There was a heavy silence following Erzas words, and the tension seemed to strangle Natsus lungs. "Who couldn't you reach?" he asked worriedly when no one spoke.

"Only two families. Gajeel, your parents did na answer the phone," Erza said as she looked at the big man. He felt Lucy stiffen next to him when Erza looked at her next. "There was no answer at your home either Lucy."

Natsu wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her into his side, "Aunt Regin and Uncle Metalicanna should be fine, but what are we going to do? Michelle isn't even twenty years old and she has no gifts. We can't leave her alone in the states." He felt Lucy clutch at his shirt, and he hated upsetting her, but they needed a plan.

"Erza and I are going to get her as well as Gajeels parents. We will be stopping in Russia first, since it is on the way, before going to the states." Jellal informed them.

"I'm going with you," Lucy said, and Natsu could have sworn he heard a small tremor in her voice.

"Lucy, it's too dangerous-"

"Which is exactly why I'm going Erza. Michelle is the only family I have left, and I'll be damned before anyone lays a hand on her."

Natsu grinned at her fire, even in the face of fear she was a force to be reckoned with. He remembered one of the first times he talked to her, she said people called her an F5 tornado, no one was left the same when she blew by. They were right.

Erza and Jellal shared a look with Lily, before the man nodded. "Very well. From what I understand, it's hard to find your place unless you know where it is anyway. They'll need you to get there."

"Then I'm going with her," Natsu said, giving her shoulders a little squeeze.

"Natsu-"

"If the idiot is going, so am I. He's my responsibility after all," Gajeel finally spoke up as he moved to stand beside him, crossing his arms over his chest.

Natsu frowned up at him, "I am a grown man!"

"A grown man who still gets lost at the store."

"Ok, one time!-"

"If they're going, I want to go too..." Wendy nervously spoke up,ending their bickering instantly. By the way she flinched slightly, he could guess she got hit by everyone's mental shout of no!

The sudden silence was broken by Levys sigh, "I think you're just going to have to accept that we are all going. Besides, if Etherios has beaten us there, you'll need all the back up you can get."

Lily sighed as he pinched the bridge of his nose while Erza grinned, "I think that is a wonderful idea Levy. If you're all wanting to go, we leave in an hour."

Lily was left gaping at her while Jellal chuckled and followed her out of the room. When everyone had dispersed, leaving only Lucy and Natsu, she slumped against his side with a shakey sigh. "She'll be fine Lu, she's a Heartfillia. She'll probably be sipping sweet tea on your porch when we get there."

Lucy laughed slightly, though Natsu began the beginnings when he felt wetness on his shoulder. He didn't like it when women cried, they should always be smiling, and he always tried to make it that way, especially Lucy.

"She's just nineteen Natsu.... She can't defend herself, and there's no one around for miles.... Something could happen to her and no one would ever know." Her shoulders started to shake as she sniffled and began to cry harder.

Natsu unwrapped his arm so he could stand in front of her, holding both of her shoulders as she looked up at him. Her beautiful doe eyes were rimmed in red and tears streaked down her soft face. He knew right then and there he never wanted to see her like this ever again, and he'd fight to make it so. "Lucy, listen to me ok? Michelle will be alright. She may not have gifts, she may not know how to work a gun, or be physically strong. But you told me yourself. She has a mean swing with a bat, and that can even take someone like Gajeel down. Your home is hard to find, and even if they did we would probably have been there and gone already. Worrying and stressing will only make you sick, then you wont be any help to her. She needs you to be strong right now."

He was glad to see her tears had finally stopped, though her eyes were still a little puffy and she gave him a tiny smile. "You talk a pretty good game, you know that?"

Natsu grinned and rested his forehead on her gently, reaching up to wipe her tears away with his thumbs. "I'm not as Gajeel makes me out to be."

"I don't think your dumb."

"I'm glad."

They smiled at each other before someone cleared their throat in the doorway, and the pair turned to see Cana and Juvia. The women gave Lucy an encouraging smile before Cana spoke up, "Lulu we got your bag for you, Natsu go get your stuff. Everyones getting ready to pack into the car."

Natsu nodded before pulling Lucy into a quick hug and headed upstairs. It didn't take him long to put what clean clothes he had back into his bag, slinging it over his shoulder before returning downstairs. They were all gathered by the door, he could see Levy and Gajeel outside speaking with her spirit Baghira. The jaguar vanished as the group made their way outside, and Natsu gave her a questioning look.

"I asked him if he'd wait at the strip for us, some extra protection from unexpected company."

"We've got some shadows there as well. Mama called Marco and filled him in, he and Antonio are waiting at the airport for everyone to show up," Cana informed them. "Florence is now probably one of the safest places on Earth."

"Everyone pile in, we've got a long flight ahead," Jellal called as he and Erza exited the villa, with Lily on their heels.

"Are you all certain you want to go?" When everyone nodded he sighed slightly before smiling. "Keep an eye on each other, and always be on guard. Etherios has a number of people with gifts that range in every direction. I'll keep in contact with Erza and Jellal, informing them as your families arive."

With Lilys parting words, everyone piled into the SUV, and the drive to the private strip was quiet. With all the extra guards, they didn't have to make a run to the jet, but they were still on high alert. Baghira was there ghost, appearing and disappearing as he circled the strip, nearly invisible anyway with the bright afternoon sun. The beast vanished for good once they were all inside the jet, engine started and soon they were in the air. It was a nineteen hour flight, and it was nowhere near as stressful as the last one.

Natsu sat back in one of the seats, Lucy asleep with her head on his shoulder. Juvia occasionally painted when she wasn't asleep or trying to learn Itallian from Cana. Levy and Wendy were talking and laughing quietly, Gajeel watching over them like a hawk, and he didn't miss the way his cousins eyes lingered on the older woman. Natsu didn't realize he had fallen asleep until Lucy gently shook him, quietly saying we're here. She also told him that during the flight both Levy and Juvias parents had arrived in Florence.

Jellal and Erza made their way into the cabin," Alright everyone, stay close. The car is straight ahead from the door. It's still dark out, so keep moving. It makes you less of a target." With Jellals warning, everyone made their way for the door. Jellal moved ahead first, Erza in the center of their line with Gajeel bringing up the rear. Thankfully, there was no ambush waiting for them and they made it to the car safely.

It had been a long time since he had visited his aunt and uncle, and he could see China just on the other side of the river. It was lit up with the various casinos and hotels, causing the water to shine. It was beautiful, and one of the reasons his aunt had wanted a house near it, as well as making it easier for Wendy to come visit. She lived on just the other side after all.

When they pulled up to the Redfox home, it was strangely quiet, and dark. His uncle had a terrible habit of leaving lights on, even this early in the morning. Natsu looked at Gajeel, and could see in his eyes that he knew something was wrong. The SUV filled with tension in the span of a second.

"Half of us will wait in the car,"Erza said quietly. "Gajeel, Natsu, Levy, Cana and myself will go inside. Wendy, we'll give a shout when everything is clear."

Natsu looked to Wendy, who barely nodded, as she stared at the house intently. He could tell she was listening hard, and when she glanced at Gajeel, she gave him the slightest nod before looking back at the house.

In the silence, those Erza mention got out of the car, and Gajeel lead the way into the house.

Natsu was close behind him as Gajeel eased the front door open and they made their way inside. There was no sound of the coffee pot, no sizzling breakfast or even his aunts music. Just dead silence.

No, he heard it.

There were the quietest footsteps.

Everything broke out in an instant. There was a shout he recognized as a body dressed in black was suddenly thrown inches from Gajeels face, sailing across the hall and into the dining room. As the table cracked and splintered, both boys rushed into the room he had come from. Cana was suddenly there, having traveled by shadow, and snatched another black clad figure, dragging him with her into the shadows. It was chaos as Gajeel threw himself into the melee, and he could see a distinct red mane even in the darkness.

Gajeel was suddenly thrown onto his back, which should be near impossible, save for one person.

"Ma! It's me!" Was all Gajeel got out, bracing for the womans punch. Thankfully it was enough as the lights flicked on, and Gajeel was pinned down by surprisingly tiny woman.

"I should have know you were here boyo, when trouble came knocking. What are you doing here? And are these friends of yours?" Gajeel may have been Russian, but his mothers accent was thick with something else.

Regin was Irish born and bred, only ever having left the Isle when she married Metalicanna. Putting Gajeel and his mother, one would never expect they were related, let alone mother and son. Where Gajeel was tall with his black hair and red eyes, Regin was short. Her wild curly hair was flaming red and her eyes sparkling emerald. He inherited nothing from his mother, except her massive strength.

She used that now to pull Gajeel back to his feet one handed before turning to the group in her hallway. She grinned when she saw Natsu, "Ah, mah pink haired lad! I'v missed you Natsu. It's been awhile."

Natsu grinned, "I missed you too Aunt Reg."

Gajeel put his hand on his mothers shoulder, reclaiming her attention. "Sorry to drop in unannounced Ma, but we have a big problem."

Regin snorted, patting his hand. "I assumed as much Gaj, since this is the third time these bastards have visited."

{I LOVE REGIN! That is all}