Natsu

I woke up to the sound of Lucy's scream, my body reacting before my mind could.  I jumped up from the couch, my mind racing as it tried to sort out what exactly was happening.  But before I could even make a move for her bedroom, I heard the floor creak and I immediately ducked.  It was a good thing I did too otherwise I would have been decked right in the back of my head with the butt of a gun.

I kicked out my leg and spun around to face my assailant, effectively tripping him in the process.  I watched as he fell back onto Lucy's light stand, breaking it on impact.  "Shit, you gotta be more careful dude.  I can't have you breaking Lucy's things."  I chided as I kicked him.  He let out a wheeze in return, trying to get his breath back.

I was about to step over him to go to Lucy's room when I was suddenly lying on the floor, my vision blurring in and out of focus.  Everything was muffled, but I could still make out an unfamiliar voice in Lucy's room.  "Shit." I cursed to myself as I tried to stand back up, only to be pushed back down again.  I could feel a foot on the top of my back holding me down, but I was too dizzy to do anything.

"Did you get the girl?"  The voices sounded like whispers, but they were in close enough range for me to hear them clearly.

"Yeah.  The stupid bitch stained my shirt with mustard though."

"Just wash it in cold water and rub some stain remover on it, no big deal."

"Yeah, guess you're right."  They stopped talking after that.  I tried to get back up for a second time when I felt the foot come off my back, but was unable to.  My head was swimming with pain and the last thing I saw before blacking out completely was the mustard stain guy carrying Lucy's limp body out the door.

"Natsu, get up." I groaned and rolled over on my side, not ready to get up.  Why couldn't Gray just leave me alone and let me get some sleep?  I swear that fuck head never let's me--wait, Gray?  My eyes flew open and I instantly sat up, my head smashing into something hard.  "Shit!  What the fuck Natsu?" Gray swearing at me was the last thing I heard before I was knocked back out.

The next time I woke up both Gray and Juvia were staring at me, except this time Gray was standing back at a distance, a pack of frozen pomegranate seeds resting on his head. "Are you okay Natsu-san?" Juvia asked as she lowered her hand to help me off the floor.

I nodded my answer and got up, my back aching from having slept on the floor for so long.  "How long was I out?" I asked while rubbing my head.  I could feel a huge lump as I rubbed it, courtesy of mustard stain guy's accomplice.

"We tried calling you this morning and came over when you didn't answer.  Juvia thinks it's only been over night, but it's only been ten minutes since you hit Gray-sama."  Juvia explained.  I sighed and stood up.  I held my hand out to take hold of the back of the couch when my head spun--the light in the room seemingly brighter than it used to.  I'm pretty sure it was a concussion, or in other words something I really didn't need right now.

I closed my eyes for a couple seconds before moving.  "They took Lucy.  That mustard stain guy and his friends." I mumbled as I made my way to the front door.  "We need to go find her."

"You're right, we do need to go find her."  Gray said.  "But you're not coming with."

"Why the hell not?!" I exploded as I turned around to face Gray.  Although in retrospect I probably shouldn't have turned so quickly, because I only added basis to his point.

"You're not fit to go on a mission you flame head.  If you go you'll just fuck it up."

"If you go you'll just fuck it up." I mocked, anger coursing through me.  It was my fault Lucy had been taken, and I'd be damned if I wasn't going to be part of the mission.  I was going no matter what, but I wasn't about to disclose that with Popsicle face.  "Let's just go so we can tell Gramps.  I need to go see Wendy anyway." I mumbled after Gray shot me a dirty look. 

It was silent after that, nobody disagreeing.  I followed them out the door, grabbing my bag on the way out.  It was quiet in the car, save for the mellow music Gray had turned on minutes prior.  It was total snooze fest compared the more upbeat music Lucy and I usually listened to, but I guess it was still alright.  Nothing wrong with a little reggae once in awhile.

I looked out the window as we made our way back to the warehouse, my head pounding and my thoughts on Lucy.  To be totally honest I was still peeved with her, but I couldn't deny that I really was no longer mad at her.  It was hard to be mad at that girl, which made me all the more peeved.  I had no idea why, but that just the way it was with her.  Which also made me more upset and angry at her captors.  I groaned inwardly and rubbed my face, frustration building up inside of me.

"Are we almost there?" I asked.  My eyes met Gray's through the rearview mirror, his calm and collected, and mine determined and unforgiving.  And then he looked away, not a word out of him.  "Gray."

"Just a couple more minutes." Juvia replied instead, giving Gray a sideways glance.

"Thanks." She nodded and I returned to staring back out the window.  I yawned as I watched the buildings pass by.  I rest my head on the window, feeling exhausted.  I had no idea why, but I allowed it to take over me anyway.  Anything to make Gray's sluggish driving go quicker.

My eyes opened when the car stopped, my head throbbing.  I looked around, disoriented.  It was pitch black, and I couldn't move.  My palms began to sweat and my heart began to pound as I struggled against the restraints.  I had no idea what was going on, and I was beginning to panic.

I quickly shut my eyes as a bright light struck my eyes.  I cringed as I tried to open them again, my retinas burning.  "Shit." I muttered, slowly peeking them back open to see Gray right in front of me and Juvia off to his side.

"Rise and shine." He said, backing up a step and setting his hands on his hips.

"Where the hell am I?"

"Not at the warehouse."  Juvia smiled timidly, although I could tell something unsettled her.  I zeroed in on her; maybe she would tell me more than this stupid idiot could.

"Juvia, what's happening? Where am I?"

I watched as her eyes fell, her timid smile falling as well. "You're at Jude's compound.  Gray-sama and Juvia couldn't take you back to the warehouse--direct orders."  It was then I realized something I should have noticed right when I opened my eyes.  They were standing in front of me, not sitting strapped to a goddamn chair like I was.

I narrowed my eyes as anger began to build up inside of me. "You two were moles this entire time?" I asked.  It came out calm, but I was anywhere near calm.  They were quiet, their lack of an answer enough for me.  "Fuck you guys!  We trusted you!"  I nearly yelled.

"Natsu-"

"Can it Juvia!  A-and what was it when you got shot?  Huh?  Did you stage that or did your buddies over here really almost kill you?"  I raged.  I watch as Juvia stood still, a blank expression on her face.  She walked up to me slowly, her face still blank, and then slapped me.  The force was enough to send my whip my head to the side and send spit flying from my mouth.

"You don't know anything--you wouldn't even understand.  So just shut up and do as we say for once." She whispered in my ear.  I pulled back and I turned my head to face her, my eyebrows drawn down in anger before I spit on her.  It was a childish thing to do on my part, but my anger had gotten the better of me.

I watched as she flinched and quickly stepped away from me, anger and disgust clearly written on her face this time.  She turned around to leave, whispering something to Gray before walking out the door.  He looked at me briefly before following her.  But he stopped at the door, leaving his head in to say something before leaving. "Someone will be with you in a little bit.  Sorry."

I struggled against my restraints again, the short back of the metal chair biting into the small of my back.  I was starting to think that being tied to this chair was a punishment in on itself.  I winced slightly as the restraints began to rub against my wrists, the rough straps stabbing into my skin.  I stopped struggling soon after that, deciding that it was a moot point.  I was still feeling loopy from my possible concussion, plus whatever those two traitors might have put in me.  I wouldn't put it past those two to drug me if it really came down to it.

I looked around, just now taking in the room I was in.  The entire room was platinum white, only adding to the overall brightness of the room, and it was also relatively empty.  The door appeared to be metal, a square plate of glass placed in the middle of it.  There was no handle on the inside either, only a finger scanner.  There was no easy way out of this room.

I looked up and shut my eyes before releasing a scream of frustration.  Here I was stuck in a shit hole when I was supposed to be on my way to rescue Lucy from the same shit hole.  It made my blood boil that Lucy was somewhere around here and I was powerless to rescue her.  I mean, not that she couldn't rescue herself, but I still wanted to do it.

I slouched in my seat and tossed my head back to throw my over grown hair out of my eyes.  This shit seriously sucked.  All of this time we were chasing Jude, he had already caught us and we danced right into the palm of his hand.

I sighed internally and gave in to my crazy thoughts.  The deafening silence in the room wasn't doing shit to stop them, so might as well indulge in the them.  I shut my eyes again in an attempt to relax and reflected on the situation: Lucy gets captured by mustard stain guy; I get knocked out when I was supposed to be killed; I'm drugged and taken to this shit hole; Gray and Juvia were moles the whole fucking time.  My eyes flashed open when a scream reached my ears, my body reacting before my mind. "Lucy!"

I jerked up against the restraints, my veins bulging.  I knew then that I never wanted to hear her scream again, it was the equivalent to nails on a chalkboard.  It terrified me to know what could be happening to her right now, and I would have done anything to be with her right now.  I wanted to hold her, comfort her, and protect her.  The realization struck me hard while I bucked against the chair: I loved Lucy.  That's why her lie about being under cover had hurt me as much as it did.  Flaws and all (which were like like, zero in my eyes) I loved Lucy and I would do anything for her.