tough, but I'm actually kind of fine. I just didn't know how to talk about it. Sorry, Lu."

"It's okay."

"Honestly, you were right about it having something to do with Gajeel, though. Since my parents are going to be working for his uncle once we're closed for good."

"That's got to be weird."

"Yeah. And even before all this happened, I was starting to question my relationship with Gajeel."

I grimaced. "I was wondering when that would start to happen. It's been so long and you've made no progress."

"We're just friends, but we go on dates. We call them dates. He says he's attracted to me, but he never shows it, even when we go out together. He'll hang out at the library with me while I'm reading, and it's really nice just being with someone and not even having to talk for it to be comfortable. All my friends are like that, but I didn't expect it with Gajeel. Then he asks me out. We go on dates. And now what? What are we? I don't even know anymore. I was on board with this weird kind of relationship at first, but now I want something more clear. More than friends but less than lovers is where we are, I guess. And it's been like that for so long, and I just...I'm tired, Lu. I'm so tired."

"Sounds like something you need to talk out with him."

"But I'm afraid he'll get scared away."

"Levy, if he's scared away by having to define your relationship one way or the other, then you were never really friends."

"I know, but it's still hard to talk about, you know?"

"Remember how long it took me to confess to Natsu?"

Levy giggled. "Way too long."

"That's what you're doing right now. And whatever happens, you'll be okay. I know you will."

She flung her arms around me for a tight hug. "Thanks. I don't know what I'd do without you."

I hugged her back. "Do Jet and Droy know about all this?"

"They know about the bankruptcy but not Gajeel. They still don't approve anyway, so they'd just say, 'I told you so,'" Levy said. She released the hug so I could see her make a face. "They're such children, honestly."

"Says the child," I teased.

"If that's a comment about my age, then we're all children here, including you. If it's a comment about my height, then you are no longer my friend."

I pouted. "Aww, come on, Levy."

"Sorry. Ex-friend."

"Boo. Fine, you're an adult-y adult. Happy?"

"No, but I'll let it slide."

"You're too generous."

"I know."

We both burst out in laughter, the mood lighter. I was glad Levy finally talked to me about what was going on. When she'd hugged me, I could feel her trembling, so I knew it was all a lot harder on her than she was letting on. Fine? Nobody could be fine when their family was losing everything. I knew that from experience. But I wasn't in any position to help her financially, so all I could do was support her like this and be an ear to listen when she needed it.

Natsu was at my place when he got a call from Mr. Makarov.

"It's news about the case," Natsu said, his expression brightening for a moment before becoming serious. He put the phone on speaker.

"Lucy?" came Mr. Makarov's voice.

"Yeah, I'm here," I said.

"The police were here just a moment ago, and I said I'd pass this information along to Natsu. Long story short, they know who did it."

My breath hitched in my throat. This was wonderful. This was great. Natsu gripped my arm, and my eyes filled with happy tears. This was too good to be true. There had to be a catch. Right?

Mr. Makarov continued, "That sketch they did from you guys' descriptions was recognized by a woman who says she was neighbors with him a while back. They don't know his location now, but they did get a name: Zeref."

"Wait, but he signed as Acnologia," Natsu said.

"Apparently that's just an alias. They're not really sure why he chose Acnologia of all names, but his real name is just as unusual. They found someone in the system named Zeref who'd been in for a DUI once. The woman was able to identify him, and the prints match those found at the scene with Wendy's mother. They'll probably have you two come in to identify his face. Natsu, I told them you'd be there after school on Monday, and Lucy, they'll probably call you soon to schedule a time next week."

"So you mean they've got the bad guy?" I said.

"Not quite. He doesn't live near that woman anymore, and they've been unable to track him down. He moved away around the same time the kidnappings were being committed, so he probably started using another alias. There's no one called Acnologia in this area that they know of, so that means he has a third name."

"Why'd he even sign the letter then?" Natsu said, irritated. "If he's only using that name for the letter, what's the point?"

"To throw us off, perhaps?" Mr. Makarov guessed. "I don't know. But there is a chance he will show up at Grandeeny's funeral like he did at Igneel's, so police will be undercover to make sure everyone stays safe, and to catch him if he does show up."

"Isn't the funeral tomorrow?" I said, my heart rate climbing. I wasn't sure I could handle seeing that man again. The first time had been so terrifying that the very thought of him being at Wendy's mother's funeral chilled me to the bone.

"You don't have to come," Mr. Makarov said. "Wendy will understand."

"No, I'm coming," I said definitively. "I'm just...a little nervous, is all."

"Don't worry, I'll protect you," Natsu said, making a fist. "I'll protect everyone!"

"Leave it to the police, Natsu," Mr. Makarov warned, his voice stern through the phone.

Natsu didn't say anything back, but in a low voice I heard him mumble, "Make me."

The funeral for Wendy's mom had a lot more people than the one for Natsu's dad. I hadn't realized Wendy still had a grandmother; I'd assumed that since she was had the same situation as Natsu, she also didn't have any family to take her in. But it turns out her grandmother was still alive, but living in a nursing home. I wondered why Wendy hadn't mentioned it before.

Although, when I tried talking to the elderly woman, I started to think that maybe she and Wendy didn't have the best relationship. It seemed fine on the outside, but this woman was ruthlessly mean. There's nothing worse than a cranky old person.

"Grandma Porly, how about you go sit down?" Wendy said after the old woman made a remark about my dress being too short (how was a knee-length dress too short?) She looked at me apologetically as she guided her still-complaining grandmother to a seat.

There were a lot of Wendy's old neighbors, all of them fawning over how grown-up she was and how they hadn't seen her since she was this small. But I didn't know anybody except for Mr. Makarov, Natsu, and Lisanna. The latter two were talking quietly in the back of the funeral hall, so I went to join them.

"Hey, Lucy," Lisanna said. "You've got good timing; my sister just texted me that arrived."

"Coach Mira?"

Lisanna nodded. "She's here with Fr— uh, Mr. Justine."

"Wow, small world. Did Mr. Freed know Wendy's mom too?"

"Well, I know Wendy through Natsu, and Mira knows her through me. Freed is close to my sister." She leaned in to whisper. "I don't know if you noticed anything, but she and Freed and a guy named Laxus are always hanging out and I think they have a love triangle going on."

"Lisanna, it's rude to gossip at someone's funeral," Natsu said.

Lisanna stood up straight again and shrugged. "I'm just saying. Actually, Mira is polyamorous, so they might all be dating, all three of them. Ugh, I don't want two brothers-in-law. And then there's Elfman with Evergreen..."

"Lisanna, are you gossiping about us?" That...was definitely Miss Mira's voice. I turned around. "Oh, Lucy, you're here too." She gave me her trademark benign smile. "Don't listen to my little sister, okay? She loves to speculate about other people's love lives."

"You're worse," Lisanna pointed out.

"Hi, Miss Mira, Mr. Freed," I said, nodding at the two faces I recognized. There were two other men there, one of them blonde with a scar and the other with a creepy grin that seemed permanently glued on his face.

"Oh, this is Laxus and Bixlow," Miss Mira introduced, gesturing to the blonde and the creepy smile guy in turn. "Laxus is an electrician and Bixlow is a kindergarten teacher. Laxus and Bixlow, these are my students, Lucy and Natsu."

"Cute kids!" Bixlow exclaimed. I shrank under his stare.

"Nice to meet you," Laxus muttered.

"Where's Elfman?" Lisanna asked. "Didn't he say he was gonna come?"

"Elfman and Ever will be here soon; they got stuck in traffic. Meanwhile, we should go pay our respects. Excuse us."

"Yeah, of course."

As the four of them walked away, Lisanna said, "Now you know what kinds of people my sister is friends with. They're kinda intimidating at first, but they're good people. Not like you'll see them again after this, besides Freed of course."

"God knows I see plenty of him," I sighed. At least I wasn't captain this year, so the pressure of getting the choreography right wouldn't be as bad. But Mr. Freed was a strict and unforgiving teacher.

Then something caught my eye and I gasped. "Speaking of seeing people, Natsu—" I gripped his arm, my fingers digging into his sleeve.

"Lucy, what i— oh. Shit."

That face. Acnologia. Zeref. Whatever his name was. There he was, calmly strolling into the funeral hall with a benign smile on his face. Just when I was feeling thankful he hadn't shown up, there he was. Though my memory of his face had been too fuzzy to to give a detailed description, seeing him in person again, I'd recognize that face anywhere.

My voice sounded high and shrill to my own ears. "Natsu, I—"

"I know. I see him."

"That's the guy?" Lisanna gasped. "He looks so...normal. Oh my god."

Natsu jerked forward, and I knew he was going to clobber the guy. But he held back, removing his arm from my grip and placing it instead around my shoulder. "You're shaking," he said.

"So are you."

"You said the police were coming, right?" Lisanna said.

Natsu nodded, never taking his eyes from Zeref's form. "They should be in plainclothes."

My panicked eyes swept the room. There were several people eyeing each other and using subtle body language at each other. I hoped they were the officers; after all, not too many other people knew Zeref's face. Including Wendy, who was obliviously talking to a middle-aged woman.

But when Wendy's eye caught mine and she saw the three of us huddled in fear in the back, she snapped her head away, eyes staring resolutely forward as she accepted the woman's condolences. It was obvious she was trying not to let it get to her. But she knew something was wrong. Miss Mira was next in line to talk to Wendy, and after a few words Miss Mira was also looking back at us, following our gazes to the man walking calmly down the center aisle as if he was going to pay respects to the deceased like everyone else.

Apparently, he was going to pay his respects. The entire room grew quiet as the tense atmosphere spread to even those who didn't know who Zeref was. As if he didn't notice all the stares on his back, he stood in front of the floral display that held Grandeeney's portrait. He bowed his head, hands clasped in front of him.

Beside me, Natsu growled. I likewise clenched my teeth. Who did he think he was, pretending to mourn over a woman he killed? It was disgusting. Why weren't the police arresting him already? I knew they were in here. They needed to hurry up and arrest him before he desecrated this solemn event any further.

Then the police did act. All at once, they rushed forward, shouting, and pushed him to the ground. People screamed, the police read him his rights, his hands were roughly cuffed behind his back, and then he was being thrust through the crowd, people parting like the Red Sea as they rushed to get away from the serial killer in the police's hands.

Zeref looked back for a moment, and with his head turned away I couldn't see his expression, but it seemed like he was looking at Wendy. Then his eyes came back forward and fell on Natsu. As Natsu stood frozen and stunned beside me, Zeref looked our way and smiled gently, almost wistfully.

And then he was taken away.

A/N: Urgh he's so creepy. I mean he has a cute face but my goodness is he a creepy man. Zeref is weird.

Levy's conflict is finally revealed! And it looks like it'll turn out okay, just like Erza and Juvia's issues did. I feel bad that their problems keep getting pushed to the background, but it's hard to compete with a serial killer. Zeref's been arrested, so now all that's left is the trial. And then Lucy has some issues of her own to wrap up. Three more chapters!