He was gone. He was actually gone.

Natsu Dragneel, the man who she had loved for her whole life, was ripped from her at that very moment. He and Acnologia had fired shots at each other at the same time, killing the both of them.

The war was over, but so was Natsu's life.

Lucy knew that there would never be another man like Natsu Dragneel in her life. He was strong, brave, compassionate, blunt, and a little whacky. He was always breaking into her room, she remembered with a smile, and she was always kicking him out. What she wouldn't give for him to come back now and break in the moment with a joke or a loud roar.

Natsu wasn't perfect, obviously. He had left her for a year to become stronger on his own, and Lucy was obviously hurt by this. Her scoffs and blunt words had spoken much more than she could ever say.

But more than anything else, he loved her with all of his heart. And with his dying breaths, he had said

Natsu had confessed to Lucy that he loved her for the first time. Although the words were never spoken before then, Lucy knew.

The gaping hole in his chest began to get larger.

"No! Natsu!" Lucy had said with a scream, running over to hold his hand.

"It's okay, Luce. I'll be fine," Natsu said with his signature smile, and Lucy began crying.

"No, you will not be fine! You'll die in just a few minutes!" Lucy said, and then began calling for Wendy with a fiery passion she didn't know she had. She had to save him!

Natsu simply touched her chin with his fingertips and pulled her close, touching her forehead to his softly. Lucy began crying as she remembered the last time she had seen him do something like this. It was hours before the future version of herself passed away. But now, it was this version of Natsu in this timeline, and he was dying.

Natsu pulled back and stared her in the eyes with a smile. Then, as the hole in his chest slowly got bigger, he opened his mouth to speak.

"I love you, Lucy Heartfilia. You are the best thing that ever happened to me. I'm so glad I met you in Hargeon all those years ago."

"Natsu! Please, stay!" Lucy wailed, grasping at his chest. But it was too late. He was already starting to glow and turn into starlight.

"I'll tell your mom hello for you," he said, and then in his last seconds he pulled her close into a kiss that would remain in her memories forever.

His lips were chapped and rough, but tasted like he smelled. They were warm just like Natsu always was, and Lucy's tears rolled down and Natsu tasted them on his lips.

"Goodbye, Luce," Natsu told her with a wave, and Lucy sobbed as Natsu disappeared completely.

Lucy cried out her agony, and Gray came over and put a hand on Lucy's shoulder.

As Lucy sobbed, she put her head on Gray's chest. Juvia watched, but did not say anything. She knew that Gray was hers and that her friend was just in distress.

"He's really gone, Gray," Lucy told him, looking into his eyes. Lucy was shocked to find that Gray was also crying out his pain, and they held each other and comforted each other.

The crying seemed to go on for hours. Each guild member showed Lucy their condolences and gave their own share of tears. Erza was resting in Jellal's arms, and even Gajeel's eyes became a little watery. The Raijinshuu came to talk to Lucy to share memories with her, and Laxus even made an appearance for a few moments. Gildarts also cried along with Lucy and told her that he considered her like his daughter like he considered Natsu a son.

"He…he really loved you, you know that?" Gray sighed, letting go of his tears for the last time. He had to be strong for Natsu and take care of Lucy like Natsu would if he were still here.

Lucy considered Gray's words were weighty for Gray, and Lucy knew that he meant them. He wasn't much of a crier, and even in these few seconds where he did cry he was always strong. Lucy always admired that about her fellow guildmate and teammate.

Natsu would want her to be strong. For her, for Fairy Tail, and for everyone around her. And he would always want her to know of his love for her, and he would want her to spread it to the rest of the people she knew.

"Yeah. I know," Lucy sniffed, rubbing her swollen belly in remorse. She and Natsu's child would never know their father. She still had yet to know the sex of the baby, but she would love it no matter what it was. It was Natsu's child, and she would always love the child no matter what.

As years passed, Lucy never married. When their child, Igneel, began asking about his father, Lucy merely smiled and told her son that he was a man of integrity, strength, and love.

And she would never forget the man who she met and fell in love with at first sight all of those years ago.