Lucy allowed her feet to dangle over the porch. A steaming tea cup clutched in her hands warmed her palms. The peeking sun rose above the hills, and all was light again. She took a sip thankful that their room faced the sunrise. Lucy lay the cup down beside her. A brewed pot of tea and empty cup sat near her. She ran a hand through her golden hair allowing it to fall over her shoulders and brush her lower back. She shivered from the sensation. It brought back the vivid memories of the night. Natsu's burning hands against her skin—his lips on her neck. Lucy wrapped her silky robe tighter around her body. She would have to forget all of that now that there was a killer after them. She looked down into the koi pond near her feet. The warm colored fins of the koi dashing in and around one another in a dizzying dance. The assassin could have killed her. The sensation of metal against her throat still lingered. She found her hand stroking her skin. The looming dread of another encounter haunted her.

"Some view," Natsu said behind her, "I would enjoy it more if we weren't in danger." She looked up into his eyes filled with concern. Lucy wondered how long he had been standing there watching her worry to the sun.

"Tea?" she offered, and gestured to the spare cup. He sat down beside her and poured some for himself. She could tell he had not slept since they had switched shifts. Purple shadows ringed his eyes, and he yawned loudly as he poured. One of them had stayed up in case the assassin returned while the other one slept. She had to admit she had hardly slept herself. Her eyes traveled up his toned arm and fell at his guild mark. "I still think we have to tell Lady Nakahara," she said. Natsu sighed in return.

"What if she is behind this?" She watched his jaw tighten and relax. He had attempted to run after the shadowed attacker, but Lucy had stopped him. The strawberries made it impossible for him to track them. The night had been thick with worry, and his tension had only clouded his judgement.

"I don't think she is," she replied, her eyes pleaded with him. "She could stop this gathering and send everyone home. She might even have an idea about who is behind this. We'd be back in Magnolia this time tomorrow." He had to admit that what she offered was tempting, but he couldn't shake his growing concern. He didn't want to bring it up with her again—he couldn't trust Hitoshi. There was something off about the guy. Lucy knew the answer from the mounting silence. "Can we at least get breakfast?"

"What, with that person still out there?"

"Maybe this is the best time to find out who is behind this," she said, "They might not even show up for breakfast, afraid they would be spotted."

"So, the missing person might be the one we're looking for?"

"It's a theory and a start to finding out who was here last night." Lucy raised her tea cup to her lips and downed the rest of its contents. She stood up without more argument and moved inside to dress. Natsu kept his gaze forward hearing the fabric hit the floor behind him. If he closed his eyes he could imagine they were at her apartment. He could be sitting down on her window sill listening to the harbor as the ships came in. She would be bitching behind him about keeping his eyes straight ahead as she changed clothes. He grinned thinking of home.

"Okay I'll head there first," she said. Natsu whipped his head around. He was thankful that she was dressed.

"What? No, we shouldn't separate. They could pick us off easier that way."

"I thought you didn't want to go to breakfast," she said, like a statement rather than a question. He narrowed his eyes in her direction. Lucy had always been stubborn. Natsu took the tea back to the little table in the room. He had already dressed before meeting her on the porch. He felt comforted by their usual attire. It continued to remind him of home. He could smell her hair as she tossed it over her shoulder. It was the smell of salty seas and hard wood from guilds that never silenced. He had smelt it a hundred times, but now felt different. The lingering scent mixed in a way that was only Lucy. He was homesick more than ever, but he was happy with her.

Natsu grumbled beside her as they made their way to the dining hall from last night. The smell of strawberries was stronger as they approached the hall. His senses were sharper today, but he feared he would lose control.

"We'll be vulnerable here," he said, "These strawberries are everywhere."

"They can't attack us in broad daylight, in front of an audience," she replied. Lucy was as concerned as Natsu of their safety. She would not allow herself to show it. It would put Natsu on edge, and they were already in trouble. She was more concerned about the other guests on the property anyway. They had no idea that there was a killer on the loose. She was glad; however, that the day was as lovely as it was. The trees tossed in the summer breeze made the sound of rustling paper. It whipped the smell of strawberries around them. Everything felt lighter. The sun looked as though it bounced around in the clouds.

"Lucy," Natsu said. He had been calling out to her as they neared the familiar building. "Are you sure you'll be okay?" He would not hesitate to take them back to the room, or even leave. He watched her eyes focus on his mouth then flick up to his eyes.

"I'm fine," she said, not sure if she believed it.

The inside was just as they had left it. The servants that dashed around the night before seemed relaxed. Their uniforms were not as dressy, and their smiles appeared genuine as they walked through the doors. The table was dressed for breakfast. Many different types of foods lay before them. Some foods she could not even place. A few different types of fish caught her eyes. They reminded her of some that she had seen on the docks of Magnolia. The plates and cutlery looked as though they were antiques. She noticed the soft palette of rose golds and pastel pinks. Cherry blossoms sprinkled in and around the table.

"Lucy! Natsu!" Lucy heard the voice call them from across the table. Lady Nakahara sat in her place at the head of the table. Lucy was again reminded of how breathtaking the woman was. Her long black hair was half up, tied in a small bun on her head. The rest of her hair fell around her. Unlike the dress and fancy headdress from last night, her outfit appeared simple. Her modest pink summer dress matched the décor. Behind her was a large branch from a cherry blossom tree. Lucy wondered how she had acquired the blossoms during this time of year. The duo made their way to the end of the table where they were beckoned. They could feel the constant eyes of the table upon them. Like the night before, though everyone appeared much more tired and sickly from the intoxicating night. Lady Nakahara patted the seat beside her for Lucy to sit. Her smile was kind and she appeared sincerely pleased by their presence. Lucy glanced in Natsu's direction to see what he made of it. He only shrugged and walked in front of her. He took a seat in one of the empty seats. Lucy sat down in the spot Lady Nakahara left open for her beside Natsu.

"I do hope you had a good time here last night," she said. There was positively a giggle in the woman's voice.

"We did actually," Lucy replied, it wasn't a lie after all.

"I'm so glad." The woman clasped her hands together. Her eyes darted between Lucy and Natsu. It was as if she were looking for the duo to make some announcement. Lucy turned her head when she heard her name called across the table. Mercutio sat in the middle with his massive arm waving in their direction. She noticed the absence of his young blonde friend. They both smiled and returned his wave. An arm came around from behind them to fill their glasses with a light pink drink. Lucy glanced down the table at the rest of the guests gorging themselves on the delicious looking food.

"Something wrong with the food, Natsu? After last night, I assumed you would be eating more," Lady Nakahara commented. The lady's gaze continued to dash between the two mages with apprehension. Lucy could feel Natsu's tension. She nudged him gently when she noticed he wasn't paying attention to her question about the food.

"Don't worry about me. I never say no to a feast," he said. He began shoveling food onto his plate as he usually did. Lucy couldn't help but feel concern. He must have been looking for their attacker, or the absence of. There were quite a few people missing from the table.

"Um, Lady Nakahara? There are some people missing this morning," she commented.

"I'm not surprised," she giggled, "Everyone was a little intoxicated with each other, weren't they?"

"Because of the strawberries?" Natsu asked bluntly.

"Oh, so you noticed." Lady Nakahara leaned in closer to Lucy like a friend divulging an important secret. "I noticed you and Natsu had quite a few strawberries yourselves." It was an innocent enough question, but Lucy had the feeling that what Mercutio said last night was true. She found herself glancing in the larger man's direction. He was eyeing the two of them talking, and with a look at her face he began to laugh. This woman wanted her and Natsu to be together so bad she would get them drunk on strawberries to do it. Who knew what else she might try to do.

"Yes, but that makes me glad we ended up going to bed early."

"I bet you did," Lady Nakahara giggled. No matter how kind this woman was to Lucy, there was no way she would tell her what transpired between her and Natsu.

"We slept comfortably, thank you." She wanted nothing more than to cut the conversation short. It was then Lucy really got a look at the woman beside her. Her focus was completely on Lucy and Natsu. Her elbows rested on the table, and her hands cupped her chin in a way that reminded Lucy of a small child. She had the sudden realization. There was no way this giggling matchmaker would send an assassin to kill them. "Would you mind if me and Natsu talked to you after dinner? It is important and concerns your safety." Lady Nakahara's eyes widened.

"Certainly," she replied, "I must stay until the rest of my guests have left for the afternoon activities, but I will meet with you." Her tone was more serious than Lucy thought it would be. She felt a warm hand grip her arm.

"Natsu!"

"I need to talk to you," he said, his tone clipped. She couldn't see his face as he tugged her toward the exit, but she knew what his expression would be. When they made it outside of the dining hall he whirled her around to meet his eyes. Sure enough, she watched his brows knit together with his frown.

"Are you insane?" he asked.

"There is no way that woman is trying to kill us," she replied, before speaking under her breath, "Though, I think she would kill someone just to get us together."

"We said we weren't going to tell her! Even if she had no idea who was behind this, the culprit could be someone working under her." Lucy was thankful he did not mention Hitoshi again. It really could be anyone. If Natsu was too fixated on the man it would only cause the two more trouble.

"We'll tell her that when we speak to her privately," she reasoned.

"There is no arguing with you on this is there?"

"You know me well."

"I hope you're right, Lucy," he said, "At least let me question her before we tell her what's going on."

"Deal," she said, without a second thought. Natsu walked in first, and kept the door open for her. This did not go unnoticed by Lady Nakahara who had kept a watchful eye on the door.

"Interesting conversation?" she asked the two. A few people had walked in late, while others filed out. Everyone looked exhausted. They shuffled their feet, yawned, and rubbed their eyes with lingering sleep. Mercutio was louder than everyone else at the table. Lucy could tell some people did not find the man entertaining, while others laughed and joined in with him. It was an infectious calming mood around the table. If Lucy had not been attacked just that night, the scene would have soothed her. Natsu appeared to have his appetite back, as he threw back many plates of food. Unlike the night before; however, he did not speak to anyone. Everyone else seemed to be aware of his sour mood and avoided conversation. It made for quite a lonely meal for Lucy. If Lady Nakahara wasn't speaking with her she was having a conversation with someone who walked up to her. Usually, from what Lucy could gleam, the conversations were mostly political small talk or just formal and polite greetings. Lucy took her last sips of her pink drink and eyed her empty plates. "Why don't you both take a walk around the grounds while you wait for me? The residence is lovely this time of year," Lady Nakahara suggested, her smile was warm and inviting. Lucy glanced to Natsu who seemed finished with his own meal.

She was right of course. The path behind the dining hall rose over a hill that overlooked the entire estate. The bright green trees were speckled with red. The sun appeared to hug every building in warm light. Laughter and soft voices could be heard from where they stood. The plains beyond the walls rolled and tumbled with the summer breeze. They found the highest point. Lucy sat in the grass—her knees up to her chin. Natsu stood above her and stretched his arms out in a relaxed manner. It was the first time all day that he had felt at ease. The mood had lifted the instant they were away from everyone.

"It's beautiful," she commented.

"I hope you're right about this woman," Natsu said, "I do trust you."

"Thanks, Natsu." She smiled up at her partner as the sun rose higher. It really was a stunning piece of land. She wondered what all the buildings were for. She assumed some of them must have been Lady Nakahara's own residence. Some could have been worker's quarters. There was a smaller building behind the one that held their rooms. Lucy noticed the rising smoke from behind it and was curious as to what it could be. "What is that building over there?" she asked, "There's smoke coming from behind it." Natsu studied the smoke that she referred to and grinned. Wisps of clean white vapor rose and dissipated into the air.

"I know smoke anywhere," he said, "And that's not smoke. It's steam." Lucy squinted in at the building below. "Probably a bath house or something." At this her eyes widened.

"Bath?" She said with enthusiasm. Natsu instantly regretted mentioning a possible bath. For whatever reason, he knew she was obsessed with them. He looked down at her and raised a brow. Her eyes lit up as she inspected the building. He was surprised to find himself calm. Natsu felt it then, like a weight floating off his shoulders. His mind swayed like the tossing grass. His senses must have been betraying him. Lucy's scent was everywhere. It was all he could smell, and he couldn't understand why. At this, he peered down at his partner. He followed the curve of her arm as she brushed a hand through her hair. He was reminded how soft and feminine she was. Almost more so as she sat below him in the sun. He wanted to tell her that the bath was a bad idea. He wanted to say that they shouldn't split up because of the attempt on their lives. But, the excitement in her eyes compelled him to remain silent. There was something about that moment of peace that he wanted to protect. "Natsu, let's go check it out!" He could almost smell her excitement.

Lucy jumped to her feet, and brushed off some grass from her skirt. She looked up at Natsu and nearly lost her balance. His eyes darkened and fixated on her mouth. "Natsu, are you okay?" she asked. She watched him blink a few times. Deep green returned to his eyes. He shook his head, as if to clear a deep thought.

"I'm fine," he replied. He began to amble toward the building. "Better keep up!" Lucy raised her brows after his behavior. The look she had just witnessed was like the ones he gave her the night before. It wasn't like they had been eating strawberries. Lucy decided she shouldn't worry. With a shrug, she walked on behind him.

Just as Natsu had predicted, the building in question was a bath house. A smile spread over Lucy's face as she dashed inside. The room was small with a closet and a shelf to leave their shoes. The hall before them led into two dressing rooms. Lucy assumed one was male and one was female. She glanced toward Natsu who was inspecting the closet filled with folded yukata. He held the soft fabric up and ran it through his fingers. She knew that if she was going to convince Natsu, to allow her out of his sight long enough to bathe, she had to do it now.

"There should be a wall between us in case something happens we can hear it," Lucy reasoned. She had a feeling he would reject the idea over safety, but was surprised when he nodded.

"Sounds good to me," he said. She watched him take the yukata and walk into the male changing rooms. Lucky. She didn't know why Natsu was suddenly easygoing again, but she didn't want to question it. There was a hot bath in her future and she was elated. She hurried to the closet to grab her yukata. The dressing room smelt like floral perfume, and the wood beneath her feet was damp from steam. She found the toiletries and wrapped a towel around her. She stopped at the sliding doors with a realization. She would not get to see any of it, but Natsu would be naked. He would be nude. He would be chest deep in hot water with droplets running down his—what was she thinking? She shook her head. Where did the thought come from? Well, she knew where it came from. This was the first time she wasn't thinking about a killer. It was the first time the events from last night sank in like a stone. They had almost—She had almost—Oh god. She slapped the sides of her face in hopes it would rattle the thought from her head. Lucy reached out and slid opened the frosted glass doors.

The first thing she noticed about the hot spring was the beautiful view. The sun was beginning to rise higher in the sky. She noticed the wild plants in and around the rocky spring. The tops of strawberry trees could be seen just beyond the high fencing. The sound of rushing water was soothing to her. The spring was clear and she could see the rocks at the bottom. The next thing she noticed was the shower area. There were wooden stools below the running showers. But, what really caught her attention the most was the bare ass of her partner sitting in one of them. Lucy couldn't help but stare. He obviously hadn't noticed her presence. While this should have alarmed her, as he would usually have sensed her by now, this instead gave her greedy eyes a moment to see her fantasy in action. She observed his sculpted back muscles contract as he lifted a pail of water over his shoulder. She watched droplets form and run down the length of his back down to his buttocks. And what an ass it was. More droplets clung to the ends of his soft sakura hair. Her eyes noticed one drip from the tip and slowly crawl its way down his back. She pictured her hands there instead of—seriously what was wrong with her? Lucy turned around and dashed into the dressing room. With a quick slam of the sliding door she sunk down to the floor below her. Her knees were snug below her chin, as she looked up at a nearby sign she had not seen before.

Co-ed baths remain open all hours. Please shower before entering the spring.

How had she not noticed this sign before?! CO-ED! She was beginning to lose it. She couldn't bathe now. Maybe, she could wait for Natsu to finish. Then she could get in after him. She decided the plan was perfect. Before she could relax there was a knock at the frosted glass. She looked up to find the silhouette of her naked partner. Her cheeks flamed as her eyes travelled down to the area between his legs. Before she could get an eyeful, she forced herself to turn her head back toward the sign.

"Lucy? What are you doing in there?"

"Uh, turns out this is a co-ed spring," she said, her voice shaking from embarrassment. She hoped he hadn't noticed her dashing back into the building.

"What's the big deal? I've seen you naked lots of times," Natsu said casually. Lucy heard him knock again. She could feel the heat rising in her face this time with anger.

She stood up and opened the doors. She wanted to give him a piece of her mind. "You are so rude Natsu Dragneel!" she exclaimed, "None of those times were purposeful. And when did you get so nonchalant about nudity?!" She watched his signature grin spread across his face.

"Not like we haven't bathed together either," he chuckled.

"That was ONE time! Also, it was with the rest of the team," she said. Lucy wanted to send a kick his way. She wanted to see him splashing into the spring behind him with force. Unfortunately, she had then noticed not only was he standing before her, inches away and completely naked, but she also found her towel balled up at her feet.

"See? Not a big deal," he said. Natsu turned to head back to the showers. But, oh was it a big deal. He tried desperately to control himself as he sat back on the wooden stool. The image of her bare before him sent his thoughts reeling. He imagined of his mouth around one of those pert pink nipples of hers. Natsu had no idea what was going on. He didn't usually think like this. He wasn't lying when he said he was used to her always bizarrely being naked all the time. He filled the pail with icy water and dumped the entire thing over his head. His hair fell around his face and dripped down his cheeks. Natsu felt his chest tighten from the shock of cold. It was better than sitting through the different scenarios he had been creating between them. He watched the water poor down over his feet and slide between the stones of the floor. He would just have to act calm for her sake. Beside him, to his dismay, he heard another stool shift across the stone floor. He cursed inwardly at his nonchalant behavior earlier.

"If you say so," Lucy said, her voice was shaky and soft. The sound of it hand him filling up another cold bucket of water. "This isn't so bad," she continued. He dared not to look over at her as he heard the water begin to run into her bucket. He couldn't look. What if she decided to Lucy kick him to next Tuesday? What if she screamed at him for being a pervert? Why were his eyes now glued to her? He peered between strands of soaking pink hair. Green eyes glued to the filled bucket as she closed her eyes and tipped it back over her. His jaw went slack as he witnessed the water cascade around her exquisite form. Time stopped when she arched her back as the water fell. Her chest thrust out, for his eyes to see, nipples stiffened beneath the stream. Her pale skin was soaking wet, and steam seemed to rise from it. He tipped his own pail over himself again. God, I want her. The thought festered in his mind. The images wouldn't stop, and he could feel himself grow harder and needy beneath the icy bucket. It was too late. He was far gone now. Natsu had two choices. One, was to put his bucket down and walk right out of the hot spring. The second, was to take her right there on that wooden stool.

Lucy sighed from the rush of warm water over her needy skin. She couldn't get the picture of Natsu's hard abs out of her head now. She frowned from all the new scenarios moving through her imagination. Her tongue lapping up every drop of water running down his skin. She pictured his strong arms lifting her onto his thick member in the spring behind them. She pictured him kissing her right there on her stool. Lucy felt her sex tighten from the thought. God, I want him. It was as though she was under a trance. She couldn't stop her blood from pounding in her ears with need. What was happening to her? She took the chance to glance in Natsu's direction. She was met with the most intense stare she had ever seen. His eyes so dark it made her hot with need and wet to the core. If she was smart she would book it right through those frosted glass doors. Instead she found her body drawn to him like a magnet.

Natsu watched in stunned silence as Lucy stood before him. He couldn't take his eyes off her. She peered down into his eyes. Small drops of warm water slid down her cheek to her soft neck. His self-control was in the blue afternoon sky with the steam as he got to his feet. They stood so close their bodies almost pressed together. He would have asked her if she knew exactly what she was doing, but he didn't have to. Her arousal was all he could scent around him. It made him groan deep in his throat as his burning hands steered her back against the wall of the showers. He leaned down to capture her scorching mouth. Tongues hungrily devoured each other. Her nipples were hard against his skin as they pressed into each other. Her soft sounds reverberated in his ears. His rock-solid arousal pressed against her stomach had her almost limp in his arms. Lucy wrapped her arms around his neck, and lifted herself up to wrap her legs around his waist. She smirked when she was rewarded with his moan. They starved for each other—caught their breaths between kisses. He skimmed his teeth along her jaw line to her awaiting neck. He nipped and kissed her tender skin. His hips grinded against her soaked curls—his member sliding easy between her folds. She pressed her head back against the cold stone wall behind her. His tongue claimed her neck and his hands moved over her sensitive breasts. She couldn't help the soft whimper that tumbled from her lips as he rolled her nipples between his fingers. Her body was on fire. Her eyes squeezed shut with pleasure. She felt the absence of his lips on her neck. His hips continued their assault on her receptive clit.

"Open your eyes," Natsu said. His words were low and husky, a demand. She almost gasped from the sound. Lucy took the chance to open her eyes. She bit down on her lower lip when she met his sensual gaze. His eyes followed her teeth and leaned in to take her lip into his own mouth. Lucy found her hips thrusting up to match his rhythm. The length of him caressed her clit. The friction overcame her. Her climax closed in. His mouth released her flushed lip.

"Natsu," she whimpered into his ear. To her dismay, he stilled his hips. She tried desperately to relieve herself, and rocked against his velvet shaft. She watched a wicked grin spread across his face. Natsu took her lips in a heated kiss and wrapped his arms around her. He pulled her off the wall and walked her to the water's edge. He pulled away for only for a moment to watch his step as he walked them into the heated spring. Lucy found an opening, and leaned in to bite into his neck.

"Lucy, I can't concentrate on not slipping when you do that," he admitted, a groan proceeding. Her tongue circled the tiny teeth marks on his neck. The water's heat wrapped around their skin. The sounds of the spring became background noise to their own. Natsu pried her toned legs from his waist and lifted her to the edge of the pool. Her brows came together in confusion until he sank down low in the water. His eyes filled with a glittering mischief as he spread her legs for him. Natsu almost came just from the sight of her weeping sex. He watched her skin flush with embarrassment. "God Lucy, you're perfect," he said before diving into his prize. Lucy fell back onto her elbows throwing her head back with pleasure. His burning tongue darted out to lap at her hardened nub. His nose buried in her blond curls. Her legs dangled over his shoulders, and his hands gripped her thighs. Something primal pulsed inside him. The need to claim her, take her there in the spring, was stronger than anything he'd ever felt before. He moaned into her sex, penetrated her, lapped at her walls with his aggressive tongue.

"Natsu, I-I'm close," Lucy gasped. She peered down at him as he feasted on her. She watched him glance up, his eyes willing her to fall apart under his care. He growled and pulled her closer to him. His hands gripped desperately to her thighs. She wasn't sure if she had been hearing things before. It was almost as though he was talking into her mind. Almost like he spoke to her alone. "Cum for me," he willed. He wrapped his lips arounds her clit and began to suck sending her over the edge. Lucy felt her body spasm. She was drowning in pleasure, and consumed by it. The orgasm ripped through her. His name fell from her lips until her words were incomprehensible. Natsu watched her arch her back, and her breasts bounce from the movement. The sight of her climax had his shaft aching. It was a beautiful torment to see. Her body relaxed, her breaths laboring under the intensity. He could tell she was exhausted. He urgently needed to be inside her, but he knew she was beat. This would be the farthest they would go today. He stood up in the spring and climbed up to the edge. He picked her up in his arms. Lucy's eyes half lidded gazed up at him. Natsu brought her down into the steaming pool with him. He felt her turn in to lean against his chest. Her breath was hot against his skin. Natsu closed his eyes forcing the animal inside him into submission. He wanted nothing more than to bury himself inside her, but he didn't want it to be now. He opened his mouth to explain this when a curdling scream ripped through the air. Lucy sat up in his grasp, and followed Natsu's gaze over the high fence of the hot spring.

They didn't hesitate to step out of the water to dry and dress. Without words, as if waking up from a drunken dream, they raced past crowds of people that formed around the building that their room was in. People pressed in to see what had happened. Natsu grabbed Lucy's hand and began to wade through the crowd through the door. He pushed past the last person to meet the eyes of Hitoshi. Natsu's own narrowed.

"What's going on?" he demanded. Lucy pushed past Natsu and Hitoshi to the woman who sat on the ground. Lady Nakahara sat beside her in her little pink dress. Her hands were around the blonde's shoulders attempting to comfort her. When Lucy came closer she noticed the hazy look in her eyes as she started out the nearby window. Her hair was a mess and her cheeks were stained with tears.

"What happened?" Lucy asked. Lady Nakahara looked up at her and Natsu as he came to stand beside her.

"Rosette was attacked," she said quietly to the duo for no one else to hear. From behind in the crowd they heard whispers and more commotion. Hitoshi tried desperately to press the crowd back from the scene. There was another voice that boomed over everyone else's.

"Where is she?! I demand to see her!" Mercutio's voice bellowed.

"Let him through, Hitoshi," Lady Nakahara said. When the large man passed through the crowd they viewed his eyes as they became round with fear.

"What happened?" he asked. His voice shook when he sank down to the floor to cradle her face in his palms.

"The shadow. It came out of the window and left. Th-They had a knife," Rosette said. Her hand pressed against her throat. Lucy knew the gesture. She had made the same one that morning, and found herself doing it again. Natsu glanced over at his partner with concern.

"Maybe this is a good time to talk, huh?" he said down to them.

"Who has done this?" Lady Nakahara questioned.

"That's what we have to talk to you about," Lucy began, "We don't know."

As always, thank you for being so patient with me. If you haven't seen my update in my AN of the recent chapter of Drained (14), it explains where the heck I've been. After this chapter is published I will be working on a NALU romance one-shot, and the next chapter of Drained. I hope to be more frequent with my updates, but we shall see. Thanks again for all your support! Let me know what you thought of this chapter.