Lucy sat at her usual spot in the guild, sipping on her strawberry milkshake. I'm so bored...

"Oi, Luce! What's up?" Natsu came up behind her, casually throwing his arm around her shoulder.

"Nothing really." She said, taking another sip of her shake. "Just bored."

"Bored? I have the perfect solution!"

Natsu and Lucy turned to see Cana coming towards them, an evil glint in her eyes. It sent shivers down Lucy's spine.

"What would that be?" Lucy asked, unsettled by Cana's eyes.

"Let's go to a haunted mansion!"

"A wha-"

"Yeah!" Natsu cheered, excited.

"Where would we even find a haunted mansion? I mean, I've heard of cabins being haunted, but not mansions." Lucy commented, racking her brain. Haunted mansion?

"There's one out in the woods." Cana said, the smirk plastered on her face.

"How's it haunted?" Erza joined in.

"They say that an old woman used to live there. After her husband died, girls from the neighborhood would disappear. However, nobody suspected a sweet old lady. She would lure the girls into her mansion by pretending to need their help with something. Once that door closed behind them, they were never seen again. When the old lady finally died, the cops searched her house, and when they found the basement, they were mortified. There were about 32 girls there, dead. The old lady had taken off their clothes, then sewed new ones onto their bodies!"

Lucy gasped, shivers shaking her body. Why does this sound so... familiar?

"When the autopsy was done, it was found that none of the girls had organs anymore. In fact, they were stuffed. The old lady even went through the trouble of making them all look like dolls." Cana finished.

"I call bullcrap." Gray said.

"Get a shirt on!" Natsu yelled.

"What was that, flame brain?"

"Shut up, ice princess!"

"Are you arguing?" Erza's glare paralyzed both of the boys as Lucy and Cana giggled.

"No, ma'am!" They replied in unison, hugging each other.

"So, whaddya say?" Cana asked, an eyebrow cocked.

"Let's do it!" Natsu was really excited. That, and he kept glancing over at Lucy. That's weird...

"Juvia wants to come, too!"

"Okay. So we have enough to split up into pairs. Wait, where's Happy?" Erza looked around for the blue exceed.

"Oh, he and Carla are on a 'date'. They're just hanging out with Wendy."

"Okay. So let's see. The pairs will be Lucy and Natsu, me and Erza, and Juvia and Gray." Cana took a swig of her booze.

"Yosh! Let's do this!" Natsu slung an arm around Lucy, making her blush a little.

"Alright, let's grab some flashlights and go." Erza said, excited herself.

~Later~

Natsu and Lucy walked around the halls of the mansion. Everyone else went home, so it was just the two in the mansion.

"Man, I can't believe everyone went home already." Natsu muttered. He kept walking strangely close to Lucy.

"Yeah. Eeek!" Lucy squealed as a spider dangled in front of her.

"Luce, calm down! It's just a spider." Natsu laughed at her, finding it silly that she would squeal that high.

"Natsu, it's not funn- Oh my God!" Lucy screamed, pointing towards the end of the hallway.

"What?" Natsu looked to where she was pointing, and gasped. "No way..."

At the end of the hallway was a cloaked figure. It just stood there, looking in their direction.

"Another doll for my collection..." A voice whispered in Lucy's ear.

"What? Natsu, is this a prank you're pulling on me? Don't whisper in my ear like that!"

"Whaddya mean? I didn't say anything!"

"Y-yes you did!" Lucy was terrified out of her mind.

"Luce, I didn't say anything!"

Lucy took off down the hall and down the stairs. She had to get out of there. However, the door wouldn't budge.

"Luce! Run!" Natsu shouted from the top of the stairs, fear laced into his voice.

Lucy saw a figure coming towards her.

"No!" She shouted, then ran and went to the first door she saw. She flung it open, shutting it behind her. She fell down a flight of steps, screaming the way.

"Luce! Are you okay?!" Natsu shouted from behind the door. "Open up!"

Lucy shakily stood up, looking around. A scream erupted from her lips as she saw the dark stains on the stone of the basement. A table with straps on it rolled up next to her, and she stared at it wide eyed. It was covered in blood.

"Another pretty dolly for my collection..." The voice said again.

"Natsu! Help!" Lucy cried, tears streaming down her face.

"Luce! Open the door!" Natsu shouted. He was terrified.

"No!" Lucy cried as a force threw her onto the table.

The straps locked her in place, then a table of sharp knives and sewing needles came up by her. A figure approached the table, and Lucy let out another shrieked as the old woman showed her face.

"My dear, you're so loud. No worries, though. That'll change soon enough."

"W-who are you?" Lucy asked, her voice shaking.

"I'm Lady Tallend."

"N-no way. Y-you're dead!" Lucy exclaimed, struggling with her straps.

"That's what the cops think. But I can assure you, I'm very much alive. I'm also lonely. A pretty girl like you will be a fine doll for me."

"Natsu!" Lucy shouted again.

"Tsk tsk. I guess I'll have to sew your mouth shut first." She grabbed the sewing needle and some thread.

The door broke, and Natsu flew down the stairs, looking murderous. "Get off of my Luce!" He shouted, his fists engulfed in flames.

"Stupid boy." The old woman raised her hand, and Natsu was flung across the room, hitting the wall.

"Is that it, you old hag?" Natsu had fire in his eyes. He was murderous.

The old woman simply smirked, then a knife lifted from the table, flying towards Natsu.

"Natsu! No!" Lucy shouted, but it was too late. The knife lodged itself into Natsu's skull, and he fell to the floor, lifeless.

"Hmph. That'll teach him."

"How could you?! Natsu! No! Wake up! Please... wake up..." Lucy was bawling now, and the old lady just cackled at her despair.

"Now, my collection will start again!"

As the old woman brought the needle towards Lucy's mouth, everything went black.

~What?~

Lucy bolted up in bed, heart racing. "Natsu! No!" She screamed, her arm out in front of her.

"Luce? What's wrong?!" Natsu pulled her to his chest, and she was immediately comforted by his warmth.

"Nat... su...?"

"It's okay, Luce... It was just a bad dream..." Natsu rubbed her back, making her feel better.

"Natsu!" Lucy cried, flinging her arms around his neck.

Natsu blushed a little, hugging her back. Then, they looked into each other's eyes. Natsu cupped Lucy's cheek, both of their hearts racing.

"Natsu?"

"Yeah?"

"WHY ARE YOU IN MY BED?! Lucy kick!" And with that, Natsu was flung from the apartment window. Some say he's still flying to this day.