My lungs burned. My legs ached. Adrenaline flowed to every part of my body. My mind was in panic mode but I kept going. I couldn't stop. I had to keep moving. This was my only option. It wasn't my fault. I wanted freedom. Yet, freedom wasn't free. No, it came with a price.

A price I refused to to pay. A price that I wouldn't willingly give up. I had to keep running if I valued my life, for that was the price. My life. The life that wasn't mine. It was like vines crawling up and around a large tree.

It was like weeds trying to choke a beautiful flower. The life I wanted to escape. Not like he would let me leave. He wanted to control me. He wanted to control every aspect of my life. He wouldn't just let me leave. He wanted me under his thumb. He wanted to keep me there until he found a replacement. Until he could train someone to be the same way he is.

It's not like he cared for me. He never did. He didn't love me. He was incapable. I was an exactly copy of his pain. So he avoided me. He neglected me. He didn't raise me. The servants of the house did. He didn't eat with me. It was the servants. He didn't play, teach, or acknowledge me. It was all the servants.

But there was some servants. Some I hated and caused me pain. The ones who reported any questionable act they saw. Every physical flaw. Every verbal flaw. Every emotional flaw. Then he would see it to himself that I fixed it. That was the only time we did anything together. Other than him telling me the life he planned out for me.

My foot hit a loose brick and I stumbled. Why we there a random brick in the middle of an alleyway anyway? I grabbed the wall for support and kept going. I was half athletic. I built up some muscle before he put a "stop" to it. I did stop. Doing it in public or in the open. I had decided at a young age (like 10 or so) that I would be as rebellious as I could. Considering how I got beat every time I got caught but still. I trained myself in secret. Made new friends out of the different servants. Was mean to people she didn't like.

Dogs barked in the distance slowly and quickly following my scent. I know that was contradictory but the people following her were doing exactly that. Curse those stupid dogs. I hope they run away. He couldn't be bothered to hire athletic guards. Sure they were buff but they couldn't run five miles. Lucky me. Then they had to hold the dogs back which is why they are moving quickly.

I spotted a river and a dock. Yet, no boat. Shit. What now? I look down the street for help bit there was none. I didn't have time. The dog's barking grew louder. Maybe they were jogging? Not good. They would catch up. No they couldn't. They couldn't catch me. I wouldn't let them. I ran to the dock and stood at the edge wondering what to do. Keep running or jump?

The river was fast and deep. Not good combinations. At least it would prevent them from following me. She had gotten swimming lessons. The most basic ones. Oh sure. Like that would help. I look at my clothes that I had left with. A long ball gown, a small white shawl, and my jewelry.

"There she is! GET HER!" Shit. They caught up. So, jump or not? Thier footsteps grew louder and I thought of life if I go back. He would be extremely pissed. I would be punished. He might start beating me and end when I could barely breathe. He'll teach the suitor to do the same. Yup. That would be my life. Funny how I know that already right?

Without another thought I jumped into the river. I held my breath but it didn't help. The cold river took my breath away. I opened my mouth to suck in a breath only to remember that I was still under water as cold, disgusting river water flooded my mouth.

I struggled to get to the surface. I kicked my legs but my dress was trying to drown me. My head finally broke the surface and I coughed up the water I swallowed. I took a knife from my thigh and cut around the bottom of my dress. I then cut off the sleeves of my dress and shed my shawl.

Yes, I had trained myself with knives. I wanted to learn to use other weapons but l had no access to them. Yeah, like they would let the daughter of a huge business tycoon near any weapons. As if. The thought was almost laughable. Actually it might be. However, like I had any time to laugh at this moment in time.

I put the knife back in place now finding it easier to move and swim. I look back to see the men trying to rent a small boat. I began to swim only to be caught on a hidden current beneath the surface. It started to drag me down pulling beneath the water before letting me take a breath. The men noticed. I caught glimpses of them standing there watching me. I faintly heard what they were saying.

"Should we leave her? What do we do?"

"Call the master." A pause.

"She jumped into the river. Are you sure? That isn't a problem. I was just making sure. Alright then. It will be done."

"What did he say?"

"Leave her. It's easier this way. Less work, less pain, more pay, no screaming or fighting."

"All that for leaving her?"

"Yup."

"What are we waiting for?" With that they left. Even the dogs seemed to calm down. The cold water was beginning to take its toll. It sapped my energy and heat leaving me shivering. Black began to edge my vision. I could feel my muscles shutting down. I knew that if I lost consciousness that I would drown.

There was nothing that I could do. No one would miss me. I ran today because it was my only chance. The one chance I had to escape. Escape. Yeah. I did that. I jumped into a river to "escape".

This was the price. It was time. Time to give my life for my "freedom". Something in my mind said no. It isn't time yet. You still have life ahead of you. You can't give up yet. But I was doing just that; In a sense. I was still fighting. Fighting the river, who was winning. In the distance I heard a faint splashing. Maybe it was closer but my normal senses seemed to be shutting down as well.

My vision became blurry. My mouth was filled with the taste of the fowl river and was sliding down my throat. My hearing was going haywire. All I felt was the freezing water. I felt the water start to cover my head and I took one last breath. The lower I sunk the more my lungs burned. But it was different than when I was running.

I let go of some air creating bubbles. It released some tension in my lungs before saying they needed air. The one thing they needed, I couldn't give. The blackness in my vision increased. The last thing I felt before completely blacking out was a pair of strong arms gripping my waist.

~~Natsu's POV~~

It was dark. Not pitch black but dark enough. But what can you expect? It's 9:30 at night. Why would it be bright at 9:30 PM? I was walking the streets of a town. The town? I didn't bother to find out.

I was walking home from a job in maybe Clover? Haregon? Windchime? I couldn't remember. It wasn't like I cared. I was by myself. My friend, Happy, didn't come this time. He was sick. Happy is my cat. The most unusual about him is his fur. It's blue. Yes, I said blue. People might think I did it but they would be wrong. That's animal cruelty, which I am strongly against. I found him on the streets when I walking home from a job a few years earlier. I'm guessing that whoever had him first did it. Apparently it was with permanent dye 'cause it never came out.

So here I was walking home because I hated transportation. Don't even get me started. I was maybe halfway home? A third? An eighth? How much is an eighth of the way home? Or a third? Or a half? It's not like it was important. All I knew for sure was I wasn't in my home town.

So I was walking through the town when I bump into something. Now who would be stupid enough to stand in my way? I know freezer breath was. There was actually quite a few who could but they weren't here. So who's in my way?

"What are you doing walking through our turf at night?"

"What's it to you? I don't need a permit to go home."

"You do when you walk on our turf."

"Well, I don't know who you are soo...

"You don't know who we are?"

"Nope." I popped the 'p'. "Do you know who I am?"

"Not a clue."

"Then I guess we're even." I push past the leader shoving him into a wall. One of the other guys grabbed my shoulder.

"You shouldn't have done that."

"Why can't I? It's not like you can do anything about it." With that the "leader" stood and punched me in the face. I wiped my jaw along the back of my hand checking for blood.

"You really don't know who I am." It was more of a statement than a question. I chuckled. I pulled my gloves out of my back pocket and slipped them on. I would have put them on earlier but I got distracted. The reason they were off in the first place was the restaurant's fault. They knew my work and the were taking "precautions" whatever that meant.

"Know what happens when you play with fire?" They gave me blank looks.

"You get burned!" I yelled. Fire danced around my fists as my gloves created a small clicking sound. Fear swam in their eyes as they stared at the fire. Without hesitation I swung my fist into the "leader", who was pretty pathetic if you ask me.

I punched the guy who still held my shoulder in the stomach and he made a low groaning sound. The rest who were still frozen with shock snapped out of their daze. Finally "warmed up" I waited for the charging group of men to get within range.

The battle was over in seconds with all the men groaning in pain. All had scorch marks on them and the leader had the most. He just wouldn't stay down. He kept trying to sneak up on him and distract him but it didn't work.

"Next time, you might want to think before you mess with The Salamander."

"S-salamander?"

"That's right. Now, if you'll excuse me I'm gonna go home." I kicked him in the stomach as I passed effectively knocking him out.

I continued on my path and walked onto a bridge. I paused when I saw a girl on the dock. She had a long ball gown and golden hair that shined in the moonlight. She stood at the edge as if wondering whether she should jump or not.

I heard dogs in the distance and I saw her look back. She jumped into the water and came up a minute later. She took a knife and cut off the clothes that were dragging her down. Smart girl.

Men ran up to the dock saw her in the water and tried to rent a boat? I gaze went back to the girl and saw as she got caught in a hidden current. She fought to stay above the water as the men watched. I was close enough to hear their conversation.

"Should we leave her? What do we do?"

"Call the master." A pause.

"She jumped into the river. Are you sure? That isn't a problem. I was just making sure. Alright then. It will be done."

"What did he say?"

"Leave her. It's easier this way. Less work, less pain, more pay, no screaming or fighting."

"All that for leaving her?"

"Yup."

"What are we waiting for?" With that they turned and. left. The now calmer dogs walking obediently by their masters. I look at the girl and see the energy leaving her. Should I save her? What did she do that her family didn't want her anymore?

I my vest and gloves and stuffed them in my backpack. I then placed it on the edge of the bridge and jumped in. She sank beneath the water and I dove down to catch her. I wrapped my arms around her waist and swam to the surface.

~~Lucy's POV~~

My eyes fluttered and I coughed up the water in my lungs. I breathed in the cool night air as my vision became clearer. My body ached from the pressure of the river and trying to stay afloat. A pink blob floated above me in mind strained to figure out what it was. I groaned as a pain flooded into my head.

"Did you have fun swimming in the river?" The voice had a calming factor to it that helped me relax.

"Worst swimming experience in my life."

"Why were those men chasing you?"

"Are they gone?!" I sit up fast and whirl my head around trying to find them. I stopped when a throbbing in my head made everything go blank. Other muscles scream in protest of the sudden movement. I groaned and held my head.

"It's ok. They're gone. Relax." The pain in my head lessened as he rubbed my back but it didn't disappear completely and I look at my savior. I leaned against him as I could no longer stay up by myself. His onyx eyes stared into mine and his muscular body filled the great of my vision. He wore a black vest with gold trim, white trousers, goggles sat in his hair, and a while scaled scarf hung around his neck.

"You sure?"

"Yeah. Why were they chasing you?"

"He sent them after me." My voice caught in my throat.

"Who?"

"My father."

"Wh-"

"I escaped the mansion. The only chance to leave and I took it."

"That doesn-"

"Let's not talk about it right now. Just do to let them find me." My voice began to fade and my eyes felt heavy.

"So, I'm gonna guess you don't have a place to sleep. " I shake my head.

"I guess he should find a hotel then."

"Yeah... Good night... Pinky." The word slipped from my mouth as blackness enveloped me. The last thing I heard sounded something like 'Natsu' before blackness cut off all other senses.