A/N: I don't own Fairy Tail!
Sorry for the long time between updates. I've been very busy lately and you have my sincerest apologies.
WARNING: LEMON AHEAD!
Humidity hung in the air over the group's camp. They were close to their destination now, closer than Natsu was ready to admit. In less than a day he would know the fate of two people who meant a great deal to him. They wouldn't fail in their mission, they couldn't. Lucy's fate depended on it, and he wasn't about to let her down.
As the group sat around the fire, tension hung in the air. Every one of them was nervous, whether they cared to admit or not. Even happy was quieter than usual, not saying a word about Natsu overcooking his fish. The dragon slayer looked passed the fire at Mirajane. Her eyes were red and tired, a sure sign that she'd been crying on her solo walk. It had to be nearly as hard on her as it was on him.
"So what is the plan?" Erza asked, breaking the silence as she looked at Gildarts with serious eyes. He had managed to catch up with them when they had just made it out of Magnolia.
"First thing in the morning, we strike."
"That's it? No plan?" The crimson haired mage asked, cocking an eyebrow at the older man.
"I think we should approach as quietly as possible. From what I understand there will be many guards surrounding the castle. Still, with the three of us combined, we should be able to take them fairly effectively. After all, we are S-class mages."
"Hey, you've got me too you know." Natsu grumbled, folding his arms in front of his chest. He kicked his legs up, propping his feet on a log. "I may not be S-class, but I'm not totally useless."
"I'm counting on that Natsu." Gildarts confided, staring at the dragon slayer. "I want us to do this in pairs. Natsu, you will be with me. Erza and Mirajane, I think you two will fight well together."
"Sounds like a plan to me." The white haired mage nodded, leaning against the base of a large tree. "It's been a few years, but as much as we've fought with each other, I'm sure we will make a good team. After all, we know each others moves."
"That's right." Erza agreed.
"You didn't include me!" Happy pouted, folding his arms up to match Natsu's.
"You'll be with me, that's a given buddy." Natsu replied, offering him a quick smile.
"As soon as we get through the guards, we need to head straight for the heart of the castle. I say it's a castle, but it's actually more like a large house that's built like a castle. It's not quite what you'd expect." He pulled out some papers and handed each member of the group a pair.
"Is this a map?" Natsu asked, shifting the paper around trying to figure out which way to best read it.
"Basically. It's a floor plan. This is what Makarov had for me. He managed to get a hold of the group who built it and got it from them. It's relatively new, as far as structures like this go. It's only been completed for about six years."
"Six years, eh?" Natsu mumbled, staring at the floor plan intently. If nothing else, he could prepare himself by memorizing it.
"Is this room colored in here the room you expect him to be in?" Erza asked, holding up her own paper.
"It's the heart of the castle. From what I understand he never leaves it. It's set up like a control room. The place really is set up like a fortress, but if you notice, he made one mistake in the planning." The ginger wizard said, scanning over the group before him.
"What's that?" Mira asked, wondering what the mistake could be. These drawings were much better than anything she had ever done.
"You see the hallway marked around the room, and the bold black lines that connect it to the room? Those are doors into the control room, one for each of us."
"That's also four different doors he can escape through." Natsu noted, furrowing his eyebrows at the paper.
"Not if we corner him." Erza declared, clenching her fist. "I assume you mean for us to split up as soon as we reach the hallway and each take a room.
"You've got it. We'll approach as a group, then Natsu and I will go to the left as soon as we are inside, you and Mira take the right. This should be simple enough as long as we get our timing right."
"That means don't go barging in on your own Natsu. This has to be done as a team or it won't work." The Titania warned, glaring at the pink haired mage.
"What the hell?" He asked, returning her glare. "Why am I in trouble, I haven't even done anything yet!"
"Yet." Mira noted, folding her paper into a nice neat square and tucking it into the top of her dress.
"Alright, that's enough for tonight." Gildarts announced, releasing a large sigh. "We've got a big day tomorrow and we'll need our strength."
"Aye Sir." Happy agreed, nestling into the sleeping bag beside Natsu.
"Alright. I'm going to go for a quick walk. I'll be back soon." Natsu decided, standing up.
"Don't stray too far." Gildarts warned, casting him a suspicious glance.
"I won't. Don't bother staying up." He mumbled, wandering off into the trees before any one could protest. A familiar scent filled the air as he felt her hand around his wrist, tugging him backwards.
"I've missed you." He mumbled breathlessly as she pressed her body against his.
"I've missed you too." She smiled softly, slowly grinding her hips against his. "In more ways than one."
"We shouldn't do this Lucy." Natsu mumbled into the familiar blonde hair. The celestial mage's shaking finger tips slid up his back under his shirt. She tilted her head up and placed a small, soft kiss on his lips, nearly breaking his resolve.
"This might be the last chance we get, and I don't want to waste it." She pouted, pulling him closer.
"Don't talk like that." He sighed, running his hands through her blonde hair. It sent pain through his heart whenever she spoke of it. "I promise we'll stop him."
"It's not that." Lucy confessed, biting her lower lip. "I'm dead Natsu. What if when you kill him, I disappear?"
The dragon slayer frowned, staring at the blonde in the moon light. "That's not going to happen Luce. I promise you that won't happen."
"It doesn't matter." She shook her head as a small tear leaked out of the corner of her eye. Natsu wiped it away gently with the pad of his thumb. "When this is all over, I'm either coming back to you fully or leaving you forever."
"Lucy, what are you talking about?" He demanded, his heart pounding hard in his chest. He couldn't lose her, not after they had come so far.
"I think I found a way to come back. Well, not me exactly. Either way, it's going to work or it's not. And if it doesn't work I may not be here any more."
"I don't want to lose you. I can't even stand to think about it."
"You're going to have to. Natsu this, almost life, it's not something that's good for any one. If this is the only way we can be together, you're better off without me."
"Don't-" Natsu growled, his temper flaring. "Don't ever say you're better off without me. I died a million times over without you. I don't care if you feel like you're not enough. You will always be my everything."
"Natsu, I am dead. I may be here, but what is this life? I'm only here by the means of dark magic. Do you have any idea what that feels like? I don't want to be a monster, and in this form that's all I am. Can't you understand I hate this half-life?"
"Lucy," He said softly, his anger breaking. "I'm sorry."
"Don't be sorry and just give me what I want, okay?"
"Right here?" Natsu asked, looking at their surroundings. A forest was far from the perfect place for something of that nature.
"I know it's not perfect, but I need it." She released the breath she was holding, watching it fill the cool night air. "It's not that I'm horny or anything either. I just need to feel that closeness to you one more time before I go."
"We can do whatever you want..." He decided, gasping as he felt her hand slide into his pants. "Just no more mention of you leaving, or dying, or whatever you want to call it, not while we're doing this."
"Of course." She offered him a sad smile, gently rubbing his length. The celestial wizard slowly worked the waistband of his pants down. He picked her up and held her tight as she wrapped her legs around his body.
"You know, it's funny." He mumbled as he laid down against the cool leaves.
"What's funny?" Lucy asked, her voice muffled by his neck as she planted kisses against him.
"The past few weeks, since the house got demolished," He gasped as her smooth finger tips ran over his chest. She always knew just what to do to him. "Instead of talking to each other and enjoying each other's company, all we've done is worry about how long it will last."
"I'm sorry." She said, blush creeping across her face as she worked up the edge of her dress. "It's just been on my mind a lot."
"I know, and it's okay." He replied, grabbing the edges of her white lace panties. He quickly singed their edges in his hands, careful not to burn Lucy. They fell away effortlessly. "But no more."
"No more." She nodded in agreement, hovering above his erection. She bit her bottom lip nervously, as if she had any reason to be nervous with him. "And by the way, that was hot."
"Glad you liked it." He chuckled, grabbing her hips. The look on her face was more than enough to drive him crazy. "Now make love to me Lucy."
The dragon slayer threw his head back as she slowly slid down his length. The way her body took him in would never cease to amaze him. A small groan escaped his lips as he slipped all the way in.
"Natsu." She moaned softly. He ran his warm hands up her body, gently squeezing her breasts as she rocked her hips back and forth atop him.
"You look crazy sexy like this Luce." He confessed, staring into her deep brown eyes as he struggled not to buck up into her. "You're absolutely stunning."
"N-Natsu." Her blush deepened as her hands wrapped around his arms, her finger nails digging into his tanned skin.
"Hold on Lucy." He warned, grabbing a hold of her waist. The pink haired mage slowly shifted them so that he was sitting up with Lucy on his lap. He offered her a small smile before pressing his lips against hers in a warm kiss. "Much better. Is this okay?"
She nodded slowly, finding her rhythm again. The dragon slayer quickly attacked her neck, leaving a large purple love bite at it's base. He heard a whimper escape her lips as her finger nails dug into his back, pushing him to the edge. "Fuck Lucy." He groaned against her skin, kissing her neck again.
The blonde mage responded by moving faster, her nails dragging down his back. There was no doubt he would have marks across his back in the morning, a nice reminder. "I'm not going to last much longer." He warned, whispering into her ear.
"Almost there." She panted, her nails digging in deeper. A loud cry escaped the celestial mage's lips as she felt Natsu bite into her neck. The pain only served to intensify the pleasure, pushing her to the brink. White and pink stars crossed her vision as she felt herself come undone.
Feeling her walls tighten around him, Natsu thrust up into her without abandon, no longer willing to hold back. A low growl broke from his lips as he felt the familiar heat in his stomach release. He wrapped his arms around her back as he finished, shooting his seed deep inside of her with only one thought in his mind. "I love you."
"Natsu," She mumbled, resting her head on his shoulder. "I love you too."