Thanks to you all for following and favoriting this story. It means the world to us! Don't forget that next chapter will be posted on Deathsembrace137's page!

Hiro Mashima owns Fairy Tail.

CHAPTER 3: COME BACK TO ME

Laxus was alive... The words repeated in my head, but my mind still refused to fathom their meaning. It was like trying to swim through quicksand; I could see freedom just waiting for me, but I couldn't seem to figure out how to get there. I just couldn't believe it could be true.

How could he be alive? I'd seen him die. I'd felt him die. His body had collapsed on top of me. How could they possibly expect me to believe I had mistaken seeing the light die in his eyes.

"He's alive?" I whispered, somehow thinking if I spoke the words too loudly, someone would tell me it was lie, and I wanted so desperately to believe he'd survived.

Master smiled that same kind smile at me, and confirmed, "Yes, Lucy. He's alive."

I felt a flash of happiness and immense relief before doubt flooded my mind. Why weren't they dragging me off to see Laxus, if he was alive? I searched his face, as well as Freed's, for any hint of deception, some sign that they hadn't told me everything. I found it there in Freed's eyes, the reason it was too soon to celebrate. Something was wrong.

"There's something you're not telling me," I stated, looking between them for the answers.

The elderly man nodded toward Laxus' best friend, giving permission for him to enlighten me, and then Freed leaned closer, taking my hand in his and explained, "He's alive, but he's in a coma. Wendy and Porlyusica have done everything they can do, but they're unsure when he will wake up."

My stomach knotted at his words. I felt like I'd just gotten him back and he'd already been stolen away again. He was still in danger. I could still lose him. "What does that mean? How long could it take?" I asked softly, as dread crept its way through my body. I had a bad feeling about this.

"There's no way to be certain. It could be days, weeks, months," Freed answered, his voice faltering as he finished, "years."

"Years?" I asked in horror. No, this couldn't be happening. My heart ached at the thought of him laid up in a bed for so long, his strong body wasting away, his mind trapped from the world, unable to break free. A lump formed in my throat as tears clogged my eyes again, and I fought to keep them at bay, but they slipped out anyway.

I was devastated. There was no way to describe the pain slicing through me. I tried to remind myself that he was alive, that there was hope, but I just felt so broken, so overwhelmed by everything that had happened. It was like my life had become a whirlwind of emotions that I didn't understand. I just couldn't make sense of everything I felt anymore.

"I-I need to see him," I cried, struggling to climb from my bed, my legs faltering as I stood to my feet.

Steady arms caught me as I fell, and I looked up into the red eyes of Gajeel. "You should lay down, Bunny Girl," he offered quietly.

"No, I don't want to lay down." I shook my head, pushing my legs to hold my weight, and I let out a broken sob as they once again buckled beneath me. "Y-you can help me. You can take me there," I pleaded, as I cast a hopeful look at him.

The stern dragon slayer turned his head away at my suggestion, his face showing his reticence at denying my request, and I pressed, my voice raising in pitch as I begged, "Gajeel, please. Just take me there. I won't be any trouble, I promise."

"I can't...here take her Freed...I can't do this," he murmured, his voice soft as he shook his head in apology and stepped out of the room.

I immediately turned to the green-haired man, "Freed, please. You know I have to go. I have to know he's okay."

"Laxus is going to be just fine. He's the strongest man I know," Freed answered, his voice calm as he attempted to ease my mind. He led me to the bed, taking most of my weight, before gently setting me back down, saying, "Lucy, you need to rest. You're in no condition to go anywhere right now."

Looking over at Master, I felt my hopes plummet again, my head dropping as I realized that he wasn't going to help me either. Why couldn't they understand? "Please. He has to know that I'm there! He needs me! I can't stay here and sleep when he needs me!" I wailed, as I looked up at them again, "He was there when I needed him. I can't let him down!"

Master reached out a hand to pat my shoulder comfortingly, his mouth turning up in a sad smile, "My girl, you can't ignore your health. Your body is exhausted. You can see him after you get some sleep."

I turned away, curling myself into a ball and let the tears fall silently, clutching my legs to myself as I retreated. I didn't want to be here, but I'd never get to Laxus on my own, and they wouldn't take me. I couldn't care less about resting. I wanted to see him. I needed to know he was still here, that he hadn't left me all alone. I waited for them to leave, holding it all in until my house was quiet once again, and then I let go, giving voice to my pain.

I laid there in bed, praying for sleep to take me again, but it was useless. It seemed all my prayers lately had fallen on deaf ears. I wiped my eyes, and pulled myself over to my dresser, dragging on some yoga pants and a large off the shoulder t-shirt. It was ironic how much more comfortable I was in these clothes than what I normally wore. I just felt different now.

Slipping on some simple running shoes, I left the house, not caring that it was 2 o'clock in the morning or that the rain was still coming down. I just wanted to see Laxus, and I didn't feel like waiting for everyone else to be there. They wouldn't understand how I felt right now. How could they, when I wasn't entirely sure myself?

There wasn't a soul out on the streets as I made my way to the guild. It was like this every night when I made this trek, and as I reached out to grasp the handle, the door swung open. Makarov offered me a tired smile, and stepped aside for me to enter, both of us silent as I walked past him and up the stairs to the infirmary. A few moments later, I heard the door shut and lock, and I was alone with Laxus.

I entered his room, heading straight for the lone bed in the center of the room, and brushed the hair off of his forehead. My heart clenched at his still form, and I blinked furiously as tears welled up in my eyes again. "Hey Laxus," I said, as I unfolded the blanket at the foot of his bed and pulled it over him. I'd noticed over my last few visits that he seemed to get colder at night, and I hated the thought of him in discomfort, so it had become a routine. I'd come in, tell him hi, and then fix his covers.

Trudging over to the corner, I grabbed the chair, dragging it right up next to his bed and dropped myself into it. I reached out and touched his hand, my finger just barely grazing his skin as I spoke, "I'm still having trouble sleeping. It's weird you know? I can't relax and rest. Freed says it's because I worry too much. I suppose that's true, but I can't help it. I just...I just wish you'd wake up."

I paused as I took his hand in mine, holding on tightly, before continuing, "I wish you would just squeeze my hand, so I know you're in there, hearing me somehow." I sat there hopelessly waiting for him to flex his fingers, and my eyes burned as his hand remained unmoved. "I...I miss you," I mumbled brokenly, and then ridiculed myself with a bitter laugh, "God, I sound so stupid, don't I? I've barely even spoken to you, and I keep going over those few conversations, just so I can pretend I hear your voice again."

"Please wake up, Laxus," I whispered, bending over to lay my face against his leg as my tears slipped down my cheeks to wet the blanket, "Don't leave me here like this. I don't know how to do this, how to feel about you now." I stared up at his face, willing his eyes to open, to flutter, anything to let me know he wasn't lost to me. A wave of sadness washed over me and I swallowed hard, a lump forming in my throat as Freed's words came back to haunt me...years.

I shook the errant thought away, determined to ignore the possibility for as long as I could. I didn't want to believe that, refused to imagine being without him for so long. "I couldn't believe it when you told me you loved me. I never had a clue, and I didn't know what to say to you. You'd just saved my life and you were..." I said, stumbling over the dreaded word, "d-dying, because of me. Why did you do that, Laxus? Why did you save me? It should have been me here in this bed, not you. I'm so sorry."

A sob slipped from my mouth as guilt flooded my being, and I cried. It wasn't right for him to be so still. He should have been up, tossing stern looks at all our friends, while he acted far older than his real age. He should be pushing Freed off of him, as the man cheerfully attempted to hug him. He should be awake, looking down at me, as he said he loved me again.

I sobbed quietly beside him, as I mourned all the things he'd be doing if he hadn't stepped into the path of that attack. I cried for what might have been if I'd known he cared for me before all this happened, and for this horrible ache in my chest that never went away.

"Laxus, open your eyes, please. You can't be gone now that I have so much to tell you," I implored, praying he would hear me, wishing with all I had, that he would open those blue eyes and look at me again. "There's so much I want to know, and you're the only one that can tell me. How long have you loved me? Why didn't you tell me before? Why didn't you ask me out?"

Releasing a sigh, I settled in closer, pulling my feet under me, and whispered, "I wish you could hold me right now." I lifted his hand to my face, letting it rest over my cheek, his warmth seeping into me through the small connection. I closed my eyes tightly and tried to pretend he had woken up and placed his hand there.

A tear slid down my face as my imagination failed. I just couldn't deceive myself. I nuzzled into his hand, holding it close even as my heart held on tightly to the hope of him coming back to me. "Fight, Laxus," I commanded tearfully, "Come back to me."

A/N: I hate that Laxus is in a coma, and Lucy kills me :(