A/N: So, you guys are absolutely awesome! Thank you so much for the kind words on this story, and all the faves and follows. I honestly squealed like a girl when I saw how well the story was recieved. So, here is chappy 3!

Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail. Yet...Wouldn't it be great if I did? :3

For the next few days, Lucy became fully introduced to the life of a Fairy Tail wizard. There was definitely a lot of chaos-practically all the time-, but she loved it. The whole place was rowdy and imperfect, which was refreshing since she spent her whole life focusing on being perfect for the sake of others. But here, she realized that she could truly be herself. For the first time in her life, Lucy Heartfilia was truly happy.

She also made a lot of new friends. One in particular, a bluenette who spoke of herself in the third person, was the kindest to her since her coming to the guild. Her name was Juvia Lockster. Juvia told Celine that she knew what it was like to fell like an outsider, and that she didn't anyone to feel that way here. Lucy had been touched, but she also felt the pang of regret and the knotting in her stomach that had become familiar since her first day as a Fairy Tail member.

All in all, Lucy was pretty comfortable with guild life.

Until she saw the posters.

Lucy walked towards the pole, where a work piece of parchment hung. She ripped it off and looked at what was on it. There she was, a sweet smile on her face, under the words "Missing!" A sinking feeling of dread formed a lump in her throat. When had they come through here, she questioned mentally as she began to speed towards her apartment.

"Natsu!" she called, knowing he'd be there. Since he had come to her place anyways, Lucy posed the idea of them living together. He came out of the bathroom, a shiny sheen of water on his perfect upper body, a towel wrapped around his waist. He ran a hand through his sopping pink hair as he regarded her curiously.

"What is it, Luce?" he asked, using his nickname for the blonde, who held out the poster with shaking hands. Natsu's brow furrowed and he held out the paper, turning it to the side and narrowing his eyes.

"Luce, don't worry; this looks nothing like you. She's way too pretty," he concluded with a big grin."

"ARE YOU SAYING I'M NOT PRETTY!?" Lucy screamed, angry that her own boyfriend didn't she was as pretty as the drawing of her. Natsu threw the poster down and sighed.

"Luce, calm down," he commanded in a soothing tone. But that only made her even angrier. She was in hysterics, a thousand thoughts flitting through her head. There were so many risks, so many things that could go wrong, and all of them began to play out in her mind. All of them ended up with her back at the palace, miserable, while Natsu was locked up or dead. That thought made her heart clench and tears begin to run down her face.

Natsu pulled the hysterical girl towards him, her body pressed flush against his. She peered up at him with bright, watery eyes. She pressed her fists against his bare chest. "Natsu, don't you see?" she bean, her voice cracking from the tears. "This will never work. The guild will find out who I am and they'll hate me. One of them will turn me in. Or the guards will find me first and they'll take me away. I hate lying to them. But I don't want to continue to do it if it's going to make them hate me." Natsu captured Lucy's lips against his and she felt a jolt of nerves, but quickly relaxed into the action. He smelled of soap and smoke, despite just taking a shower. That smell would follow him everywhere. But she didn't mind. Her fingers wound around his neck and her eyes slowly closed.

His lips traveled along her jaw and down her neck, soft and tender. A low moan escaped her throat. As he pulled away, he pressed a finger to her mouth. "Luce, they won't hate you. Nobody could ever hate you. And even if they do, you'll have me. Right?"

Lucy sniffled, a small, wavering smile on her face. "You're right." The dragon slayer chuckled and wrapped the celestial mage in a hug.

"So what do you want to do?"

She pulled away and began to pace the room slowly. "I…don't want to drag them into this. I think it might be better to keep them in the dark. At least for right now. I'll tell them if it becomes absolutely necessary. I wish Levy-chan was here; she would know what to do." Lucy sighed. Levy was the only one she missed from her old life. She wondered how the incredibly smart girl was handling Lucy's disappearance. The two had been best friends since they were children. It felt weird going through all these things without her. "Maybe I could write her. Let her know that I'm okay."

Natsu nodded hesitantly. "Just be careful. We don't want to give anyone any clue as to where we are."

Lucy agreed and sat at the desk, pulling a feather pen out of a small bottle of ink. She connected it to a piece of parchment and began to write:

Dear Levy,

I am fine. I am safe. Please do not worry about me or tell anybody that we are communicating, or else they will find me. I wish I could see you. Maybe, once the mania of this dies, we will see each other soon.

I have found a new life. It was odd at first, but I am truly happy. I have met so many new people and experienced so many things. I wish you were here with me. Please be safe.

Until we meet again.

Sincerely,

Lucy

As Natsu and Lucy began to head to the guild, she put the letter into a small black box so it could be delivered. She made sure nobody saw as she did so, cautious about not getting discovered. Since her escape, Lucy had learned to be much more observant of the people and things around her. The cold morning air created clouds whenever she exhaled. The trees were turning from their bright green to dazzling oranges and reds, the colors of fall.

Once the duo made it to the guild, a few people gave Lucy curious glances and quizzical looks as she passed them. Heart rate elevating, she approached the bar, where Mirajane greeted her with her usual sweet smile. "Good morning, Celine. How are you?"

"Mira, can you tell me why everybody is acting so weird today?" Lucy asked, worried that she already knew the answer.

Mirajane's eyes fell, darkening. "Didn't you hear? The princess of Fiore, Lucy Heartfilia, is missing. There are posters all around town. Everybody's been talking how alike you and her look. And now that I see it, the resemblance is quite striking," she observed. Her voice lacked its usual chipper quality, making her sound much more intimidating.

Lucy's chest tightened, her nerves on edge. "W-well, I guess I just have one of those faces, I guess."

Mira placed a hand on Lucy's forearm and leaned in a little. "Celine…you don't have to hide anything from us."

Lucy's face was beginning to get hot, and her heart raced. "I know, Mirajane. I won't. I promise."

Mirajane frowned, looking painfully sad. Lucy wanted to hug her, but refrained herself. "I've very disappointed, Celine. I thought you trusted us."

"I do!" Celine countered earnestly. Mira glanced over at her, and a small smile played over her lips.

"Ok. I'm sorry," Mira apologized with a warm smile. "But, if there is something wrong, I want you to know that you can count on us to help you."

"Thanks, Mira," Lucy replied with a sigh, the urge to reveal the truth slowly becoming unbearable. It was on the tip of her tongue when Juvia took a seat next to her.

"Good morning, Celine," the bluenette greeted.

"Hey, Juvia," she greeted, lacking the usual enthusiasm she would have had when dealing with her friend. Juvia must have took notice; she regarded Lucy with a concerned look on her pretty face.

"Is there something wrong?"

Lucy sighed. "No. I'm fine. It's just this whole business with the princess being missing," she confesses. "People think I look like her, huh?"

Juvia nodded. "Yes. Juvia thinks so, too."

"And I'll bet that everybody thinks that I'm hiding something, don't they?" Lucy asked with a feeling of dread rising through her.

"Yes. People believe that you may be the princess. Though it doesn't make sense. Why would the princess use a fake name?"

"Maybe because she doesn't want people to know who she is," Lucy replied.

"Maybe," Juvia agreed. "But Juvia does not believe that you are the princess."

"You don't?"

"No. Juvia believes that you would tell her if that was the case. Because Juvia and Celine are best friends, right?"

Lucy hugged her friend and forced a smile. "Yes. No matter what."

"No matter what," Juvia echoed with a small smile that made Lucy's heart swell.

Throughout the day, the glances and the whispers became less and less frequent. A few more people asked questions, but she denied having any knowledge or connect to the missing royalty in any way. It hurt to lie to them, and every time she did, the urge to take it back sat on the tip of her tongue. "I'm a liar. I am who you think," she would say. But part of her didn't want them to know, because she was too scared of their reactions. Coward, she scolded each time she held her tongue, let her resolve to keep them safe overpower the guilt of lying.

"Hey, guys, I think I'm going to go home. I'm really not feeling so well." With a chorus of well-wishes and goodbyes, Lucy took leave from Fairy Tail. Natsu had wanted to go with her, but she urged him to stay. She really wasn't in the mood for dealing with anyone right now.

The air was cool for late summer, but if felt nice on her face. Lucy closed her eyes and focused on the feeling, trying to forget the awful day she had. Soft orange light shone under her closed eyelids and hair blew across her face. With each burst of wind, she imagined her problems and worries being blown away. A cynical laughed escaped her lips. Lucy opened her eyes and continued to walk.

But she only got a few steps before someone grabbed her around the waist.

Lucy kicked and screamed. The person pinned both arms behind her, so she couldn't reach her keys. Another man placed a hand over her mouth, preventing her from screaming. Lucy opened her mouth and bit down. Hard. A burst of blood flowed into her mouth. The guy made a small noise, but quickly covered her mouth again.

Then a hand came in contact with her stomach. The air was knocked out of her and she began to wheeze. Her abdomen ached. One of her attackers then ordered the one covering her mouth to move. He covered her mouth and nose with a cloth that smelled strongly of chloroform. Lucy's vision became hazy and blackness entered her vision. Her panic and fear made way for deep exhaustion.

She slumped, the chemicals dragging her under.

Whaaaaa...? I felt so evil after coming up with this idea. Now that Lucy is mysteriously attacked, what will happen to her? Who attacked her? And what will happen next? o.0 Read to find out. And please read and review! When you do, I feed happy fish. If not, I will make Natsu get on a never-ending train ride.