TRIGGER WARNING for this chapter: Rape by a family member, alcoholism, domestic violence, attempted suicide, hospitals, social services

Hiya people! I am back with my first ever published long fanfiction! YAY!

First off, TRIGGER WARNING! This story is rated M and is read at your own risk. However, I know we are not always ready for the content sso they will be at the beginning of every chapters. I'm only human, I may forget some, but I'll be careful. PM me if I missed anything, I'll happily edit!

Second, I have most of the story outlined already, so I'll be posting at least one chapter a week. I'm aiming for 50 chapters top, so buckle in for the ride! Chapters will be kept at roughly 3000 – 4000 words. I know today is Tuesday, but most chapters will be posted on Mondays. If I have more, I may even post a few in a day, depending how the mood strikes. PM me if I forget!

Lucy tried to scramble away but a rough hand gripped her hair and pulled her back. She yelped as she was tossed on the bed and curled up on herself as far as she could. Why did he have to drink again?

He eyed her carefully for a moment and a shiver ran down her spine. She didn't like that look. That hunger in his eyes. As he walked closer, his hands reaching to undo his belt, horror struck her.

No. Not that. She could take the beatings, but this… no!

She lunged to make her escape but was too slow. He caught her by the waist and slammed her back on her bed, straddling her hips to pin her down. She screamed and trash and begged, but he didn't stop until he was done.

Then he stroke her cheek almost lovingly before standing up. "You look just like your mother."

And with that he left the room, leaving her crying, naked and broken.

...

Natsu woke up with a grunt of annoyance and pulled himself out of bed. Happy meowed loudly, following him around the room while he got dressed. He put on some dark jean and a red t-shirt with his white scarf. He tucked his phone in his pocket and made his way to the bathroom to do his business, then wandered into the kitchen, his cat still on his heels. One sniff of the milk told him it was long expired and he sighed as he shoveled dry cereals in his mouth. When he was done, he finally topped off Happy's mostly full bowl of food, gave him a portion of tuna and changed the water in his bowl.

Today was the 13th of March, but for him it was just another Tuesday of school. Except he didn't have work today, since he had planned to have dinner with his cousin, Wendy. He went back to brush his teeth and checked his bag before shouldering it. He went back to Happy and scratched his ears.

"I'll see ya later, little buddy," he said and left. A loud meow was heard from his apartment after he closed the door.

He walked into school and was greeted by the usual loud crowd. He made his way to his locker and got his books ready. There was a progressive hush that fell on the hallway and he looked back to see what was happening.

His breath caught when he saw her.

Lucy had been a popular student the year prior, but her mother had gotten sick and then passed away toward the end of the school year. After summer vacation, she came back different. Quiet. Reserved. Closed up. She had pushed her friends away and isolated herself.

More than once, Natsu had noticed bruises on the skin that her clothes showed. More than once, he had noticed she wore more makeup than usual. It made him angry that anyone would dare to hit her. He had wanted to approach her a few times but didn't know how. What could he possibly say?

But today was different. There was no makeup hiding the bruising on her cheek. No concealing her split lip. Her sleeves didn't even cover the nasty bruises around her wrist. And there was no concealing that limp. But what hit Natsu most was her eyes. They were red and puffy and hunted and utterly empty.

She walked through the hall with her head low, seemingly unaware of the silence that preceded her and the whisper that followed. Natsu clenched his fist and ran up to her.

"Lucy? What…"

"I'm fine," she replied without a look in his direction and she kept walking.

Natsu tried a few other times to talk to her throughout the day, but she either didn't hear him or didn't care to answer.

...

The day had gone by in a haze. Lucy hadn't paid attention to anything or anyone. A few teachers had tried to talk to her, but she had said she was fine and needed to go. She didn't care to know if they believed her. She didn't know why she came in today. Probably just to get away from her room.

But as she neared the bus that would take her home, the previous night flashed and she ran in the opposite direction, fighting the urge to vomit. Not that she had anything in her stomach.

What she didn't know was that by not taking the bus, she had narrowly avoided the police cars that came looking for her, alerted by the school personnel.

She walked aimlessly. Her steps took her down the streets and toward the library, her safe heaven. But as she crossed over the engine bridge, the swirling black water caught her eyes and she leaned against the railing, watching it swirl and froth as it rushed past like blissful oblivion.

She didn't notice she wasn't alone. Didn't hear the rushing footsteps as she climbed on the railing. But as she fell toward the dark water, she thought she heard her name over the wind.

She sank in the water. It was so cold it knocked the breath out of her. Something stirred inside of her as her lungs burned and she tried to find the way up while the flow spun her. She had never been a good swimmer. She thought of her mother as the darkness closed in.

...

"Lucy!" Natsu yelled when he saw her stepping off the railing. He jumped over without a second thought, but realized halfway down that he might just shatter himself against a rock.

But he sank. Deep into the water. The cold hit him hard but he didn't pause. The water felt like ice shards in his eyes but he could see her, twirling in the current, drifting away. He swam after her even as his lungs burned for air. If he went up, he would lose her.

She didn't fight when he finally grabbed her around her waist. Didn't gasp for breath as their head broke the surface. He swam to the nearest shore and laid her down on the rocky beach and dropped by her side, listening for her breath. There was none. He pumped on her chest, wincing when he heard a crack, and blew in her mouth, promptly rolling her on her side when she finally coughed out the water. She was still unconscious, but she was breathing.

He fished his phone out, impressed that it had stayed in his pockets through it all, and grateful the waterproof case as he called an ambulance.

...

Lucy woke up with a start. Where was she? Her eyes scanned her surroundings. She was in a hospital room. An IV was inserted in the back of her hand and the heart monitor was beeping steadily. There was a boy sleeping on the next bed, though he wasn't in an hospital gown like her.

She tried to sit up, but a sharp pain made her gasp and the monitor beeped faster. It took a few seconds for a nurse to rush in. She had pink hair that seemed soft like silk and big brown eyes

"Oh, you're awake! What a relief! No, no, don't move, you have a cracked rib!"

"What happened?" Lucy asked, her voice raspy. The nurse scrambled to get her some water and adjusted the bed to help her sit.

"According to this young man," the nurse said, motioning at the boy next to her, shuffling and taking notes, "you fell in the river." She stopped and sat next to Lucy, taking her hand softly. "But many on your injuries don't correlate with this." Lucy barely heard. She was looking at the boy. He looked familiar but she couldn't place him. Who was he? "Lucy?"

"Mhm?" she forced herself to focus on the nurse.

"I asked if you were worried about abuse at home," she repeated kindly. Lucy couldn't help the tears that rose in her eyes, and she forced herself to nod. "Is there anywhere safe you can go? Any relatives or friends?" She shook her head, tears rolling on her cheeks. "In that case, we can contact social services in the morning. They can find you a good home." The nurse kindly squeezed Lucy's hand and leaned closer, keeping an eye on the boy next to her. He was still sleeping. "Because of the nature of some of your injuries," she whispered in a hush voice, "the doctor recommended that we perform a rape kit. You don't have to report it if you don't want to, obviously, but we would be able to preserve evidence of it if you ever wish to." A sob shook Lucy, but she forced herself to nod. The nurse squeezed her hand reassuringly. "I'll go get the doctor. Don't worry, we'll take you to a private room," she added when Lucy looked toward the boy. The nurse was halfway to the door when she paused. "Is there anyone you wish for us to contact? Your friend said he didn't have your parent's number or…"

"No!" Lucy yelped in panic. "No," she repeated in a more controlled voice. "Don't call anyone."

Natsu was startled awake by Lucy's panicked voice. He sat up and she shot him a look, a frown on her face. Although she didn't seem much better than she had in school, her eyes were a little less hunted and a little more alive, even if all he could see there was confusion and fear.

"Alright," the nurse said. "I'll be back with the doctor." And she left the room. Lucy slightly recoiled when Natsu stood up.

"Mind if I sit?" he asked, gesturing at the chair by her bedside.

"Uh… sure," Lucy replied. She studied his face as he moved closer to sit. She knew he was a student. He had been transferred to their school the previous year, but she didn't recall ever talking with him. She knew she had a few classes with him, but couldn't even remember his name.

"I'm Natsu," he introduced himself, noticing her hesitation and curiosity. "We got English together."

"Natsu Dragneel," she remembered. "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted know you'd be fine," he said, his tone almost offended that she hadn't figured this much out.

"Well I… appreciate it… but why?"

Natsu glanced at the door. "Cause you almost drowned. You got lucky."

She looked at him with a frown. "I jumped over the bridge," she recalled. "Luck didn't pull me out." The doctor walked in at that moment, interrupting their conversation. She was fairly young lady with thick wavy blond hair tied on her neck and compassionate turquoise eyes. Lucy felt unexpected relief to know her doctor was a woman.

"Lucy? I am Doctor Mavis Vermillion," she introduced herself. "Are you ready?" Lucy nodded, appreciating her discretion. Natsu looked between her, the nurse and the doctor.

"Everything okay?" he asked.

"We are just taking Lucy for a few last tests tonight," Dr. Vermillion replied. "You don't have to worry about anything, Natsu. You can wait here."

He smiled and sat back. "Ariel, would you mind?" The nurse quickly went by Lucy's bed and wheeled her out. They made it into a different room and Ariel parked Lucy's bed before leaving them alone.

"How are you feeling?" Mavis asked.

"Anxious," Lucy admitted. "Scared."

"I understand," the doctor replied, rolling a chair closer. She tore a piece of paper from her notepad and wrote down a few things and turned it over to Lucy. "I'm happy to listen while you're here, but if you find yourself in distress, those are two helplines. And if you have phone anxiety or can't speak freely, you can find online counselling at this website. All of it is free." Lucy took the paper. Her writing was elegant and easy to read, unlike most doctor's.

"Thank you."

"No worries." She eyed her for a moment. "Is there anything you want to talk about before we go on? Any questions?"

"I…" Lucy hesitated. The doctor gave her an encouraging smile. "I'm gonna need a plan B pill…"

"Of course. I'll get you one as soon as we're done here." Lucy nodded while she put on gloves. "How does your rib feel?"

"It doesn't hurt if I don't move. How did it happen?"

"Natsu said it happened during CPR."

"Natsu did that?" she asked, surprised.

"It's a fairly normal occurrence during CPR," Dr. Vermillion informed her. "Don't be upset with him, he saved your life."

"I'm not," Lucy argued hastily. "I just… don't understand why he did it. How did he even know I was there?" Mavis paused to look at her.

"What do you remember, Lucy?"

She looked at her, confused. "I remember falling in the water," she recalled. "It was so cold; it knocked the breath out of me. I must have… Wait. I drowned, didn't I?"

"You did. Natsu said he came jumping in right after you. He pulled you out to safety, reanimated you then called for an ambulance when you started breathing again."

"He did?" she mused to herself.

"Yes, and he asked to stay until you woke up." Lucy blinked. Why? They never spoke. How did Natsu noticed her beyond a face in the crowd? Why did he care for her? In her confusion, she didn't realized the doctor was still talking.

Her thoughts paused while Mavis helped her move down the bed and place her feet on the support. She then placed a large sheet across her knees and informed her of what to expect and Lucy nodded. But she found herself to anxious to sit quietly through it. "Did he… stay with me the whole time?" she asked.

"He had to wait until you came out of ER, but as soon as he could go visit, he sat by your side. He fell asleep, so we let him sleep in the other bed."

They were both quiet for a moment, except for Mavis informing her of the process. "Doctor…?" she asked after a moment. She looked up at her patient. "What will happen to me?"

"Ariel said it wasn't safe for you to go home," Dr. Vermillion replied. "Standard procedure is to contact social services. How old are you?"

"Seventeen." The doctor did a wonderful job at concealing any reaction, barely nodding.

"Do you have a job?"

"No."

"Most likely, they will help you find a job and an apartment, pay for your rent until you're eighteen and give you allocation. You would have to meet with someone every month to prove that you are doing okay."

"But… What about school?" She had once dreamed of going to university and become a writer, but it seemed so unlikely now.

"I'm sure they will have resources for you," she replied. "And we're all done here." Lucy was surprised, but relieved as the doctor helped her move back up her bed.

"What about my rib?" Lucy asked.

"Not much we can do," Dr. Vermillion admitted. "I'll have Ariel print you a handout on things that can help, but rest is the best solution. She'll bring you to your room while I go get your pill."

Lucy nodded and the doctor left her. It was a few minutes before Ariel came in with a few printed papers. She explained their content to Lucy as she wheeled her bed through the halls, back to her room. She was surprised to find that Natsu was still there.

He gave her a grin that made her heart skip. A smile that seemed to hold the promise that everything would turn out just fine. "I'll leave you two for now. Just push the button if you need anything." Ariel left.

"You saved me," Lucy stated. "Dr. Vermillion said you jumped in to save me. Why?" Natsu's smile wavered.

"Why?" he repeated, confused.

"We don't even know each other." He shrugged.

"So what?" He cocked his head when she didn't reply. "I told 'em you fell, but I know it wasn't an accident."

"So why did you save me?"

"Cause I know you regretted it the moment you hit the water." His voice was so bitter, Lucy felt a prang of guilt. She vaguely remembered her brief struggle before she passed out. She did.

"How would you know?" she asked sharply.

He looked down. "Because I've been there," he whispered. Lucy's heart skipped, but he didn't look at her. "Because I regretted it." Lucy blinked as the meaning of his words sank in her.

"You… you too?" she asked.

"Not my best moment," he admitted with a weak chuckle.

"Why?" The word was out before she noticed, and she looked away. "You don't… you don't have to say," she added. "It's not my place to ask."

"Three years ago, I lost my best friend," he explained in a small voice, looking down at his hands. "A few month later, I lost my dad, too. I just…" He clenched his fists. Lucy felt bad for asking. He took in a shaky breath. "I was lost. I didn't know what would happen to me." Lucy felt her heart clench – she felt the same way. "So I ran away. I was… going to my friend's but then I remembered she was gone halfway through the bridge and I… lost it." He sighed and looked at her, pain in his eyes. "I barely made it out and I never told anyone about it. The next day, my godmother took me in, but last year, her health took a downturn, so I wound up here."

Lucy felt like she ought to share her story too, but the wound was too fresh. She wondered if she could ever open up about it. But Natsu seemed to understand it. "I know you lost your mom last year. And I noticed bruises on you after," he hesitated. "You don't have to tell me anything, just know I'm here for you, whatever you need."

"I'm gonna be eighteen in a few months," she told him. "I have nowhere to go. What's gonna happen to me?"

"They'll probably place you in an apartment and pay for it til you're eighteen. I doubt they'd find you a family so quickly. And they'll want to move you out of Magnolia."

"But I don't want to go away," she argued. She didn't know why. She had isolated herself from everyone. Yet, Cana and Levy and Juvia were still here. None of them were leaving to pursue their studies out of town. Maybe she could still mend their friendship?

"You could…" Natsu trailed off and look away. "If you don't go through with them, you won't be moved anywhere."

"But I'll have to go back. I… I don't think I can."

"On paper, sure. But you wouldn't have to be there."

"Where would I live, then? You suggest I just go homeless?"

"Of course not," he scoffed. "I do… have a spare room. I mean, it's not a room yet, but I got some savings. We could furnish it and be roommates, or you could crash there until you're ready to move."

Lucy looked at him with a frown. Did he really live alone? "Why? What do you stand to gain?"

"This ain't about me," Natsu retorqued, obviously hurt. "I just wanna help."

"You don't even know me, why do you care?" Lucy did feel bad when she saw the hurt in his eyes. But could she trust him?

"Cause you don't deserve this!"

"I know you have ulterior motives," she dared him. Anger flashed in his eyes.

"Fine, wanna know my selfish reasons?" he asked sharply. She held her breath. "I wanna help you cause I wanna see your smile again! Cause it hurts me to see you like this." Lucy gaped at him. She didn't know what she was expecting, but this wasn't it. "Cause you remind me of someone who always had a smile, and now she's gone and… I can't watch you go too." He sounded broken as he stood. "But if you'd wanna be go away, that's your choice. As long as you're happy somewhere."

"Natsu…" He stopped halfway to the door but didn't look at her. She could see him shaking. "I… I don't know if I can trust you." He looked at her at last, his expression soft again.

"I get it," he assured her. "Think about it. Anytime you want to take me up on that, you just say the word. Mavis has my contact, she'll give it to ya." He hesitated at the look on her face. "Or I can stay," he offered.

"If you don't mind," she admitted.

"Of course. Just need to go to the bathroom. I'll be right back. Do you want anything?" She shook her head and he left the room. He came back shortly after and sat next to her. She studied him, from the bags under his eyes to his messy hair.

"How long have you been here for?" she asked. He pulled out his phone, which had one of those expensive water-proof case. Lucy only then realized hers wouldn't work anymore. Was it still here, or lost in the river?

"It's almost 4 AM now…" Natsu mumbled, scrunching his face as he tried to calculate. Lucy noticed his fingers twitching ever so slightly as he subtly counted on them. "… So about… 11 hours?"

"Wait. It's 4 AM?" Lucy asked. "But… There's school in less than 5 hours! You should be home!"

"I'll be fine. I couldn't have slept at home anyway. And if I do now, I'll feel worse." He groaned, tipping his head back. Lucy noticed a scar on the side of his neck. What happened to him? "And I've got work tonight…"

Lucy made her mind faster than she thought she could and pushed the button. Natsu frowned, but Ariel rushed in before he could question her. "Are you okay?" she asked.

"Yes. Could I be discharged?" Lucy demanded.

"Where will you go?"

"Natsu said he could take me in."

Ariel hesitated, then nodded. "Let me find Dr. Vermillion." But the doctor was already walking in, a pill and a cup of water in hand.

"I'm here," she said, handing them to Lucy, who swallowed it quickly. "What is it?"

"I would like to be discharged," Lucy repeated.

"What about social services?" she asked.

"I'll call them if I need to," Lucy replied with more confidence than she felt. "Natsu said he has a place for me."

"Are you sure you're allowed to?" the doctor asked him. Lucy wondered why he wouldn't be.

"They're cutting my services at the end of the month," Natsu shrugged. "Won't make a difference." And Lucy wondered what services he was talking about. Fear gripped her heart for a brief moment. She knew next to nothing about Natsu. But he had risked his life to save hers. She forced herself to believe that it had to be enough. She could still run away to one of her friends if she couldn't trust him.

"If you both are sure about this…" Dr. Vermillion looked at a few papers then back at Lucy. "Ariel, would you grab her belongings? You are free to go, Lucy. Do you want us to call at home?"

Lucy froze and paled. "Would you have to tell him where I'm going?"

"I can tell him that you will be staying with a friend, but didn't give us an address."

Lucy nodded slowly. "Okay," she agreed, filling out the phone number on the clipboard Mavis handed her She added her last name, wondering if Natsu simply didn't know it. Ariel came back with a plastic bag containing her belongings. Natsu left the room while they helped her change and called for a taxi while he waited in the hall.

Lucy looked a little bit wary when she stepped out, holding herself awkwardly to minimize the pain in her rib. Natsu asked her if she wanted a wheelchair but she insisted she was fine. He helped her inside the car and gave his address to the driver.

There's the end of the first chapter, folks! Any reviews will be greatly appreciated :D I'll me monitoring my PMs as well if anyone wants to strike a chat :)