AN: Hello TMBC readers; first off, I'm going to apologize about the delay life has become a little more than hectic. With a niece that is now living with me who doesn't seem to show any kind of concern for her health ending up going back and forth to the hospital and the start of a new job. Secondly, I hope you guys had a great few holidays. Anyways :D enjoy guyz till next time.

Lucy's sneakers stomped loudly against the ground her body instinctively reacting to her consuming worry as they exited the apartment, she started off in a jog down the stairs before breaking out into a full-on sprint out of the front lobby, Nina hot on her tail. Nina stared on in surprise not having knowing Lucy was able to run so well. A few drops of water hit Nina's face, something Nina easily almost mistaken for fallen sweat that was brushed back at her on the breeze, 'Tears…' she thought seeing the tears falling in an awkward stream as the air pushed them off towards her ear before they flicked off her face by the sudden motion of another speedy step.

Nina's eyes widened a fraction watching as the pedestrian crossing light turned from green to red and Lucy kept forging ahead, "LUCY!" Nina shouts dashing forward with a sudden burst of speed. A loud blaring noise fills the hot air coating the streets as Nina reaches out. Lucy's began to slow in front of the bright lights that were coming ever so close.

Lucy felt fear coursing through her veins, on instinct she raised her hand ready to activate her powers to save herself, but she stopped her eyes widening as she realized her mistake, Nina was here… Lucy shut her eyes tightly praying for Natsu to swoop in and save her. Lucy's eyes shot back open but only after feeling hands grip at the ends of her shirt, surprised when she was whipped backward, the vehicle barely missing her fingertips by mere inches, the tires screeching as they tried to halt.

Nina caught Lucy after she'd flung her back, but the momentum of catching the Lucy in her arms sent both of them stumbling back and ultimately clumsily toppling backward to the ground in a sitting position. Lucy blinked staring up at the steadily darkening buildings and setting sky breathing heavily, "Nina I ah," she says. The driver of the truck getting out only to ensure they were alright and to yell at them which went unheard.

Nina was shaking still very much startled, her bangs causing a downcast shadow to linger hiding her eyes, "W-What the hell!" she mutters. Nina's arms tightened around Lucy's upper body, "What were you thinking?! You could have been killed!" She shouted. That had been close… Too close! If she hadn't been here… Her heart was pounding in her chest, tears clung to the rims of her eyes. It had been even closer than the first time. Remembering when Lucy had nearly walked off the curb and into oncoming traffic with her nose buried within a book also recalling how she'd grabbed her by the back of her neck collar before Lucy could get far enough. Thank god… Thank god she had been here.

"I'm sorry," Lucy apologizes her hand reaching up to touch Nina's still shaking arm, "I-I just really wanted to find him…" she says worriedly.

Nina took in a calming breath, "Geez kid, your even more of a handful then Mary was." She tells Lucy unable to recall very many moments when her little sister had been so absentminded about her surroundings.

Lucy released a soft humorous chuckle, "Or you could be just getting old." She replies flashing a teasing smile as she gets out of Nina's arms. Her words leaving Nina shocked and mouth ajar. Lucy tapped at her clothes ridding them of dust and debris before turning back towards Nina with an outstretched palm.

When Nina snapped out of it, she smiled though still a little shocked, releasing a soft laugh, "W-Why you cheeky little brat! You're lucky I love you like a sister anyone else would have been knocked out cold." She tells Lucy as she gets up swiftly hooking an arm around Lucy's neck to give her a noogie on her now trapped noggin. After a moment of shared laughter, Nina turned serious, "Alright, from now on you stay by my side got it?" She demands Lucy smiled nodding in agreement to her demands.

~oooOOOooo~

Natsu rushed through the double doors of the hospital's emergency room, he felt strange and barely see straight, "Granny!" he calls out in the lobby. He knew he was in the right place… He recognized the smell anywhere. He could hear familiar voices echoing around him, the world around him was beginning to spin and he was beginning to feel like he was standing on unsteady waters rather than a steady tiled floor, "Granny," he manages to say as his eyes started to roll to the back of his head, "I need help." He stays collapsing.

Natsu felt his consciousness slipping in and out on occasion, "There's nothing we can do for this man…" he heard Porlyusica's voice say. There were a few protests in the room but brief quick explanation they all reluctantly nodded in agreement deciding to put their focus on Natsu instead of Jude. Natsu pushed their hands away still barely conscious his skin was nearly as white as paper which worried Porlyusica, "Sit still you little twerp!" she snapped. She had a plan when this was all over, Natsu was going to get one hell of a lecture!

Natsu flinched at her volume, it sent loud vibrations of the air and bouncing around in his ear canal, creating an echo that was far louder than how she actually sounded. Natsu ignored her grabbing her hand, "H-Help-Help him." He mumbles before passing out to the pains that shot through his head and body.

~oooOOOooo~

"Take care I hope you guys find him!" the young woman behind the counter shouts as Nina and Lucy stepped back out of the store. It was the third store they'd checked within the range of the apartment. Surely, they didn't go further than this…right? But if not then… where were they?

Nina tapped away at her cell phone, "Any luck Kylie?" she questioned her ear to the phone's speaker. A frown crossed Nina's face, "No-No luck on our end either yet. It's beginning to look like they just up and vanished into thin air!" she says her eyes shifting to Lucy mostly to ensure she was still near. The last thing she wanted to experience was yet another scare like earlier.

Lucy's phone rang at her hip causing her to jump and Nina's conversation to pause as Lucy answer the unknown number with a confused stare, "Hello?"

Nina's eyes shifted behind them; she didn't know if she was being paranoid but nearly this whole time that they'd been out she'd felt like they'd been being watched. At first, she'd ignored it. "Oh god, thank you-thank you Porlyusica I'll be right there!" Lucy says her emotions a cross between happy and worried. Lucy hung up the phone, "We have to go to the hospital." She says.

Nina's eyes didn't meet Lucy's too busy surveying the area, "He's back there?" she asked. She didn't know what it was but there was a chilling feeling in the air… and she didn't like it one bit.

Lucy nods, "Yeah, my dad is too." she says as she slides her phone into her back pocket. Her head swirling with worry. What happened while she was away? Why had her father felt he needed to rush him there… Wait… more importantly, how did dad know where to take him? Did dad take him there at all? And if it wasn't him then who?

"You get that Kylie?" Nina announces holding the phone to her ear as they stood by the street waving her hand. "Yeah ah, one sec," Nina says putting her conversation on hold, "Taxi!" she shouts out still waving, Lucy blinked in amazement as the yellow car that'd been slowly racing down the road came to a stop beside them. The car passenger window rolls down, "Can you take us over to Magnolia General Hospital?" Nina asks while leaning down to peer at the man behind the wheel through the open window.

The man looked grumpy and irritated as he pointed a thumb to the back seat, "Hop in, I don't got all night!" he hissed out.

Despite the annoyance she felt from the man's blatant rudeness Nina stepped to the backdoor opening it, gesturing for Lucy to hop in, meanwhile, she held the phone to her ear, her eyes scanning the area again, her eyes narrowing at a darkened alleyway were a barely poked out shoe was noticeable and a barely noticeable face peeking around the corner. "Yeah, we'll see you there," Nina tells Kylie seeing a shadow duck back behind a building, she debates on staying to give the creep a piece of her mind about minding his own business.

Nina's eyes shifted back to Lucy briefly before shaking her head, "Bitch are you getting in or what?!" The driver spat impatiently. Nina gets into the car deciding Lucy needed her with her more than to have her running off to beat the hell outta crazy stalkers. She closes the door with a loud slam, "The hell?! Don't slam the door! What in the hells wrong with you ya stupid bitch?!" he continued spatting insults as he continues looking their way. He wasn't sure why but, "Aye, wait a minute… You two look familiar." He mutters still irritated by the fact that his friends had the night off to go relax and unwind at the strip club.

"Magnolia General Hospital on the double." Nina says noticing how hard he was staring at Lucy almost like he was trying to remember something, "Problem?" Nina questions finally the man still looking at Lucy. Nina looked between the two wondering why the man was staring at Lucy like that and not doing his job to drive them where they needed to go.

The man snapped his fingers, "Ah I remember now! Your one of them hoe's that dance the pole at…" he began.

Before Nina could even retort, "Shut your damn mouth and drive!" Lucy screams staring the man down with the most menacing stare she'd seen come from Lucy yet.

The man growled putting the car in gear, "You should learn how to hold your tongue you little whore!" he shot back pulling out onto the street.

Lucy's brow twitched at what he'd called her, her eyes narrowed, she leaned back into the cushion of the seat while crossing her arms and her right leg over her left, her angered narrowed eyes locked on the man, "Hate to break to you sir but I'm the one paying you for this ride." She says. Nina raised an eyebrow in her direction… What was Lucy talking about she didn't have her purse?

"Yeah," The man's starts his shoulders noticeably stiffened at the knowledge, "What's it to ya bitch?" he spat from the front seat.

Nina watched as a big sly and sarcastic grin grew across her face, "I'm pretty sure that makes 'you' the 'whore' in this situation." She tells him.

Everything was eerily quiet until Nina could no longer hold it in. Bursting into a fit of laughter at Lucy's words, "Pfft hahaha!"

The man stopped the car at a red light, throwing it in park so he could turn to face her with an irritated growl, "Y-You little bitch!" he says with flaring nostrils and a bright red face filled with anger.

Lucy looked on in superior amusement, "Got a problem with my mouth? Feel free to pull over I'm more than willing to pay someone else that's not a complete pompous asshole to take me where I wanna go since you obviously don't have the means." She tells him. Watching the man grit his teeth together as he turned back to face the road, putting the car back in gear when he noticed the light was green and people were honking their horns, "Yeah, that's what I thought." She replies as they started moving again.

Nina fell into Lucy's shoulder still dying from laughter, tears clinging to her eyes, "Lucy, oh my god!" she whispers loudly.

Lucy's huffed looking away and out the window, "What he started it," The rest of the ride was quiet other than the occasional soft burst of laughter from Nina.

The man pulls over on the curb and immediately turns around to find the girls already getting out of the car. He rolls down the passenger window and held out his hand, "A hundred dollars whore," he says with a cheerful smile.

Nina's eyebrow twitched at this but dug around in her purse regardless to pay the man. Nina outstretched her hand, her fingers grasping hold of ten ten-dollar bills. Lucy swiped them, "Uh, Lucy?" Nina says watching as Lucy handed the man one bill and stuffed the rest into her bra.

"The hell bitch you can't count?! This is ten!" he shrieked angrily. Who the hell did this little bitch think she was being smart with? The man got out of the car with a slam of the door, rounding it so he was in their faces, "You owe me ninety-dollars ya dumb whore." He says reaching out to forcefully grab the rest of his money that he'd seen her place within her shirt.

Both Nina and Lucy reacted, but to Nina's surprise, Lucy's reaction was faster. Nina watched as Lucy's hand wrapped around the man's wrist giving it an unpleasant twist as she swiftly ducked around him bringing his arm back behind him. The man yelped as he tried to break the hold only to feel quite a great deal of pain, "Okay old man," she starts. Her voice sending shivers down the man's spine, "I have two pieces of advice for you. Get a better attitude if you wanna get paid" she continues using her free hand to slip the money from the confinements of her shirt. Lucy held it out for a moment watching him stare at it in a fit of anger before tilting her hand towards Nina, "and second don't dish out what you yourself can't take next time. It'll be less embarrassing for you when you get burned." She tells him with a cheerful smile overtaking her face, "Got it?"

~oooOOOooo~

"Oh god," Michelle whimpered hiding in the small room with her mother. Men were racing around in search of them leaving no area unturned. They were so close to the exit… and the closer they got the more guards there were.

The door opened and Layla swiftly pulled Michelle down with her to hide behind some boxes, her hand gently falling over her daughter's lips. There were some crackling noises before voices echoed out of the radio resting at the man's hip, "Areas B is clear." The voice spoke.

Another one chimed in moments after, "C's clear too." They said.

A growl ripped through the room followed by an angered scream as the man put a hand through a box, Layla barely had enough time to force Michelle to duck with her so they wouldn't be hit by it. Layla peeked through the crack between the boxes watching as the man pulled the walkie-talkie from his waistband, pressing and holding the button on the side till it gave off a soft momentary beep, "You bastards better find them! If you don't have them found by the end of your shift your ass is grass got it!" he yelled.

The man stood there for a long moment before turning towards them, walking their way eyes narrowed at them. Layla gulped and Michelle closed her eyes almost freaking out as the man kicked the box several times, "Goddammit!" he shouted in frustration.

Someone opened the door, "Sir," they said catching his attention. He turned to them slowly while slouching his eyes narrowed as he released a loud growled 'what!'

"We believe we found them as you know the bracelet pinged them in this area, but there's only one area we haven't checked and that's the floor two floors up." The man says with a serious stare.

His eyes shifted to Layla's and Layla's heart stopped. 'N-No, if they find us now…' she thought looking down towards her daughter who was still shaking in fear.

Layla held her breath as the man's eyes returned to his commander, the younger man looked at him sweat-dropping, "Damaging merchandise now boss man? That's not like you Jose." He says to the dark red-haired man. His hair pulled back into a high ponytail, his mustache hanging like an upside-down U on his face, black lipstick smeared over his lips.

Layla looked on in confusion she knew he'd seen her… so why-why was he not saying anything? The man gave Jose a playful grin, "Shut the hell up Doranbolt!" the older man spat angrily stomping towards the door as Doranbolt laughed rubbing his hand over the back of his hand and through his short spiky black locks of hair. The man stomped out slamming the door behind him and all playfulness drained from his face as the walkie-talkie at his side echoed through the room telling everyone to head two floors up.

His eyes softened, "It's safe now." He says to no one in particular. The young man's words made both women in the room stiffen out of fear despite his words. Layla watched as he stepped forward kneeling down in front of the box looking at them through the crack, "I understand your hesitation Layla, but like it or not if you plan to get out of here, you'll need me or you won't be able to leave at all." He tells them.

When he saw no motion, "Seriously if we don't hurry up their going to figure out that I lied to them and come back here. Do you really wanna still be here when they come back?" he questions crossing his arms still looking at them through the crack between the boxes with his head cocked to the side. After another moment the boxes shifted a bit and Layla stepped out with Michelle not far behind her. The man stood up towering over her by at least a few inches, his lips pulled back into a kind smile, "Good," he starts reaching his hand out.

Layla's eyes darted between him and his outstretched hand unsure of how safe this man actually was. She had thought it was safe to be around Chris and came to find she couldn't have been more wrong. "You don't know this because you've never gotten the chance to try, but if you try to leave now, you'll just get stopped by an electrical barrier thanks to that little trinket on your wrist." He notifies her as he steps forward catching her wrist within his hand.

The contact was gentle, but it still made her jump nonetheless. Layla looked up at him watching him as he pulled a tool from his pocket and began tinkering with the bracelet, "Why…" she began not knowing how to look or how to feel about this development. "Why are you helping us?" she asks him as a click came from the bracelet and the object of her torture slipped off her wrist.

The man caught it though and swiftly chucked it up and behind the boxes, "I was hired to look into this company by a good friend. Originally this organization's purpose was built to make medical brake throughs much like the humans do with their own kind. Humans have their own types of illnesses and so do magical beings. It seemed like a smart idea that they'd be researched to save the lives of those suffering." He says watching as Layla recoiled her hand back to her rubbing at her wrist.

"My friend who funded this place did so only with the lives of others in mind. When he began to suspect something strange, he sent me in here." He explained his fists tightening when he remembered. His stomach still twisted in anger at the memory.

"Doranbolt, welcome to the fold," Chris says his hand outstretched the man known as Doranbolt looked from the man to his open palm with a serious stare.

Doranbolt smiled and nodded slapping his hand into the other males, "Glad to be here." He tells him. His eyes staying focused on Chris with a studying stare.

Little stomps were heard catching his attention, surprise taking over his face when a little wavy-haired blonde rushed over in a small white dress with daisy designs along its bottom rim. The small girl latched onto Chirs's leg and for a moment he saw annoyance and rage in his face, but it was quickly replaced with a smiling face that didn't quite match his eyes, "Michelle honey, daddy's working. What did I tell you about…" he begins.

The little girl interrupts him, "Mommy's in pain daddy! You gotta help momma!" she says in a panic as she pulled on his coat and pantleg.

Nothing would have been able to prepare him for what he'd seen next. He'd gotten a front-row seat watching the woman he'd known as Layla the wife of Chris his 'employer' doubled over holding her head in her hands. At first, he'd thought… his wife must have been a patient. Then he thought his friend's suspicions had been unfounded.

Chris stared down at the woman on the floor doubled over in pain with narrowed eyes as he walked forward, his hand shifting around in his pocket. Pulling a long metal box from his pocket, he opened it to reveal… a bracelet? Doranbolt felt a wave of confusion wash over him as the man rather than helping the woman slipped the bracelet over her wrist. It wasn't long later that Layla stopped crying out in pain and at first, he was both surprised and impressed thinking it had something to do with the bracelet's presence.

Michelle rushed forward her small arms latching around her mother's neck, Layla looked up slowly one thing slipping through her lips as tears leaked from her eyes, "Bastard." She said venom dripping from her lips.

Her body shook in anger and agony, "Momma, why are you calling daddy that mean word?" her daughter questioned innocently.

More tears fell from her eyes and rage became overwhelmingly present in her features, symbols glowed over her body in various areas, "You bastard!" she yelled standing upright her daughters once laced and locked fingers unlacing causing her to fall back on the floor on her butt. "How dare you! How dare you!" she yelled her power pulsing through the room in response to her daughter calling the man before her daddy, but Chris's only response was an overconfident snicker. Layla stomped towards him as he pulled a small plastic remote from his hand, he pointed at her as she neared him and pressed a button.

Doranbolt watched in horror as Layla was shocked into submission, Layla fell to the ground paralyzed and unable to move or even so much as defend herself. He felt sick watching all this with as straight a face as possible so as to not blow his cover. What happened next turned his stomach so much that he felt the need to throw up as Chris called in some people. They wheeled in a bed with straps and assisted his with lifting Layla upon the bed then strapped her to it. Having regained just the slightest amount of feeling in her body he watches as Layla fights. Michelle went to rush to her mother upset and crying but Doranbolt caught her not wanting her to get hurt.

The bracelet let loose more sparks and Layla became still again her eyes half-lidded barely conscious. "Doranbolt," Chris's voice sent a chill up his spine, but he did all he could not to let it show. Doranbolt looked towards him, "You don't seem at all phased by this in the least." Chris says mildly interested his eyes shifting to Doranbolt as he rounded the stretcher to be at the head of Layla's bed.

Doranbolt continued to hold onto the squirming child in his hold, he didn't know what it was but this man… reeked of danger. Somehow, he knew if he let this girl go… he knew something really bad would happen to her. "Why would it? They're not my family," he questions looking down at the young child mentally apologizing over and over in his head. Though he knew his weak apologies would be nowhere near enough. He hit the girl over the neck with care ensuring not to hurt her only to knock her out. If he could spare her of anything it was to see whatever all this was.

Chris grinned wildly at the younger man's answer, "Sir, we've brought them." One of the man's helpers had announced.

Doranbolt flinched at the memory. Truth be told, it had bothered him. It had bothered him a lot to see what Chris was doing to the poor woman he called his wife. That wasn't even the worst of it though… The worst of it came the next time she remembered, and he came to find out that the beautiful woman he called his wife wasn't actually his and was being kept there against her will. He frowned eyeing the ground, "I'm so sorry for all those times I failed to help you before."