Star-Crossed (A NatsuXLucy Fanfiction)

Chapter 17

Natsu's P.O.V.

Days passed. Then the days turned to months. Three, to be exact. Three months without Lucy. Life was agonizing, the worst pain I'd ever felt in my whole entire life- I hated it. I barely slept at night- if I slept, I had to see her face, and my mind was cruel. I was terrorized with a dying Lucy. Every dream was different. Sometimes, she'd be drowning. Sometimes, burning. Other times, she was being tortured. Each one brought me a little closer to the brink of insanity. Our search parties always failed. The worst part was, I could no longer feel Lucy through our bond. Currently, I sat in her apartment sobbing. The last thing I'd done to Lucy while in person was yell- and then she'd mind-linked me just to tell me not to come for her. I constantly wondered what Lucy's kidnappers were doing to her. Or... or if she was still alive. Just when I was about to break and give up all hope, a group burst into Lucy's place. I looked up to see Gray, Erza, Gramps, Gildarts, Cana, and Wendy running over to me.

"I-" I began, but was cut off.

"Lucy's been spotted!" Gramps practically screamed at me. I just froze, in shock.

"W-where?" I asked, stiffening. What cruel joke was this?

"Aclyphia- apparently, she was walking around with a group of guys-" A growl ripped out of my throat, and I stood.

"As in willingly?!"

"Well... we're not sure, Natsu." Gray said, shuffling his feet a little.

"Then I'll find out for myself." my voice was cold- enough to make Gray flinch. Had Lucy willingly been with these people?! She'd- no... she'd never just stay with them...

"Natsu... they say she had marks on her back," my eyes shot up and locked with the speaker's- Erza's. Her face was pained.

"What type?" I barely got my voice louder than a whisper.

"Like...someone's taken a whip to her." That ruled out her walking with them of her own accord, didn't it? I felt something inside of me break. They'd beaten her?

I don't know what happened- one moment I'm in her room talking to them, and then the next I found myself running through Alcalyphia being followed by the six who'd informed me of Lucy's whereabouts. It didn't take long to reach the place where she'd been spotted- and my breath caught in my throat. Standing outside surrounded by four guys was my mate. My Lucy. Except she didn't look like my Luce... I didn't care. Summoning fire to my hands, I knocked the guys out and grabbed her. Her keys sat at her waist.... as did her whip. There was no reason for me to not take her straight back home. I hugged her to my chest, unaware of anything going on.

"Lucy I-"

"STOP. LET ME GO!!" She started screaming and thrashing, ripping away from me with big tears in her eyes.

"Luce- you're okay now, I've got-"

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY FRIENDS?!" She was crying now, and she ran to the four guys shaking them.

"Noah, Bane, Zeke, Chase.... wake up." Lucy was feeling for a pulse, frantically checking on them. One of the guys lifted up- a guy with dark green hair- and she hugged him.

"Bane!" He hugged her back, and frowned.

"Hey, Luce. Why're you crying?"

"Y-you and the others- you were blasted with magic from him," Lucy pointed at me. The guy who I now knew was Bane looked up at me.

"You... you made Lucy cry?!" he stood, winds wrapping around him and thunder crackling. "How dare you!!!"

"She's my friend!" I shouted before I could stop myself and ran towards him. We exchanged a few blows until Lucy started holding her head and muttering things.