Chapter 14

Natsu may have lost consciousness for a few minutes, but he could still hear Zeref before everything around him became kind of blurry. When the dizziness finally evaporated though, he saw the state Lucy was in, and he saw his broken phone. "Zeref," he muttered, his voice still a bit raw.

Natsu grabbed his phone, through the broken screen he could see Zeref had texted the address to Acnologia, with explanation of Lucy being there along with the elevator being ready for him. So when he found he finally had the strength to stand and the elevator was chiming open Natsu had no reason to be surprised.

"Well Natsu, looks like you can be useful," Acnologia said as he bent down next to Lucy's body. He rubbed her hair, and the action made Natsu all the more ready to punch Acnologia despite knowing Acnologia could kill him with his pinky.

Sting trailed in behind Acnologia and was the one to bend down and pick up Lucy in his arms.

"No," Natsu said walking forward at a bit of wobbling pace.

"You okay there Natsu?" Sting asked, as Acnologia kept his eyes on Lucy like a prize

Natsu bit his lip. "I'm fine, it's just she put up a fight," Natsu lied, knowing full well he couldn't get out of this situation by being friendly. When the opportunity arose he'd steal Lucy back, and together they would run away.

"Let's get her back to headquarters," Natsu said. Walking straighter now, he held out his arms in front of Sting. "Let me take her," he said.

Sting frowned. "You kind of look a little drunk dude."

"I'm fine!" Natsu yelled. Acnologia laughed evilly.

"Give the boy his prize, after all he did collect her for us. I'm impressed Natsu, you really are the dragon I met so many years ago."

Dragon, Natsu wondered if he really was the dragon that Acnologia claimed him to be. Zeref had said they had parents, and if Zeref really had been his brother in Fiore as he said, then wouldn't that make Natsu human. The whole thing wasn't making sense. Was Acnologia lying to them? Either way Natsu knew he couldn't trust his brother or Acnologia, and he had to get Lucy out of this before. . .

Natsu gulped, not wanting to finish his sentence.

Sting passed Lucy's drugged sleeping form over to him. She almost looked peaceful asleep, her eyes closed as she rested in slumber.

"Like sleeping beauty," Natsu mutter holding Lucy in bridal position against his chest.

"Yes, but when she wakes," Acnologia said. "She will be helping all of us, she'll be the one able to take us home."

The trio of them got in a car waiting downstairs. Rogue was in the driver's seat ready to drive them. Natsu held onto Lucy in the back, and he was ever grateful when Acnologia took the seat in the front. He couldn't handle the thought of Acnologia being so close to Lucy, not now when she was so close to her.

Lucy stirred a bit in Natsu's embrace. "Stay asleep," he whispered hoping her body would listen.

The car arrived at Acnologia's compound, a house on the outside of the city. Gajeel and Wendy were waiting outside, unreadable looks on their faces. Getting out of the car Natsu was careful to keep his grasp on Lucy as Acnolgoia and Sting walked inside, their eyes both still lingering to Lucy.

Gajeel frowned seeing her in her current state. "So you took her," he commented.

Natsu wanted to revert to fight and say it was his brother and had always been his brother, but he couldn't because the reason he'd even left in the first place had been to take Lucy. He hadn't expected to be so doubtful in all this, to tell her everything.

"Is she alright?" Wendy asked going to touch her forehead.

"She's just been drugged," Natsu confirmed. "So I think she's fine."

Wendy saw the sore spot on Natsu's head. She reached to touch it. "You're hurt," she confirmed.

Natsu frowned and pulled back. "It doesn't matter." Natsu held Lucy close. He had to get her out, he had to save her. But how when Porlyusica and Levy would be hurt or worse if he ran away with her, Natsu knew the consequences, but he also realized that now he suddenly cared a bit more, that Lucy had opened up a apart of him that Natsu hadn't seen before. And now she could die because of him.

"Natsu!" Sting called from the door. "Come on."

Natsu adjusted Lucy in his arms—his eyes looking at her softly.

"You like her," Wendy said, unsure what to make of it.

Natsu held her close. "Yeah, well it doesn't matter anymore, because no matter what decision I make someone is going to get hurt." Natsu walked past his two comrades, following inside to the place he knew it'd be almost impossible to walk out of.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

Glass doors opened for Zeref at the hospital, a nurse greeting him when he arrived. "Zeref, here to see her again?" she asked.

Zeref gave a smile. "Yes, I trust her care has been well this week?" he confirmed. The nurse nodded, signing off on some paper.

"Yes, but there's been no improvement as usual," the nurse said sadly. Zeref kept the smile on his face, already knowing that to be fact. After signing off on some paper Zeref walked the familiar route down the hospital floor, going to room he'd had booked out for several years now.

Opening the door to the room he felt the edge of a warm breeze blowing his way. The curtain flowing and the platinum blonde girl resting in the bed asleep.

Zeref went to take a seat at the bed next to the woman, the flowers next to her bed dying. "Looks like even in this world things die if I get near them," Zeref said. He touched the dying flowers, a steam snapping off.

Zeref looked back at the bed, the blonde looking peaceful in her sleep.

Zeref brought the fragile girls hands out from under the covers. "This world I brought you to," Zeref said, feeling the sadness eat a bit away at him. "It was supposed to be able to cure you, without magic you were supposed to have the curse broken, that's the whole reason I came here." Zeref petted her hand, circling the palm. "I know I can touch you here, but it isn't worth it, if you can't walk, and see this world that I brought us here to."

Zeref squeezed her hand, laying his head next to her sleeping face. "Hey Mavis, don't worry, you'll wake soon, trust me, you will."

Hey guys three chapters left, it's been a great ride and I appreciate all the readers of my story, look forward to the last few chapters mina! Again reviews make me smile so much, so I appreciate them XD