The Family (IV)

22: Not Allowed to Die

Lucy waited with hope at the front of the Main House. Her white dress that ended on her knees faintly swayed with the cool fresh breeze.

It wasn't just her, the others were there as well.

All awaited the return of the Head.

The sky above them was already painted with the colors of dawn. In a moment, the sun will be rising soon.

And she couldn't help but feel worried as she stood still, her fair hand clutching the cloth near her heart.

As the earliest warm ray of sunshine finally rose up and shined on their faces, two black cars arrived before them.

One which Laxus was on, and the other one which the Head drove.

Everyone sighed in relief.

It was finally over.

As he got out of the car, Lucy's face radiated with happiness and her worried eyes instantly disappeared. There he was. Her Natsu.

She hastily ran up to meet him halfway as he walked towards them. Crashing her body to his firm built as she trapped him in a sweet embrace. He gladly returned it.

On her face was a pleasant, contented smile.

She noticed the stains of blood on his slacks, but she didn't care. She wasn't worried that it'd ruin her dress, it did not really matter.

"Welcome home," Lucy smiled as she slowly placed a space between them to look up to his face, "Let's get you cleaned up."

"I believe everything went well?" Mirajane asked in a knowing tone as Laxus went to her and the others.

"He dead?" Jellal asked, referring to Invel.

Laxus nodded, noting the expectant eyes of everyone else that waited for his response.

"He's been taken care of," he answered, "We won't be seeing his face in this lifetime."

And he meant it literally.

There was nothing left of Invel's head. Besides, he burned the headless body himself.

"I hope Rufus is doing alright back in China," Freed spoke.

Before the merging of the Dons, they used to belong to different families, but now they all seemed to get along even better.

"You mean him?" Rouge smirked as he motioned his head towards the person who just arrived.

Rufus Lore.

And heck, the look on his face was still the same as always.

He looked confident and satisfied. It was obvious that he was able to carry out Natsu's instruction with not a single problem at all, if memory served him right.

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MASTER'S CHAMBER

They stood by the king-sized bed.

Natsu's coat and necktie were now on the floor.

She was undressing him, determined to get the bloodstained clothes off him and clean him up.

Lucy was too occupied with unbuttoning his shirt that it took her long enough to realize that he was looking at her the whole time.

She was already halfway down the buttons when she noticed him staring.

"Is something on my face?" Lucy asked, her voice in concern.

Nothing was more agonizing than remembering Invel's words all over again... "The Lady will die as compensation for the lives you took!"