Hey all so I finally updated! Things have been crazy. . You know life, college, work, gah! But it is done! Enjoy and leave a comment- thank you 3!

"What type of ticket can I get for you sir?" A tall dark haired male gowned in a blue uniform questioned him as he stepped up next in line. It was obvious that he was not of magical origin. . .most people in this town were not. Sting glanced at him out of the corner of his eye. "Bosco." He said without hesitation. "The cheapest ticket you have, I honestly do not care if I have to ride in the baggage car."

The man seemed a bit flabbergasted and quickly typed a ticket and handed it to him. "Y-yes sir."

For a moment he froze before raising an eyebrow. "Say. . .aren't you that Sting guy from the Games?"

Sting snatched the ticket from his fingertips before smirking. "What if I am?" He asked and turned the opposite way toward the train. His feet sunk into the moist grass as he approached the cargo train that released steam from its spout. A train wail rang through the silence as people boarded on and off. Sting reached up to undo the knot tying his soaked cloak and let it drift to the ground behind him.

His muscled arms stood out in the darkened atmosphere. His pack swinging back and forth in his one hand as he stuffed his ticket into his pocket. A thick knife hung from the clip of his pant pocket and his necklace swung about his broad neck. He had gotten a new tattoo in the midst of the insanity before the guild was attacked. A long stretched out shape of a cat coiled around his forearm and to the bridges of his knuckles. A representation of Lector before he had been lost.

He boarded the steps two at a time and sat nearest to the window. Some of the women on the train stopped what they were doing to stare toward him curiously- but it didn't matter.

As the train began to move, Sting felt his stomach lurch and immediately his faced pallored.

"I forgot how awful this was. . ." He whispered to himself as the train chugged forwards slowly. Nausea wracked his system and he leaned against the window in a daze as his heart pounded in his ears. "I'll find her. . " He murmured under his breath as his eyes drifted shut.

"I'll find her."

"Lucy." He called out into the silence as he stood in a blackened space. Their connection had not been the same since he had been poisoned. But he had hoped she would be able to feel his presence. "Lucy. . ." he called again before resting his palm against his face. Tears welled up in the back of his throat and he slowly lowered himself to his knees on the dark floor. The darkness went for miles. It seemed to swallow his pale white figure as he pleaded for a miracle.

He had no idea how long he had pleaded into the silence before a soft pink blur danced in the distance. Sting stood immediately. . .hopefully. Had she heard him?

"Sting. . ." Her voice whispered bleakly into the silence.

"Don't come for me."

"What do you mean?" he called out and wandered to her voice as though he had become a blind man. He reached out for her- but she was not there.

He never received an answer. . .only silence, and the rattle of the train cars as he dozed in and out of sickness.

"Sting. .." Lucy whispered in her sleep. A soft light from the window awoke her and she curled her fingertips on her outstretched hand slowly. I miss you. She wished she could tell him. But from her position it was impossible. If Sting was to come, she knew he would not survive against Natsu. She hoped that her dream had been wrong and that he was still safe at the Guild. She rolled up from bed slowly and glanced toward the door. Natsu had fallen asleep on the hard ground with his head rested against the door. She eyed him once more- he was blocking the door from her escape.

She rose slowly from the bed, still dressed in her clothes from yesterday that were nearly dry. Lucy silently tiptoed across the cold tile to look out the window. It could easily be opened. She glanced back toward Natsu and then at the window. A three story jump was more inviting than being a prisoner to the Dragon Slayer for the rest of her youth. She eyed the cloak that hung in the corner and then at her own clothes. She was dressed in black and faded jeans and worn out boots from the journey. She placed her foot up in the window and glanced toward her keys. "Leo. .. " She whispered faintly as she hoisted herself into the sill. She looked back toward Natsu again before throwing herself from the window. She screamed as her heart leaped in her chest and her body snapped backwards as something snatched her from injury on the hard ground.

"Oh Lucy.. . I'm always saving you. . .it's fate!" A familiar voice teased and slowly lowered her to the ground. Leo appeared before her in his regular attire and raised a brow toward her. "Why must you always throw yourself from dangerous heights?"

"Leo .. . we have to leave!" Lucy hissed and grabbed for his hand to pull him along. Natsu appeared in the window- obviously awakened by her scream.

"Lucy!" He howled and jumped down from the window sill without a scratch. He landed with a plumb of dust and immediately started chasing the pair down.

"Ohhhh so that's who we're running from? Your old boyfriend?" Leo laughed and matched her pace so he could look toward her curiously.
"Lucy you certainly have your way with the men!"

"Leo. . .j-just help me get out of here!" Lucy was losing speed quickly and Natsu was almost upon her with outstretched fingertips attempting to snatch at her long blonde hair.

"Yes Milady." Leo grasped her around the waist and with a flashing glare the pair of them vanished from Natsu's hands.

"Damn. .. "Natsu growled and stared toward the sky as he swore beneath his breath.

"Lucy you lied to me!"

Lucy tumbled into an open field of flowers rather violently with a short scream. She rolled twice before slowing to a stop. "Oh thank god we out ran him." She laughed and threw her hands up into the air spite her dirt covered face. "Woooo!"

Leo drifted down beside her in a weakened state. "It took all of my energy to get us here. . .so I must return to the realm. Lucy we aren't far from where we were. . .he will find you again." Leo warned with a soft smile. He rested his hand against her cheek as she looked up to him with a grateful look. "Take care of yourself." "Thank you Leo." She sighed as he vanished into a golden cloud of sparkles that swirled around her and drifted back into the sky.

She glanced at her surroundings before resting on her bottom in the field of wildflowers. All around her colors of white and blue met her vision and she slowly leaned backwards to let the grass tickle her neck. She smiled up toward the sky as the sun beamed down upon her. She lived for moments like these. And feared for moments like what Natsu would do if he found her. She closed her eyes and began to form a plan to escape his clutches.

"Bosco. . .all off for Bosco!" The conductor shouted as the train lurched into the station. Sting couldn't be more grateful when it finally stopped and he nearly crawled to the front of the train before almost toppling down the stairs. He was paler than a ghost and felt dizzy with every step he took. This was Bosco alright. A wild city in the middle of nowhere- where magic was considered ridiculous- a sophisticated 'society'. He straightened his back up and took a deep breath of the air. There wasn't a scent of Lucy, but he could definitely smell the scent of the Dragon Slayer in the air. It was an overwhelming stench of fire, must, and sweat that he wished he could wipe from his nose. He walked slowly away from the train smelling deeper as he entered into the town. He glanced toward a nearby inn staring toward the front where a large indentation in the sanded ground caught his eye. As though someone had jumped from the window ahead that was still open. The smell was heavy here and he glanced down the street where the smell continued. People lined the streets but he weaved through them easily- concentrated upon his goal of finding Lucy. He had no idea how long he followed the scent but it must had been for a while because the sun was beginning to set in the sky. He assumed five in the afternoon. Then he reached the edge of town which appeared to be a grassy clearing filled with flowers.

And then he heard it.

A scream in the distance further down the clearing toward the edge of the woods.

Sting broke out into a sprint just to catch the tail end of the scene. Lucy's keys were scattered across the dirt of the woods as though there had been a shuffle. And he caught sight of pink hair as the man turned around with an evil smile. Her limp body lay against the base of the tree- knocked unconscious as Sting could still hear her breathing. He wanted to go to her side- terribly. And only one thing stood in his way.

"Natsu." Sting hissed under his breath. His eyes narrowed into slits and his back arched forwards as though ready to tear him to pieces.

"Oh Lightening. .. I was wondering when you were going to show up." He shrugged his shoulders and moved a little away from Lucy with a smirk.

"For her 'true love' you move pretty slow." Sting growled at his comments, knowing it was just a ploy to get him to act foolishly and rush into a fight.
"Maybe if I hadn't been poisoned." He straightened up and raised his brow.

"You've got a pretty big karma bill to pay for that." Sting glanced toward Lucy before narrowing his eyes toward Natsu. "And Karma's a bitch."

"Try me." Natsu laughed and stuck his hands out to the side as flames coiled around his fingertips.

"I'm all fired up!"

Sting growled and leaned back as lightning coiled around his lean frame.

"I've been waiting to kick your ass all week!" And he lunged forward toward him, extending his fist outwards in a punch aimed for Natsu's head. Natsu backed up and pressed his fists outward to release spiraling flames in his direction. Sting blocked with his forearm the flames from pressing against his face. The hair upon his arm singed from the heat of the attack. He frowned toward his arm. "That was a pretty weak attack." Sting commented before spinning his body to aim a kick toward his abdomen. Natsu accepted the blow before tilting his head back to laugh.

"Who said I was aiming for you?" He laughed as he took a few steps back to admire his handiwork. The forest around them was set ablaze- the blow Natsu had aimed for him encircling the tree Lucy lay against. He panicked and bolted toward her only to be kicked in the back and forced onto the ground.

He grunted as Natsu stomped on his back again, lightning running through his body to electrocute Natsu and force him backwards.

He turned to go to Lucy's side again, but Natsu's fire breath sent him to the ground again. He was only ten feet from her. He watched the flames nip at her hair and clothing- engulfing her with it's greedy tongue.

"Lucy!" He howled as he strumbled to his feet. A hard punch from Natsu sent him wheeling backwards again- and everything became dizzy.
"What's the matter Sting? It's almost like. .. you were poinsoned or something?" Natsu laughed and kicked him square in the chest. The blow sent him right next to Lucy and he quickly pulled her from the flames. He couldn't really see. . everything was becoming blurry.

"I'm going to melt both of you!" Natsu shouted as the smoke rose up to the sky.

Sting felt tears whell up in his swollen eye and he smelt Lucy near him. ..he had no idea what was going on as Natsu's final wave of fire came charging toward them but he held out his hands to protect her. His shoulder throbbed. .. his back ached. . .he needed to protect her. His hands pulsed.

"Rain?" Natsu whispered as his attack vanished.

And then the flames seperated before him. His vision peeled as he struggled to comprehend what was going on. And then he felt it. Rain showered above them. Powerful, drowning rain that pulsed against his burns and stomped out the fires that had begun to spread throughout the forest. His lungs held onto their air and he revived. Sting glanced up toward the sky as the rain pelted his face- running through his long blonde locks and kissing his cheeks.

"You know what they say Natsu!"

Sting shakily stood up as Natsu took a step back.

"With rain. . .there's always. . " A loud boom of thunder shook the ground, and a crack of lightening filled the sky that shot straight down toward sting as though he was a lightening rod. The energy pulsed through his body and he growled in agony as the power became too much. He had to control it. .. he had to!

"LIGHTENING ATTACK!"

He screamed as the lightening tore through the scenery- toppling trees that was in it's way and Natsu screamed as he covered his face in a block. The scene eclipsed into white and everything went black again.

Smoke swirled from both of their figures before they both fell backwards in a tie. Sting felt paralyzed as the rain clouds disappeared and left the open sky before him. He had no idea how long he had laid there before he rolled up and shakily stood. He crawled over to Lucy and whispered her name and begged for her to wake up quietly. But only crickets answered his calls. He ran his fingertips down her burned clothing and ashened hair. Red blossomed down her neck in burns from the flames. His vision hazed once more before everything went black.

"Sting."

A voice called him from his blackened scenery. He just wanted to sleep longer.
"Sting." it called for him again and he slowly opened his eyes. He was back in the hospital again. The white walls and white flowers encased his bed.

"Rogue. .. " He whispered as the familiar face came into view. "You psycho." Rogue commented and shook his head. "You're back."

Sting nodded his head. HIs memories were blurred.

"Lucy?" His voice caught and Rogue smiled. His long black hair trailed across his eyes.

"Right next to you" He said softly and Sting sat up quickly. Wincing in pain as he turned his head. A sigh fell from his lips as he admired her. Lucy was coiled up in a medical bed. Fluids ran into her wrist from and IV. Her hair had been cut from where it was burned, and now hung around her ears. Bandages wrapped her neck but otherwise she appeared unhurt.

"You're lucky I followed you." Rogue sighed and rubbed the back of his head. Otherwise she wouldn't have made it without complications. . and neither would you!"

"What would I do without you?" Sting sighed and held out his good arm for Rogue to embrace him. "It means alot. .. " He admitted under his breath. Rogue's eyes widened in surprise, but he accepted the compliment and pulled back.

"Common. . .let's get you something to eat and out of the brace."

Sting slowly made it down the staircase. The guild members looked at him in awe as he crept down them one at a time. Obviously it was very painful based on his facial expressions.

"Sting did you really make it rain?" Gildarts broke the silence with a raise of his mug.

"Whatever he did. .. HE'S A MAN!" Elfman chorused and Wendy raced up to his side to further inspect the burns upon his shoulder.

Sting took his place at the bar as Cana sat beside him tousling his hair. "I'm just glad Lucy is okay." He sighed and food was hurriedly placed in front of him. Rogue remained at his side and asked for a drink.

He ate a few bites before thinking to himself outloud. "What happened to Natsu?"

Rogue placed a hand on his shoulder. "He's dead. .Sting." He whispered. Sting lowered his eyes and turned his head back to face Rogue.

"So I did kill him?" He mumbled. The guild went silent as the exchange occurred.

"No. ." Rogue whispered and lowered his eyes.
"I did."

"Rogue." Sting choked out and glanced at him in disbelief. "Why?" His voice caught in his throat.

"I caught him .. .coming up to you two while you were out. . I knew he was going to kill you." Rogue sighed and rubbed the back of his head.

"So I took care of him without thinking."

Sting nodded his head in understanding as Fro came to his side.

"I'll be leaving as soon as you and Lucy heal up."

Rogue turned his back toward him. "Afterall. . .who wants a murderer around?"

Lucy sat up slowly acknowledging all that had happened. She took a deep breath and nodded her head as a series of thoughts came back to her. .. memories.

She was in the medical wing again. She glanced upwards as the door opened and Sting walked through accompanied by Rogue. His eye was bruised. . but other than that, he was just as handsome as the last time she had laid eyes on him. She smiled and held out her hands to him as he approached her side to gather her in an embrace.

"I'll never let you go again." He whispered in her ear as she rested her chin against his shoulder. A smile laced her lips and she nodded her head and closed her eyes. Her heart fluttered in her chest and she met Rogue's glaze with smiling eyes.

She released Sting and slowly began removing the IV from her arm. "I want to see everyone." She whispered and they approached the door slowly. Both of them holding onto either arm. She was weak. . .they were all weak from the battle. . the strain. . .the stress. But it was over- for now. She moved down the hallway with the shattered picture frames and the broken balcony. And crept to the edge of the stair to look down upon the guild.

Everyone began to notice her presence and pointing toward her.

"LUCY!" Cries sounded from downstairs and she raised her hand. She leaned against the railing for support as she admired everyone from afar.

"This was a challenging event we went through. . .events .. . we've gone through to become who we are. This is something we will never forget, as we continue to build the legends here." She glanced toward Sting and Rogue and a smile formed on her lips.

"And I suppose all I have to say is this. . .we'll build again. . we'll fight again. . .BECAUSE WE'RE EXODUS!"

"EXODUS!" The guild cried and burst out into cheers as they went down the stairs. Lucy was embraced in hugs. Jellal glanced from the corner beside Erza in her cuffs. She stared blankly toward Lucy from a distance.

"You could always say sorry." Jellal whispered toward her as he noticed the look in her eyes.

"I'm sure she would understand."

"Maybe one day. . "Erza whispered.

Rogue glanced toward the door with hesitance. "I have to go Lucy. .. I broke the code."

"To save me." She whispered with a nod of her head.

"Please stay." she pleaded and he slowly nodded his head.
"We'll see if that statement still holds up the following month." he smiled faintly and placed a hand upon her shoulder.

All of Lucy's friends embraced her one by one and finally Sting held her once more. She stood up softly on her toes to meet his lips and everyone aw'd at the moment.

"Exodus. .. Fairytail. . .celestial knights. .. It doesn't matter as long as I'm with you." He smiled and laughed as her face blushed.

"So is this the happily ever after we were looking for?" She sighed and glanced toward the open door where a small girl appeared glancing curiously into the guild. She asked Gildarts softly.

"Is this Exodus?" And he nodded his head.

"You mean happily fairytail after?" He laughed and shook his head. "Nevermind. . I've never been good at puns."

She grabbed his hand.

"Relax! I've got you covered!"

The sun set on the job board as it was mounted up once more. The cheers of Exodus rang through the town once more. The civilians glancing toward it skeptically. A funeral was held for Natsu the following week. Lucy shared bittersweet feelings about the entire event and stayed up in her room. Regrettably, not many attended. Sting and Lucy began coordinating jobs for the guild and new members began to arrive. Exodus was signed up to compete in the next round of games- with a NEW host. And the guild was rebuilt. Everything was perfect. . for now.

Fin