The people of Fairy Tail wanted to party, but they also knew that more important things were going on. Makarov told everyone that he was working on a plan of action with the other guilds that he was still in contact with. He wanted everyone to be on the same page and hit everyone at the same time so no one would be left out or give them a chance to get help. Some wizards were more intent on the fight than others though, Kagura and Minerva both said that they had one particular person in mind that they wanted. So, while they worked everything out, the members of Fairy Tail had three more days to prepare for some intense fighting.

That night, Lucy lay alone in the hut that was in the center of the encampment. She tried to sleep, but she couldn't keep the memories from surfacing in her mind. Each time she managed to wipe one away another one would take its place, so she soon found herself curled in on herself on her side and crying. She heard the door open but didn't look to see who it was, she knew it was him.

Natsu took his place beside her, not touching her, and waited for her to see him. She didn't look at him, but after a few moments the tears quieted down enough for her to speak in a hushed voice so she didn't wake anyone else. "What are you doing here?"

"My best friend is crying and you ask what I am doing here? How fried is your brain?" He was just as quiet as she was.

"I thought you were sleeping?"

"Who could sleep with all the crying?"

"If you are trying to make me feel better you are doing a lousy job."

He gave a small laugh that made her look at him. "Oh, so you CAN look at me."

"Shut up Natsu." He gave her a smile and reached his hand out to place it just short of her hand, careful not to make actual contact. "Why are you really here?"

"I told you already."

She stared at him. He looked at her just like he did on any other normal day, but there seemed to be something else there underneath that. She remembered what he told her, she didn't think anyone else had heard it but she did. She wanted to ask him about it, if he meant it, but a part of her didn't want to hear him say that he didn't and that it was just to try to help her.

"I meant it, you know." He told her. Lucy's eyes widened as she wondered if he could read her mind somehow. He laughed quietly. "No, I can't read your mind, but I am pretty good at reading you by now."

"So you meant it? You really do…"

"Not only would I never lie about something like that, I would never lie to you about that."

"Why? After everything? How could you feel that way?"

"I don't know, I just do."

"Do you even know what love is?"

He was silent for a few moments. "I know that when you are not with me I feel like I am not whole. When you are hurting, I am hurting. When you smile, I sometimes feel like I might burst from the inside because of how happy I feel. I want you by my side always, Lucy, so that's what I do know."

Lucy felt her face flush but she couldn't look away from him. "You can't stay with me though. In fact, as soon as this is all over I am going to leave."

"Why would you leave? Don't you want to stay with us?"

"Of course I want to, but after everything I've done I can't. I can't face everyone anymore, especially poor little Asuka." She felt a tear fall again when she said the child's name.

"Asuka may not fully understand everything right now, but she will one day. And to just leave and not even give her a chance isn't fair. Not to mention how much trouble we went through to get you back, and you plan to just leave us again?" There was real anger there in his voice. She closed her eyes in a feeble attempt to hide from it.

"I'm broken, Natsu. And I don't know if I can ever be made right again, even with all of you around me."

"But to not even give us a chance is the same as just giving up altogether. And the Lucy I know would never give up like that."

"The Lucy you know is dead. She died the moment that man took her."

Natsu moved then, he placed a hand on the side of her hear gently. "She's not dead. She's right here! She just happens to be hiding under all the pain and horror she's been through these last several weeks." She opened her eyes and stared at him. "I am not going to let you just leave. But if you feel like you really need to then I will go with you."

"You can't do that! Fairy Tail is your family!"

"So are you." He moved his thumb to softly stroke her cheek. "I know that it will be rough for a while, but you can be healed from this. If you would just give us…give me a chance, then maybe you can be happy again. But you will never know if you give up before you even try." He pulled his hand down and took hold of her hand, twining his fingers with hers.

"What if…"

"No, no 'what if's' or any of that bullshit. I won't let you walk away."

"You might." Lucy gave him sad eyes; fill with all the pain she had endured. Natsu gave her fierce eyes.

"You know I won't."

She wanted to respond, but at the same time she knew that he was right. She knew him well enough to know that he would never walk away from a friend that needed help.

There was a silence that followed that, but it wasn't awkward. It was warm and filled with promises that had been unsaid but still felt all the same. Lucy finally felt her eyes get heavy and allowed herself to close them, but she never let go of Natsu's hand and he never left. When she drifted off to sleep she discovered that it was possible for her to have a dreamless sleep.

The next morning dawned with excitement filling the camp. Everyone was running around and getting ready to head out to fight, but Lucy was still in the hut. Several people had gone up to try to get her to come out, but she ignored them. There was some major shock when Natsu walked out yawning and scratching his head with sleep still in his eyes. Makarov almost had a heart attack, even though Natsu tried his best to explain to him that nothing happened.

Here and there were wizards practicing their magic and working on getting stronger, but there was one wizard that sat in silence and stared at the hut in the middle of the camp. With a heavy sigh he stood and made his way to the door and opened it.

Lucy jumped when the door opened, and then she held her breath when she saw Makarov standing there. He shut the door in silence and took a seat on the floor next to her. She was seated also on the floor at the back of the hut, her back tight against the wall. When he sat she avoided his gaze, but could feel his burning fiercely. "There is something I need to discus with you, child."

She risked a quick glance and saw that he wasn't angry with her like she expected after everything. "What do you need, sir?"

"I know you have been through much lately, but when we leave to fight, I want you to know that I hope you will fight with us."

"I was planning on it. But if it came to him I'm not sure how much good I will be." She turned away from him and moved her hands to the tops of her knees.

Makarov touched the back of her right hand, where her guild mark had been. "He really did a number on you. If Mira had been able to find the guild stamp you would already have your mark back."

"Why would you want me back? I killed people, I killed a guild member!" she snatched her hand back and cradled it against her chest. "I don't belong in Fairy Tail anymore, I'm not good enough."

"My dead child, you will always belong in Fairy Tail, with or without that mark on your hand. Because you will always have the guild mark etched onto your heart. Not good enough? Heh, I am the one that determines if someone is or is not good enough for this guild, and I say that you are."

She looked up at him through her eyelashes. "You still want me?"

"Of course! Now, when it comes to the upcoming fight there are a few things I would like to teach you. With that other lacrima still in your body, they should be doable for you."

For the rest of that day, and the following two days, Makarov and Lucy were shut in the hut alone with a constant feeling of magic power pouring out from both of them. The guild master had Freed place runes so they wouldn't be disturbed and so that no one could hear what was being said. Natsu tried to get in several times only to be blocked by the runes. By the end of the third day everyone was curious as to what was going on in that hut, but the guild master never said a word when he would come out.

When the sun rose after the third day, the members of Fairy Tail packed up everything that was vital and headed out. Makarov had a cart brought in and made sure Lucy was on that cart with him, along with more of Freed's runes. As then rolled down the road Natsu walked beside the cart with a sour expression, but at least he didn't try to get in.

All across Fiore, several groups of wizards were on the move. They each had a target area to get to and a specific day and time to get there. A few of the Fairy Tail wizards split off from the main group to meet up with other guilds, but with the main group was still the strongest members except for Erza.

It was time.

They waited a month, and a price was paid all over Fiore.

But now…they moved forward for a war they all itched for.