For you my lovelies...I think you're going to be so happy. :) Look to Deathsembrace137 for the next update!


Hiro Mashima owns Fairy Tail.


CHAPTER 12: COME WAKE ME UP

I came to slowly, the sound of rustling filtering through the silence, then a man sighed deeply, shifting in a chair to my right. Farther off, I could hear the sound of water running, a shower maybe. My sense of smell came next, the teasing aroma of food, the stench of medicine, the familiar smell of my best friend...and the distinct scent of the woman I loved.

Suddenly, my eyes flew open, and I could see. I was in a room, the infirmary, I thought, and sitting off to my side was a welcome sight. I watched silently as Freed scrubbed his hands down his face and yawned, and then his eyes met mine. He froze, his mouth dropping open as he moved to the edge of his seat.

"Laxus? Can you hear me?" Shock and hope warred with one another in his eyes, almost as if he wasn't certain what to feel or how to react.

My mouth was so dry, feeling like I'd spent the last day rolling cotton around in there, and I wondered if I'd be able to respond at all. I opened my mouth, testing my ability to speak and managed to croak out, "Yeah."

I watched as his face broke out into a massive smile, his eyes becoming shiny, and he reached forward to grasp my hand. "We weren't sure if..."

Normally, I would have pulled back from such open shows of emotion, but I could see how worried he'd been. I gave his hand a quick squeeze, and rasped, "Water."

He nodded, standing to his feet as he brushed a hand across his eyes. He hurried over to me and reached behind the top of my bed. I heard a latch shift, and then he was raising the top half of the bed up. "That better?"

I nodded and he moved to a table and poured a healthy amount of water into a small glass, before moving quickly over to my bed. I reached for the glass and found myself struggling to hold it steady. I was still a bit groggy, my body weary, and I realized I wouldn't be able to manage it on my own at the moment.

Freed seemed to understand the problem and steadied the drink in my hands, helping me bring it to my lips. "Slowly now."

I tried to do as he'd said, but I was so thirsty and within moments, I had drained the glass. He took the empty cup from me, setting it on the table beside my bed, before turning to me again. "I'm so glad you're back. I can't believe I'm actually standing here talking to you."

Opening my mouth, I tried again to speak, and when nothing happened, I cleared my throat and tried again, "How...how long have I been out?"

He sat back down and got comfortable before answering, "It's been weeks."

"Weeks? I've been asleep for weeks?" I was stunned. I hadn't been able to judge time, but I'd never considered it had been that long.

"Laxus, we managed to bring you back that day, but you've been a coma ever since."

I licked my lips and sighed. "So, I did die." Suddenly, my eyes widened, and I panicked. "Lucy? Is she alright?"

He smiled at me. "She's fine, Laxus. She's been here almost constantly."

I stilled, struggling with his words, wondering what it could all mean. I remembered hearing her voice many times, but I hadn't been sure if she'd truly been here or if my mind was playing tricks on me. Now, to find out it had really been her all those times... "She was really here," I whispered to myself.

"She's taken to spending the night here with you."

I blinked at him in surprise. "Every night? She's been here every night?"

Freed's smile widened and he nodded. "Yes, every night. She said she couldn't sleep unless she was beside you. She cares about you, Laxus. A great deal, in my opinion."

My heart clenched in my chest, and I closed my eyes. How long had I longed for her to see me, to return my feelings for her. Was it finally going to happen? Could this all be real?

"How do you know that, Freed? How can you be sure?" I asked softly, opening my eyes again to look at him. I was so afraid to believe it was true.

His face softened at my uncertainty, and he placed his hand on my leg, giving it a quick reassuring squeeze. "I've spent a lot of time with her since that day. She was so torn up over what happened that she wasn't taking care of herself, not eating, barely sleeping-"

I stopped him, worry clouding my mind. "She's not eating?"

"She is now. I've been making sure she does."

Relief swept through my being. He had taken care of her when I couldn't. The thought struck me hard, and I found I couldn't speak for a moment as the weight of what he'd done for me settled into my mind, so I nodded at him. He'd never know how much that meant to me.

Yet somehow, he did. Somehow, he knew just what I'd want him to do in my absence. I couldn't have asked for a better friend, and I knew I'd never be able to repay him for this gift. My eyes watered, and I turned away, taking some time to compose myself again.

He continued talking, almost as if he knew I needed a moment, picking up where he'd left off. "When she found out you'd survived the attack, she fought so hard to get to you, even though she couldn't walk. We had to make her stay home and rest."

My brow furrowed in concern. She hadn't been able to walk? Had I not blocked the attack enough? "Freed, how badly was she hurt?"

"She was bruised, banged up a good bit, but nothing serious. She was just worn out and with what happened to you, her body just kind of shut down."

I nodded slowly and said, "I can't believe she was trying so hard to get to me."

He laughed lightly, and explained, "Laxus, she snuck into the guild one night to see you. I found her the next morning, asleep in the chair beside your bed. She had walked all the way over here during a rain storm."

"I wish she wouldn't do things like that. She could get sick." I hated that she'd put herself at risk that way, but I couldn't deny the pleasure I felt at finding out she had wanted so badly to be with me. For the first time in so long, it felt like there was hope. Maybe not a blazing fire, but a spark, nonetheless.

"All she's cared about since the day you saved her life is you, Laxus. No one has been able to convince her to do anything different. She's just been completely determined to stay right here."

Dazed, I simply shook my head. I didn't know what to say. Did this mean what I wanted it to mean? Could she honestly feel something for me? It seemed so impossible after all that time I watched from the sidelines. "I don't understand, Freed. I thought she was interested in Natsu."

He snorted a bit, his eyes crinkling up as he smiled. "Apparently not. In fact, the two of them got into a rather big fight not too long ago. They were on a job she didn't even want to go on, and he ended up damaging a lot of property." His face turned serious, his eyes touched with sadness. "She came back crying because she was going to have to go out on another job, and she didn't want to leave you again."

"Wait a minute. He torches stuff on nearly every job they go on. Why would that cause them to get into such a big fight?" It just didn't make sense to me. That was pretty much Natsu's MO - the guy found it impossible to restrain himself, and though it had irritated Lucy in the past, she'd never been persistently angry over it.

"From what she said, the fight was more about him continually telling her that everything was going to be fine. He didn't understand why she was so upset and worried about you, and she didn't take too kindly to him trying to convince her that things always work out."

I frowned at that. I could understand why Lucy would have reacted negatively to such a statement. She had a history similar to mine, our pasts littered with loss. There was no way either of us could ever see things as positively as Natsu. We had lost our innocence a long time ago. We both knew that it didn't matter how much you wished and hoped and prayed. Sometimes bad things happened, and there was nothing you could do about it.

Thinking on what had happened with her family, I suddenly realized how hard this would have been for her to deal with. Even if she'd never known how I felt about her, she would have struggled with the possibility of a guild member dying. It was just the kind of woman she was. "Damn. How is she doing with all this?"

"It's been...hard. She's had a lot of guilt that you were laid up like this. She felt like it should have been her, though she hasn't said anything recently about it. Of course, she could just be keeping it to herself so I won't worry," Freed explained, shrugging his shoulders at the last.

I shook my head fiercely. "No. There isn't a chance in hell I'd want her in this bed instead of me. Even if I knew I'd never wake up, I wouldn't regret what I did."

His face lit up again. "That's what I told her you'd say."

"Good, I don't want her feeling like that."

"You know, she's had me telling her stories about you. She kept saying that she wanted to get to know you."

I groaned loudly, asking, "Freed...what did you tell her?"

"Nothing too embarrassing," he laughed, enjoying my nervousness. He watched me carefully, his face turning serious. "She asked for a story about your feelings for her. She wanted to know how long."

The air went out of my lungs, and I knew what he would say next. "What did you tell her?"

"The truth," he said simply.

I nodded. He was right. It was pointless to keep it secret anymore. She knew how I felt about her, had known for weeks now. Still I couldn't help but worry. Lucy knew my closest kept secret, and she had the power to destroy me if she chose to.

Sure, Freed had said a lot of things that made me hopeful of a future with Lucy, but I was far from certain of the outcome. I loved Lucy. There was no doubt in my mind, but there was always a chance that she wouldn't feel the same way. Freed believed that she cared for me, that her actions showed she wanted to give us a chance, but what if that was just her concern for me? What if, now that I had awakened, she realized she was just worried for a guild mate?

Freed seemed to see the questions in my eyes, because he jumped to assure me again. "Trust me, Laxus. I have watched her for the last few weeks, and I know she cares about you. I know it's hard for you to believe after all this time, but I promise you. I'm not wrong about this." Then he glanced off to the side of the room toward a door and smile. "You'll see soon enough"

I released a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding and allowed that tiny burgeoning bit of hope inside me to grow. It was terrifying to hope again, to dream of having Lucy with me, but maybe he was right. Maybe I could have everything I wanted.

Then I realized what he'd said. You'll see soon enough. Did that mean she was here? "What do you mean, Freed? Is she here?"

Suddenly, a door to the left opened, and a voice filtered through. "Freed, I left plenty of hot water for you if you want a shower."

Then, there she was, the woman I'd loved for so long and never thought I could have. My breath caught in my throat at the sight of her, everything in me longing to jump from the bed and sweep her up into my arms. She came in drying her hair, her eyes trained on my green-haired friend, and then she seemed to notice that something was different.

Her head turned towards me and our eyes met, and I could swear the world stood still as the towel dropped from her hands and her eyes widened. I could see the shock on her face, disbelief following just after it. We stayed frozen, neither of us seeming able to make a sound until the tears began to trickle down her face.

I sucked in a sharp breath. No, don't cry. I didn't know what to do. Why was she crying? I glanced over to Freed, but he was no help at all, sitting there smiling at me like he knew something I didn't. Finding no answers, I turned back to Lucy, and panicked.

I wanted to call out to her, take her into my arms and never let her go. I wanted to brush away her tears and kiss her soft lips, but I couldn't. What if Freed was wrong? What if all she'd been doing was because of some horrible weight of guilt, or a misplaced sense of obligation to me? I couldn't bear to see the rejection on her face if that's all it was to her.

To be so close to everything I'd ached for and be denied would destroy me. I had resigned myself to knowing that she would never be mine, but this was different. Now, there was a chance, and that sliver of possibility left me more vulnerable than I'd ever been before.

I blinked quickly, willing the sting in my eyes to pass before she could see just how much her presence affected me. If only she'd speak, say something to give me a hint of what she was thinking. Anything to tell me how she felt about me. I grit my teeth as I watched her, my heart aching in my chest at the sight of her sadness.

"Laxus.." she whimpered.

Then something happened inside me, my name on her lips some sort of catalyst, sending my mind reeling with sound. Suddenly, I could remember it all, every word she'd said to me while I was out. One after the other, her voice calling to me, pleading with me to return.

Keep fighting Laxus.

I want to know you. Please give me that chance.

I wish you told me, Laxus.

I...I miss you.

Don't leave me here like this.

I wish you could hold me right now.

Fight Laxus...come back to me.

Laxus...don't leave me. Please...

Please Laxus, wake up. I need you.

The words hit me like a punch to the gut, and I stretched out my hand for her, calling out her name, "Lucy."

A cry slipped from her mouth, and then she was running towards the bed. She threw herself at me, her hands clutching at my body as if reassuring herself I was really there. I closed my arms around her, ignoring the sharp pain in my side, and pulled her in closer until she was curled up on the bed next to me.

My eyes filled as we lay there together, and I tightened my hold on her, needing the reassurance of having her near me. I drew in a deep breath, pulling in the scent of her until I felt like I was drowning in it. She's here, she's really here with me. It was more than I had ever dreamed of, better than anything I'd ever experienced.

Glancing over to my friend, I found him smiling brilliantly at the two of us, completely unsurprised by her reaction. My heart swelled. He had helped give me this moment, and I owed him everything. 'Thank you' I mouthed to him, and he nodded, standing quietly to his feet and moving toward the door. He glanced back once more before he slipped from the room, giving us some much needed privacy.

I held her silently until her tears slowed, stroking my hand over her damp head. I sighed in contentment. I lay there, her wet hair chilling the bare skin of my shoulder, her tears soaking my chest, and her body pressed into my side, right into what felt like a bruised rib, but I couldn't care less. It was perfect, everything in that moment was perfect because she was in my arms and clinging to me like she never wanted to let go.

Unable to help myself, I pressed a kiss to the top of her head, keeping my lips there a moment longer than was necessary. "I can't believe you're really here," I whispered softly.

She shifted against me, snuggling into my side more securely before responding, her speech littered with sniffling, "I can't believe...you're awake. I was...so afraid...you weren't coming...back."

Her voice broke near the end as she began crying again in earnest. I held her as tightly as I could, my heart breaking at her pain. Freed was right. She did care, far more than I'd believed possible. I lifted her head up and laid a light kiss on her forehead. "It's alright. I'm here."

I continued to kiss along her brow, whispering to her, "Don't cry." A kiss to each eye, "I'm here...I've got you."

Slowly, her sobs quieted, and as I laid a kiss on her nose, she sighed, opening her eyes again to look up at me. My hand slid along her face, my thumb smoothing over her cheek. Her eyes shone with stunned happiness, and I nearly cried at the depth of emotion I saw there.

So long. I had given up hope of ever having her look at me like that, with anything other than a passing glance, and now, she had gifted me with something so incredible. In that moment, I was happier than I'd ever been, finally feeling like I had found my home.

And then she kissed me. Her lips pressed softly to mine, barely there and then gone again as she glanced up at me uncertainly. I stared down at her, my mind a mess of emotion. So much to sort through - shock, joy, desire, but I knew without a doubt what she would see in my eyes. Love.

I gazed down at the woman in my arms and felt overwhelmed. It still felt so unreal. She was everything I'd ever wanted, all I'd ever dreamed of, and here she was. I finally had her, and I wasn't going to waste another minute.

So long, I'd kept my feelings to myself, telling myself that I was doing what was best for her. The truth was, I was afraid. My love for her was like a gun in her hands, and I was far too afraid to give her the bullets she needed to finish me off. But no more. No more fear keeping me from what I wanted. Lucy deserved someone who truly loved her, and there wasn't a man alive that could love her more than I did.

That kiss we'd shared just before everything went dark flashed through my mind, and I knew. She was it, the one. There would never be another woman for me, and I was going to fight like hell to keep her by my side.

"Lucy," I whispered, her name like a prayer on my lips as I pulled her towards my face again.

Her eyes closed, her lips parting on a sigh, and then I sealed my lips over hers. I kissed her gently, lovingly, showing her with my mouth how much she meant to me. Her hand slid up my chest to my neck as she angled her head to deepen the kiss.

Her lips were so soft, her taste delicious, and I thrust my tongue into her mouth, desperately seeking more. She met my ardor with a shift of her body, her breasts pressing tighter to my body, and a groan climbed up my throat.

She stole my control away, reminding me of how long I had been without, how long my body had ached for her touch. I could think of nothing else but her, nothing but her mouth over mine, her hands moving over my heated flesh. She was everything.

Our kiss turned heated, lips and tongue and teeth, and I could feel my body responding. I pulled back, figuring we needed to call a stop to things before it got out of hand, but she pulled me back down, pleading, "Don't stop."

She kissed me fiercely, her mouth insistent against my own, and I relented. With a near feral growl, I gave her all I had, everything I'd held inside for so long. How could I deny her?

In that moment, I knew that she would always own me, both heart and soul. Even if one day, she came to love me, she would always be the one in control, because when it came to her, I had none. I wanted her more than anything else in the world, and that gave her all she needed to wrap me around her finger.

But I didn't give a damn. She could call the shots for the rest of our lives for all I cared, because I didn't need to be the boss. I just needed her.

If she could somehow find it in her heart to love me, I would give her anything she wanted. For once, I had hope for our future together, because now, I knew...I wasn't just another guild member to her. She hadn't stayed by my side out of guilt or obligation. I mattered to her.

And she didn't just care for me. Her kiss told me the truth...she wanted me.