HEY GUYS! WHAT'S UP! As you know, I am Piper. So how's it going? This is the second fanfiction I've ever done (the other being Falling For The Ghost of you) so I'm a little nervous. But you guys seem to like my writing, so I hope you like this!
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Fairy Tail. If I did, I would be famous. And loved. And I would actually feel like my writing was worth something. lol sorry! I so do not own the cover image- I found it on google
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WARNING: there are mild choice words in this fic- meaning the words 'Hell' and 'damn'. Sorry if that makes you uncomfortable- I tried not to be too over the top! Before this chapter I would like to thank Ice freak101, Amethystfairt1, , PerveyPopsiclePrincess, IcePrinceRay, Alice, LuxrayGuy, Luna the HP fan, Kamikami and darkvenger1 commenting!
DON'T FORGET TO READ FALLING FOR THE GHOST OF YOU!
I NOW PRESENT THE FINAL CHAPTER OF THE SICK ICE MAGE!
Chapter 10, Gray
I wasn't really there, and I knew it. My heart had stopped, and I had died.
So why was I here? Why was I sitting on a slab of ice, looking down a hole in the frozen lake?
"LUCY!" I looked up to see Natsu and the rest of my team leaning over the edge of a fifty foot cliff above me. They looked terrified.
And soon I figured out why. A pale body with blond hair was a few feet in the water, unmoving.
"Lucy!" I yelped, reaching down to help her. My hand went right through her and I was reminded that I was dead. "NATSU!" I shouted. "GET YOUR FLAME BRAIN DOWN HERE AND SAVE HER!"
I knew he couldn't hear me, but I didn't care. What had Lucy done? Why on earth had she jumped? Was she trying to kill herself?
No, Lucy wouldn't do that. She couldn't!
Natsu and the others began to climb down the cliff- practically an act of suicide. A blizzard was raging around us and it would way too easy for them to slip and fall. Then again, screw them- Lucy needed help.
Again, I desperately tried to reach her- pull her up. I passed right through her.
About halfway down the cliff, Natsu jumped. That damn daredevil naturally landed on his feet and was followed by Gajeel and Erza. Gramps and Levy continued to slowly climb to the bottom.
"Lucy!" Natsu yelped, sliding, slipping, and falling on his butt. Realizing that running was useless, he began to crawl towards the hole where she still had yet to emerge.
"What was she thinking?" Gajeel snapped, following Natsu's example.
"She was trying to save Gray... curse her big heart." Said Erza as she walked as fast as she could without falling.
She walked right through me.
I felt my heart stop... metaphorically speaking. Lucy had jumped to save me? What the hell did that mean?
Natsu reached the hole first, his teeth already chattering.
He could handle normal cold situations, but as a fire wizard he could easily get cold. Why he had neglected to grab a jacket was beyond me- he's just stupid like that I guess. It was almost dangerous for him to be here.
"They're too far down!" He said, helplessly thrusting a hand into the freezing cold water.
"Natsu," Erza scolded. "Stop- you'll get sick if you do that."
"WHO CARES?" Natsu yelled. "WE HAVE TO SAVE THEM!" He stood up as if he were about to dive in.
"Hold it Salamander!" Gajeel caught the back of Natsu's vest before the dragon slayer had a chance to jump.
"I'll go."
"You?" Natsu jeered. "You don't even like them."
"We ain't got time to argue-" Gajeel dove into the hole before anyone could argue.
"Jerk..." Natsu muttered, hugging his arms as his teeth chattered.
Gajeel resurfaced for a moment to take a gasp for breath. "They're sinking." He cursed before diving back in.
"God," Natsu muttered. "They're going to die, aren't they?"
I was lost- as far as I couldn't tell, Lucy was the only one drowning and possibly dying around here. So why was Natsu saying "they" and "Them" all the time?
Gramps and Levy ran up. "Lu!" Levy panted. She glanced around in confusion. "Where's Gajeel?"
A grunt was her answer. Gajeel resurfaced yet again, blond hair over his shoulder.
"Help me!" He demanded. "The water's too cold- it's shutting me down!"
Everyone reached out- Levy and Gramps grabbing hold of Gajeel, Natsu and Erza grabbing Lucy.
"She is heavier then I would have guessed." Erza grunted, pulling at the unmoving heap of Lucy.
Gajeel crawled out of the water, shivering violently and coughing. His discomfort didn't stop him though, and he rushed to help them.
"Ice princess there isn't light is the problem." He commented, his hands shaking so bad he almost couldn't hold on to Lucy.
I had never felt so helpless in my life. I was a freakin' ghost, watching as one of my best friends was quite possibly dying.
And why did they keep mentioning me?
At last, the group pulled Lucy out of the water. Something with a faint blue tint was on top of her...
… Oh my God.
"They're freezing!" Erza commented, rolling my body off of Lucy's.
We both looked like Hell frozen over.
Lucy's eyes were closed. Her shirt was torn and she was pretty scratched up from falling through the ice. Her lips were faintly blue, and it didn't look like she was breathing.
"Lu?" Levy asked. Everyone sighed in relief when a quiet and weak cough came from her mouth. She was shaking as if she'd been set on vibrate.
And then there was me. My wet hair was stuck to my face, ice practically freezing it in place. My chest was still bandaged, and I looked like crap. All my skin was practically pale blue- if an ice wizard had caught frost bite...
Oh, and I wasn't breathing.
Can't forget that lovely detail.
"How'd she keep hold of him through that?" Gramps questioned to no one in particular.
They looked closer.
My necklace had gotten tangled with Lucy's- it still was.
And her hand was laced with mine. She was unconscious- possibly even dying- and she was still holding on to me.
And I was dead. I mean, I was a ghost watching as my friends looked at an unconscious Lucy and my dead body!
So why did I feel... heartbroken?
"Lucy..." I muttered. I sat down on the ice next to her. I couldn't touch her, but being close to her was good enough. "Damn it Lucy, why did you even try? Why the hell would you jump with me like that? I was dead, why'd you do it?"
I remembered what she'd said. Somehow, even though I hadn't been there anymore, I remembered what she said.
"I love you too Gray."
I looked down at her again, tears pricking my eyes. "Is that why?" I whispered. "Is that why you tried? Do you really love me Lucy? Enough that you would almost get yourself killed just to try and save me?"
The noise of everyone else faded away- the concerned comments, the questions about Gajeel's well being, the plans on how to get home. I think my funeral was even mentioned a few times. But all of it faded out as I looked at Lucy and me- laying on the ice, dying. Well, she was- I was just dead.
"We have to get her back stat." Natsu said. He sounded like he was fighting off tears.
Suddenly Loki was in the group too- I vaguely recalled him being scared of heights or something which explained why he had only just joined us.
"I'll carry her." He offered. His voice was shaking.
Levy nodded- she had one of Gajeel's arms slung over her shoulders. The poor guy looked miserable- soaking wet and freezing half to death.
"W- what about Gray?" Erza questioned, her voice cracking at my name.
Natsu looked down at my body. "I'll carry him."
"We should leave him," Gramps said sadly. "If we don't get back soon, we're all in trouble. As much as I wish it wasn't true, his weight will only slow us down."
Natsu glared at the old man. "I don't care. Gray is a Fairy Tail wizard and he deserved more than this- much more. And we will make sure his life was worth something- and we'll bury him honorably."
Thanks Fire Princess. I'll make sure not to kick your ass too bad when I haunt you.
Erza nodded in agreement.
She bent down and untangled my necklace. Then she pulled my hand away from Lucy's.
It fell away and hung limply, holding on to nothing.
Loki scooped Lucy into his arms, muttering about how she just had to be ok.
Erza helped Levy with Gajeel- despite his protests- and Natsu began to lift me.
"Damn Gray," Natsu laughed humorlessly. "I never knew you were so light."
He looked down at my body in his arms. Everyone else was walking away, but he hung back, unnoticed by everyone else.
"You really are stupid, you know that?" Natsu shook his head. "I mean seriously, you couldn't admit you were sick? Even I can admit to that. But you kept it a secret, and look where it got you. 6 feet underground- well technically under water, but you know what I mean."
I was stunned- why the hell was Natsu breaking out the emotional speeches all of a sudden? It's not like he was going to miss me or anything- right?
"I guess... We've known each other since we were kids Gray." Natsu went on. "And I always figured... well, that I'd be the one to die first- that you'd be the one who arranged my funeral. I never thought... well, it doesn't really matter now, right?"
"Stop being a chick Natsu." I whispered. He went on, never hearing my comment.
"I guess it's for the best, right? I mean, Lucy told me what you said- how you feel useless and unwanted and all that. I just wish you would have told someone Gray. We all-" his voice cracked. "We all need you. We all cared- always have. I mean sure, I hate your guts half the time, but that's what best friends do, right? And I guess... I'm gonna miss you Gray."
A tear slid down his cheek. "But it'll be nothing compared to Lucy. She's gonna be devastated Gray- I don't know how she's gonna pull through it. I mean, she jumped off a 50 foot cliff on the slim chance she could save you!" He sighed again. "You can't even hear me, can you Frosty? I mean, if you could, you'd be alive."
I turned away. This was wrong, all wrong. My friends shouldn't be this sad or upset. Hell, the plan was for them to never notice I was sick, never notice when I slipped away, knowing I was probably going to die.
"I know this is what you wanted." Natsu began to walk after the others. "But I wish you would have thought about us too."
I was shocked. Hadn't thought about them? They were all I had thought about! I mean, I thought they would have wanted this!
Natsu quickened his pace as concerned members came from up ahead.
"Damn it Lucy," Loki sighed, pausing so he could wrap his coat around her. "Why'd you do that?"
"Is she gonna be ok?" Natsu asked, panic in his voice.
"Depends on how fast we can get her to the guild." Erza said gravely.
I ran soundlessly over to Lucy, still shivering in Loki's arms.
"Lucy," I breathed. "Lucy why would you do that? I was gone, why would you risk your life for me? Lucy..." I placed my hand on her forehead, and it didn't phase through her. "Lucy, please pull through. Please, you can't die. I... I love you. Pull through for me. Be ok for me."
She shifted and her eyes opened slightly, her blue lips parting.
"G-G-Gray?" Her voice was so weak, I doubt anyone else heard it. Her teeth chattered as he spoke."I- I lo-o-ve-e you."
Somehow, I think she actually saw me.
She reached her shaking hand out and brushed it over my cheek.
And I felt it.
Suddenly, pain and cold spread throughout my every nerve. I heard Natsu shriek (He really does sound like a girl sometimes) and suddenly, everything went black.
(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)(::)
The room was dark. Utterly, completely black. The windows were covered, the door closed.
Medical equipment was scattered in organized chaos throughout the room; bandages, pain killers, needles, ice packs, and thermometers covered most surfaces.
It was clear that the room had recently been cleaned- it smelled like the lilac soap Mira always used when she cleaned out an infirmary room.
The air was still and stale and there was a general undisturbed feeling everywhere.
The bed was what scared me. I knew what had laid there- what had eventually been moved. I knew exactly what had happened there- the blood that had spilled, the tears that had been shed, and the hearts that had been shattered.
It made me sick to see, yet I couldn't take my eyes off of it.
I knew what had happened here- all the horror- so why did I want to be here?
Maybe because this is where it ended, where everything was fixed and set right.
The sheets had been replaced. The once blood and tear stained sheets gone- most likely burned to ashes. Now, crisp, white sheets were in the old ones place.
The green bedspread had been washed and no longer smelled of sickness and death, but rather, soap and the country air that had dried it. They were pulled up to the pillows and looked generally untouched.
It was as if it never happened.
But it did, and I couldn't forget it.
The door opened and I heard someone walk in. I didn't need to look to know who had walked in.
Lucy.
"Hard to believe, huh?" She said, coughing into her elbow. "Hard to believe that's over. I mean, I still can't truly except that it's over."
She looked over at Natsu, who was leaning in the doorway. "Don't you think so?" She asked him.
He shrugged indifferently. "I don't think I've ever been so happy to have something be over in my life. Then again I don't think I've ever cried so much either."
Lucy nodded in agreement. "Me neither. And I hope I never do again."
She turned to look at me. " I'm just glad you're ok Gray."
I smiled at her. I don't think I'd ever been so happy to see her smile in my life. "I'm glad I'm not dead."
Lucy walked over to me and wrapped her arms around my neck, hugging me close while being careful to avoid the still tender wound on my chest. It felt good to have her warm body pressed against mine; as stupid as the idea of a cold ice mage was, I was still freezing from my dip in the lake. Lucy was too.
"Guess I can't say I'm not sick this time, huh?" I smiled into Lucy 'so hair. I turned my head away briefly to cough away from her, followed by a sneeze.
"Nope!" Lucy said brightly. "And don't you dare ever hide it from us again, you hear me? Because if I see you stop breathing again I swear I will kill you."
I pulled away from her with a smile. "Wouldn't that kinda defeat the purpose?"
"You guys know that there is an entire guild waiting to see you guys for the first time in two weeks, right?" Natsu snickered.
I groaned. " Do we have too? Can't we just say we're fine and move on?"
Natsu simply shook his head. Lucy took my hand and pulled me out of the room. I was sick of looking at the bed I almost died in anyways.
I could hardly believe that I hadn't been conscious in over a week. Of course, everything had been explained to me- what had happened, why I died, and what brought me back. And of course the unavoidable truth that I was, in all honestly and without denial, sick. Again.
Flames of emotion. For the love of God, that was what had killed me.
I had died. I had, in all honesty died, and stayed that way for about 7 minutes.
But let's back up to where the story I was told really began.
Sunstroke.
That was all it had been at first. A simple thing that an ice bath could have fixed in an hour. But, of course, my life is never that simple. Victor had cast some stupid Flames of emotions spell on me. That's why I was always so hot- I was literally being burned to death from the inside, not to mention heat stroke. I knew what happened up until I passed out at the apartment. All I remember was that I thought I was about to spit flames like Natsu did, and went to get a glass of water. Then suddenly, I was being dropped by Natsu, my heart pounding, body hurting, and truly honestly freezing.
Turns out my heart had stopped. The flames of emotion had gotten to be too much for me and had finally stopped my heart. Lucy hadn't been able to accept that and, in an act of pure desperation, had jumped off the cliff, dragging me with her. We crashed through the ice and into the water, the shock being so cold that it shut down her system and extinguished the flames of emotion once and for all. And as an added bonus, freezing the heck out of an ice mage can actually shock the life back into his heart. And Lucy's words might have helped too.
But karma works in strange ways and my dip in the lake had actually gotten Gajeel, Lucy, and me all sick.
Yes, the ice mage caught a cold. Laugh all you want- it sucks.
For the next week, all three of us were locked up in the infirmary, only allowed to visit each other. And thank God Lucy was able to see me. I would have gone crazy without knowing she was safe. I'm not sure how, but I remembered the fear of her drowning, as if I'd seen it happen. As if I had almost witnessed her death myself. That was, of course, impossible because I had been dead at the time, but I still couldn't shake the terrified chill in my stomach.
The guild cheered when we walked in. Gajeel had been released a few days earlier. I looked around, expecting Juvia to pop out and fang ill over my well being, but she didn't. I noticed her sitting in a corner, pouting as opposed to stalking me.
"Is a Juvia sick too?" I asked Lucy in a joking manner once the guild had accepted that we were alive. "She's not smothering me like she usually does."
Lucy bit her lip. "It's probably because I told her that you didn't love her- that you had feelings for someone else."
I grinned slightly at what she was implying. "Is that so?"
"Are you mad?"
"That depends on how the rest of this conversation goes."
Lucy looked confused but said nothing.
"Listen Lucy, " I began. " I don't care what everyone else says. It wasn't the water, or a miracle that saved me. It was you."
She opened her mouth to say something- probably that is was her fault that we almost drowned in the water to begin with- but I didn't give her that chance.
"I don't know how I remember this, but I do. I remember being next to you, terrified that you were going to die, and begging you to hold on- to pull through, if only for me. And then, for the briefest second, you opened your eyes, ran your hand over my cheek, and told me you loved me. I'm not going to hold you to that or anything, but as soon as you said that, I was alive again. Those words brought me back." I took her hand in mine. "I am alive for you Lucy."
She leaned forward and kissed me. True, kissing while being sick would be a problem on a normal day, but we were both sick and our lives were too crazy and messed up to take safety precautions.
"I love you Gray." Lucy said softly, keeping her head pressed to my neck.
I smiled. I hadn't heard that in so long. For so long, I had never excepted love into my life. I couldn't- I was too scared. To scared to love again, to scared to open up. And even then, I was terrified that if I opened up, everyone would leave me.
And this girl?
She had seen me in my darkest hour, on my death bed, and she hadn't left, not even thought about it. Heck, she almost died trying to save me!
And I loved her.
Together, we walked back into the guild.
"Alright Gray," Natsu snapped, standing in front of me with his arms crossed. "You owe us all and apology and an explanation."
I glanced at him in confusion. "Huh? What're you talkin' bout Flame Princess?"
Natsu rolled his shoulder as if he were planning to hit me- he probably was. "You had better explain why you didn't tell us you were sick in the first place and apologize for giving us all a heart attack!"
Everyone close enough to be paying attention turned to look at me. "I… I'm sorry." I said, my voice hoarse from being sick.
Natsu rolled his eyes. "Suuuuure. Not, explain. You couldn't just admit you were sick because…?"
I cleared my throat and coughed harshly into my arm. Damn, being sick sucked. I mean, seriously.
"I just… didn't, ok? Drop it Pyro."
Natsu looked like he was about to say more, but someone called his name and he walked over to check it out.
Lucy guided me over to a table and we sat down together. "Can I get you guys something to drink?" Mira asked as she walked by.
"What cures a sore throat?" I questioned.
Lucy grinned- everyone found it hilarious that I was sick for the first time and thus had no idea what to do about it.
"Can we get two cups of apple juice and some crackers please?" Lucy ordered for us. Mira nodded and walked away to prepare our order.
"GRAY!" An angry female voice shouted. I cringed- it was Erza.
The red head stomped over to where I was sitting, her eyes filled with anger. "How. Could. You?"
I looked up at her. "What? Erza I didn't want to tell anyone I'm sor-"
Erza cut me off by pulling me to her chest, cracking my forehead on her armor. "How could you not come see me first?" She asked with what almost sounded like unshed tears. "I was so worried-" She suddenly seemed to realize what she was doing and pulled back, setting her shoulders. "If you ever do something that stupid again, I will kill you." She said simply. I laughed.
"Noted."
With that Erza stomped off to do her normal Erza things.
Happy was the next to tackle me. I was just sitting down when the ball of blue fur rammed into my chest, sending me falling back out of my seat.
"GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!" He wailed, openly sobbing.
"Good to see you too Happy!" I laughed, sitting up and awkwardly returning the cat's hug.
"Don't you ever do something that stupid again!" Happy demanded. "That's Natsu's job!"
"HEY!" Natsu shouted from across the hall. "I heard that!"
Lucy laughed before coughing again.
"Hey ice boy!" I turned to see Gajeel stalked up to me. When he got close enough, he grabbed the front of my shirt and lifted me a few feet off the ground. "LEt's get something clear punk."
I had to resist laughing- Gajeel sounded strange when he was sick.
"Next time you go and die on us, don't expect me to dive in and save your stupid ass- next time, I'll let you drown."
"There won't be a next time." I promised as he set me back down.
Gajeel just rolled his eyes, sneezed- a sound that sounded more like the shot of a cannon- and stalked off, wiping his nose.
"If everyone going to threaten my death with death threats today?" I asked Lucy, sitting down at last.
Lucy shrugged, taking a sip of her juice. "Probably. You had us all terrified Gray."
For a few moments, we sat in silence. A few more people came up to say they were happy I was alive, and that they'd kill me if I tried dying again. Finally, I couldn't take it anymore, and spoke up.
"Why'd you do it Lucy?" I asked.
"Why'd I do what?"
"Jump. I was already dead so why did you jump off that cliff?"
Lucy sighed and set her glass down. "Everyone's been asking me that you know." she sighed. "Because I couldn't accept it. I physically could not stand the idea that one of my best friends was dead. And because I realized… this is going to sound stupid."
I shook my head. "It won't."
"I realized when you stopped breathing that I… I loved you. I realized that the idea of never seeing you again… it broke my heart. And I loved you. I… I love you Gray."
I smiled and took her hand again. "I've never told anyone this. Lucy, I love you too. I really, honestly do. I never thought it would be possible, but I love you."
Lucy smiled at me. "Was this all some elaborate plan?" She questioned with an amused smile. "Did you hire Victor to do all that, stage your own death, just to ask me out?"
I laughed, but it soon turned into a cough which turned back into a laugh. "Of course! I had to get your attention somehow."
Lucy rolled her eyes. Suddenly, something slammed into my back- it felt vaguely like a chair.
I stood up and spun around and saw Natsu trying to hide his smirk.
"You wanna start a fight, flame breath?"
"Not unless you put some clothes on."
Apparently death hadn't kicked my stripping habit- not that I cared. I hardly ever realized when it happened anyways.
"You're gonna pay flame for brains."
Natsu rolled his shoulders and smirked. "I'm not scared to beat up a sick little ice princess. Don't worry though, I'll go easy on you."
I grinned. "Please, you couldn't win even if you went all out!"
Before the real fight began, I slipped my necklace off. Too many times while fighting with Natsu had someone's fist gotten caught and ended up choking me.
"Here," I said, handing it to Lucy.
"W- what's this for?" She stammered. No one had ever seen me take it off.
I fastened it around her neck. "I need someone to hold on to this for me," I winked at her. "And I can't think of a person I trust more."
Lucy blushed but nodded, putting her hand to the charm.
I turned and began to fight with Natsu, feeling like myself again, even if I was sick.
"Some things never change." I heard Mira laugh.
"HE'S A REAL MAN!" Elfman commented, pumping a fist in the air.
I couldn't help but smile as I fought Natsu. I really was home, at last.
"I'm just glad we have our ice mage back," Lucy said.
Cheers rang out as everyone agreed with her.
"I'm glad you're alive," Natsu said as he dodged my next punch and landed one of his own. "But you better tell me next time you feel like dying so I can stop it."
I laughed. "And why would you stop it?" I kneed his stomach and he doubled over, but flipped so his foot collided with my jaw.
"Because!" He grinned as he both fell on our back, panting. "That's what friends are for!"
So there you have it! the final chapter of The Sick Ice Mage! Ya see where it got it's original title? So guys, thanks so much for reading this story, it means a lot! So, in the comments, can you just give me a huge rant on your thoughts? Every emotion, everything you hated, everything you loved? I wanna know EVERYTHING that went through your mind while reading this! Don't feel it's too long, I'll still read it! I swear, if you write me a five page essay that would still be fine cuz I love love love comments! Thanks so much for reading guys!