What happened?

That's what Erza asked to herself. She closed her eyes trying to remember the things she had forgotten. A tear slowly trickled from her eyes as she remembered why she was floating on the ocean.

"What does he think he's playing at?! An etherion is composed of a number of different properties, not just fire!" She reacted seeing Natsu eating the etherion and started on rampaging.

"NGHH! GUAHHH!" Was heard from Natsu as he fell to his knees and both hands on his neck as if he was choking.

"Did he think consuming the an immense 'magical power' in place of 'flames' would give him some kind of power boost?!" Jellal thought, staring at Natsu. "He is destroyed by his own simplicity." He continued with a smile.

"Natsu!" Erza shouted in concern.

Then Natsu roared as flames behind him turned into a shape of a dragon, the two were caught in surprise.

"A dragon?!" Erza thought.

"What?!" Jellal reacted with wide eyes.

Natsu then glared, his canines elongated, face a bit covered in scales, and flames surrounding him like a wild fire.

"H-he... He actually absorbed the etherion?!" Jellal thought with a troubled face, the next thing he knew he was kneed at the chin by Natsu.

"It's all because of you!" He shouted to Jellal.

Why did he have to do that?

She asked again to no one in particular.

"You're the one that made Erza cry!" Natsu shouted as he punched Jellal at the face, from the top of the tower to bottom.

A tear slowly slide its way out of Erza's real eye.

"I made a promise." He growled. Natsu's mind went back to the fallen friend, Simon. The words he left to him, "Natsu... Take care of Erza."

"I MADE A PROMISE!" He shouted.

"Oh, shut up!" Jellal shouted, "Meteor!" He shouted again as he left from Natsu's grasp as Natsu continue to fall. "You can never match my speed." He said with a smirk, Natsu didn't say a thing only to break his fall and use one of the falling debris to jump up to catch up on Jellal and punching him on the abdomen.

Instead of going down destroying the tower, the two burst upward destroying another part of the tower. Erza watched them going up as Jellal shouted, "Impossible!" He gritted his teeth, "I cannot be defeated." He said as he used his magic again. "I will create a land of freedom!" He proclaimed.

He tried going upwards as he was being chased by Natsu. "Zeref called to me softly, through the pain and the fear. He asked me if I wanted true freedom!" He shouted. "That's right... I am the only one who can sense Zeref's presence!" He shouted as he recalled his past. "I am the chosen one!" He shouted looking down on Natsu who was still after him. "Together with Zeref, I will create a nation of true freedom!" He said with a huge smile.

"Like hell you can do that by stealing people's freedom!" Natsu shouted at him.

"The will to change the world - that alone is enough to turn the wheels of history! Why can you fools not understand that?!" He shouted at them as he started to cast a spell to attack or annihilate them.

"Abyss break?!" Erza shouted as Natsu continued to stare at the psychotic mage. "Are you trying to take down the whole tower?!" She shouted at him.

"Just give me another eight years... no, this time I'll built it in 5 years." He said with a huge grin. "Zeref... just wait a little longer." He mumbled. He was about to release it only to recall the attack Erza gave him using her sword. "Ngh..."

Natsu then jumped from his position, a wing-like flames as he shouted, "You're never gonna find true freedom! There's no freedom for a guy tied down by some stupid ghost!" He shouted. For Jellal he saw a dragon flying to him, "Release yourself from this, Jellal!" He shouted as he punched him, making him fall to the tower, destroying its structure a bit.

Jellal was knocked out by the punch and hard landing and Natsu landed on his foot softly, graciously, making it look like easy while looking at it. He landed, his back facing Erza who had a little surprise on her face and sweat formed on top of her forehead, "So this is Natsu's true power." She thought.

Where is he?

She asked herself again even though her question can be left unanswered.

She continued staring at Natsu, "He actually defeated Jellal..." She thought. Natsu turned his head, he was kind of surprise and happy that she is safe. "My battle... spanning these eight long years... finally is over..." She thought as a smile formed on her lips. "At last... everyone can have true freedom..." That's when she heard Natsu fell on his knees with his eyes closed, "NATSU!" She shouted as she ran to his form.

She hugged him, a proud thankful smile on her lips, "You are absolutely incredible." She said. "You really are..." Her attention was soon taken when the place started to crumble. "Simon..." She thought as she saw his form falling through the cracks, she looked away. She put Natsu's arm on her shoulder and carry him out.

She continued to ran as Natsu was being carried by her. She didn't stop but instead she fell because of the uneven forms, cracks, or the little explosions the place caused.

"The power... it's actually deforming the very lacrima containing it... its destructive power is greater still than I imagined... even if we escape the tower, we'll still be caught up in the explosion." She thought. She was on her knees, she punched the ground in frustration, "DAMMIT ALL!" She shouted, "IS THIS IT?!" She asked, she then took a glance on Natsu's unconscious form.

She looked at him and slowly stand up. "No... I refuse to give up..." She thought. "It's my turn to save you now... Natsu." She thought, her will, her resolve, already fixed. "But... we can't run from this... can't defend against it... what can I do?!" That's when she remembered something.

The thought of fusing herself to the lacrima just to save Natsu.

"If I were to be fused with the etherion... could I control this magical energy... prevent the explosion...?" She asked herself. "It's the only chance we have left!" She thought, putting her hand on the it.

"NGHH!" She reacted from the pull she was getting from it. Natsu slowly woke up from his slumber. "UGHHH..." She grunted in pain. "All right! The lacrima is still ready to accept me." She thought.

"Erza..." Natsu called out, trying to stand up.

"Natsu?!"

"Wh- What are you doing...? Sticking your body into the crystal..." He asked her, confusion clear in his eyes.

"This is our only chance of stopping the etherion." She said with a soft smile.

"Stopping... the etherion?" He asked her.

"The etherion energy within the tower has gone wild... it's about to cause a gigantic explosion... but if I can fuse with the etherion, and seize control of that power..." She stopped when Natsu shouted at her.

"YOU IDIOT! IF YOU DO THAT, YOU'LL...!" He was cut of by her with her shout.

"AGHHH!"

"ERZA!" Natsu shouted.

I remember... but... but how did I got here?

She asked herself in confusion.

"Erza?" A voice called out but she ignored it, trying to recall what happened.

"It's Erza!"

"You don't have to worry about a thing... I'll stop it for sure..." She told him, trying to assure him.

"STOP THIS!" Natsu shouted, wanting her to stop. "STOP IT ERZA!" He shouted again, crawling his way to her.

"Natsu..." Erza reached her free arm out to cup his cheek. "I cannot live without Fairy Tail. I can't even imagine a world without my nakama. That's just how much... all of you mean to me..."

"Erza..."

"If doing this can save you all... then I have no regrets... this one measly body... TAKE IT!" She shouted as she was completely pulled in.

"ERZA! GET OUT OF THERE!" He shouted, he felt helpless, he was on his knees, pounding on the damned crystal.

"Natsu... I leave the others to you..." She started a tear fell out of her real eye, "I'll always be there, right beside you all." She said with a smile.

"Erza..." Another voice called out in worry.

Then... how am I still alive?

She asked herself, once again she was lost in her thoughts.

"ERZA!" Natsu shouted, he gritted his teeth, tears continue to flow out of his eyes. His hands formed into fist but soon it relaxed, his signature smile was formed on his face, a plan formed in his mind... it is for a hopeful and promising future... that's what he'll give her- them.

Even though her mind was already in a dream or rather seeing her own future, she was sad on seeing their crying faces, it wasn't the future she want for them, tears started to form once again until she heard his voice. "Then... Erza. Promise me you'll protect them." He said causing Erza to be a bit of surprise and hurt.

A familiar hand pulled her back into reality, she opened her eyes to face his chest, he was hugging her and whispered, "You don't die for your friends... Erza..." then he let her go, both on their knees. He took his scarf off and put it on her. He smiled once again, "You live for them."

Then Erza was being shoved away by Natsu from the crystal she came from, she didn't have a chance to process on what just happened nor what he just said. "Apparently... I am not a friend." He mumbled enough for her to hear. "A lover. A secret admirer." He continued the words in his mind. A soft smile formed on his lips.

Before she could move nor react, he already had his hands in the crystal.

"You... live for your friends." She repeated, soon it dawned on her on, this was his plan- for their future- for her future.

Realization came to her like a bolt of lightning but it was too late, then blue rays shot up to the sky. "NATSU!" This time, it was her shouting for his name.

Where's-

"Where's Natsu...?" She asked, not to herself but to anyone in particular who heard her.

"Natsu... I- W-we don't know." The voice replied.

Then tears stared to flow out of her eyes, she covered it with her right arm. "He saved me... again." She mumbled.

"Erza..."

Everyone in Team Natsu knew what just happened, once again, Natsu sacrificed his life for them, for everyone's future. They noticed his scarf on Erza and they assumed it's not just for them, it's for her also to face, to feel true freedom.

2 Months Later

Everyone were still affected on what Natsu did for them, he did not just save his friends, his family, but the world from Zeref's awakening. They have a secured future in front of them but they are still stuck in the past because of the person who saved them in the past isn't around anymore.

The guild that usually filled with fun, energetic, and brawl-like atmosphere disappeared like thin air. It's like they are stuck in limbo because of him. Tears, cries, and sob or drunk mages who are not usually drunk can be smelled.

Gajeel gripped his fist hard, he doesn't want this. He's used to their annoying and loud voices, the brawls that he doesn't have as a Phantom Lord mage grew in on him, the family that he used to hate, the fairies he used to despise and want to kill, he doesn't want what he hears, what he smells, nor what he sees.

He just wanted to shout at them. As a dragon slayer, a fellow dragon slayer it hurts if you died for someone that can't even smile. Apparently the most unexpected happened.

"You think Natsu would be happy on what're you guys showing?" Laxus asked with an annoyed face, everyone shook their heads. "Then move on! I didn't mean you guys should forget him... okay? He's just right here." He said, pointing at his chest. He sighed and walked away grabbing another S-Class mission. "If I'm in his position, I wouldn't like seeing the request board full." He said and disappeared.

Erza who didn't feel like she should stay there and get a scolding from Laxus, she decided to go to the new cake shop she heard. She was still wearing the scarf and took care of it. She pushed through the doors and caught sight of the strawberry cake.

She ordered a one and took a seat near the window. Using her fork, she raised a slice saying, "I promise... Natsu." She then took a bite of it, enjoying the taste. Soon she finished and decided to return to the guild, pulling the door open she faced a person who's quite taller than her and has a familiar pink hair, a too familiar grin was on his face.

"Natsu...?"

I think this should be rated as K+ because I don't think there are any malicious stuff here.

Also this is a one-shot... I guess... and my first time to write NaZa, so take it easy. I'll end it like this.

And readers who have read my other story, "The Fallen ( Change of Heart )" I have updated once again. Mwahaha