Natsu had entered the Inn that the group was currently staying in. Walking through the city will a beaten woman in his arms earned him quite a lot of questionable looks. As normal he chose to ignore it.

It wasn't moments later did he walk into his room and found himself being attacked by his friends. Lucy's aunt Eva broke down at the sight of her nieces bruised body. Even though everyone around her was causing a commotion, Lucy did wake up. Her sleep was far too deep for that.

"Oi, let her rest! She's been through a lot." Natsu growled, pushing through them and placing Lucy down on her bed.

"Where did you find her?" Lyon questioned.

"Why was she taken?!" Eva cried, gripping Lyon's arm tightly.

"Natsu, was Levy correct about who took her? Have they been taken down?" Erza butted in.

Natsu was suddenly flooded with questions. Levy and Gray were as far as Natsu knew, still battling the remaining members of Nightmare Element. He had realized that him storming off after Lucy and saving her meant that he indeed cared about her safety.

As much as he didn't want to he had come to accept the fact that his role in her life was to protect her.He had not fully accepted her, though.

His feelings about her kind were still there and would be unless proved otherwise. Yet he felt drawn to her by some unknown force. 

"There was an old theatre building across the city. The guild Lucy was captured by took her there for her to be sold in an auction. Their names was Nightmare Element, just as Levy had assumed. Levy and Gray stayed behind to finish off the last two while I brought Lucy back here." Natsu explained, trying to be totally calm. 

"Sold an auction?!" Eva shouted in horror. 

True, the thought of someone being sold in an auction like livestock was a spine chilling thought. But Lucy was now safe. Natsu wasn't going to let something like this happen again. Not to her, or anyone he was traveling with. His protective instincts had finally overpowered his personal issues. 

Natsu sat on the bed next to Lucy. He was much calmer than the others around him. Eva had buried herself into a pillow on the opposite bed. Her muffled weeping was the only noise in the room.

Lyon had placed himself next to her.  Trying to be a good son to her, he wanted nothing more than for her to not be so devastated. 

Natsu couldn't tell what was going on in Erza's head. She stood by the entrance where she was when he walked in with Lucy. Her facial expression was completely blank. Her thoughts raced in her mind as she stood there silently. 

She questioned herself. Why didn't she know better than to let Lucy out of her sight? Why was she frozen stiff this whole time, being completely unable to assist her friends in rescuing her newest comrade?

These questions made her feel slightly useless. Protecting people was something she of all people was very good at. 

On countless occasions she put her own life on the line in place of someone she cared about. But this time she was too scared of the possibilities to even move.

It wasn't clear what the dark guilds motives were in the first place. The entire thing had been shrouded in mystery from the very start. 

"Natsu, why did they take Lucy for that auction? She would be worth much more to the Magic Council than she would be to just some random person." Erza questioned, her eyebrows scrunched together, her lips thinned out and pushed together.

Natsu tilted his head slightly. "I had been thinking about that. I had watched from a distance for a while before interfering. There were other girls there and some of them were wizards. But the auctioneer said nothing about Lucy having magic. Actually, I don't think he even knew. I suppose they took her because of her looks. Plus he called her by the name Lucy Rineheart." 

Erza felt like a weight had been lifted off her chest. Hearing that meant that Lucy's true identity was still hidden.  It wasn't known that she was a Celestial Wizard, just yet. Hopefully it never would. As of now she was the safest she could be. 

"As unfortunate as the situation was. That is a relief to hear. We would have to leave Crocus immediately if even a single person knew who she really was. At least now we can stay until Lucy regains her strength." Erza nodded. 

"Do you think Gray and Levy will be okay?" Lyon questioned, adding into the conversation that was going on.

"I have no doubt that they will arrive here soon. Gray isn't one to give up no matter how nasty things get." Erza replied, relaxing her body and taking a seat on the carpet. 

"Plus he has Levy there to back him up. They should have the rest of the guild dealt with soon." Natsu flashed Lyon a confident smirk.

He nodded his head. It wasn't hard to believe that those two wouldn't have much trouble. Lyon grew up with Gray so he knows first hand just how stubborn he could be when it comes to losing.

It seemed Eva had cried herself to sleep because all the noise she was making ended, leaving the room silent. 

The other four stayed quiet as well. They waited for their friends to walk through the door with smiles on their faces, saying that all the danger had passed.

Natsu watched Lucy contently as she slept peacefully next to him. Happy hadn't said anything the entire time. He probably didn't know what to think of all of this. 

 "Na..tsu.." Lucy's silk voice uttered. 

Natsu raised his eyebrow. She hadn't woken up yet but she had said his name. Which meant she was most likely dreaming about him. His lips parted slightly as he brushed a few stray strands of hair from her face. 

"Dammit, Lucy." He muttered softly, not loud enough for anyone else in the room to hear.