Fairy Tail: Journeyman

Chapter 33: We Would Be Fools

"Okay, Lucy let's take a look at you."

I hung up the phone as quickly as I could. It wasn't that I didn't trust Porlyusica, rather I trusted her more than the good doctor could ever know, but these were things I didn't imagine she was ready for. Not yet.

She waltzed in, small strands of pink hair falling out of her clip and onto her white lab coat.

Under normal circumstances, I imagined the doctor's eyes would've been fixated on her clipboard, reminding herself of the nuances of my condition. But these were far from normal conditions.

The doctor placed her clipboard on the counter and walked over to my side where the bandages were still situated. Carefully, she peeled back the white padding.

Out of curiosity, I tilted my head down, daring to look at the garish wound.

My mouth stood agape while the doctor squinted at the pale skin.

There was nothing. No black streaks. No scar. No sign of bleeding or marring. Almost as if nothing had happened at all.

"Hmmmm" Porlyusica hummed. Still staring at where the wound should have been.

With a certain absent grace, she stood up, walking over to the counter where she had left her clipboard. Leaning against it, she perused the board once more before placing it down and staring at me.

I glanced at Natsu, who's shoulders seemed tense and agitated.

"Lucy." Porlyusica's voice was pointed but distant. "I don't pretend to know everything. But I do have a certain amount of confidence in my abilities."

I fiddled with my hands underneath the hospital sheets.

"But when you walked in here, I knew I was way beyond my expertise."

My breath halted.

She sighed.

"There were a few moments there, when I truly thought I would lose you."

I caught a glimpse of Natsu shifting, his jaw tightening.

"And then," The doctor perked up, an oddly placed smile brushing her lips. "I felt a tug in my gut that was familiar and strange at the same time, which guided me."

She looked at me and shook her head. "I'd wager you've gotten yourselves involved in something rather big."

I bit my lip. I would have to tell her then. At least some of it. "Porlyusica I-"

She held up a hand to silence me. "There is a time for everything, Lucy. I'm sure my time to join you will come. But there's no need to rush it. I can wait."

Lowering her hand, she grabbed the clipboard from the counter stood up and straightened her lab coat.

"In the meantime," She continued. "All I ask is that you avoid coming here again." She harrumphed in her usual exasperated way. "I am busy you know."

As the door closed behind her again, I ran my fingers down my side where I had felt the sting of a shadow's claw.

'Don't forget me this time, okay?'

The memory of her voice sent a chill down my spine. I could never forget her... or the images she showed me.

The broken remnants of my home. Of our guild.

I shook my head. No, that didn't matter. What mattered now was what lay ahead of us. The first step was getting home. The rest could come after.

Natsu still looked at me, tense and agitated. Realizing this might be in part do to a pained expression on my face, I quickly adjusted back to him with a smile.