My Lost Hope

Chapter 8

Lucy's POV
I find myself alone.

I stand up and walk into the kitchen.

"Natsu? Where are you?" I yell, my shout echoes through the house.

I walk back into the living room to find Gray and Juvia standing before me.

"Natsu left you," Gray says in a menacing voice.

I cringe, "n-no! He would d-do that to me!"

"He is right," Juvia says an evil glint in her eyes.

I shake my head and step back. I run out the front door.

I run into Shibukji.

He grabs my neck, lifting me off the ground.

"You disrespectful slut! You know how much trouble you could get into?" He hisses.

Shibukji throws me onto the ground and ties a rope around my hands.

He pulls me along the street just to stop at the town square.

There is a huge crowd and smoke rising from the middle of the gathered civilians.

I'm dragged to the middle.

There is a huge pile of burning wood and a bloody Natsu tied to a cross in the middle.

I gasp and tears fill my eyes.

"Natsu!!!" I scream and wake up.

I sit upright as tears stream down my cheek.

My hands find their way to my face as my whole body shakes.

"Lucy! What's wrong?!" Natsu asks, concerned.

He grabs my shoulders and looks me straight in the eyes.

"I-it was a h-horrible d-d-dream!" I stutter as he pulls me into his chest.

He strokes the top of my head and calms me down.

"Will you tell me about it?" He asks pulling himself away from me.

My hands fall from my face and I look into his eyes.

"You left me..." I say.

His frown turns into a smile and he pulls me close again.

"Lucy~ I promise on my life that I will never ever leave you," he pulls my chin up so I'm looking at him.

Is he about to kiss me?

He leans in, just inches away from my face.

A loud knock on the door interrupted the moment.

Natsu backs away and stands up. He walks over to the door and looks through the small window.

He opens it to find a guard standing there.

"Is Lucy Heartfilia here at the moment?" The man asks.

"I don't know... Why are you asking?" Natsu says.

"We are here to bring her with us. Turns out her original owner is still alive."

"She is in my ownership now. You can't take her."

"May I see your certificate?"

"I will get it."

Natsu turns around and runs into the living room.

He rummages through his things and pulls out a slip of paper.

He runs back to the door and hands the paper to the guard.