AN: Alternate ending to Eclipse Gate Arc. What would happen if Future Lucy had been a second too late? Guess you'll have to see…

Angst and Nalu, or just Nalu friendship feels. Depends on how you see it.

It all happened in a blink of the eye.

Mysterious shadows coming up and swallowing the Garou Knights. Future Rogue's appearance. His answer to Natsu's question. The shadowy bolt he shot at Lucy. And Lucy, shocked, just staring as the bolt reached her.

Natsu tried to stop it. He reached out, felt the bolt just slip through his fingers, and clumsily fell to the side as the bolt continued on its path.

He saw movement, and he saw Future Lucy attempt to throw herself in front of Lucy. But she was a second too late. The bolt struck Lucy, and Natsu knew with a terrifying certainty that the bolt had struck true.

He stared in shock from his place on the floor. Slowly rising, he couldn't help but stare. And stare. Because what he was seeing couldn't be possible. It just couldn't. Blinking, he rubbed his eyes.

Lucy was lying crumpled on the floor. Next to her, her future self had collapsed, staring at her hands as she faded.

Because if Lucy had died now, there was no way she would even have a future.

Happy raced past him sobbing, screaming her name. Wendy stared openmouthed, tears pouring down her cheeks. Loke had already begun to fade, but with a fierce look, he gathered his power and forced himself to stay. He wasn't leaving now. Carla had her face buried in her paws. Pantherlily was frantically checking over Lucy, seeking a way to stop the inevitable. Even as he tried, one thing was clear.

Lucy was going to die. There was no way to stop this. No matter how many buildings Natsu burned, no matter how many dragons he defeated, no matter how many enemies he destroyed, she was always going to die.

So for the first time in his life, Natsu abandoned a possible fight and instead dropped down to sit by his dying best friend's side.

She had just finished comforting a sobbing Happy, who was still blubbering even now, with her left hand clutched in his paws.

As he sank down to his knees beside her, she turned her head to face him and mustered a smile.

"Natsu," she whispered, coughing.

Shaking her head lightly as if to clear her thoughts, she began again. "Natsu, please, do something for me."

"Anything," he croaked, unable to fully process what was happening before him.

"Please," she gurgled. "Please give my keys to Yukino. And tell her to check on the results of Crux's search. I need her to figure this out, and I need my spirits to be in good hands." Shakily, she reached out her right hand and dropped her key ring into his hand.

His hand immediately clenched around it. His voice trembled as he replied. "Of course I will. Don't worry Lucy. You're…you're gonna be okay. Just hang on a little longer."

Smiling sadly at him, she shifted her focus to include the others. "Tell," she paused as she coughed up more blood, "Tell the others that I love them. And that…that I'm sorry I couldn't say goodbye."

Wendy merely gulped down a sob and covered her face. Loke however, while still shell-shocked, nodded and replied in a shaky voice "Of course we will Lucy. Don't worry about us. We," his voice cracked. "We will be fine."

Lucy nodded slowly as she turned her head back to Natsu. "And Natsu… Protect everyone. Stop him-stop the dragons. I'm counting on you. Please."

Natsu nodded, as his hand clenched around hers, fighting to keep her anchored to him. "You can count on it. I'm-I'm all fired up now." His voice paused as he fought to keep his now abundant tears at bay.

Her eyes widened, and she let out a shaky laugh. The last of her energy left her then, and the life seemed to fade from her eyes, her last laugh still etched upon her face. Her hand grew limp in his own.

He sat there, for how long he did not know.

However, when he rose, he had eyes for only one person.

Rogue.

Rogue would pay for this; he would make sure of it.

Even if it was the last thing he'd ever do.

"I promise Lucy," he murmured. "I promise-I won't let him escape for what he's done. I'll beat them all, Rogue and the dragons. Just you see."

A fire appeared in his clenched fist, as a feral snarl grew on his face.

"Now I've got a fire in my belly."

AN: This is something I've always wondered about. If future Lucy had been a second later, what would have happened? I know it's sad, but this is one of the most probable situations I think.

Anyways, let me know what you think in your reviews! I'm not a huge Nalu fan, but this is more friendship than anything so…

I might make this a two-shot later on, just to create a trend.

By the way, Happy Midlu week! If I get some inspiration, I might post something for that later on this week. But in any case, I am in pure joy right now. A new fanfiction every day-sand after that, Bixlu week?

Thank the lords for amazing timing. Right?

If you have any ideas for future writings, let me know, and I'll try them.

Until next time then!

-Fareetauhl