Author's Notes: Truly a one shot. Came out in like a hour, nothing huge to say about that. Just...me having fun with a theory...if you are not up to date on the manga...you will be lost. Sorry. So...I guess there are slight spoilers here. Not a finished work (not really supposed to be either). Just a "what if." Rather like "Natsu's mental ramblings" from earlier. So...here we go:

"Alone no more"

Natsu looked over in concern to his partners. The infection seemed to be spreading rapidly, if the sweat starting to pour off them and the labored breathing was any indication. But for the moment he was stuck. He couldn't afford to leave and fight with her here vulnerable. Happy wasn't in any condition to move. Lucy either...

Damn.

He didn't expect them to be that fast in tracking them down. Apparently they where smarter than he gave them credit for. He needed at least a hour before they where stable...

Could he buy that time or would leaving them chance that the others of the group find Lucy and Happy? It would be best if they stayed put. He didn't DO staying put, very well. Never had. Looking up he nodded and quietly pushed the eves aside. Sticking his head up through the hole he nodded and placed Happy up inside first along with their packs. Carefully he picked Lucy up and eased her up next before climbing up himself. Lucy moaned softly at the movement, no doubt she was starting to feel the pain, a burning from the infection...Wendy wasn't here...he would have to watch her fever too. Pretty much denoting that he wasn't going anywhere now.

Shaking his head he carefully rearranged the eves and sat down to wait. Lighting a flame over his palm he inspected his two invalids. The black swirls crawling along their back was a bit upsetting. But what could he do?

What other choice did he have?

His ears perk as the search parties barge into the room below. Eyeing through the cracks he frowns down at the scruffy men. They would be no match for any of them if his partners where at one hundred percent. Of all the times for them to pick a fight with him. Their job had been easy, too. Lucy was happy, rent was covered, he actually got PAID the FULL amount to destroy things...Happy had a entire fish to himself too. Then promptly feel asleep.

He and Lucy had time to talk about a lot of things. Dark green eyes take a pensive cast as he absently tracked the hunters tearing about the room. She had been surprised but not scared. That had made him feel really good. They knew that everyone else wouldn't understand as well..but, after a long look into both of his eyes, she believed him and that had made his heart soar.

Maybe he didn't have to be as alone as he thought.

He winced as the searchers turned over this and that about the room. He felt sorry for the inn keep. This was a rather nice place. Hopefully nothing broke and he could right it before he left to beat their ass for being shit-heads. Glancing back over he growls softly.

It was only a matter of time he just had to be patient and he might be unstoppable if they don't survive the night due to this B.S. He'd chosen this Inn specifically, because of it's comfort...they both needed it for their best chance at survival.

He survived, so had Gray for that matter, the ass-hat. Happy and Lucy where stubborn and strong too. He knows they will be OK.

If only that chance of not surviving didn't bother him so much...scrubbing his hair he waits patiently for all traces of their searchers where gone before climbing down, resetting the room ever so quietly and rearranging the invalids with care. Settling himself up against the door he dozed on and off for the rest of the night.

"Natsu. Natsu! Wake up!" he felt his shoulder being gently shaken and the familiar smell of honey-vanilla tickle his nose. Opening his eyes he grins at the soft brown eyes that looked at him with such concern.

"Uh...huh? Luce? Y-you're ok!?"

"Yep! I feel great! A bit tired...but I'm alright. I'd never heard of such a sickness but...you did a great job taking care of us. Happy is still sleeping, though." she kneels next to him and he takes a deep breath as he looks over at his little friend. He sighs and hugs her close. He hadn't realized how tense he had been about the whole thing until all the tension from his body drained.

They had made it.

He wouldn't be alone now.

Lucy smiles at him. "Lets get our stuff and get out of here. We'll probably need Wendy to check us out though, just to make sure." She grabbed her case and picked up Happy who sleepily murmured before curling even more tightly into her arms. Natsu grabbed his back pack as he headed down the stairs to pay. He would not let her pay...not this time.

Standing outside the door he slung his pack on and grins as Happy awakened and began to fuss at the blonde. Looking up he caught the scent of those ass holes from last night. Seems they where still around.

Good.

He needed to work off some energy. But first...food.

Natsu watched them both carefully for any negative after effects. Seeing none on the surface he blinks.

Turning his Sclera black and his irises red he looked again and smiled knowingly at what he found.

There hazing faintly into existence behind Lucy was a large pair of black wings with white scroll work on the bottom. He idly wondered if her tightly curled horns where a subconscious inspiration taken from Aries. Though she's probably deny it. He couldn't ever be sure what happened when he infected someone. After a time he'd figured out those that where around him the most and comfortable with him survived more often than not. But that was it. A few went insane...had to put them down and burn it out of them, but that wasn't too hard...her scent came waifing back to him and he smelled the soft smoky undertones making her usually bright vanilla smell closer in incenses. He would need to hug her more to help camouflage that change from the others for the time being...Truth be told he thought she would've had a harder time...but then there where manythings mysterious about Lucy and her Mother. Maybe she wasn't fully human to begin with. That would certainly explain how well she took it and that she seemed so mentally stable after the entire thing.

Lucy's hidden form seemed content to sleep for the moment. The same seemed to be true with Happy and his oddly speckled wings. But that was just fine. They wouldn't know how to handle them yet any way. He'd almost had a fit when he thought Gray had turned due to his father's interference. But all turned out well in that regard.

They would be ready now.

Stronger, for what was to come. The next battle would not be so nice and he'd be damned if he lost more *this* time around.

"Natsu! Stop staring into space! Let's go! I'm hungry!" Happy crowed from where he levitated. Lucy too looked amused at him.

"AH! Sorry! Yeah! Let's eat!" he hurried after them but stayed a bit back from them. "And then lets hunt those jerks down and beat some ass!"

Author: So yeah. My not nearly as Angsty take on a E.N.D. I'm just playing around! Seriously. I just wanted to see where the idea would go when I got tired of crying and feeling like crap over all the E.N.D. Angst i've been reading. In this he's more lonely than evil. Though obviously he's not a saint. The other Demons are ass holes bent on world destruction which isn't his cup of tea at all (any more) he just really wants to give Zeref what he wants and move on. If you destroy the world what the hell are you going to do after wards huh? He kind of sees it as stupid. And ruling the world is WAY too much responsibility. He'd much rather run around having fun and destroying stuff. If you want to know where I got the idea of an infection...well it has to do what Etherious in FT means and then the demon particles that appeared in the Tarturus arc. It wasn't that huge of a jump.