*Just a little note before you begin. I want to say I tried to do as much research as I could on trials, so if something is inaccurate I apologize. I honestly did my best. Also this chapter starts out with smut, so have fun. Thank you for reading.
Chapter Seventeen: Last chance
"Oh! Oh god! You feel so fucking good!"
Natsu moaned as he bucked his hips, cock thrusting into Lucy's core. Her heat encompassed him, sucking him into her soaked pussy. He gripped her hips tightly, pulling her closer to match his pumps. She whimpered when he hit a sweet spot inside her, her lips parting as she arched her back to jut out her exposed chest.
Natsu stood at the edge of the hotel bed, knees slightly bent to make up for the height difference. Lucy's ass was almost hanging off the side of the bed, her legs wrapped around Natsu's hips. Her heels dug into the firm muscles in his buttocks, making sure he couldn't get away. That was a silly thought though.
As if he'd ever want to leave the sweet warmth between her legs. She felt like heaven on Earth.
Natsu groaned when he felt her purposely squeezing around his cock, his breath coming out in shutters as his rhythm became uneven. His hands moved, sliding up her waist until he reached her breasts. He cupped them, just holding onto the soft globes of flesh for a few thrusts before kneading them with his rough fingers.
Lucy felt the new calluses that had formed in the last few weeks on his fingers. Her own hands came up, overlapping Natsu's to move them away from her nipples. He got the message. Natsu became gentler, more cautious with the way he played with her. He leaned over, continuing to pump into her gushing pussy while his lips captured a pert nipple when he pushed both their hands aside.
Lucy tried to ignore the slight pain she felt when he licked her breasts. She moved her hand down her body, feeling his chest and abs hit the top of her arm as she reached down between them. She found her swollen bundle of nerves easily. It was engorged from Natsu's earlier ministrations on her body. "Aaahhh, y-yeah," Lucy's legs tensed at the pure pleasure coursing through her body. It was enough to take her mind off the discomfort her breasts were giving her. "F-feels g-good!"
All her sensitive spots were being hit, so it was no surprise when she met her climax by both of their effort. "F-fuck!" Natsu groaned, feeling her pussy trying to milk him, massaging his entire shaft. He wasn't done yet, far from it in fact. This was their first time having sex with him on top since he broke his ribs, and he wasn't going to let it end so soon.
He lapped up her nipple, feeling that hard nub strain against his tongue with every swipe. Lucy kept working on herself, her body jerking beneath him. He loved the way she looked under him. He felt a lot better being on top, being able to control what they did. Surrendering that control was nice at first, but what he really wanted to do was fuck her senseless.
So that's what he did.
It had been seven weeks and a few days since the incident. The doctor said it usually took six weeks to heal a broken rib, but Natsu only noticed the pain was gone yesterday. He would have taken her then, but they had to catch a late flight to get to Crocus for Lucy's next court date, which was this morning.
While getting dressed Natsu started teasing her, which led to kissing, followed by him laying her down and thrusting against her, which ultimately ended in sex. Neither complained. They still had about two hours before she had to be at the courthouse. They were currently fucking on their hotel bed since Jude's new apartment only had one bedroom.
Plus, Natsu doubted Jude would want to hear what they were up to that morning. He couldn't imagine any father would want to hear his daughter fucking a man he never really liked in the other room, screaming, "yes! H-harder! Ahhhh!"
Natsu met her demands, his body not giving up just yet. He still felt a flicker of pain every now and then, but it was nothing compared to what he felt in the beginning. His thrusts got sloppy, his tongue venturing from her breast to her collarbone. He licked up some sweat in the process, not at all minding that salty taste on her skin.
It only seemed to fuel his desire for the woman beneath him.
"I love the way- nggh -my cock feels sliding in your tight pussy," Natsu grunted as he fucked into her core. She moaned in response, eyes rolling to the back of her head when she felt herself getting close again.
Her free hand moved to grip onto his back, dragging her nails against his sweaty skin. Natsu groaned at the painful pleasure, his teeth scraping at her nipples until he heard a sharp inhale, followed by a hiss.
"Sorry," he mumbled when he released her reddened nipple. Without stopping his thrusts, he asked, "are they still sensitive?"
Lucy didn't bother moving her head. She enjoyed the feeling of Natsu pushing into her too much to move. "A little, yeah."
Natsu placed gentle kisses on both her nipples before diving into her neck. If it hurt her he would give them a rest. Neither of them knew why she had been sore for the past few days. His only guess was he got a little too rough with biting her, but even then he didn't think he went hard enough to last this long.
Lucy's sweet scent mixed with her sweat was enough to tear Natsu's thoughts away from her tender breasts. Right now he wanted to mark her somewhere else. Lucy stopped playing with her clit, wanting to use that hand to tug on Natsu's fluffy pink hair. It felt so soft in her hands, plus she could use this as a way to guide Natsu's mouth where she wanted it.
She felt him scrape his teeth against her neck, but she couldn't afford to have any marks there. She was due in court that morning, and it wouldn't look good to show up covered in hickeys by her new boyfriend.
Natsu settled for sucking at the flesh over her collarbone. He desperately wanted to mark her where people -Jackal mainly- could see, but the whimpers he received when he bit into her skin were satisfying enough.
"G-gah! Mmmm!" Lucy's hips moved fluidly against his, meeting each thrust so he'd go deeper. She loved being filled up by him. Not only did it feel amazing, she knew he had only respect and love for her and her body. It made her comfortable sharing herself with him.
Natsu kissed over the dark red spot on her flesh to sooth it. He admired the mark he made, knowing Lucy was completely his now. A few days after Elfman's graduation party Lucy got a call from her lawyer telling her the divorce was over, making her a free woman.
But was she really free if she kept surrendering herself over to Natsu again and again? Either way, she didn't mind, and neither did he.
The pink haired man groaned when she pulled at his locks, causing his hips to stutter for a second before he regained his speed. He plunged deep within her, hearing the lewd wet sounds that filled the air. His face broke out in a blush when he heard her scream, "aaaahhhH! Naa-ttssaaaaahhh!"
Her toes curled, her back arched, and her lips parted as she panted for air. Her body convulsed again, this time more powerful than the last. She fell back onto the bed, smiling deliriously as he pumped into her spent body.
He felt a coiling in his stomach, his muscles tensing. He wanted to hold off for a bit longer, to really enjoy every bit of her before he came. She was everything to him. She was his, he was hers, and everything was perfect.
Okay, maybe they weren't perfect, but they were pretty damn good! "Fuck, Luce! I-I think I'm cl-close," Natsu groaned when he felt her inner walls contracting around him. He wouldn't last much longer. He could already feel the pressure coursing through his shaft.
Before he came, Natsu leaned forward, his lips brushing over her ear. He meant to whisper, but it came out in a dark growl. "You're all mine!"
As white ribbons shot out from his cock and into her body, he felt her flinch. He hoped what he said sent a chill through her body as he slowly thrust into her, emptying his cum into her core.
He succeeded in making her shutter, but not in a way which pleased him. Her hand on his back began to tense before nails dug sharply into his skin. The grip on his hair tightened as she struggled in his arms.
Natsu stopped his thrusts, brows furrowing when he pulled back to look at her expression. Lucy's eyes were screwed shut, a bit of moisture collecting at the corners. Her lips were twisted, revealing her clenched teeth. He frowned. "Luce?"
She shook her head, whimpering while her nails continued to assault Natsu's back. When she drew blood he pulled back, his cock slipping out of her heat in the process to give way for the excess semen to spill out on the sheets. He quickly grabbed her legs so she wouldn't fall, guiding her shaking form until she was laid out on the bed.
More tears flooded her eyes despite him no longer being inside her. He sighed. This wasn't the first time something like this happened. It had happened twice in the past month, both times because Natsu accidentally said or did the wrong thing.
Instead of being upset he didn't get to enjoy his post-orgasm bliss, Natsu climbed on the bed to wrap her in his arms. "Shhh, Luce. It's just me. It's Natsu. You're okay. No one's going to hurt you, Lucy."
She shook, but he felt her leaning into his touch. A whimper escaped when she tried to talk, so she settled for staying quiet. Natsu ran a hand over her cheek, brushing some strands of hair from her face. "That's it. You're okay. I promise I won't hurt you. I won't allow anyone to touch you if you don't want it."
Lucy nodded, burying her face into his chest. He could already feel her tears smearing against his heated flesh. "I got ya. It's just us here. I love you, Luce. You're safe."
It took several minutes of him whispering to her, but she finally stopped crying. It took a little longer before she was ready to open her eyes and face him. When she did he could see the pain in those brown orbs. Natsu leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. "You feeling better?"
"A l-little," her voice was strained. "S-sorry."
Natsu shook his head. "Please don't apologize to me. It's not your fault." He thought back to what happened right before she freaked out on him. "Was it what I said? Calling you mine?" He'd called her that before, but maybe this time it was the way he said it.
Lucy nodded, her bottom lip quivering. Jackal's voice echoed in her mind.
"You used to be so beautiful. Now you're disgusting, covered in scars. Nobody will ever love you, not with that horrid thing you call a body. I barely want you, but you're still mine."
Lucy's eyes slammed shut as she hugged Natsu. "I feel disgusting," she cried, swallowing past the lump in her throat. "I'm sorry I look like this."
Natsu was beyond confused. How did she go from being upset he called her his, to suddenly worrying about her appearance? Regardless, Natsu held onto her tight. "I love you Lucy. You're the most beautiful woman I've ever seen, and I'm not just talking about physically. You have the kindest soul, the smartest brain-"
Natsu cringed at what he said. He really wasn't that good with words. He shook it off, not wanting to lose her attention while he had it. "You're amazing Lucy. You're not disgusting, I promise you that." She could be covered from head to toe in blemishes and he'd still fall head over heels for her every time. He fell in love with her long before he really noticed how beautiful she looked.
His hand moved, tracing over her cheek, past her neck, down her side, then finally landing on her thigh. Natsu felt the bandage over her flesh. "In time, I hope you see that too."
Natsu placed a few kisses on her face before pulling away. "Do you think you're up for a shower? I dunno how much time we spent just now?"
Lucy didn't want to leave his embrace, but she knew she had to go to court eventually, even if she really, really didn't want to. The case hadn't been going in her favor. This would be the fourth appearance, and possibly the last. The judge warned last time for her lawyer to stop stalling and get on with it, but stalling was the only strategy he had at the moment.
Lucy rolled over to peer at the alarm clock on the nightstand. "We have an hour before I have to be there," she immediately rolled back into his welcoming arms. "I don't want to go."
"I know." He spoke softly. "Is it because this will be the first public hearing, or because you're just tired?"
"Both," she mumbled. Her lawyer managed to get the case public to put more pressure on Jackal. It wasn't the best idea, but it was the only one he had. The witnesses to her rape and beating weren't standing up for her, so she was running out of options.
Lucy's stomach twisted when she thought about going to court again. "I feel queasy." She brought her hands to her stomach, "like I'm going to throw up."
"Again?" Natsu finally sat up to look down at her. She had already thrown up last night because she was feeling nervous about court. He was just hoping she wouldn't puke up her breakfast before she had to appear. He rubbed at her stomach, hoping it would sooth her.
"Maybe," Lucy slowly sat up next to him. "I think I just need to get some water..."
"Or maybe a shower," Natsu laughed when she puffed out her cheeks. "What? I'm smelly too!"
"Only because you insisted on having sex!" Lucy grabbed the hotel pillow, lightly smacking it against his side. He didn't wince now that he felt healed.
"I didn't hear you complaining," Natsu pointed out, grabbing the pillow away before she could hit him again. "In fact it sounded to me like you were enjoying yourself."
Lucy didn't let the fierce blush spreading over her cheeks stop her from sticking her tongue at him. "Can you blame me," she moved, her legs straddling his hips.
Natsu sucked in a breath, her chocolate orbs pinning him down. They were still completely naked, her womanhood pressing against his spent cock. Lucy didn't mind. Her goal wasn't to arouse him. It was to be close to him.
She took advantage of his frozen state, leaning in to capture his lips in a kiss. It took less than two seconds for him to press back, slanting his mouth over hers to deepen it. His tongue pressed against the seams of her lips, but she pulled away before he gained access. "I love you," Lucy whispered, her hands settling on his shoulders.
Natsu's hands grabbed her ass, pulling a surprised 'eep' from her. If that wasn't enough he lightly slapped her ass, saying, "and I love you more! I win!"
"What?" Lucy's eyes went wide. "You can't just win!"
"Well I did," he smirked, glad she was getting further away from her bad memories. "Whatcha gonna do about it?"
"Set a time limit."
"Huh?"
"You can only win for one hour! Then after that it's fair game." Lucy looked determined, but he could see the hint of amusement in her eyes.
"Alright, I'll play along with your rules." He leaned in, eyes narrowing. "You're on! In an hour I'm gonna win again."
Lucy couldn't stop the giggle that bubbled up. "If you say so."
With another kiss the two separated to get ready for court. Lucy headed to the bathroom to wash off the sweat from her body and the cum from her pussy. As she walked away Natsu stared at her nice ass. He waited until she was in the bathroom before he moved.
The pink haired man picked up his morning clothes. He grabbed his pants upside down, causing a small coin to fall to the ground from his pocket. Natsu grinned as he bent down to pick up the silver chip. He received it for being sober for one month.
He'd been attending every meeting he could since that first day. Lucy's support combined with the meetings really helped. It helped when they decided to not allow any alcohol into their apartment, cutting down temptation. It seemed to be working because Natsu was about one week away from getting his two month sobriety chip, and he couldn't be happier about that.
His recovery was going well.
He just wished he could say the same for Lucy.
With a prolonged sigh Natsu walked towards the shower to see what the gorgeous woman he loved was up to. Since neither of them packed a razor he didn't fear her being alone after a panic attack like that, so he took his time.
The door wasn't locked so he strolled right in. Natsu pulled the shower curtain back a little, taking a moment to admire Lucy's figure. "Do you mind company?"
"Not at all," she smiled back at him, the darkness from her flashback already drifting to the back of her mind. A small blush formed over the bridge of her nose when she saw him jump in. No matter how many times she saw him naked she would never grow tired of it. He was built like a warrior, firm muscles adorning his chest, abs, back, hell even his thighs were toned. She was shocked a man so beautiful would want her in return.
Natsu took the sponge from her to start washing her himself. He took his time, tracing over every curve of her body with a gentleness that made her heart melt. Even in the stem he kept his composure, not pushing this act to be sexual. He just wanted to wash her, to appreciate and worship her.
"You're so beautiful," Natsu said before pressing a kiss to her soapy shoulder. He wiped his mouth on his arm, then proceeded to wash her backside.
Lucy's skin wasn't as pale anymore now that she was away from Jackal. Natsu figured it had a lot to do with their frequent trips to Magnolia's park. In their spare time they were either cuddled up on their couch or walking through the park.
Natsu started working over the back of her thighs as his eyes drifted over her body. For a lack of a better word, Lucy was a little more womanly now. Before she was thin around her wrists and waist, but now she was a little more meat on her bones. Natsu thought she looked a lot sexier like this, and healthier too. He loved filling his hands with her body.
He had his bad eating habits to blame for that one. Lucy had tried to keep up with him, matching him plate for plate when they ate together -which was nearly every meal before he went back to work a few weeks ago. Even then they had breakfast and dinner together, not to mention Natsu's 'random snacks' throughout the day.
When he finished washing her back he instructed her to turn around. She did, the water from the shower rinsing the soap away from her back as Natsu washed her front. He was careful again around her nipples, hoping they would start to feel better soon. He had an urge to tug them between his teeth lately, but he would hold off for her sake.
Natsu moved down, washing over her stomach and hips. Lucy hummed as the suds worked into her skin. Natsu was attentive, making sure to use the right amount of pressure. Lucy spread her legs when he washed her core. She had to concentrate to avoid getting turned on when he swiped over her engorged bundle of nerves.
When he was finished there he moved on to her thighs. A frown tugged on his lips when he came to the newest cut on her skin. She must have removed her bandage before her shower, exposing the scab. He wished she was doing as well as he was, but that wasn't the case. Let's just say that cut on her thigh wasn't from a shaving accident.
It happened about two weeks ago. They were in the middle of sex when Natsu accidentally triggered her into a flashback. She fled to the bathroom to calm her racing mind. There she found Natsu's razor. With a quick snap to the plastic she was holding a blade in her hand, then a second later she was dragging it across her skin. If Natsu hadn't gotten there in time...
Well he didn't want to think about it. He stopped her, and that was all that mattered. The damage was done, but it wasn't the end of the world. Natsu already knew her recovery would be harder on her. Her counselor even said so herself.
Lucy went to counseling once a week for about an hour. It always seemed to emotionally drain her afterwards, but he could tell it was helping little by little. She carried herself stronger, she smiled more often, and that old spark that once constantly lived in her brown eyes was starting to come back.
Natsu moved the sponge down to her knees, then to her calves. He couldn't resist playing with her toes, laughing when he saw her squirm when he tickled her. "You're so cute," he smiled, trying to wiggle his way between her toes.
"Stop it," she whined, attempting to stab him with her toenails. He was quicker, standing up to hold her back.
"Alright, I guess I'll leave your poor toes alone for now." His grin was large, but Lucy saw the sadness in his eyes.
She was disappointed at herself for cutting again, but there was no point in berating herself. It was a set back, but these things happen. The good news was she hadn't felt the need to cut since then, even with her earlier freak out after sex. Natsu had done everything in his power to calm her down, and for that she appreciated him.
When they both finished with their showers they moved to dry and get dressed. Natsu felt uncomfortable wearing a suit so he settled for a red long-sleeved button up shirt. He paired it with black slacks, black shoes, and his white scaled scarf. Normally he wouldn't even buy clothes like this, but he had a bit left over from Jackal's settlement check.
After his hospital bills, rent, and other bills he still had about six thousand dollars left. Plus now that he was back at work he didn't need to rely on that money, allowing him to save it for other things he planned on buying soon. Of course to Lucy his leftover money was chump change, but she was trying not to touch her money unless she needed to.
Natsu still refused to join bank accounts with her, saying he didn't want her to feel like he was controlling anything about her. She accepted that answer despite wanting to share with him. One way or another he was going to accept it in return, but that was for another day.
With the trial going on Lucy was too preoccupied to find a job. The stress from talking to her lawyer and recounting her horrific experiences was enough to drain her of her energy. Natsu didn't mind her not working. In fact he somewhat enjoyed it.
Lucy was always at home to cook and clean, always available to hang out with him when he got home from work. He wouldn't mind if she got a job, and he encouraged her to try to write again when she felt up to it, but for now he could enjoy having Lucy around as much as possible.
It helped to make up for lost time.
They spent a lot of time together. Not only were they bonding, they were avoiding socializing. Most places their friends invited them to had alcohol, so they declined. A few times they went over to Natsu's parent's house for dinner. It was nice catching up with his family, even if Natsu had to continuously steer the conversation away from certain topics. It still didn't feel like the best time to tell them about the past few years for Lucy. Otherwise they stayed home and spent time together.
Besides walks in the park, grocery shopping, and counseling/AA meetings, they didn't get out much. Lucy took Natsu's suggestion and signed them up for couple's counseling. So far they'd only had three sessions, but it seemed like a good idea. It helped them both find ways to bring up issues they were having in a better way than before.
They still had a lot to work to do, but they were willing to put in the effort.
Lucy was still dressing when Natsu finished. She had to do her hair, then before she could change she got distracted by a phone call. Natsu watched as her smile faded, replaced by a frown and a sigh. "Okay. I'll be there as soon as I can..."
When she hung up she tossed her phone on the bed. "I guess Mr. King wants to go over something before court." Lucy pulled up her dress pants, then slipped on her shoes. "I thought we'd have some more time to ourselves, but I guess not."
Natsu moved to sit on the bed beside her. "It's fine," he tried to make her feel better. The truth was he wanted to put off the trial for as long as possible too. "Did he say why?"
"No," Lucy shook her head, then grabbed her bra. As she put it on she frowned. "This feels a little tight," she commented, feeling it pinch her in a few places. "Did you do my laundry again?"
Natsu felt his cheeks warm up. "Sorry. I thought I could get it right this time." His sheepish grin was enough to cast away her annoyance.
This was the second time Natsu shrank some of her clothes on accident. "You're officially not allowed to do my laundry ever again." Lucy threw on her shirt, then began buttoning it.
Natsu nodded. "Alright." He accepted her new rule easily. Laundry was never his strong suit anyway. He didn't even sort by color or by material. He just tossed everything in his washer and called it a day. Sometimes he'd even leave the clothes setting in the dryer for a few days before remembering that was wear his clothes were.
Lucy slid on her jacket, completing her outfit. Natsu thought she looked pretty damn sexy in her business suit. Most women go with skirts, but she chose pants. All he could say was, "those make your ass look great."
That earned him a flick to the nose before she went to grab her purse. "Pervert."
"What!" Natsu laughed, rubbing out his nose. "I'm just tellin' the truth."
Lucy's lips quirked up, but she would not allow him to know. "Whatever," she feigned annoyance. "Let's just go before I flick you again."
Natsu only smiled in response as he followed her out the door. He'd let her have this, seeing as the rest of the day was sure to go downhill.
The trip to the courthouse was rough. Natsu felt sick, Lucy felt sick, and things only got worse when she stepped out from the car. Instantly she was bombarded with cameras and people. They shouted questions, most of which she couldn't understand. She easily got overwhelmed, so Natsu stood between her and the cameras as they made their way to the entrance.
A few minutes later Lucy found herself sitting in what looked like a conference room. On her left was Natsu and on her right was her father. Virgo was sitting on the other side of Jude. She was no longer his maid, but she showed up to support Lucy.
Mr. King sat on the other side of the table with a notepad and pen, ready to take notes. Getting right to it, he asked, "do you remember what happened July fourth of this year?"
Lucy frowned, sinking further into her seat. "I remember."
The lawyer wrote something down. "What happened?"
She felt uneasy as she explained. "Jackal and one of his investors got in an argument. He said he was going to stop helping Jackal if he didn't agree to sign something. I'm not sure, I only heard parts of their conversation."
Mr. King's brow furrowed. "I meant later that night. Did something happen after the party?"
Lucy narrowed her eyes, a bit of surprise laced with her voice. "Yes. Do you know?"
"I do," he nodded, keeping his eyes on the notepad.
Natsu looked over at Lucy, then back at the lawyer. 'He knows what?'
Instead of answering her lawyer's question, she asked in one quick breath, "does that mean a witness finally came forward?" After their rotten luck in court she assumed no one would tell the truth.
"Do you know a man named Bacchus Groh?"
Lucy's stomach twisted when she heard that name. "Y-yes."
"Who is he to you?"
Lucy shook her head. "He's no one to me. He works in security for Jackal." She wasn't going to mention it since Natsu was sitting right next to her, but she realized it wasn't the best idea to withhold information from her lawyer. "He would come to work drunk a few times..."
"A few times?" Mr. King asked, raising a brow.
Lucy signed. "Okay, he came to work drunk more often than not."
"Why didn't Jackal fire him if he was drunk on the job?"
Lucy took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves. "Jackal was afraid he would tell someone about what was going on in the house. On more than one occasion he walked in while Jackal was-" Once again her stomach churned. "R-raping me..."
Natsu's fingers clenched into a fist, but he said nothing. 'Someone saw Jackal raping her and they did nothing? What the hell is wrong with those people?!'
Mr. King looked unfazed as he asked, "and he walked in on the rape July forth?"
Lucy slowly nodded. "It was in his home office. Jackal was angry about the investor... So... so he took it out on me... I guess he didn't think anyone would interrupt him."
"Can you tell me what you were wearing that night?" The lawyer jotted down Lucy's answer. It was a one strap, light blue dress that came down to her ankles with silver heels. "And where is that dress now?"
Lucy couldn't meet his gaze. Her eyes fell to the table between them as she said, "it's gone. Jackal ripped it beyond repair, so a maid threw it out the next morning."
Mr. King nodded along as he finished up his notes. "Well, we may have a chance now."
"What do you mean?" She asked, her voice small.
"Mr. Groh has finally come forward with some information that may help your case. Seems he was not intoxicated that night, and remembered enough details that match what you just told me."
"Do you think it's enough to convict Jackal?" Jude asked, placing a hand on his daughter's shoulder to comfort her.
Lucy pulled away from his touch. She was feeling vulnerable and didn't want any physical contact from anyone. Jude sensed her rejection immediately. He removed his hand from her, muttering an apology that she didn't want to hear.
"We can only hope," Mr. King said as he stood up. "Do you want me to talk to the detectives about another plea bargain, or take this to trial?"
Lucy's voice sounded dark when she spoke again. "You can offer him another one, as long as it's at least four years in prison." She wouldn't budge on that. She'd rather lose than agree to any time less than that. Her lawyer nodded, then left the room.
Lucy found herself resting her head against the cool surface of the table. She wouldn't allow herself to cry even if the memories of Jackal's assault on her were fresh in her mind. Once she felt the flickering urge to harm herself she reached her hand over, grasping Natsu's hand in her own.
Natsu felt the tight grip she held on him, but he didn't try to pull away. Jude tried to get her to sit up straight, but she didn't listen. She stayed perfectly still for over ten minutes, just thinking about the messed up situation she was in.
Lucy finally picked herself up when her lawyer came back. She brushed the stray hair from her face before looking up to Mr. King. "What did he say?"
Her lawyer shook his head. "We're taking it to trial. Are you ready?"
Lucy squeezed Natsu's hand for support. "I think I'm ready." Her voice was small, but she didn't let that stop her from getting up from the table.
Natsu, Jude, and Virgo followed Lucy and her lawyer as they went to the courtroom. The room was filled with people, most of which Lucy didn't recognize. Some were reporters, others were investors in Jackal's company. News of his rape and physical abuse charges spread throughout Crocus, which was exactly what Mard Geer was hoping to avoid.
Lucy took her seat in the front row. Natsu beside her, then Jude and Virgo following. Her lawyer already told her she would be the first witness called so she was mentally preparing herself.
The trial started soon after. The ADA Minerva Orland called Lucy up to the stage. She'd been briefed over the conversation held between Lucy and her lawyer and decided to ask them again so the judge could hear.
"Can you tell the judge what happened the night of July fourth of his year?"
Lucy resisted the urge to squirm in her seat. "Yes." She took a shaky breath. "I attended a party with my now ex-husband, Jackal."
"What occurred after the party?" ADA Orland kept Lucy's gaze.
Lucy could already feel her fingers shaking. She didn't want to look over at the man who caused her so much pain over the years, but she could feel his glare on her. Her eyes flickered to him for a moment, seeing the pure hate in his dark eyes.
Lucy quickly looked back at the woman in front of her. "We went home, and he-" Her words died in her throat as memories plagued her mind.
Being punched, slapped to the ground, pinned down, ultimately leading to-
"He beat me." Lucy found her voice, along with her resolve. "Then he raped me."
"Thank you," Minerva Orland said before walking towards her table. "No further questions."
Mard Geer stood up to cross-examine Lucy. She hated the dark glint in his eyes as he approached her. "I have only one question to ask Miss Heartfilia. Do you have any physical proof besides your testimony that my client did anything you alleged?"
Lucy felt her heart drop. She didn't want to, but she had to answer. "No..."
"No further questions." Mard Geer walked back to his table, a little smirk on his face.
Lucy was dismissed from the witness stand. She could stay inside the courtroom, but she wanted to get out of there. As she was leaving Natsu left too, following right behind her. Jude and Virgo stayed behind to watch what unfolded since the next witness called was Bacchus Groh.
While Natsu sat with Lucy outside the courtroom on a bench, Minerva Orland approached the witness stand where Mr. Groh sat. He was already sworn in so she got right to it.
"Have you ever seen Miss Lucy Heartfilia getting raped?"
Bacchus, who thankfully wasn't inebriated, nodded. "Yes ma'am I have." The dull look on his face showed he wasn't proud of that fact.
"Who did you witness raping Miss Heartfilia?"
The witness pointed to Jackal. "Mr. Tartaros over there."
"Let the record reflect the witness has identified Jackal Tartaros as the one who raped Lucy Heartfilia."
"Objection!" Mard Geer called out. "This man is known as a drunk. You can't take his testimony seriously."
The judge looked down at Bacchus, then to Mard Geer. "Overruled. I want to hear what he has to say."
"Thank you, Your Honor," Minerva bowed her head slightly before looking back at the witness. "How many times did you see Mr. Tartaros raping Miss Heartfilia?"
"Probably about five times? Give or take."
"Did you ever try to stop him? Or say something about it?"
Bacchus frowned. "No."
"And why not?"
His eyes flickered over to Jackal before saying, "he paid well to keep us quiet."
"Objection!" Mard Geer shouted.
The judge shot him a glare. "Overruled. Sit down!"
Ms. Orland waited a moment before continuing her questions. "You said he paid to keep 'us' quiet. How many others knew about this?"
Bacchus barely opened his mouth before Mard Geer made another outburst. "Objection! The witness can't possibly know what other people may or may not have seen."
"Sustained." The judge looked over at Ms. Orland. "Word it differently."
Minerva nodded. "How many people told you they knew about the rape?"
"Told me personally?" Bacchus tipped his head back as he counted in his mind. "Six."
"Can you name them?"
Bacchus nodded, then named off the six people who he talked to who said they witnessed Jackal raping Lucy as well. It was three maids, two other security guards, and one of the cooks.
Fighting off the disgust Minerva felt towards Bacchus and the other employees, she asked, "when was the last rape you witnessed?"
"July fourth of this year," Bacchus answered.
"How do you remember which day it was?"
He placed a hand behind his head. "Honestly? It was the day I forgot to bring my flask to work. I remember complaining about the sound of fireworks all night."
"I see," Minerva felt wary. She didn't know if his testimony would be enough. "How did you witness the rape?"
"I was doing my rounds when I heard a crash coming from his study. I walked in while Mr. Tartaros was already umm, raping Miss Heartfilia. He yelled at me to leave so I did."
"Can you tell the court what she was wearing?"
"Well I didn't see a lot. Most of her clothes were torn up bad, but I remember it being blue."
"Thank you. No further questions."
Mard Geer didn't hesitate to walk up to the witness stand. "How many DUI's have you received this year alone?"
Minerva already knew it was pointless, but she shouted anyway. "Objection! Relevance?"
Jackal's lawyer smiled at the woman. "You seem to think his history with alcohol abuse isn't an issue. I want to show that it is."
The judge thought for a moment. "I'll allow it."
"How many DUI's?"
Bacchus cleared his throat. "This year? Three."
"Do you have a driver's license?"
"Not anymore. It got revoked."
Mard Geer could already feel the judge losing confidence in this witness. "How many times did you show up to work drunk this year?"
"I don't know..." Bacchus dropped his gaze. "Fifteen?"
"Try forty-seven," Mard Geer corrected. "Mr. Tartaros' assistant kept a record of every day you showed up intoxicated."
"Okay, then forty-seven..."
"Mr. Tartaros' assistant also keeps a record of which security guards work each night and what their assignments are. Do you know what your assignment for the night of July fourth was?"
Bacchus didn't lift his head. "To stay at my post until my shift was over."
"Exactly. Yet you just said you were making rounds. Is it possible you left your post to do something else?"
"..." Bacchus remained silent, staring at the small desk in front of him.
"Your Honor," Mard Geer looked at the judge.
"Answer the question Mr. Groh."
With a sigh, he answered. "I was heading to the kitchen to see if there was any wine there."
"Did you go there before or after you allegedly saw my client and Miss Heartfilia engaging in sexual intercourse?"
"...Before..."
Mard Geer could see this witness getting discredited one confession at a time. It wouldn't be long before his testimony was removed from the record. "Did you take anything to drink before you walked in on them?"
"Just a little," he admitted, not wanting to commit perjury. He had already been caught once in a lie.
"Then how do you know what you saw wasn't consensual between husband and wife?"
"Because she was screaming for him to stop. He even punched her to get her on the ground."
Mard Geer raised a brow. "I thought you said you walked in while he was already allegedly raping her?"
"I did," Bacchus said, then raised his head to lock eyes with the lawyer. "But I saw him punch her on the security tape later."
Mard Geer's eyes widened just as a loud roar of murmurs broke out around the courtroom. "Order!" The judge called out as he struck his gavel. "Order!"
Mard Geer waited until it was silent again before asking, his voice straining against his anger, "what security tape?"
Now it was Bacchus' turn to smirk. He reached into his jacket pocket, pulling out a cd case. "The one we set up."
Mard Geer turned to glance back at Jackal. The man looked stunned, his eyes wide with panic. The lawyer turned to the judge. "Your Honor, I need a moment to confer with my client."
"Twenty minutes," the judge instructed before swinging his gavel again.
Lucy and Natsu heard the outburst from outside the courtroom, but they didn't know what it was from. That was, until Minerva exited the room to find Lucy. Once she spotted the girl sitting on a bench she walked up to her.
"So we're not sure what to make of it, but it sounds like Bacchus Groh may have videos of the rape on July fourth."
Lucy's jaw went slack. "What? But there's no cameras in his estate."
"That's what we thought too," the attorney took a seat next to Lucy. "But it seems that Bacchus and maybe some other people set some up. He revealed a cd, but there's no way to know what's on it without watching.
"Can you use it?" She asked in a hurry.
"We'll have to see what's on it first. Detective Chaney is escorting Mr. Groh to another room to watch it and see if we can use it. I'm sure Mard Geer is going to try to suppress the evidence, but we'll cross that bridge when we get there."
Lucy nodded. She didn't realize she was trembling until Natsu wrapped an arm around her shoulder. "You okay?"
"Y-yes," she shuttered, her heart picking up speed. "Just anxious."
"Me too," Natsu watched as Detective Chaney and Mr. Groh exited the courtroom to walk down a hall. Once they disappeared he sighed. "I really hope this can put an end to it."
"With any luck," Minerva started. "It will."
"Your Honor, we would like to enter in new evidence. It's a video of the night in question." Ms. Orland wasn't surprised when Mard Geer stood up.
"Your Honor, we would like the evidence suppressed. There's no telling if that video has been altered in any way."
Minerva didn't bat an eye. "Mr. Groh will testify that he was the one who recorded that video with his own camera. He's also giving up the name of the other person who helped come up with the idea to film Mr. Tartaros. With it authenticated there's no reason not to submit it."
"Fuckin' rat," Jackal muttered under his breath. It went unheard by everyone but Mard Geer.
The lawyer was already sweating. He didn't need Jackal making it worse. "Then we request a break to go over the evidence ourselves."
The judge sighed, finally getting a chance to speak. "You have one hour to go over it. We'll reconvene at noon." With a bang of a gavel, they were dismissed.
Lucy wanted to scream. Finally they were getting ahead and Mard Geer was delaying the process. She shouldn't be surprised considering her lawyer had been stalling for over a month, but still. Lucy felt flustered when she walked with Natsu down the hall.
They could always leave the courthouse to get something quick to eat, but the press was still outside. That left them with two options. Leave and deal with the media, or eat something from the vending machines.
They chose the latter.
"I guess I'll take a bag of chips," Natsu pressed his dollar bill to the machine before making his selection. "What do you want?"
"For this to be over." Despite it being late morning she was already feeling tired. "But on a more serious note... I'll have a bag of chips too."
"Another bag of chips coming up," Natsu turned back to the machine. "You should go sit down. I'll be right there."
"Okay," she said, her hand coming up to trail along his back before walking away.
Natsu grabbed their snacks, then went to a different machine to get some drinks. He went to the bench Lucy was sitting at. Jude and Virgo were both sitting on her right, but they chose not to eat. Natsu sat down next to Lucy, handing her the food and drink before digging into his own.
To take her mind off things, she leaned towards Natsu, whispering, "I love you more. I win."
He flashed her a toothy grin, saying, "Fine. You get one hour, then I'm gonna get ya back."
She looked back at her snack, feeling slightly better. However, it wasn't long before her mind drifted back to the trial again. Halfway through their food, Lucy thought, 'I wonder what Mard Geer is thinking now...' If Bacchus really had a video of that night she could only imagine how he'd be reacting.
"J-Jackal! St-stop! Please! Just st-OUCH!" Lucy cried out on the video.
"Shut the fuck up cunt!" Jackal smothered her mouth and nose with his large hand, cutting off her flow of oxygen as he continued to take her body by force. "Or do you want to get punished again?!"
Lucy struggled, tears streaming down her face as she tried to claw at Jackal's face. He didn't seem to even notice her desperate attempts to get him off her. She kicked out her legs, accidentally hitting his desk with a loud bang.
Lucy finally managed to move her mouth enough to bit onto his hand. He flinched for a moment, then used the hand to slap Lucy's face. "Don't you ever-"
Not one second later the doors to the study were open. Bacchus' voice could clearly be heard. "Is someone in-"
"GET THE FUCK OUT!" Jackal screamed.
"Hel-" Lucy's cry for help was muffled by Jackal's hand once again. The door shut, leaving the married couple alone again. With one last cry her body went surprisingly still.
Mard Geer clenched his teeth as he watched the whole thing. It was obvious Lucy didn't consent to anything taking place that night. She was beaten, humiliated, then raped. What made the lawyer's cold heart strain was the fact that at the end Lucy just gave up and surrendered herself.
"Disgusting," Mard Geer whispered, feeling a rare amount of pity for another person.
"It certainly is," Detective Chaney said. He held the remote, waiting until someone told him he could shut off the tape. He'd already watched it once, and even that was too much.
"You can stop it," Mard Geer dropped his gaze. He didn't want to believe his client actually raped his wife. He thought this was a case where a woman cried rape after the fact to get back at the man. Hitting her? He could admit the evidence of physical abuse was there, but some part of him thought maybe Jackal would have the damn sense to keep his dick to himself if it was unwanted.
"Is it too late to sign a plea bargain?" Mard Geer asked, disgustingly upset it would affect his record.
"We are," Minerva said, her tone cold and unwavering. "Ten years in prison with the chance of parole after five years."
Mard Geer took a seat, smoothing his hand over his forehead. "Ten, huh?" He supposed it could be worse. If Jackal stood trial after this video was shown he'd be looking at fifteen years minimum. "Let me talk to my client, and I'll get back with you."
"Clocks ticking," Officer Eucliffe said, tapping at his watch. There was no reason for him to be there other than the fact he wanted to see Jackal fall. Once he got the call from Rogue he raced over to the courthouse. If he hadn't been driving a police car he would have surely been pulled over for speeding.
Mard Geer threw Sting a glare, but it went unnoticed by the man. "I'll get back with you soon. For now I suggest you draft up the paperwork."
"On it," Minerva promised, already pulling out her phone to get her assistant to get on it.
He didn't say anything more to them. Instead he left the room they were in to walk to where they were keeping Jackal. Once he entered the man started asking questions. "Did you get the tape thrown out? What was on it? Do you think it's even admissible? What do you think?"
Mard Geer resisted the urge to lash out at his client. It was easy defending someone when he didn't have any proof of their wrong doings, but he couldn't erase from his mind what he saw. "What I think?" He allowed himself a small chuckle, though it was laced with malice. "I think you should take the plea bargain their offering you before you spend your entire youth behind bars."
Jackal's fierce stare dropped, his eyes widening and jaw going slack. "What?"
"I watched the video," Mard Geer clarified. "Not even I can save you from that."
"But-but you're the best lawyer in Fiore. Surely you can do something!" Anger rose within him. "I'm not taking a stupid plea deal. Just do your job and get this whole thing to go away. There'll be a nice bonus if you can get all this finished soon. I have a business meeting to attend at the end of the month and I can't reschedule again."
Mard Geer merely sighed. "Let me put it this way. I can't get that video thrown out. If Bacchus testifies it's legit then it will be submitted. Drunk or not the judge is going to believe him. That video shows you committing aggravated rape in the first degree. Do you know what the punishment for that is?"
Jackal leaned back in his chair, a small smirk tugging on his lips. "No, because I'm not getting convicted with it if you do your damn job!"
"Fifteen years is the minimum!" That seemed to wipe the smirk off Jackal's face. "Do you really want to risk that?"
Jackal was stunned silent, his eyes only growing more wide when he realized his lawyer wasn't playing around.
"Now, I suggest you take the plea bargain their offering. It's ten years with a chance of parole in five years."
"T-ten?" Jackal's voice cracked.
"If you have good behavior while in you can be out in five. Isn't that a lot better than fifteen?"
"That video can't be that bad," Jackal shook his head. "Just say I was drunk. I didn't know what I was doing!"
"Jackal, just take the deal," Mard Geer was growing more and more tired with his client's attitude. He acted as if the lawyer could wave a magic wand and everything would go away. "This is your last chance before things get ugly in there. Once this video gets shown, you'll-"
"The judge!" Jackal cut him off with a smile, thinking he figured everything out. "We can get the judge on our side. Tell him to name his price, I'll make it happen."
Mard Geer shook his head. "Bribing a judge? Are you stupid?" He didn't even want that answer. "You're lucky they're not tacking on witness tampering to your charges. Just take the damn deal or find yourself another lawyer."
"But-"
"-And I'd be shocked if someone else gave you different advice." Mard Geer didn't allow him a second to talk back. "That video is enough to put you away for a long time. If you don't take this deal now I don't think you'll get another chance. The choice is yours."
With that he turned around to leave. His hand barely grazed the doorknob before Jackal shouted, "wait!"
Mard Geer didn't turn around. "What?"
Jackal closed his eyes, sweat dripping from his forehead. "You really don't think I have a chance?"
With a sigh, he replied, "I honestly don't. If that video gets shown you will be convicted. No doubts in my mind."
After a long pause, Jackal finally said, "I'll..." A lump formed in his throat. "I'll... take the deal..."
"A wise choice," Mard Geer opened the door. Before leaving he said, "I'll be back with the paperwork."
And then Jackal was left alone with only his thoughts and memories to keep him company, a single question circling in his mind. 'Was it worth it?'
"Are you serious?" Lucy asked, her jaw dropping. "He actually agreed to it?"
"He did," Minerva showed Lucy the paperwork. It was now late in the evening. The trial ended once the plea bargain was accepted. It took a while for them to draft up the paperwork, but once they did Jackal signed it along with giving a written confession.
Lucy stared at the papers. Her mind flooded with questions that would forever go unanswered. 'Why did Bacchus record what Jackal did? Why did it take so long before he finally came forward with the truth? Why couldn't they just stop him before it got so bad? Why did everyone turn a blind eye to what he was doing to me?'
"Even with good behavior he's still getting five years," Minerva didn't have to say anymore. Lucy could read between the lines.
Lucy was getting her wish. He was getting at least four years of hell for what he put her through.
"What's happening with his company?" Jude asked. He had no say in what happened now that he was no longer a partner, but the curiosity still got to him.
"To my knowledge his father might be coming out of retirement to take over again." Minerva shrugged, "but I guess we'll all find out when it hits the news."
"Speaking of the news," Virgo started. "Is the press still outside?"
With a sigh, Minerva nodded. "We'll take Lucy out the back to avoid making a scene."
"Thank you," Lucy mumbled, her eyes lingering over Jackal's signature. 'It's really over...' Before a single tear could fall she felt a warm hand on her shoulder. She looked over to find Natsu smiling softly at her. He didn't have to say anything. She already knew what he was thinking.
We won.
Sure it took longer than it should have, and maybe they only won by dumb luck, but who cared? At the end of the day Jackal was going to prison and Lucy was going home with Natsu in Magnolia.
Okay... Maybe not today. Their flight wasn't until tomorrow morning, but that wasn't the point. The point was Lucy was free from Jackal and all the abuse he could inflict on her. She still had a way to go with her recovery, but maybe knowing he was behind bars would help her nightmares lessen and her flashbacks fade.
"Is there anything else you need from me?" Lucy suddenly asked. "I'd like to leave now if that's okay?"
Minerva blinked twice before nodding. "Certainly. You're free to go Miss Heartfilia."
"Lucy," she corrected as she stood up. "And thank you so much for everything you did. All of you," she looked around the room. Officer Eucliffe and Agria were there, as well as Detective Chaney and Mr. King. Her eyes fell on Natsu.
Lucy held out her hand, smiling when Natsu took it without hesitation. "I think it's time to go home."
They said their goodbyes before leaving. Lucy even hugged each person in the process. She seemed happy as they escorted her through the court to the back. There she got a taxi with Natsu.
"We'll see you two for dinner tonight?" Jude asked before they got in the taxi.
"Yes," Lucy nodded. "Just give us time to clean up and change. I'll call you when we're ready."
Her father accepted that answer, then waved as they boarded. Virgo stood beside him, watching as the taxi drove away. "I hope Princess feels better," the previous maid said before turning to leave.
"You'll be at dinner too, right?" Jude asked. Even though Virgo wasn't his maid anymore he still felt a small bond between them. She'd been by his side for years, even if it was only part of her job.
"I will," Virgo said as she walked away. When she was a decent distance away, she added under her breath, "but not for you. Only for Lucy." The girl held a place in Virgo's heart. She'd seen her grow up into the beautiful young woman she was today. She was just glad her suffering would end now that her abuser was being convicted.
Virgo always enjoyed a well deserved punishment.
The taxi stopped in front of the hotel Natsu and Lucy were staying at. Lucy paid the fare, then followed Natsu up to their room. Less than ten seconds after he opened the door and let Lucy in he said, "so what do you want to-Wait! Why're you crying?"
He saw Lucy's shaking shoulders combined with her quiet sobs. Natsu didn't waste any time. He grabbed her, encasing her in a warm hug. "Lucy, what's wrong?"
Lucy buried her face into his chest, her own arms coming up to weakly hug him back. "It-it's f-finally o-o-over," she cried, getting his shirt wet with her tears.
Natsu didn't even notice, his focus completely on trying to sooth Lucy. "Isn't that a good thing?"
He felt her nod against his chest. "Y-yes, b-but-"
"I know," Natsu's hand came up to brush through her golden locks. "This was hard." He doubted she would ever go through something more difficult than this. Even if she hated Jackal for everything he put her through, she didn't deserve to go through the trial, to go through the abuse...
To go through the rape...
"I'm sorry you went through that," Natsu pressed his scarred cheek against the side of her head. "It's over now. He can't hurt you." He didn't bother mentioning that guarantee was only for a minimum of five years. No matter what Natsu would do whatever he could to keep her safe from anyone, especially Jackal.
However, he was probably worrying for nothing. If Natsu was being honest with himself he knew Jackal wouldn't be able to behave for five whole years without an incident. That man had a temper, and it would surely be his downfall.
She was happy Jackal was going to prison. She was happy she won against him and got justice. However, she still felt dirty for going through all that for years. She doubted a simple shower would make her feel cleansed.
"I-I don't e-ever want t-to go through th-that again," Lucy's voice cracked a few times, but he understood every word.
"No one will hurt you," he almost growled. "You can be sure of that."
"Thank y-you," Lucy's arms gained strength as she tightened them around him. "And thanks f-for supporting m-me."
Natsu felt himself smiling. "Of course I'd support you Lucy." He'd support her with this and whatever else she would do in the future. He was thinking about her recovery when he asked, "so what's next?"
Lucy pulled away slowly, some of her hair matted against the side of her face. Natsu didn't notice, his eyes locked with hers. She gave him a broken smile, bringing a hand up to his cheek where she scratched him over a month ago. The cuts had healed, but she still traced over where they were.
"I have something planned," Lucy said, not talking about her recovery. That was only a small part in what she wanted to do. "But it's not going to be easy."
Natsu couldn't help the grin that took over his face. "You know I love a challenge. I'm all fired up now!"
She only giggled, pulling him in for another long hug. 'I don't think you realize how difficult it'll be...' She was confident he'd stick by her side regardless. After all, that's what you do when you love someone.
"Oh, by the way Lucy..."
She hummed in response.
"I love you more, and I win."
Thank you for the continued support! Every favorite, follow, and review helps! Shout out to those who reviewed: guest, BloodRedRubies, Soul-of-glass, katiekat2001, FairyTailLover04, MarSofTheGalaxies, AtomicAdri, fire854, sthokatrina, OtakuLover43, Crimsonlink310, ciaoallo, SakuraStar1862, turtle3334, sarara1.8, starfiresusan18, AshnMarley, Matt427, Ayano the Daydreamer, & FairyTailxFanGirl!
Up next, Chapter Eighteen: Location, Location, Location
Once again I apologize if anything is inaccurate. I honestly tried my best. So... Jackal's in prison, Natsu and Lucy are free to live their lives without worrying about him anymore, and Lucy has something big planned. :) Can anyone guess what it might be? There's a hint in the title of the next chapter.
Let me know what you thought! I love hearing from you! Did anyone catch the foreshadowing throughout this chapter? :P Dunno if I was being subtle enough.