Chapter 43

"It's tomorrow! Finally the much awaited Band Battle Royale Finale has come to an end!" Reported the person in red coat as she stands right in front of the place where the band battle will take place the next day. "Everything was set up. And the fans are really excited." The reporter smiled and the camera turned to the long line of people who are waiting by the entrance of the place. "Fans started to wait outside the concert area just to ensure a slot. Everyone's pretty excited on who's going to win the —"

Lucy turned the television off. She sighed. "It wasn't supposed to be a contest.. My goal was just an attraction! Turns out a real battle royale between bands."

Erza chuckled. "It's fun though. We've introduced the hotel through their performances. Now people knew that this place is Heartfila Hotel." She took a sip from her drink.

"I guess we managed to introduce the hotel to a lot of people." Lucy said as she drummed her fingers on the table in front of her. "The hotel has increased its guests since then. A lot of wealthy teenagers were flying to Magnolia and checking-in. I guess all of them became the attraction." She smiled.

Just then Lucy's phone rang.

"Yes?"

"Alright. Tell them to stay on their headquarters, and wait for me there." Lucy stated firmly and placed her phone back in her pocket.

Erza looked at her. "What is it?"

"Uhhh, there was quite some changes with The Sabers. And finally, finally"—she emphasized. "I will be able to talk to them."

Erza chuckled. She stood up. "Alright, I'm coming with you."

Lucy waved her hand. "Actually, I need you to do something."

"What is it?"

Lucy reached for her bag and grabbed a white purse. "This was given to me last night. Can you please figure out who owns it? She's probably worried, it has a lot of cards but there is no identity."

"Well, I could ask someone to do it." Erza said grabbing the purse and checking it.

Lucy shook her head. "I have a feeling that this purse is important, or belongs to someone important given it looks luxurious.. And elegant."

"Alright. I'll do this. Call me after your meeting with The Sabers, okay?"

"Okay." Grabbing her purse and keys, Lucy walked out of her office.

Erza sat on her previous seat and continued eating. Lucy and her decided to go back to the office and just get a to go when Lucy was called for last minute emergencies in the band battle. She's already forgotten about Gray until he burst through the glass doors panting wildly.

"Where's Lucy?" He managed to say.

"She's in a meeting."

Gray's eyes widened. "What? You left her? Alone?"

"She's going back. Besides she's meeting with The Sabers, Sting and Rogue will be there. They won't let anything harm Lucy."

Gray stomped towards her. "How could you be so sure they would?"

Erza held her hand up. "One, it's a meeting with the bands. You are Fairy Law, they are The Sabers." Gray rolled his eyes. "Two, I'm confident with Sting and Rogue. They are Lucy's friends."

"But Sting—!"

"You know that story right? He's forced. Sting was one of Lucy's friends, Rogue is there too so it's all right." She raised her third finger. "Three, Lucy asked me to do something else, I can't just disobey her in an 'employee-boss' relationship. That means, even is she's my friend who is really like a sister to me, I can't just ignore the things she wanted me to do."

Gray scoffed.

"And that goes for you two. Even if you're her close friends, you still work for her." She finished pointing at him.

"Okay fine."

Erza continued eating. "Besides, don't you have practice?"

"Nope. Not until Natsu came back." He paused and picked a fry in front of him. "This, Lucy's?" Erza nodded, and he put it in his mouth. Gray breathed. "The guards.. They work for someone."

Erza looked at him. "What do you mean?"

"They know we knew who Natsu really is.."

Erza's eyes widened. "What?!"

"Natsu Alfonso Dragneel." Gray said and then he snickered. "Natsu.. Alfonso.. Dragneel."

"Natsu Alfonso Dragneel?"

Gray laughed this time. "That didn't even suit him!"

"What's with Alfonso?"

Gray laughed louder. "That was Natsu's full name!" He laughed louder. "Alfonso is such a noble name! Natsu Alfonso..."

Erza looked down and she started to shake.

Gray looked at her worriedly. "You.. Okay?" He asked hesitantly. Is laughing at Natsu's name made her angry? If so, Gray knew he was dead. Really dead.

"Alfonso.." Erza muttered. Suddenly Erza burst out laughing.

"Gramps, what do we do with the guards?" Natsu asked before Makarov get to his car.

Makarov turned back. "You told Lucy about it?"

"She knew I was suspicious and told her not to talk to anyone except my band, Erza, other bands... And the Board if you guys have meeting."

Makarov nodded.

"She knows you're the one who ordered that 'increase in security'."

"Tell her everything you knew.. I think it's best we tell her the truth now." Natsu opened his mouth but Makarov continued. "She'll find out soon. What's the difference if she knew it now?"

"Gramps you were the one who was really strict not to let Lucy involve in this —"

"Yes do not involve her."

"Well, if she'll know, I can't stop her from getting herself invol —"

Makarov sighed. "That was before. Before when she doesn't know you. Before when you are not this close to her. Before when you still not love her."

"I've always love her!"

"But you didn't admit it to yourself. Before you won't be able to protect her, but now you can. You cared for her now and you know it." Makarov said and placed his hands behind him. "Now, I know you could. And you definitely will. So, tell her."

"But Gramps! We still don't know to whom we should protect Lucy from!" He shouted not really into the idea of getting Lucy involved, even if she is since the beginning.

"I think I know who."

"So, Lisanna won't be with you guys?" Lucy asked as she sat in front of the members of The Sabers band.

"Did you even see her here?" Minerva asked irritated. "The bitch ditched us."

Lucy sighed. She has to make adjustments with the posters. "Okay then. Any questions?" She stood up preparing to leave the band.

Sting shook his head as he stood up and smiled at Lucy. "Thank you!"

"Well good luck!"

"Are you one of the judges?" Orga asked nonchalantly.

Sting and Rogue glared at him.

Lucy reached for their sleeves to stop them from further advancing to Orga. She shook her head. "I won't be."

"How are we going to be sure that you won't manipulate the results?" Minerva said glaring at Lucy.

"I can't promise you I won't. But let me tell you one technique to win even if I manipulate the results: I've already told you to show them your evidence. Show everyone you deserve to win." Lucy said and turned to leave.

Sting smirked at Lucy and him and Rogue followed her out of their headquarters.

"Let us walk you back?" Sting offered and Rogue opened the door for Lucy. She giggled at their actions. She missed them both so much.

Just when they were about to get out Lucy's eyes widened. "Oh my gosh! Yukino!" She squealed and run towards the white haired girl leaning against the wall. The two collided and hugged each other tightly. "Where have you been? I miss you so much!" Lucy pulled away to look at her. "Where did Sting brought you? Tell me everything. Did he hurt you? Did he —"

Yukino smiled. "Calm down Lucy. I'm fine." She looked pass Lucy and blushed as Sting grinned at her. "We are fine."

Lucy giggled. Yukino reached for Sting's hand which he met with his halfway and intertwined their fingers. "Sooo cute!" Lucy squealed. "How about you Rogue? Anything you need to tell me?"

Sting smirked and pulled Yukino from Lucy. "He'll marry the company."

Lucy's eyes widened and she frowned. "I-I'm sorry."

Yukino smacked Sting's arm. "N-No! I didn't mean that."

"I'm sorry of what happened to Uncle Jiemma." Lucy told them. "I didn—"

Rogue chuckled. "I actually glad you did that. Father was letting our company fall. He was too busy getting yours and forgot about ours."

"And now that it's in our—"Rogue looked at Sting and he just laughed. "—our hands, we were saving it."

Lucy giggled. "Good job Rogue!" Lucy said ruffling his hair.

"Hey! I said 'we' and 'our'." Sting protested.

Lucy turned to him. "Good job making Yukino this happy!" She said reaching for his hair and ruffling it.

"I was saying I– Fine."

"We made strong partnership with Yukino's company." Rogue said proudly.

"I-It's actually not my company, Rogue." Yukino said blushing.

"Soon." And both Sting and Rogue snickered.

Lucy smiled at the sight in front of her. It has been so long since the four of them were laughing like this together. She missed them so much. After the incident of hers and Sting's wedding she never met them. And now, those that happened before were just mere memories. Things they could and should just go laugh at now. She never knew that this day would come, but now she was actually in this moment. She was with the man she love, her friends are back together, she's getting the hang of running the company by herself and the bonus part is the lost Dragneel. She never knew there is still one, nor did she hoped. But she won't get her hopes up. It could just be another lie or maybe she won't be able to find who was alive, but she won't stop until she finds out the truth.

"Why are you smiling like that Lucy?" Sting asked getting Lucy's attention. "Don't make that face you look like a sunfish!"

Lucy pouted.

"You almost married the sunfish!" Rogue laughed along with Sting.

"Glad I didn't!" Sting said rather loudly and kissed Yukino's forehead.

"Hey!" Lucy glared at both of them but laughed after. They all looked at her weirdly. "Sorry! I just missed you so much guys."

"We missed you too!" Yukino said and pulled herself away from Sting and cupped Lucy's hands with hers. "Let's go to a bar!" Yukino said.

"Bar?"

"Great idea!" Sting agreed. "I'll get my keys!" He said and turned back to the room.

"What'll we do?" Lucy asked.

Rogue raised his brows. "Grab a couple of drinks?"

"You've never been to a bar?" Yukino asked staring right at Lucy.

Lucy shook her head. "You've been!" Sting said emerging from their headquarters. Lucy looked at him peculiarly. "High Life?"

"It was a rest —"

"Restobar." Sting smirked. "It's where Lucy had her first kiss!" He teased and laughed at Lucy's reddening face.

Yukino grabbed her by the shoulders and looked at Lucy in the eyes. "Really?"

Lucy glared at Sting. "How did you —"

"I was there! That was great move Natsu did there."

"Enough Sting! Let's go now!" Yukino said and started to pull Lucy. "You're going to tell me everything."

"Lucy!" Rogue called and both girls turned around to see him running towards them. "Uhh well, I have something to tell you." Yukino understood that they needed privacy and so she went back to Sting's side as they continued to walk.

"What is it?" Lucy asked smiling.

"Uhh well, since you're the CEO now, I wanted to ask you.. Is the partnership between Heartfilia Group and us done?"

"You mean? Expired something like that?"

"No. As in done, done."

Lucy smiled. "Of course not. Well about the expiration of the contract I guess we could just renew." They walked side by side with Lucy's hand behind her. "You should attend Board meetings too Rogue."

"I was thinking Sting should do that at least." Rogue chuckled.

Lucy giggled. "It can be both of you. I don't care. But Sabertooth company has been absent for a couple of meetings now and that is against the contract you know?"

"Thanks Lucy!" Rogue smiled at her.

"No problemo."

They continued to walk until Rogue was beginning to get anxious. He looked around.. There are guards everywhere. "Lucy? Did you increased your security?"

Lucy nodded. "With the lost Dragneel and Band Battle Royale, I guess Gramps decided we needed it."

"Gramps?"

"Yeah! He's one of the Board Members. Mr. Makarov Dreyar?" Lucy smiled sweetly.

Suddenly, Rogue stiffened. "Lucy!" He grabbed Lucy by her shoulders. "Do not trust anyone from the Board Members."

She looked at him with a questioning look. "Huh?"

"I came across my father's files. He's been working with one of them. I don't know who. But, be careful. Do not trust them!"

"But I trust Gramps!"

"I'm not saying it's your Gramps. But just don't fully trust anyone. There's someone working against you, even more powerful than our father. So just be careful." He removed his hands from her shoulders.

Lucy nodded. "Okay."

"I'm sorry Lucy. I just don't want to repeat what our father almost did before." Rogue apologized when he saw her frown.

"It's fine! I'm fine." She smiled. "Look, Gramps increased our security around the hotel and my body guards were just there somewhere."

"Loke and Capricorn?"

She nodded. "They've been with the family ever since."

Rogue sighed. "That's good to hear. I'll try to figure out who it is as soon as I can."

"Thanks!"

Rogue stiffened as Lucy shriek in surprise when Sting slung his arms onto their shoulders. "What are you talking about? Tell me! I'm CEO too."

"When you attend ten Board Member meetings, I'll consider you my secretary." Rogue said.

"What?! That boring meeting for old hags? No way!" Lucy looked at him. "Well, of course you, their leader!"

Gray was sitting inside Erza's office exactly in front of her when her phone rang.

"Lucy." She said as she looked at Gray.

With a look of relief, Gray still wanted to grab Erza's phone from her but he knew that's the last move he would do. "Ask her where she is!" He whisper-shouted.

Erza glared at him. "Are you done?"

"Yes, I have no work left at the office right?"

"Mhmm." Erza sat on her chair as she stared at Gray who was hopeful he could just talk to Lucy. "Where are you now? Want to grab some dinner?"

"Well, I'm with Sting, Rogue and Yukino —"

"WHAT?!" Gray shouted when her heard that part. Erza hurriedly clamp his mouth with her hand.

"Is that Gray? He's still there?"

"No. No. Just the television." Erza excused as she continued to cover Gray's mouth with her hand. "Where are you going?"

"High Life. Just dinner and maybe a couple of drinks."

"Lucy —"

"I know Erza. Just cocktails for me! I'm with them don't worry."

Erza sighed in defeat. What else could she do? Lucy was already with them. And it's not like she could or would go with them. "Alright. Call me or text me when you're there."

Lucy giggled. "Alright. Please tell Natsu where I am when you see him. I can't contact him."

"Okay." Erza nodded.

"Ashk bher bwhere she'll shleep tonight!" Gray managed to say through Erza's hand.

Erza removed her hand from his mouth and wiped it with a tissue. She glared at Gray. "Uh, Lucy, where are you heading after?"

"At the hotel. I don't have my car, so I'm going back with them. Wait. Is there any problem?"

"No of course. I just wanted to know. I'll be going home later —"

"Oh yeah! I forgot! You're coming with me, day after tomorrow."

Erza scrunched her eyebrows and applied some alcohol on her hands. "Where to?"

"Let's go see some wedding gowns!"

"Wha —"

"Bye! See you tomorrow!" And she hung up.

"Why would Lucy, ask me to go to a bridal shop and look for wedding gowns?" She wondered out loud.

Gray gulped.

"What do you kn —"

The door opened and both of them looked up to see a panting Natsu, he was still trying to catch his breath. "W-Where's Lucy?"

Erza immediately grabbed her phone and dialed some numbers. "Jellal? Yeah. Can you please keep an eye on Lucy? She's at High Life. Yeah. Thanks!" She turned around and whispered. "I love you."

Gray and Natsu both have wide eyes and the urge to laugh but held it because Erza was right then and there. It was the first time they saw her blush and even hear her talk something as sweet as that.

Erza cleared her throat. "I already asked Jellal to keep an eye on Lucy. She's at High Life." Natsu started to turn around but Erza pulled him back. "She's fine!"

"No! I won't risk it! You don't know how dangerous it is!" Natsu shouted.

"She's with her friends!" Natsu looked at her. "Sting, Rogue and Yukino. Jellal will be there too!"

"Bu —"

Erza pulled him back and pushed him on the chair opposite Gray's. "Why don't you just trust Lucy?" She sat on her own chair. "If you get too protective she'll get hints and try to see things herself. Don't you think it's better that she doesn't know a thing at all or that she knew everything than she'll get hints and look for answers herself?"

Natsu leaned back on the chair and looked down. He knew she was right. That was what Makarov told him. Tell Lucy everything, but he just doesn't have the heart to tell her. She will be really shock, and maybe she'll be mad because he hid that secret from her for so long. "But it's just dangerous!"

"We know it is!" Gray shouted.

"What? It's not —"

Gray explained to Natsu what had happened a while ago. And he was more furious. They calmed him down to the point that they even wanted to tie him on the chair. There was silence as the tension slowly decreased.

"We're worried about her too." Gray started. "But you should know Lucy can handle herself just fine, she's with her other friends.." He looked at Erza. "And of course Jellal as back up."

"Fine." Natsu hissed through his gritted teeth.

"Hey Jellal! I didn't know you were here!" Lucy said when they bumped into Jellal as they were about to head home.

"Well this is my bar." He smiled knowingly. "You going home?"

"Well, yes. They'll just pay the bill." Lucy said gesturing to Sting, Rogue and Yukino who was at the counter. "They took a couple more drink at the bar."

"Yeah. Right. You sure can drink now?" Jellal chuckled. "Last time, you were down after a couple."

Lucy scrunched her eyebrows. "That was ages ago."

"Okay then. Take care when you get home! Remember to call Erza and Natsu."

Lucy chuckled. "You guys sure are like my parents. All of you actually."

"Just making sure the princess is safe. Beside you know Erza, and well Natsu.. Yeah Natsu."

"Alright, alright. I'll be going first. I can't stand the dry ice." She said and walked past Jellal and out towards their car.

Lucy avoided people as skillfully as she could still she ended up bumping into a lot of people in the process of getting out. As soon as she was out she immediately went near Sting's Trans Am. The parking lot was unusually not crowded unlike the last time she was there. Probably because it was a Monday and people weren't or doesn't have all the time like she accidentally had today.

"Lucy Heartfilia." Lucy was startled as she came face to face with a person fully clothed with black garments and a mask. There's not a skin shown with those clothes.

She started to step back and away from the man in black but she was stopped when she bumped into a door of another car. She was trapped. She cannot run or anything. She looked around and saw there's no one around. Why does Sting have to park all the way here? She had guessed they wouldn't show up anytime soon and she she had to do this herself. "What do you want?!" She asked frantically. Lucy slid her hand inside her pocket to get a hold of her phone, dial someone or anyone.

"Relax." But that didn't help one bit. "I just want you to know that truth."

Lucy looked at him confusedly. "I don't care what you're gonna say! Leave me alone!"

The man chuckled. "What a waste. It was about Dragneel, but I guess you don't want to know." He said and started to turn his back and walk away but Lucy grabbed his sleeve. He smiled wickedly as he turned back.

"Why should I trust what you're going to say?"

"I don't care if whether you believe me or not, it's all up to you." The man snickered. "But I think you should be able to tell it by now, it was pretty obvious. He didn't even try to hide his identity.. Maybe you really did believe he was forever gone." He leaned towards Lucy placing his hands on either side of her body.

"Get away from me." She hissed and tried to push the man off her.

"Too bad such a beautiful girl like you has been in love with a dead person." He whispered to Lucy's ear which made her shiver. "But I guess your loyalty to him will be fruitful."

"I have someone I love! Not him!" Lucy defended.

He smirked as Lucy looked at him confusedly. "Let's see about that if you knew that it was Natsu Dragneel who's alive."

Lucy's eyes widened. They begin to water as memories came rushing into her. "W-What? How?"

"And he's closer to you than you think or maybe even believe."

"Where? Where is he?" She asked as she shook the man in black. "Where?" Her tears kept falling from her eyes as she beg the man into telling her the location of that certain person. She wanted to confirm it. She wanted to know if he's telling the truth. Even if he's lying at least she tried. "WHERE?!" She cried.

The man in black clothing smirked. "Why don't you ask.. The one you love? Maybe he already knew who was alive, maybe just scared to tell you who it was." He chuckled. "I wonder why he won't tell you that and who he truly is."