The earth rattled as the fireball engulfed a large area. Virgo was tending to my wounds. "Sounds like Natsu is getting serious" I spoke with a quick grin. Virgo still wore a somber face. We continued to watch the fight between Natsu and his brother, Zeref. Juvia sat on the ground with Gray's head in her lap. All Gray's efforts were in vain against Zeref so Natsu took over. Wendy was still working on his wounds while Erza kept vigil.
"Your wounds are bandaged Princess," Virgo announced. She bowed low and with a gold shimmer she disappeared back to the celestial word. Natsu's fight had continued for a few hours. We heard shouting in the distance as dread flooded the battle grounds. Zeref's forces stopped and shouted about a demon battling their emperor. A smile took over my face as people usually called Natsu a demon because of his intense battle style. However something pulled my eyes up to the sky.
bNastu…/b
He was different. His pink hair had horns grown out of it. Giant wings were stretched out giving him flight. A sudden gut instinct pulled me to run to the battlefield. My legs stopped themselves at the edge of the crater. "Natsu!" I yelled to him. The grin on his face wasn't his. His fairy tail mark was gone. It was replaced by a black tattoo that spanned his entire arm. "Natsu!" I yelled again with my hopes in stopping this before anything bad happened.
"He isn't Natsu" Erza whispered startling me. The color drained from my face as I looked the dread on hers. "Happy landed after you took off. He spilled out all sorts of information. Apparently Natsu is Zeref's younger brother. Natsu had died with their mother and father in a dragon attack over 400 years ago. Zeref worked tirelessly to bring his little brother back and succeeded. He created Etherious Natsu Dragneel. Or E.N.D. The demon that is meant to kill Zeref" She told me. Panic filled me as tears welled up in my eyes. "Natsu…" I whispered.
His black soulless eyes darted to me. He stared at me as my tears started to rain down. Sorrow was the only thing my heart could fill. My knees gave out as I watched what looked like Natsu launch an attack on Zeref. "Erza, the demons of Tartaros… Natsu is like them right?" I asked. A clank of armor gave away her shifting. Silence framed the strike from E.N.D hit Zeref in the heart. As Zeref fell, E.N.D stood holding the black wizard's heart. His face had pure, violent, evil joy etched.
With what little strength I could summon, I picked myself up and slid down the slope. I walked over to the demon, stopping within arms length. "Lucy!" My friends cried from the ledge. "Natsu?" I whispered. The same dark eyes darted to me again. Deep growls erupted from him. "I'm not here to fight you," I tried to reason feebly. Tears started to stream again as I squeeze my fists. A dark chuckle rose out of the thing that stood in front of me. His hand gently slid along my cheek smearing warm blood. My eyes snapped open to see the familiar onyx eyes staring at me. "Luce" Natsu whispered.
With relief, I flung my arms around his neck. His arms snaked their way around my waist. "Hey, can I ask something of you?" He whispered. Pulling back my face melted into confusion. "Sure?" I answered with unease. Natsu and I still held onto each other. "Can I get one last Lucy smile? They were my favorite thing besides the way you smell" he told me with a smile while setting his forehead on mine. "What's wrong Natsu? Why are you talking like that" I spoke with panic rising. "One smile, please?" He pleaded. I forced one on my face. "That's not it" he spoke leaning in close. His lips pressed into mine as I felt his usual heat starting to fade. The warmth of his kiss made me want more. I needed more. He was my Natsu.
We broke apart with a smile spreading on my face. "There is my smile" he whispered. The smile quickly dissolved as he brought a handless arm up. He slowly was disappearing. "No! Natsu you can't leave! Not now! What about everyone else?" I freaked out. "Erza will tell them. She is still up there watching. There is something I should've told you a while ago Luce. I just never worked up the courage. I love you, Lucy Heartfillia" he confessed with his Natsu grin plastered wide. The tears came back and I buried my face into his chest. "You can't leave like this! What about happy? He couldn't stand not having you! What about Gray? Or Wendy?" I shouted with tears flowing faster. "Be there for him" he said. His arms were gone now. Same with his legs. "What about the guild?" I yelled again. "They will be fine" he chuckled. I sobbed harder "You can't leave me now Natsu. Not after what you told me" I said looking up. He gave me another kiss. This one was more passionate than the last. He smiled one last time as he completely dissolved. "Come back!" I yelled to the sky. A white long object floated down from the sky.
i Natsu's scarf!/i I thought as it came within reach. Stretching as far as I could, I grabbed it and brought it to my chest. The scarf still smelled of a warm campfire. "Lucccccyyyy!" Happy called out. He floated next to me with tears pouring out of his face. "Natsu's gone, isn't he?" He asked. I smiled weakly at the exceed. "Not entirely," I reassured him "he is still with us in our hearts" I poked gently at the small white chest. "Lucy!" Gray called looking down from the ledge. "I'll be there!" I called back up. The blue cat flew back up out of the crater. Still clutching Natsu's scarf, I looked at the setting sun. I chuckled lightly "Baka," I whispered "I love you too."
biOne Year Later/b/i
Happy and I walked through the Market. So much has changed in the last year. The guild managed to stay together. But we our team hasn't been the same. We are Now Team Gray, still the same power in the team, just a lot less money coming out for damages.
Natsu's scarf hung around my neck, moving in the breeze as we waited at the park for everyone. Wendy and Carla arrived shortly after us and Levy, Gajeel and Panther Lilly after them. Happy was distracted with the other exceeds and Levy was busy holding a conversation with Wendy. Gajeel was napping rather close to the girls.
The fall air was cool and sweet as I took a deep breath. Everyone else sat talking amongst themselves. Mirajane had us do this because she thought it was like help us cope. I sat under the middle Sakura tree reading a book. A shadow covered my light. "Hey! Don't you know it's rude to block someone's light when you are reading?" I scolded the person. The conversations had stopped as I looked up. My eyes had to be fooling me. Natsu stood in front of me. "Natsu!" I cried as I jumped up and wrapped my arms around his neck. "Thanks for holding my scarf" he said hugging me back.
After the evening passed and everything seemed to settle down. Natsu and I headed back to my apartment. With a turn my key, the door swung open. Natsu sniffed and sat down on the couch. "This place hasn't changed" he commented glancing around. "Natsu…" I began. He startled me as his warm arms wrapped around me. We stood in silence, him holding me and I enjoying the feeling of his chest. "Natsu," I started again. His heart started beating quicker "it's been a year but I love you too" I whispered. His warm lips touched the top of my head. "Don't go anywhere" I added. He chuckled softly "I'm not going anywhere, I promise" he answered.