Wicked Game

Chapter 12

            It was early, at least, for Lucy it was. Most of the girls would still be asleep.

She wasn't sure what had woken her up. A noise maybe? Slowly she crawled out of bed, taking the robe draped over her vanity chair and pulling it tight around her waist.

There was a quiet knock on her door.

Her heart leapt hoping it was Natsu coming back to her. Memories of the previous night swirled around her head, intoxicating her with a feeling she hadn't known in years- hope.

She flipped the latch and pulled the door open.

"Juvia?" Lucy said, surprised. "What are you doing up so early."

"I heard a noise," she whispered quietly as she slipped through the doorway, pushing it closed behind her and locking it again. "I don't know what it was, but I got a bad feeling."

Lucy pondered the girl's words. It wasn't like Juvia to be quite so paranoid.

"I'm sure it was nothing," Lucy said with a gentle smile.

The blue haired girl sat nervously on Lucy's bed, kneading her fingers in her lap.

Lucy heard the doorknob rattle followed by the sound of a key working the lock.

A bolt a fear swept through Lucy's body. Instinctually Lucy put herself between her friend and the door.

Natsu appeared as the door swung open.

"Lucy," he said as he swept in, throwing the door shut behind him.

"Natsu," a wave of relief washed over her. A smile lit up her face.

But Natsu wasn't smiling. He looked grim, an unusually serious expression shadowing his features.

"I need to talk to you," he said in a harsh, rushed voice as he hovered by the door.

"What is it Natsu?" Lucy asked with concern. Something about his presence was unsettling. She felt a weight drop in the pit of her stomach.

"What's Juvia doing in here?" He said as if she couldn't hear him.

"We thought we heard a noise, Juvia-"

"You should go to your room, Juvia. And stay there."

"Natsu what's going on?" Lucy couldn't hide the nervous tone creeping into her voice.

"I need to tell you something," he gave Lucy a hard look then turned back to Juvia. "Go to your room, Juvia."

Now Lucy was getting angry. "Don't talk to her that way," Lucy snapped. "Tell us what's going on," she demanded.

Natsu looked over his shoulder at the door as if he was being followed.

"Shh," he said abruptly as he listened at the door. Lucy exchanged a confused glance with Juvia.

"I should just go," the girl whispered.

The sound of heavy footsteps could be heard down the hall.

"Damn it," Natsu almost growled as he made a lurch toward Lucy's vanity table and dropped onto the chair. Lucy watched as his expression morphed into a look of cool disinterest, the stress in his eyes vanishing. He leaned back deeply into the chair, relaxed, as if everything were right with the world.