Chapter 11

When the leopards returned from escorting the Witch and her company out, Aslan called for a war meeting. It was held in a tent with one table, and a map of the surrounding area spread across it. Once everyone was assembled he turned to a griffin nesting in a nearby corner. "Did you see her army while you were patrolling?"

The griffin jumped up and bowed. "Yes, Your Highness. They come with numbers and weapons far greater than our own."

"Numbers do not win a battle," said one proud centaur.

"Still, more on our side would be a good thing," muttered Mr. Beaver to himself.

Lucy was thoughtful. "What about the people trapped in stone at the Witch's palace?" she turned to Aslan. "If you were able to free me, couldn't you help them as well? With everyone there on our side, we'd probably stand a better chance."

Aslan nodded, "That is a sound plan. I shall go to free the imprisoned at first light tomorrow."

There were many unhappy faces at that prospect. "But if you leave, who will stop the Witch?" asked a fox.

"We will," said Natsu with confidence. "Me n' Luce almost beat her before. With everyone else helping it'll be easy."

"Yes, but then she underestimated you," said a centaur. "She will be better prepared this time."

"Last time she also only fought Natsu and Lucy," said Erza. "With all four of our combined strength we can and will defeat her."

The Narnians, however, didn't seem convinced.

"Peace," said Aslan. "I agree with this plan, and shall leave at first light. Fret not, I leave you in capable hands."

"You might have some trouble navigating the palace," said Lucy sheepishly. "We might have gone a bit overboard when we were storming the castle."

"What do you mean," asked the centaur who had spoken before.

"We mean we pretty much left it in ruins," said Gray nonchalantly.

"Aye," Happy agreed. "It's got more holes than Natsu's brain."

"Hey," said Natsu.

The Narnians looked incredulous.

"Now that that's' settled," said Erza, as she leaned over the map on the table. "Let's talk strategy."

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It was agreed that the fact that Aslan was leaving was to be kept secret to till after he was gone in order to prevent the Witch from finding out through any means. Scouts were reporting that the Witch's forces were moving restlessly. They were sure to attack soon, if not the next day.

Despite this, the Fairy Tail group was all but ordered to get some sleep that night so they could be ready for whatever the next day might bring. But within the tent Lucy shared with Erza, the Stellar mage found that she could not sleep. Worries about the coming battle kept creeping in to her thoughts, making it her restless.

Deciding to take a walk to clear her head, she quietly slipped out of the tent (by some miracle not waking the Titania).

She wandered to the edge of the camp and sat on a rock to gaze up at the stars. The stars and constellations over Narnia were different from the ones over Earthland, and she absently wondered if Narnia had it's own version of the Celestial Gate Keys.

"Cant' sleep?" said a voice behind her."

She let out a startled yelp and turned around. Spying Natsu just behind her, she gave a half-hearted scowl. "Don't sneak up on me like that."

"Sorry," he mumbled as he moved to sit beside her.

Lucy glanced at her partner, confused. It may have been her imagination, but she felt like he might have been avoiding her ever since the initial excitement from when she was freed from her stone state had worn off. And now he was sitting moodily next to her, glaring at the ground and being far too quiet for her liking.

"Is something wrong, Natsu?" she asked.

"Why did you do it?" asked Natsu quietly.

"Huh?" she asked confused.

"Why did you jump in front of me like that?" he asked. Suddenly he was gripping Lucy's shoulders and looking her in the eye. "We could have lost you forever, like the other Lucy. So why did you do it?"

Lucy had to blink several times at the fact he even needed to ask. "Isn't it obvious?" she asked. "We're partners, best friends, I care a lot about you, that's why I did it. I couldn't stand by and watch you get hurt if there was something I could do to stop it."

She then looked thoughtful. "Though there are a few other reasons," she said quietly. "For one thing you're always the one saving me, I want to return the favor whenever I can. We can't be partners if we don't watch each other's backs. And for another reason…" she trailed off and looked ashamed.

"What," asked Natsu.

She looked down and refused to meet his eyes. "I-I'm so much weaker than everyone else on our team. You're stronger than I could ever hope to be, you and the others have a much better chance at saving Narnia. And if we lost you... It was a better choice to have you than to have-"

Natsu grabbing her chin and forcing her to look him in the eye cut her off. "Don't you ever think that about yourself again," he said in a low dangerous voice.

"Eh?"

"Don't you DARE consider yourself worth less than the rest of us!" he was almost shouting now. "Don't you EVER think of yourself as weak again! You hear me! You're one of the strongest people I know!"

She was taken completely aback. "But I-"

"Sure, you're not on the same level as me, Erza, or the stripper" he said cutting her off again. "But you come with us into situations of that level anyway. Even when you're in over your head, you give it your all and you over come whatever obstacle is put in front of you. Sure, you need help from us sometimes, but that's part of what being on a team is about."

Lucy couldn't find any words to say. She just continued to gape at Natsu in shock.

"Don't you get it?" he asked. "WE take on situations that are our level and overcome them. YOU take on situations way out of your league and still manage to win and stand beside us in the end. That makes you the bravest and strongest person I know!"

Lucy was flabbergasted. No one had ever said anything like that to her before. Tears began to spill from her eyes as she threw her arms around Natsu in a hug. "I'm sorry," she whispered into his shoulder.

Natsu hugged her back. "Don't ever do something stupid like that again, okay. You're too important."

"I promise," she replied.

They ended up staying like that for a long time.

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The next morning Natsu woke up to the sound of giggles, and muffled snickers. Opening his eyes he looked up to see Gray and Happy grinning down at him.

"Had a good night?" asked Gray in amusement.

Natsu looked around to see he was slumped against the boulder he and Lucy had been sitting on the night before. Next to him asleep with her head resting on his shoulder, and his arm around hers was Lucy. The two of them had ended up stargazing after their discussion that night and fell asleep under the stars.

It was then that Lucy began to stir. She sat up and looked around. When she noticed the position she and Natsu were in she froze, and her face turned beet red.

"They liiiiiiike each other," said Happy teasingly.

"Shut it cat!" Lucy shouted.

"But you loooove him."

"That's IT!"

Lucy jumped to her feet and began chasing Happy around, but the Exceed flew just out of her reach. Gray laughed uproariously as he watched. Natsu just continued to sit by the boulder wondering what just happened.

"Your Majesties!" came a shout.

They all turned to see a rabbit running towards them. It stopped in front of them panting for breath. "The scouts on patrol have just reported in. The enemy is preparing to attack! They'll come at any moment!"

The four of them traded a quick glance. "We'll be ready for them," said Gray. "Where's Erza?"

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A/N Sorry, more talking this chapter, and some NaLu fluff. This is about as much of that as you're gonna get. I figured that since Lucy pretty much sacrificed herself for Natsu, they might have a few issues that needed resolving. Though I wish someone would tell Lucy this in the canon. Also When Natsu said the other Lucy, he was talking about the future version of her who was killed by the future Rogue. If where I left off isn't a big clue there's gonna be plenty of action in the next chapter. I can't believe I'm almost done with this.

Keep calm and Review on.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.