Description: Crestfallen, dejected, melancholic, dull, glum, sorrow and depressed. Above all, she felt broken when she was forced to sacrifice her beloved spirit for her friends. How will she recover from the grievous loss?

...

Set right after Tartarus was defeated

It was all over. The blonde Celestial Mage found it hard to sink in. Just hours ago, she, along with her friends, were fighting an almost impossible battle. That's why she found it hard to believe that they had survived, let alone won. Everything around them was wreaked by the war that had took place not long ago. Magnolia, unfortunately, was were it all happened. Houses, buildings and establishments were all in ruins. Townspeople were evacuated hours ago, leading to no casualties or fatalities.

Her guild mates were howling triumphantly, not caring that they're looking like complete idiots. They had won. That's all what mattered to them. It was a reason to celebrate. Once again, Fairy Tail conquered a seemingly hopeless battle. But why can't she rejoice like everyone else? Why is she sobbing uncontrollably as she knelt on the ground, clutching a broken key? Why does she feel guilty?

'Aquarius..' Of course she knew the answer. As she laid weeping in agony, she hearken back to the dreadful sacrifice she was forced to make just to save her friends. It was both selfish and unselfish at the same time.

Selfish as she needed to sacrifice her spirit for others. Unselfish for she had done it to save the lives of her friends.

She felt guilt eating her from the inside. Ashamed, she bowed her head, trying to block the memories that came flooding in as she glanced down at the broken key in her pale hands. It was devastating and heart wrenching. True they were not such fond memories but they were precious to her. A treasure that she's meant to cherish forevermore.

Whatever the circumstances, she still can't comprehend what happened. Just moments ago, she had lost something extremely dear to her. Suddenly, her guild mates were all trapped in a prison much known as Alegria. For unknown reasons, she was left behind. Left alone to deal with the demons herself. Then it happened. Mard Geer announced that he'll award anyone who would be able to kill her. Thirsty with power and hungry with pleasure, they all went for her. Lucy managed to give a fair fight. She had defeated quite an amount. Unfortunately, she doesn't have a vessel of unlimited magic power.

She was already running low on magic when three of the Nine Demon Gates found her. They were all after her head. Outnumbered and exhausted, she was losing hope. She was convinced that she's about to die there and then. Instead of waiting for her agonizing death, she stood up and fought with her remaining strength. One can only discover her true potential in a near death situation, her mother had once quoted. What she said was true, Lucy realized as she summoned her third spirit.

To her dismay, it wasn't enough. Her three spirits can't defeat those monstrous and gruesome demons. She once again lost hope as she watched Aquarius held back Jackal, the explosive maniac. She was crying, mumbling apologies to her guild mates who she had let down. That was when her blue haired mermaid spirit gave her hope. A horrifying and direful opportunity to win.

Aquarius told her that summoning three spirits at a time means that she would be able to handle the power of summoning the Spirit King. But it came with a price. She needed to destroy a key. A Zodiac Key to be exact. Lucy denied stubbornly, refusing to sacrifice a spirit.

"Do it, Lucy. Break my key." The blonde's world came crashing down as reality of what she said dawned on her.

"It's not right to sacrifice a friend to save another!" She tried so hard to reason with her spirit. Unfortunately, both were stubborn. But Lucy knew she lost the argument. The water bearer was right. Her friends are counting on her. She needs to save them.

She was successful. She summoned the Spirit King, destroyed Aquarius' Key and saved her friends. And now, they had won the war. But... Why isn't she happy? Why does she feel so broken and incomplete?

Maybe it has something to do with the fact that Aquarius was her first ever friend. That despite her spiteful and malevolent way of treating her, she was still there in her times of need. She was her fateful spirit that protected her. Lucy might not want to admit it, but Aquarius was like her second mother.

She doesn't know how long she was laying on the hard concrete ground, bawling her eyes. It seemed hours but she doesn't care. She sobbed even louder, not minding her hurting throat. Sounds of cheers had now died down. An eerily silence. From miles away, the only sound that can be heard was her loud sobs and cries. She was weeping till her heart's content.

Sounds of rushed footsteps and murmurs reached her ears as she continued on clutching the broken key in her palm. She held it too tight that small amount of blood was oozing from the cuts that was made by it's sharp edges. She didn't mind. Nor does she care about the gasps and short intakes of breath that she heard from close by. She was too engrossed in her own pain to realize that most of her guild mates were now looking at her in confusion and worry. Levy made an attempt to approach her but a certain Iron Dragon slayer stopped her.

No one dared to come close. They knew that they can't do much to help her. Though they were thinking all the same. If someone knew how to handle an emotionally unstable Celestial Mage, it was their Fire Dragon Slayer. They watched as the anticipated Fire Wielder pushed his way through the slowly forming crowd.

He had lost his father, the one he looked up to the most. The Fire Dragon Slayer slumped down on his knees as he relished the memories of his fallen Dragon Parent. For the first time in years, he was crying. The battle was won. The war was over. But it was all hard to sink in. He was reunited with his father whom he endlessly searched years just to see him go down in battle. It was down right frustrating for Natsu.

He had so much things to tell him. To ask him. He wanted to share things with him. His adventures. His stories. His jokes. His feelings for a certain girl who he brought home with him on one fateful day. But he didn't have a chance to. Igneel died before his eyes. And he wasn't able to do anything about it. And now, he didn't know what do. It seems like his life had just went off course. As of the moment, he had no goal..

That's when he heard it. As he was mourning over his dead father, he heard her cries of agony. Lucy Heartfilia, the girl he held close to his heart. His body went numb. The person he loved the most was crying.

He slowly stood up, ignoring the aching of his exhausted body. He need to go to her! He ran up the hill but tripped on his own foot halfway, knocking him off balance and had him roll back down. Groaning, he landed face first. Natsu cursed loudly. Grabbing a fist full of dirt, he tried to control his rage. He laid there motionless for a few seconds, calming his nerves. 'Damn it!' Gasping, he got up and ran once again. Full of determination, he made it up to the edge of the crater that his father unconsciously created after crashing down from the sky. He stopped to breath and collect his thoughts, anguish cries of the blonde girl rang loudly on his ears. He inhaled, sniffing the air for her familiar soothing scent. Vanilla..

He ran and ran. His legs were aching, telling him to stop and rest. He was out of breath, out of magic and out of strength. He was certain that he won't last any longer. The shock of using too much magic was now having a toll on him. As he ran, her cries grew louder. It was full of misery, mourning and sorrow which panicked the dragon slayer. What had caused his partner's distress and pain?

"I'll fucking kill those bastards who made Lucy cry!" Natsu muttered angrily as he saw a small crowd in a near distance. Almost like hearing him, some looked back. They were familiar, the fire eater recalled. Of course.. They were his guild mates. All have the guild's insignia tattooed on different parts of their body. Almost sensing his presence, a few glanced back at him, whispering his name. His arrival caused heads to turn to his direction, all wearing expressions of relief and worry. He didn't care. He pushed his way through the crowd, wanting to reach his best friend.

When he did, his heart broke. His Lucy was laying on the ground, crying her eyes out. She was a complete mess.

"Lucy?" She looked up, fat ugly tears streaming down her pale eyes. Her lips were quivering, face drained of color. She looked disarrayed, Natsu thought.

"N-Natsu?" She tried to stand up, almost tipped over if it weren't for Natsu who steadied her by holding her arm.

"Are y-you alright?" It was a rather stupid question, Natsu thought. From the corner of his eyes, he can see multiple of their guild mates shaking their heads in disappointment. He didn't miss the faint whispers of his frenemies, Gajeel, Gray and Laxus, who were thinking the same thing. 'Idiot.' The Fire Mage's eye twitched at that but made no action to acknowledge them.

"S-She's gone, Natsu.. S-She's gone." The blonde mumbled almost absent mindedly. This worried him. Who was she referring to? He was almost too afraid to ask.

Lucky, he didn't need to. Lucy extended her right hand to him which confused him. Natsu didn't want to know what she was holding. Growling, he felt rage catching a whiff of faint blood. He gently took her hand with his own while using his other to unwrap her pale, trembling hands. He rashly inhaled a short intake of breath, not believing what he was seeing. In her hands laid the broken pieces of a golden Zodiac Key. He managed to make out the water bearer's symbol.

"L-Lucy.. This is.." He trailed off, speechless. The crowd almost surrounding them was craning their necks in hope to get even a glimpse of the object in the Fire Mage's hand but to no luck.

"I d-didn't mean it! I s-swear! I had t-to! She said I-I should! I didn't m-mean it, N-Natsu! I really d-didn't! I'm sorry! I'm s-so sorry." She was now a rambling a mess, he was aware. But he didn't care as of the moment. He felt guilty for not being there on her time of need. In his absence, she needed to sacrifice someone important to her.

"Lucy, it—"

"I d-didn't mean it! It's all m-my fault! I'm t-too weak! I'm too f-frail! I was s-stupid! If o-only i was strong enough!" It angered him. She was degrading herself. Clenching his jaw, he watched her with narrowed eyes. He would do everything to take her pain away. To stop her tears from falling. To take the guilt away.

"Lucy, you're not weak—"

"It should h-have been me! She suffered because i was t-too weak to protect h-er and everyone else! It s-should have been m-me, instead! I should h-have died! Not her! I should have d-died! No—" the Fire Mage can't take it anymore. He growled, seizing the blonde, he pulled her towards him almost roughly. Lucy tried to free herself only to be restrained even more by the dragon slayer. Gasps was heard around them but he didn't care. Natsu only held her tighter, burying his head on her neck.

"How do you think i would feel if you died, Lucy?" He felt her shiver under his touch. She probably hadn't thought of that. What would their guild mates do if they found out she died for them? Importantly, what would he do if she died because he wasn't there to protect her?

"I did—"

"I lost someone today, too. I don't think i would have handled it if i lost you too." She froze. She must have forgotten. She was too engrossed with her own pain to notice others. Natsu couldn't blame her. If she hadn't heard her cries, he still must be on the crater, crying over his dead father.

"I'm s-sorry.." She buried her head in his chest, gripping his shirt tightly as she tried to stop her tears.

"It wasn't your fault, you Weirdo." He meant every word as he stroked her hair gently. He smiled as he felt her shoulders shake less and her sobs grew quiet. Lifting his head, he saw the anticipating and curious looks of his guild mates. They were bound to find out, right?

He raised his hand, which now held the broken key, and held it up for the guild to see. Gasps of horror was heard as they put the pieces of the puzzle together. Mournful, sympathetic and grieving looks were given to the girl in his arms who tensed at the change of atmosphere.

"Oh, Lucy.." He heard Mira whisper. Sighing, Natsu gently untangled himself from her firm hold and gripped her shoulders. Onyx meets chocolate brown. They held each other's gazes, almost melting at the latter's intense stare.

"We'll get through this, Lucy. Together.." The Fire Mage smiled at her, placing a warm hand on top of her head. The blonde blushed at the gesture but did nothing to remove contact.

"T-Together.." She repeated, unconsciously smiling at the warmth the phrase had brought to her.

"We're two broken souls who will mend each other."

RanRanRein14 here! Hoped you enjoyed that! Till next time, guys! *waves*