Chapter 12

A/N: Please enjoy?

Erza felt bad, leaving Lucy behind like that. She didn't trust herself to leave Lucy alone like that, but she had to go with the guild. She can only hope that Lucy can take care of herself, even with the sword she had given her. One can never be too cautious. Better to be safe than never.

These Phantom members were weak. But there was a lot of them, one of the variables that made their assault a bit difficult. But Fairy Tail wouldn't have it any other way. They wanted revenge, to avenge their friends that had been hurt. They will rain hell of those who had made an enemy of Fairy Tail.

The fight with the Phantom members were almost as easy as fighting a single monster, in Erza's opinion. They were weak, but they are greater in number. But they had a reason for being there, a reason that beats all odds.

Erza will make sure they pay the price.

Couple minutes later, something fell from the top, crashing into the ground with a loud thud. It was Makarov. And he was green, literally green, and magic could not be sensed. Almost making him an ordinary old man.

This grabbed the attention of every Fairy Tail members, and they were shocked as they saw their master lying on the ground in pure defeat. As if on cue, the Phantom members saw this as an opening and started to attack back with an increased boost in morale.

Fairy tail and Phantom clashed again, more fiercer than before, and Phantom was gaining ground, and was slowly pushing Fairy Tail to the edge of defeat.

Conflicted, and concerned for the master and her members, Erza quickly ordered the guild to retreat, and ordered Natsu to carry Makarov out of the guild, even though he wanted to keep on fighting.

Erza scanned the area one last time before retreating. But something had captured her eyes. She saw Gajeel, the iron dragon slayer with another person, assumingly one of the Element 4 because of the way he stood. But something more specifically had caught her eyes.

Gajeel was holding something. Why did it look so familiar? But when Gajeel brought it to his mouth and munched on it with a grin, enjoying the view before him, she suddenly remembered. It was the sword she had given to Lucy. Erza was sure of it. But why did Gajeel have it?

Erza glared at the dragon slayer and walked toward him. Gajeel noticed the Titania of Fairy Tail approaching him and smirked.

"Gajeel. That sword. Where did you get it?" Erza said, gesturing to the half-eaten sword.

Gajeel smirked. "I may or may not have gotten it from a certain celestial blonde mage." Gajeel said, while waving his half-eaten sword.

Erza glared at the phantom member with a murderous look. Had Lucy been captures? Erza clenched her fists tightly. If so, then she needed find her quickly. She knows exactly how well Lucy can cope with these types of situations.

"Where is she!?" Erza shouted at the iron dragon slayer.

Gajeel acted innocent, munching on the sword for more taunting and smirked. "I wonder what you are talking about."

Erza did not have time for this. Lucy must be scared. She had promises to keep. She must be at their headquarters. But where?

She could beat the shit out of Gajeel and demand where Lucy is. But she knows, by magical feels, that Gajeel was strong. She didn't have the time to fight. Lucy may be in terrible danger for all she knows. She turned around and ran out of the guild, quickly grabbing a random weak Phantom member. Once at a safe distance, she glared at the man and drew her sword at his chin murderously.

"Tell me where your headquarters are." Erza did not leave any room for mercy, as it was an order.

The man beneath the sword trembled. "It's...j-just ahead..." The man sweated bullets as Erza glazed at him more intently with venom eyes.

"It's the truth!" The man shouted.

Erza then knocked him out cold and tied him up and left him there. Erza made her way to the headquarters of the Phantom in hopes of finding Lucy.

"I'm coming Lucy."

...

Lucy felt heavy. She felt groggy. And she couldn't move her arms. Why? Oh...because they were tied behind her.

Once Lucy regained more of her bearings, she realized she was in a cell. This immediately made Lucy go into a panic attack.

A cell like the one Lucy was in...not a good sign for Lucy. Her heart began to speed up a little as she grabbed onto the reality of what was happening to her.

Lucy scanned around. It was a cell, but she was unfamiliar with it. Why was she here and where is she?

"Are you awake, Miss Lucy Heartfilia?" An eerie voice filled the room.

Lucy got shivers from the voice and noticed how cold the voice sounded like. The owner must be bad news.

"Who are you?" Lucy asked, slowly walking backward to the other side of the cell.

A man opened the door to the cell and walked inside. The man was as creepy as the voice from seconds ago. "I am Jose, Phantom Lord's guild master."

"Phantom!?" Lucy was shocked. Why would Phantom kidnap her? Then she remembered. She was kidnapped by the Element 4. But why would they want her?

"My sincere apologies for having to use a dirty cell and restraints, but you are still my prisoner. I ask for your understanding." Jose said, smirking.

Lucy trembled. She doesn't know what's going on. She wanted to go home, to Erza.

"Untie me." Lucy gritted her teeth.

"I'm fully ready to treat you as an esteemed guest rather than a prisoner, only if you behave." Jose smirked.

"Why did you attack us?" Lucy asked...while sticking to the wall.

"Fairy Tail? That was just a side-division." Jose said, with an evil glint in his eyes.

Lucy did not miss this, and made her question him. "Then tell me, what is your goal?" Lucy tried to move her hands to her belt to grab for her keys and failed miserably. Mostly because Lucy realized that her keys and sword are missing. She must've dropped it when she was captured by those Element 4.

Jose smirked. "It was to acquire a certain individual, which happened to be in Fairy Tail. That's why we decided to attack your guild while we're at it."

Individual? In Fairy Tail? Lucy didn't want to believe it. Was she the cause? Why would they want her?

"Why do you want me?"

"The daughter of the Heartfilia Concern. Your father had hired us to bring you back."

Lucy paled. Her father? He wants her back? For what? Lucy will not go back. She has a new home.,a new family that would care for her. No, she refuse to go back.

"I absolutely refuse to go back!" Lucy yelled as tears started to stream down her cheeks. "I'm never going back to that place!"

"Oh, my. What a problematic girl." Jose noted.

Lucy trembled. She rather die than going back to the mansion. Lucy looked around the room that Lucy could escape out of. The only way out of the cell was the door Jose had come in.

Now...how could she get around Jose? She began to think of different ways to escape.

Lucy had just then realized that Jose had been talking, rambling about how much he hated Fairy Tail, plus his back was facing her. Lucy had a quick decision and decided to act on it. She'd do anything to stay away from her Father. She would fight, no matter how scared she was, to never go back to the house where her father is...

She brought her foot to Jose's hood as hard as she could, causing Jose to double over in pain. Without hesitation, Lucy ran to the door, but...

She was in a tower, and she was really high up. If she jumped from this height, she would not survive.

"How dare you!" Jose heaved as he awkwardly walked to where Lucy was. "Now, come here. It's time for your punishment. You need to be taught how terrifying Phantom can be."

Lucy paled. Punishments...blood...knifes...blood...bruises...darkness...starvation. Lucy...will NOT...go back...ever.

"NO!" Lucy screamed as she let herself fall backward, and started falling to the ground fast.

The last thing Lucy saw was the shocked looked on Jose face. Probably the best thing she saw today. She closed her eyes as the wind whistled past her. She doesn't want to see the ground approaching, the impending death.

Sorry Erza, this is a goodbye, I refuse to go back to my Father. You've been a wonderful friend. Fairy Tail, thanks for giving me a second chance.

"LUCY!" A voice called out. Lucy did not respond, thinking it was her mind playing tricks on her.

Then She felt something bump into Lucy, hard, as the trajectory changed and before Lucy realized, she was now on the ground, and somebody was embracing her hard.

"Lucy?" The voice called out again. The voice was soft and was trembling.

Lucy opened her eyes, and saw a familiar pair of eyes looking back at her.

"Erza!?" Lucy had never been so glad to see her.

Erza hugged her tightly. "Lucy...I'm so glad you're okay, they didn't torture you did they?"

Lucy then realized that her hands were free. Erza must've cut them after catching her. Lucy embraced her back.

"I'm fine. Thank you..." Lucy cried, tears flowing down her cheeks.

Erza held her close. "What happened?"

"My father is coming after me."

Erza's blood froze.

"He hired Phantom to take me back."

Erza gritted her teeth angrily. It all made sense now. For them to attack now...of all times.

Erza sighed. "Let's go back. Master is injured. Everybody is hurt. We will have to think of a plan once we get back." Taking Lucy back was the priority, Phantom can wait.

Lucy was shocked. Master was injured? This was all her fault. "I'm sorry." Lucy's tears came out as waterfalls

Erza comforted her. "It's no one's fault."

"Everyone's hurt because of me." Lucy sniffed, covering her eyes with her hands, more tears falling out.

Erza stroked Lucy's back in a circular motion to calm her down. "I doubt anybody would blame you. You're family, and they would never abandon you. I would never abandon you. If anything, I should be the one to say sorry." Erza hated herself, she thought Lucy would be safe. 

"What for?" Lucy asked, speculating why Erza would be apologizing.

"I promised that you would be safe. But...but..." Erza trembled. She broke her promise... "You got kidnapped..." Erza tightened her embrace around Lucy, afraid that Lucy might disappear the moment Erza's not looking.

Lucy softly smiled. "I don't blame you." Lucy knew that Erza meant well. No one could've guesses that they would be after her. "I'm fine now, thanks to you."

Erza was not convinced. She must repay for her broken promise. She will make sure that Lucy is safe and alive.

"...Erza...your armor is poking me." Lucy voiced, not liking how uncomfortable it felt against her.

Erza responded by ex-quiping out of her armor.

Erza and Lucy remained in their embrace for couple more moments. Erza enjoyed having Lucy pressed against her. And Lucy enjoyed the warmth of Ezra.

Erza was glad that Lucy was okay, after falling out of the tower like that. Lucy felt guilty for a lot of things. First, for giving up, not trusting in her friends...and her family. She had not told anyone, even Erza...about exactly where she came from.

Lucy shook her head. "There's something I had not told you yet." Lucy felt that Erza deserved to know the truth...after everything that had happened...

"What do you mean?"

"My family..."

"Your family?" Erza wondered what Lucy could mean by her family...where she came from?

Lucy hanged her head and started to tremble. "I'm...the daughter...of the Heartfilia Concern."

Erza eye's widened in surprise. So Lucy's rich? So that means...her father...Jude Heartfilia was an abuser? Who would've thought? Erza was angry now. A rich man is an abuser...she will not show mercy for that man.

"I see. Are you ashamed of it?" Erza asked, since Lucy had kept it hidden for four long years.

"...It's...just...that I don't want to be reminded of my past..."

Erza sighed. "You're safe now. Let's go back now." Erza needed to get Lucy out of here...before Phantom strikes.

Lucy hugged Erza, and held onto her tightly. Lucy was prepared to die, she was not expecting to be saved. Much less by Erza, she felt like a fool, for not trusting Erza enough.

"Let's go, I'll carry you." Erza hoisted Lucy on her back and begun to walk back to Fairy Tail. Lucy buried her face in Erza's hair and remained motionless. She hated this, she hated her father, and she hated herself for being too weak.

...

Lucy sat in the corner of the temporary pub, as that the common room of the guild is too damaged to really be used, and Erza stood next to her. Erza had a lot on her mind. Makarov cannot fight. Laxus refused to fight. Mystogen cannot be found. Lucy is being targeted. Too many variables to think through and think of a plan to make sure everyone succeed. 

Gray and Natsu walked to Lucy, hoping to cheer her up or something.

"Still feeling uneasy?" Gray asked, seeing how depressed Lucy was, tears threatening to come out.

Lucy did not respond. Natsu stepped forward, and immediately, a sword was wedged dangerously in the floor in front of Natsu.

"Leave Lucy alone." Erza glared at Natsu.

"Lucy is my friend too. Stop hogging her! I want to help her." Natsu roared. Getting impatient, wanting to help his blonde friend.

"I have a reason to. Stay away." Erza repeated, keeping her ground.

"Then tell us, why did Phantom kidnap her?" Gray asked, knocking Natsu over before he could cause any more damage. 

Erza glanced at Lucy for clearance to see if it was okay for her to tell them. "Lucy, do you want them to know?"

Lucy did not say anything. Erza shook Lucy a bit when she didn't respond.

She was sleeping.

"She's sleeping." Erza noted. She must've had a rough day, well she did, she cried a lot too on their way back.

"Why can't you just tell us?" Natsu complained.

"Because it's too sensitive for idiots like you." Erza retorted.

Mira walked past Natsu and Gray and stood in front of Erza.

"Erza, tell us. If we want to protect her, then we must know why, so we can be prepared for it." Mira said. She see Lucy as a second sister, and she'll do anything to protect her.

Erza sighed and looked at the sleeping blonde.

"Her father hired Phantom to bring her back." Erza said, careful not to spill too much, or Lucy will not be happy.

Mira knew that there were more to this. But she sees that Erza is respecting Lucy's privacy. So she decided to not push it any further... But then Erza opened her mouth again.

"She's the daughter of the Heartfilia Concern."

This shocked the entire guild, and sent them into a submissive silence.

Lucy then woke up to loud gasps throughout the room. Once fully awake, she sees that everybody was looking at her with wide eyes. She looked up at Erza, who was looking away with a guilty look.

"What?" Lucy asked, already anxious, seeing that everybody was staring at her, surprised. 

Natsu was about to say something...but started to sweat bullets and ran out of the room like a girl.

Erza crouched next to Lucy, "Sorry, I had to tell them."

Lucy looked at Erza, then at the eyes that were staring at her, then back at Erza.

"What did you tell them?" Lucy asked.

"That you are the daughter of the Heartfilia Concern, and that your father hired Phantom to bring you back."

Lucy sighed.

"You're not mad?"

Lucy looked at Erza in the eyes. "They deserved to know anyway." 

Erza sighed of relief. Knowing that Lucy would not hate her for telling without her permission.

Then the ground started to rumble. Alzack came running into the room with a paled look on his face, screaming, "Outside!"

Everyone ran outside to see what was going on, and what the source of the rumble of. Erza had to tug Lucy to go with her. She refused to leave Lucy alone anymore.

When they reached to where everybody was, they paled.

The headquarters of Phantom was walking...metal legs was moving the gigantic building toward Fairy Tail, like a gigantic spider.

Erza was trembling with shock. "I never anticipated that they would attack like this!" Erza grabbed Lucy's hand and held it tightly to reassure herself.

Then the building released something, and a canon started to form. Almost immediately it started to charge up magical energy.

Erza could sense the destructive force of the magical energy. She lets go of Lucy's hand and pushed her toward Mira before she  turned to the guild, yelling at them to get down.

Then Erza ran forward toward the walking guild and started to requip into her Adamantine Armor.

Lucy trembled slightly, knowing what was about to happen. And she knew what Erza was planning to do. She didn't want Erza do it, not alone. She tried to go to her side, but was held back by Mira

"It's too dangerous!" Mira yelled, keeping a solid grip on the blonde.

When the canon was nearing its preparation, Lucy watched helplessly as the magical energy was released at full force, with Erza in it's path.

"ERZA!" Lucy yelled as the blast made impact.

When the blast died, down, Erza was on the ground, meters away from where she was. Her armor was destroyed, but successfully stopped the canon fro harming her guild, from harming Lucy.

Lucy felt Mira's grip on her loosened, and she used that chance to run toward Erza's side. "Erza! Say something! Please be okay!" She'll never forgive herself if something happens to Erza.

"Neither Makarov and Erza can fight now. Victory is now beyond your grasp. Hand over Lucy Heartfilia. This instant." Jose said, through his speaker.

Lucy was angry now. Erza couldn't move now and it' all her fault. She doesn't want Erza or the others to suffer because of her. She grabs Erza's hand and cried.

She did not want to go back. But she does not want her friends to get hurt because of her. Makarov was already injured, Levy and her team was still unconscious, and now Erza. What can she do? 

What will be the best thing to do in this situation?


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