Chapter Six

Sinking Friendships

"I'm sorry," Lucy quietly breathed out, her voice slightly choked. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she pulled her knees into her chest, "It was because of me. I should've protected him better."

Her mother didn't seem to be aware of a word that she said, her eyes unfocused and her pale face void of any emotion.

Her father was seated on the floor of their home next to his wife, his face similarly emotionless, but the blonde girl knew he was listening, his eyes giving him away.

Layla suddenly licked her lips, her voice hoarse from her sobbing as she mumbled out in somewhat of a daze, "Lucy..."

The blonde sniffled, slight surprise racing through her as she realized that maybe her mother was listening after all. But she quickly dismissed the thought as she looked over at the woman, her mother's tear filled eyes tiredly trained on the door of their house, something akin to hope coming to life on her features, "Open the door, dear."

Lucy confusedly glanced at the door, "I…why?"

Her mother's breathes quickened, her tone growing more insistent, "Open the door. Your brother can't come in if the door's shut."

At the remark, Jude sorrowfully looked to his wife, worriedly setting a hand on her arm, "Honey-"

She tugged her arm out of his grasp, her gaze still urgently glued to the door as she dug her fingers into his shoulder, desperately trying to shove him to his feet, "Honey, open the door for him! Sting can't get in!"

Jude pushed himself to his knees and faced his wife, gripping her forearms and gently shaking her in an attempt to earn her attention, his voice soft at first as he called, "Honey." At her lack of response, he grew more instant, his voice rising in volume, "Layla!" Her eyes snapped to him at the cry, his voice growing softer once more as he sorrowfully whispered, "Our son…is no longer here."

She stared at her husband with wide eyes as if in disbelief before she broke, sobs consuming her once again as she beat weakly at his chest, his hands slipping from her forearms, "We shouldn't have moved! You promised us we'd lived happily here!" Her words turned into unintelligible mumbles as her voice succumbed to her weeping, her hands still exhaustedly beating at his chest.

Jude silently took the abuse, his head falling forward.

Lucy swallowed heavily as she crawled over to her mother from where she'd been resting her back against the wall. She tucked her legs underneath herself as she wrapped her arms around the older woman, Layla fragilely collapsing into her as she feebly reached towards the door, "Look at your brother, Lucy! Don't you see how much he's shaking?! How could you leave him out there?!"

The blonde only pulled her mother tighter into her chest, her own tears resuming their flow for the hundredth time since her brother's body had slipped over the edge.

Zeref pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and index finger, huffing out a heavy breath as Dimaria returned from the phone call she'd made, "How bad is it?"

"The doctors were able to save the boy's life, but he may never walk again."

He swallowed heavily, letting out another deep sigh, "And are you sure that Natsu was at the scene?"

His assistant nodded her head, "Yes. He appeared running towards the fight in a nearby streetlight's CCTV footage."

The black haired man's lips pressed into a thin line, his fingers running along the leather interior of the car, "What about the union? Do they know that Natsu was involved in this situation?"

"The police are staying quiet about his involvement. They're saying that the Fullbuster boy was the only one there."

Zeref huffed out a heavy, relieved breath.

"You know what we have to do right?" Dimaria started after giving her boss a moment to be relieved. "We have to make the Fullbuster boy take the fall for the crime if you want your brother's involvement to go unnoticed."

Zeref's eyes widened as he looked back over at his assistant, his mind already running over how much doing such a thing would hurt his younger brother. Gray had been charged with attempted murder, the fact that he was only eighteen and the lack of a firearm saving him from being treated like an adult in the examination of the case. But his drunkenness had done little to help prove his innocence, and if he was found guilty, he'd be sent to juvenile detention up until his twenty first birthday.

To go without his best friend for three years would absolutely destroy Natsu.

Dimaria grew impatient at his silence, "Don't you know how important the union's votes are? We can't lose them because of this."

Zeref shook his head, licking his lips, "But, Natsu-"

"We can get the Fullbuster boy out after you win the election," she cut him off. "As governor, you'd have the power to do it."

The candidate thought over the situation, his hand tiredly rubbing his eyes as he quietly questioned, "Who's the officer in charge?"

Mest's eyes were nervously snapping from point to point as he followed the blonde lady through an old restaurant that looked to be near abandonment, only a few customers filling a small portion of the cracked, wooden tables. He was incredibly apprehensive about his forthcoming meeting, or rather, he was more anxious about who he was meeting. It seemed like too much of a coincidence that he'd met the younger brother only a few days before, and just this morning he'd received a phone call from the assistant of the man himself, asking to meet with him later that evening.

He followed the blonde woman around a corner and came face to face with his appointment, swallowing heavily as he caught sight of Zeref Dragneel waiting for him, seated at an isolated table in the corner of the restaurant.

The woman, Dimaria if he remembered what she'd said on the phone correctly, took the liberty of introducing him to the governor, "This is detective Mest Gryder, the one I told you about."

Zeref stayed seated, a polite smile on his face as he invited, "Please…have a seat. You haven't had dinner yet, have you?"

Mest nervously slid into the seat across from the man, quietly answering, "No, I haven't."

"Sir, could you get us two bowls of cow hide soup?" Zeref called to the old man seated in the corner, whom Mest hadn't even realized was there.

As the man left to fulfill the order, the detective nervously glanced down, silently wondering when the governor would cease with the pleasantries and get down to business.

Zeref clasped his fingers together on top of the table, leaning forward slightly with an amiable grin on his features, "How long has it been since you came here from Crocus?"

"Three years."

The governor nodded in understanding, glancing over at his assistant as she handed him a phone, "He's on the line."

Zeref accepted the phone and pressed it to his hear, his smile audible in his voice as he greeted, "Ah, Lahar."

Mest's eyes widened at the mention of his chief's name.

"I've heard that you're hiring a new team leader. Don't you think this county's division should be led by an experienced man from Crocus?" Zeref let out a soft chuckle at something the other man said, "I know of a capable man. Would you allow me to make a recommendation for the good of our county?"

The detective's lips pressed into a grim line, fully aware that Zeref wanted him to hear this conversation and that the governor was baiting him by offering him exactly what he wanted.

And damn, was it hard to resist. He'd been fighting to work his way up the ranks for years, constantly being forced to transfer stations and start over again. A little help from someone with a significant amount of power was just the thing he needed to get himself out of the endless loop he'd fallen into.

Mest tuned out Zeref's voice as he exchanged a few more pleasantries over the phone before giving his farewells, the detective's eyes glancing in Dimaria's direction and catching her gaze by chance. Her sharp smile and the clenching of her fingers around the edge of her clipboard let him know that she was aware of his understanding of the situation, her cold gaze keen and calculating.

Zeref was still grinning at Mest as he handed the phone back to his assistant, and the detective knew that he and the governor were on the same page as well. But still, Zeref smiled as if their meeting was nothing more than a simple pleasant exchange, not acknowledging any of the bait he'd just laid before the detective with his phone call, "From what I've heard, you're in charge of yesterday's case involving the union president's son, Macbeth."

Mest quirked a brow, having not expected the governor to go in that direction.

"I heard about it from my brother, and he said he coincidentally passed by and witnessed it. Is that true?"

"Yes. We have the CCTV footage of the attacker following behind the victim before their fight under the bridge. I just need your brother to testify as a witness at the police station about what happened off camera. Then, we can settle this for good."

Zeref let out a heavy sigh of confliction, "Well, you see…my brother is very shocked by the incident. I wish for him to forget about it as soon as possible. Is there any other way?"

Mest lowered his gaze for a moment, fully aware of Zeref's true motives: to get his younger brother untangled from the case for the sake of winning the election without any mishaps to deter his success. But despite his knowledge of the governor's motivations, he found himself tempted to go along with the Zeref's wishes, his terror of the man's power and his desire for that higher ranking position ebbing away at his normally just rationale.

"Oh..." the detective cleared his throat as he settled his thoughts. He'd always been a fair, righteous man when it came to dealing with his cases, but maybe one little slip wouldn't hurt him too bad. Besides, the Dragneel kid hadn't appeared much on the CCTV footage, only running down the street a few minutes after the other two. "Then…please send his statement by mail instead and I'll take care of the rest."

Zeref grinned as he shared a glance with his assistant, pleased that Mest had played right into their hands. By sending the statement in the mail, the details could easily be fabricated without the human component of the statements visible to give their lies away, and this way, Natsu would never have to know about what they'd done.

Mest pressed his lips into a grim line. With the younger Dragneel out of the picture, there would be no witnesses to testify, and the blame would easily fall onto the Fullbuster boy's shoulders.

"Please investigate it fairly so that no one is wrongfully punished."

The detective nodded, satisfied to note that he seemed to have pleased the man, "Of course. It'll be a fair investigation."

The old man returned with the cowhide soup and set it on the table before them, Mest retching back a bit at the strange smell.

Zeref's lips quirked in a small smile, "Let's eat together time to time from now on. I have a feeling that we'll work very well together."

"I'm curious…Why are you taking care of that family from Crocus?"

Precht's lips pressed into a thin line at Zancrow's sudden inquiry, his hands clasped behind his back as he looked up at their church, the structure finally completed down to the fine details. His tone was somewhat sour as he answered his apostle's question, unhappy with having to explain his reasoning time and time again, "Because the Almighty has commanded us to love our neighbors as we love ourselves."

Zancrow cackled to himself, a malicious smirk quirking his lips as he lowered his voice to a snide whisper, "Let's be honest. It's because of the daughter, isn't it? Does she give you the same thrill that she gives me?" His hands curved through the air in front of him, biting his lip as he traced an hour glass figure in the empty space.

Irritation lined the preacher's features, but otherwise, his face was void of emotion, "In regards to everything financially related to Zentopia, I left it all to you, didn't I?"

Zancrow quirked a brow, "Yes. What of it?"

Precht's voice held an inkling of restrained anger, "Then, regarding the work of saving souls…you haven't forgotten that you left it up to me, have you?" His eyes traveled to the illuminated red cross that sat atop the steeple of his church, humming deep in his throat as he evenly remarked, "Lucy…is a chaste virgin who will help us board the Ship of Salvation."

Zancrow chuckled under his breath, satisfied with his master's plans for the girl as he licked his lips hungrily, lustfully cackling to himself, "A virgin."

His sinister laughs echoed through the open area in front of the church as Precht disappeared into the building, the area ever bathed in the eerie red light of the glowing cross suspended high in the air above.

Ultear glanced behind her as she sat at the Heartfilia's kitchen table across from the father and daughter of the family, quietly beginning, "If you don't mind me asking, why did you leave the front door open?"

Lucy peeled her gaze from the cup of coffee in her hands to look over at the apostle, thinking of the woman resting in the other room, "My mom said she felt stuffy."

The dark haired woman nodded quietly in understanding, her eyes sympathetic as she remarked, "Our Spiritual Father has left town for a bit, and in his absence he asked me to watch after your family. Please, let me pray for your mother." She slid out of her chair and kneeled on the floor next to the table without another word, her head already bowed and hands clasped in front of her chest.

"Lucy," Jude lightly set his hand on his daughter's thigh, turning his gaze to her as he swallowed heavily, "Let's join her in prayer for your mother."

He pushed himself from his chair and kneeled on the floor after delivering his sentiment, his head bowing and eyes sliding shut.

Lucy was a bit more hesitant, thinking about the last time she'd let someone from Zentopia pray for her. The preacher had taken advantage of the lack of eyes on him and molested her, and she'd been too petrified to do a thing about it.

But this time, Precht wasn't here, and she didn't have the will to protest against her father's wishes, the blonde numbly sliding onto her knees and letting her tired, heavy eyelids fall shut.

Ultear cleared her throat before quietly and respectfully opening her prayer, "Our dear Almighty, who is our eternal savior…Today, the Heartfilia family's hearts are afflicted with pain and misery, but they do not look for comfort and futile answers from this world. Please be with them, and remind them that you are the only savior in this life who can solve their problems and ease the pain in their broken hearts. I say these things in the name of my love, my savior, my dear Almighty…Amen."

At the close of her prayer, she reached around a leg of the table to lightly rest her hand on Jude's, "Fear not, my brother, for the Almighty is with you."

He swallowed heavily in an attempt to ease his tightening throat, the corners of his eyes crinkles in sorrow, "My wife…she thinks that our son passed away because I'm incapable."

Lucy blinked to clear her eyes of the tears that gathered, recalling how she'd overheard her mother screaming at her father in their bedroom the previous night. Of course her parents had their disagreements every now and then, just like every other couple did. But last night's argument had been a one-sided beat down unlike any she'd ever heard from them before. Her mother's words had never been so malicious, and her father too exhausted to come to his own defense.

"If my business hadn't gone bankrupt back in Crocus," Jude quietly continued, "she thinks that our family wouldn't have gone through this pain."

Ultear smiled comfortingly at the Heartfilia patriarch and his daughter, "The Almighty has a reason for happiness and misery. Through this ordeal, the Almighty is simply preparing you for what he has in store. Let us continue to pray, and regain strength as you wait patiently to see what your futures hold."

After their daily visit with Wendy, Natsu had asked Zeref to take a walk with him through the hospital's gardens, Dimaria now quietly following behind them as she talked with someone on the phone.

They strolled silently while the salmon haired boy struggled to build up the courage to ask his older brother what he wanted, swallowing heavily before he tentatively began, "Zeref…"

A knowing look appeared on his brother's face, his hands clasped behind his back as he continued to walk forward at a leisurely pace, "This is about Gray, isn't it?"

Natsu softly nodded his head, his voice troubled, "Yeah…He really didn't do anything wrong. I saw it all. What happened to Macbeth was an accident, I swear."

Zeref smiled softly at his brother, "I trust you, Natsu. I really do. But even if the incident that night really was an accident, it's clear that the horrific outcome was a result of Gray's actions, right? We can't look at it so simply. We have to be critical when examining the evidence."

"But the detective in charge of the case has been ignoring my calls. And every time I go to the station he refuses to see me." He clenched his jaw, "If they won't hear me out beforehand, then I'll testify in court."

The governor slowed to a stop, turning to face his younger brother, "What?"

"If the police won't hear me out, then I'll make sure the judge does," Natsu insisted. "I'm not going to let them exclude me anymore when I'm the only witness."

Zeref's gaze fell to the ground, "I know how you feel. But regarding Gray…I'll get him out when I win the election."

Natsu's eyes widened at his brother's statement, appalled at the idea of just abandoning his friend and letting him be taken away.

Zeref raised his gaze, firmly making eye contact with his brother, "I absolutely will not allow you to testify in court."

The salmon haired boy's features were hard like stone, "This is because Macbeth's father is the union president, isn't it?"

"That's right," the governor nodded solemnly. "He's incredibly angry because of what Gray did to his son, and if you testify in favor of him before the election, I could very well lose."

Natsu completely understood his brother's concerns, but his knowledge did nothing to calm his frustration, "And would that really be such a bad thing? Will you really be that upset if you don't win?"

"Natsu," Zeref firmly warned, his expression growing more irritated. He refused to hear any more of his brother's complaints, "The reason I'm running is not for myself, but for Wendy and you, too. If I win, I can better help her get back on her feet. Our family can be whole again. Isn't that what you want, too?"

The salmon haired boy lowered his gaze as he nodded softly, unable to deny his desire to have things back to normal. He missed his little sister dearly, and he'd do anything to help her heal and return to normal.

Dimaria suddenly stepped forward before either of the boys could make further comment, a satisfied grin on her features as she informed her boss, "Governor Dragneel? It's ready."

Natsu's eyes widened as he entered Wendy's hospital room at his brother's flank, his brows furrowing at the group of people standing on the other side of Wendys' bed. His wide eyes were quickly snapping towards his brother, his jaw clenching as camera flashes lit up the room at inconsistent intervals.

Zeref feigned surprise as he ignored his brother's glare, humbly smiling and looking over the reporters and lightly chiding, "My, did you have to follow me here as well?"

A female stepped forward and held her mic out to him, smiling brightly, "We heard that you visit your sister every single day. Every second is precious right now, so doesn't this affect your electoral schedule?"

The salmon haired boy's lips pressed into an upset, thin line as Zeref softly chuckled and strode to Wendy's bedside. He glanced back at Dimaria, his fists clenching at the pleased smile on her face. Zeref had no right to use their sister to gain the media's attention and win over people's votes, no matter how heart wrenching the situation was.

The governor gently took Wendy's limp hand between his own, giving the reporters his best smile as their cameras flashed, "I cherish my younger siblings the most out of everyone in the entire world."

Natsu uncomfortably shifted his feet at the insincerity of the statement, knowing that although the words might've held truth, they were used to put on a show for the press.

"I'll use the same heart that loves my brother and sister to cherish and love the citizens of state, I promise."

The salmon haired boy stormed out of the room before he could hear any more of his brother's sentiment, knowing from the grin Dimaria had given him as he'd passed that it was her idea to take advantage of his little sister, her eyes alight with brimming satisfaction and pride.

Gray let out a heavy breath as he settled in his seat, his eyes exhaustedly lifting to the two on the other side of the window before him. He was being held at the county's central detention center, forced into a light tan jumpsuit as if he already was a prisoner. An official verdict on his case had yet to be reached, but that didn't stop the guards from treating him just like every other criminal they had locked in this place.

Figuring that the raven haired boy wasn't going to speak first, Loke bluntly growled, "Damn it, you look like shit."

Elfman roughly elbowed him in the side, chastising the orange haired boy under his breath.

Gray looked his friends over, his lips pressing into a grim line at the signs of sleep deprivation on their features. He could tell that they worried despite their strong, somewhat angry expressions, but he kept silent on the matter, knowing that he didn't look much better himself.

His eyes glanced between the two, Elfman picking up on his silent question and filling him in on Natsu's absence from their group, "He's busy because of his brother's election. The trial's tomorrow, right?"

Gray solemnly nodded his head, thinking over the uncertainty of his future. It all depended on Natsu's testimony. Of course the raven haired boy trusted his idiot best friend, but Natsu's older brother was a different case entirely.

"I'm sure everything will be fine," Loke's smiled softly in reassurance, "Natsu's the witness. After he gives his testimony tomorrow, it'll all be settled and over with. So don't worry, you'll be out of there soon."

Elfman smiled warmly, "We stopped by your house today and brought your grandma some food that Mira and Lisanna made. We'll watch out for her and make sure she gets everywhere safely until you're released."

Gray softly nodded his head, his voice slightly choked as he muttered his first words of the exchange, "Thanks, guys. You're the best friends a guy could ask for."

The day of the trial had come sooner than Natsu wanted it to, and here he was, still undecided about what he was going to do and sitting uselessly on the edge of a dock, his tennis shoe clad feet dangling above the water.

He jumped from his daze when his phone buzzed in his pocket, pulling it out and mindlessly tracing his fingers across the screen to unlock it. He swallowed heavily as he read over the text from his orange haired friend.

'You're coming to Gray's trial, right? We'll wait for you at the main entrance.'

His fingers curled tightly around the edges of his phone, his hand shaking from the strain. But he paid it no mind, his thoughts focused elsewhere.

He hated the decision the world had placed before him, feeling like he was being forced to choose between his siblings and his best friend. If he chose to testify to Gray's innocence, then Zeref would likely lose the union's votes and therefore the election, and without the power and money that came along with being governor, Wendy might not be healed. But if he chose to forgo the trial and appease his brother's wishes, then his brother would undoubtedly be reelected with the reassurance that he would get Gray out of his containment and put all of his effort into helping Wendy get back on her feet.

One meant betraying his best friend, and the other meant ruining his brother's dreams and decreasing the chances of Wendy getting better.

His phone buzzed four times in the matter of only a few seconds.

'Why aren't you answering?'

'Did something happen?'

'Gray's gonna be in big trouble if you don't show.'

'You're his best friend, aren't you?'

His jaw clenched as he read over the last message, his mind made up as he shot to his feet and strode down the pier, shoving his helmet back onto his head and mounting his motorcycle before speeding back towards town.

Gray simply let the cops shove him towards the steps into the bus, his cuffed hands dangling uselessly in front of him. He didn't bother fighting back, all of his hope and trust and will slowly ebbing away with time.

He quickly cast a glance over his shoulder and did one last scan of the parking lot of the courthouse, his heart dropping even further at the lack of the sight he craved for as he mounted the first step.

His witness, his only hope, his best friend…Natsu hadn't come, and now he was being sent away, forcefully shoved into a little concrete corner of the world for three years, his youth wasting away as he suffered for a crime he didn't commit.

Natsu leaned as far as he could without tipping his bike as he weaved through traffic, ignoring the horns sounding in his wake and persisting with his reckless behavior, flexing his wrists to rev his bike and urging it go faster.

He rounded a bend in the road, his jaw clenching as he caught sight of the big, blue bus he'd been looking for. It was one car ahead of him, and despite the truck approaching from the other direction, he swerved to get around the car in his path, tuning out their horns and just barely squeezing back into his lane as the truck sped past. He heard the driver that was now behind give an angry shout out their window, but he paid them no mind, flexing his wrists once more.

He sped up to travel along the side of the bus, his eyes hurriedly scanning each of the windows as he passed them, his jaw clenching when he found who he was looking for seated five windows from the back.

The salmon haired boy slowed his motorcycle to match the speed of the bus for a moment as he continued to stare, but soon, he was speeding up again, swerving in front of the bus and slamming on his brakes. The bus screeched to a halt behind him as he nudged out his stand with his foot, carelessly throwing his helmet to the pavement as he charged towards the back of the bus.

Gray's hands flew up to catch himself as his body vaulted forward into the back of the seat in front of him, the brakes of the bus screeching as the driver pulled the vehicle to a sudden stop.

He looked around the seat in front of him to see the cause of their unexpected pause, his gaze immediately dropping to the ground as soon as he caught sight of the familiar motorcycle abandoned in front of the bus. And sure enough, he saw the bike's rider charging back towards his window in his peripherals, tanned hands quickly banging on the window on his left.

Gray hung his head, angling his chin slightly away from the boy on the other side of the window.

This was the second time Natsu had betrayed his trust, and this time, Gray didn't know he could give his best friend his forgiveness, or if the salmon haired boy even deserved it in the first place.

"Gray!" Natsu's breaths were short and quick as he anxiously shouted, his hands ceaselessly banging on the glass right next to his friend's seat, "Look at me, Gray Fullbuster!" He grew more desperate in his pleading at his rival's lack of response, his hands clenching into fists and banging on the window even harder. He knew damn well that Gray could hear him, but just like the day the raven haired boy came to school after his suspension, his rival was flat out ignoring his cries, his gaze instead turned aside.

Natsu had been fully intent on going to testify, but to his chagrin, he'd arrived to the court house just in time to see the bus pull away. His contemplation had taken too long, his decision made far too late.

He breathed heavily for a moment to forcibly calm himself, swallowing heavily as he thought over the words that had become sort of a 'thing' for him and his best friend, his voice firm as he urged, "Stand tall, Gray."

Two guards had shuffled from the bus and charged around its front toward him, their arms wrapping around his and dragging him away from the window. He kept his gaze steadfastly focused on his best friend as he struggled and tugged against them, kicking his feet through the air as he was pulled away from the bus. But his panic made his attempts at escape useless, his efforts to reassure the raven haired boy growing more desperate as he was torn away, his voice breaking as he came close to tears, "I'll get you out, Gray! So wait for me!" His tears finally slipped free as his struggle to both break free of the guards and comfort his best friend continued, his voice choked as he screamed, "I'm sorry, Gray! I'm so sorry!"

The raven haired boy kept his gaze dutifully cast to the side, swallowing heavily when the bus started up again and drove off, listening to his best friend's screams fade into silence.

"Here," Ultear smiled amiable as she set the opened lunch box before Jude. Her face suddenly lit up in realization, humming softly as she turned to reach into her bag, "Oh, wait just a moment." She withdrew a small, travel-sized bottle with a golden lid, her features bright, "I have to sprinkle this on the food first."

Jude's brows furrowed in confusion.

"It's water that has been blessed by our Spiritual father," the dark haired apostle explained happily. "It makes the food taste better and will cure you of any disease and heartache."

He was a bit disbelieving, but he thanked her quietly as she sprinkled the water onto his food anyways.

She slid another two lunch boxes towards him, "These are for you to take home to your wife and Lucy when you're finished with work today. I imagine that they're not eating well these days either."

Jude licked his lips, hesitant as he inquired, "If you don't mind me asking…why are you all so kind to us? We have nothing to give you in return."

Ultear simply smiled, pleased that his question gave her a chance to preach, "It's because of the Almighty. It wasn't a coincidence that we met, Mr. Heartfilia. Everything happens through the power of the Almighty. Our Spiritual Father received revelation that guided us to your family, and we were commanded to protect you and treat you as our own kin. We won't be leaving your side any time soon, and you can always count on us to be there."

Cheers erupted from everyone in the room as Natsu walked through the door, his classmates flying from their seats to congratulate and applaud him.

The results had been announced the previous day, and as expected, Zeref had won the election, reinstated in his position as governor for another four years.

The salmon haired boy wanted to be happy for his brother and feel relieved now that the attention would shift to Wendy's treatment, but he couldn't stop thinking about Gray, the way his best friend had completely ignored his cries haunting his every thought.

Some of the boys in the room came to give him a few friendly nudges on the back, and he only managed to give them the smallest of smiles in return. Months ago, when he'd envision this moment, the moment when his brother won, he'd wanted to proudly greet his peers with a bright smile. But now, as he appeared before them, his eyes were tired and drooping with dark bags from his lack of sleep, all attempts at anything more than a small grin incredibly drained and lacking his usual, characteristic vigor.

He slid himself into his seat once his classmates had shuffled back into their own groups and conversations, his onyx eyes traveling to the empty desk at his left, the one where his best friend always sat. It'd be empty for who knew how long, and constantly present in his peripherals to remind him of his failure to save his friend. To him, the worst part of the whole situation was that all he could do now was trust in Zeref's promise of setting the raven haired boy free.

The classroom suddenly went silent as the door was pushed open, and Natsu's focus slid in the direction of the entrance, knowing that it was too early for the newcomer to be their teacher. Ice shot through his veins when his eyes found Lucy, her downcast gaze and heavy silence reminding him of how Gray had carried himself on the day he'd entered the classroom after being suspended. It was the first time the salmon haired boy had seen her at school since her brother's death, and the effects of the aforementioned event were heavily present in her features.

Natsu couldn't tear his gaze from her as she filled the empty desk at his right, his eyes still wide and his lips pressed into a grim line as he thought over what had occurred between them during their last exchange. Despite his hardheadedness, he knew that she'd been right. With the way he'd acted towards her, he had no right to be concerned about her now and call her his friend, and with yesterday's events, he'd lost the privilege of friendship with Gray, too.

Lucy swallowed nervously as she walked through the bar, her eyes anxiously darting around the wooden structures. It was her first time being in such a place. She'd overheard Natsu and Gray talk about this bar in particular countless times, and she knew that it was their most common hang out spot on the weekends.

Her hands were anxiously clenched into fists at her sides as she made her way through the tables, finally spotting a mop of salmon hair in the very back corner.

She briefly paused in her steps when she saw him, and as if he felt her gaze, he looked up, his face going slack when their eyes made contact, the hand holding his drink to his mouth slowly falling back to the table.

At his sudden blank stare, the two people seated across from him followed his gaze, looking at her over the back of their bench. She recognized them as Loke and Elfman, the two boys that had been with Natsu and Gray that night in the rain and completed their group of four.

She swallowed heavily as she rounded the bench, coming to stand at the end of their table with her fists still clenched tightly at her sides.

Natsu glanced at her quickly before dropping his gaze back to the table, "How'd you know we were here?"

Lucy pressed her lips together, completely ignoring his question. She didn't have any desire to make conversation with him, immediately setting out on fulfilling the reason she'd come to the bar in the first place, "I want Gray's number."

Natsu stared at her in silence for a second, something akin to guilt flashing across his features at the name as his gaze slowly dropped to the table.

Loke suddenly cleared his throat, drawing her attention, "Gray can't be reached for the time being."

She furrowed her brows, "What do you mean?"

"Well, the thing is…" the orange haired boy hesitantly glanced at his two friends, letting out a single, nervous laugh under his breath, "…How should I explain it?"

"Gray…" Natsu started firmly, his gaze still steadfastly trained on the table, "has been taken to a juvenile detention center."

Her gaze snapped back to him, her eyes widening, "What? Why?"

The salmon haired boy swallowed heavily, his eyes tearing up, "Because of me."

She stared at him in silence, Loke's head falling forward as he let out a deep sigh.

Natsu reconnected their gazes, his voice unwavering as he lowly remarked, "Gray's arrest. Your brother's passing. Macbeth's accident. All of it…it's all my fault."

Gray momentarily froze in his steps upon following the guard through the door to the visiting stalls, his mind going blank as soon as he caught sight of who was waiting for him on the other side of the glass window. He hadn't seen her since that day on the roof, nor had he heard even a whisper about her well-being after her tragic loss.

The guard nudged him forward and he complied, his gaze dropping to the floor as he took a seat across from her. For some reason, he felt like he didn't have the right to look her in the eye. She'd desperately pleaded for his help, and he'd failed her. The haunting image of her twin's bloodied, broken body lying in a bed of blood-splattered, white flowers was permanently etched in his memory as proof of his failure.

But he figured he owed it to her to listen to what she had to say, even if he really just wanted to forget about the entire ordeal as soon as possible, although he knew that such a feat was a hopeless cause.

He skipped the pleasantries and got straight to the chase as he lifted his gaze to hers, knowing since that first night he'd caught sight of her that she was just like him and didn't want to dally in the unnecessary bits of conversation, "Why are you here, Lucy?"

The blonde swallowed heavily, her eyes still boring into his like they had been since he'd first walked through the door, "I…never got to apologize…or say thank you. I didn't get a chance to say anything."

Gray lowered his head, knowing that she must be feeling obligated and indebted to him somehow. He didn't think he deserved her apologies nor her gratitude, not after what he'd done to Macbeth, "You don't need to say anything."

Lucy hurriedly shook her head, leaning forward as she persisted, "I survived thanks to you."

He could nothing more than stare back her blankly, not having expected such a sentiment to have tumbled from her lips in his direction.

"If you hadn't helped me that day…" her voice became choked and her eyes stung with the beginnings of tears as she thought over the haunting possibilities of what could've been, "I would've died just like my brother did." The boys on the roof had come so close to ridding her of all of her clothes, and once they had completely stripped her, who knows what other horrors they'd had planned. If they hadn't been stopped, Lucy knew that from that day on, regardless of whether or not she was still breathing, she would've lost herself completely.

Gray, too, lowered his head as he thought about the very same thing. The blonde had been completely stripped of her jacket and shirt by the time he'd arrived, and it sickened him to think about how much further Macbeth and his friends would've gone had he not intervened.

"My brother…do you want to know why he had a limp?"

His gaze shot upwards when Lucy suddenly poised the unexpected question, his lips pressing into a grim line as he watched the first of her tears slip free. Her gaze was distant and her mind was obviously off somewhere else, the back of her hand unconsciously coming up to swipe against her cheek and rid her skin of her tears.

"Back in Crocus…" she began without waiting to hear his reply, her voice heavy with the weight of the past, "…my father's business went bankrupt. It hit all of us hard…it seemed like we were losing everything. One night was particularly rough, and Sting got into a fight with my dad. Afterwards, he begged me to leave the house with him, to just run away for the night and forget about everything that was happening, at least for a little while." Her eyes crinkled and a single, forcefully restrained sob slipped free, "I refused. I screamed at him for being a coward and wanting to run away while our family was suffering." She swiped at her eyes once more, swallowing heavily before quietly continuing, "He stormed off to some stupid high school party after that. Three of our friends went with him…and at that party was the first time Sting drank."

Gray's gaze fell to the floor, knowing where this story was headed.

"I guess…he wanted to get drunk to forget about things…and he wasn't the only one. I don't think a single one of them was sober." She sniffled again, and Gray could tell from the way her expression clenched that she was coming upon the hardest part of the story to tell.

Her fingers were tightly clenched around the edge of her seat, "Sting drove everyone home that night, but...he didn't make it far. He ran a red light, and the right side of the car got hit." Her head fell forward so he couldn't see her face, her next words barely escaping her in between quiet sobs, "Our friends…their names were Rogue, Yukino, and Minerva…and none of them survived the crash."

Her voice cut off and gave way to silent weeping all at once, and Gray wished that there wasn't a glass barrier separating them. He'd never been one to offer comfort, finding that his endeavors to do so more often than not were incredibly awkward and therefore came across as insincere. He simply found it hard to empathize with people whose tribulations he deemed petty when compared to his own. But this girl before him was different, and he knew he hadn't been wrong to make certain assumptions about her dark past when he'd first made eye contact with her on that rainy night.

"Sting's leg was permanently wounded, and he had pretty deep gash above his right eye. But he still escaped with his life…something that haunted his every thought. He was the only one that survived, and his limp reminded him of that fact constantly." She swallowed heavily, her voice carrying a new kind of sorrow, one that was much more raw and hurtful, "But now…he's gone, too…So..I guess...I'm the only one that survived…So please…"

Gray slowly lifted his head in response, her tone completely shifting from how it had been before with those last two words. There was something akin to hope lacing her voice, and the vulnerability that had shown through earlier as she'd wept was replaced with pulsing and ebbing courage and strength.

He'd once thought himself strong for being able to carry on despite his past, but now the girl before him was showing him true bravery and strength, something which he found himself both envying and admiring.

Her eyes pleaded for him to listen and cling onto her every word, the tears and sorrow completely gone from her eyes, "No matter what kind of hell you've been through and no matter what kind of hell you're about to face…you have to survive, too."

"I'm home," Lucy called softly as she entered her home, sliding her shoes off of her feet next to the front door. She'd left the bar immediately after Natsu's guilty remark, not wanting to push him any further towards sorrow. He wasn't her friend, but she still had the decency not to make him feel worse when he was already obviously suffering.

Her father perked up from his seat at the kitchen table, "What took you so long?"

"The teacher asked me to stay after class for a bit since I missed so much," she lied unwaveringly, not wanting her father to know she'd been in a bar of all places.

After her answer, Jude turned to his wife, who was sitting at the table next to him, sloppily applying red lipstick as she held up a mirror in front of her face, "Now that's Lucy's home, we can go, dear!"

She nodded her head excitedly, putting the cap on her lipstick and smoothing it out with the tip of her finger, the outline growing more crooked and overdrawn.

Lucy's brows furrowed, "Where are you going?"

"We're going to see Sting!" her mother happily cried. "They told me I'm going to see Sting if I come, Lucy!"

The blonde froze in her steps toward the table, "W…what?"

Jude smiled brightly at his daughter, "We're going to Zentopia, dear."

Images of the unsettling preacher and his apostles flashed across her mind, her body instinctively curling in on itself, "Zentopia? Why?"

"Lucy, dear…" her father started thoughtfully, "I've finally come to a realization. The reason why we moved here, the reason why Sting passed away, and the reason your mother has fallen ill…it is all because of the Almighty's plan for us."

The blonde anxiously shook her head, not wanting to believe that her father had fallen victim to the church's false teachings in his moment of weakness, "Dad…what are you talking about?"

"We were chosen by the Almighty."

"Stop it! Don't talk like that!" Angry and desperate tears gathered in her eyes, dread pooling in her stomach at the thought of going back to that place, "Let's go back to Crocus, dad. We can get mom help there, okay?"

He shook his head, still smiling softly despite her yelling as he stood and gently took both of her hands in his own, "Lucy, none of the hospitals that we take your mother to will make her better. Only Zentopia is capable of healing her. Let's go and pray with the Spiritual Father, alright?"

To hear her father say such things hurt her more than she could've prepared herself for, her slightly narrowed and cold eyes following him as he dropped her hands and returned to her mother, who was now running a brush through her tangled hair.

"Lies," Lucy quietly breathed out.

A soft smile still graced Jude's features as he turned back to her, "What, dear?"

Lucy swallowed heavily, a single tear slipping free and running in a line down her cheek, "Don't lie to me."

"What are you talking about?"

She closed the distance between them, bravely staring her father straight in the eyes as she blared, "Stop lying to me and tell me that you don't really believe in that garbage! Tell me that this is all some stupid joke!" Her heart dropped at her father's lack of response, his brows slightly furrowed as if he'd understood nothing she'd just said. More tears slipped free, her voice dropping in volume and sounding broken as small sobs shook her chest, "I'm terrified of that place, dad. Just seeing them gives me chills. Please…please don't make me go back."

He softly shook his head, "Lucy, dear, don't say things like that. They are special people who came here to save us."

Lucy shook her head in denial once more, "Stop it. Why are you acting like this?"

Her father took hold of her hands once more, "Lucy, I'm doing this for you and your mother. So please trust me just this once, okay? I'll atone for all of my past mistakes make it all up to you. I promise."

Layla suddenly stood and wandered towards the door, smiling softly at her daughter in passing, "Let's go see Sting, dear. He's waiting."

Her father followed her mother out the door, calling for her to come along as she stayed completely still in the center of their home, tears silently streaming down her cheeks as she realized that her parents were truly and completely broken.

Lucy glanced up at the illuminated red cross warily as she exited the van, melancholy to be back at the place where she had been sexually molested twice.

Ultear and Zancrow were waiting on the church's steps for their arrival, the dark haired woman helping her mother from the van and up the stairs, Jude coming to support the blonde woman on the other side.

Lucy was solemnly about to follow behind them when a kid, no older than eleven or twelve, suddenly ran into her path, his hands holding out an aluminum can to her as he excitedly offered, "Apple juice?" He nervously dropped his gaze to the ground as he shyly remarked, "I…I really like apple juice."

Something about the inconsistencies in his speech pattern clued Lucy in, the blonde quickly recognizing that the boy before her suffered from a mental disability. Her heart warmed at his offering, knowing that it must have been hard for him to approach a complete stranger. She did her best to be amiable despite her former fear and sorrow at her location, a soft grin gracing her features as she gently took the can from his grasp.

His cheeks turned bright pink when her hand brushed against his, his gaze nervously shifting between her and the ground.

Ultear took notice their interaction, smiling softly as she turned over her shoulder to look at the boy, "Oh my, what's gotten into you, Romeo? Apple juice is his favorite thing. He must like you a lot if he's sharing some with you."

Zancrow's lips quirked as he remarked from his place on the top step, "He's a boy after all. Even at that age, he's able to recognize beauty when it's placed before him."

At his comment, Ultear glared at him, and Lucy was tempted to react similarly. But she didn't take her eyes off of the boy before her, still smiling softly at him as he bashfully twisted one of his feet in the dirt, a massive grin still upon his features.

The apostles and her parents continued up the stairs, Ultear ushering the married couple inside, "Spiritual Father is waiting for you. Let's not keep him waiting, alright?"

Romeo happily latched onto Lucy's left wrist and gently began tugging her forward, the blonde simply letting the boy drag her up the first few steps of the church.

She paused when the caw of a crow echoed around the area, her gaze slowly traveling upward and finding the black bird perched atop the cross on the steeple. As soon as she caught sight of it, the crow flew away, and as if in response to the bird's disappearance, the red cross flickered a few times before the light went out completely.

The blonde turned over her shoulder to look at their only other source of light in the dark night, the moon just barely visible through the leaves of the trees that surrounded them on all sides. Her eyes widened and an unexplainable mixture of dread and panic settled in her stomach as black clouds billowed in front of the moon, choking off its bright white light and cloaking the world around her in complete darkness.

AN

This chapter marks the end of our set up/prologue chapters! From here on out, the cult and their plans for the Heartfilia family will be the central focus of our story! Of course there will be lots of other subplots, but now things get really dark and dreary as the cult sets out on finding their salvation…using Lucy somehow…

The situation with the Sabertooth peeps was something I added in myself. In the original drama, you never find out why the brother limps, and I just felt like there needed to be some explanation, so I stuck it in there.

Just a reminder: The next chapter, and the rest of the story for the matter, takes place three years after the events of these first six chapters. Next chapter has a little bit about what Natsu's been doing, but for the most part it focuses on Lucy. Also forewarning, things get really really really dark and dreary, so prepare yourselves.

As always, I hope to hear your thoughts and thank you for reading! And of course, thank you to everyone who favorited, followed, and reviewed!

See you next Friday!