AN: TA DA! I'm back from my vanishing act! So sorry for being gone for so long. I told you all about my college finals, which are over (thank god), and before I knew it I got a job part-time on the weekends that really filled up my time. For a while I had no more mental capacity to do anything but focus on work and school. Thankfully though school has ended for summer and while I'm still working, my free time is back baby! Which means the next chapter for you guys! Yay! By the way this will be the last chapter. I'm glad you all stuck with me through this. It's been fun!

Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail. Fairy Tail belongs to Hiro Mashima. The only things I'll take creative claim for is the original characters I have in these chapters.

Rizzy and Lolita led them away a few minutes after Aquarius and the others left. Swimming in smaller groups would be less likely to attract attention so when they finally made it to the lacrima room, they remained undetected. Erza met Wendy in the shadows and as quietly as possible addressed the scouting pirate.

"Where are the others?" She asked.

"I told them to wait behind so I can tell them when it's clear to come in. But these guards are everywhere we may just have to fight them." Wendy answered. "What about the others following you?"

"Same story." Erza looked over the room full of guards with placidity. Her lips were pulled taut as she determined how many guards they would have to take out and how to do it. "I think you're right. There's no way to destroy the lacrima while staying hidden." Erza pulled her attention away from the room for a moment to tell Wendy the plan. "Go get the others and we'll-"

"Hey, hey, hey!" Too late. "What are you doing here?! No one's allowed in here without the Mistress!"

The guard who found them prodded them with a trident, his armor looked hard to penetrate, even for a set made out of coral and the tenacity in his eyes told her he wouldn't accept just any old excuse for why they were here.

Erza gritted her teeth and rapidly thought of solutions. Wendy dared not say a word. Only the purple haired mermaid had waited too long to answer.

"If you won't tell me why you're here, then I'll have to assume treason!" The guard moved forward a little, three other guards caught sight of him and came to help.

Erza saw only one way out. "Change of plans!" She screamed at Wendy as she yanked her sword from it's scabbard. The guards wasted no time engaging her in battle.

The guards had thought four against one would be enough to beat the great Titania, but they were horribly mistaken. Erza took them down with no problem and in doing so she attracted the attention of any remaining guards in the area.

One almost snuck it's way behind Erza but Wendy was too fast with her dagger. She watched the grown man fall at her hand.

"Thanks." Erza said when she realized what happened. More guards were beginning to show up but the other pirates must have heard the commotion as well and soon the guards were the ones who were surrounded.

Gajeel grinned evilly while cracking his knuckles. His sharkmen teeth did a good job at intimidating everyone in the room, even allies. Levy and Wendy fought back to back both armed with daggers. Juvia and Cana tag teamed a horde of guards with their spears flawlessly while Erza took on the Captain. Aquarius, Rizzy and Lolita hurried past the fighting to the lacrima that lay in the middle of the room.

On a pale pedestal, raised up by small stairs, a hole in the ground held the lacrima in place. It was a little cracked after the spectacle at Manatee's Bluff but now it glowed with a brilliant blue that hadn't been seen for decades.

"On three we'll give it our strongest blast of magic!" Aquarius ordered. All three mermaids reeled back, readying their magic attacks. Aquarius looked to Rizzy and Lolita. Both dorned battle-ready but exhausted faces. They knew what would happen once the lacrima was destroyed, it wasn't good for any of them. Yet they still looked resigned and ready to give their lives for Lucy. Aquarius wondered for a split second how she was blessed with such loyal companions.

"Three!" Aquarius ended her count down, the mermaid's hands glowed, a sphere of magic circling in their palms. The attacks would have hit their target except, seconds before impact, Aquarius was struck down.

A long staff hit her side, making her double over and shoot away from the lacrima. Aquarius looked up after she stopped spinning. The lacrima still stood untouched on it's pedestal, Rizzy and Lolita couldn't be seen. Aquarius noted the sound of a voice that shook the whole palace.

"TRAITORS!" It screamed and an involuntary shiver went up Aquarius's spine. "I SHALL DELIVER THINE DIVINE PUNISHMENT TENFOLD WHAT'S BEEN DONE TO ME!"

Aquarius shrunk to the ground, raw terror making her eyes wide. "Oh no…"

"YOU FOOLS THINK YOU CAN TRICK ME!" The entire palace shook, the lacrima room began to fall apart. Erza had to grab more than a few comrades to prevent them from being crushed by falling debris. That was most definitely the Mistress of the Seas. There was no doubt her voice was shaking the temple. The first thought running through Erza's mind was the well-being of the remaining pirates on Fairy Tail.

If the Mistress was here, what became of their friends? Was the ship destroyed? Did anyone survive? Another large stone sunk to the bottom and Erza had to swim the other way. The more debris that fell, the clearer it became where the Mistress's voice was coming from. Floating above the crumbling ceiling, gleaming with the blue spirit of the sea itself, a familiar face looked down on them. Lucy's blonde hair waved in front of the Mistress's blue eyes, her face held a look of intense loathing.

Nothing Erza had ever faced in her life could have prepared her for facing off against a goddess. In a way Erza hadn't believed the Mistress could be this strong, perhaps because she never saw her at full power. Yet here she was, glowing with the literal light of the divines and raging with anger. She readied her sword for a fight, mentally preparing herself to engage this pissed off sea goddess. But the Mistress did not seem interested in her. Instead she descended through the water, stone from the palace ceiling still falling around her, and faced the two mermaids who shrunk to a fetal position in the corner.

"Rizzy, Lolita." Erza's words came out scarcely more than a breath. She acted quickly swimming as fast as she could to intercept the Mistress, before she could harm the two mermaids that had proven to be friends of Fairy Tail. Erza would have made it but the Mistress seemed to have eyes everywhere as she turned around to give Erza a powerful kick to the stomach that sent her flying.

The kick knocked her breath away, she landed right into Cana's receiving arms. "I shall kill you worms first!" The Mistress's anger made her words warp, as if they were traveling through a tunnel. She raised her hand, the blue of her eyes wrapped around her like a phantom, gathering in her palm and finally forming a spear shape. The light solidified so the Mistress now had a weapon at her disposal and something told Erza that wasn't the only thing she could make out of thin air.

Rizzy looked terrified, her green eyes wider than plates while her whole body quivered. Lolita wasn't any better off, with arms wrapped protectively around Rizzy she tried to look brave but the fear in her eyes was still plain to see. The Mistress reared her mighty spear and brought it down without another warning.

"NOOOO!" Erza shouted involuntarily, falling around Cana while she tried to jump into action.

Aquarius beat her to the punch though. Straight into her stomach with the end pointing out just enough for Rizzy to reach her hand up and touch it, the spear had dealt a killing blow to Aquarius. A cloud of golden liquid dissipated between the mermaids and their goddess. Erza had never seen a mermaid bleed, let alone the celestial water bearer herself, but this must have been what it was like.

A horrible feeling wrenched itself in her gut, she felt the anger build from a fire deep within her chest. She unsheathed her other twin sword and came charging at the Mistress.

"HOW DARE YOU HURT OUR FRIENDS! LUCY WILL NEVER FORGIVE YOU!" Erza moved with the speed of a bullet, zipping up to the Mistress who barely had enough time to parry the attack. Erza felt the fire guiding her, she let the anger channel itself from her chest, rushing to her head then out into her hands as she delivered blow after blow to the sea witch.

Her antics gave the others enough time to react. "Quickly, we must destroy the lacrima!" Juvia shouted to the others who followed her suit. Most of the palace ceiling had sunk to the bottom by now, giving them a straight shot. Each pirate in disguise wielded their respective weapons and raced with every fiber of their being to the lacrima.

As if it were practiced Juvia, Cana, Levy, Wendy, and Gajeel unloaded a vicious attack onto the rock that lay before them. The Mistress caught onto what they were doing but there was little she could do while locked in combat with the great Titania. The lacrima was struck and a flare of deep blue swallowed the room.

There was little to be heard but the shouts of the frightened, little to be seen but the brilliant flash of blue before them. The next thing Erza knew she could feel her own two feet again, her familiar red hair was back to normal and the water threatened to choke her.

The blue faded to white then the white faded to nothing. On the pedestal where it was once worshiped sat the remains of the sea goddess's trophy. Cracked into a dozen pieces and utterly useless, the lacrima had been destroyed. Erza looked around, she noticed Lucy first. Destroying the lacrima must have worked because the Mistress of the Seas was no longer trying to kill them, but Lucy wasn't opening her eyes either. She floated there, beautiful blonde hair like a halo under water.

Erza grabbed Lucy's hand and was about to shoot up to the surface when someone else caught her eye. Rizzy and Lolita were bent over Aquarius's lifeless body. It was hard to tell underwater but their cries of anguish were enough to reveal the tears they shed. Suddenly the three mermaids were surrounded by a golden glimmer. Inch by inch the glimmer was taking over their bodies. There was nothing Erza could do but watch as her friends disappeared while they were still mourning over the death of their leader. All at once her heart sank, her mind stopped working except to focus on the horror of the world. Her limbs stopped moving and she felt as if she had lost everything.

Lucy's hand brushed across her line of sight, but something was amiss. Her Fairy Tail mark was gone, completely erased from her skin. Lucy wasn't where she should be. They were underwater and in danger of drowning, it was Erza's responsibility to save her friends. Why was she failing?

Juvia had an unconscious Wendy in her arms and was kicking furiously to the surface, Gajeel did the same with Levy, and Cana stopped for a second to glance at Lucy and Erza. All of them, she noticed, were human again. I will not give up now! Not when my friends need me! Erza vowed silently in her head. The words filled her with the adrenaline she needed to grab Lucy's hand and swim up.

The mermaid's magic must have worn off when the lacrima was destroyed, it would explain their sudden transformation back into human under the water. Was that also why Rizzy, Lolita and Aquarius disappeared? Erza wondered. The mermaids had certainly never shared the knowledge of what would happen to them if the lacrima was gone. Her mind raced as she kept swimming up and one thought hit her like an icy blast. The mermaids never told us because they knew it was a suicide mission! Dammit, Erza why didn't you see this coming?!

The fresh air of the night cleared all thoughts from her mind. She filled her lungs with much needed oxygen, then finally thinking clearly, held Lucy's head above water. Her friend had still not woken up. Luckily they weren't too far away from shore, Erza even caught sight of Fairy Tail in the distance, every member on board waving their arms to the team who had just surfaced.

It took all the strength she had left, but Erza made it to shore carrying Lucy the whole way. The other pirates crawled onto land with her, choking out mouthfuls of water all the while. Erza placed Lucy gently on the sand. Aside from her being unconscious she didn't seem to have a scratch on her. She should have been relieved the pirates were safe again but something about Lucy's still features made her blood run cold.

"Lucy!" She called trying to shake the blonde awake. Suddenly she remembered what the mermaids had told her. 'Too much suppression could send her soul to the spirit world permanently...I don't know how long Lucy has, as it is she's probably halfway to the spirit world already.' Erza panicked. What if they'd been too late, what if Lucy was gone forever trapped in the spirit world? Had they failed to save the one person Natsu died trying to reach? "No." She whispered, feeling the tears begin to sting her eyes. "Lucy…" A drop landed on Lucy's cheek but still the blonde didn't stir. By now the other Fairy Tail members had gathered around to see Lucy, but Erza feared they may have failed. She lowered her head, unable to bear the sight of Lucy's pale moonlit skin anymore. I'm sorry, Natsu. I know you would've wanted me to save her. It looks like I've failed you...I'm sorry...Lucy…

"Lu-chan?" Levy's voice called to her friend but there was no reply.

Gray tensed as he looked down upon her. "How could we have failed…"

"This isn't right!" Cana wailed, tears slurring her words and making her nose run. "She wasn't supposed to die!"

"We were too late…" Wendy claimed sadly, kneeling next to Lucy and placing a gentle hand on her forehead.

Agonizing moments passed, moments where not one fairy dared to move. Erza thought she had begun imagining things, when she heard words come from the blonde's mouth. She looked quickly to Lucy's still face, but surely she had to be hallucinating. Were Lucy's lips really moving? Was her friend alive?!

Lucy gasped suddenly, her eyes blinking open, then came a loud; "Aquarius!" Lucy jolted upright. Erza had to catch her before she hurt herself by moving too fast.

"Lucy! You're alive!" Erza dove right in for a tight hug, maybe squeezing Lucy a little too hard but she couldn't have cared less. It was as if a weight had been lifted and she was allowed to breathe again. Next for the hugs came Levy, and Cana, Wendy and Gray with Juvia while the rest of Fairy Tail roared in happiness.

Lucy was bombarded with hugs, eventually she couldn't breathe and she forced the bodies to give her a little space. "What happened?" Was the first question out of her mouth. Her crew fell unnervingly silent after that, something that was never a good sign in Lucy's experience. Erza seemed to look at her in a way that questioned what she remembered. Lucy got silent for a moment and her brown eyes filled with darkness. "I saw Aquarius...but she was back in the celestial spirit world...and Natsu-" Lucy stopped herself short with a gasp. "Where's Natsu!"

More silence greeted her, only Gray had the stomach to speak up. "Lucy...You should come with me." He extended his hand to her, which she took reluctantly. Gray led her and the rest of Fairy Tail back to the ship, where they boarded in silence.

"Gray, what's happened? Why are you all so quiet? And where's Natsu?"

Gray didn't answer immediately. "Do you remember...the mermaids?"

"Y-yes…"

Gray's somber face lightened just a little. "And the Mistress of the Seas…?"

"Yes."

He sighed and stopped walking right before the door to Natsu and Lucy's old cabin. "When you resurrected her she possessed you and…"

"And what happened…" Lucy stared him down, determined to get some answers. "Gray! What did I do!?"

"It wasn't you, Lucy! It was that damn sea witch, it's not-"

"Gray!" Lucy cried his name, tears falling now. "Don't scare me like this, just tell me what I did!"

He closed his mouth, with a resigned look on he pushed open the door to their cabin. He didn't say a word but let Lucy walk inside and see for herself. The cabin hadn't even been touched since Lucy was kidnapped. Her book still lay on the desk, though askew and covered with ink from the toppled ink jar. The window was still broken with shards of glass all over. Her keys were on the floor by her bed, and her bed...perfectly made from all those weeks ago when Lucy last made it, free of clutter except for one scarf. One long, white threaded scarf. She picked it up turning to Gray with anguish in her eyes. His only response was eyes downcast.

Lucy hugged the scarf tight. It still smelled like him, like a warm bonfire on a cold summer night. She could still feel the warmth of his body through the fabric. She wrapped the scarf around her own neck and could just imagine in her minds eye, Natsu wearing it instead of her...Natsu standing here instead of her...the way it should have been. Natsu lives in her place. Fairy Tail needs him, how could he have disappeared. But he didn't just disappear...With a horrible realization she turned, wide eyed, to Gray.

"Natsu...The Mistress…"

Gray saw the thoughts forming in her head, he saw the blame and the guilt creeping into her expression. "Lucy, no it wasn't-"

"She possessed me. I did it. I kill-"

"No! None of us think that-"

"Gray!" She shouted, her words getting louder and her voice cracking with every pause. "I killed him!"

"Luc-" Before Gray could protest her thoughts she barreled herself into his chest, clinging tight to his jacket.

She wailed until her throat ran dry. Unable to stop the tears from falling and unable to keep a firm footing on the ground so she dragged Gray to the floor with her. There they sat for many an hour, with Lucy burrowed into his chest. There was little to do but wrap his arms around her.

Gray could do nothing but provide her with fake comfort. The comfort she really needed was the one of her betrothed. She needed Natsu's arms around her now, not his. The only one who could heal her now was Natsu, yet here he was. With her crying in his arms...it was going to be a long night.

Epilogue

The quill hit the desk with a small clink. She had just finished her daily letter to Natsu, writing to a dead man may not stop the pain of losing him but it sure eases the longing. She looked over the work she'd done;

Natsu,

I finally finished that book I'd been working on for so long. I'm not so sure about the ending but Levy seemed more than happy reading it. Maybe one day I can get it published. Though I highly doubt there are any publishers looking to partner with a Pirate Master. Do you think there will ever be a day when Fairy Tail retires? Gods know we've looted enough treasure to stay holed up for years. Maybe then we can repent our reputation with the King. But you never thought about that kinda stuff did you? For as long as I've known you, you always looked to the future with the kind of bravery and oblivion that would make most men weak. In a way it's what I always admired about you. I remember I used to look forward to our future together, I guess now we can't have one...But I won't give up. You taught me that, Natsu. Fairy Tail never gives up and I won't either. Everyone else moved on so I can't be the last one to catch up. After all I have a crew to look after. Speaking of which Erza's been a big help as a Co-Master. Thanks to her Fairy Tail has gotten back on it's feet. But it still isn't the same without you.

I miss you, until we meet again

Love, Lucy.

She cracked her knuckles, man they desperately needed that. She stood up and opened the port window. She breathed in the air, grateful of the early morning sea air. She would never get sick of that, the smell of the harbor in the morning lifted her energy never failing to leave her lively for the rest of the day. Lucy breathed out deeply, Let's get this day started.

She walked to the mirror and fixed her hair into a ponytail. "Alright! I'm gonna do my best today, too!"

She stepped out of her cabin marking off territories that were rumored to have gold. Her thoughts were broken when Cana's words roared with excitement.

"Thats it, kid! Man she's a natural!" She reared her head back in laughter, much to the delight of Wendy, who blushed slightly under her compliments. While Cana laughed she took a large swig from her mug.

"Cana, isn't it a little early to be drinking?"

"You know what they say, it's five o'clock somewhere!" She laughed again and took another drink. Lucy put her map away and bent over to look at the mess of cards displayed between Cana and Wendy.

"What are you doing, anyway?"

Wendy spoke up first, "Cana's teaching me all about her tarot cards! Combined with the spirit magic I learned from Rizzy this will be really useful!"

"Hmm, yeah? And how so?"

Wendy took a moment to glance at the cards, obviously deep in thought. "Well, if I do it right I should be able to create a successful spirit circle."

Lucy almost flinched when the words came out of her mouth. "A spirit circle?" She raised an eyebrow at Cana, not at all convinced this 'spirit circle' would be a good thing to teach a young impressionable girl.

"Relax!" Cana shouted. "They aren't dangerous," She looked away and added under her breath, "if you do it right."

"What would you do with a spirit circle anyway?"

Wendy turned to Lucy with an innocent look, "Well, I know you miss Natsu a lot, and it would be nice to see the mermaids again…"

Lucy paled. She may have been moving on but she wasn't prepared for that news. Seeing Natsu again… In hindsight that should have sounded like a blessing but Lucy couldn't help the chill that spread over her stomach at the thought. After reading so many horror books she was convinced that speaking the dead normally didn't end well.

She sighed. "Wen...I don't think the mermaids are in the spirit world…" She hated to rain on the kids parade but persuading her out of this might be for the best.

Wendy's eyes found the floor. "...Then where did they go?"

"Lighten up, Lucy." Gray came up to her placing a hand on her shoulder. "It's at least worth a try right? Besides I got a few choice words for that flamebrain!" Gray gave her a big smile. For once it filled her with hope of seeing Natsu again.

She let out a breath she didn't know she had been holding. "Maybe just once…" The way Wendy's face lit up lessened the pain in Lucy's heart, just a little.

The spirit circle was set up after a few hours and Lucy could not have been more nervous. A pentagram with a star in it surrounded on all five points by burning candles, while Wendy sat in the middle with a bowl filled with some sort of weed and a suspiciously red liquid. "You've got to be kidding me…"

"C'mon, girly you already agreed to let Wendy try it out." Cana said and pushed the blonde forward a little bit. Many of her crew were lined up waiting for her to step into the circle.

Wendy stood up, "Okay, Lucy. It's all set. If you sit across from me I can get started." She smiled sweetly and somehow it only made Lucy sweat more.

Cana started to push her more when she didn't move, "Whoa, whoa-wait. How exactly is this gonna go?"

"You step inside and Wen here will start burning the incense. That, combined with my tarot cards, is supposed to attract the spirit."

Lucy swallowed. Well, what do I really have to lose? She hoped she wouldn't regret that thought later, as she stepped into the spirit circle.

She sat down beside Wendy and they clasped hands. "You're sure you can do this?"

Wendy nodded enthusiastically. She'd done a lot of growing up since they all lost Natsu. Lucy had no doubt in her abilities as a pirate, now she had to learn to trust her on this. Wendy started a fire in the bowl, closed her eyes then informed Lucy to do the same, "Close your eyes and picture the spirit you want to contact in your mind."

Breathing out deeply she forced herself to look up Natsu's face, suddenly the scarf she wore on her neck was a lot warmer. She could almost feel his warmth coming from it, the scent from the incense shifted to something warmer...something more familiar.

"Natsu…" She spoke involuntarily. Her eyes were closed but a figure began to come into view. There was nothing, no scenery, no ground just a false horizon on which the figure walked. Coming closer and closer to her. She recognized that pink hair a mile away, her gut tore her apart. She wanted to run to him, to hug him and scold him for leaving her for so long. But a part of her felt like none of this was real. That part of her stood still until he was face to face with her, lifting a hand to stroke her hair, confirming that he was real.

"Hey, Luce." He said. "Where ya been? I missed you!"

Her hand wiped away a tear drop and she hiccuped a little, "You i-idiot...I-"

"I got your letters." She stared at him, looking at his impossibly brown eyes. "By the way, there's buttload of gold hidden in Robber's Gorge, sounds like another adventure for Fairy Tail, eh?"

"Idiot!" She half-screamed and punched his arm, tears falling freely now. "I don't care about that!" When her punch passed through his arm she felt her heart sink. Natsu wasn't really here, he was no more than a ghost. Was she even able to feel his presence against her skin? "I miss you…"

Natsu's face turned somber. He lifted a ghost hand to her chin and although she couldn't feel his touch her head moved up to face his as if it were forced. He didn't say anything but moved his head down to her lips. His scent enveloped her, wrapping around her neck and tickling her spine. Their lips touched but she couldn't feel it, she sensed it in her soul.

But as soon as the kiss started, it was gone. He pulled away, a little too early, sadness filling his eyes. "I don't want you to go!" She knew that look, she hated it.

Natsu perked up almost instantly, giving her a face-splitting grin. "Don't worry about that, Luce. Cuz I'll be in the stars." She gave him a quizzical look and he pounded his chest proudly. "I got my own honorary place beside Aquarius! Make sure to look out for me, and I'll look out for you. Okay?"

Lucy didn't respond for a while, "...Okay."

Suddenly Lucy was flung back into reality, the reality without Natsu. She opened her eyes, startled. Wendy sat across from her panting with excitement, her eyes wide and bright. Lucy tore her hands away from Wendy's and they instinctively pulled her scarf up above her mouth. It smelled like Natsu. That scarf had stopped smelling like him years ago but that scent was unmistakable, she'd never forget it for the rest of her life.

"Well?" Gray asked, noticing the glint in Lucy's eye.

"What'd ya see?" Gajeel inquired.

"Natsu…" Lucy answered. "I saw Natsu."

"I saw Grandeeny!" Wendy panted, a huge smile plastered itself on her face. "I saw Mom!"

"Does that spirit circle work with three people?" Gajeel asked, suddenly interested.

Lucy stood up, "Knock yourself out." She said flatly, then quickly walked out of the room.

The wind greeted her, blowing her hair back as she stepped outside. She walked to the bow of the ship. Lucy had been charting the stars for her whole life, Lucky for her Aquarius constellation was best viewed in the fall, she made a mental note to go out tonight and stargaze. But the scent coming from his scarf told her she might not need to.

AN: So yes it's the end, and I have a cold heart. I was originally going to leave out the epilogue but the alternative ending just seemed like a bad cliffhanger so here's some closure for you. I hope you liked this fic and please look forward to more that I'll be making in the future. Review if you guys want. Also I'll answer any questions about the fic you have, I do believe I covered all pot holes but just to make sure. Thank you all for reading and reviewing as you have already done! Caio!