Gray could feel the air becoming lodged into his lungs and his blood run cold while hearing his world crashing in upon him, crushing the very life and breath out of his being as he tried to take this all in, every last word of Gajeel's warning while trying as hard as he could to maintain his infamous calm exterior. It was too much to ask of his heart apparently as it began struggling to keep itself together while at the same time maintain his body's normal functions, making breathing quite the challenge and thinking just as hard. His grip on the small little box in his pocket tightened.

"48 hours?" Gray dimly heard himself say. "Why 48 hours? What even makes you so sure?"

Now, Gray may not have known Gajeel as long as Sting, Rogue and Natsu may have, since he only met and sat down with the guy some 6 years back after his first week of dating with Natsu but within that short time he was given, he learned that while the wild haired man come off as cold, apathetic and a bit of a hard ass, he was actually quite caring and compassionate, though he was careful to keep these traits hidden. He often, on some rare occasions, couldn't help cracking a joke or two but that was then, this was now and now clearly wasn't calling for that.

And Gajeel wasn't a man to joke in the faces of certain lights.

Gajeel sighed, running a hand through his messy hair. "Remember when I still worked for the Phantom Lord as their agent?"

"Yeah..."

"Well, if there was one thing that I was good at, other then kicking ass, it was thinking and understanding the inner workings of the criminal or suspect's mind," Gajeel explained, turning to look back at the message. "This actually reminds me of an old case I worked on with Juvia and Aria in my younger years."

"Which one?" Lucy trembled, as Loke wrapped his arms around her.

"About 8 years ago, I worked on a case where this guy came to Jose and asked for his best detectives, myself, Juvia, Aria, Totomaru and Sol, he hired us to help him rescue his girlfriend who got kidnapped by a group of men known simply as the Mafia," Gajeel looked up and back toward the message above the fireplace. "No special code name, no other name. Just the Mafia."

"The mafia?" Cana whistled. "I remember those guys. What the hell did he do to piss them off?"

"Apparently he owed the head guy money and refused to pay it because some finance bullshit," Gajeel shrugged. "So they broke into their apartment one night while he was out of town, on the orders of some fat bastard who was the head of them and took the girl. They left a message similar to the one here but unlike in this case, they actually used human blood, the girl's blood saying that he pay now or she'd pay for him."

"That's awfull... What happened?" Rogue asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Well thanks to the boyfriend and his inability to work along with others, they killed the girl about three days later," Gajeel answered turning to face them. "Apparently, the guy still refused to come up with the money or some shit and for the same god damned reason and a companion of mine found her corpse, mostly by accident, when he went out fishing with his kid. She was founded naked and bound, beaten and raped before they shot her in the back of the head, executioner style."

Gray took a step back, eyes wide staring hard at the message on his wall. Was that the fate that awaited Natsu? The one man he ever loved? The one man who loved him... For him? His heart was going on overdrive making it hard breath, hear, think or even see.

No... No...

Anything but that, he'd give anything!

"Did you- Did you get them?" Levy asked, clutching her bag tightly.

"Of course we did, how else do explain their sudden disappearance off the face of the planet?" Gajeel defended. "Two days after we found the body, we got them. And the boyfriend too."

"The boyfriend too? Why the boyfriend?" Sting asked, perplexed.

"Turns out the guy set the whole thing up," Gajeel explained, shrugging his shoulders. "Dirty bastard. It turned out he was the really the mafia boss not the fatass since it turned out fatass was second command and he wanted to make an example of someone to show his men what would happen to those who think to even dare to double-cross him. Apparently she cheated on him with another man or something like that."

"That's- That's cruel!" Lucy gasped.

"Yeah- Well- That's life, Blondie." Gajeel shrugged. "It sucks. It always sucks."

"Tell me he payed for it!" Lucy demanded. "For what he did! Tell he did!"

Gajeel paused, lost in thought before he faced the angry blonde once more. "What do you count shooting yourself in the head to avoid police capture as?"

"NO!"

Everyone froze in place at Gray's outburst. Gray's whole body trembled, hands curled tightly into fists as he stared long and hard at the message on the wall trying to keep his tears in check.

"I WON'T LET IT HAPPEN!" Gray roared. "I WILL FIND THIS SICK BASTARD AND I WILL FUCKING KILL HIM IF HE HARMS A SINGLE HAIR ON HIS HEAD!"

"Gray..." Sting whispered unnoticed as his face wore a blank and emotionless look.

"Gajeel!" Gray quickly rounded on said man. "Do you think we can-"

All movement and talking stopped when the sound, symbolizing the receiving of a text message, dinged on Gray's phone. Blinking, Gray reached around and pulled the device out from his back pocket only to be confused by the reason behind it. For one, it was a text message from an unknown party;

Catching next flight home.

Should be home by tonight.

You're dead Fullbuster.

"What the hell?"

Gray was at a loss. Who the hell just texted him? And how did they even know him long enough to want him dead? What did he even do to this person to even make them want him dead?

"What's wrong, Gray?" Lucy asked, almost timid.

"Does anyone know this number?" Gray asked, showing them the screen of his phone. "I don't think it's our guy..."

"No."

"Nope."

"Nuh uh."

"Doesn't look familiar."

"Oh." Levy smiled, tilting her head to one side cutely. "That's Laxus's number."

"La- Xus-?" Gray could feel Death's breath returning to the nape of his neck. He looked back at his phone. "LAXUS?! LAXUS?! HOW THE FUCK DID HE GET MY NUMBER?!"

"What gets me is how he already knows what's going on," Gajeel hummed, stroking his chin before smirking. "Wow. Looks like your dead, Fullbuster. First you got Sting after your blood, then Laxus-

"NO SHIT!" Gray shrieked. "BUT HOW-"

As if somehow knowing that it was aimed at him and that they were talking about him, Laxus sent another wave of texts to Gray's phone;

Levy told Freed

Freed told me

Freed had your number

Be grateful I ain't Erza, Sting or Hayden

This doesn't excuse the fact you're as good as dead

If they didn't get you first

"LEVY?!" Gray whipped his head around to face the blue haired woman. "YOU TOLD HIM?!"

"I told Freed, yes," Levy answered huffing before her face fell. "Was I not to? I needed advice and we need him back here! We're in a dire situation Gray."

"ARGH! SCREW THIS! I DON'T HAVE TIME FOR THIS!" Gray roared, nearly crushing his phone. "I'LL WORRY ABOUT HIM LATER! NATSU! I NEED TO SAVE NATSU!"

"Calm down."

"NO!"

Ring

Everyone stilled in place. Slowly, they turned to face the hallway behind them and stared at the one table that somehow survived the wreckage of the fight. On it was the source of the noise, a phone, the only on in the house connected to a landline.

Ring.

"Were you expecting a call?" Cana asked, watching the phone. "Did Natsu mention anything about expecting a call?"

"No," Gray shook his head. "All he said was he had things to do..."

Nobody moved or said anything more as they continued to watch the plastic contraption, as if expecting it to explode. Gray slowly and carefully walked over to it, eyes narrowing as he read the caller ID and just as slowly and carefully, he reached a hand out and pressed a small red button, allowing the phone to be answered while putting it on speaker phone. He made a motion for the others to remain quiet, all of them nodding.

"Hello?"

"Hello Gray Fullbuster." A dark and sinister voice greeted him. "You don't think you remember me, but I still remember all you."

"Where is Natsu?"

"That's not important right now." The voice answered causing the ravenette to bristle. "What's really important now is that we- how's the phrase?- Do a little catching up. I mean, after all, it's only been six years..."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Gray growled. "Who the hell are you?"

"Shouldn't you already know that? I mean, you work as an agent for Fairy Tail after all."

"Yes. Yes, I should," Gray hissed. "But I think I need a little refresher. I would kindly like for you to tell me who are so I can have the great 'pleasure' of knowing who I'm beating up and possibly murdering!"

"Hmm... Nah. Doesn't sound fun."

Gray snarled. This bastard was fucking with him and he wasn't the only one as everyone in the room showered the plastic contraption in utter disgust. Gray blinked. If he didn't know any better, he could have sworn he heard some form of movement in the background followed by a groan then a muffled gasp and a sound that something similar to strangled goose. His eyes widen.

It was Natsu.

He was still alive.

"Mmph? MM!"

"Oh. You're awake." The caller mused earning him another strangled hiss. "I was wondering when you would wake up."

"NATSU!"

"And such perfect timing too-" Gray practically hear this man smirking as the sound of shuffling was heard. The man was moving. "See, your 'boyfriend' and I were just getting ourselves 'reaqquiented' with each other."

"Mmha?"

"NATSU!" Gray cried. He wretched the phone up from the table and right up into his face just as the sound of struggling and stifled threats were heard. "STAY AWAY FROM HIM!"

"I don't think so." Came the reply as Natsu's struggling grew louder accompanied by the sounds of sobbing. "You should see him. He's just so tantalizing, delicious, all bound, gagged and at the complete mercy of the other..."

"Don't you dare touch him." Gray breathed, venom dripping from every cell on his body as Natsu started to whimper. "Touch him and I will find you and fucking kill you in the most brutal fashion I know."

"How about we make a little deal Fullbuster?"

"Deal?" Gray gritted his teeth. "I'm not making any deal with you! You're going to let Natsu go, or so help me God-"

"Now now hear me out first," The man smirked as strangled moans entered the air. "Think of it like a game."

"A game?"

"Sure and you're more then welcome to invite others to join in with you." Gray could feel his temper rising as his grip on the phone became a crushing force as Natsu's sobbing gained volume. "I mean, by now, this tasty little morsel's brother would have surely found out that his kid brother's missing. Rumor has it that Sting Eucliffe, the proud boss of Sabertooth, isn't a really nice guy when it comes to the safety of this exotic dish."

Gray heaved a deep sighed as his worst fear came to light. He had to choose his words carefully now. "Fine. We'll do it your way. What kind of game?"

"Think of it as 'Hide and Seek'." The man replied. "I hide, you seek. And to make it a bit fair, I'll drop you few hints and clues and hell, even throw in a few calls. All you have to do is figure out where I'm at and come get me. If you win, I'll turn myself in, no questions asked and you get Natsu back. Safe and sound."

"And if I lose?"

There was a long silence.

"I kill Natsu."

Gray's eyes widen as the grip on his phone slackened. "You wouldn't-"

"Oh~ But I would," He said as Natsu's moans gained volume. "But then again, now that I'm looking at him, it would be such a waste... I guess we'll just have to wait and see won't we, huh, Fullbuster?"

"Bastard."

"Hmm hm." He chuckled. "You're first clue should arrive tonight. I heard your Boss's grandson, Laxus Dreyar, isn't too happy with you right now. I'm sure you'll be hearing all about the moment he arrives to your place tonight."

"How did-"

"I have my ways." Came the simple reply. "Oh~ you poor poor little thing. Are you feeling neglected?"

"DON'T TOUCH MY BOYFRIEND!"

"He was never yours, Fullbuster." He retorted. "Gods, you're beautiful- Let's see just how flexible you are-"

"He's- DON'T YOU-" Gray blinked, eyes wide with shock before anger replaced them and filled his every pore. "He hung up on me!"

"Well, that at least confirms one thing," Gajeel said as he approached Gray, glaring darkly at the phone in his hands. "We ain't dealing with some rat right off the street."

"He's well knowledged on some of us," Rogue whispered, eyes wide as his grip on his umbrella tightened. "And it's possible he could even be equally well knowledged of all of us present, from our occupations to our guilds' workings."

"He even knew that Laxus was on his way home," Lucy whispered. "Did he somehow bug us?"

"Probably," Loke surmised. "Gray, can I borrow your computers and telephone?"

"Sure." Hand curling into a tight fist, head hung. "Why?"

"I'm going to see if I can try and trace the phone call," Loke approached the phone, fixing his glasses as Gray gingerly set it back down on the table. "What number did he use? Do you know?"

"He used Natsu's cellphone," Gray answered, refusing to look up.

"Gray?" Levy whispered as she gently approached the raven haired man, hand outstretched toward his shoulder. "Gray? Are- Are you okay?"

Gray shook his head, his whole body trembling. He didn't want to think, he didn't want to face this reality where the world turning against him and crushing him. He wanted to wake up from this nightmare, back in the backseat of Loke's car right outside his house and Natsu was waiting for them, on his front lawn, smiling and waving, waiting to throw a couple of the good old insults at him and capture him in a tight hug and a sweet kiss before telling him how much he loved him. He couldn't stop a quiet sob from escaping his throat.

"Gray." Levy whispered, placing a warm hand on his shoulder and slowly turning him around to face her. "Gray-Gray look at me."

Gray finally looked up at Levy, surprising everyone present. His eyes were red as tears that could no longer be held back, escaped and started flowing freely down his cheeks and Levy, without a single word, pulled Gray into a tight hug.

"Oh Gray..." She whispered, rubbing his back. "I'm so sorry."

"I'm sorry." He choked out, clutching Levy tightly like a lifeline as his tears started staining her shirt. "I'm so sorry. Natsu- I-"

"It's okay. It's okay." Levy cooed. "We'll get him back. I know we will."

"We'll make him pay," Cana agreed, cracking her knuckles. "If he wants to play a game- Well then, let's give him a game he's never gonna forget!"

"Right." Rogue nodded.

"Damn straight."

"Lucy, can you get a hold of Lyon for me?" Levy asked gently as Lucy nodded and pulled out her cellphone. "Tell him we have a bit of situation and we need him back home. Oh! And tell him he can bring Juvia as well."

"Right!"

"Don't," Gray whispered. He really didn't want his brother involved.

"Don't argue Gray." Levy said softly but sternly. "We're going to need all the help we can get if we want to get Natsu back and you need him Gray. Right here, right now."

"No I don't-"

"Don't argue with me," Levy replied. "You need him. And he's coming here whether you like it or not."

"But-"

"Gray."

"Fine."

"Good," Levy smiled. "Gajeel, how quickly do you think we should get started?"

"The sooner the better. Trust me."

"Alright then." Sting said, a smile appearing on his face as he cracked his knuckles. "Let's get started. The quicker we find this prick, the quicker I can rip his dick off and shove down his throat."

Lyon Vastia was, if anything else, exhausted.

He heaved a deep sigh and pressed his back as far back into the seats as he could, closing his eyes and trying his best to relax. He was a slim young man of 26 with a muscular and toned body. His silver hair seemed to glow in even in the palest to dimmest of lights, with spiky strands that jut upwards on top of his head, except for some which are kept pointing down and partially cover the upper left part of his face. Lyon's eyes were slanted when they were open for the viewing world, with dark round pupils and surrounded by similarly dark lines. He wasn't sure how he was going to explain to his guild, his boss or the Council even, on how he failed to capture the man he was sent after.

Tomorrow was not going to be a good day for him.

He blinked his tired eyes open when he felt a sudden weight slowly ease itself onto his shoulder. With what little energy he had left in him, he turned his head and found himself staring into a sea of blue hair that belonged to none other then the sleeping beauty that was Juvia Lockser. His fiance, soon to be wife this coming Winter. Just the word alone, made Lyon's heart flutter and his face flush a light pink as he alone never got tired of saying it.

Juvia was, in his opinion, the most slender, most beautiful young woman with shoulder length choppy blue hair, dark blue eyes, pale skin and a curvaceous figure he even had the privilege of meeting and knowing. That was saying something, as Lyon was never one to get close to anything or anyone when he had goals or jobs that needed to be done. That was the case until Lamia Scale had decided to reach out to Fairy Tail one day to help capture a escaped convict, a well known serial killer and had to work with Natsu, Lucy, their supervisor, Erza and his brother, Gray, it was then he saw the light at the end of a dark tunnel that he called his life.

Juvia.

The name itself must have been made by the Heavens above because right then and there, he fell head over heels in love. And boy howdy, did he fall hard. For the first two years, he had to admit, he relentlessly stalked her, that surprisingly didn't earn him a restraining order or a lifetime in jail, trying to ask her out only to screw it up in someway. Someway being his younger brother, Gray, who, Lyon wasn't actually willing to blame in any shape or form for once in his life as Juvia fell in love with him, despite the fact the raven haired man explained carefully and patiently that he wasn't interested. Then, about four years ago, Juvia decided to give Lyon a chance and neither of them looked back since.

Greatest.

Day.

Ever.

Ping

Lyon blinked and quickly scanned the train car he was in. What the hell was that?

Byte my 8-bit metal ass. That's byte with a 'Y'. Hehehehe.

Oh. That was his phone, Lyon sniggered. He forgot that Gray's boyfriend had a habit of screwing with people's ringtones. Lyon smiled as his mind drifted to Natsu and in his opinion, best decision his brother ever made in terms of relationships. Lyon owed that pink haired kid a lot, if it weren't for him, Lyon wasn't sure where he would be. He pulled his cell phone out and read the caller ID.

It was... Lucy?

Who was Lucy?

He blinked but nonetheless, answered the call. It could be important.

"Hello?"

"Is this Lyon Vastia?"

It was definitely a young woman's voice alright but it didn't answer his question on who this 'Lucy' person was. Her voice was oddly familiar, he couldn't deny that. He strained his brain, trying to remember where he heard it before. "This is him."

"This Lucy Heartfilia. I- I don't know if you remember me, but I work with your b-brother at Fairy Tail-"

Lyon sighed in realization. That's why it was familiar. "I remember, I haven't heard from you guys in a long while. How are you Lucy?"

"I'm g-good."

"Is something wrong?" Something wasn't right.

"Lyon. Please, we need your help."

"My help?" He blinked. "My help with what?"

"It's Natsu. Natsu's in trouble."

"Natsu?" Lyon suddenly jolted up, eyes wide and waking Juvia in the process. "What happened?"

"We don't know much- But someone broke into their house and kidnapped Natsu while we were on-on the road home. We received a call j-just now and-" There was a shuddery breath. "We need you and Juvia. Gray needs you."

Lyon's eyes widen. Gray...

"Lyon-Sama... What's wrong?" Juvia asked, rubbing her eyes and yawning. "Did something happen?"

"We're on our way," Lyon declared, ignoring Juvia and reaching up to grab his luggage. Thank god Magnolia was the next upcoming stop. "We'll see you in about an hour."

"P-P-Please hurry." Came that tearful sob. "I'm scared."

"Lyon-Sama?"

"Juvia. Babe." Lyon said as he hung up his phone and turned to his fiance. "We're making a stop to Magnolia."

"Huh? Why?"

"Natsu."

"Natsu-Chan?" Juvia's eyes widen in alarm. "Did something happen?"

"Yeah." Lyon reached and grabbed Juvia's bag before pulling her up onto her feet. "He's in trouble."

"In trouble?" Juvia asked. "In trouble with what? What kind of trouble?"

"It'll be explained once we get there," Lyon explained as he pulled Juvia to the nearest door that had a small group of people clustered there already. "Right here and right now is not a good place to discuss this, okay?"

"O-okay."

Next stop. Magnolia Train Station.