I am so sorry I haven't updated on either of my stories. Its just I had no time to type it up. I got caught up in reading fan fictions and books. To make it up to you I have another chapter there that will answer any questions you may have.

*And no I do not own Fairy Tail* since I haven't done the disclaimer in a while.

9. Risk or Devastation

With her whip in hand Lucy lashes out at a guard. The guard falls to the ground, grabbing his right arm in pain. She turns around and lashes out at another guard behind her. Making him fall over in pain.

"These guards are really weak, Lucy-san." Wendy said. She sucks in a huge breath and says, "Sky Dragon Roar!". Knocking out ten more guards to her left.

"Yeah you're right, Wendy. We already defeated more than half of them by are selves." Lucy said. She pulls back her whip before she swings it at another guard. This time capturing his wrist. Making her smile with glee.

With all her strength, Lucy pulls back on her whip. The man falls forward onto the ground, knocking him out instantly. Loki comes up next to her and cough to gain her attention, "If it weren't for me you'll only have half, or less." he said with a flirtatious smile.

"Oh shut it, Loki. But I'll admit, you did a good job." Lucy said as she 'Lucy kicks' a guard in the face. He stumbles back into two other guards, knocking them down on the ground unconscious.

"Good kick princess." Loki said with a smirk. He punches a guard in the face and he go unconscious with the hit.

"I told you not to call me that Loki." Lucy said angrily. " Want me to send you back and call someone else out.

"No!" Loki shouted. "I'm sorry Lucy! Please don't send me back!" he pleaded.

"Okay, I wont. Just keep kicking ass." she said. Lucy then pulls out another key and points it out in front of her. "Open! Gate of the Bull! Taurus!" she called. In a puff of smoke, Taurus stood in front of Lucy, protecting her.

"Moo! I must protect Lucy-san and your lovely body." Taurus said. " What can I do for you and your body, Lucy-san?" asked the perverted bull.

Lucy just sighed at her spirit, "Taurus, can you take the rest of these men out for me?" asked Lucy, she swings her hand out to indicate the guards. Taurus nods his head and take off running.

"Will do Lucy-san!" Taurus yelled as he helped Loki with the rest of the guards. Lucy walks over to Wendy, shaking her head as she goes. Wendy grabs Lucy's hand, to make sure she's all right. Lucy looked down at the blue haired dragon slayer and smiled at her.

Once all the guards where taken care of, Lucy thanked Loki and Taurus and sent them back to the celestial spirit world.

Lucy and Wendy walked hand 'n' hand over to the hole. There they watched the fight going on between the team and Rei.

Lucy watch as Happy flew at high speed towards Rei with Natsu in his hands. She kept watching as Rei yanks Happy from Natsu's back and tossed him to the ground.

She could see Rei's mouth move, but she couldn't hear a word they saying because of high up they where. But she could tell that Rei had said something to irritate Natsu because he was red in the face and thrashing about.

Everything stopped when Rei took his sword and ran it through Natsu's stomach. Lucy's whole world shut down as he dropped Natsu like he was trash. The only thing that Lucy could hear was the 'thud' of Natsu's body hitting the ground.

Lucy's eyes were wide and filled with tears. She wasn't thinking when she jumped out from the hole. She didn't care either. No! No! Please let him be alright. she thought as she stood up.

Lucy started to run towards Natsu's fallen body. "Natsu!" she yelled. She ran as fast as she could. "Natsu!" Lucy yelled again as she dropped down on her knees beside him.

She started to cry harder once she sees the large stab wound in his stomach. "Please…. Natsu be… be okay… Please." Lucy pleaded in between sobs.

Erza came up beside Lucy with a sad look on her face. She put a hand on the blonde haired girl's shoulder. "Lucy it's over. Natsu's g-" Erza started but was cut off by Lucy.

"No!" She screamed. "No! You're wrong, he's not gone and I wouldn't believe you other wise!" Lucy yelled.

"Lucy. Forget it. Natsu's gone and we've lost. It's over." Gray said. He looked down at his best friend's lifeless body.

"No! He's not gone and it's not over!" Lucy screamed with tears running down her face. She puts her head over Natsu's chest and hugged him tight, getting blood on her shirt and hands.

"We get it, Lucy. We get that you love him, but he's no longer with us. Let it go already." Erza said with tears in her eyes. It wasn't like her to give up so easily.

"No! You're wrong, he's still with us no matter what. Im not letting go." Lucy said. She just laid there with her head on his chest, crying harder when her friend didn't understand.

'Pathetic. Love is what gets you killed." Rei said as he landed in front of the crying girl. "Love is just a mere feeling you feel for a person. It wouldn't save you. Honestly why do people love." Rei said as Lucy lifts her head.

"S-shut up!" Lucy yelled. "You don't know what it feels like to be loved, to love someone." She said and laid her head back down.

"You're right I don't. but I've seen it. And all it brings is destruction for the love ones." Rei said. He look down at Lucy with his hate filled eyes.

Suddenly Lucy felt a heartbeat under her head that was on Natsu's chest. Her eyes go wide in shock. "H-how is t-that possible." she said to herself.

"What is it Lucy-san?" Wendy asked worriedly. She got worried when she seen Lucy eyes go wide and heard what she said.

Lucy felt another heartbeat. She smiled and lifted her head. "He's still alive. I felt two heartbeats. He's okay." Lucy said happily.

Erza and Gray stared in shock at what their blonde haired friend said. Wendy walked over and sat on her knees. "I don't know if I have the energy to heal him Lucy-san, but I'll try." Wendy said.

Erza looked over at Rei who was backing away from the group. She got Gray's attention and pointed towards Rei. "We better stop him from escaping." She told him. Gray nodded and they both ran over to stop him.

Meanwhile Wendy was trying her best to heal Natsu. She couldn't believe that is heart was still beating after getting stabbed like that.

As Lucy watched Wendy, Lucy could tell that she was exhausted from there little battle with the palace's guards.

"Wendy do you think that if I help with your healing process that it will go faster?" Lucy asked the sky dragon slayer.

Wendy was hesitated about how to answer Lucy's question. Deciding to go ahead and let her, Wendy said " I suppose it'll go faster, but you'll have to concentrate on your magic to do so."

"Great!" Lucy said. Lucy put her hands out like Wendy's and made sure that they were hovering over top of Wendy's hands. She then closed her eyes to focus all her magic energy into Wendy's spell.

Gray and Erza ran to stop Rei before he can escape the scene. Erza takes her sword and trips Rei. He falls to the ground, but quickly gets up. Erza glares at him and says, " Where do you think you're going. We have unfinished business to attend to Rei."

"Ice Make! Lance!" Gray shouts as his attack heads towards the green haired angel slayer. Rei jumps in the air doing a front flip dodging the attack entirely. He lands back on his feet with ease and without a scratch.

"Ha, is that all you got Ice Demon. That damn Dragon had more to show that you." Rei said. He lifts his hand up and places them out in front of him. "Dark Ray! Ray Usion!"

Gray jumps out of the way just in time as the attack hits a near by house, leaving him open for an attack. And Rei waste no time to do his next attack. He runs up behind Gray with his sword in hand. Just as swings, Gray kicks him in the stomach, sending him back into a tree.

Rei stands back up, but no for long as Erza comes in her Flight Armor and slashes his back with her sword knocking him back to the ground once again.

He gets up and growls in annoyances. "Dark Ray! Dark Sun!" Rei shouts with his hands spread out wide. Soon little black beams of rays are scattered hitting both Erza and Gray. The force of the attack was so strong it knocked both of the mages to the ground.

"God damn. That hurts." Gray says as he stands back up. He grabs his shoulder in pain and feeling coat blood his hand. " Man my should. I must've landed on something to make it bleed."

Erza looks at Gray then over at Rei to see him breathing heavily. That last attack must have taken up to much of his magic power. She thought as she looked back a Gray to see if he was okay.

Erza limped over towards Gray to tell him about Rei. "Gray we got him now." she whispered to him. He looked at her with a confused expression written on his face. She glared at him and pointed at Rei. "That last attack used to much of his magic energy."

Gray looked over to see that she was right. Rei had a hard time breathing. "Damn he looks like hell. Heh, we better attack him then and get this over with." Gray said. "Ice Make! Floor!"

The once dirt ground now had an icy floor covering. Rei looks around with a look of confusion and anger on his face. He takes a step forwards but his back foot slide out from underneath him, making him fall on his back.

He screams out in pain and he slowly sits up. He looks back at his wings, one was bent at an odd angle and he could tell it was broken. Blood and black feather stand out against the clear ice. "Damn you things." he cursed. He tried to retract them, but with his broken wings, it was painful.

Rei stands up slowly making sure he doesn't fall. Once he regains his balance and made sure he wasn't going to fall, Rei looks over at Gray and points a finger at him. "You!" He growled, "How dare you attack me."

Gray just shrugged his shoulders. "You were left opened so I had to attack. It's your own fault you weren't paying attention." He said with a smirk.

Rei glared at Gray, his hand in the hilt of his sword. "I maybe almost out of magic," he said, "But I still got energy to fight with my sword."

At this Erza steps in front of Gray protecting him from Rei. Her sword out in front of her, the tip pointing at Rei. "Try me." she said. Her eyes were focused on Rei and only on him.

"Fine by me." Rei said as he took off running with his sword in. Their swords clashing together and their foreheads almost touching. Once they jumped back the battle begins again and they both know it.

Lucy tried her hardest to keep going. She was tired and so wasn't Wendy and was almost at her max. From half-closed eyes she seen his hand move and her eyes shot opened making sure it wasn't the sleep playing with her.

Wendy stopped healing Natsu and signed, sweat rolling from her forehead. She was tired and maxed on her magic power that she could collapse anytime. "L-Lucy…..I…I can't….hold up a-any…..any longer." was all Wendy could muster up before collapsing to the ground. Her head hitting the hard dirt making her black out.

"Wendy!" Lucy yelled worriedly. She went to get up, but a hand on her leg stopped her from getting up.

She looked down to see that Natsu was awake and moving. Tears were in the corner of her eyes. "She'll be fine." he said.

Lucy lunged forward to hug Natsu. He caught her a winces in pain. Lucy notices and knew he was still hurt. "I'm so sorry Natsu." she said. "I forgot that you were still hurt."

"It's okay Lucy." he said with a smile. 'I don't care if im hurt. As long as you hug me, I'll be fine."

"Oh Natsu." Lucy said and hugged him tighter. She realized her feelings for the pink haired dragon slayer back when they first met Rei. And now she was going to confess to him "I love you." she whispered

With Natsu super hearing he had herd her confess her love to him. "I love you too, Lucy." he said and they leaned in to kiss. It felt like forever but their lips finally touched.

It was one of those sweet kisses that was filled wit love. Time seemed to slow down around them as they kissed. But they had to end the kiss because they felt someone watching them.

Happy was flying above them. His paws on his mouth, trying to surpass a laugh. Finally he said. "You looovvvvvvveeee each other." he purred and a snicker left his mouth.

"Yes, Happy, we do. Is that a problem?" Natsu asked as she stood up. He nearly collapsed, but luckily Lucy was there to catch him before he hit the ground.

"Easy Natsu. You've just been healed from a large stab wound." She said to him as she helped him back up on his feet.

Natsu stood and put all his weight on his legs, balancing on his feet to make sure he regained back his strength. "I'll be careful Luce." he said, "You know I will because of you." and smiled at her.

At that Lucy blushed a pink. "I know how reckless you can get." she mumbled and gave his cheek a kiss before she walked off over to check on Wendy's sleeping body.

Natsu had made sure he could stand on his own before taking off running towards Rei, Erza, and Gray. "Hay Greenie!" Natsu yelled. "I still want to finish our battle from earlier!"

Rei's eyes went wide as he looked over at the running dragon slayer. "H-how are you alive. I made sure to hit the center." Rei said in bewilderment.

Natsu just laughed making Rei mad. "You cant kill me," he said, "I've been healed by Wendy and Lucy."

Rei looked surprised. "Okay Dragon, if it wasn't for this Wendy and Lucy-san, you would have been dead by now." he said.

"I really don't care if I had died, all that matters is that I was healed and alive." Natsu said as his fists catches on fire. "Plus I want to finish what battle was started." he said and charged at Rei.

Natsu swings with his left and Rei dodges, but Natsu takes his right and hits Rei in the jaw. Natsu jumps back, getting ready for another attack.

Rei stumbles back in surprise. "H-how… how did you mange that one." he asked in amusement. He then spits out on the ground, blood trailing down from the corner of his mouth down to his chin.

"Simple, I knew you would dodge one attack thinking there's only one attack and forget about the second attack." said Natsu smartly. I'm not that dense as very one says I am. He thought.

"Damn you Dragon. You out smarted me." Rei said. "I'll make su-" Rei cut off and looked around. Natsu had disappeared from his spot in front of him and Rei was frantically looking for him.

Rei heard footsteps behind him so he turned around, but got kicked in the stomach by Natsu. The force of the kick was so hard that it had knocked Rei to the ground.

Rei had trouble getting up into sitting position when a foot knocked him backwards and rested itself on his chest. "You're not going anywhere," Natsu growled he had his fist on fire, "unless you want to be burned to crisped."

Rei laid there with his arms stretched out on each side of him. He then let out a small laugh. "It was fun while it lasted." he said with a smile on his face.

"What do you mean by that?" asked Erza as her and Gray walked over to the fallen Angel slayer. She had her sword out and ready just in case Rei decided he would escape and attack again.

"It means that I'll tell you how to reverse Dark Haven and live without any darkness looming over." he said as he moves his arm to indicate the land before them. The three look over at the town that was filled with all sorts of people and monster hybrids.

Erza look back a Rei and she put her sword away. "Tell us and I'll let you go." she said. Gray started to protest, but she put her hand up to stop him. "Under one condition. You have to stop being evil or the next time we will kill you. And your vessel you tach has to be taught to be good not to be evil."

"I can deal with that." Rei said. He then looked up at the three mages. "You have two choices," he said as he hold up two fingers. "One is that could risk getting yourselves killed by trying to get the 'Gem of Exro' or," he paused. "you could kill the person who I got the magic energy from and be devastated."

They knew who Rei was talking about once the words were out of his mouth. They would take the risk than to be devastated for what they done to their friend.

Erza was the first to speak. " We are not killing our friend to end this. We rather risk our lives than to live with the quilt that we killed our best friend."

"Where can we find this 'Gem of Eco'?" Gray asked. He had his arms crossed in front of his chest staring at Rei.

"It's 'Exro', Demon." Rei said. "And you can find it in the Forest Akashi. Just go west of this town. When you reach the forest be careful, there are a lot of monsters that lurks around in the Forest of Akashi."

Erza thought for a moment trying to register what Rei had said. "Wait Akashi means Red Death in Japanese. And red is the color of blood. So that means bloody death." she said.

Rei nods his head. "Once you are in the forest turn right and keep going. There you'll find a cave. There will probably be monsters guarding the cave entrance." he said

"Very well then. We set out tomorrow. Tonight we'll set up camp her and get a good nights rest." she said. Erza then looked down at Natsu's foot that rested on Rei's chest, then up a Natsu. "You can let him go, Natsu."

Natsu hesitated before he lifted his foot off of Rei's chest and placed in back on the ground.

Rei stood up slowly to made sure their agreement was true. He takes a step forward then another then another and looked back at Erza. She nods her head to let him know it was okay to leave their sight. He takes a couple more steps and he was gone from sight.

Erza turns her attention to the boys in front of her. "Natsu, Gray get the camp set up fro tonight. If you need me I'll be over there by Lucy and to check up on Wendy." she said.

With that the two boys set up the camp and Erza went to check on Lucy and Wendy. "How is she, Lucy?" Erza asked as she looked down at the blue haired dragon slayer.

"Lucy looked up at the scarlet haired women. "Yeah, she's just used up too much of her magic energy and her little body couldn't take it and she collapsed." Lucy said as she looked back down at Wendy.

"Well that's good to hear that she's okay.' Erza said. "The boys are setting up the camp for tonight. They should be done by now."

As if on cue Natsu called out to the girls. "Lucy, Erza!" The camp is set up!" he yelled. "Also Gray is cooking food if you're hungry!"

Lucy looked at Erza and together both carried Wendy over to the camp. They sat her down on a sleeping bag and walked over to the fire. Lucy sat next to Natsu and grabbed his hand. "Natsu, do you really love me?" she asked.

"Lucy, If I didn't love, then I wouldn't have confessed or want to have a relationship with you, Luce." he said and kissed Lucy's lips.

As they pulled away Natsu could see the blush on Lucy's face. "Haha Lucy you're blushing." he said and laughed again.

"S-shut up! You're b-blushing too." she said and pointed at him and Natsu laughed even harder as Lucy blushed harder.

Gray and Erza watch as Natsu kissed Lucy and him make fun of her blushing. All they could do was watch in shock. "Um….guys…..wh-when did this happen?" Erza asked

"What do you mean Erza?" Natsu asked back. She points at the twos hands and they looked down where Erza was pointing at both started to blush a bright red.

"It h-happened when Natsu woke up after me and Wendy healed him." Lucy said he cheeks were redder the Erza's own hair.

Gray had a smirk on his face. "Wait when I tell Mirajane about this new couple I know she'll go head over heels." he said and looked over at Natsu and Lucy.

Lucy gets up and walks over to her, Wendy, and Erza's tent. "I think it's time for me to get some rest." She said and entered the tent.

"I think we all should get some sleep, we have to head out tomorrow and we need our energy." Erza said. She stood up and walked over to the tent she shared with Lucy and Wendy, while Natsu and Gray entered their tent they shared.

I finally got to the NaLu, are you guys happy cause I am. I was laughing as I was writing the part were Erza and Gray watched them.

And I really am sorry for not updating anytime sooner. The chapter was a bummer to write. Oh well I got it done just for my fans!