Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail.
A new Lucy
Chapter Nine – Return of the dead
The same night that we returned to the beach house, we got a call on Laxus communication lacrima from Master, and he was not bringing good news.
"Lucy I´m sorry but you need to come back to the guild as soon as possible." Master said gravely as soon as I was handed the communication lacrima.
"Why? Has something happened?" I asked him worriedly, panic gripping my insides at the tone of his voice.
"No, not yet. But I fear that we will lose two members of our family forever unless you return soon. They took the news of your death the hardest and they have not recovered in the slightest. I fear that they will sink so deep into the darkness that death will take them from us, the only reason they have managed somewhat until now is because of Gajeel, Pantherlily, Carla and Romeo."
"Wendy and Levy…"
"Yes Lucy I speak of Wendy and Levy." He confirmed with a sad sigh. "Please come home Lucy, they need you."
"We´ll be back tomorrow." I promised him before turning the communication lacrima off and handing it back to Laxus who took it without taking his eyes off my own.
"Are you sure you´re up for this Lucy?" He asked me, concern shining through his voice but I only nodded and answered with a voice that didn´t waver in the slightest.
"With you by my side I am. Besides I have to help Levy and Wendy, I can´t let them suffer any longer… But I do fear what will happen at my return to the guild." I admitted and let Laxus pull me in for a comforting hug.
"Whatever happens we´ll deal with it, you have full support from me and the rest of the Raijinshuu never forget that." He said before pressing a kiss to the top of my head and leading me down the stairs to join the others for dinner in the kitchen.
During the meal Laxus let the others know that we would be heading back to the guild early tomorrow morning and they accepted it without question. Freed even smiled happily and I suddenly realized that because I hadn´t wanted to go back earlier, he had felt the need to stay with me and the others and therefore I had in a way kept him away from Mirajane.
Freed and Mira had only been together as an official couple for a few months before my "death" and I hoped that Freed´s recent absence hadn´t caused damage that couldn´t be fixed again. I would feel even more awful if they were to break up because of me… Perhaps I could speak to Mira as well when we returned and make sure that she understood why Freed had been gone.
I was so lost in my own mind that I didn´t hear that said green haired rune mage was trying to talk to me.
"Lucy!" He more or less shouted only inches from my sensitive ears and I flinched before returning to the presence and turned my head to look at him.
"Yes Freed?" I asked with a sheepish smile.
"I just wanted you to know that I have started translating the book from Narcissus Palace but that it will take me a while to finish it. It is slow work but I believe that the book holds the information we needed, what little I have already translated indicates towards that." He said and I nodded my head.
"Okay, thanks Freed."
"It is no trouble Lucy, I am only happy to help." He told me and then disappeared after the others to prepare for our return to the guild. Since I was the last one left in the suddenly empty kitchen I took care of the dishes, and then I cleaned the kitchen, and the downstairs bathroom, and then I scrubbed the living room floor.
"Lucy you need to sleep, it´s almost one in the morning." A voice said from behind me and I spun around only to come face to chest with Laxus. I looked up at him and blushed a little when I met his eyes. I looked away again and told him.
"I can´t sleep. I´m nervous about going back and I´m scared for Wendy and Levy…"
"I know but you won´t feel any better tomorrow without any sleep. We can go and see Levy and Wendy before returning to the guild if you want to, they haven´t been in the guildhall since team Natsu came back without you, they have been staying with Gajeel and Pantherlily in their house."
"We can?" I asked hopefully and peered up at him through my eyelashes.
"Sure, but we won´t be able to do anything without any sleep first." He answered and started leading me upstairs to my bedroom by the hand.
I slept fitfully and continued to wake up from the nightmares haunting me but eventually the darkness of the night gave away for the faint light of dawn and I could give up on sleep altogether. I was the first one finished and ready to go and while I felt their eyes on me, they also realized that I needed to actually do this to be able to calm myself again.
The short train ride back to the city of Magnolia was made in silence and when we reached the train station I was a nervous mess, shaking and fiddling with my new bandanna covering my eye. Laxus sent the other to the guild ahead of us, to tell Master that we would visit Wendy and Levy before going to the guild.
The road leading to Gajeel and Pantherlily´s house felt miles long when in reality it was only a short walk. The closer we got to the house the slower I walked and I could feel my heart pounding in my chest. In the end it was only Laxus grip on my hand that made me keep moving.
But I couldn´t understand why I was so nervous about seeing my friends again, seeing team Natsu and Lisanna I could understand would make me nervous but Gajeel, Levy, Wendy and Pantherlily was another thing. Laxus knew that I had to do this for myself so even when I hesitated right outside Gajeel's door he did nothing but simply be there and hold my hand, giving me silent comfort and support.
Just as I had mustered enough courage to knock on the door it was thrown open and I was faced with Gajeel´s disbelieving face. We stood completely silent and unmoving for over a minute, simply looking at each other before he cracked and pulled me against him in a tight hug, giving me the impression that he planned to never let me go again.
"How is this possible? They said you were dead… What happened?" Gajeel asked, a desperate tint in his voice that his sudden happiness could mask completely.
"Natsu and Lisanna left me to die, only I didn´t." I answered him before tears flooded my eyes and streamed down my cheeks. Gajeel pulled me even closer if that was possible and let me cry into his shoulder as Laxus explained all the details that I had left out with my short answer.
"So, let me see if I got this right. Natsu and Lisanna left you to die in the hands of the enemy and told everyone that you were dead. But something is affecting them so that it might not actually be them who did it. The Raijinshuu found you and rescued you and you have stayed with them for the last couple of weeks. You have new skills and abilities and you are Laxus mate, did I forget anything?" Gajeel said while trying to comprehend that what we told him is actually the truth.
"No that´s all." I confirmed, my voice slightly muffled from being pressed against his chest still. I had been right, he had made no move to let me go again and for now I let him hug me, giving him time to realize that I really was back and that I had no intention of just disappearing again as well as drawing comfort from the gesture myself.
"What a fucking mess…" Gajeel sighed and we could only whole-heartedly agree with him, this situation was a fucking mess.
"Where are Levy and Wendy? And how are they? I came back now mostly because Master told me that they couldn´t handle my death, I would have come back sooner or later but it is because I want to help them that I´ve come now. I don´t feel ready to deal with Natsu and Lisanna, the others of team Natsu and the entire guild yet…" I admitted and looked up at Gajeel, silently praying that he wouldn´t hold my reluctance at returning against me. But I hadn´t needed to worry; he simply put his large hand gently on top of my head and told me.
"It´s alright Bunny-girl, I understand. Levy and Wendy are here but they are practically catatonic by now, I hope that your presence here will help them find their way back." Gajeel was clearly worried about the two small girls and the bad feeling in my stomach only grew, it was my fault they were this bad off. If I had only returned home sooner…
I was pulled from my depressing thoughts by Laxus pulling gently on the hand that was still safely wrapped in his, leading me inside Gajeel´s house and towards the bedroom where Levy and Wendy were.
"They are in here." Gajeel said solemnly before leaving me and Laxus standing there and going into the kitchen to wait.
"It wasn´t your fault that they ended up like this you know, blame Natsu and Lisanna if you want or whatever changed them but don´t blame yourself. You´re doing as best as you can in this fucked up situation…" Laxus whispered in my ear before he too left me and joined Gajeel in the kitchen. I hesitated for a moment longer before I opened the door that stood between me and the two girls I counted as sisters.
The sight of them nearly made me cry…
They were both lying in Gajeel´s large bed, turned towards each other, their hands clasped together tightly as they drew comfort from each other. They were seemingly asleep, their eyes closed and a blanket pulled up to their shoulders. Tears welled up in my eyes and I blinked them away before slowly approaching the bed, silently praying that I was not too late to help them.
"Levy? Wendy?" I called out hesitantly and timidly but I got no reaction from either of them. I walked closer and gently put my hand on Levy´s shoulder, shaking her a little while calling her name once more. She didn´t open her eyes but instead screwed them shut even harder, her brows drew together and she started whispering underneath her breath, too quietly for even my enhanced hearing to pick up on what she was saying.
I walked around to the other side of the bed and did the same to Wendy who reacted in much the same way as Levy. I leaned in even closer until I could pick up on what they were whispering about.
"Please make the hurt go away; I know that Lucy is dead, please stop tormenting me…" Came from Levy´s mouth and from Wendy I heard.
"I want my Lucy-nee to come back to me, it hurts, it hurts…" The pain I could hear in their voices made my entire being ache and my eyes filled up with tears, I couldn´t stand seeing them like this for another second so I wormed my way onto the bed as well, lying in-between them and holding on to their tightly clasped hands and holding them to my chest, hoping that they would feel or hear my heartbeat as I told them.
"I´m back, open your eyes Levy, Wendy, please open your eyes I really am here I promise." It took me almost five minutes before Wendy gave in to my pleading and cracked one eye open. When she saw my smiling face instead of Levy`s catatonic one, which she had expected, both of her eyes snapped open and widened almost comically before she opened her mouth and screamed. Her scream snapped Levy out of her catatonic state as well and when her eyes opened and finally saw me, she screamed as well.
Then the two of them wrapped their arms around every part of me that they could reach, hugging me tightly with an iron grip and started crying with deep, desperate, inconsolable sobs. I was locked in their holds and unable to move but I kept talking to them, telling them that I was fine and then later when they had calmed down, exactly what had happened to me.
I noticed that Gajeel and Laxus both had come running when Levy and Wendy screamed but as soon as they could see for themselves that there were no imminent dangers, they settled against the wall, content with watching our reunion.
When I had told them my tale, neither of them had let go of me but we had shifted so that I was on my back with Levy and Wendy´s heads on each of my shoulders. I had taken my new bandanna off but I still had my eye closed, I had showed them the scar but didn´t want to frighten them by opening my eye. Laxus had gone back to the town to get us all something to eat and to find Pantherlily, Carla and Romeo and bring them to the house as well.
Gajeel had moved so that he was sitting on the edge of the bed instead for leaning against the wall, the girl´s voices were so hoarse and weak from not being used that he couldn´t hear them talking from over there even with his enhanced hearing.
"What happened to your eye? The scar goes right through it; did you lose your sight?" Levy asked me in a whisper and even though I had expected the question, I still wasn´t sure on how to answer it.
"No I didn´t lose my eye-sight, my eye did… change… though." I told her slowly, feeling content with just lying there with two of my best friends and not wanting to risk them moving away from me when I had just gotten them back.
"Changed? Changed how?" She was insistent in her question and I sighed lightly, realizing that she wasn´t going to be satisfied until I answered her. She might have been catatonic and close to death only hours before but she was still the same information hungry, book loving Levy as always.
"It will be easier to just show you." I admitted and the girls allowed me to sit up with my back against the headboard as they crowded me, eager to see how my eye had changed. I wouldn´t be able to keep it from them, I knew that, but I was still scared of how they would react to it. I simply couldn´t help it. But I took a deep breath and as I let it out I opened my wolf eye as well.
I expected them to flinch away from me and maybe cry out in surprise. I had not expected them to simply smile serenely at me and tell me that my eye is beautiful.
I cracked.
There had been too much worry, too much anxiety, too much changes and insecurities and I broke down crying. I think I shocked Wendy and Levy by breaking down because they just sat there and stared at me, not being able to take in my emotions in their own fragile states.
But Gajeel was not paralyzed at the sight of my tears and he moved us all around until he was sitting on the bed with his back against the headboard, Wendy and Levy on either side and me in his lap. He let me cry until I ran out of tears and then he gently stroked my back as I admitted my fear of rejection because of my new eye and how much the frightened and hateful looks from others hurt. Then I kept pouring all of my feelings out, telling them about the confusion I felt about Natsu´s actions and the fear I felt about the future. Would I figure out what was wrong with Natsu and Lisanna? Would I be able to function within the Fairy Tail guild again? Would things between me and Laxus work out?
When I had told them about absolutely everything that had worried and pained me since that fateful day when everything went wrong, and my eyes had dried, I simply felt empty. Empty and lost…
Wendy, Levy and I were clutching each other tightly, holding on as if we could anchor ourselves to something solid in the stormy ocean of emotions that were running through our bodies. I was still sitting in Gajeel´s lap and by now, so did Wendy and Levy as well. Luckily for us Gajeel was strong enough to not feel uncomfortable with all of us in his lap.
That's when Laxus returned in the company of Pantherlily, Carla, Romeo and Happy.
Pantherlily, Carla, Happy and Romeo froze just inside the doorway, staring at us with wide eyes but the dragon instincts in Laxus made him practically flew across the room until he was able to touch me.
His warm hand landed on top of my head and I looked up to meet his eyes as he looked down at me with a worried expression.
"I told them everything." I said, my voice as empty as I felt.
"I get it." Laxus murmured, quietly enough so that only Gajeel and I could hear him. "Don´t worry about it Blondie, everything will be alright." After that he planted a kiss on top of my head which made everyone except for Gajeel and Pantherlily to suck in a surprised breath. Gajeel didn´t because he already knew and Pantherlily didn´t because he was a true gentleman.
The sign of affection given to me by Laxus eased the feeling of emptiness inside me and I remembered that I still had to meet the rest of the guild… I gripped the hem of Laxus coat so tightly that I was afraid I was going to rip the fabric but I couldn´t make myself let go either.
I wasn´t ready to meet the entire guild.
I so lost in my own thoughts about what would happen next that I didn´t even notice when Gajeel and the girls let me go and I was moved until I was sitting in Laxus lap instead. Romeo and the exceeds entered the room fully and Romeo and Carla crowded around Wendy while Gajeel and Pantherlily gathered at Levy´s side. Happy remained still just inside the door and was still just staring at me with wide eyes filled with different emotions.
When I came back to myself again I found myself trembling slightly while sitting in Laxus lap, my face pressed into his chest so that I could smell the sandalwood and cinnamon combination that together with the scent of the air right before a thunderstorm was his own unique scent. It was really comforting just to sit there as one of his hands made gentle circles on my back while the other was cupping the back of my head to hold me close to his chest where I could hear the beating of his heart.
Thump-thump thump-thump thump-thump
It grounded me and I got back a little more of my fighting spirit. I lifted my head from his chest and looked over his shoulder at Happy who was still as a statue but still staring at me.
"Oh Happy… Come here." I said gently and opened my arms for him, breaking him out of his stillness abruptly as he flew towards me with tears streaming from his eyes. He collided with my chest and I hugged him tightly against me as he cried on my shoulder, chanting my name and that he was sorry.
My heart was breaking for the little guy…
I looked up at Laxus, asking permission with my eyes and he sighed softly but nodded his head anyway so I focused on the little blue exceed in my arms and told him gently.
"Come on Happy don´t cry… It´s alright I´m not mad at you or Gray or Erza. I just don´t understand what could have made Natsu and Lisanna to actually leave me behind like that but we´re trying to figure it out as well." Happy looked up at me with still tear filled eyes and told me, completely serious.
"There´s something wrong with them Lushy… They´ve changed so much that I can barely recognize the Natsu from before in the Natsu he is now. I have tried to get them back to normal but nothing´s working… I don´t know what to do anymore..." he started crying again and I hugged him tightly while turning to look at Pantherlily who chose that moment to speak.
"It is true that things are really bad, Happy have been staying here with us and levy, as have Wendy and Carla. But Happy did it because he didn´t have anywhere else to go since Natsu doesn´t care about him anymore… He tried staying with Erza and Gray for a while but that didn´t work out either, they are all blaming themselves for your supposed death Lucy." I nodded and looked down at Happy again before asking him.
"Happy do you want to stay here or with me until we solve this mess? I´m not sure I can ever become as close with Natsu as I once was but I still wish I could have my friend back… And I want to help you get your Natsu back if nothing else." I told him honestly and waited for him to respond.
It took a few minutes but when Happy finally looked up at me again his eyes were red-rimmed and watery but he was no longer crying at least. He told me.
"I´ll stay with you Lushy… I don´t want you to ever disappear on me again…"
I smiled and hugged him tightly before letting him go and he flew over to where the other exceeds were sitting. I then turned around in Laxus lap and faced the others, my own eyes red-rimmed as well but no longer watery with tears and asked them.
"So, what´s been going on with the guild since team Natsu came back without me?"
Hi guys... So sorry for the long wait but a lot has happened in my life in the past six months and I´m only recently starting to get it together again. Thank you all for sticking with me and once again I´m sorry... I will try my best to update again soon but I can´t make any promises on when it will happen, only that it will.
Love C
