Hey guys! I'm so sorry for not updating but as some of you know I haven't had access to a computer in so long that it was impossible. Also, some of you have pointed out that Lucy seems to be a minor character. This is because I want Lucy to have an air of mystery, but with her personality it'd be impossible if I were to make her the main character. So for the first few chapters, Lucy will be portrayed as a minor character. Then, when some of the mystery is revealed, I'll make her the main character once again. Also I would like to point out that when it comes to the exercise and technical stuff I'm just making it up as I go along, so if anything is wrong or unrealistic, I really don't care. Now then… here you go! The second chapter of Hide Out! I hope my hands won't fall off…

Chapter 8: Safety Procedures

Lucy woke up after hearing a loud "Thump!" from the living room. She had stayed in her bed as she listened to D tell Rouge to get out.

She must have kicked him off the couch, she thought. She heard the door close and it went deathly quiet. Suddenly, the sound of a fork scraping across a plate rang out and Lucy realized D must be eating in the kitchen. She glanced at the clock and saw it was 12:45 am. Her eyes nearly popped out of her head. How can she eat this late? she wondered. Why do I even question anything she does anymore? A few minutes later, Lucy heard the water running in the kitchen. Once the water was shut off the apartment was once again dead silent. Lucy jumped when she heard the glass door to the video and movie cases slide open in the rec-room. What is she, a ghost? she thought holding a hand to her chest. Twenty minutes later the glass doors were shut and the apartment was silent once more. Eventually Lucy fell back asleep.

Lucy woke up at the sound of a relatively silent drill being used on the wall of the rec-room.

What the-? Lucy wondered. She got out of bed and went to investigate. When she got to the rec-room, she saw D with a flashlight in her mouth while placing a camera in the ceiling. Lucy's jaw dropped. When D was finished, even though she knew it was there, Lucy couldn't see the camera. That's when Lucy realized D was on top of the glass case she stored her video games in. Lucy watched as D, who was on her back at the time, slid off the case and landed silently on her feet before turning and looking back at the camera. D then moved to an outlet before taking out a screwdriver and undoing the screw that held the case…guard…thing in place, placing a black thing inside and screwing it back in place.

"What are you, a spy?" Lucy asked. She swore she could almost hear spy music playing in the background just like in a movie.

"I'm too impatient to be a spy," D answered. She turned to Lucy and gave her a sweet smile. Lucy froze. "Now, what the bloody hell were you thinking when you let someone we've only just met stay here alone while we were sleeping?" For some reason, D had used a funny voice to ask the question.

"I was thinking he was going to wake you up if I didn't let him in," Lucy replied mimicking D's voice. "Also, since when do you talk like that?"

"Since I felt like it," D retorted. "Any who, you didn't answer my question. Why'd you leave him alone while we were sleeping?" Lucy looked down in defeat.

"I was tired…and knowing you I would have had to wait for hours for you to wake up and would eventually have fallen asleep while waiting," she muttered. "I just thought it would be better if I fell asleep in my room, where he wouldn't know I was sleeping than in front of him." Lucy had been looking down at her feet and twiddling her fingers with a look similar to that of a scolded child, and therefore didn't see D's approving smile until the girl pat her on the head.

"Good girl," D congratulated causing Lucy to give her a confused look. "I was hoping you had realized that instead of simply doing it without thinking." Lucy's eyes widened as D continued to pat her head with a kind smile before she blushed and looked back down in embarrassment. "Now then," D suddenly continued removing her hand from Lucy's head with a serious expression, "I'm glad you're awake. Go grab your workout clothes and school stuff. If you want breakfast, pack a couple pop-tarts or something." Before Lucy could object, D left leaving her no choice but to do as she was told. She sighed and went to get ready. When Lucy was ready, she went to grab a box of pop-tarts like D suggested. When she left the kitchen she came face-to-face with D who had all of her stuff and a giant black duffle bag hanging off her shoulder. Lucy jumped and held a hand to her racing heart.

"Oh, God!" she choked. D raised both eye-brows at that.

"You okay?" she asked amusement evident in her voice. The corners of her mouth were currently fighting against a smile.

"How many times have I told you not to pop up like that?" Lucy shouted. D smirked.

"And how many times have I told you that I don't pop up, I simply walk up to you without you noticing?" D retorted placing a hand on her hip. This one of the few things she did that reassured Lucy her cousin was definitely a girl.

"Well you do it on purpose so stop it," Lucy demanded crossing her arms over her chest with a pout. D grinned.

"No way, it's too much fun," she refused. Lucy looked at her with a half shocked half outraged expression. "Besides…I don't usually do it on purpose." She paused before repeating, "Usually."

"So you actually do it on purpose!" Lucy accused in outrage. D sighed.

"Only when you're being abnormally annoying, like when you're depressed or overly happy about something stupid," she informed. Lucy's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Why?!" she asked. D nearly laughed at her cousin's bewildered expression.

"Because it makes you act normally again," D answered with a grin as though it should be obvious. Lucy simply stared at her while D adjusted the black bags strap on her shoulder. At the silent 'clink' that usually comes from metal striking itself, Lucy cast the bag a suspicious look.

"What's that?" she asked. D followed her gaze to the bag before looking at her like she was stupid.

"It's a bag," she replied like she was talking to an idiot. Lucy glared at her.

"I know what it is. Why do you have it?" she clarified. D looked at the bag again before a smile of evil delight spread itself across her face. Lucy unknowingly took a step back. D looked back up at her cousin.

"Oh," she started. "We're just going to put the school's security system through a little…test…" Lucy felt a shiver attempt to go down her spine. She hid it extremely well if she did say so herself.

"We?" Lucy questioned. D's grin grew and she handed Lucy a video camera.

"We," D confirmed. "Record everything on that, okay?" Lucy's eyes widened.

"What are you planning?" she demanded to know. D's smile turned innocent.

"Nothing~," she sang. "Let's go." With that, they headed for the door.

D was up to something, Lucy decided. The girl had not only made her take the stairs, but she also hid anytime someone was coming and refused to use the front entrance. That's when it hit her.

"We're just going to put the school's security system through a little…test…" D's words chose to come back to Lucy at that moment. She grabbed the girls shoulder. D stopped and looked at her. They were currently sneaking around a building. Lucy was holding the night-vision camera D had given her earlier. D's head tilted to the side in curiosity.

"D," Lucy began. "When you said we would test the security system…you didn't mean we'd be going around it and probably break school rules did you?" D simply grinned in excitement and kept moving. Lucy sighed in defeat. I knew it, she thought exhaustedly. She wanted to beg D to stop this and just go back to the room but she knew it would be futile. D would not only ignore her, but also hit her if she made any noise. As Lucy continued following her cousin, she began trying to figure out where they were going or, at least, where they were. The more Lucy paid attention, the more she saw and heard. Still not quite sure where they were, Lucy stopped when she saw D crouch and look around. Lucy held the camera in front of her, not really on D and almost dropped it when D suddenly hissed at her.

"Run." D took off across the opening between the buildings and Lucy almost didn't run after her. They stopped when they were safely in the shadows of the next building. D immediately grabbed Lucy and held her against the wall with her hand over the panting girl's mouth. Lucy's eyes widened in alarm, but D (who can somehow see her in the shadows…at night…with sunglasses on…) placed a finger to her (Lucy's) lips and she went quiet. A few moments later, a security guard walked pass them, and Lucy stopped breathing. When the guard was out of sight and earshot, D released Lucy with a devilish grin. Lucy took a deep relaxing breath.

She is so loving this, Lucy thought. D jerked her head to the right signaling Lucy to follow her. Lucy held the camera up and followed as D began moving. They stopped in front of a door attached to a classroom. D was about to reach for her back pocket when she suddenly froze. Lucy could feel the suspicion and disbelief rolling off her cousin. D was obviously thinking.

Wait a minute…no…it couldn't be… or something along those lines. Apparently, D's suspicions were confirmed when she grabbed the handle and turned the knob to find the door unlocked. It swung open and D's aura turned into one of annoyed disbelief.

"Unbelievable," she muttered to herself. "They're idiots…just…idiots!" D suddenly stiffened and, in the next moment, she had yanked both Lucy and herself inside the room and silently closed the door behind them. She sat on the floor, dragging Lucy with her, and covered the girl's mouth. A moment later, footsteps could be heard from outside. D and Lucy held completely still and remained silent until they passed. D finally released Lucy and stood up. Lucy followed her and they made their way through the school. The entire time they were moving all Lucy could think was:

We're gonna be in so much trouble…

D was having fun. Silently creeping through the school, this test was the most fun she'd had in a while. Ever since this entire fiasco started, she hadn't really been able to relax and have fun. Granted, her idea of fun was different from most, which is probably why everyone worried over her usually bored persona…It's not her fault that what's boring is still boring. D grinned as her first target came into view. She reached back and motioned for Lucy to follow her across the hall and into an empty science classroom. Once inside, D casually walked over to the teacher's desk and checked if the drawers were locked. They were and D nodded in approval. She then walked over to the chemical cabinet and pulled. When the door opened, D put a hand on her forehead before sighing in frustration.

What the hell?! she thought. Even public schools' know better than this. Lucy watched her cousin worriedly.

"D?" she called. D sighed again and glared at the chemicals.

"This is just pitiful," she declared. A moment later, D got a wonderful idea. "How about I show these morons exactly why they need to follow all security measures." D gave Lucy a grin that made the blonde's eyes widen and cause her to take a step back.

"What are you planning?" Lucy repeated her question from earlier but in a fearful voice this time. D's grin turned harmless and she pivoted on her heel so she was facing Lucy with her fingers interlocked, palms down, in front of her.

"Would you go film the hallway please?" she asked tilting her head to the side with a sweet voice. Lucy quickly obliged wanting nothing to do with whatever her cousin was up to. Once the door closed behind her cousin, D's face turned into an emotionless mask. She turned back to the chemicals before picking up one and examining it. She looked back at the other chemicals and a smirk made its way onto her face.

When Lucy finished filming the hallway, she entered the room again after holding it up to the nameplate. When she opened the door, D was dusting her hands while standing next to a corner in the back of the room. Looking around, Lucy saw some chemicals on a table next to D's open black bag. D zipped the bag shut before Lucy could see what was inside. D carefully placed the bag back on her shoulder before carefully placing the chemicals back where she found them. She closed the doors and walked over to the white board and beginning to write in giant letters:

Failure #1

Scale of one-ten danger zone Ten=safe One= we're all gonna die

This rooms score: 2

Biggest danger: Chemicals

Safety measure:

LOCK UP THE DAMN CHEMICALS! YOU WANNA DIE?!

Once done, D looked at the board and nodded once. Lucy laughed. D smiled and gestured at Lucy to move. They stopped at a few more rooms. D was left alone in each while Lucy shot the hallway. Once D had finished…whatever it was she was doing in the rooms, she'd write on the boards. Every single room failed. Once D had had enough, she and Lucy walked to the dance studio.

Lucy couldn't take it anymore. She had to know.

"What were you doing?" she asked D as the girl set up her music player. D glanced at her. Lucy yawned immediately afterwards.

"What are you talking about?" D asked turning back to what she was doing.

"In the rooms, you did something. What was it?" Lucy asked.

"Nothing you need concern yourself with," D answered starting the music and effectively ending the conversation. Lucy recognized the song as the overture from 'The Phantom of the Opera'. D glared at her galaxy. "It's mocking me…" Lucy laughed.

"You didn't pick the song?" she asked still not quite awake yet.

"I used the machine to start the music, so no," D stated walking over the player and changing the song to 'Girls' by Marina and the Diamonds. D nodded and turned back to Lucy with a grin. "Let's begin shall we?" Lucy sighed in defeat and simply prayed D wouldn't push her too hard.

Erza and Mira were making their way to D and Lucy's room hoping to invite them to have breakfast together. When they got there, however, they saw a crest-fallen Rouge standing in front of the door to D and Lucy's dorm room.

"Rouge?" Mira called in her soothing motherly tone. He looked at them. "What's wrong?" He pointed at the door. The two women turned to the door and were surprised to see a note attached to it. Mira read it out loud:

"Went to school early. Sorry, Rouge, you'll have to get breakfast somewhere else. Let's make a deal though. Go to all your morning classes and meet us back here for lunch. I will only feed you if you went to all of them.

-D

P.S.

Dear Miss President and Roommate,

See you in class. I bet you Lucy won't see this…If you accept the bet take down the note, sign your name in pen and give it to Lucy. If she looks surprised, I win. If she doesn't, you win. Just so you know I'm going to exit in front of her, which will leave her to close the door. Therefore, I am not cheating. If I win, you have to do something that you may or may not like. (I will decide what it is.) If you win, I will pay for your lunch. Don't forget to sign in pen if you're accepting the bet."

Erza turned to Rouge as though she hadn't just read the last part of the note. "So, I'm guessing you're hungry?" Almost as if to answer her question, Rouge's stomach chose that moment to growl. Erza's eyes widened while Mira covered her mouth with a hand to hide her smile. "Well, we can't have you going to class hungry, now can we?" Rouge simply stared at her. "Come with us," she demanded before pivoting on her heel and briskly making her way down the hall. Mira and Rouge were about to follow her when she suddenly turned around and quickly made her way back to them. She pulled a pen out of her pocket and signed her name on the bottom of D's note before plucking it off the door. Mira and Rouge stared at her. She looked back at them. "What?"

"You're accepting the bet?" Mira asked though it sounded more like a statement. Erza nodded.

"It says that D left Lucy to close the door after leaving the note. Therefore, Lucy must have seen it. It's a free lunch," she explained. Mira nodded at Erza's logic.

"You have a point," she agreed. "Can I use your pen to sign?" Erza nodded. After Mira had signed her name on the paper, the trio made their way to the meeting place they decided on with their friends. They had really hoped D and Lucy would join them, but it seems they didn't come soon enough. Oh, if only they knew…

"I hate you," Lucy declared while trying to control her ragged breathing from a puddle of her own sweat o the gym floor. She was beyond able to move right now. No. Scratch that. She was going to die. D chuckled from her position a little ways away from Lucy's lifeless form. Say what you will about D, but she was enough of a girl to simply refuse to go near someone else's sweaty as Lucy when she wasn't even covered in a drop of the stuff.

Speaking of which…Why wasn't she sweating? She had done the same exercises as Lucy, hadn't she? She was even in her uniform! (Sweatshirt and all.) Lucy had been forced down to shorts and a tank top…in WINTER! (In case you were wondering, this would be why no one questioned D about wearing a hoodie at all times.) Okay…so it was February, but still! It was freaking cold! Which Lucy discovered after D had finished with their workout in the dance studio. This is also when Lucy changed into shorts and a tank-top…that room got hot when you really worked your body.

When D declared them finished, Lucy had worked up a good sweat, he kind you expect to get after your regular work-out, and thought they were finished…Oh how wrong she was…For after she had finished shaking out her muscles, D had stated that since their 'Waking Up' exercise was done the could move on to the 'Warm Up'. Lucy's eyes had widened in horror and that horror was justified when D had taken her outside for a "jog". At least D had had enough decency to go at a pace Lucy could keep up with, albeit barely. It was sad really, seeing Lucy jogging as fast as she could, sweating profusely, with D beside her moving in a way that could be described as jogging, when in reality she was speed walking. D had long ago found out how to make it seem like she was jogging or running when she was actually going at a lazy pace…for her. God forbid she ever asks Lucy to run and keep up with her…Lucy was sure she'd die just trying. She says 'trying' because it would be impossible to actually do it.

After a few laps around the gym, Lucy's legs were screaming at her to stop and D, noticing this, decided to move them back inside. By that time, any illusions Lucy had of being cold were gone. D decided to let Lucy's legs rest, after a quick cool down of course, and had them work on the upper body. Since the exercises where actually normal, Lucy thought it would be fine…until she realized D would make her do them a ridiculous amount of times. Lucy was in serious pain by the time they finished. She began hating D at this point. After some normal and not so normal weight lifting exercises, D took Lucy back outside for another delightful jog only this time, it was actually a jog. The only difference being the knee-highs added into it. When Lucy's breathing became abnormal, D decided they better move back inside. After another cool down, D left to go get the water bottles she had brought without telling Lucy. (The girl had been drinking out of the water fountains…Lucy hates water fountains.)

The over-worked girl then collapsed onto her stomach, her limbs spread haphazardly. Lucy swore she even heard a 'splat' when she landed. She lied there for a while, feeling over-heated and therefore sweating even more and creating the puddle. This was how D found her and, noticing the puddle, she stood a little ways away and knelt near her cousin's head. With laughter clearly in her voice she asked.

"Are you okay?" Lucy had never wanted to hit someone so much in her life. Here she was, lying in a pool of her own sweat because of someone, and that person had the audacity to ask if she was okay?! Then Lucy remembered that this person had done the same exercises as her and didn't seem remotely tired. She wasn't even sweating! To her that must have seemed like child's play and for Lucy to be so tired must strike her as hilarious. In response to this thought, all Lucy could say was:

"I hate you." And that brings us back to the current time. D chuckled and Lucy glared at her.

"You hate me, do you?" D asked. Lucy nodded. "So I take it you don't want this?" D held up a giant water bottle that was at least two feet high and three inches wide. (They exist…I've seen them.) Lucy's eyes widened. She could tell just by looking that the thing was nice and cold…D sighed and retracted her arm. "Guess not." D stood.

"No!" Lucy shouted. D looked down at her. "Have I mentioned how much I love you?" D smirked.

"Uh-huh," she said. "That's what I thought." D held out the bottle. Lucy quickly tried to get up as though she thought D would take the bottle back. (Which, knowing her, she just might…) Suddenly, Lucy's right hand slipped (on her own sweat) causing her to fall forward and slam her shoulder on the floor. Lucy gasped before groaning in pain and rolling over, out of the puddle, and onto her back. D's eyes widened and she moved carefully around the puddle to her cousin before kneeling next to her. "Ar-Are you okay?" she asked in a strangled voice.

"Yeah," Lucy answered. D grinned.

"Good, 'cuz that was funny!" she managed to get out before bursting into laughter. Lucy glared at her.

"You know what? I change my mind. I hate you after all," she snapped. D looked at her with a giant grin.

"Good," she stated holding out the bottle again. Lucy sat up and was about to hug her cousin, but D reacted quickly and used the bottle to push the girl away. "Watch it sweaty." Lucy glared at her but took the bottle nonetheless. Lucy quickly removed the lid, but D's voice stopped her. Don't guzzle or you'll throw up." Lucy blushed knowing she was about to do just that. "Take a few sips, slowly." Lucy nodded and started to sip the water. After a few minutes of sipping, Lucy felt like she was alive again. "Okay," D decided, "let's finish this and then shove you into a shower." D's nose wrinkled as she said the last part while looking at Lucy. Said girl's eyes widened.

"You mean we're not finished yet?!" she screeched in alarm. D laughed and shook her head.

"Relax…It's just a little yoga to loosen up your muscles," D explained when it looked like Lucy was going to have a panic attack. "We still have Dance and 'Gym' later. You want to participate, right?" Lucy sighed in relief and nodded. D got up and headed for the dance studio. Lucy followed after her relieved that the torment had ended. Yoga was just stretching, right? It couldn't be that bad right? WRONG!

"Hey guys!" Mira greeted their friends sitting at the table in the school's cafeteria. (Yes, they have a cafeteria. Believe it or not the students actually use it. Thought it's usually just when they don't want to go to a restaurant or make their own food.)

"Morning," Erza added. Cana, Juvia, Wendy, Lisanna, Evergreen, Natsu, Gray, Elfman, Levy, Jellal, Gajeel, Jet, Droy, Laxus and Freed were sitting at the extremely long table.

"Good morning, Mira, Erza and Rouge?!" Levy greeted shouting Rouge's name in shock. Everyone turned to him.

"What's he doing here?" Lisanna asked in surprise. "Weren't you going to get D and Lucy?"

"Yeah," Mira confirmed, "but they weren't there and he was." Laxus blinked and narrowed his eyes at Rouge.

"You were in their dorm room when they weren't there?" he questioned. Mira's eyes widened and she gasped as she realized how her words were misinterpreted.

"No!" she denied quickly. "What I meant was he was outside the door!" Erza nodded in affirmation.

"He was staring at this note when we got there," she added handing the not to Laxus. (Rouge, by the way, had sat down and began eating the moment they got to the table. Erza and Mira are also sitting.) Laxus read the note out loud and thought for a moment.

"Did D invite you for breakfast?" he asked. Rouge looked up and pointed at himself in question when it went quiet. "Yes, Rouge. I mean you." Rouge then shook his head. "Then how did she know you would be there?" Rouge shrugged. "Do you speak?" Rouge nodded. Everyone stared at him a moment before Laxus sighed and handed to note to Levy who kept trying to see it. She read it and her eyebrows wrinkled.

"What I don't understand is how she knew just the three of you would come to their room this morning," she commented. "The note specifically addresses Rouge, Erza, Mira and no one else."

"Good point," Gajeel agreed. "It's like she knew that only they would be there…on another note I see you accepted the bet."

"Bet?" Cana's head shot up from her breakfast. All eyes went to Gajeel as he explained the bet. By 7:00 there were a lot more signatures on that paper.

A little yoga my ass, Lucy thought angrily to herself as she washed the dirt and sweat from her body. Lucy had forgotten that D was more flexible than a monkey, and when D said she would have Lucy 'stretch her muscles' she had meant pretty much all of them. Lucy had stretched muscles she didn't know could be stretched. She swore that one of those stretches had even moved the muscles in her breasts. As painful as that horrible experience was, Lucy had to admit…her body had never felt looser. That so-called yoga (Lucy has taken yoga before, and she was sure what D had made her do was NOT yoga) had helped loosen muscles Lucy didn't even know were tight. Lucy still hated it though…Especially since had to help her after she had gone through them on her own and laughed when pain had made Lucy cry more than once. That evil, sadistic, annoying-

"Oi!" D shouted yanking Lucy from her thoughts. "Hurry up!"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Lucy grumbled. While her muscles may be loose, they still hurt. And her shoulder was killing her. Lucy finished and made her way back to D who had her uniform. After getting dressed, D and Lucy headed for the Nurses office to get ice for Lucy's shoulder. She must have landed on it wrong.