Mizu-chan-Okay, another sad one coming up. Sorry. :) Graylu Week day 6!

Destiny

She knew that it would turn out this way.

That's just the way destiny worked.

She didn't think it would happen so soon though.

She knew that, being a mage in a powerful Magic Guild, the probabilities of this being the way she went were high. She knew it. At least, she was with her friends.

Well, basically, they weren't around at the moment, they were currently fighting off the last of the dark guild they were defeating. She was kind of glad that they weren't here to see the worst of this.

She hoped the blood would stop, or even slow down before they found her.

She knew they would find her eventually, with Natsu's nose.

She tried desperately to spit the cloth out of her mouth. Maybe if she could shout, then they would hear her. Her tongue worked at the bad tasting fabric, trying to at least move it a little so even if she couldn't yell, she would at least be able to breath easier in her final moments.

She could feel her strength fading fast, the more she worked to get free. She wanted to see them before she died. It was too late now, to save her, but she just wanted to see their faces one more time. One more time.

'One more time, please, just one more time!' She pleaded. She didn't care who heard her. Whatever gods or goddesses heard her, if there were any, or whatever being, fuck it, even if the stars heard her, she would be grateful if they would just get a bad feeling, or Natsu would catch her blood soaked scent and come running.

She had to tell them.

She had to tell Erza she was the best sister she'd never had.

She had to tell Natsu that if she only had one best friend, it would be him.

She had to tell Happy that his breath smelled like fish, and that, even so, she still found him adorable.

She had to tell Gray, the only man who had ever loved her, the only man that she herself had ever loved that she would always remember him, no matter where she went.

Tears welled in her eyes as she stared around the dark, cavernous room. She'd been fighting off two mages at the same time, and she'd been overwhelmed by the second one after defeating the first man. The other had hit her with a powerful sleeping spell after realizing that Lucy was more formidable than she looked. She had time to deliver a sizable wound before she'd passed out. He'd bound her, tied her to a stake, and woke her. He waited until she was awake before showing her the knife he was going to use. And with that, he'd slowly, deliberately, painfully slid the blade to the hilt into her stomach.

So here she sat, bleeding onto the stones, watching her life trickle away into one of the many cracks in the floor. The tears dripped down her face and mingled with the blood that was still bubbling at her lips, soaking into the cloth in a disgusting concoction.

She didn't want this. She wanted to go home with her friends, smiling, laughing, write the next chapter of her novel, and go to bed with Plue snuggled up against her chest, and Gray's arm draped over her with the comforting warmth that she had grown used to.

And she knew that wasn't going to happen again.

Already, she could feel her brain slowing down from lack of blood. She didn't have much longer.

She hated this. If she was going to die, why couldn't it just happen quickly? Why couldn't she have been killed with a spell that just put you to sleep forever? Why did that man, lying unconscious from the injury she'd given him, have to be so cruel? Why? Why did she have to die?

She closed her eyes. She was getting dizzy and she had been seeing black and yellow spot dancing in her vision, taunting her, just waiting for her to die.

Was she going to die here, alone, in the dark, cold? She didn't want to, but that's the way it seemed. She heard no footsteps echoing through the rocky tunnel, no light shone from the outside, as it was already night out. She wished she could see the moon, the stars, someone, something she knew and loved.

She slumped forwards and gave up. There was no arguing with fate. No trying to wiggle out of death. So what was the point? If she just died now, she wouldn't even have to see her friends faces of horror. She wanted to see them smile, not cry. Not frown. She didn't like it when people were sad.

"Lucy!"

Her head jerked up and her eyes opened. A hazy blue light was speeding towards her, and she squinted, trying to make it out. When her eyes focused, she saw it was a man. She flinched away, thinking it was an enemy, but then reasoned that the enemy wouldn't even know her name, much less call her by it.

Besides.

She recognized that voice. That glow of magic. That usual drop in temperature whenever he walked in the room.

She tried to speak, to call out his name, but it came out muffled and quiet. But he heard the noise, and he rushed towards it.

She could see his face now, as he ripped the gag out of her mouth and sliced through the ropes on her wrists and ankles with a shard of ice. He grabbed her shoulders.

"Lucy! Are you okay? What happened?" He asked, his voice laced with worry. Lucy opened her mouth to speak, but instead of words, only blood spilled over her already scarlet lips. Gray blinked and his eyes flashed with panic.

"Oh, god, Lucy! Lucy, where did you-" He looked down, and finally noticed the glisten of blood that had been absorbed into her ripped shirt. He moved his hand and ice magic swirled around it, illuminating the wound in it's blue light. His beautiful blue eyes went wide with shock and he pressed his hand to her stomach. Lucy cried out in agony as ice crept over it, sealing it. But it was too late, she knew she'd already lost too much blood.

"Gray... d-don't... it's..." She managed to croak out. It hurt her to speak, to move.

"It's not too late, Lucy, you're gonna be fine." He groaned as he watched the blood seep through the ice, turning it red. He created another layer.

"C'mon, c'mon, work goddammit! You-" He looked up into her eyes. "You can't die, Luce. You need to come back home! You have to!"

She shook her head slightly and gasped. She raised her hand, slowly, and touched his face. She moved his face nearer and without thinking, she kissed his cheek. She pulled away and her hand dropped.

"I... I go-t b-blood on you... I'm... sorry..." Gray's eyes sparkled with unshed tears and his breath started to come fast and sharp.

"No, no, Lucy, no... you... you can't..." He stammered. Lucy pulled off a smile and tried to make a joke.

"De-" She gulped. "Destiny's a... a bitch... hm?" He dried his face and tore the bottom of his shirt off. He used the cloth to wipe the blood from Lucy's face.

"You're going to live, Lucy. So don't you dare think otherwise." He said with determination. Lucy sighed.

'He's really not getting it, is he?' She thought tiredly.

With the last ounce of her strength, Lucy pushed herself up into a sitting position, leaning against the rock, and moved forward. While there was no blood on her mouth, she kissed him. One last time. She ran her fingers through his hair, taking him in. One last time. Finally, she drew back, took in a shuddering, deep breath, and murmured, one last time,

"Gr-ay... I... lo-love...you..." Her eyes felt heavy and they started to close. She smiled as she heard his next words.

"I love you too, Lucy..." His voice cracked as her head fell back, and her body went limp. Blood no longer flowed, as there was no heartbeat to keep it pumping. Gray pressed his forehead against hers and cried silently, tears dripping onto her pale face. Her looked at her. She looked so peaceful. He was glad. Not that she was gone, but that she looked like she was merely resting, if you didn't notice the blood. He lay her down gently and stood up. He had to tell the others. He hated to leave her body, but now that the dark guild was defeated, he was sure no one would disturb her.

He looked over his shoulder at the angel he'd loved. The angel who'd somehow loved him, and whispered,

"Good bye."

And as he walked, feet dragging on the ground, back to his waiting teammates, he could've sworn the wind whispered back.

"Good bye."