Disclaimer. I don't own anything.
This chapter had been edited.
-Oby Abel-
Chapte two: Time
Natsu kept pacing back and forth the guild doors no one daring to stop him. It has been four days since he saw Lucy at the train station and it worried him sick. He had asked Mirajane about her mission and the whereabouts but the barmaid refused to tell him and told him to wait patiently. If she wasn't back on the sixth day she would tell him but only if he didn't bother her anymore. Natsu not being patient tried to sneak inside Master Makarov's office to find the log book the third day but Mirajane found and gave him a good beating and scolded him further. "Give her a little more trust, Natsu. She is a Fairy Tail mage!"
But he couldn't rest without feeling uneasy. He hadn't even slept properly and refused Gray and Erza's proposal of going on a mission with them. He told him he wouldn't go anywhere without Lucy. She would worry and be sad they went on a mission without her. The two mages agreed and dismissed the whole idea of going on a mission and waited for the blonde to return.
Everyone was a slightly impatient and curious. What kind of mission had Lucy chosen since it took so long and where was she. Natsu was growing more and more impatient feeling that something had happened to his favorite blonde. He couldn't shrug the feeling off. His instincts were telling him to find her soon. To protect her.
After pacing back and forth for an hour with no Lucy entering he went over to sit next to the two other members of Team Natsu. He slumped down on the table groaning. "Why isn't she here? It's been four whole days." Happy flew and landed on top of his head patting his hair.
"She will come back, Natsu. It's Lucy. And Loke and her other spirits are with her too. They will protect her." Happy had also been miserable of not having the blonde around. He missed her and he hated to admit it but he missed Scary Lucy too especially when they were kicked out of her comfy bed.
"But it has been four days Happy! Four days. Even our Team missions doesn't take that long. I'm really worried something happened to her." Natsu mumbled into the table but Happy heard him clearly and sighed.
"I'm worried too but Mira won't tell us. We have go wait two more days." Erza patted the slayer's back harshly making him jerk up and glare at her.
"The hell, Erza!" he shouted angrily but the mighty Titania gave him one look and he paled, shutting up.
"Don't sulk and be patient. Lucy is strong and will come back soon. She is probably just taking a little break from you and your antics. She needs her alone time."
"Then she could have at least have told me so I wouldn't worry too much." Natsu scoffed crossing his arms and leaned back so he sat upright.
Erza sighed and shook her head. Natsu was just impossible and annoyed her at times but she too was worried for the blonde so he was easily forgiven. But only because he worried for his best friend and partner who left without telling either of them any details of her mission. "As Mira said we'll go searching for her on day six if she hasn't returned. For now we have to have faith."
Natsu left the guild shortly after speaking, and getting beat up by her too for starting a fight with a Gray. He was frustrated and had to take his frustration out on someone and that someone was Gray, as it always was.
Instead of going home he walked down the strawberry street towards the blonde's apartment. It always calmed him down being in Lucy's apartment because of her smell. Vanilla and strawberry. Without even noticing it hinself he was inside her apartment and inhaled deeply her scent he liked so much. He flopped down on her bed and snuggled closer to her pillow. There her scent was the strongest. It always calmed him because it smelled of her but him too. A perfect mix. It lulled him to sleep. A unconscious smile appeared as he dreamt of having the blonde finally arriving and giving him a tight hug.
Happy entered a while later knowing full well that Natsu was there. He curled into a ball next to him and slept too. They both had been exhausted with worry for the blonde.
Natsu woke up the next day and went straight to the guild. It was morning, around 8, and the first thing he did was search the guildhall. Nothing. Lucy had not come yet and it annoyed him. "Mira tell me where she is. Please. It has been five days." He pleaded after running straight up to the bar. Mira sighed and nodded agreeing making Natsu smile.
"But don't you try to upset her if she hadn't finished her mission." The barmaid warned before she pulled a big book where all the mission logs were in. She pulled one peace up and frowned reading it.
"What is it?" her frown just worried him more.
"There isn't a detailed mission description. She had to meet with a group and people and that's it." Natsu snatched the paper and read the mission again and again.
"Oakfield? Where is that?" he asked looking at he barmaid waiting for an answer.
"A small town north. A few hours away by tra-" She stopped in the middle of her explanation as Natsu dashed out the door calling for "Happy!" they both ran – Happy flew – to the train station purchasing one ticket. He entered the first and fastest train to Oakfield but there was just one problem. He had forgotten about it motion sickness in his haste so when the train lurched forward his face turn green and he groaned in agony.
After an eternity on the train, 5 hours straight, he dragged himself off the train and landed on the platform, kissing the ground. Happy sighed shaking his head and flew forward with the mission sheet in his paws. Natsu, after his make out session with the ground, jumped up and followed his best friend. They found the place in only a few minutes being in the town. It really was small. It was more like a village than a town. The entered the mayor's office.
"Can we speak with the mayor?" he asked the secretary who nodded, standing up and showed them to the door.
"Who may you be?" a tiny elderly male asked looking at Natsu and Happy, giving them a curious look. Natsu smiled as he introduced himself and Happy.
"Natsu Dragneel of Fairy Tail and this is my partner Happy." As he mentioned Fairy Tail the man slightly, just slightly flinched that only Natsu noticed. His facial expression changed giving them both a sad look and made Natsu's heart drop.
"Here for Lucy Heartfilia?" They nodded eagerly hoping that she was still here. despite the vibes the old man was giving them.
"She already left today." the mayor said with a sigh, putting his papers down to rub his temple. "She will need emotional help, so please help her. And please give her this." The man continued before Natsu could interrupt him. He was handed a bag full of money or he guessed, it smelled like money.
"Did something happen? And when did she leave. Please tell me." Natsu felt like his stomach churn and he felt really nervous and anxious. All his thoughts on the blonde and her wellbeing.
"Aye, please tell us." Happy added looking at the mayor pleading.
"It is nothing I can tell. So please don't ask. All I can say is that she will need emotional support and I assume you are her good friends. She only left an hour ago so you can probably catch up to her. And tell her that nobody blames her."
Natsu and Happy ran all across town tracking Lucy's scent which was everywhere. It confused them or mostly the slayer with his more sensitive nose than the feline. The weirdest thing was that her scent had changed. A lot. Another scent were mixed to the vanilla and strawberry a smell Natsu couldn't exactly describe but it smelled like a mixture of a dragon and the stars and that worried him more because the only dragon alive was Acnologia. They ended up at the train station after an hour of searching around the small town. They bought a ticket and despite his motion sickness Natsu did his best to not throw up. His mind was filled with the blonde and dread.
They arrived to Magnolia around 2 am in the morning. Happy was sleeping while Natsu held him and the bag the mayor had given him. It didn't take him long before he was inside the blonde's room. Putting the bag and lying Happy on her chair he practically ran to her bedroom. He sighed relieved when he saw the blonde in her bed but frowned after sniffing the air. She had been crying.
"Luce." He muttered slowly as he sat on the bed stroking her blonde her. She stirred around turning around to see the slayer in her room. Natsu didn't know what hit him when suddenly Lucy threw herself into his arms, sobbing. "Natsu!"
"What's wrong Lucy? Did you have a bad dream?" he asked patting her back comforting her. The blonde didn't speak and kept crying worrying the pinkette further. He hated seeing her cry like that especially when he had no idea why she was crying. It broke his heart. He tried to pull away but she held onto him as if her life depended on it, tightening her grip around his torso. "Luce, tell me what's wrong so I can help you."
"Just let her be for a while." A familiar voice said making Natsu turn his head to see Loke standing in the middle of the room with a blank expression.
"Tell me what happened? The mayor said she needed emotional support." Natsu really wanted to know so he could comfort her. It was the first time he had seen Lucy so fragile and hurt and it hurt him too.
"Not now. Here Lucy, Virgo made you a tonic to calm your body and mind so you can sleep." The Lion spirit said and outstretched his hand that held a glass towards the blonde. Lucy still sobbing pulled one of her arms away from her partner and grabbed the glass quickly gulping down its contents before hugging Natsu again. Natsu stopped looking at the Lion spirit and hugged the blonde, telling her comforting words and reassured her everything was alright. He watched as she slowly began to drift to sleep.
"So tell what happened. Why is she like that?" Natsu demanded after tugging the blonde into bed. Both men left the bedroom and entered the living room, glaring at one another. Sighing Loke sat down on the couch and pulled his glasses off, massaging the bridge of his nose.
"Something happened during the mission and she blames herself. She didn't even want to come back but we forced her back because she will be needing Fairy Tail and her nakama as support. So please don't ask and just be there for her. Right now she has to forget everything." Natsu was not happy with this. Not happy at all. He wanted to known the exact details of it and also her new scent. Something really bad had happened to his best friend and he deserves a proper explanation.
"What happened? Did someone die? Someone did die. Who? The client or an enemy?" Loke hated when Natsu was good at reading him. He could be perceptive when he wanted while other times he was dense as a rock.
Sighing again he nodded solemnly. "Yes, someone did die. But it was the dark mages fault and Lucy did what she had to do but she blames herself and thinks that she is a murderer. She isn't." Natsu nodded and finally joined him on the couch, looking at the spirits face while taking every new information in.
"But her scent, what happened to her scent? It has changed."
Loke's eyes widened before he inwardly cursed the Dragon Slayer and his nose but then again maybe telling Natsu would be a good choice. He was a slayer and now Lucy was one too and he was experienced while she was a newborn. Agreeing with himself he cleared and look at the staring slayer with a serious face. "Would you believe me if I told you that Lucy is a Dragon Slayer now?" Natsu scowled crossing his arms before he scoffed.
"Don't joke around. How would Lucy be a Dragon Slayer when there isn't any dragons around to teach her except Acnologia and he isn't human friendly." Loke nodded at the not so human friendly part of the Chaos Dragon. It felt like yesterday that they had frozen on Tenrou Island. "Plus you don't just become a Dragon Slayer overnight. It takes at least one year before your body changes inside out." Natsu added.
Smiling again Loke nodded in agreement. "That I know. But Natsu try smelling her and you'll smell a dragon, won't you? See she is a Dragon Slayer but a very special one. The first of her kind actually." Natsu raised one skeptic eyebrow giving hos friend a weird look.
"What do you mean? She can't be a slayer. The dragons are gone, remember?"
This time it was Loke who scoffed. "Not all dragons were dead, idiot. The person that died was actually the Celestial Dragon, Draco the Dragon. By killing her Lucy became the first and the only Celestial Dragon Slayer. And it's true. She is a Slayer now."
Natsu blinked a couple of time processing everything that came out of the spirits mouth. Lucy killed a dragon?! He inwardly yelled. Soon he stood up only to run to the blonde's bedroom.
"What the fuck, Natsu! She is sleeping!" The ginger yelled as he ran inside the room seeing the pinkette shake the blonde with an expression he couldn't exaxtly describe.
"No, she has to wake up and tell me! Lucy wake up! Wake up now!"
The Lion angrily interfered grabbing the back of the Fire Dragon Slayer's shirt dragging him back to the ground with an angry scowl. "What the fuck are you thinking, Natsu! This is Lucy we are talking about and you believe that she would do it on purpose?! I can't believe you! She has cried since the day it happened, not sleeping at all!" Loke was fuming and wanted to kill the Slayer for just the mere assumption of Lucy doing it on purpose. His head whip back to the bed when the blonde groaned and slowly sat up looking groggily at her spirit and then to the floor.
"What happened? Why are you here Natsu?"
"Did you kill the dragon?" Natsu still asked unfazed by the death glares from the lion spirit. Lucy's eyes widened making her whimper before everything that happened crashed back. She began sobbing hard.
"Lucy you don't just kill dragons! A slayer does if he needs to but not others. They'll be marked by the Dragon Curse!" he was yelling at the blonde making her cry more and more. Loke still angry but just a tad bit happy that Natsu was worried and not blaming her like he thought.
He pushed Natsu away. "Out! She doesn't need this Natsu and not now. Go home. She doesn't have the mark, so just go."
After much protests and whatnot Natsu was thrown out out the apartment by Loke and Taurus by force. The bull assisted the Lion after a request from his master because it took too long for Loke to handle it. Now Natsu pissed off was lying on his hammock staring at his ceiling. He was mostly angry at himself and Loke. Loke because of the punches that hurt and because he was kicked out of the apartment. Himself because he caused a misunderstanding between Lucy and him. Stupid idiot Natsu! He thought inwardly as he punched his head, groaning after his hard punch. He was feeling really down after how he had reacted and how stupid he had been towards Lucy. Of course she would not be cursed since she was alive and well or well as she could be since she was so sad and depressed. Just thinking about how sad she was made him almost cry.
"I'll apologize tomorrow. I will make her better." He promised aloud before deciding he needed sleep. Lucy was home and that was all that mattered.
…
"LUCY!" Many of her friends shouted as they saw the blonde enter the building. Levy was the first one to tackle her down by hugs.
"I've missed you Lu! How did the mission go? W-why are you crying?" Levy said with a cheery voice but when she pulled away and saw the tears falling down Lucys face and her shaking form her smile fell and voice died. Lucy sobbed one more time before burying herself into her smaller friend's neck pulling hugging her tighter. The guildhall fell silent as they all looked concerned at the blonde, only her cries filled the hall.
Levy saw the Lion spirit with sadness in his eyes when he shifted his gaze from his master to the script mage. "She just needs your support. Something happened on the mission." Even his voice was laced with sadness, the bluenette noticed but she nodded and held her best friend tighter allowing her to cry even more.
"Bring her to my office." Makarov voiced. He was pained to see the always cheerful blonde look so broken and fragile. He had to know the reason so he could help her anyway possible. Both Levy and Loke nodded as Loke helped both woman up from the ground. Lucy's eyes never lifted from the ground as she was led to the Master's office. She felt like the worse person living, like a monster. Guilt was slowly eating her up.
"Loke tell me everything." Master comanded after Levy closed the door behind her but not before sending a worried look at her best friend.
Lucy sat on the chair in front of him but couldn't mutter any coherent words as she was crying and even if she didn't cry she couldn't because she was afraid. Afraid of the Master's reaction when he found out. She was so ashamed that she had killed another person, she had ended a life. She felt so sickened of herself. A monster was what she was. Her hands were tainted. So was her body and soul.
"The mission was a success but there were casualties. A person – no. A Celestial being died. Draco the Dragon or here on Earth land known as Astra River. A man had kidnapped her and tried to kill her with The Dagger of Birth or in the Celestial Spirit World it is known as the Blade of Draco. With this blade you can kill Draco without being marked by the Dragon Curse." Makarov looked more confused when Loke said Dragon curse. He had heard it before too but where was it? Loke began speaking again gaining his attention back to the Lion spirit.
"But the only thing is Draco has to be in her Dragon form before her powers transforms into your body and she wasn't in her Dragon form when he had jabbed her sides with the dagger so-"
"He killed her and got cursed?" Makarov inquired. Loke shook his head before sighing.
"Fortunately Astra is not an ordinary human so the stab didn't do much until-" He trailed off as he looked at his master shaking more. It saddened him to see her like this and he also felt guilty but it had been the right thing to do. Neither him or the others spirits could kill her since that would truly set off the balance of the Celestial world. An immortal being taking another immortal being was taboo and the worst act of crime in the Celestial World.
"Until?" Makarov prodded after the lion spirit stopped abruptly. Makarov felt like slapping the spirit for keeping the suspense, he was for Mavis sake curious and he just stopped when it got to the important part.
Lucy looked at master and then to her loyal spirit before she spoke. "Until I killed her." Her voice was so steady it was scaring her. Makarov's eyes widened as he looked at the blonde who looked back into his eyes with much sadness. "W-what?"
"No!" Loke interjeckt furiously. "She did not do it willingly. The dark mage had wounded Astra so much that before she died and the man was cursed by the Dragon Curse, Lucy had to do the final kill. Astra begged her or else the magical balance would be set off and Lucy is a Celestial Spirit mage so she was the only one who could do it without getting the curse. So this doesn't mean she killed her, she helped set Draco free!" Loke shouted panicky afraid before Makarov could assume the worst like he thought Natsu had done. Lucy needed support more than ever.
"Ahh. I see." Makarov said relieved as he nodded to the Lion before turning his gaze to the blonde. "Lucy you shouldn't blame you. You did the right thing and helped to set her free. You should be proud of yourself than sad. I know it's hard but remember that every member of Fairy Tail is here for you and will help you. No one will judge you as you have nothing to be judged about. So my child, smile. Be happy again. Your sadness hurts us all."
It made the blonde happy that the Master was so kind to her but she couldn't just throw everything that happened away that easily. She couldn't just shrug it off like it never happened because it did. It changed her life.
She needed time, a lot of it. She needed to cope with it, needed to forgive herself for the sinful act she had no choice to commit. The bloody images needed to disappear from her mind and she needed to be away from her friends so she could reflect on her act. With tears stained eyes she looked at Makarov with a sad smile before thanking him with a hug and then told him about her plan. She needed it.
Natsu arrived at the guild after much bickering with himself. He had used almost all of the morning to find the best way to apologize to Lucy for his rash behavior. He came to a conclusion that he would say sorry and let her decide for any kind of punishment and let her decide for their future missions. It was the least he could do and come up with.
When he entered the hall he immediately felt the dread and silence of most of the members. They all were silent and all eyes were locked on the second floor awaiting for someone. He saw Gray and Erza also waiting and walked up to them.
"What's going on?" Gray turned his gaze to the slayer.
"It's Lucy. She didn't look good when she walked inside and has been with Gramps all morning. We're all waiting for them to come down."
Natsu nodded and turned his gaze to upstairs too and tried to focus on the voices of Makarov and Lucy speaking but he heard nothing. Probably because Master Makarov had a sound proof office with the help of Freed's runes so no over could eavesdrop on his conversations, especially with four dragon slayers with keen hearing in the guild.
"Do you know what happened? Mira said you went to look for her yesterday." Erza asked gaining the slayer's attenton. Should he tell her? Probably since Lucy would have a hard time telling them anything with her state of mind.
"Someone died and she blames herself for it but it was inevitable. And she is probably also a bit sad because of my reaction yester- ouch! What was that for, Stripper!" he was interrupted by a fist right in the face by the Ice Make mage.
"For hurting her you flaming bastard! You are supposed to be her friend and partner not a judgemental prick. No wonder she broke down in by the entrance. Tch." Gray wanted to beat the crap out of the Fire Dragon Slayer for hurting Lucy. How could he be so insensitive if he knew she already was suffering. But before a full on fight between them could begin the office doors had opened and Lucy and Loke was the first to step out with Makarov behind them.
"Lucy!" Natsu shouted after shifting his gaze from the Ice Make Mage slash Ice Devil Slayer to his favorite person. She looked at him with a blank glassy expression before looking away. That hurt him and made his heart ache but he knew he deserved it for hurting her after yesterday nights occurrences.
"Okay brats listen up. For some special reason Lucy will take a few months break from the guild but don't worry she will be back." Master began his little speech, standing on the stairs rail and looked at his shocked brats.
"Why!" One shouted.
"No!" another shouted.
"What the fuck!" Gray spoke.
"Luce, you're kidding, right?" Natsu asked feeling the news to be incredulous.
"I will not allow it." Erza said with a stern tone locking eyed with the blonde. Lucy looked away feeling more burdened.
"SHUT IT! That's better." Makarov's voice boomed and with immediate effect. Every one shut up and looked at the slightly annoyed guild master. "You don't get a say in this. Lucy needs this so you will respect it. Are you clear? Good. You have nothing to worry about because she won't be far away from us all and she will not be in any kinds of dangers. Just be happy for her and give your support. That's all."
Levy ran up the stairs throwing herself on to the blonde making them tumble but not fall. "You can't leave me Lu! I'll come with you. I could use a little vacation too. Yes let's both go together then you won't be lonely. Please!" The petite bluenette begged clutching her best friend in her small yet strong arms.
Lucy smiled sadly gently squeezing back. "Let's talk back at my apartment."
With Levy agreeing and finally letting go she descended the stairs holding hands with the bluenette and a hand on her shoulder from the lion spirit. It made her feel a tad bit happy with their support. Erza pushed a few away from her path to the blonde with a stern demanour. With arms crossed she eyed the blonde, demanding answers just with her eyes. No spoken words. "Come to the apartment later, I'll tell."
"Luce, I'm sorry about yesterday night. I think I made you misunder-" Natsu began speaking with a sudden panic seeing the blonde leave with a few of their friends following in tow but he couldn't finish when she turned around with the most hurtful eyes he had yet seen. If his heart hadn't been broken already it sure as hell was now. And then she had left the building with him still not getting to apologize.
Lucy felt bad about everything. For pushing Natsu away, not listening to any of his words. To leaving the guild because she needed time to cope and forgive herself. Everything was a mess and she just wanted to leave every thought and feelings behind her and start a new but one can't run from life and one had to accept that.
The only thing one could rely on was time. Time would give one the opportunity to heal, eventually. Because as the saying says; Only time will tell.
