• (Lucy's POV) •

I swiftly opened the door, revealing one of the most shocking sights I've ever seen.

"Natsu!" I gasped. "What did they do to you!?" He was covered from head to toe with what looked like painful bruises, cuts and slashes across his torso, face and back, and he'd sprained his ankle.

"Ahh, there was too many of them..." He sighed, and I rushed over to kneel beside him. "What's he doing here?" He then spat, gesturing to Loke.

"Don't be mean." I muttered, pulling out my handkerchief. "Loke helped me get here, he's on our side."

I heard a small sigh come from Natsu, but then he slowly nodded his head.
"I'm going to stand outside and keep watch." Loke suggested, leaving us alone.

I held the handkerchief up to his mouth.
"Spit." I ordered.
"What?" He looked at me as if I spoke another language.
"I said, spit." I repeated.
"Why?"
"Just do it."

He then spat on the handkerchief, and I began to clean his cuts.
"Did you know," I began. "I was once told by a very handsome dragon that Dragon Saliva is a good healing remedy."
"But it can't heal everything." He added, smiling at me.

My mind thought back to that day.

~ flashback ~

"NATSU!" I screamed.
"What?" He asked.
"Why'd you lick me?"
"Look at your neck." He replied.

I stood up and looked in the mirror to see that the mark had gone.
"Dragon saliva is a good healing remedy," Natsu explained. "But it can't heal everything."
"Oh," I sighed. "T-thanks.."
I guess you learn something new everyday.

~ end ~

I felt myself tear up, remembering how much fun we all had at my birthday party.
"Hey Luce," He lifted his hand to wipe my tears. "Don't cry. You'll make me cry."
"Okay." I sniffled. "I'll stop."

Once I'd cleaned his cuts I stood up, looking at Loke. I knew that he knows what I want to do.
"Miss Lucy, we can't break him out of the cell." He told me. "Everyone would notice."

"We can't just leave him here!" I retorted, looking back at Natsu, then at Loke again.
"We're going to have to." He sighed. I was about to protest, until I was interrupted.

"Luce?" I turned around to face Natsu. "Leave me here. You know fully well that I can't escape."
"But Nats-" I was interrupted again.
"Miss Lucy we have to go." Loke blurted out urgently.

I hesitated, turning to Natsu once more.
"I'll come back as soon as I can." I told him, walking over towards Loke.

"I love you Luce!" Natsu yelled.
"I love you too Natsu!" I replied, closing the cell door and walking away.

^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^

It's been two weeks since Natsu was captured. As I thought, Sting hasn't carried out his threat to kill Natsu, but Sting has recovered.

Unlike Natsu.

Every day I go to the dungeons with Loke to see Natsu. I bring medicine and sometimes food if I can, because I know he won't get fed in there. Every time I see him he has fresh wounds, and everyday I clean them and look after him.

I've also noticed that there's a maid called Yukino spending quite a bit of time with Sting. I mean, I'm not bothered, Sting can do what he wants, but I have noticed her always being around.

She is his personal maid, waiting on him hand and foot. I've also noticed that he looks at her... With eyes of lust. So I'm guessing they are together at night also.

Like I said, I couldn't care less. I'm actually happy that it's not me, and she's actually drawing his attention away from me, making it easier to sneak away.

I also think I've come down with a cold; I'm sick nearly everyday and I've been getting tired easily. I guess going outside in the cold doesn't help much.

We were sat at opposite ends of the dinner table, eating in silence. I didn't really fancy the food on my plate; I just feel like eating apples.

"Yukino!" Sting yelled. "More wine." She walked over towards him, holing the bottle of red wine.

Hold on... Is she... Shaking?

She poured the wine into the glass slowly, but then I saw. She spilled it onto the white tablecloth.

"You stupid bitch!" Sting yelled out, standing cup and knocking more things over. "What do you think you're doing!?"
"I-I'm sorry m-master Sting..." She muttered. "I-" she was cut off.

Sting had grabbed her shirt, yanked her towards him, and whispered in her ear. He was a bad whisperer, as I knew, but what I heard was something unbelievable.

"Nice acting sweetheart, she'll never suspect us, but I'm going to have to punish you tonight." He smirked.

It was an act? To try and fool me!

Sting then pushed her away, putting on his angry facade once again.
"Clean this up at once." He ordered.
"Yes master." She obeyed.

What is going on!? What was all that for!?

• (Sting's POV) •

I've spoken to my mother again since Natsu was taken captive, and she's still complaining about the lack of babies.

I don't want to even look at Lucy anymore, not after what she said to me. I've taken a fancy to Yukino, my maid. It's clear that she fancies me, and I actually think I might like her. Then a thought popped into my head.

What if I could get Yukino pregnant, and pretend that it was Lucy's baby?

That idea? Perfect. But then I guess you're all wondering how I'm going to tell Lucy? Easy.

Tell her that we'll adopt a newborn baby that looks similar to us to solve the problem my mother is on about.

No one will ever know.

I haven't decided what I'm going to do about Natsu. I might just let him go when Yukino gives birth. Lucy can't run away with him because she has to look after the baby.

I have it all worked out in my head.

Word Count- 1009