Chapter 32: Bickslow's POV:
A month had come and gone since they returned. But nothing was the same anymore. Most of the guild held heavy hearts. The loss of their favourite alcoholic was a tragic one. Bickslow realized he hadn't seen Gray in about the same amount of time. Elfman was back on his feet but he moped around just about the same as everyone else. In his usual spot, Bickslow could spot Lucy from across the guild, still trying to put smiles on people's faces. She was smiling, pushing positivity on anyone who looked like they needed it. He knew she missed Cana just as much, but he wasn't going to stop her from coping how she was. With a little bit of a fuss, Lucy had written a short book of what happened. In the order she could remember it happening. How they felt, what the solution was. She didn't sell it, but it made it easier to tell those what happened. The seith mage understood that writing it out helped her comprehend it too. He didn't mind. As long as their problem was gone. As long as he could continue to love her as he did. With them both being alive. He was happy.
Bickslow had lost his previous doll souls but had since then gained more. Four out of five wasn't bad. He realized their vacation together was in just another few days, he was happy about it. He loved the guild as much as the rest of them, but he needed to get out of the negative energy. He'd seen enough of it in his literal year of being gone. He promised Lucy, after all. He could recall Jet and Droy wondering where the hell they all had gone again, for an entire year after going for S-Class. Again. It hardly surprised any of them when they returned this time. Bickslow just believed something would interrupt them every time they had a trial for S-Class. Unsurprisingly, too, no one was named the winners of the trial. At least, the Master hadn't said so. Bickslow didn't hold his hopes high for anyone to receive it this time.
Suddenly, the doors to the guild hall burst open and the one he was least expecting to walk through the door, stepped into the hall. It was Gray, with a great big smile on his face. Bickslow glanced at Lucy, the woman already looking back at him. Frowning in confusion. "Gray?" He heard Natsu ask, marching up towards the ice mage. "Shut up, Natsu. I brought someone." He beamed, walking further into the guild hall. He motioned for the mysterious someone to follow through the door. As they did so, Bickslow heard gasps from all over the guild hall. He peeled his eyes off of Lucy and turned to see Cana walk through the door. He didn't understand. How she could have been there. Here. When she had been ripped in half. Cut in half. Deceased. REmoved from existence. Bickslow moved from his spot, moving closer to Cana as the rest of the guild did so. The seith mage moved to Lucy and held her hand, looking at Gray for some sort of explanation. The wizard only gestured his hands to a confused looking card mage. "Hey, none of you showed up earlier this month to the ship in Hargeon. Or you left without me. What happened to the S-Class trial?" She asked someone, anyone who would answer her. Bickslow felt dumbstruck. Starstruck. Completely shocked by a wave of emotions he didn't want to be returning. Most of his mind told him to flee. To run to Ishgar and be free of the nightmare again. But the rest of his mind told him it was fine. This was just strange. Cana didn't die, a different timeline of Cana did. Though he wondered how she got here.
Gray appeared to be proud of himself. Either for finding her or somehow bringing the woman back to life. While Laxus, Natsu and Freed had their eyes on him, like he held all of the answers. When he had come to terms that he would never get most of his answers from his time on the Tenrou island the second time. All he cared about was that his hunch was right. When no one answered the brunette, she looked to the Master, sitting on the bar's counter, staring in shared disbelief. "Master?" She asked, patiently waiting for an answer. Flustered, the Master blew raspberries and nothing but gibberish words came out of his mouth. A meek voice came from within the crowd, surprising Bickslow. "Cana… You died… How are you here?" Wendy questioned the woman, afraid of the answer. The card mage raised her eyebrows in surprise. "I what? I might've gotten drunk in the street, sure, but I didn't die. All of you might as well have died, ditching me for a whole month." She scoffed, reaching for the nearest bottle of booze.
If he wasn't confused before, he certainly was now. Bickslow once again eyed Gray, who still remained proudly smiling at Cana. With a roll of his own eyes, Bickslow let go of Lucy's hand and grabbed Gray's shirt. "Start explaining, or we have more than just a revived Cana to worry about." He threatened. Not the man's life, but of the circumstances that brought the woman back to life. A manipulation of time and the timeline's. If this wasn't their Cana, which it seemed like it wasn't, then they might not have wiped the whole Anomoly from their existence. He watched as Gray put his hands in the air and chuckled. "Whoa, hey. Bickslow, buddy. Relax." He started, "I was wandering Hargeon. I... didn't go home." He admitted. "Couldn't sleep. Seeing Cana the way I did, it messed me up. Knowing we couldn't get her back, tore me up inside, man." Bickslow could understand. He'd lost a lot of sleep from nightmare's lately. Always the same one, watching Lucy die, over and over again. While no matter what he did to himself, he couldn't kill himself and go after her.
The seith mage nodded, waiting for Gray to continue. "She showed up at the docks the same way she had when we left to go to Tenrou. Half drunk and promising she was there. The exact same way. I was the only one there, next to our half broken ship. But I didn't have the full story, I couldn't tell her what happened." He explained, and Bickslow let go of Gray's shirt. It eased him, his heart. His soul. It had been a full month since the end of the year they had spent there. Even if it had felt longer and shorter all at once. Somehow, this Cana had slipped through the cracks and ended up where she had been before all of it started. Before they returned to the island and activated it's haunted island adventure. She never had to endure it like the rest of them. The seith mage could feel a small hand on his back, he turned to see Lucy behind him. As if to comfort him, she did what she had been doing the whole day. Smiling. This time with tears rolling down her cheeks. She pulled her book out of her bag and moved to stand beside Cana. The woman had inhaled a small keg. He watched as Lucy handed Cana the book. "I don't expect you to understand right away. But this may make more sense to you after you read it." She spoke softly, "We didn't leave you, Cana. Not on purpose." She brought her hand away from the book, turning back to hug Bickslow.
From the table she picked, she remained, reading. For hours. Bickslow watched with a deep curiosity as he sat with Lucy. He could see most of the guild was watching her read, too. Every once and awhile, Cana would look up and watch himself and Lucy for a moment. Often with tears. Once or twice with a smile. Until she'd read about her own death. She set the book down and wailed, receiving a hug from Wendy. Whether reading her own death, or realizing she wasn't from here, it didn't matter. Bickslow knew it hurt. He held Lucy in his arms, tightly. As if someone else experiencing the story for the first time would put him in it again. That he'd be separated from the blonde again. The both of them had put on more of the weight they lost in the first place. Everything was very slowly returning to some kind of normal, but he knew they'd be traumatized for a long time. There was no quick cure for what they experienced. Although Cana was crying while she read, the man could feel the mood lighten in the guild. The one they mourned returned. Even if it was strange, scary. It wasn't unwanted, if she returned the way they thought she had.
Once the woman finished the book, she closed it and sat it down on the table. She pushed away her alcohol and wiped her eyes. She then laughed through her tears, "I'm sorry you guys… I'm just happy I'm not dead… I'm glad you're all alive. Lucy, Bickslow. Thanks for saving all of us." She sniffled. She acknowledged what they had done. Sacrificed for the rest of them. Bickslow felt like it was a given that they all felt that way. Unspoken gratitude to save them from thinking of it again. But almost as soon as Cana finished speaking, the couple received a barrage of thanks, sorry's and words that meant more to them than they probably knew. Bickslow could feel Lucy shaking, but not from crying. She was laughing. Although he couldn't tell why. He nudged her lightly, "What's the matter?" He asked, looking down at her as she moved to sit on his lap. "I just thought of what you would say." She teased him, Bickslow knew this was bait but he bit anyway. Taking note of how quiet the guild got, listening to them, "Oh yeah? And what's that, Cosplayer Queen?" He provoked her.
"Next time it's someone else's turn." She said with a light laugh. The seith mage couldn't help himself, either. He found himself laughing at the joke. As dark as it was so soon. It was his humour. He knew he had been rubbing off on her. He could hear a mix of genuine laughter and worried laughter throughout the guild hall. That of which Laxus seemed to be the loudest and most genuine. Bickslow knew that Laxus didn't experience a lot of what happened, but he was told. Bickslow felt like he could heal, not now. But in time. He wouldn't be burdened by the lives lost eventually. Bickslow heard a whimper beside their table. He moved to see that it was Master Makarov staring up at them. Everyone had gotten to him too, the old man was sniffling. He then jumped onto their table and turned to face the rest of the guild, gesturing to the couple. "I think for… for their bravery and sacrifice. The ability to save us all from a certain demise, whether by dumb luck or their skills as wizards. The cleverness of their pairing. I think it is only fair… to name Lucy and Bickslow the next S-Class wizards." Bickslow missed the cheering that often erupted in the guild hall. It was such a nice change to the negative. Although he didn't feel like he deserved it, he'd take it.
Bickslow watched Lucy put her hand on the Master's arm to get his attention. "Why did you pair us, Master?" She asked him, making the whole guild go mostly quiet with her question a second time. Makarov turned to them and grinned. "Strengths come in many different ways, my girl. You are resourceful, in so many ways. I thought it might compliment you to have someone who can be ruthless when he fights." he paused, "Your fights against one another did not go unnoticed, trust me on this." He finished explaining. Suddenly, Bickslow felt embarrassed. In both fights he had lost to the blonde. But the more he thought about it, the more he realized embarrassment wasn't what he should be feeling. Proud was what he was missing. The woman he loved knew how to fight. Cleverly so.
Soon, the rest of the contestants were wondering why they were partnered up, what the Master deemed their strengths were. Makarov went on to explain that Natsu and Freed were brute strength and intelligence. Gray and Wendy were clever tactics and size advantage. Gajeel and Juvia were unforgiving and highly motivated. Cana and Elfman were determination and strength. Levy and Lisanna were intelligence and heart. While one was a maze, and the next was a team battle, Makarov revealed the last part was figuring out why they were partnered. If they could do so, they got the title. The simple answer was because Makarov wanted to see what would happen if he stuck some together who normally never worked together. Not to doom them from the start, but to see if they could overcom their differences and fight as a team. The Master went on to explain that Bickslow and Lucy had gone above and beyond what he had planned. What he thought possible.
"That's IT?" Bickslow heard Natsu yell at Master Makarov. "All I had to do was work WITH Freed?" He scoffed, until Lucy was laughing. "Natsu you dolt, that's the point of a teammate." She paused, "Were you listening? There was more to it too." She told him. Bickslow chuckled quietly, "If he didn't get it the first time…"
Soon, Natsu marched towards Freed, grabbing the poor man and dragging him close to Gajeel and Juvia. Although the water mage was barely paying any attention. She was hyper focused on Gray. "Let's go. Rematch. And I won't be interrupted again. Gramps better make me S-Class if I beat your ass, Gajeel." He challenged the iron dragon slayer.
It was these moments that made Bickslow believe he could heal faster. Maybe ease the nightmare's he had. Ease the nightmare's he knew Lucy had too. The spot they'd picked for a vacation was far from water. As far inland they could go while still receiving a nice resort treatment. Bickslow nudged Lucy once more, "Shall we get out of here, S-Class Lucy Hearfilia?" He asked, watching as the woman got off of him and pulled him out of his seat. "What, no Cosplayer Queen this time?" She teased him, baiting him again. Though he was sure he'd always take the bait from her. Mostly for fun. "I like to keep you on your toes." He disclosed to her. As they made their way out of the guild hall, Bickslow put his arm around her shoulders and waved with his free hand. The one that was covered in scars from the glass. It was a strange feeling, feeling appreciative of a constant reminder for their shared hellscape. They had matching scars. Proof that it was real. That they had done something about it, saved lives. Countless lives. Not just for Fairy Tail. A reminder that no matter how hard they'd struggled and wept for each other. For a way out, that they had made it out alive. Bickslow couldn't think of a greater bond he'd shared with someone. As terrifying as it had been. While trying to deny himself the feelings he experienced.
"I love you." The seith mage told Lucy as they walked towards her apartment. He'd spent most of his time there with her since they returned. It was sudden, he knew that, but he didn't expect the celestial mage to suddenly stop. She turned to him, tears in her eyes. "Y-you what?" Lucy seemed to marvel at his sudden confession. He knew it certainly wasn't very romantic, nor was it entirely tactful. But he said what he felt. Bickslow just smiled at her, nodding. He knew it had certainly caught her flat footed. Bickslow stood still, eyeing the beautiful brown eyes that stole his heart. He waited patiently for her to process. Lucy held her mouth open. He watched her surprise turn to a soft smile. She let the tears drop, "I love you, too."
Almost as soon as the words left her mouth, Bickslow had pulled her closer and brought his lips to hers. A kiss, uninterrupted, full of emotion, love. He could sense fear, too, but he knew what from. As he pulled away from her, he recognized what she was feeling. Hesitation to enjoy things. Hoping this wasn't fake. Hoping the Anomaly had come back to taunt them further. He knew this feeling would pass, but they both knew it would haunt them. Even if only in their minds. Scarred from the memories. But at least in the mess of emotions that played them both, they had each other. No one would understand each other better than they would. The devastation was over, now it was time to heal best they could, together.
THE END
(I really hope you enjoyed this story! It's been one hell of journey to write this and experience it with you guys! Let me know what you think and if you have suggestions for any One-shots for me to write. It'll be all I can do while in school. :V )