A N: I probably should've just waited and posted both parts at the same time as a oneshot, but I knew this part would take a while since I had no idea how to start it. This was actually really hard to write. I hope constantly having to switch dialog between two different Natsus doesn't get too confusing. I know if it was in the perspective of one of them it would fix this problem, but I really don't like writing in first person. ^^

Natsu.

The dry blood stain that had leaked from her mouth does not lie.

I believe in you.

Neither does the gaping stab wound exposed on her midsection through the ripped cloak.

I always have ever since I first joined the guild.

It was unbelievable how much trust she had in him. She could always put her own life in his hands so easily and not give it a second thought. He knew she was naïve and vulnerable sometimes, but that was okay because he would always be there to protect her. So then why was he staring at a Lucy who was beyond saving? He would've never even considered it a possibility until now. His thoughts became so lost in the fog of denial that he failed to notice the tears streaming down his face, or the quivering of his lips.

The dragon slayer leaned over her more as his shaky fingertips slowly ghosted over her pale cheeks before delicately caressing her face with the faintest of touches. Her skin was so cold he was afraid she might crumble to pieces from under him if he wasn't careful. When despair finally slammed down on him, he lifted the blonde into his lap, held her in his arms, and buried his face in her hair. What was the point of being here anymore?

The Natsu who had witnessed Lucy's death ripped his gaze away from the floor and stared at his future self with a look of guilt and pity. He couldn't imagine the weight of his heartache. He at least still had the Lucy of this timeline to continue a happy, adventure-filled life with. Any future this Natsu would've had with Lucy is completely gone now.

"Listen…" He tentatively took a step closer to his future self. He knew if he were in this situation, he would want an explanation. The time traveler didn't acknowledge him or move from his positon as Present Natsu walked up close and stood behind the man whose body trembled vigorously. He slowly lifted his hand to his shoulder ready to console. "I-"

"YOU BASTARD!"

Flames around his fists suddenly burst to life and firmly connected with his jaw. Present Natsu stumbled back momentarily before widening his stance defensively as his future self took another blind swing of rage at him. The violent shaking of his body had increased tenfold.

"SHE TRUSTED YOU!"

"Listen to me! You're not thinking clearly right now!" He yelled while dodging another punch aimed for his face. Anyone from a mile away could tell that the fire mage had lost control, letting his body be completely consumed and overtaken by fury. Everyone knows that when he loses his temper, even for pointless things, he will shut off his brain and let his body do the talking. He is sure to inevitably destroy everything unfortunate enough to be in the danger zone, which is why Ultear and Meredy were long gone by this point.

"SHE CAME TO YOU FOR HELP! TO SAVE YOUR FUTURE!"

Feeling his own anger rising, Present Natsu scowled back at him and raised his fists going onto the offense. "You don't even know what happened! You weren't there!"

"Neither were you, apparently! And none of that matters, you WERE there and you LET IT HAPPEN!" His barrage of fire punches became even more violent and uncontainable. "You can't even protect our own nakama, AND YOU CALL YOURSELF A FAIRY TAIL WIZARD?!"

Suddenly, the atmosphere changed once again and they both became silent. The stare Natsu gave his future self was one only few enemies have ever seen. It was deadly, intense, and blood thirsty. It looked as though he had every intention to kill and maim. What started as just the need to lash out was now about to turn into something much more serious. They stood feet apart, never breaking eye contact, waiting for the other to initiate the fight. They were both completely and utterly worn out from their previous fights to the point where it was hard just to stay standing. It didn't matter, though. Not right now.

Only a few more moments of silence lingered in the air before both Natsus suddenly erupted in fire at the same time and lunged at each other.

"FIRE DRAGON'S…"

"…IRON FIST!" they shouted in unison.

Future Natsu was only a split second faster and his flaming punch meant for his past self connected with his face as intended while the other punch meant for the time travel missed completely. Though his punch barely did anything as the Present Natsu used his hands and feet to stop his backward momentum before he could crash into a wall. He immediately retaliated by jumping up to send a flaming kick.

"You were the one who wasn't there! She was all by herself, lost and terrified for days trying to come up with a plan!"

Future Natsu faltered. "...D-Days? It couldn't have been; I was right behind her." He blocked the kick with his forearms. "That's not my fault, I don't know how that stupid door works! Don't you DARE pin this on me!" The dragon slayer landed a roundhouse kick on the time traveler that flew him back and made him collide into a column. He immediately sprang up as if nothing had happened. "FIRE DRAGON'S WING ATTACK!"

The waves of fire lashed out at other dragon slayer from across the room that forcefully whipped him back and sent him flying. He slowly climbed back to his feet with fresh scars and bruises covering his body.

"And you're the one who let everything get fucked up! Lucy shouldn't have needed to travel to the past in the first place!"

"SHUT THE HELL UP ALREADY! YOU WOULD HAVE LET THE SAME THING HAPPEN!"

"That's it! I'M ENDING THIS!

FIRE DRAGON'S-"

"FIRE DRAGON'S-"

"-ROOOAR!"

The massive fires combining together from their onslaught reciprocated with an immense explosion that doubled in size and acted as if a bomb just went off in the room. It caused the two dragon slayers to be sent flying backwards in opposite directions. Neither of them could move after taking damage from that monstrosity of an attack. Their muscles ached and cried out for rest. They lied on the floor in silence with nothing but the sound of their heavy breathing occupying the room. They stayed there while letting their anger and hatred leave the air that had been suffocating them only moments ago.

"…."

"…"

"...why are we even arguing, we're the same person. It's pretty stupid if you think about it."

"Yeah." Future Natsu tilted his head slightly from his place on the floor to look at his past self. "What kind of idiot fights with himself anyway?" He chuckled half heartedly.

"Who said anything would've changed if our situations were switched." Present Natsu pushed himself into a sitting positon but didn't meet his eye contact. "I'm sorry…I wasn't fast enough to stop this. It looks like neither of us made it in time."

He glanced back at the woman who had given him way more than just a friendship. She gave him her kindness, her trust, her fears, her care, her closeness. She gave him a team. She gave him memories that will always be treasured. She gave him an unbreakable life-long bond.

Lucy Heartfilia is, and always will be, irreplaceable.

The Natsu of the present time stood up with newfound determination. "I can't waste anymore time here. I made a promise to Lucy, which means I still got a future to save."

"Guess blaming each other won't fix anything, huh?" He stood up as well and loudly cracked his knuckles. "Alright then, take me to the bastard who did this to Lucy and I'll help you burn him into nothin' but a crisp. Sound good?"

"Aye!"

They both grinned and nodded before dashing towards the exit. The present Natsu stopped momentarily to give one last look over his shoulder to Lucy, when something distressing dawned on him.

If anything, her lifeless body was a grim reminder. He realized that no matter how many times they may have narrowly escaped death in battle, she wasn't indestructible, and neither was anyone else in the guild. Though if there was anything that was certain, it was that this will not happen again. Natsu will make sure of it.

Lucy.

Once this is all over, I will get stronger.

And I will protect our future.

That's a promise.

End. Thank you for reading!