*Chapter Sixteen: I'm sorry

(October 20th, 2017, Friday Afternoon)

The air brushing past Natsu was colder than it had been that morning. He wondered how long it would be until he needed to wear more appropriate clothes. Despite the cold not bothering him, he knew he was still susceptible to getting sick if he wasn't careful.

Natsu walked along the cut grass, making sure he didn't touch his legs to the overgrown areas. He knew ticks and fleas thrived in those parts, along with other insects and snakes. Living past the outbreak let him know 'The Walking Dead' had a few errors, one of them being the trimmed grass during some episodes.

Seeing as most of the grass came up to Natsu's calves or higher, he wasn't buying it.

Natsu walked down the steps towards the football field, easily finding Gray. He was the only other person there, jogging along the track. Natsu couldn't help but sigh, wishing he had that energy. Before Lucy, he would run beside his friend when they had the time, but now he was exhausted just walking to the field.

When Gray made his way towards Natsu, he slowed down, panting as he grinned. "Hey, you feelin' better?"

Natsu nodded, trying not to think too much about what happened earlier. It had taken him awhile to get control over his wild emotions, but he was managing now. "Yeah, much."

Gray pulled up his shirt, wiping some of his sweat off his forehead. "So, what's up? Did ya come to join?"

Natsu shook his head. "Nah. Way too tired for all that."

Gray nodded, turning to glance at the track before looking back at Natsu. "Right."

"I actually came by to ask if you've seen my room key? I think I dropped it, but no one else has seen it."

"Oh, yeah." Gray stuck his hand into his pocket, pulling out the familiar red lanyard. "It was in the car."

Natsu grabbed it, stuffing it in his pocket. "Thanks." He started to turn, but Gray put a hand on his arm, stopping him.

"Where are you going?"

Natsu raised a brow, thinking the answer was obvious. "To my room. I wanna try to sleep before dinner."

"Sure you don't wanna hang out for a bit?"

Natsu shook his head, his eyes feeling heavy. He took a deep breath, his lungs hurting from the simple action. "I'm really fucking tired. I need to sleep." Plus, he wanted to smoke a cigarette after that long day. Hell, he was considering smoking two, just to calm his shaky nerves.

"Fair enough," Gray said, letting go of him. "Think I'm gonna run a few more laps before I head back in."

"Have fun with that," Natsu laughed, turning to walk away. He heard Gray's steps pick up as he ran off, burning energy Natsu would kill for. He went back to the school, heading down the halls. He found himself smiling at the thought of sleep, knowing he desperately needed it.

Natsu stepped inside his room after unlocking the door. He heard the gentle patter of paws as Happy came running up, meowing a greeting at his owner.

Natsu bent down, giving Happy four pets before his eyes flitted to the floor, seeing something out of place. He picked up a key, realizing it was the one that belonged to Lucy. Looking up, Natsu searched for the girl, frowning when he didn't see her.

'Is she hiding in the closet again?'

Natsu didn't think she would be. She had gotten a lot better since she arrived at Fairy Tail. Still, he knew it didn't take much to spook her. He knocked on the door, calling out her name to see if she was there. When she didn't answer, he opened the door, finding the closet empty.

"Lucy?" he asked, looking back at the room. Her bed was made, which struck him as odd since she hadn't made it before. He headed to it, seeing she also filled Happy's food and water bowl. "Huh..."

Natsu looked at the bookcases, finding everything was still in its proper place. The only difference was Lucy's books she borrowed from the library were gone, now stacked on the desk.

He moved closer to the desk, finding his phone lying on top of it, the charger plugged in. He tried to see what she was watching last, but he realized she turned the device off.

Natsu looked at the door, wondering where she went. "Maybe she went to the bathroom," he mumbled, heading towards the door. He paused, deciding he should wait. If Lucy was going by herself, it was better to let her finish on her own. She was doing well, he didn't want her to start relying on him again.

Natsu opened a window before grabbing a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. He smiled as he sat down at the desk, lighting his cigarette as he thought about Lucy. He was angry at her earlier because she wasn't progressing fast enough, but it was just the heat of the moment.

Now that he had time to cool off and think about Lucy's situation, he decided it wasn't her fault. He chose to help her, so some of the blame was on himself. At the end of the day Natsu had to remind himself that Lucy was doing better.

When Natsu finished his cigarette and Lucy hadn't shown up, Natsu decided to take the opportunity to change into comfortable clothes. He sighed as he slipped on a dark red tank top and gym shorts, wishing the fabric was softer. It seemed impossible to keep clothes soft while washing them in the creek, but it was better to have uncomfortable clothes than dirty ones.

Natsu stretched his arms as he sat at the desk again, wondering when Makarov would be making the switch. Their leader decided to stop with the laundry detail since they had a good supply of clothes on hand, but he didn't say when that would happen. He did mention that it might be temporary since winter was coming up. He wanted more people gathering supplies and water to ensure the base would be stocked in case they couldn't leave if it snowed.

Natsu frowned when five minutes passed and Lucy still hadn't showed up. He stood, deciding he would head to the bathroom to check on her. He stopped when something caught his eye, his head turning to look at the whiteboard.

I'm sorry

Natsu blinked twice before heading towards it, fingers ghosting over the words as he furrowed his brows. 'Lucy wrote this, right? No one else was here...' He walked to the bathroom quicker, now wondering why Lucy wrote something like that. As far as he was concerned, Lucy didn't know about what happened today, therefore she had no reason to be sorry.

'Maybe it's because of something else?' Natsu thought as he stopped outside of the bathroom, pushing the door open to reveal the dark area. He saw no flashlights, letting him know no one was inside. Still, he knocked on the open door, hearing the sound echo in the room. "Lucy? Are you in here?"

He was met with silence, causing his stomach to twist. If she wasn't in the room and not in the bathroom, he didn't know where she could be.

'The library?' he thought, deciding to head there next. Every time she went without him she said she took Happy with her, but the cat was still in his room. Natsu walked into the library, frowning when he saw no flashlights being used in there as well. "Hey! Lucy! You in here?" Once again, no one responded.

Natsu shook his head, confused because Lucy didn't wander around the halls or school. Hell, she finally managed to go to the bathroom and library without him, so he doubted she went for a casual stroll.

'Maybe she has to go number two?' Natsu went back to his room to lock his door before heading outside to the porta potties. His frown deepened when he saw each one was unoccupied. He knocked on them just in case, calling out Lucy's name, but there was no response.

'Where the fuck did she go?'

Panic set in as he walked back into the school, thinking the worst. 'What if Makarov got rid of her? What if he got tired of waiting for her to get better?' As Natsu made his way towards the office, he noticed someone walking towards him in the hall. His eyes widened when he realized it was his friend, hoping he might be helpful.

"Hey Gray," Natsu started, feeling his chest tighten from stress. "Have you seen Lucy around?"

Gray raised a brow, sweat dripping down his face before he wiped it off with his arm. "Not since earlier."

Relief flooded Natsu. Since Gray didn't look panicked, he figured that meant when he saw Lucy she was alright. However, his second thought made him nervous. 'Why did he see Lucy?'

"When'd you see her?"

Gray shrugged, but his eyes fell to the side, refusing to meet Natsu's gaze. "Before you got back. Why?"

Instead of answering Gray's question, Natsu asked his own. "Did she say anything?"

Gray shook his head. "Not really. I mean, kinda, but not a lot. Ya know?"

That relief Natsu felt earlier started vanishing. "Did she say she was going anywhere?"

Gray finally met Natsu's eyes, his voice calm as he asked, "Why?"

Natsu swallowed past the lump growing in his throat, worried over Lucy's whereabouts. He didn't like not knowing where she was, unsure if she was okay or not. "She's missing."

Gray slowly nodded as he muttered, "Huh..."

"What?" Natsu found himself asking, wondering why Gray didn't look more surprised.

Looking away again, Gray whispered under his breath, "I didn't think she'd really leave."

Natsu heard him, the fear inside him doubling. "What are you talking about?"

Gray sighed before running a hand through his dark hair. He paused, biding his time. "I may have went to see her when I got back." He paused, causing Natsu's anxiety to rise. "I told her she needed to start working or she should leave."

Natsu's eyes widened, shocked for a moment before anger sparked within him. "You did what?!" He ignored the odd glances he received from a few people passing by, his attention on Gray. "Why the hell would you do that?!"

Gray gritted his teeth as he looked around. He huffed before jerking a thumb towards the closest stairs. "Do you wanna talk about this in private?"

"No I don't wanna talk in private!" Natsu felt his blood boiling. He had spent so much time trying to get Lucy better, only for Gray to come in and scare the girl. He had no doubts that was what happened. She already felt uncomfortable with Gray because of the questions he asked, so to have him talk to her alone and say she needed to do something would make things worse. "Tell me why you did that! You had no right!"

"She's a burden!" Gray shouted back, dark eyes narrowing. "I was doing you a favor!"

"You weren't!" Natsu snapped, shaking his head. "What... What the actual fuck?! Where'd she go?"

"How the hell would I know? I haven't seen her since." Gray crossed his arms over his body as he turned. "Why do you care anyways? If she's gone you don't have to take care of her."

Natsu opened his mouth to yell, but stopped once he felt a weight on his shoulder. He looked up, blinking twice when he saw Romeo's mother. He couldn't remember her name, his anger clouding his mind. "What?" he asked, voice harsher than he intended.

"I saw Lucy earlier," she said, letting go of Natsu's shoulder. Judging by her tone, she didn't sound offended by his outburst. "She was heading outside."

"When was this?!" Natsu asked, wishing he didn't sound desperate. He needed to get to Lucy and assure her she wasn't a burden to him. She was his friend who just needed some extra help. He didn't want Gray to erase all the progress she had made.

"Maybe thirty minutes ago?" The woman pointed towards where the JROTC room used to be. "She went out the doors near there. I tried asking her if she was alright, but she wouldn't talk to me."

"Did she look okay?" Natsu asked, frowning when the woman shook her head.

"She was crying. I wanted to help but she was surprisingly quick. Ran away when I got too close."

Natsu clenched his teeth before glaring at Gray. It was his fault Lucy was upset. If he hadn't interfered, Lucy wouldn't be missing. "See what you did?!"

Before Gray could say anything, Natsu turned back to the woman. "Thanks." He took off, jogging down the hall towards the school's exit despite his body feeling heavy. He heard footsteps behind him, but he didn't look back. He didn't want anyone following him, especially Gray.

Natsu waited until he burst through the exit before glaring over his shoulder, sending his friend a growl. "Stop following me!"

"Why? If I don't stop you no one will!" Gray ran next to Natsu, beating him since he had more energy to spare. "Why are you trying so hard for that girl anyways? She hasn't done anything to help you."

Natsu didn't bother looking at Gray, his anger growing the longer he was near. "That doesn't matter. She's my friend. I'm going to help her."

"You're going to end up dead if you keep this up."

Natsu didn't answer, too tired and frustrated to come up with a response. He walked around the school, trying to figure out where Lucy would have gone. He hoped she stayed where the grass was cut, knowing it would be harder to find her if she hid in the tall grass. Some areas of it came up past his hips.

"Lucy!" he called out, hearing Gray scoff beside him. Natsu did his best to ignore him, but it seemed impossible, especially when he started talking again.

"Doubt she'll respond."

Natsu's eye twitched as he resisted the urge to punch Gray in the face. He didn't have all the energy in the world, but he could muster enough to throw a decent punch. "Just leave me alone. This is none of your business."

"It is when she's endangering my friend."

"I can handle myself!" Natsu shouted, throat raw. He tried walking faster, but Gray kept up.

"No, you fucking can't! You almost died because of that parasite! She—"

Natsu didn't give him a chance to say anything else. He whirled around before punching Gray's chest, surprising him. "Don't!"

"What?!" Gray narrowed his eyes before gesturing towards Natsu's body. "You're barely able to move around. You admitted it's her fault you're like this! Why try so hard for someone who's not even helping herself?"

"I was just angry earlier. I didn't mean what I said." Natsu tried turning away, but Gray stepped in his way. "Go away!"

"No!" Gray shook his head before taking a deep breath. "Look, maybe I shouldn't have yelled at her, but—"

"You yelled at her?!" Natsu gaped at his friend, shocked and appalled. "What the hell happened to you? You never yelled at girls before this shit!"

"Things changed!" Gray defended himself, fingers fumbling with the hem of his shirt. "Natsu, you... you almost died today! I don't understand why you can't just face the facts! That girl is making things worse for you. I don't want to lose my best friend. I won't."

Natsu gritted his teeth as he looked down, not knowing what to say. His eyes squeezed shut as his hands clenched into fists. They shook as he fought off the sob wanting to rack through his body. He couldn't do it. He just wanted to rest. He didn't want to deal with all the drama around him.

Despite knowing Lucy was the reason he was weaker than normal, he wasn't ready to give up on her. He wouldn't give up on her if he had a say in it, which he did. He was still breathing, still living. Until he took his last breath, he would continue to do what he thought was right.

"Lucy's getting better," he mumbled, unsure if he was trying to convince Gray or himself. "Every day she gets a little better. She talks to me, and she keeps Happy company while I'm gone. She's improving. You just can't see it."

"How's she improving?" Gray asked, sounding half-curious. "She's been at Fairy Tail for over two weeks. That's enough time for her to get better. She should be working to support herself. You shouldn't be doing it for her."

Natsu shook his head, knowing his friend was wrong. "With what she's been through, she needs more time. Hell, she just started going to the bathroom by herself."

When Gray didn't respond right away, Natsu looked up, seeing the man was flabbergasted. His eyes were wide as he asked, "As opposed to what?! Wetting the bed?!"

Natsu looked to the side, not wanting to tell Gray what Lucy had been doing before she worked up the courage to go on her own. However, his lack of a response only made Gray believe his own words.

"Is she doing that?!"

"No!" Natsu shouted, realizing it was worse to let Gray assume. "She was using a cup." Before Gray could comment, Natsu was walking away again. "I'm wasting time. I need to go find her."

Natsu looked around the base, calling out her name a few more times. He didn't shout too loud, knowing it was unwise to draw attention to Fairy Tail, even if the zombies had been cleared from the area. More could always stroll up since they didn't have people patrolling the area right outside of the base.

When Natsu made a complete circle around Fairy Tail, he stopped walking. 'Where did she go?!' He wished he was better at tracking, then he could just follow the trail she left. Instead, he used common sense and went back to the exit he knew she took.

"Okay," he mumbled, looking around at the grass. "Which way did she go?" He walked forward, ignoring the footsteps beside him. Gray hadn't left him alone, not that he thought he would. Despite them being best friends for most of their lives, Gray never listened to Natsu, and vise versa.

"If you really wanna find her you should talk to the gate guards," Gray suggested, but Natsu shook his head.

He saw some tall grass crushed, so he followed the trail. When he made it to the perimeter of the school, he looked up. "No need." Natsu took a deep breath, already exhausted thinking about what he was about to do. "She jumped the fence."

"How do you know?"

Natsu reached up, grabbing a few stands of blonde hair. He didn't bother showing them to Gray, instead inspecting them on his own. "I think this is her hair." If he hadn't walked forward, he would have never been able to find the clue on his own.

Natsu turned, heading towards the arena. He wasn't surprised when Gray followed him, asking, "Where are you going now?"

"To get my knives," Natsu replied, mentally preparing himself to go off base again. He was still rattled from earlier, but he knew the area around the base was relatively safe. He didn't intend on lowering his guard, but he could if he wanted to.

"Are you really going after her?" Gray asked, as if it wasn't obvious.

"Yes, I am."

"Why?"

Natsu didn't bother looking at Gray, keeping his head straight as he walked around the school towards the arena. It would be dark in a few hours, so he had to work quickly so he wouldn't get stuck outside at night. "Because she's my friend."

"Is she really your friend?" Gray walked beside Natsu, trying to meet his gaze, but Natsu refused. "She's deadweight. You're better off without her holding you back."

Natsu let out a low growl as he glared at Gray. "Just shut the hell up! You already made things bad enough. Just lay off!"

"Oh, so when I make things bad you're okay with ditching me, but that girl almost gets you killed and you're off trying to save her? What kind of fucked up logic is that?!"

Natsu stopped walking so he could face Gray, brows knitted together as he bared his teeth. "Almost! That's the keyword in all of this! I didn't die! I didn't get infected!" He threw up his left hand to show Gray. "See? No bite, nothing! I'm fine! Yeah it was scary, but it's over now! Besides, it was my choice to help Lucy, so it's not all her fault anyways. If you want someone to blame, blame me!"

"The only reason I should blame you is because you're a dumbass!" Gray yelled, causing Natsu to scoff. "She's obviously using you! Hell! If she can jump a fence she can definitely go get some damn water! That's the easiest fucking job on this base and yet she won't even do that?! She's taking advantage of you and you're just letting her do it!"

"You think I'm dumb enough to not see if I'm being taken advantage of?" Natsu narrowed his eyes, his anger flaring out of control, like a fire touching gasoline. "Lucy's not doing that! She's my friend! And I'm gonna get her back!"

"There has to be a better reason than she's your friend! You have friends who are worried about you, and yet you still keep hurting yourself for that girl! Why?!"

Natsu turned away as he started walking off, not caring if Gray heard him or not. "Because she obviously can't take care of herself. I said I was gonna help her, so I'm helping."

"You can't do everything for her," Gray said, still following Natsu. "She's not your responsibility."

"Maybe not, but I can try." That was the last thing Natsu said to Gray before entering the arena to get his knives. His demeanor didn't change when he walked up to the arsenal, his glare fixing on Nobarly. The two hadn't gotten along since the boy made those insensitive comments about Lucy, but they didn't need to be friendly to do their jobs.

"I need my knives," Natsu said, his chest tightening when Gray stepped up next to him.

"Get my ax too while you're at it."

Natsu bit his inner cheek, not wanting to cause a scene in front of Nobarly or his friends. Those guys were assholes and would use whatever ammo they could get to pester Natsu.

Once the two men were given their weapons, they headed out of the arena, a guard walking behind them to make sure they left the base. Natsu was tempted to use his truck, but he figured he would have better luck finding her on foot. If she left about thirty minutes ago, she couldn't have gotten too far.

Natsu waited until they were off base before shooting a glare at Gray. "Don't follow me."

Gray's eyes widened, his jaw going slack. "What? Why?"

Natsu wished he could ignore the hurt that flashed through Gray's eyes, but he couldn't. Deep down he knew his friend was looking out for him, even if he went about it the wrong way. Still, he couldn't risk Gray coming with him.

"You're the reason she left. I don't want her running off if she sees you." Natsu didn't think he could keep up if she ran away. He was acting tough, but it was a facade. He struggled to keep himself together.

"I'm not letting you go by yourself just to get bitten by a damn walker. We almost lost you today. I'm not letting you die." Gray paused, but Natsu didn't respond.

After huffing, Gray added, "What do you think would've happened if you did get infected today? Can you imagine how upset all of us would've been? We all love you, Natsu. It's not fair to anyone to have you risking your life like this."

Natsu tried ignoring Gray's words, but it was useless. He knew his friends would be torn up if he did die today. They would have cried and mourned his death. He couldn't imagine how hard it would have been for them if they had to bury his body.

His green eyes pricked as he thought of his dad. If he died today, he never would have been able to see his face again. Natsu's heart dropped, knowing he couldn't do everything alone. He had to stay alive for everyone, not just himself.

Natsu sighed, his shoulders falling. "Fine, you can come, but keep your distance. I don't want her getting spooked when I find her."

He was thankful Gray didn't say 'if' he found her, knowing he couldn't yell at his friend off base. It was too dangerous to risk it.

The two men walked in silence. Natsu headed towards the part of the fence where he found those hairs before looking around. The school was surrounded by a few neighborhoods and a park that led into a golf course. He didn't know which way she would have walked, so he went forward, hoping he was on the right path.

Natsu studied the ground as he walked, looking for any signs of his missing roommate. His eyes widened when he saw some small footprints in a patch of dirt, wondering if they belonged to Lucy. He tried following them, but they cut off after a few steps.

Deciding it was best to head in that direction, Natsu set out, keeping his pace quick so he could find her sooner. He realized he wasn't dressed to be off base when a cold breeze brushed past his bare shoulders. If he encountered a zombie, he would have to make sure it didn't touch him, his tank top and shorts providing little protection.

He found himself thankful Gray was with him. As angry as he was with the man, he couldn't deny the comfort he felt knowing his friend was there to help him if he needed it. He knew he wouldn't stay mad at Gray forever. The two of them had too much history between them.

However, if he found Lucy dead because she left the base after Gray yelled at her, Natsu didn't think he could forgive his friend for that.

They walked three blocks before finding another clue. They were in the first neighborhood they cleared. It wasn't Natsu who found the clue, but Gray.

"That window wasn't broken before," he mumbled, pointing at a random house.

"How do you know?" Natsu asked, skepticism thick in his tone, but he proceeded towards it regardless. He needed to find Lucy.

"It was one of the ones I cleared. Thought that gnome was creepy as shit." He pointed at a garden gnome in several pieces near the porch.

"I remember the door was unlocked, so I didn't need to break the window. I bet the runner who painted the door locked it behind them."

Natsu nodded before picking up his pace, hoping Gray was right. He approached the house with caution, hand hovering over one of his knives. The door was marked for a house that was cleared of both supplies and zombies, but he was cautious.

When Natsu reached the front porch, he heard it. Soft whimpers sounded from the house, followed by a sniffle. His heart tightened, recognizing the sound of Lucy's crying. He had heard it plenty of times before.

After taking a deep breath, Natsu knocked on the house, just beside the window. He heard a gasp from inside, then silence. He steadied himself, wanting to sound calm so he didn't alarm her.

"Lucy. It's me, Natsu." He waited for a reply, but he didn't receive one. "I'm gonna come inside. Okay?" Once again, silence.

Natsu gestured for Gray to stay still, not wanting him to alert her. He used the butt of his knife to chip away at the remaining glass before climbing in, careful not to cut himself. The house smelled of a rotting corpse, his nose scrunching in disgust. It didn't surprise him.

In the beginning, they let the zombies fall where they were slain without trying to clean up the mess afterwards. He knew if he looked around, he would find a dead zombie, but he wasn't interested in investigating. Instead, he made his way through the house, looking for Lucy.

He didn't have to search hard, finding her in the back room. Judging by the washer and dryer, he guessed it was a laundry room, Lucy tucked between the dryer and the wall. The lack of light made it difficult for him to see her, so he pushed aside the curtains of a window, allowing some light to shine into the room.

Instead of talking to her right away, Natsu sat down a few feet away. He propped his back against the wall, his legs thanking him for the rest, even if he knew it was temporary.

Lucy wouldn't meet his gaze, her body coiled in a ball with her face hidden by her knees and hair. She was shaking, his sharp hearing picking up her muffled sniffles with ease. He allowed her a moment to get used to his presence, wanting to see how badly Gray affected her before he started talking to her.

A minute passed before Lucy looked at him, her eyes red and puffy. She wiped at them with the sleeve of her jacket. His eyes followed the movement, catching a glimpse at her hair. A lock of hair wasn't secured in her ponytail like the rest of her hair. He didn't have to guess how it happened, knowing she got it caught on the fence when she was making her escape. He figured she was too busy trying to leave to care about fixing her appearance.

Natsu opened his mouth, pausing before whispering to the frightened girl. "Hey Lucy."

She flinched at his voice, causing his heart to sink. His anger for what his friend did increased, but he had to push it down, not wanting to take his anger out on her. He knew it was a dumb question before he asked, but he didn't know what else to say. "How are you feeling?"

Lucy shook her head before scooting back, her eyes falling to the ground while a few tears streamed down her reddened cheeks. He wanted to ask how long she had been in the house, but he knew it didn't matter.

"Have you ran into any zombies?" he asked, realizing that was the question he should have asked first. It was unlikely, but still possible.

Lucy shook her head again before swallowing thickly. "N-n-no."

Natsu gritted his teeth as he glared towards where Gray was outside of the house. She had gotten better at talking with him, but now she was reverting back to when he first met her. 'All that progress is wasted.'

Deciding he could deal with his frustration later, Natsu tried to get Lucy to talk back to him. "Why'd you leave the base?"

She didn't answer him right away, causing him to wonder if she was going to talk to him at all. He gave her a minute, thankful when she mumbled. "I-I h-h-had to l-leave."

Natsu's first thought was Makarov, but he knew it wasn't the old man. Gramps said Lucy could stay, so that wasn't it. "Did Gray tell you to leave?"

Lucy's nails dug into the sweatpants she wore, but she didn't answer him. Sighing, Natsu said, "You don't have to leave. No one's making you." When she didn't reply, his frown deepened. He was starting to feel sick to his stomach, wishing he could know what was going on in her mind so he could get through to her better.

"Did you leave your key because you weren't plannin' on coming back?"

Lucy nodded, her eyes flitting to his for a second before dropping to the floor. "Y-yes."

Natsu didn't know what to say. He was glad she locked the door behind her on her way out so no one would take his stuff, but he didn't want her to leave the base. He already figured she slipped the key back under the door after locking it, the small space at the bottom being big enough to allow a key to pass through. He wished she hadn't left, knowing it would be difficult bringing her back.

If he was able to convince her to come to Fairy Tail a second time, he would need to get her and himself processed again. That was going to be hard on the girl, especially after dealing with what Gray did to her.

"Did Gray hurt you?" Natsu asked, not thinking his friend would take things that far. Still, he wanted to see her reaction.

Lucy shook her head, her body shaking as she suppressed a sob. "N-no. H-he d-d-didn't."

"That's good," Natsu breathed. The outbreak had changed everyone, but he didn't think his friend was capable of hurting a defenseless girl. Natsu was now more thankful he didn't let Gray know it was Lucy who sliced his cheek, thinking Gray might have yelled at Lucy sooner.

Gray was like Natsu, loyal to a fault.

"I'm glad I found you," Natsu confessed, setting his hands in his lap as he let his guard down. Gray was outside to make sure nothing dangerous got too close, and Natsu trusted that Lucy wouldn't harm him, not that she could even if she wanted to.

"Y-you sh—" Lucy swallowed before taking a shaky breath. "You sh-shouldn't h-have come."

"Why's that?" Natsu asked, his brows furrowing.

Lucy shook her head, a few drops of tears landing on the ground in front of her. "Y-you're better off w-without m-m-me."

Natsu tried to ignore the way his heart plummeted. He put on a strained smile, hoping it would convince her he was okay. "Let me be the judge of that."

Lucy said nothing, only shaking as she cried. His fake smile fell, realizing it was pointless to try to lie to her. She might have been damaged, but she didn't seem stupid.

"Will you come back to Fairy Tail with me?"

Before he finished his sentence, Lucy was shaking her head. He didn't think it was possible, but she wrapped herself tighter in her arms, shrinking away from him. "N-no."

"Please?" He looked around, seeing most of the room was bare, just like the rest of the house. Since it was one of the first ones they raided, they took everything of use. She wouldn't be able to survive in the house, or even the neighborhood. She would have to travel to a place where they hadn't cleared yet, but then she would face the dangers of the undead.

If she couldn't handle Gray's yelling, there was no way she was going to take down a zombie, let alone multiple ones.

"You can't live here." If she stayed, she would die. If she left and tried to find food, she would die. The only option he saw was her returning to Fairy Tail. She wasn't strong enough on her own. He wished she was, but from what he saw, she wasn't. "It's not safe."

Lucy shook her head yet again, her watery eyes finding his. "I-I g-g-got you h-hurt."

Natsu's eyes widened, his heart sinking further. 'Is that why she left? She was worried about me?' He shoved that thought aside, needing to convince her she was wrong before she shut down on him. "I'm fine, see." He held out his arms and spread his fingers, letting her see he wasn't injured. "Just had a... a little scare, that's all."

His throat tightened as the memories of what happened earlier surfaced in his head. He felt the back of his neck sweat, the same sense of fear he felt when he thought he was going to die crashed over him. He didn't normally wear gloves while being a clearer, but now he would never do that job without them again.

After taking a deep breath, Natsu was able to calm himself down. 'I didn't get bitten. I didn't get infected. I'm fine. Fine.'

"I-I c-can't go b-back," Lucy mumbled, her lower lip trembling.

"Why? What's stopping you?" If she said it was Gray, he would assure her that wouldn't be an issue. He would make sure they stayed away from each other. However, her answer wasn't Gray.

"Y-you."

Natsu blinked before his lips parted. 'Me? What did I do?' His chest tightened as his mind raced. He tried thinking of a reason she wouldn't want to be around him, but he came up short. "Why?" he found himself asking, unable to say anything else.

He waited with bated breath as she swallowed, her voice strained as she spoke. "I-I don't w-want t-to upset y-you."

He frowned, realizing what she meant. "I'm not mad at you, if that's what you think. I promise."

Lucy shook her head, the look in her eyes suggesting she didn't believe him. "I-I'm a p-parasite."

Natsu clenched his teeth, knowing those words were Gray's and not her own. Despite knowing that, Natsu asked, "Is that what he told you?"

Lucy nodded, her eyes filling with fresh tears. She sniffled before wiping at her eyes with her sleeve.

"Well, he's lying," Natsu said, hoping she believed him. "You're my friend. Friends help each other. That's what I'm doing."

"I-I haven't h-helped you."

Natsu's gut twisted as he tried to think of a way to prove her wrong. He couldn't think of any instances off the top of his head, so he moved past it. "Please come back." He didn't want all his hard work to be for nothing. If she stayed off base, she was going to die. There were no doubts in his mind. "Please?"

When Lucy shook her head, he sighed. "Where are you gonna go? You can't stay here. There's no supplies in any of these houses."

"I-I don't know," she confessed, hands coming up to grab at her head. He thought she was going to yank at her hair, but she didn't. "I-I d-don't want any of th-this!" Lucy's eyes squeezed shut as she shook her head. "I-I want to g-go home."

Natsu's eyes widened, his heart hurting for her. He wanted to go home too, to have everything go back to normal. "Where's home?"

Lucy didn't answer his question. She let out a sob as she mumbled to herself, Natsu straining his ears to hear her. "I m-miss my m-m-mom and d-dad, and V—" She swallowed thickly, letting out a shuddering breath. "It's m-my fault," she whispered.

"What is?" Natsu asked, wondering if she knew he was still there. Judging by the way she flinched at his voice, he guessed she forgot.

"Th-they d-died."

Natsu's shoulders fell, his brows furrowing in confusion. He thought Lucy said she didn't know if her mom died or not. 'Maybe she's assuming?' There were too many misunderstandings lingering in the air. He didn't know what was right or wrong when it came to her. All he knew for sure was that they needed to get back to base as soon as possible. It wasn't safe at night.

"Just come back. Fairy Tail can be your new family."

Lucy cried, her body trembling as she shook her head.

Natsu rephrased his offer, hoping she would accept it. "Me and Happy can be your family, if you let us. I know he likes ya, and I wanna be your friend." Despite her skittish behavior, Lucy didn't seem like a bad person. Plus, the small glimpses he got of her real personality had him curious to see more. He just had to earn her trust.

"Please, just come back, Lucy."

He didn't know how long she cried, but when she let her hands fall to the ground, she nodded. Natsu waited until she dried her tears before offering her a hand, not surprised when she turned the help down. If she could, she would avoid touching at all costs.

Natsu pulled back his hand, less offended than he would be if he didn't know Lucy's situation. "Okay, let's go," he whispered, happy when she followed him out of the house.

When he went out the front door, he saw Gray sitting on the trunk of a car. He took one look at Natsu and Lucy before hopping off, making his way back to base. Natsu didn't bother catching up, knowing it would be better for Lucy if there was some space between them.

Natsu's blood boiled when he thought about the 'parasite' comment, but he kept his mouth shut. Arguing, even if it wasn't directed at her, was sure to upset Lucy. He needed her calm until they got back to their room. Then she could cry to her heart's content.

After a grueling time getting his weapons checked in and the three of them processed, Natsu brought Lucy back to his room. Gray disappeared before he met up with Lucy, so he didn't worry about them walking near each other.

Once inside the room, Natsu closed the door behind him, gesturing for Lucy to take a seat. He didn't want to, but they needed to talk. Well, he needed to talk. She needed to listen.

Lucy sat at the desk, Natsu taking the spot across from her. He sighed before running a hand through his hair, trying to figure out where to start. After taking a deep breath, Natsu got straight to the point. "I'm not gonna force you into anything."

Lucy stared at him, her lips sealed and body still. He knew he had her undivided attention, so he used that to his advantage. "Sure, it would be great if you went to work, but I think you're doing great right now. Just... just keep on getting better. That's all I need from you."

Lucy slowly nodded, her lower lip slipping between her teeth as she abused the flesh. He almost told her to stop, but figured that was the least of his concerns at the moment.

"I really don't want what Gray said to get you down. He means well, but he can be a dick sometimes. I'm sure he didn't mean to say some of that stuff." Natsu cupped the back of his neck, his arms feeling tired and his back aching. Sitting down allowed his legs to rest, but with that came the pain they had been carrying all day.

"We go way back. He was my first friend. I met him at the orphanage and—"

He paused when Lucy's eyes went wide. "Y-you..." She cleared her throat. "We're a—"

Natsu nodded when she didn't finish. "Yeah. My parents gave me and my brother up." Once he caught an ounce of pity in her eyes, he shook his head. "It's no big deal.

He ignored the tightness in his chest. "I got a kickass dad outta it, so it's fine." He straightened his shoulders before deciding that hurt too much.

Slouching in his seat, he continued. "Anyways, Gray's been my best friend ever since. I think seeing me almost get hurt today scared him bad. I don't think he woulda come to you if that didn't happen."

Natsu started wondering if Gray had used his key to gain access to Lucy. He doubted she would have opened the door for him. His eyes narrowed for a second, realizing Gray probably didn't find Natsu's keys in the car like he said he did. More than likely, Gray stole them so he could yell at Lucy. Natsu could deal with that later. He had more important things to take care of now.

Once Lucy's eyes widened, he held a hand up. "But I didn't get hurt. You gotta remember that." He didn't get hurt physically. His mental state was another story, but he was getting over it. He couldn't afford to dwell on it. He had to keep moving forward, no matter what. It helped that tomorrow he was on watch. It would give him a day to collect himself before he had to leave base again.

"Just focus on getting better." It would be in both of their benefits if she did. "That's your number one priority."

Lucy nodded, her eyes falling to the desk. "I-I'm sorry."

"For what?" he asked, as if it wasn't obvious.

She swallowed before shrugging. "I w-want to h-help... b-but I'm sc... I'm scared."

Natsu wanted to tell her there was nothing to be afraid of, but even he knew that wasn't true. Even if things seemed great at Fairy Tail, it wasn't a guarantee it would stay that way.

Chuckling, Natsu rubbed the back of his neck. "If you could make the pain go away, that'd be appreciated." He was joking, and he thought she knew that. Apparently, she didn't.

"What h-hurts?" Lucy asked, meeting his gaze for a second before dropping her eyes again.

Natsu stretched his arms while arching his back in an attempt to make it stop hurting. "Pretty much everything. My back, legs, feet. Hell, my head kinda hurts too."

Natsu didn't expect a reply. He was just bitching about the pain, nothing he didn't hear other people doing. So, when Lucy said, "I-I might b-be able to h-help," Natsu didn't know what to think.

"How?"

Lucy paused before gulping. She stood up, her fingers twitching by her sides before she pointed towards his bed. "C-can you g-go lay down? F-face down?"

Natsu raised a brow, waiting for a further explanation. When none came, he hesitantly stood up, walking towards his bed. Pain shot through his feet with every step, but he ignored it. He was used to it for the most part.

Natsu pressed his knees to his mattress, feeling weary as he laid down. He was about to ask what was going on, but he stopped when he saw Lucy had followed him, her slender body kneeling beside him.

"St-stay still," Lucy instructed, sucking in a deep breath. "Please d-don't touch me."

Natsu didn't know what she thought he was going to do, but he knew one thing. He wasn't going to touch her. "You have my word. I'll keep my hands to myself."

After Lucy nodded, she turned her head towards Natsu's body. Her hands reached out, her touch as light as a feather when he brushed against his back. Natsu held still, wondering if she was about to do what he thought she was about to do, only to have his eyes widen in surprise when he felt pressure on his back.

Lucy was soft and timid at first, her hands kneading at his flesh through his shirt. He was going to tell her she could stop, that it wasn't making him feel better, but his voice died in his throat when she applied more pressure, working over a knot on his lower back.

Natsu's face fell into the mattress as she continued to massage him, her fingers like magic as she worked on his tense muscles. Sometimes she went in circular motions, others she stroked up and down. Each touch seemed well placed, like she knew what she was doing.

Natsu almost moaned because it felt great, his body loosening the longer she touched him. When she massaged his shoulders, he nearly shuddered. He couldn't remember a time when his shoulders didn't hurt after the outbreak started, but Lucy managed to chase the pain away.

She focused on his biceps for a moment, then moved downwards. When she ran the heel of her palm down his forearms, his fingers curled on reflex. His heart started beating frantically, but he didn't know why.

Lucy went to his back again, thoroughly making sure it was worked over. When she finished, she pulled her hands away from him. Natsu thought she was done, but he was proven wrong when he felt her hands touching the back of his thighs. He refrained from jolting, eyes growing wide instead.

He was wearing loose gym shorts, so he felt Lucy's touches better than he did on his back. Her hands started soft like before, but soon she was massaging his thighs with the same pressure she did on his shoulders. He closed his eyes as his body relaxed.

Natsu had to bite his inner cheek to suppress a moan when she rubbed harder than before, his body reacting to the sensation. Green eyes shot open when he felt his cock hardening. His heart dropped and his stomach twisted at his conflicting feelings. He knew getting a boner while she was massaging him was wrong, but he couldn't help it. The relief she was giving his body was enough to cause that kind of reaction.

Deep down Natsu knew it was only natural, but he still felt disgusted with himself. Lucy had been beaten and raped, and here he was getting hard while she was trying to help him. He almost told her she should stop touching him there, thinking his thighs were just sensitive, but thankfully she moved on her own.

Her hands kneaded at his calf muscles, a groan tearing from his throat before he could stop himself. "Fuck," he mumbled, swallowing hard before saying, "Sorry about that."

Lucy shook her head, her hands letting up on the pressure a bit as she continued. "It's f-fine. N-normal."

Natsu nodded, hoping she was telling the truth. "So, did you take a class or something?" he asked, wanting to take his mind off his throbbing cock. He couldn't believe how hard he was without any visual simulation.

"Y-yeah. A f-few couple's m-massage cl-classes."

Natsu furrowed his brows, ready to ask if that meant she used to have a boyfriend, but stopped when she lifted her hands from his body.

"Can I t-take your... shoes off?"

Natsu hesitated before nodding, mumbling an apology in case his feet were sweaty. Lucy didn't mind, pulling off his shoes and socks before massaging his right foot.

Natsu's eyes fluttered closed as he let her work her magic. His body felt more relaxed than it had in ages, even before the outbreak. He vaguely remembered her moving to the left foot, but his mind was started to fog over. Before he knew it, he was passing out, his body accepting sleep's embrace.

Natsu's eyes slowly opened as he woke up. He blinked, looking forward to see Lucy's empty bed. He sat up, his body aching deliciously from Lucy's massage. He groaned, enjoying the sore throbs all over his body.

"Hey."

Natsu jerked his head towards the desk, seeing Lucy sitting there. She had a candle by her side, a book resting in her hands. She placed the makeshift bookmark in the book before setting it down. After grabbing the candle, she scooted the chair back so she could make her way to the bookcases.

Lucy grabbed a paper bag, bringing it over before placing it in front of him, along with the candle. "D-dinner." She went back to grab his plate, cup, and utensils. She filled his cup with water before walking back to him, setting it on the ground.

Natsu looked from Lucy to the door, then back at the bag. "You got this?"

Lucy shook her head, crossing her feet under herself as she sat down. "A girl dr-dropped it off. Li-Lisanna?"

"You answered the door?" he asked, shocked when she nodded.

"Y-yeah. Sh-she's nice."

Natsu stared at Lucy, still trying to wrap his mind around the fact that she answered the door on her own for someone who wasn't him. 'Maybe she felt safe since I was in the room, even if I was asleep?'

Natsu looked down at the bag, his stomach growling as he shifted, facing the food and Lucy. He peeked inside, smiling when he saw a container of spaghetti, along with a granola bar. He would have to wash the container before giving it back to the kitchen, but he could worry about that later.

"You gonna grab your stuff?" Natsu asked as he pulled out the granola bar. He halved it before holding one of the pieces towards Lucy.

She shook her head, eyes falling to the side. "No. It's y-your food."

Natsu frowned, realizing Gray's words stuck with her. "I don't mind sharing. Promise. Here."

Lucy paused before taking it, mumbling that she wasn't getting more than that. "You need it m-more than me."

Despite her words being true, Natsu disagreed. "How about you eat... let's say two bites of spaghetti?" When Lucy shook her head, he said, "What about one?"

The corner of Lucy's lip twitched, but she didn't form a smile. "Okay."

Lucy went to grab her fork, accepting the bite from Natsu before cleaning the utensil with her tongue. She nibbled on her half of the granola bar while he ate his dinner, his taste buds wishing he had something spicier, but still happy he was being fed.

'If only I still had my special hot sauce.' He had used it up within the first two months, dabbing it on every meal it could go with.

When Natsu looked up at Lucy again, he saw she was staring at the ground, her bottom lip stuck in her teeth. "You okay? Want some more?" He got a fork full of spaghetti before offering it to her, but she shook her head. "What is it then?"

Lucy took a deep breath before meeting his gaze. She looked more serious than he had ever seen her. "I want a... a job."

Natsu's eyes widened, the question spilling from his lips before he could stop himself. "Are you sure?"

Lucy nodded, her cheeks and neck slightly red as she said, "Yes."

Natsu waited a moment, giving her a chance to back out. When she held strong, he nodded to himself, a smile surfacing on his face. He didn't like what happened to lead her to that decision, but he was happy she was determined to make an attempt.

He had no idea if she would feel the same way tomorrow morning, or if she would be able to stick through it for a whole day, but he would cross that bridge when he got there.

"Great," Natsu murmured, his mind racing as he thought about what he needed to do. "Let me finish this, then I'll go tell Gramps."

.

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Fun fact! I posted this chapter on October 20th, 2017. That's when this chapter takes place! :D I think that's pretty cool.

So, what do you think of this chapter? How was Natsu and Gray's fight? Did you want more fighting or was that enough? Too much? What about Lucy's massage? Can anyone figure out why Lucy would have taken a few couple's massages in her past? Any thoughts on Natsu's 'natural reaction'? It truly is a natural reaction to get a boner during a massage. Sometimes it just happens. Not all the time, but sometimes. Final question, what do you think of Lucy wanting a job? Let me know your thoughts! I absolutely love hearing from you all! :D

Thank you for every favorite, follow, and review! Shout out to those awesome people who gave me feedback last time: JustAnotherFan14, Rhearenee, GothBanshee, LoveroftheWord, Tenma360Warrior, stranger1999, An Amber Pen, BedknobsAndLlamas, MnMAllyn(x2), Lodemai04, MeteorWars, cOokIe-MOnzTa, Vyann, Wapii, maru84, ShanaDumblond, Ryu of Konoha, baybewes, Guest, Akuma(x3), Sherlollylover17, caslspirit15, Guest, Guest, Guest, Bakers28, Screeney, wolf-cry77, Celestial Anime Goddess, FlameDragonHime, Sam, Meow Orbit, Charlotte621, FairyLover01, Jaz-Chan-Senpai, Terra of Life, naluloverr, Luke, ElementalMiko12, Guest, Guest, KitAlbert07(x2), Guest, Guest, Guest, Snavej, ColeyMari, chimushea, sonikastalker, Gigi-San28, Lovesmutbabe, Saxx, AshnMarley, Nalu-Nerd13, ManderNaner, Anon, Animeforlife1412, noseinabook145, BloodRedRubies, DazzTugz, Kakashi500, Guest, MizzyPlatinum, PrincessPyrah, HollyNinetales, Tohka123(x2), aly20, TheCrimsonPhoenix10045, StellaHeartfilia, Guest, turtle3334, canislupuswolf, Mia, Guest, and madison16322! Thank you so much! I appreciate your support!

Up next, Chapter Seventeen: No zombies allowed