19 Chapter 19

There was silence in the room that was usually lively and happy. Lucy stared at the hands that rested lightly in her lap, sitting between Happy and Natsu on the couch while Erza paced thoughtfully in front of them and Gray sat silently on the floor beside the couch, gaze dark. Natsu's face was blank, but his gaze followed Erza, and he had one arm draped behind the celestial mage on the back of the couch, his onyx eyes just daring them to say the wrong thing. Happy glanced up at her every now and then, worried for the blonde.

"Wow," Gray finally murmured. He'd lost his shirt long ago, and he scratched his naked chest as he glanced over the armrest of the couch. "So you're the princess of Bosco, huh?"

"Yes," Lucy answered softly, hands clenching into fists. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you two sooner, but...I can't just tell everyone, as you probably know. I told Natsu and Happy because Natsu's my partner and he saw a threat Bora messaged me before he showed up. Master Makarov knew because of Jose, and I'm pretty sure Levy, Gajeel, and Juvia know from the same situation."

"We understand," Gray said hastily, especially when the temperature spiked. Even he knew when to annoy Natsu, and this wasn't the time. "I certainly won't tattle. I'm not all for blabbing like some people here."

"Gray," Natsu gritted out, glaring dangerously at the ice-make mage.

"Enough," Erza cut in, running her fingers impatiently through her scarlet-colored hair. She stopped pacing, turning to face Lucy, and Natsu tensed, a growl threatening to escape his lips at the hard look in her dark eyes. Erza noticed and smiled gently at the two, amused. "Don't worry, I don't intend to say anything either, Lucy. I, myself, come from a situation I don't care to talk about. I can understand why you'd choose to run away. Perhaps it is best for you to continue going by your pen name when we complete work?"

"Probably," Lucy agreed, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. Her gaze darted up to study the face of each person - and Happy - in the room before a hesitant smile crossed her face. "Thank you. For not rushing to try and drag me back to Bosco. It means a lot to me."

Gray flashed her a grin. "Like we'd purposely do something that horrible to our nakama."

"What he said," Natsu muttered, and Lucy shot him a grateful smile that had him looking the other way, his cheeks flushed a slight pink that had Erza shaking her head with a sigh.

"Thank you anyways," Lucy said firmly, giving them all a brilliant smile. She gently patted Happy on the head, then stood. "I think I want to try and summon this new Spirit, if that's okay. I'd like to have a contract completed before we escort Amelia Swanson to her destination."

"It would be good for you to do so," Erza agreed. She gently moved Happy into the middle of the couch and took his spot. "I'd like to witness this."

"Where did you say you found it?" Lucy asked, glancing at Natsu. "An antique shop?"

"Yeah," he agreed. "Was wandering around looking for a present since you let us stay with you and we kinda burned down your apartment, and I saw it through a window. Went in, asked about it, and they said it had been in there for years."

"I'll have to check every shop in the city," Lucy murmured as she pulled out the key. She ran her fingers across the silver, smiling warmly. "Thank you so much, Natsu. I'll treat you to a huge dinner after we complete the escort job."

"Nah, I don't need it." He surprised them all with his answer, instead folding his hands behind his head. Natsu flashed her a huge grin that she returned with a warm smile before turning away.

"You sure you're able to summon it?" Gray's question had her glancing at him. He was currently in the process of unbuttoning his jeans, and Erza, noticing immediately, glared viciously at him until he flinched and stopped. "This one might be harder than that other one."

"I didn't think of that," Lucy murmured, hesitating now.

"You've been doing really good with Plue, though," Happy piped up, beaming up at her.

"You can't get better unless you push yourself, Lucy," Erza agreed. She smiled reassuringly. "And if you're unable to, then it's fine. You can always try again later, when your magic has grown."

Lucy shot her a smile, then slashed the key through the air.

There was a flash of light, and before her appeared what appeared to be a grandfather clock. "Greetings," it greeted, bowing in a strange way. "I am Horologium, the clock. It is an honor that I was found by a companion of one of the Heartfilia line."

The celestial mage beamed her greeting, pretending the others weren't there. "Hello," she greeted in return, hugging her arms nervously. She could already feel the tug on her magic, warning her that she would tire quickly, but she ignored it. She had to make a contract with Horologium.

The entire process went smoothly. She made sure to mentally note the days and times that the clock before her was available to come to her aid, though he promised that he'd be there should an emergency require it and that she could . But by the time Horologium had vanished in a flash of light, Lucy was ready to take a nap. She staggered as she pushed the key back into her pocket, flashing her friends a reassuring smile when she saw concern on their faces. "I'm fine...just a bit tired."

"You look a little feverish, Lucy," Erza murmured, hurrying over to press her wrist over the blonde's forehead. Her dark eyes searched Lucy's. "Come, let's get you into bed...you need your rest if you're going to assist us on that escort job tomorrow…"

"I'm fine," Lucy tried to protest, but Erza was having none of it. "Natsu," the celestial mage whined desperately, glancing his way with a pleading look, and he froze, eyes wide. Erza glared furiously at him, daring him to go against her words.

"W-well, I mean...l-last time you, uh, were like this, y-you passed out, so…"

The dragon slayer was barely able to stammer out the words before Gray agreed with a faintly said, "What he said."

"Sorry, Lucy," Happy said anxiously, his own eyes full of terror.

"Traitors," Lucy accused with a pout on her face, and then let Erza rush her off to get changed and get into bed.

"Are you sure you'll be okay?"

Gray's concerned question made Lucy smile to herself, her hand delving into the messenger bag that secretly hid Happy from the public eye. After waking up late, they hadn't had time to place a spell on the little blue cat to keep him from being noticed, and as Erza would be ready to fight at a moment's notice, Lucy had been put in charge of him. "I'll be fine, Gray," she told him, aware of the other two carefully listening in. "I feel better today."

"But are you sure?" Gray urged. "We need to know, Lucy, it's important. If you're not ready, we can delay a few more days-"

"I'm fine, we're here already, and we're going." Lucy's voice held no room for argument. She stared at the building they'd been heading for, her eyes determined. "I'll be okay, I promise."

"Let us know if you need a break from her," Natsu told the celestial mage with a huff, his lips twisting into a grimace. "I don't think I'm gonna like her."

"Probably not." Erza's agreement made Lucy sigh softly. "But you know the rules. If you can be polite to our client, then you'll stay silent. Lucy needs the money so that she can return to Magnolia permanently."

"Yeah, yeah."

"Natsu." Erza was exasperated, but said nothing more as she knocked sharply on the door of the building Amelia Swanson occupied. The man from the day before answered it, and Lucy forced herself to lock a smile on her face as she pulled Happy out of his hiding place, instead cradling him in her arms. She'd been told it was safe for the cat - they had no clue as to what he really was, she'd been told - to be out among those that knew of magic, and Lucy had been given permission to keep him with her when she'd requested it.

Happy happily rested in her grasp, not bothered. "Natsu won't do anything," he said to Erza, who glanced back when he spoke, as if curious. "He likes Lucy too much."

"Happy," Lucy groaned, exasperated. The cat had been absolutely relentless in his teasing after the hug she'd received from Natsu the night before. While Gray had teased him as well, it was nothing in comparison to Happy. "Stop. Seriously. Or I'll string you up by your tail."

He squeaked and went quiet.

Natsu snickered, and she turned a pointed look on him before falling silent as they reached the room they'd been brought to the day before. Amelia Swanson was in there, dressed in a similar way to the way she had been when they'd first come. Her sharp gaze scanned each of them piercingly, taking in the armor Erza wore, the lack of shirt on Gray, and Natsu's scarf before resting warily on Happy. And then she looked into Lucy's eyes. Lucy felt her blood run cold at the sly look in those blue orbs.

"Hello," was all she said, however. She turned away, waving towards a suitcase on the floor. "I'll need someone to take this...we will be taking a vehicle of my father's. You will all ride with me, and will escort me into the building upon our arrival."

"Of course," Erza murmured. "Gray will grab your bags and take them to the vehicle while I introduce you to the last two members of our team...this is Natsu Dragneel, also known as Salamander. I'm sure you've heard of him in some way, more than likely because of his destructive tendencies, though he will be able to control himself. And the blue cat Layla is holding is Happy. Natsu, Happy, this is Miss Amelia Swanson."

"Yo," Natsu greeted unenthusiastically.

"Hi," Happy added.

Amelia looked at Happy with disgust. "It talks?"

Lucy tightened her grip on Happy, shooting the woman a small glare when Happy gave a soft sound of hurt. "It's okay," she told him so that only Happy - and quite possibly Natsu, because she wasn't sure of just how strong his hearing was - could hear. "Ignore her."

Happy looked quite a bit happier after her words.

"Yes, Happy talks," Erza said, then waved Natsu over. "Come, we'll take you to the vehicle so that you may arrive at your destination as soon as possible. We'll discuss what's left to discuss on the way there."

Within only ten minutes, all of them were seated comfortably in a limo that was obviously made for protection. Lucy tapped thoughtfully on the glass of a window, assuming it was nearly bullet proof. It was lined with seats that faced each other, and Erza had decided that it would be best for Amelia to sit between she and Gray, especially when Amelia had commented on the fact that she wanted to be as far from Happy as possible in case he had some sort of disease.

Happy had looked ready to cry. Lucy had been furious. And Natsu looked like he wanted to blow something up.

Hence the reason Lucy found herself seated beside the ill-looking dragon slayer with Happy cuddled in her lap, happily dozing as she stroked his head. Natsu was seething, slouching in his seat, watching as Lucy's hand moved gently over Happy's head as the limo started up.

It was silent for a few seconds before Amelia turned to Erza, pointed briskly at Lucy, and demanded, "How do you not recognize the princess of Bosco?" Confusion at the sudden question flashed across Erza's face, and Lucy gritted her teeth.

"This is not," Erza said after a brief moment of thought, "The princess of Bosco, Miss Swanson. This is our nakama and a mage of Fairy Tail, Layla Cor. She's been a member of our guild for many years now, but has only recently begun working the jobs that are offered to us."

"Nonsense," Amelia scoffed, flicking what appeared to be an imaginary fleck of dust from her shoulder. "As I said before, I know what each and every member of the royal families around us look like, as should you all. It's part of the education you're supposed to receive-"

"Uh, hate to break it to ya, lady," Natsu interrupted, ignoring the scorching look shot his way. "None of us went to school or anything. Erza and Layla, uh, couldn't, Gray didn't have time, and I was raised by a dragon."

Amelia's lips parted in surprise and she stared at him before scoffing. "Nonsense. You had to have been educated in some way." She continued over him when he moved to interrupt again. "And I am more than positive that this is the princess of Bosco."

"I'm not Lucy Heartfilia," Lucy sighed heavily. Damn, there weren't many people she wanted to throttle, but she was definitely one of them! Happy made a soft sound of comfort, as if knowing how upset she was getting about the matter.

"Perhaps your memory has been erased of such things," Amelia suggested. "I brought the subject up with my father, and he's contacted the king of Fiore, who in return has agreed to speak with King Jude about this-"

"You what?" Panic shot through Lucy, resulting in her voice rising to a horrified shriek.

Gray swore loudly, his dark eyes angry, and Erza simply stared at her in shock. When the temperature in the cab of the limo spiked, however, Lucy hurried to shove Happy into Natsu's lap to keep him from shooting up and lighting the car on fire, one hand grabbing his wrist and giving him a pointed look. Onyx eyes met brown and he reluctantly forced himself to relax. Lucy kept her grip on his wrist, not trusting him to remain calm as Erza took a deep breath, then gritted out, "Miss Swanson, you're going too far with this matter. There was no need for such drastic measures."

"Yeah," Gray agreed, glaring at her. "Layla doesn't need this kinda trouble on her first job."

Lucy mentally commended them on their ability to use a fake name so easily and then shouted and screamed about the determination of the world to get her drug home. "It's fine, Erza, Gray," she murmured, then tightened her grip on Natsu's wrist when he dug his fingers into the seat, burning the leather. "Natsu, stop." She cleared her throat, addressing the problematic woman before her, "Like Erza said, that's going too far, Miss Swanson. Even if I was the princess, and I'm not, what right do you have to do such a thing? You would have just offended a future ruler of a country, perhaps even created an enemy for your own."

"That's true," Erza told them. "Making such claims could create an enemy of Bosco."

"Not," Amelia said icily. "If it is true."

Natsu suddenly spoke up, his voice dark with rage. "Even if she was Lucy Heartfilia," he growled, "What makes you think we'd just let her leave and go back to Bosco?"

"Natsu," Lucy protested, trying to shush him, but he ignored her, even when she dug her nails into his wrst.

"What I think does not matter," Amelia answered, pressing her lips together angrily. "It matters that the princess of Bosco return home. The country is falling into ruins. The king is spending all of the country's money on searching for her, and it's ruining the lives of those that live there."

Lucy's jaw clenched. Such an accusation wasn't entirely impossible. It would be like her father to do such a thing. Sensing her unease, Natsu shook her grip off, instead letting her slip her hand into his after he'd shifted closer, as if ready to protect the celestial mage at a moment's notice.

Lucy glanced at him, but he was too busy scowling at Amelia. Erza and Gray had fallen into an argument with her, defending the blonde without hesitation, and Lucy let a faint smile cross her face.

She'd known these people for less than a month, had nearly hit one of them with her car. Yet here they were, ready to protect her and her not so hidden secret.

And Natsu, who was too angry to even consider motion sickness at the moment, was comforting and reassuring her in a way he'd learned was best after the previous night, simply letting his hand lay limply in her white-knuckled grip, as if they'd been best friends for years.

Lucy rested her head, ignoring the loud talking now.

Soon, she thought, opening her eyes tiredly.

Soon she would deal with the problem before her on her own.

But for now...she was happy to enjoy having friends for a little bit longer.