A/N: Random oneshot I wrote today while I should have been working on my other fics...sorry! Hope you like it, let me know what you think :)
Inspiration Song: "Amnesia" by 5 Seconds of Summer
Walking along the edge of the river, Lucy paused as she approached a familiar line of Cherry Blossom Trees. She never had managed to make it to a viewing, in all the years she lived in Magnolia, not once had she attended it's famous Cherry Blossom Festival. The only time she had come close, she'd gotten sick and was stuck at home in bed.
Lucy could remember how upset she'd been to miss it. She'd read all about the trees for days before hand and had even purchased the perfect outfit, but, instead of attending with all her friends, she'd gotten a stupid cold.
A smile, the first one in days, graced the blonde's face as she stared at the barren branches.
Natsu had fixed it for her. He knew how badly she had wanted to see the trees with everyone, so he had given her the next best thing: he uprooted a tree and sent it sailing down the river for her. She'd been shocked at the time and given him quite the scolding, but secretly she'd been pleased with him. Pleased that he'd been willing to do whatever just to see her smile.
Looking back at it now, that might have been the moment she'd fallen for him. Or maybe it was when he comforted her after Éclair's death; doing everything and anything he could think of to make her smile. Or perhaps it was when he picked her up after her humiliating loss in the GMG. Or when he saved her from José.
To be honest, Lucy couldn't quite pinpoint the exact moment when she fell in love with her best friend. No matter how hard she racked her brain, she couldn't figure out when things had shifted for her. No longer was Natsu simply her crazy, fire obsessed partner. He'd become her best friend. Some one she couldn't picture not having in her life.
Until, suddenly, he wasn't.
Turning away from the cold and empty branches, Lucy wrapped her arms around herself and bit back the tears threatening to spill from her eyes. Stepping away from the water, she forced her feet forward and back towards the edge of town.
She'd chased after him. Ran until her legs collapsed from beneath her and she was forced to accept Natsu was well and truly gone. She'd gripped his letter like her entire life depended on it. Crumbled it beyond recognition as she sat there, struggling to re-read his scrawl through her tears. Hours must have past as she sat there, unwilling to move as she accepted that her best friend had left her. That Natsu was gone and she didn't know if he'd really be back in a year.
Her heart broke when she realized he might never come back. That he could die and she would never know. That he could be hurt and she'd be completely clueless. Or worse, he'd forget all about her while he was gone. He'd find some one else to accompany him on his adventures and forget about the blonde waiting for him in a guild-less town.
It was a stupid thought. Natsu couldn't forget her. He wouldn't. But even so, the fear remained and left her sleepless most nights. It plagued her dreams the few times she did manage to fall asleep. It followed her around; draining her energy and plaguing her thoughts.
Finally, Lucy had had enough and began her search. It had started with Natsu, but when she couldn't even find a whisper of where he might be, she'd moved on to other guild members. Levy. Gajeel. Wendy. Erza. Gray. Juvia. Elfman. Mira. Cana. Laxus. Lisanna. Romeo. Master. Lucy had kept track of anyone and everyone she could. The slightest hint or rumor of where her friends had disappeared to and another pin was placed on the wall. She knew it was excessive and borderline crazy and definitely desperate, but Lucy couldn't bring herself to stop. She needed this. She needed it when everyone else began to leave. She needed it when the letters from Erza, Gray, and even Levy stopped. She needed it when a year past and there was still no sign of Natsu. It was the only way she had to hold onto her friends. It was all she had left to keep her from falling into the darkness that always seemed to cling to the edges of her mind.
Choking back her tears, Lucy struggled to compose herself. Jason was waiting just on the edge of town for her. Even now, months after she'd first asked, he insisted on accompanying her every month when she returned to Magnolia. She knew he was never fooled when she clambered into the car with a fake smile and red eyes, but she loved that he never pressed her. He was simply there should she need him and she was more grateful for that than she could ever show.
"Lucy!" He cried immediately upon seeing her. "Ready for this years Grand Magic Games? They should be cool, cool, COOL!"
She laughed, the sound foreign to her ears. "Even if the top guilds aren't competing, they should be fun to watch. I haven't had a chance before now."
Jason nodded and flashed her a toothy grin before burying his head in his notes, leaving Lucy to stare out the train window as they raced back to Crocus.