Hi guys I'm still alive. This is a gift fic I promised EternalFlame401 like two months ago. Or more. All in all its been a while.

For EternalFlame: I'm so sorry D: I hope you didn't lose faith in me. I'm just a terrible person! And I'm incompetent because what was supposed to be a one shot now became two. Which yes it means I've only got the first half done T^T But it is almost 5000 words so I hope that means something? And don't worry everything you're looking is in the fic, or will be, it'll take place in the second half of the story... Sorry again orz

I hope you like it regardless, because I think it turned out pretty darn good. I kinda did go overboard with it though ^^! I did say I would though.

Now for everyone else. The fic is set up in parts, there will probably be 5 parts total out of 2 chapters (or 3 if I really suck). But who's talking and thinking might seem weird because I made good use of bold and italics. So I'm just gonna tell what to look for.

In part1: Natsu thinking, "Gray speaking"(?)(essentially), "Natsu speaking"

In part2:"normal speaking" 'Gray speaking'(?)(you'll see), all flashbacks are italicized, Natsu thinking(?)(in the flashback though)

Rating: T for now.

Warnings: I didn't do a complete edit (sorry), my terrible dark guild naming skills, my terrible naming skills in general.

Disclaimer: I don't own Fairy Tail nor the characters. For now XD

I hope you guys enjoy it!

Part 1: C'mon Natsu.

Am I too late? Natsu wondered before everything fell apart.

He didn't feel the rush of the fall but he felt the dull thud of his body hitting the ground. The world whirled past him in a hazy storm as though he were pushed off the very edge.

"Natsu!

That voice. He recognized it as Gray's. Why did the voice that he cherished so much sounded so broken?

And why did it feel as if someone was trying to stuff cotton into his ears? Because something was making it harder for him to distinguish one sound from another. Save for Gray's voice that cut through the the rest of the other muffled, distorted sounds like a sharp blast of cold wind.

"Hold on Natsu!"

He tried to nod in agreement but he wasn't sure if he did. He was in complete shock, he didn't know what was going on around him. There were sounds of muted blasts that he was sure should've been much louder given how the ground heavily shook from the force of whatever was happening around him. Yet he continued to dumbly lay there, completely helpless and he wasn't sure why.

He remembered looking for Gray, finding him... Then nothing. Why did Gray sound so terrified?

It hurt to think, as though his head was filled with the whole damn ocean; given how he could feel the burning, stinging sensation filling up every crevice within. He felt it cramping in the tight spaces of his brain, flooding behind his eyes, and then drowning his throat and choking up through his mouth. He coughed some of it out but it felt too warm and thick, and the strong taste of iron did not sit well with him.

Ocean water was supposed to be salty, right?

"You stupid fire breathing idiot, it's gonna be alright. I'm right here. Shhh, you're gonna do this. You're gonna be fine. You're strong, you can do this."

Natsu believed Gray, trusted in those words he so vehemently told him with desperation, even though he didn't really get what Gray meant by them.

And it didn't help that he was beginning to feel worse. He began to feel dizzy and it was getting harder to breathe while his mind was in shambles. But he ignored all of that because now he knew that it really was Gray calling out to him and even more so he was too preoccupied trying to piece together all the events that led up to this moment. Which proved to be difficult because he couldn't focus long enough to figure out what was really happening to him, why Gray was saying strange things, and if Gray really was okay.

"Come on! You're going to be fine, believe me! You're stronger than that! You brag about it all the time. You will get through this flame brain!"

He was confused. Gray complimenting on his strength was weird and what was Gray talking about? Why was he telling him these things? He wasn't making any sense.

Suddenly he felt a pressure on his torso, hands that felt like death pressing down on him, forcing it's freezing force into him in a way that was unlike any other—it made him see white momentarily and it somehow struck him with realization. He knew those hands and that cold blast of magic all too well. It wasn't death trying to claim him, but hands that have grasped and held death before—that were eerily still but disturbed. Yet they were doing everything they could to prevent it this time.

The cold began to spread, like a shroud of frost covering him as his body was being chilled down way further than what he was normally comfortable with. He was already beginning to feel cold around the edges of his body but this was too much. However he would endure it. Something in the far corners of his mind told him he had to. For Gray.

"C'mon Natsu, it's gonna be alright. You're gonna be fine, so stay with me okay?"

Stay with him? He briefly felt warm at the mere thought. So sure, he supposed he could do that, after all he didn't plan on going anywhere in the first place.

He didn't know how but when he felt Gray's hands grabbing his face he could feel the other's fear, worry, and guilt. Blame and self-hatred in an awful angry mix of negative emotions. Powerful and overflowing from a mere touch of those hands on him.

But he also felt care, so much care for what those hands held that it was heartbreaking. Except it actually made him happy for inexplicable reasons—only that those cool gentle hands that were touching him, were solely for him.

"Keep your eyes on me. Okay Natsu? Natsu?! I said keep your eyes on me Natsu!"

He may have been numb at this point but he would never forget how those lips fiercely pressed against his, how Gray was now shaking uncontrollably above him as though he was trying his damn hardest to keep himself together yet in the end failed miserably.

Gray pulled back and they finally shared a look with each other. He felt despaired that he couldn't do anything to soothe the petrified expression Gray stared back at him with. But it was hauntingly alluring in a way; with those normally droopy eyes now fully wide as the emotions swirled wildly in his dark gaze like a night ice storm. And the strange way Gray's magic began to creep up on his face due to his distress. A thin sheet of ice crackling around the edges of his forehead reaching to the corners of his eyes.

"Natsu!? C'mon Natsu! Please! You have to get through this. NatsuNatsuNatsu, c'mon please…"

Was this really happening? This had to be a bad dream. It couldn't possibly be real. It all felt too surreal. He couldn't distinguish one thing from another, not seeing much of anything clearly as he continued to stare up at Gray dazedly, who somehow shimmered and appeared all too brilliant before his very eyes.

"Don't do this. Please..."

Don't look at me like that. He wanted to say back because there were tears now streaming down Gray's face and he looked so shattered and hopeless. But he was alive and that's what he cared most about. Even if all he wanted was to say something. Anything to put Gray's heart at ease. He wanted to see Gray's heavenly smile before the darkness claimed him.

"...Not to me. No stay with me..."

I'm not going anywhere.

Except the corners of his vision were beginning to fade into black. The background was blurring into a myriad of colors and shadows. There were colorful figures of red, blue, and yellow behind the radiant figure of Gray that seemed more animated and lively compared to the rest of the shapes but the only thing that remained perfect was Gray's image.

"No, c'mon Natsu... Stay with me! COME ON NATSU!"

"Thank Goodness..." rung out a distorted voice suddenly. Who was speaking? It sounded familiar but unnatural to him.

The ocean that was trapped inside his head finally burst out through his eyes. He was now drowning into unconsciousness. Trapped underneath a thickening film of salt water, the last thing he saw was a blurry Gray. But he was a beautifully distraught, broken Gray.

"It's me who's dying."

Gray faded into black. It was cold. Then it was over.

"C'mon, Natsu... No..."

Part 2: The Time I Wasn't Strong Enough

A weary groan filled the small room as Natsu slowly gained consciousness. And with more effort than what should've been necessary he blearily opened his eyes but they remained half-lidded, bordering on slitted. The first thing he noticed was that he was lying on a bed that was not his own although it felt somewhat familiar. When he attempted to get up, ripples of pain shot through his chest, stunning his arms, neck, and legs. The shock tensed up his muscles and a struggling sound of pain crawled out of his throat.

Natsu quickly found out he couldn't move, that he didn't enough strength to do so. Having no choice but to remain lying in bed, helpless—as much as he hated admitting it— with only his sight to provide clues for him. Unsurprisingly there was a ceiling straight ahead but if he strained hard enough he caught glimpses with his peripherals of whatever were at the sides of him (he felt so useless, he couldn't even move his own damn head!). There was little he could tell from what his limited vision field could provide but Natsu managed to figure out exactly where he was: his guild's infirmary. The off-white ivory walls with cream and nude blush accents gave the infirmary room a much cozier feeling than the sterile white rooms of a regular hospital.

The problem was he didn't remember ever being brought to the infirmary, let alone back to the guild. He and his team were on a mission but now he here he was back at Fairy Tail, bedridden, and quite obviously injured. His whole body was sore. It felt as if he was hit by a train!

He grumbled at the thought right then and there. Another reason to hate transportation.

This was hopeless and Natsu was getting frustrated, he didn't like that he was in pain. He hated it even more that he couldn't even sit up because of it. Never had he felt so weak.

Another thing was that he felt so tired, the kind from getting so much sleep that it didn't feel like it was enough yet who knows how long he's been passed out.

He really hated this.

Yet for now there was not much he could do but lie there and wait for someone to show up. He hoped it was soon, especially someone from his team to enlighten him on the events of their mission.

Their mission… Disbanding a reformed dark guild called Lost Blood that had gotten diffused by Crime Sorciere during their seven year absence. Some of the old members that managed to escape rallied newcomers. And although they placed their hideout in a different location, they chose to terrorize the same area as before.

If that wasn't the dumbest idea, Natsu didn't know what was.

Except further down along the mission their group found out that there was hidden motive as to why the formerly fallen guild decided to reside in the same area as they did before. The ruins that the Lost Blood made base at held some sort of ancient sealed power and they wanted to posses it. Probably to wreak havoc across Fiore and the rest of the world.

But if only they knew better. If only Team Natsu could have realized that there was something strange about their mission. Too blinded by the their recent return from Tenrou and being back in action that they didn't see what was going on right in front of their very eyes. Not even the more observant members of the team.

The people who asked for their help seemed to know a little too much.

Locating and reaching their hideout went too smoothly.

Fighting the members of the dark guild was too easy.

Excited by prospect of the mission going so well and the reward they thought they would soon receive, no one anticipated the danger they were foolishly throwing themselves in. Everything they faced in the mission couldn't prepare for the attack by true former members of the guild. They were a lot stronger, unlike the newbie cronies they fought beforehand and those bastards were prepared for them, like they anticipated it, like they wanted his team to show up.

And his team did.

Natsu grit his teeth in frustration at the thought his team being in danger. But then that frustration turned into a grim, wry smile. It had all been a set up, the dark guild wanted them to come, and they unwittingly fell for it—

They were ambushed.

They were separated.

They were trapped.

Picked off one by one, each with a different opponent.

He remembered losing sight of Erza to a man with wolf-like features, dragging her far away from the guild and into the woods, all before coming face to face with his opponent; Images of a pretty young girl, small and petite, with long lavender hair pulled into curly high twin-tails, and fair skin. She had big round amethyst eyes, but had a cruel smile always formed on her plum colored lips to taint her image. She never ceased to giggle, girly and childishly and it succeeded in giving him the creeps.

"Boss said we could all pick a spot and wait for you guys to come to us," the petite girl said with a casual shrug. "He knew what would bring you here and what would drive you guys to try harder to defeat us." This time she giggled and Natsu let out an irritated growl. Mavis, was this girl annoying.

"Taking blondie was merely a ruse and you guys made it so easy," another giggle left her plump plum lips as she dodge another one of his fire attacks. "Separating the rest of your team was even easier! You guys are truly pathetic."

She disappeared from his field of vision only reappear by his side, delivering a strong kick to back. Fire, smoke, then air instantly flew out of his mouth as the kick forced everything out him. He was knocked to the ground and before he could get up she pushed him back down with her foot. Damn, he wouldn't admit it but it hurt, stupid girl had on some sharp stilettos.

She bent down closer to him as she dug her heel into his back, a gleeful cruel smile tugging her lips when she saw him wince. And it didn't falter when she whispered childishly, "Boss also said whoever found us first could play with us for however long as we wanted."

With another harsh kick to his side he was forced over unto his back. Despite the pain he immediately got back on his feet now that she was away from him and for good measure he jumped back a couple of spaces. But that didn't mean he wasn't ready for a fight. He poured his magic into his hands allowing for the fire to form in his clenched fists, letting them burn up his arms and body.

His eyes matched his determined spirit as he stared his opponent down and using his scorching heat prove to her that he meant serious business. However his fierceness seemed to delight the girl even more, as her amethyst gaze leveled with his while her whole face lit up manically.

"Oooooh did I anger the little dragon boy? Heehee, but I couldn't help it." Her faux girly and frivolous demeanor twisted sinisterly as her magic glowed light purple all around her. "I'm just loving the fire burning in your eyes."

He growled threateningly and glared at her. To which she smiled wickedly and giggled once more.

"So let's play a little more."

He hated his opponent, Mallory—that was her blasted name. She was fast, very agile like a cat and tended to avoid most of his attacks. She had a frustrating ability that allowed her to pop up anywhere she wanted at any given time. She was annoying and the type who didn't fight head on.

He hated to admit it but she was strong too, got in a plenty of hits and dealt him fairly good damage. Of course that didn't stop him from ending up victorious. A small smirk made its way on his face as he recalled his triumph.

However that didn't mean the mission was over.

Fire was sparking at Natsu's heels as he ran faster towards his teammates, pressing his soles harder against the ground propelling him to go farther, the force he used was so great that his footprints left fairly deep indents in the ground. Because he would be damned if he was too late in saving the ones he cared about simply because he didn't move quick enough.

First Lucy and Happy, then Wendy and Carla, now Gray; one by one his friends have been picked off and taken away from him.

Unease and something else unsettling was brewing in the pit of his stomach and he didn't like how it left an unsavory taste in his mouth. Maybe because it tasted like iron, like blood. But it wasn't his own blood, it was that of others.

His friends… The scent of them all around him almost like a dense fog, it suffocated him and made him dizzy. And with another strong waft of that unbearable smell he almost tripped. There was a mix of scents that seemed more profound than the others.

He couldn't recognize one of them but the other…

The other one was Gray.

Right… He remembered catching the scents of his friends, the lurching in his stomach that it gave him. The trepidation of what he knew his captive friends were up against as he rushed towards them, to a room deep within enemy territory, the core of the dark guild. Where Happy, Carla, and Wendy laid unconscious in a corner. Lucy also knocked out further away, thrown haphazardly against the wall.

And everything was frozen, the walls, the floor, even the ceiling and all the nooks and edges were covered in white-blue familiar ice. But something was off. Because there was Gray with another man, the supposed leader of Lost Blood.

And then what?

'Stay with me! ... COME ON NATSU!'

The thought came so suddenly and it troubled Natsu more than anything.

It was undoubtedly Gray's voice. But when did he say that? He couldn't remember but at the same time he knew that Gray did, the memory was just beyond his reach.

There was something very wrong going on here. What the hell happened then? To him? Here he was barely moving, with no recollection as to how that happened, only recalling bits and pieces that seemed vaguely familiar, like last night's forgotten dream. Certainly it wasn't that Mallory girl so it had to have been afterwards when he found the others.

And then there was Gray, that one small detail that he couldn't recollect but he knew it was gravely important. This is what bothered Natsu, that last moment right at the end. Because he knew what Gray was up against as Mallory told him right before he defeated her.

The master of the guild, the cunning bastard who created this sick game of manipulating and hurting his friends had them all captive aside from Erza who was still engaged in a fight with another.

'C'mon Natsu! Please! NatsuNatsuNatsu, c'mon please…'

Natsu squirmed, slightly relieved he was regaining some movement but it wasn't enough. He wanted to get up and to get out. He couldn't take it anymore. He just had to get out of the room and out of his damn thoughts before he went mad with them. Because he really needed to know what happened to the mission and the rest of the team. Were they okay or were they just as bad off as he was?

He had so many questions when it hurt to even think at this point. His head felt as though it was drowned in alcohol or seawater, the pounding headache ever present since he woke up.

Nausea was deeply brewing in the pit of his stomach; the lights were too bright, he felt like he was going to throw up at some point, and he was getting dizzy because the room wouldn't stop spinning.

He just couldn't take it anymore! He–

"Natsu!" A high pitched and very feminine voice rung throughout the room, succeeding in stopping the onslaught of his growing panic attack. He didn't realize he was hyperventilating until a small hand pressed on his chest, magic coursing through it, leveling his breathing and the rapid racing of his heart.

Two figures then came into view. First was Lucy, who Natsu was sure was the one to call out to him. She held his face in her hands as they trembled. Then off to the side was Wendy, her palms still placed on his chest and the soothing sensation of her magic steadily filling him.

And little by little did he slowly calm down and regained focus of his surroundings. Especially of Lucy who covered most of his view with her worried-filled expression.

"L-Lucy?" Natsu rasped out, almost disbelieving that it was her and that she was okay.

"Oh thank goodness!" She wailed, tears quickly filling up her eyes. She threw herself on him but was mindful of his injuries. And thanks to Wendy's minor treatment just now, Natsu's pain lessened and even regained more of his movement—now capable of lightly wrapping his arms around his crying friend.

"You're awake, ohhh I'm so happy to see you awake!" She said, pulling back slightly while using one hand to wipe away her tears.

Wendy popped on the other side of the bed, opposite of Lucy. She peered down at Natsu yet was unable to fully meet his gaze. Her bottom lip kept being worried down by her teeth before she was able to ask, "are you okay? I-I mean how are you feeling?"

Natsu offered a small smile for the young girl. He briefly closed his already tired eyes and grunted softly, "a little sore but I can tell you've been taking care of me. Thanks Wendy."

Relief flooded through Wendy's eyes as a small gentle smile grew on her face. But Natsu didn't fail to notice that her expression mirrored the one Lucy had too. Relief. They were relieved about something—about him. And that could only be because they were worried—about him.

He chose to ignore it for the moment. After all it was not all that surprising given the current state he was in. Besides Lucy already had managed to compose herself, lightly caressing his cheek and smiling warmly at him. "Don't worry Natsu, you're going to be fine now."

'You're gonna be fine, so stay with me okay?'

Natsu felt a powerful wave of something akin to pain hit him. As more and more of Gray's voice echoed in his head and more memories flooded his mind.

Natsu burst threw the doors in a fury of flames but even his heat couldn't combat this. He paused at the entrance as his hot breath came out in visible white puffs. It was like he stepped into a nightmarish ice wonderland. There was ice and frost everywhere, surrounding him from all sides. And even though he wasn't an ice mage, he could feel the anger, sadness, guilt, and hopelessness from the crystalline formations.

He didn't notice his fire growing to fight off the sharp cold away from his body, that is until he felt his fire being contained against his control. He held up his hands and saw how the wisps of flames from his fingertips slowly froze over, as though they encased themselves in ice.

Natsu's hands shook the frosting flames away, never had he seen fire being frozen. Something like that wasn't possible, right?

He snapped his attention upwards at the sounds of a crash somewhere far into the room but saw nothing straight ahead, the room must be much larger than he anticipated.

He briefly scanned the corners of the room for any hidden enemies and off to his far right he saw figures huddled together under a dome of ice. He ran up to it trying to make out whoever it was under the opaque surface. As his heated hands broke away the ice he noticed how it felt different compared to the others he first felt when he arrived.

It felt protective, strong, caring…

When the ice finally shattered he was shocked to see that it was his missing friends. Well some of them at least. With Wendy's arms wrapped around Carla and Happy. All three of them passed out.

Gray must've done this to shield them from something, he hypothesized. But from what exactly was the question. Another crash was heard and Natsu knew he had to hurry.

Whatever laid beyond him, where Lucy and Gray were, was something malicious, ominous, and dark.

"No…" Natsu's voice was barely a whisper as more memories began to return to him while Lucy and Wendy shared a look of confusion with each other. Unsure of what they could do to help.

But there wasn't anything they could really do.

He remembered.

"Natsu?" Lucy hesitantly asked as she placed her hand gently on his shoulder.

"Lucy," he croaked, and said girl gave him her full attention, face still filled with worry. "During the mission..." He began but felt that he couldn't manage the words out as he choked up on his own swelling emotions.

He sniffed. Another memory of Gray's haunted face came into view.

'C'mon, Natsu—No...'

He couldn't help it when he had his own tears brimming at the corners of his eyes.

"Did I die?"

The master of Lost Blood was tall, slightly built but more slender and toned. He was also dark—dark hair, darker eyes, and the darkest aura—and then there was something malicious and foreboding about his nature.

"What a pleasant surprise. Didn't expect you so soon. Weren't you having fun with Mallory?" Spoke the mysterious, smooth resonated voice. But Natsu was too focused on how the man had Gray pinned on the ground, with one of his hands pierced through with the other's lance and the man's foot pressing heavily on the opposite shoulder.

"No matter. I suppose I can finally show you what I've been trying to explain to you this entire time Gray."

Natsu frowned at how the leader said his friend's name but watched with keen eyes as the man stepped off Gray and crouched down next to where he laid with struggled breathing. Natsu growled deeply but loud enough for the other to hear when he saw the evil man caressed Gray's bruised cheek in a mock gesture of affection before running his fingers through raven hair.

"Don't touch him!" Natsu snarled letting his fire shoot upwards high where it grazed the ceiling.

The master chuckled. "Protective aren't you?" He stood up and grasped the lance still pierced through Gray's hand. With a swift jerk of his wrist he yanked the lance out mercilessly as Gray let out a breathless pained cry.

Natsu immediately shot out a fire attack in blind anger which was easily deflected by the master. Undeterred he was about to let out his signature fire dragon's roar until he saw Gray still laying stiffly right next to the other. He held back the furious flames that were burning to be released. He couldn't risk hurting Gray in the process.

The man noticed this and stepped away from the ice mage allowing ample space to form between them. As he got closer to Natsu he raised his lance pointing the sharper edge towards the fire dragon slayer, as it glowed red around it and then himself. The master smiled, he was what someone would consider handsome if not for the way his sinister visage marred his natural good looks.

"It's a shame, you were probably a more worthy opponent than Gray could ever be." He said with honest praise, and slight disappoint at the mention of the prospect.

At this moment Natsu would never know what happened. The lance disappeared and then the man disappeared. The last thing he saw was Gray, fear and despair in his eyes, reaching out to him. All before he was blinded by various bright colors, high pitched ringing in his ears, and pain—a sharp searing pain everywhere, it was unbearable.

And then everything stopped.

"Although you've been dead the moment you came here." Spoke the sudden strange dark voice inside his head.

Am I too late? Natsu wondered before everything fell apart.

He didn't feel the rush of the fall but he felt the dull thud of his body hitting the ground.

"Natsu!"

Thanks for reading! Definitely let me know what you think! If I need to work on something or what you liked, I always wanna know~

Ahh, for those who follow Vexing, the next chapter is almost done so hopefully I can get that out soon too.

EternalFlame I would've pm'd you but I have to be up for work in a few hours so I'm gonna go to bed. I hope you like it so far C:

And shameless adivertisement that EternalFlame doesn't know about and hopefully she won't mind: if you don't know who this author is you should check her out! She has a lot of gratsu/natray stories that are really good and enjoyable~ her current project is All That's Left Are Ashes. When you go to search for her though, make sure sure you add 401 at the end of her pen name XP

Alright my lovelies, it is time.

Take Care!

Nova