Erza gave Juvia the night off on Friday. She had originally planned to spend her evening reading a romance novel but Lucy had other plans.

"You need a night out." The blonde told her. "Why don't you come with me to the tavern?"

"I don't know." Juvia said. "I've never really fit in at bars and places like that."

"It's not a bar. It's a fairly nice place. Most of the people who go there are very friendly and you can meet Mirajane."

"Who's she?"

"A waitress who works there and one of my best friends. She's really sweet and welcoming."

"I...I suppose it wouldn't hurt to go there. I haven't really been out since I came here. Why not?"

"Great."

So the two young women went to the tavern and just as Lucy had said it a very nicely built place. The people there were very friendly. They sat at a table and was greeted by a very pretty and attractive waitress with long white hair.

"Hi Lucy." She greeted with smile.

"Hello Mirajane. I'd like you to meet Juvia. She's the new governess Erza hired." Lucy introduced.

"Nice to see a new face in here." Mirajane said. "Can I get you two anything?"

"I'll take a martini." Lucy said.

"Just tea please." Juvia said.

"Coming right up." Mirajane went in the back to get their drinks.

"You were right is it a nice place." Juvia told Lucy. "Does Erza or anyone else from the house come here?"

"Erza doesn't get out much but Cana's a frequent visitor. You know this place is owned by Laxus's and Erza's grandfather Makarov. He's a sweet old guy. I've always liked him."

"Is he close with the family?"

"Yes but he's recently been having some health problems. Poor man has been in and out of the hospital for God knows how long."

"That's terrible."

"Yeah. Mirajane's been running the place while he's recovering."

"I hope he gets better."

"He will. He may be old but he's still young at heart."  Lucy said. "So on a different subject how are you liking it here in Magnolia?"

"I haven't been to a lot of the places here but I love working for your sister."

"Stepsister." Lucy corrected. "Is Romeo giving you any trouble?"

"Oh no. Not at all. I mean sometimes he does act unreasonable but that's how all children are. He's a very sweet boy and everyone in the house is so kind to me. There's nothing really bothering me... Except..."

"What?"

"It's nothing."

"Come on you can tell me."

"It's just that... Recently I've been having these strange dreams."

"Well when you live in a creepy old house nightmares aren't uncommon."

"They're not nightmares Lucy. They're just...I don't know how to explain it. But in the dreams I'm still living in the house but I'm with different people, my clothes are different, I even go by a different name. I'm still me but I'm just different and there are these two people in my dreams who I feel like play a big part in my life."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know who they are and I can't make out their faces but I can feel their emotions toward me. I feel like the first person loves me so much and only wants to protect me but I feel like the second person hates me and wants to hurt me. It's all so confusing."

"No kidding. Any idea what all that means?"

"No. I wish I did though."

"Maybe you should talk to Cana about it. She is a therapist."

"I would but I can't afford a therapist."

"Don't worry about it. She'll do it free of charge."

"Alright then."

"Here you go ladies." Mirajane said bringing their drinks over. "Now would you like anything to eat?"

"We'll have-" Lucy started.

"Lucy!" All heads turned to the angry young man who had just stepped into the tavern. It was Lucy's boyfriend Dan and he looked very mad. He stormed over to where they were sitting. "Let's go."

"Dan what are you doing here?" Lucy asked.

"We need to talk Lucy! Now!"

"About what? Where we going?"

"Move it!"

He grabbed Lucy roughly by the arm and pulled her from the table.

"Hold on you can't just-" Juvia started to interject.

"It's fine Juvia." Lucy told her. "We're just going outside to talk. I'll be right."

She smiled calmly like there was nothing to be afraid of but both Juvia and Mirajane could see the fear in her brown eyes as she was being dragged outside.

"Oh no not again." Mirajane said nervously.

"Who is that man?" Juvia asked.

"That's Lucy's boyfriend Dan Straight."

"I've heard Erza mention him a few times. From what I know she doesn't like him."

"She's not the only one. That man is poison."

"What do you mean?"

Mirajane became quiet for a moment and then hesitated before a answering.

"Lucy would kill me if I told you this but maybe if she has more than one friend telling her to leave him she'll listen."

"Listen to what? What are you talking about?"

"Dan is a local thug and total sadist. Lucy started dating him after she fell for that misunderstood bad boy facade he puts on but he treats her horribly. He demeans her, slaps her around, manipulates her, he's down right abusive."

"Does Erza know about this?"

"No one knows. No one except me and I only know because I caught him getting violent with her one night at the tavern when he was drunk. I took Lucy back to my place and cleaned her up. She told me everything and swore me to secrecy. I wanted to go to the police but Lucy said she'd never forgive me and that she would just deny everything."

"This is terrible. Why does she stay with him?"

"Your guess is as good as mine. I've begged her to leave him I don't know how many times but she just won't listen to me. I'm terrified that one of these days she might end up...I don't even wanna think about it."

Juvia knew all too well how scary it was to be abused. She knew how it felt to constantly be terrified of one person in particular who would constantly try to hurt you every time they got around you. She had lived with an abuser throughout her childhood and he still haunted her. But the biggest difference between Lucy and Juvia in this case was that while Juvia got away from her abuser as soon as she could, Lucy for some reason willingly stayed with hers. Juvia wondered how anyone could stay with an abuser willingly.

"We need to tell someone." Juvia said.

"That won't do any good. Lucy will just deny the abuse. She's convinced that monster is the only one who understands her." Mirajane said.

"Where did she get that idea?"

"God only knows."

An hour later Lucy came back inside and she had a black eye.

"Lucy are you alright?" Juvia asked.

"I'm fine." She said.

"Your eye."

"I slipped and fell. I'll be alright."

"Lucy I think that-"

"I said I'll be alright." Lucy said sternly. "So are we going to eat or what?"

Juvia and Mirajane both looked at her with deep concern but they didn't say anything else about it for the rest of the night.