Magnolia General Hospital

A Team

             Anger had ripped through me when I had heard the knock. The clock had read just after midnight but all that had vanished when I answered the door. Erza stood on the porch concealing half of Lucy behind her. I tried to look past Erza to Lucy but her eyes were dead. They showed no emotion and wouldn’t even look up. Quickly I rubbed the sleep and surprise out of my eyes, “Hey, what’s going on?” I asked Erza.

                “Miss Heartfilia needs a safe place to stay, and your place came to mind. Do you mind?” she started to push past me, one arm locked onto Lucy pulling her in with her. Luce just looked at the floor, her eyes still looked dead.

                “Ya, no problem,” I stepped aside. “Here, she can sleep in here,” I pointed to my room and watched as Erza pulled her into it. I heard her tell Lucy to change and get some sleep then she came back out. “Erza, what the hell happened?” She looked at me and let out a tired sigh. She went into the kitchen and returned with two bottles of beer. She tossed on to me and opened hers. “Should you really be drinking?” I raised my eyebrows at her.

                “It’s been one of those days,” she sat on the couch, “Plus, one won’t hurt before I have to go back,” she took a swig of beer.

                I joined her on the couch and opened mine taking a drink myself, “So what’s going on?”

                “Someone broke into her loft. It’s completely wrecked,” she wiped her face before taking another drink.

                “Do you have any idea who did it?” I was trying to conceal my anger.

                “No, but we think they were after her.”

                “What!?! Why would you think that?” I half yelled.

                “Shhhh! Let her get some rest you ass!” she punched me in the arm.

                “Sorry,” I mumbled. “So why?”

                “Nothing looks like it’s missing and it was only her apartment that was hit. Whoever they were, they were specifically targeting her,” she set the half empty bottle on the side table. “If they’re tailing her then at least you’d be able to protect her. Plus, Warren said she was mumbling your name when he found her.” I tried not to blush.

                “So she stay’s here, that’s fine,” I downed my beer quickly.

                “Good,” Erza stood and downed her beer too, “Someone will drop her car here tomorrow, call if you have any problems,” she said and made for the door. “Take care of her Natsu, and put on a damn shirt” she said before she left. I leaned forward, my hands in my lap, and took a deep breath and let out a sigh. I grabbed both beer bottles and placed them by the sink in the kitchen.

                I went to my bedroom door and cracked the door open to check on her, she looked like she hadn’t moved since Erza brought her in. I flicked on the light, she just sat there, legs dangling over the bed, she hadn’t even be fazed by the light. “Lucy,” she didn’t even react to my voice or the sound of my footsteps, “you need to try and sleep,” I stopped in front of her and leaned down onto my heels. I placed my hands on her knees and tried to look into her eyes, they held the same look as when she got here, “Luce, seriously, sleep.” She didn’t budge. I stood up and looked over to her duffel bag, with a sigh I reached over and undid the zipper. I rummaged through it until I found some soft shorts and a plain tank. I brought them over to Lucy and leaned down again to look at her, “Luce, I’m going to take your sweater off and put this on you, okay?” no response or movement. Gently I tucked my fingers under the hem of her sweater and pulled it up. I got it to her shoulders then had to lift up her hands above her head to pull it off. I placed the sweater on the bed and made to take off her pants. She sat there with her shirt off, only her bra to cover her, and didn’t seem to care. I slipped her pants off easily and grabbed her tank. I lifted her hands back over her head and slipped it on, it seemed a little loose but comfy. Next, I bent down and put her feet through the holes in her shorts. Realizing this might be a bit more difficult than taking them off, I pulled her up into a standing position and used me as support. I slipped the shorts up over her calves then thighs and then rested them on her waist. I started to stand up when I felt her arms drape around my shoulders. To stunned to do anything else, I stop and stay still for a moment. Slowly I look up into her face and I find myself surprised. Her eyes are tightly closed, a tear running down the side of her face and she’s bighting her lip just trying to hold herself together

                “Natsu,” she says barely audible. I continue to stand up, her hands falling from my shoulders, due to my height, and land by her side. I wrap my arms around her, one around her back the other around the side of her head, holding her to me. I press my lips against the top of her head and we stay like that until she brings her hands up to clutch at the fabric on my waist. After a while her body starts to shake with exhaustion so I lower her down to the bed and move her into a laying position. I pull the covers over her and place my hand on her head and lean down to place my lips on her forehead. I lean back up and start to move away and leave when she feebly grabs my wrist.

                 "Natsu,” she’s barely able to keep her eyes open, “please, stay,” what grip she had on my wrist starts to loosen.

                “Sure Luce, whatever you want,” I pull the covers back and slide her body over and lay down beside her. I lay on my side, my head leaning against my hand so I can look at her. As soon as I stop moving she folds herself into me. With her head against my chest, I wrap my arms around her and rest my forehead against hers.

                With sleep heavy in her voice she whispers, “Thank you… Natsu,” I tighten my grip around her for a moment, and then relax. I smiled as I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep beside her.