Lucy...
That was the only thought running through Natsu's head. He could see a pair of brown eyes, a single tear falling, from the one on the left. There was so much emotion.
The joy, that all her friends, her guild, everyone, were safe. The anger, that she had fallen into such a trap, anger, over the fact, that she had inwardly caused so much chaos. Grief, that she wouldn't get live to see tomorrow.
Her lips were curved into a small smile, sad but determined. It was inevitable.
But...
Not on his watch.
Black. That's the first thing he noticed when he opened his eyes.
" He's stirring. Erza, Grey, everybody- "
"Where am I? " Natsu asked as he sat up, shaking his head to clear the fogginess.
Erza looked upset. "You don't remember? The huge explosion? We're on Kanaloa now. "
Natsu looked around at the concerned faces of his guild mates, his head still spinning from the recent events. Erza, Gray, Juvia, Wendy, Gajeel and countless others. But someone was missing. "Where's Lucy?"
Erza exchanged glances with Gray before replying. "We're still looking for her. But it's impossible to predict - "
And suddenly it all came back to Natsu in a flash. The Legion Platoon. The Infinity Clock. The Neo Oracion Seis. Imitatia. The Explosion.
Lucy had altered the sense of time for all the celestial wizards in a comatose state, bringing it forward a hundred years. The result was that the clock parts scattered, along with her.
She's still out there. Natsu was sure of it. He couldn't lose her. Not again. He had to find her.
"I have to go look for her!" Natsu said as he made get up. "
"No you're still not fully recovered from your battle with Midnight! " Gray protested.
"It far too dangerous - "
"I don't care!" He replied as he jumped off the giant purple octopus.
Natsu glanced up at the sky, watching a thousand shooting stars in the night sky. One of them was Lucy. He was sure of it.
He suddenly caught a scent thar was different from the rest. He sniffed harder. It smelled like... Lucy. He knew where she was. Natsu caught sight of a flash in the sky. It was a star. His star.
Adreline pumped through his veins as Natsu ran faster, he had to reach her. He sprinted through the forest on rough terrain.
His foot caught hold of a rock and he tumbled to the ground. Fatigue caught up to him. He couldn't do it.
You have to Natsu. For Luce. You have to save Lucy. A memory passed through his head, as he got up, running faster than ever.
"Natsu!" He heard her yell as she tumbled down, full force from Master Jose's clutches.
"Lucy!" He had cried out as he reached her before she hit the ground. The two fell down. Sure they had cuts and bruises. But she was alive. And that's all that mattered.
Like a whirlwind, he lept up, catching her as they fell to the ground.
Lucy had seen him. From the moment he begin to run. Their eyes had met for a split second as he stared up at the night sky, while her eyes darted in search of her saviour.
Tears fell from her eyes as he fell, her heart rejoicing at his conviction as got back up again.
And now, she opened her eyes, as he pulled his head out of the debris. Seeing him, alive and well, Lucy collapsed into his chest, crying her eyes out.
He wrapped his arms around her. "Hey, Luce. " He said comfortingly. "It's gonna be alright. "
Lucy looked up into onyx eyes that smiled down at her. "H - How did you know where to find me?"
Natsu pointed at his nose, "Dragonslayer sense of smell is way more powerful. "
They were sitting on their knees infront of each other.
"You caught me. " Lucy whispered as a single tear fell from her eye.
Natsu wiped it off, tucking a strand of blonde hair behind her ear. "No more tears. I promised you during the Phantom Lord incident, Luce. I promised you. If you ever fell, I'd be there to catch you. Always. "
Lucy looked in his eyes. They first time they had met, the countless times he had broken into her apartment. The number of times they fought for their lives. Each time, the pink haired dragon slayers never ceased to suprise her.
"And - And if I fall in love?"
"I'd never let you fall without me. "
"I love you. " She whispered.
Natsu pouted. "I wanted to be the first to say it!"
Lucy couldn't help herself. She started laughing. "I waited seven years. I couldn't wait any longer. " She smiled, her cheeks flushed.
"You know, I aways imagined our confession would involve candles, flowers and a starry night sky. " Natsu replied, smirking at her.
Lucy gasped. "Who would have thought that the infamously dense Natsu Dragneel would be a romantic at heart?" She said as she pinched his cheeks playfully.
"Oh please, you love me! " Natsu said, pulling her onto his lap.
Before she could protest any further, he bent down, pressing his lips against hers.
Lucy kissed him back. Words could not describe her joy when she found him safe and sound. She tried to put all that unspoken feeling into their kiss.
They broke apart, dizzy from their kiss.
"The first time I realised my feelings for you, was when you were kidnapped by those Phantom jerks. " Natsu whispered.
"Mira actually helped me realise. " Lucy said. She glanced at him. "Why did you kiss me at Tenrou Island? "
"I couldn't stand it any longer. " Natsu grinned sheepishly. "But you were the one who kissed me on your birthday!"
"I - I couldn't help it!" Lucy protested as she turned bright red.
He grinned at her. She frowned. Maybe it was the boyish look in his grin that caused her to wrap her hands around his neck, pulling him back down for a kiss.
"Do they not realise we're just standing here?" Bixlow said, rolling his eyes.
"Oh come on, we all knew this was gonna happen eventually!" Gray remarked. "Mira is going to freak! "
"You're just annoyed cause you lost the bet. " Gildarts said with a smirk.
"We all lost. No one predicted the seven year gap. " Bixlow protested.
"Ugh are they going to be one of those couples with excessive PDA?" Warren said glancing at the couple that was still busy making out.
"Come on, everyone. " Erza said. "Those two deserve their privacy. "
"Uh, Juvia?" Wendy asked nervously. "Are you alright?"
"No offence but you look kinda creepy with that huge grin. " Romeo said.
"Oh, umm, nothing. " Juvia said, blushing.
Gajeel smirked. He knew how happy Juvia was that Lucy wasn't her 'love rival' anymore. One glance at Gray's flushed face told Gajeel that even he was aware of her feelings.
"I think we should break them up before this gets PG-18. " Gray said in a hurry.
"I guess you're right. " Erza replied.
Wendy took the initiative as she towards the two. "Lucy I'm so glad you're alright! We were all so worried!"
Natsu broke apart with a groan. "Ugh what are you guys doing here?"
"Relax flame brain. We were only looking for Lucy. You can fall in a ditch for all we care. "
"What are you trying to say, ice princess?" Natsu said glaring at him. "You wanna go?"
Erza pulled put her sword. "Is everything alright over here?" She said with a glare.
"Everything's fine! " The two exclaimed.
"I can heal your wounds, Lucy. " Wendy offered, trying to make peace. "Yours too Natsu. "
"Nah, I'm fine. " Natsu said as he got up.
"Thanks, Wendy, but I'm fine. I know you're almost out of magic power. Don't waste it on me. " Lucy said with a smile.
Natsu offered her a hand, pulling her up, before wrapping his arm around her.
"What?" He asked noticing the stares.
"Guess you owe me a 500 jewels, big guy. " Gray said to Gajeel.
"Are you serious? " Lucy asked. "You guys bet on his long it would take for me and Natsu to get together? "
"Nah I made a bet for when you two would become an official couple after I saw you two snogging at the back of the gild. " Gray replied only to have a 'fire dragon roar' thrown his way.