This part did not come easily. I had to rewrite a couple scenes and rearrange multiple times before it felt right. It still feels a little off, but I've decided to keep it.

I know you've been waiting for him... he's finally here. He promised he would be back- and he is!

Freed has returned!

As always, thanks for all the love, and happy reading!

Freed was becoming impatient. He glanced at his watch for what felt like the hundredth time and had to try very hard not to hurry the healer once more. Porlyusica was working very hard, but if she didn't finish soon, he wouldn't have enough magic left to get them where they needed to be.

"Are you okay?" a voice asked.

Wendy had joined them only an hour earlier, after having received a call from Porlyusica to meet them at her place. She stood next to him as she watched the healer work. "I'll be fine. We just need to hurry," he answered. She nodded before looking at the clock as well.

Her eyebrows puckered together. "Do you think they're okay?"

"I don't know." Freed wiped at his brow as he recalled his words to Lucy as he'd left. I'll be back before you need me.

How was he supposed to have known what Porlyusica wanted with him? She'd asked to speak with him after Lucy called her and demanded that he get her house as fast as he could without using any of his magic, saying he would need it. He thought she'd meant with Dragneel's owners, so he hadn't questioned her as he raced out of Lucy's house to join the healer.

Once he'd arrived, she'd forced a book into his hands. She'd insisted that she needed to finish her cleanse spell, but she needed more time. "Why me?" he'd asked.

"You're the most proficient rune wizard in Magnolia," she'd stated. "Without your help, I will not be able to finish this in time. Now stop asking questions and read the pages I've marked. Hurry!"

Once he'd read through the important parts of the books, they'd performed the most complex magic spell he'd ever done. The ritual had created a pocket of space outside of time. Porlyusica had helped him start the ritual, but she'd only been able to provide about a third of the required magic to maintain it. It hadn't been easy to carry that much of the magical weight, but he'd used a few dark ecritures to stretch the limits of his magic. He was tiring now, though. They'd been at this for nearly twenty four hours inside this space, and he'd been awake nearly a full day before they'd started. He was tired and dangerously low on magic.

They were already late; the dragon's owner was supposed to arrive half an hour ago. What if Lucy needed him? What if the members that were out there weren't enough help? What if Laxus needed help?

Wendy placed a hand on his back to calm him as his breathing became erratic. "It's okay," she reassured him. "They'll be okay."

He didn't need words to reassure him, damn it, he needed to see them. He needed to get where he was supposed to be half an hour ago. "Porlyusica, we need to hurry," he grit out. The bubble they created was slower than real time, but time did still move.

The healer didn't respond, just pulled a book closer and grabbed a bottle. She held the bottle over the pot and shook a few flakes of blue into the boiling water. It popped and fizzled, and Porlyusica snapped the book shut and pulled the pot off the fire. "Prepare your transportation runes," she snapped, "we don't have all day."

Freed let out a breath as he dropped his arm, causing the bubble around them to shift and then disappear. He quickly wrote the runes along the floor at his feet as Wendy hurried over and helped Porlyusica dump the still steaming potion into a large glass vase. Once they were done, it was wrapped in a thick towel and they carried it to his side. As soon as they were both next to him, he finished the runes and they were instantly pulled into the black void.

Freed fell to his knees as they arrived at Lucy's property. He could barely feel any magic left in him, leaving him more exhausted than he'd ever felt before. Wendy's gasp at his side had him lifting his head though, and his eyes widened as he took in the sight before him.

"What have they done to him?" Porlyusica whispered.

Dragneel, or what he thought was supposed to be the dragon, was towering over the bloody body of Lucy. His scales were sleek and black and his yellow eyes now burned red. Freed's arm was outstretched before he'd completed the thought.

"What are you doing?" Wendy's voice was strained.

Just before the beast's teeth could close around Lucy, a barrier appeared around her. Freed's arm shook as he kept his sword raised despite the black crawling across his vision. "Will it still work?" he asked through clenched teeth.

"Of course it will," Porlyusica snapped. "Wendy, keep him conscious until i'm done, and then get over to the girl."

"Yes ma'am." Wendy already had her hands over Freed's back, her magic working to try and keep him awake.

Porlyusica strode forward, the wrapped vase in one arm and her broom of all things in the other. The dragon hadn't noticed them yet. He continued to try and smash his way through the barrier as he roared in frustration. The woman came to a stop as the dragon finally turned her way. He growled, his jaws open wide, but she merely swatted his snout away with her broom. The dragon seemed surprised, but he tried to bite her again. Once more, his snout was swatted away. He reared back and let out a frightening roar right into Porlyusica's face. As he did, she stepped forward and dumped the contents of the vase into his mouth before retreating quickly.

Dragneel gagged as the potion slid into his throat, but he swallowed it quickly. Turning his whole body, he focused on the healer once more, but as soon as the fire began to build in his throat, it stopped. His jaws snapped shut on nothing and he took a step back, shaking his head. He began to whine and then cried out as he fell to the ground, spasms wracking his body.

Freed's shaky arm fell and he grunted. "Get to Lucy," he gasped. Wendy didn't need to be told twice. Using her magic, she flew through the air, landing next to the blonde only an instant later. He tried to keep his head up, tried to keep an eye on what was happening, but he was just too exhausted.

A bright light flashed nearby and then there was a small body pressing against his head. He smiled as he recognized the fur pressed against him; Laxus must have gotten out during the fighting. The small Raijū pressed himself close, a soft growl in his throat as he sought to protect his master. Freed almost chuckled, but he was too tired. With his faithful companion at his side, he allowed himself to close his eyes.

A short nap hopefully wouldn't hurt.

Lucy moved to sit on the other end of her couch from Natsu. He was smiling, but it looked strange. This one was dull compared to the wide grins that he usually wore. "Are you okay?" she asked.

"Yeah, of course, I just-" He cut himself off. "I'm not sure how to do this."

"Do what?" Lucy leaned forward and grabbed his hand. "Natsu, you're my best friend. You can tell me anything."

He nodded as he flipped his hand over and gently gripped her fingers. "I know. It's just… hard." He continued to fidget for a while before finally meeting her eyes.

"No matter what, I don't want to lose you… but I can't not tell you anymore." He closed his mouth. Opened it. Closed it again. A quiet growl escaped from between clenched teeth before he finally spoke again. "I think I'm in love with you, and it kinda scares me," he finished, his eyes darting away.

Lucy's eyes widened. "I… you what?"

She'd never seen him so unsure of himself as he met her eyes again. "I love you." His face was nearly as red as the sweater she wore. Despite his embarrassment, his gaze stayed glued to hers.

"You love me?" Lucy wasn't stupid. Obviously he loved her. They were best friends, but he was saying… that he was in love with her. "Like, you like me?"

Natsu's laughter surprised and exhilarated her. "Yes, you weirdo, I like you." He squeezed her hand harder. "But I also like like you."

"You don't have to laugh at me," she grumbled. She tried to take her hand back, but he refused to let it go.

"So?"

"So what?" she asked, meeting his gaze again.

He still looked unsure, but his smile was genuine again. "Do you like me?" He scowled a little as his voice cracked.

"Of course I like you," she answered with a grin. "You're my best friend after all." When his scowl deepened, the tightness in her chest lessened considerably. "Yes Natsu. I do like you. As in like like you."

He instantly perked up. "Really?"

"Yes, really." She chuckled, ignoring the heat spreading across her cheeks. "Honestly, I'm pretty sure I'm in love with you, too."

"That's awesome!" he shouted with a wide smile and bright eyes.

Lucy couldn't help herself- she laughed. She laughed so hard, she fell off the couch, and when she saw his confused expression, she laughed even harder. It was just so ridiculous and weird and perfect.

And she wouldn't have changed it for anything.

Lucy didn't know exactly what she'd expected after she died. A bright light? A doorway? A night sky full of stars? That last one hadn't felt out of the question. Leo had mentioned once that particularly incredible celestial wizards were turned into stars in the night sky when they died, and he had told her he thought she more than qualified.

What she hadn't expected was to still feel pain. It was easing, but she had thought the pain would disappear when she left her body behind. There was some pressure on her body, a heaviness, but it was easing as well as the black surrounding her slowly lightened.

Was she breathing? She felt those continued pricks in her chest- did she still need to breathe in the afterlife?

She could hear something… Someone was in pain. Was that her? She'd tried to keep quiet, but perhaps the pain had been too much. No, wait… it wasn't screaming, it was… roaring. Whining too, but the sound was too deep to be her.

Dragneel.

Lucy's eyes flipped open, but when she tried to move, hands on her shoulders and pain throughout her body made her freeze. "Hold still, Lucy," a voice whispered.

"Wendy?" When had she gotten there?

"It's me!" Lucy looked up to find tears shimmering in her eyes, but her smile was wide and welcoming. "I'm so glad to have you back!"

"Wendy…" Another roar had her looking around to find the source. She finally saw Dragneel, the sheen of his scales the only thing that made him stick out in the darkness that had fallen. He was rolling around on the ground, his talons scratching against his head as he continued to cry out. "What's happening?"

"I don't know," Wendy whispered. "He started doing that once Porlyusica gave him the cleansing potion she was working on."

Lucy almost tried to sit up again, but then she saw that Zeref was still there. He was standing with his hands on his hips as he watched the demon's pain. Looking around, she finally found Porlyusica kneeling next to a passed out Freed and a fierce looking Laxus standing in front of him.

When Wendy exhaled, Lucy looked back at her. "There. Do you feel better?"

Lucy hesitantly breathed in, smiling when she felt no pain as she completely filled her lungs. "I feel amazing, Wendy, thank you."

She grinned again as she got to her feet and reached out a hand for Lucy to take. "Come on, we should get out of the way before-"

An earth trembling roar filled the air and the ground shook as an incredibly strong wind suddenly blasted everyone standing away from Dragneel. Wendy screamed as she was thrown into the treeline; Zeref cried out as he was slammed into a nearby post. Porlyusica had managed to keep herself and Freed still, but Laxus was thrown into the air with a yip.

Lucy looked over in time to see a large red and black fireball form and then quickly grow around Dragneel's body. Just before it eclipsed his entire form, she saw his body go slack and the roaring and screams stopped.

"Dragneel?" The magic continued to grow and spin faster and faster, completely obscuring her vision. It caught the side of the shed and began to rip it apart, starting fires on the exposed planks.

"Dragneel!" The heat from the flames increased exponentially, instantly creating sweat all across Lucy's body. What was happening?! The ball of fire began to lift into the air, the vortex around it throwing up dirt and debris as the flames began to spin even faster. It was at least a dozen feet in the air when it started rapidly decreasing in size.

No! No no no no no no no no! What was happening? Had Zeref cast something? What had happened to cause him to be in so much pain? Was the fire burning him?! Was he turning to ash before her eyes?!

He thinks the dragon might be Natsu.

"NATSU!" Lucy screamed and tried to get to her feet, but the wind was too strong. She was nearly knocked over, but she just managed to keep herself from being pushed away. Her hand hurt from having to hold herself up against the onslaught, however, that pain fled from her mind when she suddenly felt something very familiar.

She knew that magic. The heat was so much more intense than she remembered, but surely he could survive it right? There'd never been a fire too hot for him to handle, right? Right?! The fire suddenly condensed into a ball, no bigger than a person and for a moment, the air was completely still.

Then there was an explosion.

The force with which the heat shot out from that point sent bits of the shed flying as well as making a crater underneath. Lucy ducked as bits of wood and tin scraped her body, but she refused to get pushed away. A second boom filled the air before everything suddenly went silent.

Lucy waited for a few long seconds before lifting her head to look around. The area around her was almost completely empty. At least half of the shed had been blown away; the only thing that remained was a small ice dome that appeared to have barely protected Gray and Juvia underneath it. Zeref was near the remainder of the shed, covered in a swirling ball of black energy. Wendy was still missing, and now Porlyusica and Freed were also gone. She wondered how she'd managed to stay still and whole, until she looked directly in front of her…

"So, uh, you're home!"

Lucy raised an eyebrow at him as she took off her shoes. "I sure am." She hung up her jacket and moved into her kitchen, heading for her kitchen since she knew he'd want a snack before he went home. "Thank you for taking me out to dinner again by the way. You really didn't have to- this is the third night in a row."

"I know, but I wanted to," he said. He rubbed at his chest, like he'd been doing most of the night. Lucy decided it was time to confront him about it.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah," he said too quickly. "Of course. Why do you ask?"

She moved to stand in front of him and grabbed his hand. "You've been scratching all night. Did you do something to your chest?"

"Oh, no, the shirt is just a little itchy. It's new," he said, picking at the buttons.

Lucy chuckled. "You're supposed to wash shirts before you wear them you know."

"Really? I didn't know that…" He looked flustered, but Lucy didn't understand why.

"You can take it off if you want. I don't want you to be uncomfortable."

"Uh, sure." He quickly undid his buttons and as he removed the shirt, Lucy realized how intimate that was now that they were dating. She'd seen his chest plenty of times before- not only did he lose it in battle all the time, but some of his favorite outfits were topped by an open vest. Her face heated as she turned away. As she finished pulling a few brownies out of the tin on her counter, he suddenly appeared at her back.

"Luce?"

"What's up?" she asked as she turned to face him. Her cheeks had cooled some, but when she turned to find him so close, and shirtless, her face flooded with heat once more.

"This was our third date."

Lucy cocked her head, confusion diffusing some of the heat in her body. "Yeah, it was."

"Is it- since it was our third date, can I kiss you now?"

Lucy blinked. Then she blinked again. "Did- is that why you were so insistent on going out these last few nights?" She smiled as he began to scowl. "Did you think you had to wait?"

"Well, I've heard that you're supposed to wait until the third date to kiss, and I really wanted to kiss you, which is why I tried to get you to do lunch with me yesterday, and-" He stopped talking as she began to laugh. "What- why are you laughing at me?!"

Lucy shook her head as she raised her hands up to his face. "I'm not, I promise." She ran her thumbs over his cheeks softly. "I just wasn't expecting that."

He squinted uncertainly. "So… can I?"

Lucy nodded as she smiled and lifted her lips- he met her halfway. There was no hesitation, and she didn't expect any. They trusted each other with their lives after all- this caring, these feelings, were just an extension of that, and a kiss was just another way to express it. Lucy sighed as his arms wound around her. His lips were warm against hers, and surprisingly soft. As he leaned into her, her fingers found their way into his hair. His groan was music to her ears, and when she dug her nails in just a little bit, that groan turned into a growl.

Before she knew it, she was being lifted up onto the counter. "Mmph! Mmm…" Natsu kept one arm wrapped around her waist as he leaned into her. His grip was firm, but gentle, and even though he crowded her body, he was careful as he kissed her. He seemed to be holding himself back, but that wasn't what Lucy wanted. More, her body demanded. She tried to push against him, to get him to kiss her harder, more fully, but he kept himself maddeningly restrained.

Finally, she pulled away. "What are you doing?" she asked, chest heaving.

"Kissing you, I thought," he answered, his breathing equally erratic.

"Why are you being…" She gestured lamely, unable to come up with the right words.

"Being what?" he asked, obviously confused.

"Like this," she said.

That only seemed to confuse him further, but she couldn't blame him. How was she supposed to explain it? She wanted more. She wanted him to be more intense. More passionate. More like Natsu.

She wanted more fire.

Unable to properly express herself with words, she threw herself at him, intent on showing him instead. He apparently hadn't been expecting it, so when she hit him, wrapping her arms and legs around his neck and waist, he tripped and fell to the floor. He didn't seem to mind, because a second later, one of his hands was fisted in her hair and the other was pressing her closer to him. When she yanked on his hair, his mouth left hers as he groaned. She laved his ear with her tongue before biting it and then returning her lips to his.

He finally seemed to get on board with her as he met her intensity with his own. Natsu kept one arm wrapped around her waist as he leaned into her. His lips were fire against hers, and he kissed her with as much intensity as he fought, throwing everything he had into the kiss. Eventually, Lucy had to pull away to try and catch her breath. Natsu merely continued his ministrations along her neck, his hands practically burning the exposed skin of her back as he nipped at her neck, his sharp teeth creating goosebumps up and down her body.

"Better?" he breathed against her neck. His heated breath caused goosebumps to break out along her entire body.

Lucy nodded as she tried to catch her breath. Natsu had calmed down as well; his lips were soft on her skin once more and his fingers moved lightly along her exposed skin as his breathing leveled out well before hers.

"I didn't know you were going to attack me like that," he said as he pulled away. He leaned back, his elbows propped under him to hold up his torso so he could watch her. His eyes were dark pools that Lucy wanted to jump into and never come out of.

"I didn't attack you," she denied..

"I'm pretty certain we're on the floor because of you," he said, one eyebrow raised as his lips quirked up into a grin.

Suddenly, Lucy realized just what she had done. The feeling of mortification was swiftly followed by an intense urge to hide. Her cheeks burned with enough heat to rival Natsu's fire as she quickly covered her face and groaned. "I am so sorry…"

His hands covered hers and tried to carefully pry them away from her face. When she finally allowed him to remove her hands, she was met with the softest smile and the most love filled expression she'd ever seen on his face.

"It just makes me like you more," he said.

That same look was in his eyes. That same smile was on his face. That same feeling of love and desire and relief was oozing off of him in waves. Natsu slowly righted himself- her human shield once more protecting her from that which could otherwise destroy her. He finished shaking the debris and dirt off his back before getting up off one knee. His smile increased slightly as he smoothed the hair out of her face with a hand that was- that was- his hand.

"Hey, Luce."

Oh, yeah. Natsu's here too now :D