Chapter 29: Bickslow's POV:

The feeling was a strange one. Before, it was Lucy summoning Leo. It wasn't using his power. He'd never thought in his life he'd be using someone else's magic in this way. Stealing their control in order to do what they did. Perhaps minorly, but nothing to this extent. Bickslow had every intention to summon the powerful zodiac keys that Lucy had in her possession. To do it even if it killed him. He had control of Lucy's body, but not her mind. He knew where she would be, stuck in the water, behind a wall of ice. It wasn't pleasant, it was hardly ever pleasant. He only wished he'd possessed her when she wasn't drowning. But the seith mage understood there was no other way. That they would have both died, just like the rest of them below.

At first, Bickslow was just trying to summon any of Lucy's spirits. Even any of the silver keys. Forcing himself to reach further into her soul and bring out the power that brought out Lucy's magic. To his surprise, Capricorn was the first to appear. Bickslow strained against himself as the goat spirit stared at him. "Seith Mage…" The spirit began, but Bickslow stopped him, still straining, even to talk. "I… know… Just… will you help?" He pleaded, attempting to summon another one. Once he did so, he opened his eyes to reveal that he'd gotten Gemini out too. But his whole being was in pain. Like his soul was to be ripped out. Either by himself or by the Anomaly. Though he knew it was only one of those options if Capricorn didn't get to him first for using Lucy like this. He hoped that Leo would have explained the situation. Or maybe it was that Capricorn didn't care. He didn't like that Lucy was being used in any circumstance.

Bickslow felt like his arms would atrophy if he continued. But to his surprise a second time, he saw Gemini beginning to summon other spirits. Aquarius, Leo. The seith mage felt confused but relieved he didn't need to push himself to his death to save everyone else. Aries and Virgo were next. Cancer and Scorpio. Then Taurus and Sagitarious. Bickslow could see Capricorn was confused now too, standing still as Gemini called forth the main zodiac's. Bickslow could feel his control over Lucy slip, he only had a few minutes at best. Now or never. He told himself, still straining from holding two gates open through himself and Lucy. While he never let go of Lucy's hand, he used his free one to shove inside of the broken glass. Into the sphere where the Anomaly resided. The only thing more painful than this was watching Lucy die in front of him. He'd bear it for her. He just wished her spirits didn't need to do the same. The older man's eyes began to glow red as he forced himself further into the broken sphere. He began to scream, for his soul, for his arm. But he went until he felt something other than thousands of shards of glass. The first image of himself dead and missing half of his body started to make sense to him. While it still haunted him, he understood how his other timeline self died.

It was the glass. He wondered if the Anomaly was placed differently depending on the timeline. He wondered if the Anomaly was in the maze in a different time? Or if it was in the ocean, the tree. He wondered if they destroyed it in this timeline, if it would die in the rest. If it would remain alive in theirs and still be able to mess with them in this one. Bickslow gave himself too many questions as he lost focus, realizing that his hand wasn't the only one in the sphere. He whipped his head around, wind blowing around them with such intensity. Looking at Lucy as she called his name. He kept himself planted firmly on the ground as he stared back at her. "Get in here, I need the help! Laxus and Gray too if you're feeling like being a hero!" He yelled painfully, holding the squishy material in his hand. He heard Gray yell his question but Bickslow was holding his attention on Lucy. There was no one else to hold his attention. If he was to die here, whether it be blood loss or of the Anomaly's anger, he was going out by staring at the blonde woman. His favourite eye candy and Cosplayer. What they were, what they could have become. "Bickslow?" Lucy asked him, and he didn't know how to verbally answer her. He only had a feeling it would work, not anywhere near concrete evidence. The seith mage brought his hand out of the sphere, his entire arm bleeding. He could count at least thirty or more small gashes on his arm, but he held onto the piece of Anomaly and crushed the shards of glass that landed by his feet.

Bickslow glanced to the sky as it changed rapidly. He knew he was doing something right, as the sky turned from night to day and back to night in seconds. The seasons changed like a timelapse. One moment he felt cold from the chill of the snowy air, and the next he felt too hot, hot enough that the ocean actually looked inviting but he shook his head and brought his attention back to Lucy as she began to say she didn't understand, stopping as she looked at someone else. Bickslow followed her gaze to Leo, who pulled out a similar red ethereal piece. He watched it turn to ash as Leo used his magic on it. The seith mage could see the blood on the spirit's suit, the cuts in the fabric that reached to his skin. Bickslow watched as Lucy reached in, hearing her scream in pain was another nightmare. He wanted them to stop. He didn't need the nightmare, didn't want the nightmare and here he was. In the midst of it all. The heart of it. Trying to crush it before it stole his last breath too early. He crushed his piece of the Anomaly, wincing as Lusy pulled her hand out and crushed hers as well.

As soon as her piece was ash, the sky stopped spinning. It returned itself to midnight and the stars were visible again. Bickslow felt exhaustion hit him like a brick wall. He saw the rest of the guild before him briefly before he felt Lucy stumble into him. He fell to the ground with her and witnessed the colossal shards of glass in the sky fall to the ground. To the water and the ship. The cold snow felt good on Bickslow's arms, he could vaguely make out smiling and worried faces above him as they disappeared in a golden shine one by one. He knew he wasn't in control of Lucy anymore, but it didn't seem like he needed to be anymore. They had gotten rid of this Anomaly. After too much heartache. After too much loss. But he was only grateful for one thing out of this nightmare. How close he'd gotten to Lucy Heartfilia. A bond through terror was a strange one, but strong, nontheless. Bickslow soon followed Lucy in a sleep deprived nap.

When the man woke later, he found himself on hardwood. The floor, he guessed. But he shot up immediately, sore as he was and scanned the room. No Anomaly. No island. He wasn't… alone. He could see Natsu across the room, staring back at him. Laxus marching down the steps of the ship. Bickslow turned to see where the blankets he and Lucy used to stay warm still on the floor next to the boxes. Some of their clothes even remained. He turned back to Natsu and rubbed his head. "What happened? Where's Lucy?" He asked, realizing she wasn't anywhere near him.

"She's upstairs, Bickslow. Eating. Which is exactly what you should be doing." Laxus explained, causing the seith mage to look at his friend. "Should be..?" Bickslow questioned, trying to stand up. He felt hot searing pain in his right arm as he tried to get up. "Fuck that hurts." He muttered angrily, leaning on his other hand to get up. Once he was up, Laxus offered an arm to help Bickslow walk. "You and Lucy were so weak, Bickslow. It was like you hadn't eaten in weeks. Hadn't slept in months." He chuckled, "I should be asking you two what happened." It was clear to the seith mage that he had much more explaining to do, but he needed Lucy first. Needed to see that she was okay. That her spirits were fine, and that they weren't about to be separated a fourth time. Each time more detrimental than the last.

Bickslow felt like he couldn't breathe. Not until he saw her. But at the very least, as they emerged from the lower level he could see blue skies and no part of it was shattered. Time didn't seem to flow strangely. It felt fluid again. Perhaps they really had won? Upon stepping on the top level of the ship, he could see the damage the shard of glass had done. He guessed the only reason they were still afloat was because of Gray or Freed fixing the ship to some degree. For the first time in all of their time on the island, Bickslow saw Master Makarov in front of him. He felt relieved but curious. "Master? Where were you this whole time?" But as soon as he let those words leave his mouth, he heard Laxus laugh. "He claims he was watching us fight, over and over again. The team battles. None of you were there for longer than five minutes." Laxus answered for Bickslow. Then the larger man abruptly turned them around and Bickslow's eyes immediately caught the sight of Lucy. Bandaged up as he was, looking thinner. Surrounded by the girls of the guild. "She's asked if you were awake like five times since she was up ten minutes ago. Go get her." Laxus whispered to him. Then the blond man gave him a light tap on his back before he stepped back and crossed his arms. Smirking.

There was no loop. Bickslow managed to sleep. There was no nightmare. The island was nearly out of sight and the sky was bright. He hesitated, hoping this was done. That they were free of the torturous will of the Anomaly. He was afraid Lucy wasn't real. That none of this was real, that any of them could be a trick. Making him think he was out, only to pull him back in when he was most vulnerable. He watched Lucy turn her head towards his direction and he took a step forward, before he dropped to his knees. She looked tired, bags under her eyes much like he had. But she still smiled at him. He watched Lucy put down her food and stood from her seat, then she brought herself down to her knees and stared at him. Bickslow felt like they were staring into each other's souls. He'd done it to multiple people. But this felt different. Like it was being returned. She could see his, too. He felt vulnerable, but in a good way.

The seith mage could feel the stares of the guildmates. They had been outside and in the center of the Anomaly. In and out of the ocean several times. Lost with each other, lost without each other. He knew he'd need to answer, so would Lucy. But he was at a loss for words. Even if he'd destroyed the thing with Lucy's help. He reached out and took a hold of Lucy's good arm with his. He couldn't help himself, he teared up. "So…" He choked, "Still want that date vacation, Cosplayer?" He barely chuckled, trying to lighten his own mood. He watched as Lucy giggled, shaking her head. "Shut up, Bickslow." She said before bringing the man into a hug. One of the longest, most stress relieving embrace's he'd had in his life. He could feel her body shaking and he held onto her tighter. "I'm sorry…" He whispered. Though he wasn't sure what he was apologizing for. The circumstances? That he'd possessed her multiple times? That this was somehow her fault? The seith mage could see that everyone was still on edge. Happy for them, but on edge.

"It's not your fault, Bickslow." The blonde confirmed for him, releasing them from the hug. He wiped the tears from her cheeks but kept his hand there. "And it's not yours." He affirmed, bringing himself closer to kiss her. To bring her closer to him than he'd let anyone. He'd let her in without meaning to. She broke down all of his walls and replaced it with pillows. Placing herself directly next to him in the pillow fort. He didn't have the heart to shove her out. He didn't have the heart to say no because his heart didn't want to say no. Bickslow lingered with the kiss, remained in Lucy's affection until someone cleared their throat. When he opened his eyes again, everything was the same, save for Master Makarov.