Who's excited for this chapter? This was a lot of fun to write because of how it catalyzes the Natsu and Lucy's relationship and brings them back into the forefront. IMHO, these two have something really special, and that connection is one of my favorite aspects of Nalu.

That was a very fluffy sentiment, but this chapter is less so. We saw what Juvia's concoction did to Bora... If that sort of thing upsets you, especially with our girl Lucy on the receiving end, then read with caution.

Irina: Natsu is very passionate, but his playful side balances that, and I love that about him. In this instance, we're going to get the all-or-nothing, no-holds-barred part of Natsu because we're going to hit him where it hurts. As for Juvia, good eye for noticing her brief moment of conflict. She has lost sight of why she started down this path to begin with. The poor, sad girl from chapter 1 is probably completely gone, and I think it's clearer now than ever. (Someday I'll play with the idea of redemption in a story, but not yet.) Thanks again!

- K. Chandler

Juvia couldn't help the smile that pulled at her lips as Lucy writhed on the floor. She was like a worm to be trod underfoot.

She was embarrassed to admit it, even to herself, but watching Lucy suffer brought Juvia no small amount of pleasure. Why shouldn't it? After all that Lucy had done to wrong her and hurt her, it was only fair that Juvia do the same.

Every scream, every choked sob, every pained moan that tore from Lucy's throat was just punishment for things that Lucy had done. It was like a symphony of justice. Juvia wanted to etch that memory into her mind forever.

So Juvia watched. Watched as Lucy suffered. Watched as she died, slowly and painfully. Watched as she got what she deserved. Juvia soaked it in like a towel dunked into rainwater.

Of course, her enjoyment was marred when she looked away from the show that Lucy was putting on. For on the wall of the sitting room was something that made Juvia snarl.

It was one of the paintings that Juvia had sent to Gray, the one with Gray and his friends. Of course, he would choose that one to display. This painting had Lucy in it.

But she could fix that. If she could fix real life, the painting would be no trouble at all.

Juvia needed something sharp.

She stepped over Lucy's convulsing body to reach the tea service that Lucy had one of the servants send. Juvia flipped the entire tray, sending ceramic and scalding liquid to the floor. Sharp shards littered the floor and tea soaked the carpet.

Lucy keened at the crash, thrashing wildly, arms and legs at the mercy of Lucy's own muscles. The sound seeming to make the fit worse.

Juvia winced. There was no way that wasn't heard by one of the servants. It was only a matter of time before she was discovered. She had to work quickly.

Taking one of the shards of porcelain in her hand, Juvia approached the painting.

It truly was a work of art, lifelike and accurate. Juvia had it commissioned before she had the courage to admit what a hinderance Lucy's presence was. But no more. Now she had the courage to admit that she didn't like Lucy.

Lucy didn't belong by Gray's side. Juvia did.

Juvia slashed at the painting with as much strength as she could muster. When she was finished, Juvia took a step back, nodding in approval.

"Much better," she said.

With her work complete, she could leave and wait for Gajeel to come and get her.

But before she could exit, Juvia's eyes fell on another painting above the fireplace, and another on the other side of the room.

How troublesome. How many of these had she made?

The painted Lucys sneered at her from the walls, their ugly faces mocking Juvia's efforts.

Juvia slashed blindly, scraping at dried paint, and cutting through canvas, removing the unwanted figure from all the paintings.

Something wasn't right.

There was a feeling of anxiety or foreboding that Natsu only got when Lucy was in trouble. When they were younger, he'd be alerted to skinned knees and broken bones. As they got older, his intuition had grown to include illnesses and broken hearts. It didn't matter the distance or the type of trouble, from the time Lucy had contracted scarlet fever when they were eleven to the time she had broken her ankle and two ribs being thrown from her horse last fall, at the first sign of trouble, Natsu knew.

He'd gotten a bad feeling when he was had returned to Draghi so he'd rushed to Isvan. And good thing, too, seeing as how Gray's carelessness had almost gotten Lucy killed.

Now, that same anxious feeling had taken residence in the pit of Natsu's stomach again.

Something wasn't right.

Natsu wandered the palace, looking for Lucy. She wasn't where he had left her. She wasn't in her room, or the library or the courtyard. Why couldn't he find her?

Natsu's anxiety grew as he wandered the halls, trying to figure out where she'd be. He wasn't sure what brought him to the first floor, west wing. On the first floor, the west wing was where Gray and senior members of his retinue entertained guests. He and Lucy wouldn't have had guests to meet with, so there was no reason for her to be there, right?

He was halfway down the hall when he heard it, his sharp hearing alerting him to the sound of a crash. Then, faintly, the sound of a girl sobbing, almost as if in pain. But not just any girl.

"Lucy?" Natsu's heart leapt into his throat as he ran toward the sound.

Opposite from him, a small figure teetered toward him at a fast clip. As he got closer, he could tell that it was a hunched old lady, moving far faster than he thought possible. Natsu had to duck out of the way to avoid being run over.

Who was she?

Something about her just wasn't right, and it made Natsu want to chase after her.

But it didn't matter. He had to get to Lucy!

Natsu followed the sound of the cries all the way to the sitting room. Natsu yanked the door open, nearly tearing it from its hinges in his haste.

Lucy's broken moans filled the air, sounding like a mix between a sob and a choked scream. His Lucy was on the floor, lying amid the wreckage of a destroyed tea set.

"Lucy!" cried Natsu, scrambling to her side, heedless of the broken porcelain on the floor.

As if responding to the sound of his voice, Lucy's body jerked. Her arms and legs spasmed wildly, arching her back so far that Natsu feared she'd snap in half. A guttural cry tore from her throat, easily the most awful sound that Natsu had ever heard.

Natsu vaulted the back of the sofa and ran for the door. "Wendy? Wendy!" he hollered, his voice echoing down the hall. "Somebody send for Wendy!"

Should he get Wendy himself? But he couldn't leave Lucy! Luckily, one of the palace servants had heard his shouting, abandoning a basket of laundry to deliver his message. Once Natsu was sure that Wendy was being summoned, he returned to Lucy's side.

Violent convulsions racked Lucy's small frame, her body bending in ways that no human should. "Na'su," she gasped, her eyes filled with tears.

Natsu pinned her down, pulling her away from the debris on the floor so she wouldn't hurt herself.

Lucy whimpered, the convulsions worsening. Arms tight around her, Natsu tried to keep her from struggling so she wouldn't hurt herself.

"I've got you. I've got you, Lucy," he whispered, pressing a kiss to her sweaty temple.

Lucy sobbed, her straining muscles locked in place. Natsu could see the twisted set of her face, flushed red from the exertion. The grimace looked wrong on her soft features. Beneath his fingers, the straining muscles in her neck were rock hard as they bulged in grotesque relief. The sight made Natsu feel sick and angry.

Who could have done such a thing?

And why couldn't he have stopped it? He was here, and he couldn't protect Lucy any better than Gray did…

But what could he do?

Natsu felt helpless, just trying to keep Lucy still and calm until Wendy arrived.

"What happened?" asked Wendy, her normally soft voice sharp with urgency.

"I don't know," said Natsu. "Where are you going!"

"…I'll be back," said Wendy. "I need supplies. Hold her still."

"That's what I've been trying to do!" shouted Natsu.

"Well, keep doing it," said Wendy as she disappeared down the hall.

Natsu held his beloved tightly, every shudder tearing at his own heart. He fought to stay calm, trying futilely to soothe her pain though he knew that nothing he did was helping.

He felt so helpless.

Within a few minutes, Wendy was back, a vial of a dark, viscous fluid clutched in her small palm.

"I need her to drink this," said Wendy.

"What is that junk?" asked Natsu, making a face at the disgusting sludge.

"It's a carbon tincture. It'll bind to the poison and stop it from being absorbed into her body," explained Wendy.

"If you're sure…" said Natsu.

"I think I can heal the worst of the damage with my magic, but it won't matter if she's still absorbing whatever she drank," said Wendy.

Natsu's stomach dropped. Wendy never used her magic unless the situation was dire.

"Tell me what to do," he whispered.

"Just give it to her and make sure she doesn't choke," said Wendy.

Natsu nodded sharply. Keeping one arm around Lucy to keep her still, Natsu took the vial in his other hand, uncorking it with his teeth.

"Shh. It's okay. It's okay…" he said.

With her head cradled against his shoulder, Natsu tipped the contents of the vial into Lucy's open mouth. She gagged, but Natsu held her jaw shut to keep her from spitting it out. Guilt ate at him as he massaged her neck to get liquid down her throat. Her muscles were like stone under his fingers.

Lucy coughed, or at least, she probably tried to. It was hard to tell when all of her muscles were contracting at the same time.

Then she lurched forward, crying out as her stomach rebelled. Ichor gushed from her parted lips, running down her chin.

Natsu's hand moved to Lucy's middle. The muscles in her abdomen had gone taut, but he could still feel the uneasy stirrings of her queasy stomach. "Is it supposed to make her throw up?" asked Natsu.

Wendy shook her head, looking horrified.

There was a horrible choking noise as Lucy gagged on the spew.

Natsu looked at Wendy helplessly. He didn't know what to do. The stuff that Wendy brought was supposed to help Lucy, but all it was doing was making her sicker. The fact that he was forcing it on her just made it worse.

Wendy kept calm, though her youthful features were drawn and anxious.

"Turn her on her side," ordered Wendy.

"What?"

"Quick! Turn her on her side! She's choking!"

Natsu did as he was asked, sliding Lucy to the floor. Her flailing limbs almost bashing him in the jaw as she convulsed. Against everything he believed in, Natsu pinned her down again with a silent apology. She'd hurt herself if he didn't.

Lucy's face was covered with sweat, tears and her own sludgy sick as Wendy repositioned her to keep her airways clear. What little of the medicine she'd swallowed had all come back up, pouring out of her mouth.

Once the vomiting had calmed, Wendy turned to Natsu again.

"Sit her up," she said softly. "And let's try that again."

"What?" shouted Natsu. "What do you mean again?"

"It's not going to help her if she can't keep it down," Wendy insisted, handing Natsu another vial of the sludge.

"She's already thrown up. I don't think there's anything left in her stomach. The poison's probably gone. Isn't that enough?" pleaded Natsu.

"We don't know that for sure," said Wendy, her tone apologetic. "If there's any poison left in her system, she's only going to get worse. She has to keep it down."

Natsu shook his head. He couldn't do that to Lucy. Not again.

"She'll die if you don't."

Natsu looked into Lucy's frightened eyes. She had been completely lucid this entire time. That just made everything a hundred times worse, knowing that she had been awake for what essentially amounted to torture.

Natsu would never torture an enemy, let alone someone he loved.

"…'t's… 'kay… Na'su…" Lucy whispered, her lips barely moving beyond the unnatural agonized grimace that her features had set themselves in.

Natsu cupped her clammy cheek, nodding grimly. A sour taste in his own mouth, Natsu cradled Lucy to his chest as he administered the life-saving dose.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry…" he repeated as he held her down and forced the sludge down her throat. This time, he held her nose and mouth shut to force her to swallow, waiting for the sludge to settle before letting go of her face.

Lucy shuddered, almost throwing up again, but Natsu hugged her close, whispering meaningless platitudes in her ear to try to encourage her. Lucy started to relax in his arms.

"I think it's working."

After a minute of this, Wendy nodded.

"Lay her down on the sofa," said Wendy, her hands lighting up with healing magic.

"Is she… going to be okay?" asked Natsu in a small voice.

As Wendy projected her magic onto Lucy, as Natsu said a silent prayer. He wasn't sure how long they stayed there, but Lucy's rigid muscles eased, leaving her ragdoll limp.

"Lucy?!" Natsu's voice cracked in panic.

"The worst is over," said Wendy. "All that's left to do is manage what's left of her symptoms."

Natsu flashed the younger girl a grateful smile.

Wendy looked exhausted, dragging a sleeve over her sweat-beaded forehead. Using her magic always left her drained and listless, sometimes for days. Wendy sank back against her heels, leaning to rest her head against the arm of the sofa.

"Lucy," said Natsu, peering into her face anxiously.

Lucy smiled weakly at him, reaching for his hand. She looked a wreck, but it was easily the most beautiful thing that Natsu had ever seen.

"Natsu…" she whispered.

"I'm right here," he choked, tears of relief welling in his eyes. "You okay?" he asked, even though he knew what a stupid question that was.

Lucy nodded slightly. "Are you… crying?" she breathed.

"What? No!" said Natsu, blinking hard. "I've… got sweat in my eyes! It was really hard work."

Lucy laughed softly, breaking off with a grimace.

"What's wrong?" asked Natsu, unable to keep from frowning. He clutched her hand tight, though he wasn't sure if he was trying to ground her of himself.

Lucy's only response was a soft mewing sound emitted from the back of her throat. She gritted her teeth as her thin frame gave another unsettling jerk.

"Wendy?! I thought you healed her!" shouted Natsu.

"I did," said Wendy. "But you're not done yet," she reminded him, her eyes still closed.

"What? What do you mean?" demanded Natsu. "You said that she was okay."

"She will be," said Wendy. "She's purged the poison. I've healed her body of any lasting nerve damage. Now, all that's left is to support her and alleviate the symptoms," she explained. "She needs lillyglove berries. Prince Gray has some. I saw them when I went to fetch the carbon tincture."

"Okay," said Natsu. "Then what are you waiting around here for? Go get them."

Wendy shook her head, opening her weary eyes. "You'll have to do it, Prince Natsu. I don't think I can stand right now."

"Where are they?" asked Natsu. "I'll grab them from the medical wing and be right back."

"Prince Gray has them sealed behind ice," she reported quietly.

Natsu hesitated, hunching his shoulders. He had tried melting Gray's ice before. It had been as successful as Gray's attempts at freezing his fire. If he wanted this lillyglove, then he needed to ask Gray for it.

"Do I have to?" asked Natsu.

Natsu had sworn that he'd be able to keep Lucy safe, and he was here this time, but still he wasn't able to do anything to protect her. If anything, this was worse than when Gray was in charge. Gray had managed on his own, but Natsu would have failed if not for Wendy. It probably wasn't fair of him to blame Gray.

How could he face his friend when their last conversation had been him throwing failure in Gray's face? Especially when he'd been able to do no better.

"Please, Natsu…" whimpered Lucy. She broke off in another gasp of pain, shuddering as the lingering spasms continued to plague her.

Natsu nodded. Those two words were all the convincing that Natsu needed, unable to bear seeing someone so dear to him in such agony.

He'd throw himself at Gray's feet and beg for forgiveness if that was what it took. Though he was hoping the ice block would cooperate for the sake of their friendship.

Natsu and powerless are two words that you seldom see together. I wanted to try that dynamic on for size. I hope you could sense his emotion coming through.

As for Gray, he's not a grudge-holder, is he?

Please leave a review or send some good vibes and I'll work on getting a special Nalu moment into the next chapter.

Next time, in Toxic: "Tough. Then you can't have any," said Gray. He wasn't about to give the idiotic fire-breather something that could easily be used to take a life.

Stop back again for the next installment, or just follow me, Karine of R011ingThunder.