You would think a year would be enough time to get over him. But in fact, no amount of time in the world would ever be enough to get over Natsu. I moved over in my bed onto my side. Happy was sleeping next to me. Ever since that fateful day, he had taken to sleeping with me. He never left my side, to be honest. Besides Carla, I was all he had left.

"Natsu..." Happy stirred. We all missed him. I think the little Exceed took the most mental damage, though. I pulled the covers over me.

"Goodnight, Natsu." I closed my eyes for another dreadful night.

One Year Earlier

"Oof!" Natsu was slammed against the ground.

"Natsu!" I screamed. He got up and wiped his mouth. He never did give up, even when our failure was imminent.

"Now you're gonna pay! Iron Fist of the Fire Dragon!" His hand lit up with deadly flames as he charged at the enemy. The job we had taken was supposedly simple. We were given the task of guarding a precious and rare gem. It was the original team- Natsu, Happy, and me. The gem was sought after by dangerous criminals, who, in the end, turned out to be more than criminals. They were of a power that rivaled even Laxus. The quest should have been labeled as S-Class. It was just that difficult.

"Your death has been decided already. If you hand over the gem now... well, you may still live. But I do not believe that Akui here-" The criminal gestured to an accomplice standing next to him. Akui smiled. "-will let you go so easily."

Natsu roared and charged at the leader. His flames hit him square in the chest, but as I watched, I could tell it did next to nothing.

"What...? Why aren't you injured, jackass?" Natsu gave him a look of pure malice. As I looked on in horror, I tried to grab my keys from my belt to help in the attack. But I had forgotten; my keys had long ago been stolen. One of the leader's lackeys looked me in the eyes and swung my keyring around his middle finger. My attempt would have been futile anyways; I was out of magic power.

"Lucy... what are we going to do?" Happy glanced at Natsu and me as he was pummeled by Akui. I sighed.

"There's nothing we can do. All we can do is place our hope in Natsu. But Happy-" I tilted my head as I looked him in those big round eyes of his.

"-don't succumb to these idiots. Continue fighting, even if you don't have any more magic power. We are Fairy Tail wizards! We never surrender!"

The leader laughed. "This is what you get when you challenge the great Azura!" He hit Natsu into a wall.

"Natsu!" I run towards him in the hope of helping him up. But instead of doing that, I am hit with a blast of magic power.

"Lucy!" Natsu and Happy both try to rush to me. Natsu is again hit by Azura, but he crashes into the same wall as me.

"Now I'm all fired up!" He tries to use his magic, but he is all out. The enemy wasn't even hurt in the slightest. I limp over to him. He has horrible wounds.

"Crap..." I look him over. He was hurt quite bad. He had wounds all over his body, and it was beyond me how he was still breathing. I moved his vest from his chest to reveal something I never wanted to see on him. Even the strongest can't live with a hole in their chest.

"Well... that doesn't look too good, huh, Lucy?" He chuckled. He coughed up blood in the process.

"Natsu, let me try to get Wendy, or-" He coughs up blood as a word I never wanted to hear crosses his lips.

"No."

My shock is painted all over my face in vibrant colors. What could he mean? He couldn't possibly... no, Fairy Tail wizards never give up, no matter the enemy! But that hole in his chest...

"What do you mean? Wendy isn't that far away, I could send Happy to get her!" Happy interjected a half-hearted "Aye!" as I let loose the idea. Azura and his goons stood by. They knew we were helpless. We could not fight against their power. They were too strong. Natsu's wound would not stop bleeding. I tried to stop the flow with some of the fanfic of my skirt, but my effort was futile. We knew what his fate was to be. I just didn't want it to be true.

"Happy... I'm sorry that I never got you that fish. You take care of Carla for Wendy, okay?"

"Natsu... you're not saying..." Happy started tearing up. But then Natsu turned to me.

He was just staring at me. I didn't know what to say. These were his last moments, but I didn't want it to be so. Natsu, who never gives up, was giving up. I wanted it to be a dream. Maybe I would wake up and he would be in my bed. But I knew it wasn't true. Natsu has been strong for too long. It's time for him to be weak.

"I'm sorry about your rent." I just stare into his eyes.

"I can save you... you don't have to do this..." A single tear slips down my cheek.

"No. You know what my fate is, just as well as I do." It appears as though he is fading. My best friend was actually going to die. And I could do nothing to stop it.

"I won't leave you. And neither will Happy."

"Aye!"

He tilted his head and gave me a look of pure love. I never knew he was capable of the look; he always seemed so dense.

"I wouldn't think you would... remember, it's always more fun when we're together, right?" My eyes become clouded with tears. I nod.

"I think it is my time now. Lucy, Happy... tell everyone I'll miss..." His voice trails off. I stare at him for what seems like an eternity. I attempt to wipe away the tears steaming down my face, but they just won't go away.

"You're right, Natsu..." I glance at Happy. He's wasn't doing too well either.

"It always was more fun when we were together." And with that, I break down completely. I put my head on his chest, and begin to sob uncontrollably. I swore that I would never lose anyone again. But I suppose that promises are hard to keep in the face of Death.

I wake up in a sweat. It is just past midnight. I sit up and look around my apartment.

"Natsu...? Are you there...?" I whisper silently into the darkness. Then the truth hits me. And it hits hard. I sit back down. My tears begin to flow, just as they do every night.

"How can we have fun if there's only one of us left, Natsu?" I pull his scarf over my chin to hide my quivering lip. It's one of the only things I have to remember him. After he died, it turns out that Azura and his goons stole the gem. They were later captured by Erza and other S-Class mages from Fairy Tail. They let Happy and me escape. For that, I am eternally grateful. But I never want to see their rotten faces again.

"I miss you... more than anybody else. Where did you go? Why did you leave me? I loved..."

The End