Natsu

Luce didn't show up for practice today. It wasn't later in the day did I get a text from her saying:

I have an emergency family situation in Haregon! I'm sorry I hopped on the train sorry left right away!

Alright, I guess. If it's an emergency there's no way of stopping her. But I was surprised how quiet it could be without her around. Damn, it was beyond quiet. A ghost could jump me at any moment and I wouldn't know.

Sunday passed without any further incident. We trained but it didn't feel the same without Lucy in the penalty area ready to receive my killer passes. I even had to dial them down so I didn't wear out the more senior members with them. We only went on for about half the practice time since it was our day off. After practice, Erza, Gray and I headed over to the hospital to check on our three injured players. They were still sleeping off the medicine so we didn't stay too long. Erza got the full medical report thingy and Lucy was right. They'll be up on their feet in no time.

Lucy didn't text me for the rest of the day. I just played it off as something really urgent that use of her phone was prohibited. Monday came and I waited outside her house that morning. She still wasn't back from her trip yet so I sulked lonely towards school and all throughout the day without any energy. My classmates were aware of my sudden change of behavior and it seemed like they knew the cause of it.

Practice was just as uneventful as the day before. No fun, nothing! Only passing and scrimmaging half-heartedly waiting for their beloved striker to return to the field.

Tuesday... game day came. The halls of Magnolia High School were decorated with the colors of the Fairy Tail FC. Banners strung everywhere. 'Good Luck' in almost seventeen different languages written on them. On game day, we wore our jerseys for the whole day. It was a tradition that I wanted to share with Luce but when I was at her house that morning, she still wasn't back yet.

The clock ticked away; hours to the game drawing closer. I wasn't the only one anxious about Lucy's sudden 'family business', though. Gray, Erza and the whole team including Coach were a little giddy about her leave without calling or saying a word.

No, I know Luce. There's something going on.

My suspicion was confirmed at 4:00 that afternoon. The stadium was starting to field up with our fans and some of Phantom's. Fairy Tail were in the locker rooms, putting on our gear as we each sulked with the sudden disappearance of Lucy.

It wasn't until Loke burst into the room, geared up and panting. Everybody looked at him as if he just jumped out of the volcano and survived.

"Guys," he panted. He must've ran a very long way and do remember he hates running with a passion. "I think there's something wrong."

We exchanged looks before Erza spoke for all of us, "You have to be more specific, Loke. What's wrong?"

Our teammate swallowed his spit, "Natsu! What did Lucy text you exactly?"

"She had some kind of family emergency in Haregon so she had to book it on Sunday," I replied. "Haven't heard from her since."

"A family emergency?!" Loke's brown eyes darkened into anger. "My ass...She could care less about her family."

That's news... All of our attention was now on him. What does he mean she doesn't care about her family? Lucy seemed like the type to talk care about anybody that is blood related or not if they're in trouble and her friend or a complete stranger, she'll be there to save them and help them in anyway she could.

"What the hell are you saying, Loke?" Gray asked.

Loke looked at the addresser, "You guys do notice that the only family she only ever talks about is her mother who passed away a little over two years ago, right?"

"She still has her dad!" I snapped. "Maybe he's in trouble!"

"Pfft, please," Loke chuckled humorlessly, "If anything, she'd be looking for him if she were in trouble."

He shook his head, "That's not the damn priority right now! Point it, I thought it was fishy when you said she had an emergency, Natsu. I know for sure it isn't family issues. She's the one in trouble!"

"How can you be so sure?" Elfman asked. "Even if she is, she still ran away for no apparent reason and lied to us. That's not manly in anyway."

"I don't think she ran away," Loke sighed. "She loved it here, didn't she? Even if she only started than a week ago. You see her face whenever she's with us, she'd never up and leave like that with a lie."

"She's been kidnap," Jellal was suddenly in the room, in his Fairy Tail red, white and orange home jersey. His shin guards weren't in yet but he was ready to go.

"K-kidnapped?!" My voice cracked. My teammates equally shocked and angry with the situation.

"What are you saying?" Erza was horrified at the news.

"Loke came to me first thing in the morning yesterday asking me to check out the security footage around the hospital; around the time when she sent Natsu the text about the condition of our teammates," he started. "It happened on Sunday, just as she was leaving. The hotel security caught the whole thing on tape. The kidnappers were just very lucky that nobody was out and about during the time it happened but their moves were sloppy; definitely not the work of professionals. In fact, I managed to get a look at one of the kidnapper's face. It was a girl, about seven with blue hair and wearing a rain coat. She confronted Lucy head on while her accomplice, a guy with green hair, hit our player across the head with a lead pipe. The girl helped Lucy onto the guy's back and they jumped into a car that passed by just in time. The vehicles was reported stolen this morning, no surprise there. A black American Mustang Cobra to be exact: license plate number PLK-0935."

Gray stomped his foot, "Did you get to see where it was heading?"

The officer nodded, "We followed it using the traffic security footage. It didn't go too far but towards the Magnolia Inn about two miles from the hospital. The last footage we got of the car, it turned into the parking lot of the Inn."

I couldn't hear anymore. I was too busy mentally scolding myself for not noticing something was completely up with her. She was beaten up when she saw Levy, Droy and Jet crucified. Lucy even cried for our friends and I couldn't do anything. I was still in shock myself until I heard her sob. An ugly sound that I never wanted to get used to. But there was nothing I could've done. It was my fault... I told her to go to the hospital with our friends, I told her to go alone. Gray should've have gone, I should've gone. None of this would happen if I didn't say anything in the first place.

That guy, how dare he lay a finger on her. How dare he knock her out than kidnap her like that. I'll make him pay; I'll make him pay dearly for what he has done to Lucy. I'll accept my crime and go to jail afterwards but I'll be sure to make him pay. All that filled my vision was my arms around that guy's throat as I squeezed the life out him for so much as touching my friend.

"Natsu?" Loke's voice made all my murderous thoughts disappear. "Where are you going?"

I looked at him out of the corner of my eye, all the anger, hatred and rage made him flinch. He blinked twice but didn't say anything.

"I'm going to save her," I growled to nobody in particular. "She's everything to me; to this team. She's our family now! There's no way those bastards are going to get away with what they did to Lucy, I'll make sure I dig their grave for them!"

I didn't stay to hear any of my teammates try to talk me out of it. My mind is set, my blood roared with determination and a single thought rotating in my head:

I'm going to save you Lucy. Even if costs me everything... No, you're my everything now, Lucy.