Natsu awoke one day to find Happy no where to be seen. Figuring he was already at the guild with Lucy he got dressed and took off in the direction of Fairy Tail. When he arrived he said hey to Erza. When she ignored him and stared at her cheesecake, he figured it was girl stuff and shrugged it off. He went up to Gray and tried to talk but got no response.
"Listen here, you popsicle! Erza's ignoring and now you!" When he still got no response he went over to Lucy. Her and happy were drinking and talking. He sat down beside her. "Hey Luce! Did you pick out a job yet?"
Nothing.
"What's going on?" Why is no one listening to me?" He shouted with flames coming from his mouth. Even Mira and Macarov acted like he didn't existed. "I guess you all are mad at me for our last mission. It isn't my fault that church got burned down!"
"Happy, maybe we should get back to work. We can't sit around like this everyday now." Lucy said with a tear in her eye.
"Lucy? Lucy, why are you crying? Who do I need to kill?" Natsu jumped over to her, ready to fight.
"I guess, it's just weird." Happy sighed.
"I'm with you on that." Gray said as he walked over.
"Forget you guys!" Natsu shouted as he headed for the door. "Keep ignoring me if you want!"
Lucy jumped and Gray hugged her as tears started running down her face. "What's wrong lucy?" He asked as she squeezed him tight.
"I-I feel like he's here." She whimpered.
"Me too." Gray whispered with tears forming in his eyes.
As he sat in the park against a giant tree, fuming with anger, all he could think of was why they were so rude. After all, he pulled them out of the way of those falling rocks and flames. "Gray should be greatful I saved him. I could've let him get crushed."
"Natsu..." whispered an all to familiar voice. He jumped at hearing it and turned around. There before him, stood his dragon, Igneel.
"I-I thought you had vanished! You're alive! He ran into the arms of his beloved dragon and sobbed.
"Natsu, why are sad?" Igneel asked.
"It's everyone at the guild. They've stopped listening to me! They just act like I don't exist! What the hell is there problem?" He roared. He bowed his head and a tear ran down his cheek, "Why did they stop listening?"
Igneel sighed, "My boy, do you not remember?"
"Remember what?"
"The church on your last mission? The rocks and fire?"
He smiled, "Yeah, I remember that. I saved their lives by shoving them out of the way of the falling rocks and stuff." He looked down, "But I can't remember what happened next. I just remember waking up this morning and everyone ignoring me."
Igneel's eyes filled with sorrow. "Follow me, child." He lead Natsu to a cherry tree and Natsu's eyewidened at what he saw.
A lone statue sat at the base of the tree. With his name and a fire burning in a holder.
"I don't like this, Igneel, what's going on?" He stared at the rock and felt his heart beat faster.
"That mission was two weeks ago Natsu. When you saved your friends, you were crushed. Not even Wendy could save you." He said solemnly.
"No... Lucy..." Was all he could say.
"Lucy? Do you mean the cute little blonde you run around with? What about her? She can't hear you, child. She may be one talented wizard, but even the best, can't listen to the dead."
"I'm out of time. I though I had enough so I put it off." He said with his head bowed and fist clenched.
"Put what off?"
He took a breath and said, "Telling her I love her."
Igneel was silent. He figured he'd let Natsu have a minute to himself. When we spoke he gave Natsu a choice, "Natsu, you have two choices: stay where no one listens, or come with me and spend eternity with me and the others."
He thought long and hard. The sun was setting when he made he's choice. "I'm sorry" Was all he said as he bolted off and into the downtown part of Magnolia. He ran up to the apartment and through the window as always. He found her sitting with Happy on the couch watching TV. "Lucy..."
"Happy, do you belive in a after life?" She asked his old friend in her lap.
"Oh, Lucy, of course! Master says there is and we each have a loved one waiting for us on the other side to greet us when we pass!" He said.
She lowered her eyes to the floor and sobbed, "I hope Natsu is waiting for me. I never got the chance to tell him I love him. I thought there'd be plenty of time. Funny how fast you can run of time without realizing it." She broke down into tears and Natsu ran to her. He placed his hand on her shoulder. He could feel her warmth while she felt nothing at all.
"I'm right here, Lucy. I don't care if you don't ever listen to me again. I love you and I'm not going anywhere. I'll be right here. Just take your time. After all, it's not like I have any to waste." He grinned at his little joke and then frowned when he saw her tears. "I'll be right here. I love you."
That night he lied next to her in her bed. He looked at her sleeping face and he knew then, it was true. He didn't care that they stopped listening, as long as they kept living.