Dark Side of You

Chapter 1: Knowing You

He should have listened when they told him he had to choose a side.

But he believed in humanity - believed that everyone was equal.

He tried to stop Grey when he and Gajeel attacked one of the near towns in Magnolia which consisted of humans without magic - there was no guild there.

He knew why they did it but he didn't fully grasp it because it wasn't his close friend that had been attacked, it was theirs.

"What if it were Lucy, Natsu. What would you do then?!" screamed Grey, tears in his eyes. "She's in a coma, god damn it! Don't you fucking get it?!"

Natsu remembered clearly being angry at the thought and plus it was his family that had been attacked too. He knew it wasn't Lucy but still, it meant something. He remembered seeing their faces - Levy struggling to breath, Juvia's broken bones and tears came to his eyes as he imagined if it were Lucy who they had found.

It was only a split second but that was all Grey needed to distract Natsu so he and Gajeel could finish what they started.

The village was destroyed.

He watched on as they had deep discussions about what to do. Wizards were getting killed left, right and center - but he believed in humanity. He believed they would come around.

He was going to prove to them that they were better than Acnologia - better than Zeref. It was five years after the war. So why now? Why did the humans want them dead or locked away?

He'd promised Lucy that they would be together forever but would it be forever when everyone was dying?

"We have no choice," came Master Makarov's solemn voice.

All attention came to him. Natsu clenched his fists and narrowed his eyes.

"We always have a friggin' choice, old man. If we kill them, are we any better than them?" exclaimed Natsu, pushing off from the wall he had been leaning against.

He walked over with Lucy by his side in agreement with him. "Natsu is right. We have always protected them and saved the world from many horrifying ends...they'll see it-"

"How can you defend them?!" exclaimed Gajeel as he began to advance on Lucy from the right. He stopped a meter or so away, his face contort with anger but also an underlying sadness. His red orbs pierced into her soul.

Levy was badly injured but Juvia's injuries were worse because she had protected Levy, thought Lucy. It made her mad too but did that give them the right to play God over humanity?

Natsu regarded Gajeel for a moment, on guard in case the conversation turned nasty - like last time. And then a village was annihilated.

"We protected them," spoke up Lisanna's soft voice as she got up from a chair and walked toward them; tears in her eyes. "We always have. They used us wizards to help them with their 'jobs' but now they just throw us away like we are nothing?"

Everyone in front of Lucy and Natsu nodded and murmured their agreements.

"And now look where we are, Natsu," began Grey, stepping toward his rival/friend. "Does this look like our guild hall to you?"

Natsu couldn't answer. People started to get up and come toward them. They were angry...not thinking straight.

Lucy took a step in front of him. His eyes widened slightly at the gesture, did she actually think she could shield him with her small form. He remembered thinking that at the time, in amusement.

"Stop it, all of you! What ever the decision, I will go with what my family chooses but don't you guys see? The world is in turmoil and violence begets violence," she said, tears coming to her eyes. "Something happened to make them be like this, maybe someone is influencing them-"

"Are you that fucking naive, Lucy?" yelled Grey, pushing people out of the way to walk up to her.

He stopped in front of Lucy and looked down at her with disbelief.

"Hey," growled Natsu, taking a step forward, his eyes narrowed at Grey. "Don't speak to her like that, bastard."

Grey's eyes turned to him and mirrored his own. Lucy looked at them and took a breath, placing a small hand on Natsu's bicep. He didn't look at her but took a breath before calming himself and looking away from Grey before things escalated.

"You just don't think we could win!" piped up someone - she thought it sounded like Elfman.

"Of course we would win," yelled Lucy angrily, his fists clenched.

Lucy scanned the crowd around her and shook her head. "That's what I'm afraid of," she said quietly.

The others didn't respond because they knew what it meant for the humans who could not use magic.

Her voice was quiet now. "But what will be left if we do? What would you do with all that power over them? Rule them? Treat them as they have treated us, like, we are better than them?"

Natsu placed a hand over hers which was still on his arm showing his agreement in her words.

Grey groaned. "We know what will happen...but they've pushed us to the limit, Lucy. I know you're kind at heart and I know you're just trying to do what's right. I also know that you care about Levy and Juvia too so you're conflicted but enough is enough!" he exclaimed.

Everyone nodded in agreement. Even Mira.

Lucy looked to Natsu who had become quiet. His expression was conflicted too. On one hand, their comrades and family were being attacked and then on the other was their conscience.

Finally she looked to Erza who had remained silent throughout the whole ordeal - as had Gildarts and Laxus but she had a feeling they would just go with what ever Fairy Tail as a whole decided.

"Erza, please-"

"Lucy," she said softly as she walked to the front.

Her eyes went to Natsu and then to Lucy. "I see your turmoil and I know what you are saying but they won't stop. You were not there you did not see what they had done to Juvia and Levy and do not forget Jet and Droy are missing."

Lucy's eyes fell to the floor in guilt. She knew they had been attacked but it must have been brutal.

"Natsu, what about you? You've always been the one to say family comes first...Fairy Tail comes first and that you would fight anyone who jeopardized that," said Erza, turning her stern gaze to him.

He was already looking at her, his charcoal orbs expressed his confusion. "I-I hate what they did. You all know that I hate people messing with our guild! But this isn't just us anymore, its all wizards. Its wizards against regulars and if we go to war with them it will be like us killing children. Are you all okay with that?"

His eyes looked pleading as his gaze fell on everyone in front of him.

People looked away from his gaze guiltily but they did not change their minds.

"Luce...I think...I think we'll have to put our mission on hold for a while. We'll get Aquarius back someday, I promise," he said softly with a small smile, his gaze now on her.

Lucy nodded, squeezing her hand on his bicep before pulling away to converse with the guild again.

"I said I will go with what ever you guys decide as a whole. But can I just say one more thing?" she said, her eyes now on Erza again.

"Please, speak your mind," responded Erza with a nod.

Lucy also then looked down at Makarov, who stood next to Erza and he nodded as well.

"Humanity has its flaws, I know that. But they have good sides too. I think that if no one else is willing then I want to try and meet with the Pope of Earthland and try and see if either they are being influenced by something or someone or if they can see reason-"

Natsu stiffened next to her and jerked his head to face her with a look of incredulity. "Luce you can't do that!"

"What the hell, Lucy? That's way too dangerous!" exclaimed Grey, his eyes wide.

"Where did you come up with that?!" yelled Elfman, towering over the circle of people with his arms crossed.

And then the room erupted into arguments.

Lucy turned to Natsu, his eyes were fierce now, like he was angry at her. "Natsu, it has to be me. You can come with me as well but I think it should be me because the Heartfilia name means something to them, I know it does. My father wasn't magical," she said, leaning over so he could hear her.

In the end, they decided to give it a try. It was the last hope to stop a war.

Makarov explained that they would need the other guild's to agree as well and so a meeting was set up to be held in a random place. As they got off the lacryma with Dorinbolt, it was decided a team of two, consisting of Lucy and Erza, would go to the meeting. It was less conspicuous and Makarov and Macao were too old to travel nowadays anyway, especially if there was a high chance of battle on the way.

Natsu argued with them for a long time. He screamed until he was black and blue but it was no use. He had looked to Lucy, trying to get her to back him up, but she'd already left for her room. He ran after her, leaving Happy with the others because he was going to have a very stern talk with her.

Natsu remembered when he had first heard about the attacks on guild members.

They had been in a forest, just outside of Crocus. On their way to visit Princess Hisui. They had been conversing on and off about the golden keys and where to look for clues about how to either fix Aquarius' key or a way to summon her again by other means.

Natsu had insisted on them going on this mission because of the sacrifice Lucy had made, back in the war when all her friends were trapped in Tartaros.

It had been five long years since then but they thought they were making progress now. They had completed jobs in between looking for clues which took up time as well, but Lucy had insisted since they needed money to live as well.

The fire was crackling, Happy was asleep and Lucy and Natsu laid against each other on the grass. Natsu's head was propped up on a log, one of his arms wrapped around her back and her head rested on his firm chest with one leg wrapped over one of his, lying on her side, flush against his body.

Lucy had his other hand in the air above her as she studied his scars, her slender fingers moving across his hand slowly.

"A downfall to fighting I guess," murmured Natsu as he leaned his cheek against the top of her head.

The blonde sighed and interlocked her fingers into his hand, resting them now on his stomach. She turned her head upward to look into his eyes with a tired smile and was surprised to find him staring at her.

"Natsu-" she said before he leaned down and placed his lips on hers for a second.

A soft smacking sound was heard, their eyes closed for a moment and he pulled back, resting his head back on the log.

This wasn't the first time they'd kissed either. They did it sometimes. Lucy had done it first and she had never really explained why. It was a few years ago after they had left Magnolia on their mission. Natsu had just figured it was a kind of close friendship thing which he didn't really understand so he followed suit.

They kissed before sleep, kissed before they woke up, kissed after completing a job...he wasn't sure why but he liked it.

Of course, they had never actually discussed it. They never kissed deeper than a few lingering seconds of their lips touching but they were definitely more intimate than they had been when they were younger.

Lucy was in her twenties now and so was he (on the outside - knowing he was older than he looked) and they spent a lot of time together, it was bound to happen. They traveled together, slept together, ate together and went on jobs together. They were very close, like they'd always been, but over the years they'd added more physical closeness to the mix.

Happy noticed it too, pointing it out sometimes to piss Lucy off, which always worked.

Lucy could feel the hotness on her cheeks but simply closed her eyes with the feeling of Natsu's thumb, rubbing circles on her back.

They'd awoken with a start to find it was dawn. The fire had burnt out to mere simmering coals.

"Wake up, Natsu...Lucy!" exclaimed a voice. She opened her eyes to find that she was where she had fallen asleep.

It was Happy. "What is it, buddy," groaned Natsu, his eyes slowly opening too.

Lucy sat up, away from his touch, to see Happy flying around them in a frenzy.

"There are people in the woods. I heard them so I went flying around to see what was going on! They're looking for wizards!" he exclaimed.

Natsu sat up fully and stretched with an excited smile. "Well, lets not disappoint!" He quickly walked toward the treeline but then Happy was in front of his face again.

"I donno, Natsu. Its strange. Why are they here anyway? Whey would they think there are people with magic in the forest? Its way outside of Crocus!"

And suddenly Lucy was behind them. "That is strange. Maybe we should get out of here, Natsu." Her brown orbs met his charcoal ones and he sighed.

"Fine. If that's what the both of you want," he said, almost miffed. He was itching for a good fight.

The next day on their travels toward the city, a cart passed them with merchants. They overheard them talking and it shocked them.

They turned from the city and headed back to Magnolia with more haste than they had arrived.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"Happy!" exclaimed a female voice.

But Happy knew that voice. It was Charle. His eyes lit up and he turned but she wasn't alone.

Wendy and Cana were there, slightly out of breath.

"Natsu...Lucy," said Wendy with a small smile, her eyes full of tears. "I'm sorry we can't have a proper reunion. Its Grey and Gajeel. They're going to kill them!"

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Lucy watched on in disbelief. The three of them were fighting but it wasn't fair. It was two on one. It was time for her to join the fray, she had to.

"Gate of the Lion, Leo!" she exclaimed, racing forward to face Grey.

Natsu turned after getting hit back by Gajeel, his eyes wide as he noticed Lucy join. "Get out of here, Lucy!"

Leo appeared and blocked an attack from Grey before he could advance on Lucy.

"No! I want to know why they're doing this, you know its wrong, Grey!" she exclaimed, her brown orbs facing his own dark ones.

"Ice Make: Sword!" exclaimed Grey, forming his hands ready for the ice to appear.

The sword formed from his hands as he pointed his newly formed sword at Leo.

"You guys weren't here," he growled angrily but all Lucy could do was feel heart break for him.

Something happened, but what?

"What happened, Grey?" she asked softly. Leo stood his ground in front of Grey, ready to defend his gate keeper Mistress at any time.

Her eyes penetrated Grey's, trying to understand what happened. "Please Grey...tell me."

She could hear Gajeel and Natsu going at it a few meters away but focused on Grey's words.

"Juvia and Levy...they were at the baths here. They were attacked and beaten to within an inch of their lives! Juvia was worse off because she was protecting Levy. They were people from the church, which shouldn't have been a challenge for them since they're human, but they were different...skilled. Levy explained to us before they passed out that they were trying to get rid of us and not just Fairy Tail...all wizards. We made it just in time and if Erza hadn't turned up they would have died!"

Lucy's eyes widened in horror. No...no it wasn't right. The church owed them for the whole Infinity Clock incident, why would they do this?

But family doesn't lie. Levy would never lie.

Now she understood. "Then what are you doing here, what do you plan to achieve by coming here?"

Grey was a mess now, his eyes were red with tears. He pointed his sword at her, causing Leo to carefully gauge the situation.

"You weren't here. You and Natsu weren't here, damn it!" he screamed as rage filled his vision, unable to stop his actions now.

Blinded with rage he gathered more magic.

"Ice Make: Arrows!" he exclaimed as they came hurling toward her.

Lucy's eyes widened. "Regulus Impact!" yelled Leo, making the ball in his hand larger to try and cover enough range.

"Lucy!" she heard Natsu yell from another direction.

She fell backwards to the ground and screamed in pain as one of the ice arrows seemed to have pierced her leg.

Leo turned and rushed to her side.

"P-pull it out Leo," she said, biting her lip to try not to show how much pain she was in.

Grey watched on with guilt. He hadn't meant for this. He began to walk over to Lucy to see if she was alright when suddenly Natsu was in front of him, furious. He could practically feel the heat coming off Natsu's body.

"What the fuck is wrong with you, Grey?!" he growled, his eyes narrowed and fists clenched. "You hurt her, you bastard!"

Natsu turned his head slightly toward where Lucy sat on the ground with Leo attending to her wound. "Are you okay, Luce?" he asked softly.

Lucy nodded.

"Yeah," she bit out, sweat on her brow, managing a painful smile.

She let out a painful gasp as Leo pulled out the ice arrow and threw it to the side and began to wrap a piece of his jacket around his Mistress' leg to stop the bleeding.

"How could you attack your guild, Grey?" asked Loke, his voice quivering in anger.

"Yeah that's what I was just about to ask," said Natsu, turning his full gaze to Grey and Gajeel who had just walked over to join them. "I heard what you told Lucy about why you're here."

"Tch. Then why ask?!" yelled Gajeel. "No one touches a hair on Levy and lives. No one."

"Juvia was protecting Levy and even when she was defeated...they beat on her like a drum without mercy! She's in a fucking coma!" said Grey, exasperated, trying to get it through to Natsu.

Grey calmed and then his eyes met Natsu's.

"What if it were Lucy, Natsu. What would you do then?!"

And then after the village was destroyed and Grey and Gajeel were dragged back to where their guild was now, they all found out that it wasn't just Fairy Tail that had been targeted, it was all guilds and wizards alike.

Lucy packed for the journey. She raced around her apartment as quick as she could, ignoring the unhappy presence in the frame of her open door.

"Why did you do that, Luce?"

She didn't answer straight away and kept packing. She reached into her drawer to pull out a top when his hand was on her arm, causing her to look up at him in surprise.

His hand slid down her arm until he reached her hand. Her brown orbs looked up into his charcoal ones and it looked as though he wanted to say something but something was stopping him.

"Natsu, I-"

His lips found hers easily and she closed her eyes. It was different than before. It wasn't just a good night peck or a soft 'after mission' kiss to signify their victory.

Maybe he cared about her more than she thought. Maybe he liked her more than he showed.

She opened her mouth slightly to deepen the kiss, allowing his tongue to brush her lips and then meet her own. Lucy lifted her arm up to his cheek and then glided it into his hair and Natsu brought his arm to her lower back and pulled her closer until she was flush against his body.

It surprised him how he was able to do this with her. Up until a few years ago, he'd never thought of being intimate with anyone. All he cared about was fighting and going on missions...food, money, food, Happy, the guild, Igneel and...Lucy.

He'd never been close with a girl before, like this. When he was very young, Lisanna had been a close friend of his and maybe back then he thought he might have felt something for her but the more he'd thought about it after she'd 'died', the more he knew that wasn't it. Lisanna was family and always would be.

But then Lucy had come along. He found throughout the years of her being in the guild, things were changing for him. The more danger found her, the more angry he would become.

After the war he'd been afraid that she would hate him. But she didn't. Those events made him realise that he couldn't part from her, not ever. The guild - which had been disbanded at the time - was his family but he could deal with not seeing them for a while because they were family and distance and time couldn't change that.

Lucy was different. He had to be with her and he didn't want to be apart from her. Natsu had never really figured out why, only that, he knew that was how he felt.

And then after one particular job where Lucy had been so incredibly angry at him (as usual) and had yelled at him with tears in her eyes, she had quietened and he had decided to risk his life by asking her if she was okay. She had pulled on his vest and placed her lips on his.

Natsu knew what kissing was, he knew that people did it, but he'd never knew why. He remembered what she had said afterwards too.

"Don't save me...don't put your life in danger for me ever again."

He didn't ask her why she'd kissed him and he realised it was because they were family. They were going to be together forever and he knew that Lucy was a romantic. He'd read some of her other 'novels' and kissing was a big part of the content.

So Natsu had decided to indulge her and would romanticize their friendship, like she had just done.

And then he found that he liked it. He'd never been a romantic - it bored him to be honest. But then, after kissing her a lot, he knew that he wanted to keep doing it with her.

He'd never had experience in it either, before, but slowly he had gotten the hang of it. As the years passed on their mission away from Magnolia, it seemed his body had changed too.

Natsu found that his body reacted to Lucy. It had before too when he was seventeenish or maybe before when somehow he'd always get into intimate situations with Lucy but lately it happened all the time. Back then he didn't know what it meant or why his nether regions got uncomfortable. He told himself that it was because Lucy always seemed to find herself in situations where her clothes would cease to exist.

He knew how to use his body too, he wasn't stupid, he just never acknowledged it or went through with what his body wanted before because they always had a mission and a fight he had to get into. Back then, he put all his energy into his attacks and his mission to find Igneel, rather than anything else.

Before he knew it, they were in a situation that they had never been in before.

Natsu had a hand in her soft golden locks, their mouths working in perfect unison. And then her back was up against her tall boy set of draws and things had fallen off the top and broken, but that hadn't stopped them.

He was sick of craning his neck down so he put his hands on her buttocks and lifted her up. Her legs linked around his waist, her core flush against his throbbing one as he continued to kiss her more comfortably now.

She could feel him against her, he knew that this one kiss (if you could call it one) would change their relationship for good now. But this is what she had wanted for so long.

Maybe it hadn't occurred to her until a few years ago after they had left on their quest together with Happy, but, ever since she kissed him on impulse after a job she had longed for this.

Natsu lifted her off from the dresser, their lips never leaving each others, her arms wrapped around his neck, and carried her to her bed. It was a dangerous place. He knew what his body needed...craved.

His body moved with a mind of its own. He wasn't experienced in the ways of love making. It was never a priority nor was it something he'd ever thought about before.

But his hands moved on their own. It wasn't hard to figure out what went where because he knew this was the way to get what his body craved from Lucy.

She didn't protest either. His lips left hers as he hovered above her. He remembered her pulling off her clothes quickly, exposing her body to him willingly - unlike all the times he'd seen it by accident and she had been so modest and embarrassed then. But there was a hunger in her eyes that mirrored his own.

Lucy was a buffet and he wasn't going to give it up; he would eat his fill tonight.

She'd pulled off his vest while he pulled off his pants and then he was on top of her again, guiding his length to her core, looking down to her vaginal area to find the right place to put it.

He remembered her crying out in pain at first and he groaned with surprise at feeling himself enter her but as he slowly learned how to move within her, since this was his first time too, they were moans of pleasure.

He remembered how good it felt and how he wanted more. His grunting and her moans were all that could be heard in the room.

His arms were either side her torso, his arm muscles flexing with every movement. He grunted, the feeling was amazing and something he'd never felt before. His eyes hadn't left her face, which was contorted with pleasure, her cheeks flushed red and moans coming from her soft, plump lips. For some reason it caused him to feel like he was going to reach euphoria at any moment.

Lucy was so beautiful. He'd always known it, who wouldn't? But right now, she looked absolutely enchanting, like a Siren calling him to the sea. And it was then he'd knew that he'd wanted her for a very long time - he'd just never had the time or will to accept it before.

His eyes moved from her face to her breasts which jiggled up and down with each of his movements. He moved his face down to meet them and put his mouth over one, using his tongue over them vigorously. He'd always wanted to know what they felt like.

Lucy screamed, her legs wrapped around his waist gripped tighter and so his hips, of their own accord, thrusted quicker.

He felt his something low in his body feel like a pleasure he'd never felt before. It started small but the feeling got bigger and bigger and he realised by thrusting more and quicker that it would make him feel even better than before. So he did as his body commanded and the feeling was almost upon him.

"God...fuck...Luce!" he remembered yelling.

Lucy screamed his name too. She felt something go inside her from Natsu before he slowly stopped his thrusts and buried his face in her neck.

He remembered laying there before her small fist hit the back of his head. "Heavy!" she had said, pretending to be annoyed but she was smiling.

He'd smirked and rolled off of her.

"Oh my god! Its...sticky!"

"Sorry?" he'd said, confused.

She'd said they need to bathe now and he just nodded and followed her lead. He followed her naked form but his eyes were on her ass. He didn't know why he was staring to be honest but he couldn't keep his eyes off her body. From her long slender legs, her bottom to her soft, creamy skin and then to her long golden hair.

Lucy turned and he expected her to kick him out like she usually did but instead she smirked playfully at him. He didn't refuse and shut the bathroom door behind him.

They showered which wasn't anything new except they did it together, naked and he started kissing her again and found that he wanted to do their previous activities again.

By the time Lucy's eyes closed for sleep that night, it had been two in the morning.

"Natsu," she whispered.

He was lying next to her, facing the ceiling with his arms folded behind his head. He turned slightly with a questioning look. The moonlight crossed into the room from the split in the curtains and hit his face, so she could see him clearly.

She smiled.

"I love you," she said quietly.

Before her mind shut off for sleep, she heard him say something.

"I love you too."

Natsu didn't know what that meant. Of course he loved all his family - the guild - but he never said it out aloud. He'd never really been one to voice his feelings unless it was during a fight and even then, he'd never spoken of love.

Lucy had never said words like that to him before and wondered why she had started now.

No one had really explained what love was (other than family love) or what the type of love Lucy meant was.

But, he knew that Lucy was different to family because she was more. He was precious to him. That's why when he'd seen her future self die before him years ago, he had been so enraged but underneath it all, he was devastated.

The thought of her not being in the world without him with her was more than he could take. He didn't know what would happen if that did happen.

And he had thought she was dead in the war too - its why he gave up on fighting his internal struggle at the time, because she was gone.

But someone later on would explain to him that what he felt was love, he just didn't understand that at the time.

When she left the next morning with Erza (after an hour of arguing with Makarov and the rest of the guild as to why he should go with her - again), he had a foreboding feeling, like he was afraid.

He felt a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry, Erza's with her."

It was Grey. Natsu was still a bit pissed at him for yesterday and Grey saw it. He pursed his lips and for the first time in his life, he apologised to Natsu without prompt.

"I-I'm sorry Natsu. But Juvia-"

Natsu's expression softened a little and he held up his hand to stop him with a grin on his face. "Its okay. Wendy healed her anyway," smiled Natsu, back to his more simple self.

Grey frowned. "But...it went through her leg-"

"Yeah but I checked last night, it was gone!" laughed Natsu, his eyes back on Lucy's retreating back.

Grey's lips started to upturn. "Wow Natsu, do you often see her naked?"

The Dragon Slayer's cheeks flushed and he snapped his head toward Grey. "What was that, Ice Brain?"

Grey laughed. "Her wound was closer to her hip, she'd never let you see it unless...well, I think you get what I'm saying."

Natsu's face went beet red as he turned around and went to walk back into their make shift guild that was on the outskirts of Magnolia now.

How the hell did Grey always know stuff like that?

Lucy sighed at Erza's antics. She had been ranting for the last hour about how the church was going to pay because she had to travel extra light now, not even one suitcase was with her. Not ONE!

And that was because they had to travel undetected.

But that wasn't all she was angry about. Erza hadn't had one bite of strawberry cake since this whole ordeal because most of the merchants and shop owners were not magical and therefore would not sell to her. They were living on the outskirts of Magnolia now and they were almost at the point where they had to hunt animals for their food since their supplies were running low.

Erza closed her mouth for a moment and regarded Lucy. She carried herself with a different air like she'd changed overnight. It was suspicious indeed.

"You're different," said Erza quietly.

They walked side by side, heading on the path that lead to the harbor where they left for Tenrou Island but on the way there was neutral ground where they could meet the other guilds.

Lucy wore a cloak with a hood over her head. It was dark navy blue, trimmed with white on the edges. She wore her usual blue and white crop top and mini skirt, her whip fastened to her hip and her brown satchel on her hip where her celestial keys sat.

Erza had a black cloak on with her usual attire of armor underneath. She'd never had to hide before in her life and people feared her - they feared her now too, but for different reasons.

Lucy looked up at Erza with wide eyes and her cheeks flushed without her being able to stop it. Did she know?

Erza raised her eyebrows. "I saw you and Natsu come from the room, well, if you can call it a room considering what you had before," laughed Erza, shaking her head. "We're lucky the hotel we found was abandoned due to the fighting in the area."

Lucy nodded. "You know he always stays with me, we're sharing it anyway since our homes are gone now," she said darkly.

Erza clucked her tongue with displeasure. "That is true, but I saw the way he looked at you...and quite openly, I might add."

Lucy didn't respond. What could she say? Yes, they had sex last night. Multiple times and still have not really discussed about what it meant for them.

"It was lust," said Erza bluntly.

The older woman heard Lucy gasp in surprise at her words and it made her laugh out aloud. "Do not be so shy about it, Lucy. Once upon a time, years ago, when you were both younger, I probably would have had a stern talking to Natsu about it but now?"

Erza sighed before continuing, her mind going to what lay ahead of them. "Now everything is just...wrong. Wizards are dying, our magical arts are outlawed and all the guilds are banned and are to be killed or captured on site. Life is fleeting so I think that no one should shy away from what they want anymore because you don't know when it will all end...for any of us."

Lucy understood what Erza was getting at but had a feeling she didn't just mean her and Natsu. The older woman was definitely also talking about Jellal.

"I've never talked to you about this Erza but you deserve to be happy," smiled Lucy, looking over to the older and more powerful woman.

Erza's eyes widened a little and she smiled in thanks.

"Jellal...maybe he will be here. You should do what you preach and tell him how you feel," said Lucy, her brown orbs softened, showing Erza her romantic side.

The redhead laughed softly and nodded. "I promise Lucy, I will do just that."

It had been three days before they heard word of how Lucy and Erza faired at the wizards meeting.

Lucy's face turned up through the lacryma ball, causing Natsu's eyes to soften and his shoulder's to relax.

"Oh thank god, Lucy! You have no idea what Natsu's been like these past days!" exclaimed Lisanna, breathing out a sigh of relief.

Natsu glared at Lisanna who just smiled back at him. But to be honest, he'd been an absolute grump. She had to say something!

He'd snapped at everyone since Lucy had left and ranted about how it was their fault if anything happened to Lucy. Natsu and Grey had been fighting constantly, then Gajeel, then Elfman, then Mira (it didn't end well for Natsu) and then Laxus (by this time, Natsu had passed out).

"Natsu," said Lucy with a half smile but it didn't shine like it usually did. "I'm sorry, Natsu. They're...they're coming for us. We don't have much time."

Suddenly Lucy turned. "Its okay, just go!" she exclaimed to someone behind her.

The rest of the guild gasped in horror and started murmuring.

"Shut up!" yelled Natsu, causing everyone to silence themselves so that he could hear, his eyes never leaving Lucy's image on the lacryma ball. "Lucy! Hold on, I'm coming-"

She turned and shook her head, causing him to stop with fear in his eyes. "They knew. They knew I'd be here...I don't know how."

Lucy's eyes widened and they focused on an area ahead of her. Suddenly they all saw her grab the ball, and then the screen moved up and down vigorously as she ran with it. They could hear everything.

"Gate of the horse, Sagittarius!" they heard her yell. "Hold them off please!"

"Yes, Princess, certainly!" they heard him yell.

"Look guys. I'm sorry. I was just trying to...stop a war. But Grey was right, they were all right. They're not being influenced its...human nature," she said as she ran, finally, she locked herself in a room and placed the ball on a shelf, her face showing up on the lacryma again.

"Lucy!" people started yelling from the guild. "We're coming!"

They started racing around, getting ready to leave, but Natsu stayed. He hated seeing Lucy crying and he was going to smash every one of those church bastards for causing her pain.

"I don't care what it takes, Luce, I'm coming for you. If they hurt you I swear to Mavis I'll kill them," he growled, clenching his fists angrily.

Lucy smiled through her tears and shook her head. "Don't...don't start a war for me, Natsu. I'm just one person."

"I don't care. If they take you...if they're stupid enough to take you, I won't forgive them."

Lucy shook her head. "Natsu...please, don't...don't kill them. Look, Natsu. I love you," she smiled. "I've run out of magic so they'll take me soon. Erza managed to escape, I held them off long enough for her to get out of here with Jellal and Blue Pegasus, so you should hear from her soon."

Natsu knuckles had turned white now but his eyes didn't leave hers.

"I should have listened to you, I'm so sorry, Natsu. They have powerful fighters, they're not magical users but they have skills I've never seen before!" she explained quickly when suddenly she gasped. He heard the door smash open.

Lucy hastily grabbed the lacryma ball, her eyes panicked and scared. "I love you and I wish...I wish I could have fulfilled your promise of forever, Natsu. I think I-" suddenly she screamed.

The lacryma ball fell to the ground and a face he didn't recognise filled the screen. He didn't look like a priest or any church official, he had a tattoo on his face, unruly brown hair and an expression that showed he had seen a lot of things during his lifetime.

"Don't worry, she won't die yet. But she'll beg for it...oh yes, she'll beg for it," he said with a huge, disgusting, smirk on his face.

Natsu screamed curses at him but he'd already gone.

The whole room was silent for a moment, their eyes on Natsu.

After a few moments. "What are you waiting for?" said Natsu, his tone low and quiet. Dangerously so.

A few of the others were afraid of what Natsu was going to say or do now. "Uh-" began Mira, her eyes solemn with tears in them.

"If we're going to war, lets go," he said, getting up from his chair and toward the exit with Happy floating in the air above him. He turned back to them with rage in his eyes.

Grey was first to get up and follow, then Mira, Cana, Lisanna, Elfman and then others joined and Makarov watched his children go. It would be a long enduring fight.

It was the end of the world as they knew it. He didn't think that Natsu would accept their position on this war but it seemed that love was enough for him to realise how things were going be from now on. He'd never wanted things to escalate to where they were now but there was no choice anymore.

He just hoped against hope that Lucy Heartfilia was alive by the time Natsu found her because then anything could happen.

Natsu and Grey split off from the rest, they all had to split into groups and head to different areas of Fiore. He'd find her, by Mavis he would.