First off, I want to apologize for taking so long in updating this story. This chapter has given me quite a bit of trouble, and I'm not even sure why. lol I had things mapped out, what I wanted to happen, but then I got hung up on who's POV I wanted to do.

Now, thankfully, I've got it done, and it is a nice long chapter for you! On another note, a few of you have mentioned that you'd like Frosch to make another appearance, and I am happy to say that I'm bringing her back. Yes, I do realize that Frosch in the manga and anime is a boy, but when I started this story, no one knew his sex, so I made Frosch a girl. And after a lot of thinking, I decided to keep it that way. Hope you don't mind too much.

Also big shoutout to be Bestie, Nicole4211 for looking this and everything I write over so it won't suck royally! lol She keeps my head on straight and warns me if I'm getting too crazy. So give that girl a cookie! She's awesome!

And now, without further ado, here's the long awaited update!

Hiro Mashima owns Fairy Tail.

CHAPTER 35: HERE COMES GOODBYE

I stayed with Lucy like I said I would, stayed right beside her though I knew she was probably too far gone to even know the difference. In that moment, I couldn't have left her if my life had depended on it. I couldn't abandon her after what had happened.

It had broken something inside me to watch her, to see that desperation back on her face, to see terror swimming in her eyes again. I had done that. I'd failed her when she'd needed me most. I'd promised to protect her, to keep her safe from him, and I'd broken my word.

I drew in an unsteady breath as I lay beside her, my arm tucked beneath her fragile body, holding her just the way she liked. I hoped at least somehow, she knew I was still there. It was probably wishful thinking on my part. Lucy was in a deep sleep courtesy of Wendy, one with little chance of her knowing anything more complicated than her name.

Still, I found myself hoping that she would find comfort in my embrace. It was imperative that she understand I hadn't left her alone in the darkness of her mind. I hadn't abandoned her. I wanted her to know that I'd stayed right by her side every second she was gone. I needed her to know that I hadn't failed her again.

And so, I waited.

Time passed slowly, the minutes ticking by in a tedious crawl. It was the most nerve-wracking situation I'd ever endured, the wait becoming more interminable with every passing moment. I was ready for Lucy to return, ready for those deep brown eyes to open and meet mine. There was an inexplicable need to know she was okay, and if I was honest, an equally desperate need to know she had forgiven me.

I didn't deserve it, truth be told, but how I longed for it. I couldn't bear to lose her faith, not now. But it wasn't fair for me to expect that. I'd made a mistake, an error in judgement that I could never take back. And now, I knew I'd earned her scorn. I'd earned every ounce of derision she could decide to unleash upon me.

And still, I couldn't stop thinking about it. She'd trusted me so emphatically, believed in me with everything she had. Now though, how could she do that? How could she possible look at me and trust that I'd keep her safe? I'd nearly gotten her killed, and not only her but several people she loved.

I lifted a hand to my face, pressing gently against my eyes. There was no point in wondering what would happen when Lucy awoke. It wasn't going to make her come around any sooner, and it was only serving to make me even more tense than I was before.

A heavy sigh burst from my mouth as I cast my gaze around the room. It was quiet, the lights turned down low to accommodate the remaining patients of the young dragon slayer. It had been like this for the last hour, and it was quickly becoming more than I could take. I needed a distraction, something to take my mind off the fact that Lucy was still not waking up.

But there was nothing for me to do, no one for me to talk to. Of the four that had been brought here, only Lucy and Natsu remained, and while I appreciated what the fire slayer had done to save Lucy, I'd had very little interaction with him. The last time I'd seen him was in the hospital, and that encounter had left something of a bad taste in my mouth. Since then, I'd spent time with no one but Gray and Cana, but neither were here now. The brunette, along with the small blue-haired girl had been released earlier, and Gray had left to tend his friend with the firm understanding that I'd contact him when Lucy awoke.

I'd understood his need to care for the other woman. His guilt ran deep, deeper than my own perhaps because he loved each and every person that had gotten hurt on what he felt was 'his watch'. It wasn't so tough for me. I didn't have that kind of connection with any of them but Lucy.

The moment the thought crossed my mind, I knew it was a lie. I was connected to them all because of Lucy. They were her family, and her feelings for them had ensured their importance in her life and by extension, mine. Cana especially had made an impression on me, and it wasn't just because Lucy seemed to care so much for her. I'd seen the woman in action, watched her put Lucy at ease in a situation that could have been difficult for the blonde. The brunette had considered her friend first before her own feelings, and that was something rare and commendable.

It was all so strange for me, considering all these people I didn't even know. That wasn't me. I didn't get involved like this, and yet here I found myself completely immersed in the heart of Fairy Tail with a woman I'd known for only a handful of days. It was almost incomprehensible to me that it had been such a short time. It seemed like so much longer.

My life had changed the day I'd found Lucy in that alley. In the beginning, it had just been about doing the right thing, just saving her life. Then she'd latched onto me at the hospital like I was the only boat in a sea of rising tides, and I'd been unable to turn her away. The look in her eyes was one I'd recognized, one that had haunted my dreams for years.

In the end, I hadn't been able to leave her to her fate. I couldn't bear to have another mark on my soul, couldn't let this once vibrant woman fade away into the darkness. And now, I was tied up with her in ways I hadn't known I could be.

For so long, I'd fought to keep myself on the outside, distancing myself from anyone who thought to get close to me. I'd refused to care about anyone else. Sting, Frosch, and Lector had been enough, and even they were only allowed so near. But Lucy was different somehow. She'd gotten under my skin, slipped right on past the shield I'd erected around myself and made me care.

It was a startling realization, one that would normally have me retreating, but I couldn't do that to her. I couldn't withdraw from her just because it made me nervous. And quite frankly, at this point, I wasn't even sure it was possible anymore.

I shook my head at the odd thoughts that had begun congregating in my brain. I seriously needed to find something to do.

Just then, the door to the infirmary opened, squeaking quietly on its frame, and a silver-haired woman peered through, eyes scanning the room before coming to a stop on me. She gave a small, tense smile, then waved me over.

I arched a brow at her, but did as she'd requested. Slowly, I extricated myself from Lucy and slid from the bed, taking a moment to pull the covers back up over her shoulders before heading toward the other woman. By the time I'd reached her side, her lips were curled into a soft smile, one that looked strangely affectionate. It was enough to have me glancing behind me to see if Lucy had woken up, but seeing the blonde lying there so still, I realized it wasn't that and turned back, more bewildered than ever.

The smile was still present on her face when our eyes met, and I couldn't help flashing her a look of confusion. Her lips lifted even higher at my expression. She seemed almost pleased at my reaction, like she knew something I didn't, and that annoyed me to no end.

Finally, before I could voice my grievance, she spoke, her voice light with something I didn't recognize. "That was really sweet."

I drew back, wondering at the knowing look she wore, and then scowled. I had better things to do than try to decipher this bizarre female. "Did you need something?"

All at once, her smile fell away, leaving her looking strangely anxious. "You have a visitor."

My eyes widened at her response. "Who-"

"Who do you think, idiot?"

It took no more than that for me to realize I should have guessed it was Sting. No one else knew where I'd gone. But it had been a stressful day, and I hadn't exactly been thinking straight.

"Rogue!"

The high-pitched voice sent a smile to my lips, and I had to laugh as Frosch threw herself at me. I'd missed her since she'd gone with Sting on the job I'd given him. "Hey Frosch..."

"Fro missed you!" she pouted, reaching up to pat my cheeks with her paws.

I smiled down at her and nodded. "I've missed you too. Have you been a good girl for Sting?"

She brightened immediately, grinning as she bobbed her head, and I rubbed a hand over her fur. "I knew you would. Good job."

Greetings done, I was about to turn back to my partner when Frosch tapped me on the arm. "Fro wants to know who that is."

I glanced back to see her pointing in Lucy's direction. "That's Lucy. She's the girl I told you about before. Remember?"

The small cat agreed, her eyes not leaving the blonde, then she whispered, "Can Frosch go sit with her?"

A smile crept onto my face at her request. There was no one more sweet-natured than Frosch. It was how she'd gotten behind the barriers I'd put up around my heart, that innate kindness and sincerity wrapping itself around my worn soul and bring warmth to a barren wasteland. If anyone could bring Lucy back, it would be her.

Tipping my head in Lucy's direction, I allowed, "Go ahead. Just be gentle."

Her face beamed as she gave me another pat, and then she was gone, dropping softly onto the bed and snuggling up against Lucy's still body. I watched, my chest feeling tight, as the little Exceed gave the blonde a light pat on the cheeks. She treated the sleeping woman so tenderly, as if even in her innocent state, Frosch knew how delicate the human next to her was.

It was touching...strangely making me feel something akin to pride swell inside me. Frosch had become somewhat like a child to me, like my child, and to see her interacting with Lucy in such a way...it was beautiful somehow. Once more, I was struck with the oddity of my thoughts lately. Beautiful wasn't a word I was overly familiar with, wasn't one I used to describe anything to be honest, and now, it was the only word I could find to describe such a poignant moment.

What was happening to me?

I stood there watching Rogue study Frosch's interaction with the blonde Fairy, and fought a sense of disbelief at the soft look on his face. It hit me like a ton of bricks, and I drew back in confusion. I glanced back toward the pair of females, trying to see what he obviously saw, but I just didn't get it.

Sure, Frosch was cute in that silly way she acted, but what was so intriguing about the two of them together that had Rogue so drawn to it?

"Yo! Rogue!" I called, reaching up to smack the palm of my right hand against his forehead. It was a move I used frequently with him and one I knew would get his instant attention.

He spun with a look of annoyance like I knew he would, but the words that came out of his mouth had nothing to do with what I'd done. No, once more his mind was miles away from where I thought they'd be. "Do you have to be so loud? There are people sleeping here, or did you not notice?"

My brows furrowed at the vehemence in his response. He hadn't even reacted to me slapping him, and normally, that irritated him enough to spur instant retaliation. Yet this time, he couldn't seem to care less. What the hell had happened to him?

I took another long look, searching the face that was usually so closed off, and found something I should have seen from the very beginning. He was worried, something that was as strange and unusual in itself as the fact that he allowed such emotion to show on his face in the first place. Rogue wasn't exactly an open book, especially around anyone outside of our team, so seeing his expression so full was more than a little disconcerting.

I should have noticed before now. We were in an infirmary for dragon's sake, and not just any, but the one located smack dab in the middle of Fairy Land. That was a dangerous place for a Tiger to be, and though Rogue had been spending far too much time with the blonde Fairy, Rogue was no fool. He knew what being in this place could cost him.

"Rogue..." I said quietly, keeping a steady gaze on his face for answers. "What's going on?"

Rogue narrowed deep red eyes at me, then the shields slammed down, and he was gone, hiding behind that wall he'd perfected so long ago. Other than that time at the hospital after he'd talked to the doctor, this was the first time in a long while that he'd closed down with me. It was a shock, and if I was the sappy sort, I'd have said it hurt.

But I was Sting Eucliffe, not some stupid pansy that gave a damn about feelings, and right now, I was annoyed. We were supposed to be friends. "Don't pull that shit with me, Rogue." I folded my arms across my chest and glared at him. "What the hell happened?"

His gaze bore into mine, telling me in no uncertain terms to tread cautiously. It was obvious he was on the edge of some sort of emotional ledge - and I couldn't even grasp the abnormality of that - but how was I to get him to spill the beans? This was Rogue, the master of keeping people at arm's length.

I didn't know what to do, how to convince him to tell me what was bothering him. It was clear he needed to get it off his chest, but there was no guarantee that he would choose to do so. Of course, that wouldn't keep me from trying. He might be the best at keeping secrets, but I was nothing if not dogged.

"Something happened. You're running around showing everything you're thinking, and we're standing in the middle of Fairy Tail headquarters...in the infirmary, no less. So spill," I said, pausing to consider an alternative. "...Or do I need to go over there and ask the little Fairy?"

His face immediately flared with red hot fury, and before I could take steps to avoid him, his hands were grabbing at me and pressing me hard against the wall. "You leave her alone."

I hadn't actually intended to talk to the blonde woman, but his reaction was telling all the same. It was just what I needed to know where to take the conversation next. "What happened to your little Blondie, Rogue?"

He let me go almost instantly, stepping away as he fought to close down his emotions once more, but this time, he wasn't fast enough. It was there for just the space of a second, but it was long enough for me to see something curious. "Why do you feel guilty?"

His jaw tightened, and he turned away, swallowing hard. "Didn't you come here for something?"

"We'll get to that after you tell me what's got you acting all weird."

A deep sigh fled his mouth, and his shoulders sagged. "He came after her again."

Five words. It was the sparest explanation he'd ever given me, but it spoke worlds about his state of mind. "The guy that beat the shit out of her?" At his nod, I drew in a deep breath, but found the air empty of the scent of her blood. "She isn't bleeding."

Rogue nodded. "She didn't get hurt."

Though he said the words, I could see he didn't believe them. The broken way he held his body, hunching in on himself, it was obvious he thought the exact opposite. "Then why are you so upset?"

His head finally lifted, and the air in my lungs seized at the look of devastation in his eyes. "I wasn't there to protect her. I left to talk to Gray, and that's when he attacked. He nearly killed two of her friends and Natsu to get to her, and I wasn't there."

I glanced over, finally understanding why Natsu was there in that bed. It was hard to believe anyone could be powerful enough to take him down, much less almost kill him. There'd always been something so unstoppable about the man. Who was this bastard that was capable of such things?

Turning back to my friend, I found him struggling to once again put away his emotions, and I sighed. I didn't understand why this whole thing was so important to him, but I had seen enough to realize that he had gotten too close. He was tied up with this Fairy too tightly to remain impartial, and that made me nervous. We were walking a dangerous line, consorting with the enemy like this, and I wasn't sure Rogue even cared anymore.

His thoughts were so clearly only for the woman in that bed, and I didn't know how to make him see that this kind of attachment could only lead to trouble. I empathized with the girl. I really did, but she had a whole guild full of people that could take care of her. Rogue and I? We only had ourselves. We only had one other person to watch our asses, and that meant we had to be careful. We couldn't afford to get lax with Minerva hovering so close.

"Rogue, this doesn't have to be a bad thing." His head whipped up, his eyes already turning hostile. I raised my hands in a show of placation, something I didn't do very well. "I know you don't want to hear this, but this should prove to you that her guild can handle it. They can take care of her. They don't need you anymore."

My words seemed to hit him hard, as he took a step back and shook his head. "No...she needs me."

I frowned at his reaction. Why did it look as if I'd hurt him? "Rogue, she'll be okay. We've got our own problems. Minerva's caught our scent. She knows something's going on."

"I don't care." Once more, his expression turned granite, and he growled. "I don't give a damn if she finds out."

All at once, I felt anger spill up inside of me. "And what about the rest of us? It's not just your ass on the line here! It won't just be your skin she rips away. It'll be me, and Lector, and Frosch! What about us?"

He blanched at my fury, the color leaching from his skin as if he'd been stabbed. He was finally getting it, that he was putting us all at risk. It brought me no pleasure doing this to him; I didn't want to have to be the one to make the point. I didn't like having to kick his legs out from under him while he was already feeling shaky, but I didn't have a choice. He was making decisions without considering the consequences for all of us.

Suddenly, a gruff voice called out from the far side of the room. "What the hell is going on?"

I looked past Rogue to see Natsu glaring over in our direction, but before I could answer his question, another voice piped in, this one soft, timid. "Rogue...it's okay. You should go."

The stern man turned at the sound of her voice like he'd been waiting ages, like he'd feared never hearing it again, but the look on his face was one of immense hurt. "What?"

The blonde woman's lip trembled, but she pushed her mouth into a shaky smile. "I-I'll be fine like he said. I don't want you to get into trouble because of me."

Rogue moved over toward her, taking a seat beside her on the bed and shaking his head vehemently. "Don't worry about Minerva. I'll figure something out."

"We both know what she can do," she said, her eyes watering slightly before she gave her head a little toss. "Besides, I'm sure you're missing home..." She paused, brushing a hand over Frosch's head before looking up at my partner. She seemed to see the argument brewing in his eyes, because she offered him a tremulous smile and added, almost too quietly for me to hear. "And my friends can take care of me just as well. No need to put yourself out anymore."

Rogue's face fell. It was like watching a dog getting kicked, and I wanted to rail at the cruel woman until I saw that she was fighting tears. It was then that I realized what she was trying to do. It was there in her eyes, the desperate wish for him to stay battling with the understanding that he needed to leave. Still, she was fighting those desires, tamping them down enough to convince him to go.

But Rogue couldn't see that. It was clear in the set of his shoulders that he couldn't get past the fact that she was sending him on his way. I knew what he was thinking, could hear it as surely as if he'd spoken the words aloud. He thought he had failed her, that she was getting rid of him because he'd let her down. And it didn't sit well with me.

For the first time since this whole thing began, I wanted to tell him to stay. The look in his eyes was too much, and hers weren't any better. They both seemed so lost.

All at once, I felt like an intruder, and turning aside, I found myself staring in Natsu's direction. His jaw was clenched at the scene the blonde and Rogue made, and it took no genius to realize that he was having just as much trouble keeping quiet. There was nothing easy about this situation, but he seemed to know as well as I that they needed to part ways. Whatever this was, it was over. It had to be before more people got hurt.

Moving my gaze back to Rogue, I found him trying valiantly to put his mask back on, and something clenched in my chest. It was something I'd seen him do flawlessly in the past, and I'd never thought anything of it...until this very moment. And now...it just seemed wrong somehow. It was like he'd put himself back inside a cage, returning to captivity after finding his freedom.

My stomach roiled with that thought, and I couldn't help but wonder if I'd done the right thing. Should I have left him alone, let him have this time with the blonde Fairy and simply hope the problem would fix itself? But I knew that wasn't an option. In our guild, sticking your head in the sand and pretending bad things didn't happen would only get you killed. Minerva wasn't going away, and I'd rather have Rogue coming back home a little broken than not coming back at all. I only hoped he would forgive me when he figured it all out.

"Okay then. I'll go," Rogue whispered, but before he could stand, the woman launched herself at him, throwing her arms around his shoulders.

He froze for an instant, almost like he was caught between the man he'd been before and the man he seemed to be around her, and then he broke, sliding his own arms around her waist and pulling her close. She buried her head in the crook of his shoulder, her body shaking the slightest bit, and then she spoke.

It was quiet, nothing more than a handful of broken words, but they were more full of emotion than anything I'd ever heard before.

"Thank you, Rogue..."

A/N: Just a quick note. I wanted to let you all know that my updates may take longer soon. I'm actually going back to school in a week or so, and that's going to take a great deal of my time. Trust me, I know - it sucks, and I'm not at all happy about the extra time it'll take for me to post chapters. But it's life, and I've got a chance to further my education, so I need to take it. I hope you'll all understand and support me like you always have.