CHAPTER 28

When I woke up, the universe's gnarliest fucking hangover took over my entire being. It wasn't even until the sun pretty much set that could even make it out of bed. And to my surprise, Natsu didn't force me to go to work once, on the contrary, he didn't even attempt to wake me up this morning.

And what a morning it was. It started out with utter confusion as to why in hell my skin was drenched in semen and also why my vagina felt so swollen. At first, I didn't remember even drinking that much but then as the puking and migraines went on, the memories began flowing.

And I remembered that raven-haired bitch's smug grin as she injected me with that date rape drug. But I guess that's a watered-down name for it.

The only regret I really had was not telling her how Sting shit his pants when I shot the life out of his purposeless body.

And the one other thing that really stuck in my mind were the words, "Sincerely Igneel."

I slowly sat up, feeling all the ache immediately rush back to my brain. A grunt fell from my lips as I tried to get a grip on my thoughts.

Also, didn't that bitch say that… the drug killed Dad-er-Jude?

The curiosity in my mind were drowned out with pain and I tilted my head back with a long, dramatic moan.

And right on cue, but not to my prediction, Gildarts opened the bedroom door, "She's awoken."

I squinted to look at the butler and then down to my completely exposed tits. But, you know, I didn't really give a shit about humility while agony possessed me. "Meds. Advil. Illegal drugs." I pressed my palms into my eyes, "Something."

Gildarts pulled out a bottle of painkillers as fast as he'd pull out a gun. And I swiped them as fast as I could swipe a wallet. I downed a good five which clearly Gildarts was not exactly pleased about. "What happened last night?" He was quite quick with the interrogation.

I exhaled after I fully swallowed the pills and then rested my forehead in my palm. Silence ensued for a bit as I tried to file which parts of the story are classified in my mind. "I don't know if I want to tell you."

"Why?" Gildarts sat onto the edge of the bed, "Before you exited the bathroom, Gray claims to have seen Igneel's woman come out."

I hummed through the ringing of my eardrums, "Is that right?" My fingers rubbed the bridge of my nose, "Tell Gray to stop peeping."

"He was guarding you." Gildarts gave the official rhetoric.

"Last time I checked, I was the guard, not the guarded." I looked up to the man, feeling the pain subside at a ridiculously fast pace, "What the fuck did you give me?"

"Your situation before and now are different as you've become the Boss's priority." Gildarts stood up, fixing his jacket.

"Priority? Who?" I scoffed, "I might be giving him some legendary blowjobs but priority? That's you guys."

Igneel cuffed his sleeves, "It's family. In which you may marry into his one day," He turned to me, "That is, if you don't get bored of him by then."

"Me? What about him?" I gawked.

"Not a possibility." He said simply, walking out without a word more.

GENERAL P.O.V.

Gildarts closed the bedroom door and turned to see Natsu waiting, leaned up against the wall. "She didn't want to discuss any of it." He reported.

Natsu licked his bottom lip into a nod, "That's fine." He pulled out a piece of paper. A particular one that Lucy's had been previously hiding. The one with Ultear's handwriting. "I already know."

Gildarts bowed at him, "I will leave you two be and prepare the car."

Natsu slid open the door and was greeted with the sight of his naked lover with her golden head stuffed into her palms. "It's about time."

Lucy snapped her head at him and then gave him a very unfriendly frown, "It's going to take years to get your cum off of me."

"I thought it'd take years for you to be satisfied." Natsu folded his arms, leaning against the door frame.

Lucy let out a very loud groan, "Oh for Christ's sake, don't talk about it."

"I won't. If you talk instead." Natsu leaned off of the frame, "What did she say to you?"

"She?" Lucy furrowed her brows, "If you know so much, why don't you just ask her?"

"I will." The pink-haired Boss sat on the edge of the bed, "But you first."

"It was just some bitchy talk." Lucy rolled her eyes, "I guess she can't handle I got my hands on the hotter Dragneel."

Natsu wasn't phased by the comment at all. "Sincerely, Igneel?" His eyes were dark now, "Where'd you hear that?"

"First of all," Lucy swallowed, "Where did you hear that?"

Natsu lifted his eyebrows, "You kept whispering it in my ear, thinking it'd turn me on."

Lucy licked the top of her lip, attempting but failing at hiding a grin. "I did what?" She snickered a bit, "That's so fucking weird."

"Yeah." Natsu gripped onto her wrist pretty roughly, "Really fucking weird."

Lucy's eyes narrowed dangerously at such an action, "What? It's exciting to think you'll look like him when you're that old."

Natsu looked away and released her wrist, standing up irritated. "Fine. I'll remember not to take your dumbass out anywhere again."

He slammed the door before she could scream a response at the asshole. Lucy crunched her fingers into fists, "Dick. What a dick!"

Lucy's P.O.V.

I rolled onto Natsu's side and searched for my phone but found nothing.

Is this bastard grounding me?

I continued to roll until my feet touched the floor and came to a stand. My fingers went up to my neck that was swollen with hickeys and a particularly irritated bruise. The needle's evidence.

My wobbly legs managed to make it into the shower and I let the hot water boil off all of Natsu's unused children. I grimaced, feeling some of it in my hair. I was at least on drugs but how could a man orgasm this much?

Then I grimaced some more as unwanted memories came flooding in of my little seduction of Gildarts. I pressed my head against the wall tile. "I didn't know exes could be so batshit." The water glided down my back, "At least you're not dead." I whispered and then chuckled, "Who thought I'd ever say that?"

GENERAL P.O.V.

Minerva exhaled loud as the blindfold was ripped off of her face. She trembled as she looked around, seeing what looked like the inside of a warehouse. Jesus, the mafia was always so cliché.

She looked around seeing men all around. Her body was drenched in nervous sweat and every limb was tied down to a chair. Her body shrugged and buckled in an attempt to loosen the grip but to no avail. Even if she did get free, the number of men around her would just put her right back.

But before she could start her questions, the answer walked right through the door.

A handsome pink-haired Boss walked through the back door, removing his jacket and throwing it onto Gildarts. He was trailed by a few high-ranking men but, Natsu was the only one to approach her.

He had two straps around his shoulders that held two guns. However, all he pulled out was a lighter and a cigarette. The unsettlingly calm man bent down to meet her eye-level, however, only looked to his nicotine as he lit it.

He inhaled.

And then exhaled the smoke into her face with a cold stare.

"Talk." He tapped off the ash onto her feet, "Now."

Minerva rolled around her jaw, swallowing hard. Was she going to die? How was she going to die? Igneel said she was protected. "H-How'd… you get me?"

Natsu looked down, taking another puff of smoke, "You aren't as precious as you think." He looked up to her, smoke pouring from his lips. "If you were, you would've been rescued by now."

"Shut up." She spat on him, "Dealing with you Dragneels isn't as simple as a rescue mission. They're probably waiting for you to cross the line."

"The line's been crossed." Natsu stood up, towering over her like a Devil. A very, very fucking evil Devil. "My turn. What did Igneel tell you?"

"T-Tell me?" Minerva looked around the room for any potentional undercover agents here to save her. "I told that blonde bimbo everything he told me."

"She's not as easy to crack as you." He pulled out his gun, shooting her in the foot. Minerva didn't even scream, just a soundless cry at such sudden agony. "What did Igneel tell you?"

"Oh my god…" Tears wept from her eyes as every nerve in her body shook. "Oh… my god. Oh my god… you shot me."

Natsu shot the other foot.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" She shrieked, causing the entire room to flinch. All but Natsu. She wailed loud as her body hunched over, tears mixing into her blood. "… Please… stop. He said…" She inhaled with a crying squealed and then shakily exhaled, "He said… to give her the drug. The drug. The one that…" She cried harder, pushing her stomach to almost throw up. "It killed Jude. And he said to threaten her and you, and to… to tell them it's him. He's threatening you. I don't-I don't know anything else. I swear."

Natsu put his gun back into its holster and backed up as Gray moved forward, proudly holding a syringe. Minvera stared at it with red, teary eyes. Natsu's eyes, as black as his soul, glowed from behind. There was no amusement, no anger, nothing. Empty, cold, and deadly eyes. "You were kind enough to give Lucy a dosage just small enough to not be lethal." Natsu spoke as Gildarts put his jacket back on, "Unfortunately, my father and I have different ways of sending threats." Natsu flicked his cigarette at her as Gray stabbed her neck. "Start the car."

And without more to say, he turned and descended into the darkness with his high-raning men.

However, all the other men.

They remained as the heat spread over her body.

And throbbed.

And throbbed.

And they got closer.

And closer.

With thirsting looks on their perverted faces. Her body shook with so much feeling she couldn't comprehend what was happening. Their hands groped her and she screamed immediately. "Help!" She shouted, still seeing the pink of Natsu's head, "Please… please tell them to stop!"

He did not respond.

Instead he disappeared.

And that was it.

Oh god.

Oh god.

Oh… god.

. . .

Lucy plopped onto the bed, dry, clean, and wrapped in one of the nice pajamas transferred from her bedroom at the base to her… new home.

Be that he is a dick, he was… a dick with money.

Okay, shit, that wasn't it.

The blonde rolled onto her back and stared at the ceiling.

She was unbelievably and inexplicably in love with him.

A small then large smile appeared on her lips as she wiggled her legs.

It was a fun feeling. To know that something was hers. Really, just hers. Something that she really cared about too and valued and needed.

It was scary as well.

Terrifying even.

To lose such a thing… would be impossible.

Not possible.

Lucy shook her head.

She had lost far too much in her life to dwell on the idea of a sad future. One of them would die first, no matter if it was young or old. So the present was all she had that was fundamental, that was real, that was happening. And if the present where they die comes, well she would worry about it then.

Immediately, Lucy sat up hearing the bedroom door open. It was rather dark in the room but she always recognized that overpowering stature. As Natsu came further into the illuminance from the window, she noticed a very, very unsettling look on his face. Not to mention a hell of a lot of blood.

"Where the fuck did you go?" Lucy rolled onto her knees as he took off his pistols' harnesses.

Natsu didn't respond right away, rather stripped instead. And then as he took off his shirt, he threw it into his closet, slamming it shut. "Work." He walked into the bathroom, shutting the door violently.

Lucy bobbed her head back with furrowed brows. "What the…?" She crawled off of the blankets and knocked on the door. "Let me in."

No response.

Her fingers wiggled the door handle, realizing it was unlocked. She opened it, seeing Natsu's bare body drowning underneath the shower head. She neared it and leaned against the shower's window. "Hey." Her voice echoed, shamelessly looking him up and down. "Why in God's name are you upset over a little killing?"

He rubbed his face with soap and then leaned up, allowing the water to splash it off. Natsu then ran a good lather into his long locks that seemed to stay in spikes no matter what touched them. "How much would it take?" He asked but did not look at her. "How much would it take for you to sell me out?"

"Me?" Lucy tilted her head, tapping her lips seriously. "To be honest," She folded her arms and shrugged, "There really isn't anything that'd probably get me to do that. We both know death isn't exactly a fear of mine."

"What if my life was on the line?" Natsu turned off the water and grabbed a towel, wiping his face beneath the dripping showerhead.

Lucy scratched her eyebrow, "Then," She grit her teeth, "You'd have to die. But don't worry," She went behind him, hugging his wet back, "I'd save your ass before that'd happen."

Natsu looked up and nodded, "Good." He turned, seeing her teasing grin staring up from below. Her arms were still fully wrapped around him. "The mob comes before you or me. Got it?"

Lucy nodded, "Wasn't that already an unspoken rule?"

"It was." Natsu moved past her, "But I broke it."

The golden-haired lover watched him walk back into the bedroom and she looked to the left to her reflection. Her fingers covered the even more swollen injection bruise and then traced it down to her warm, conservative pajamas.

He broke it?
What did that mean?

Lucy shuffled into the bedroom as Natsu put on some underwear and pants. "Natsu." She crawled onto the bed, "I'm getting tired of the only one answering questions."

"My secrets have more consequence than yours." Natsu sat on the edge of the bed, scrolling through his phone's messages.

"I already know about your stash of dragon-themed novellas." She snickered into his ear, rubbing her palms on his shoulders, "I doubt anything could be more character-shattering."

Natsu rubbed his forehead, pulling out a cigarette from his laying jacket's front pocket. He lit it and then exhaled, coming to a stand. "You haven't the slightest idea." =He walked toward the bedroom doors and exited before she could reiterate.

Lucy immediately rushed to her feet and out the door, seeing Natsu walk into a room she hadn't yet been in. She trailed him, being led into an enormous library.

Enormous.

Like Beauty and the Beast meets Oldtown's Citadel.

Big.

As.

Fuck.

She spun around the wonderland, looking up to see another floor hovering over her with even more books. "Holy shit." Lucy turned her neck to Natsu who was sitting on a velvet couch with a manila folder in hand. "This place is ridiculous, Natsu."

"It was your father's." Natsu said as smoke left his mouth.

Lucy stopped in her tracks. Not at the fact this place once belonged to Jude, but that Natsu had brought him up without her grilling him to. "It was?" She asked a bit cautiously, afraid if she pushed the questions too hard he wouldn't spill as much dirt.

"Everything I have now was your Father's." He looked at Lucy, pointing his cig at her, "Even you."

Lucy slowly sat on a couch across from him, crossing her legs. "Well, that is the American Dream I suppose."

"No." Natsu said, throwing the folder onto her lap, "The American Dream is leaving this shit to your kids. Not me."
Lucy tilted her head, a bit offended, "Are you actually trying to say I'm more deserving of all this than you?"

"Deserving?" Natsu snickered, leaning back into his chair and looking out of the window, "Well, you're the only one who had enough balls to put a gun to my head. Just like I was to your father." He tapped the ash onto the floor, "Everything in that folder is what you want to know."

Lucy looked down to the rather thin material, "Why…" She swallowed, "… Why are you giving me this?"

"Jude wanted it." Natsu's dark eyes peered through the dimmed lighting at her. "The only reason you never received it was because I stole it."
Lucy found her breaths to become more shallow, not entirely sure what he was trying to say. "… I don't understand."
"Your gang, crew, whatever. Jude didn't send them to babysit you. He was grooming you." Natsu said, licking his fangs, "To run Fairy Tail."

"Grooming?" Lucy bobbed her head back agast, "Is that a joke? I was living in a fucking shack. Why didn't he come and get me then when mom died? He didn't even know who I was till he needed a place to crash."

"He knew who you were. Jude knew everything." Natsu painted at the folder, "Look at page three."

Lucy immediately flipped through. Her sights landed onto what looked like corrupted reports. A lot of it was crossed or whited-out. But what she did recognize was the picture of her mother's completely fucked and ripped open body paper-clipped to the paper. The blonde's fingers shook, "What the fuck is this?"

"Your mom, isn't it?" Natsu diminished his bud into the expensive velvet. "She died trying to steal that file right there." He leaned forward, "It's Jude's will to you. And anything and everything he's done to get you to this point right here."

Lucy looked up to him, shaking. "She was trying to protect me… from him?" She flipped to another page where all of gang members' recruitment pages were. "From them? From all this?"

"Good mom." Natsu laid back onto the couch, "When Jude left, his final plan was executed nearly perfect. Except, he was never able to truly plan against a Dragneel." He stared at the ceiling, "You would lose the last family you had. The last purity in your life. And that was his last test. However, he hadn't expected me to become the Head. That was your spot. It's what he died for. It's what he spent the rest of his life planning for." Natsu sighed long, "I was only a temprorary Head. But things didn't go exactly as he planned."

Lucy looked at the last page of the will, all of its sentences scraped out. "What?"

"My dad came to kill him too early. And I, I was supposed to come find you. But instead, I corrupted his will. And took over." Natsu rubbed his head, "But then, again, you can't predict a Heartfilia either. Still, I ended up finding you. And you ended up being…" Natsu inhaled deep, "Perfect."

Lucy closed the folder, heart racing and head dizzy. A tear left her eye involuntarily, "All of my suffering…" She hugged her fist, "Is because of him?"

"Yeah." Natsu sat up, throwing a pistol he pulled from underneath a cushion into her hands. "If you kill me, you can complete the purpose of it all. You're the real heir."

Lucy smacked the pistol away with a scream, "Are you fucking kidding me! He… He…" She pulled at her blonde locks, "I don't know how to do any of this! He didn't train me for shit! Everything he did to me… what a selfish fucking… fucking…" She picked up the gun and shot the files. "FUCK! FUCK YOU! FUCK YOU! FUCK YOU!"
Natsu watched her but did not move.

The blonde turned to Natsu, dropping the gun, "Why…? Are you telling me this?"

"It's what my father would've told you." Natsu pulled out the number she had previously hidden from him. "I don't need him getting the upper hand again."

Lucy ran her palms over her wet eyes, "Shit." Was the only thing she could mutter as awful shivers ran through her veins. "All that happens to me when I get closer to this mob is pain." She scratched her skin with a whimper, "But I don't have anything left but you."

Natsu swallowed, looking down. "I'm sorry."

Lucy looked up at such words leaving his mouth. And she exhaled, feeling the burning of a cry slowly creeping up her throat. "I wish I killed him." She licked her chapped lips, "I had no idea and I let him… I let myself…" She let out a roar, "FUUUUUUUCK!"

Natsu stood up as she panted furiously, "I'm going to go back to my Father." He spoke, "And I'm going to leave the mob to you and Gildarts."

Lucy whipped her head to him, "Fuck no." She shook her head, making him a bit shocked. "Hell no. You are just as batshit as Jude if you think I could handle them." She hit his naked chest, "You don't get to make these decisions. I'm not a puppet. Jude doesn't control me and you don't either. Did it ever cross either of your minds that maybe I don't want this? That the idea of being a mob boss sounds as irrational as it is fucking downright stupid?"

Natsu held onto her wrists, "We are unlucky, Lucy. We have few choices."

"Yeah?" She stepped back, "Let me tell you what the choice is here then. The unspoken rule is the mob is before me and you. And if you think for a second the greater good for it would be me over you as their leader? For Christ's sake I thought you were intelligent?" Lucy scoffed, gripping onto her hips with her nails, "This will is shit. And your offer is shit. And I refuse. And Jude can roll over in his grave fucking mad about it."

Natsu's face suddenly cracked.

A much more devious grin pulled at his lips, making Lucy take an unsettled step back. "There isn't a thing that can phase you." He closed the distance between then and pet her chin with his thumb, "You are so… perfect."

Lucy looked at his eyes and dodged a kiss, "I'm not going to be played with." She stepped back, "What if I shot you?"

"You've already tried, plenty of times." Natsu picked up the bullets and scraps of paper before. "I knew you wouldn't."

"But you still tested me anyway?" I hissed, "Was any of that the truth?"

"Of course it was." Natsu dropped the trash into a bin, "Knowing that," He turned to her, "Do you stand by your choice?"

"Yes." She folded her arms, "But I won't feel better until I piss on Jude's grave."

Natsu chuckled, interlacing his fingers with hers, "You know it all now."

"No I don't." Lucy lifted her chin up, "You know all about my father, tell me about yours."

Natsu's eyes shaded over, "No." He said, "The less you know, the less dangerous it is. For you and me."

"Safety? Is that really a fucking concern here?" The blonde squinted, "You just forced me to experience some pretty gnarly trauma and you're too pussy to give a little back story?"

"Another time." Natsu turned cold again. "Not tonight."

Lucy inhaled to say another word but instead, exhaled silently and let him walk out of the library. She looked to the table where Igneel's phone number still remained. And for a second, she wanted to rip it in half.

But.

He's kept his secrets and tested her with her own. So, she would just pay back the favor.

An eye for an eye.

Lucy stuffed it into her pocket and walked out.

So. You know. It's been less than a year? So? At least... it hasn't been a year since I last updated.

Anyway, I got a new computer. Writing is so smooth. I haven't appreciated life as much until now. So the story is obviously coming to a close, kinda. We've got a good five or six chapters left but ARE YA READY?

I'm not.

It's gonna be hard to say bye.

I hope you enjoyed it. Please review - it really, really helps motivate me to update.

And yeah. Farewell. Till next year ;)

~Lovex1