Never let go

14: I thought...

The teens were interrupted by a door. Lucille was shivering, her body dripping water down the stairs well as Natsu jiggled the door handle.

"The damn thing is locked." He growled, slamming his fist against the door. Looking to Lucille, he grit his teeth and turned, taking a step back and slamming his shoulder into the door.

"Natsu!" Lucille gasped as he slammed into it again, yelling out in frustration as the door began to crack. He yelled again and slammed forward, the door flying open in splinters as he burst through and stumbled into a wall. Lucille ran in behind him, her hand touching his back as a steward began to yell at the two.

"What do you think you're doing?!" He asked, offense evident in his tone as Natsu took Lucille's hand, looking around for the easy path towards the deck. The two were on E deck, the third class deck and Natsu grunted in annoyance. "You'll have to pay for that you know!" Natsu tugged Lucille around, looking at a stairwell directly behind them and began to walk as fast as possible to the exit, the steward hot on their heels. "That's White Star Line property!"

The teen turned and looked at the man in annoyance and exclaimed "Shut up!" in tandem. The man stopped in his tracks in surprise and Natsu tugged Lucille behind him, the two making it the stairwell quickly.

***

The doors leading out side were opened on the third deck, Gray peering out side and watching the life boats being lowered, almost completely empty.

'Damn first class.' Gray thought in his mind as crew members yelled at them to step back. The door was slammed shut and he looked up the stairwell to see Gajeel at the top, a life belt on as he shook the gate keeping them from going any farther.

"You can't keep us locked in here like animals. The ships bloody sinking!" Gajeel yelled, being shoved against the gate harder.

"Bring forward the women!" The Steward at the gate yelled before turning to one of the others with a set of keys. "Unlock the gates. Women only!" He yelled as the man did as ordered. One woman pressed through, a herd of men attempting to push through behind her. "No men!"

Men fought forward, Gajeel's back being slammed into the metal wall next to the gate. The men on the other side of the gate pushed and punched, fighting to get the gate closed as the third class passengers tried to shove their way to safety. The Steward pulled out a gun, yelling at the men to step back.

"For God's sake, man! There are women and children down here! Let us up so we can have a chance!"  Gajeel yelled loudly, slamming his fist against the gates and running back to down to reunite with his sister and Gray. He spotted a familiar head of pink hair and grabbed his sisters shoulder. "Natsu!"

"Gajeel!" Natsu exclaimed, tugging Lucille forward who had retrieved a blanket in the spanse of running over towards the stairwell. "Can we get out?"

"It's hopeless that way!" Gajeel cried out in anger.

"Well whatever we do, we've got to do it fast." Natsu said and Gajeel nodded in agreement.

"Natsu!" Gray yelled, having spotted his friend and Natsu turned, smiling in relief.

"Gray!" Natsu replied, quickly yanking his friend into his arms for a tight hug.