Hey. ;)

I wonder if anyone is still reading. Gosh how long have it been. xD I just started writing again, and I have made a little short chapter here, to get me started - it will continue if anyone is still interested. : )

Hope you like and please review. ^^

Chapter 15.

"Come on," Alica said between clenched teeth and tried once more to struggle out of her ropes. The bomb had started to glow dangerously. 10 minuets.

"Help! Somebody!" she yelled, but her voice was drowned in jokes and laughs upstairs and she clenched her teeth in frustration. What was left to do? Was she going to sit here and wait for the bomb to erase her beloveds memories about her?

Mako's fist came out of nowhere. He jumped toward his father with such rage that he scared even Lucy. His father didn't even blink, and before Mako could even come into his range, a cold, dead and emotionless shadow came between them and made the furious teen fall to the ground. His eyes widen in shock.

"Mako!" Lucy yelled and threw herself to the ground next to him. His breathings were deep and rasping and his eyes focused on something faraway. "What happened? Mako? What did you do?" Lucy had yanked her head up and stared blaming at her own and Mako's father.

"The shadow mages is assigned to protect us from harm," Mako's father said and didn't seem to care that his son was gasping for air on the floor, "They have captured him in their illusions."

"Illusions?" Lucy whispered in horror. She felt Mako's hand lock around her own and his lips trembled, he was clearly trying to say something, but no sound came out.

"Release him!" Lucy demanded, "can't you see he is in pain."

"He can't feel any physical pain," Mr. Kaito said.

"I … don't …" Mako finally shook out. Lucy immediately turned her attention back to him, "I didn't mean to …" he sobbed. Mr. Kaito pulled his eyebrows together in wonder and turned to the shadow mage, clearly surprised to hear Mako cry.

"Father!" Lucy yelled, but she knew it was no use, her father just narrowed his eyes of her. Tears suddenly appeared in Mako's blank eyes and streamed down his cheeks with incredible speed while he kept mumbling nonsense. Lucy felt so useless. She couldn't bear it.

Suddenly a huge noise echoed in the room and took everyone off guard. The blast rung in Lucys ears and she was slammed back as rocks and dust flew around the room. She was separated from Mako, who was slammed into the wall like a doll. Her father and Mr. Kaito was surrounded by protecting shadow mages.

"Lucy!" Natsu's voice sounded loud and clear and Lucy tried to see through the mist of dust. The first thing she saw was a pair of glowing fists.

"Natsu!" she yelled and realized the two other silhouettes behind him, "Loki! Gray!"

The three boys realized her present at the same time.

"Lucy what are you doing on the floor?" Natsu asked clueless.

"Because of your huge explosion, idiot!" Lucy yelled and threaded him with a fist.

"Oh, sorry," Natsu said with a huge grin and scratched his cheek.

"Are you okay?" Loki said and pushed Natsu a little aside. Lucy gave him a small nod.

"Told you!" Natsu and Gray said satisfied.

"But Mako isn't!" Lucy said and her voice turned worried. She hurried to her feet, but Gray was by her side faster and helped her the last way, but she ignored him and hurried toward Mako.

"I don't know what they did to him," she said panicking. Mako's eyes had closed, but pearls of sweat had formed on his forehead and he still took deep rasping breathings. "He needs a doctor," Loki said and felt his temperature, "is this the work of a shadow mage?" he asked.

"Yes, is he going to be alright?" Lucy said concerned. Loki pressed his lips together and looked like a professor considering a theory.

"Shadow mages doesn't leave wounds on your body, but they can really mess you up inside. The illusions should stop working if we knock the shadow mage out, but he will still need treatment … I say we get him out of here immediately –"

"He is not going anywhere!" a voice yelled. Lucy clenched her eyes together, "and neither are you, Lucy!" her fathers voice said.

"I wonder …" Lucy whispered and didn't turn to look at him, "why can't you even let me dream?"

"Your dreams have no future, no profit," her father's response was. Lucy made a sound that was a mix between a gasp and a laugh.

"Lucy," a smooth voice whispered and grabbed her wrist. She lifted her head and looked into a pair of dark eyes, "let's go!"

"Gray," she said and a tear fell from the corners of her eyes. Gray tilted his head and wiped it away. Lucy grabbed his hand and he exclaimed a gasp in surprise, "please … don't forget about me."

"I would never …" he began, but Lucy cut him off.

"Sorry," she said and forced a smile, "you're right, let's go!" she released his hand.

"Like we would let you!" Mako's fathers voice suddenly yelled and the shadow mages shoot forward by the unspoken command.

"Ice Maker! SHIELD!" Gray yelled and the shadow mages had to stop when a cascade of ice appeared out of nowhere and blocked their targets.

"Gray!" Natsu said and laid his warm palm on his shoulder, "take Lucy and go."

"Yeah," Gray responded and resisted his desire to argue with the redheaded boy. Loki and Natsu both ran forward and got ready to fight. Gray hurried to take Mako's dead arms over his shoulders and jumped out of the window, followed by Lucy.

Before Lucy jumped out of the window she turned her head and looked at her father. His features were hard and angry. She clenched her teeth in pain.

"Guys!" Alica yelled, her voice was all worn out from screaming, "we only have a few minuets! Please help me!"

A drop of sweat appeared on her forehead and sled down her face. She took a deep breath to steady herself. She studied the box for the tenth time and tried to find some way to stop it, but nothing looked familiar – and she hadn't really worked with bombs anyway. 1 minute and 54 seconds.

Yup, what did you think - leave a review and let me know. ^_^/ Still worth writing. BTW, this chapter was written in a hurry - next will be both longer and better. : )