Hey!

I had my chemistry exam today, everyone know what that means? ONE EXAM LEFT! Yaay! Then I only have my Duke of Edinburgh left before I have a month longer off before everyone else, whoo! That also means I should be wrapping up my story by now, but I am not done quite yet, there is still a lot that has to happen! So I will be carrying on this story past when I said it would end, I will never be able to fit everything I have left into a few days writing!

Hope you are all okay with that! :)

I know, cliff hangers can be annoying but arg! Every story has to have one! But thank you for the reviews and keeping with the story!

Also, KawaiiOdango, I agree! Rogue IS sexy (The awkward moment when you drool over a manga character .. Oh well! XD) -high five!-

Natsu's point of view today, and I listened to She Is by The Fray when writing this chapter (watch?v=0n1y7nky70g) I thought it worked quite well with this chapter (AN: I do not own the song mentioned)

Anyway, I hope you like the chapter, and don't forget to review!

Enjoy! :)

Chapter Twenty Two-

She is everything I want that I never knew I needed

"Where are we going?"

I question, breathing hard as I run after the blond haired man who is leading the way to where he believes Rogue has taken Lucy. We have been running for what seems like hours, for what probably has been hours. But we have been travelling for even longer, having to catch a train from Magnolia to Clover Town, the journey being painstakingly long. But not only for the reason the carriages rattled and swayed causing not only my, but Sting's, motion sickness to kick in. But because for every second I sat drooling on the train, I knew that Lucy was alone with him. That thought sickens me far beyond any motion could.

When we had left the guild the sky had been a vibrant blue, littered with soft looking clouds. Now it is a deep purple, the last hues of the suns raise and its red-pink glows have long but succumb to the darkness.

"The hills just south of Waas Forest."

He calls back to me, not turning his head. He sounds as breathless as I feel, yet I don't stop moving, neither does he. Instead, just trying to concentrate on keeping up a steady pace. My lungs and legs are screaming too be allowed to rest, but I refuse to give in to my bodies pleading for even a moment as only one thought swamps my thoughts.

I can't stop, I have to find her. I can't let him take her, not now.

Pushing a stray tree branch to my side, I trample the grass and greenery beneath my feet. The leaves and plants all around me brushing against my lower legs and right arm; anywhere not covered in clothing. All around, I can only see the rough bark of trees and dark flashes of greeny brown leaves, all painted in shadows. As we travel further, the ground is getting progressively steeper. Huffing at the hanging smell of moss in the air, I call to Sting once more.

"Why would he take her there?"

"'Cause the place is important to him. It's where Skiadrum left him."

"Huh?"

"Skiadrum was his foster father. Just like Weisslogia, when Skiadrum became ill he asked Rogue to help him die. The clearing we are heading too in Waas Forest, that is where Rogue killed him. That's the only place I can imagine he'd take a woman he believe to be his mate." Dumbstruck, I stare at the back of Sting's head, slowing down slightly as I do. Why would Rogue possibly take Lucy to where he killed his father? Turning his head as his ears perk up slightly at the sound of my footsteps slowing, Sting looks back at me. A thin sheen of sweat is covering his forehead, eyes dark with mix of panic and pain. As if knowing the question I have playing in my head, he answers it. "I think he believes if he takes his mate where he lost Skiadrum, then the pain he feels over loosing him will go away. The whole left filled by the eternal knowledge that the woman he has claimed is his, and his alone."

At his words, I feel bile climbing up my throat. His and his alone. The thought of Lucy forever belonging to the Shadow Dragon Slayer sickens me. As I open my mouth the reply to Sting, a sudden shriek from ahead breaks through the night and hits my sensitive ears like a stone hitting the water.

"Natsu! Help me, please, Natsu! Nats-"

"Lucy?"

I whisper, a panic spreading throughout my chest at the sound of her voice. Laced with pain and fear. She's screaming my name, she needs my help. Ignoring the moan from my tired legs, I suddenly find my energy again, sprinting past a shocked looking Sting and towards the sound of Lucy's voice, towards her plea's for my help. From behind, I hear the Light Dragon Slayer calling my name, but I don't stop to look back at him. Right now, only one thing is on my mind. Saving Lucy.

Breaking through the tree line I find myself in a clearing, a sudden wave of red hot fury washing over me at the sight before my eyes. Lucy is laying on the floor, face in the dirt crying, being held down by Rogue. His hand pressed against her back and face contorted into a twisted anger as he screams at the defenceless woman situated bellow him.

"You aren't his, you are mine! My mate! Because he doesn't care about you, Lucy, I do!"

His violent words to the crying woman make my blood boil, I clench my fists. I can feel the vein in my temple throbbing, my body shaking.

Dirty Sabertooth bastard! Get your hands off of her! You're hurting her, making her cry!

"Shut up, bastard!" I hear myself growl, glaring at the black haired man over Lucy who suddenly looks up, slight shock but also rage painted across his features. "You don't know how I feel about Lucy, so don't you dare go saying that shit!"

"Natsu..."

Lucy's voice is breathless, relieved, almost inaudible. But I hear her sweet voice with my sensitive hearing, looking down at her when I hear her. Her eyes are large and dough like, glossy from her tears. Golden hair messy. Just as I take a glance at the angel looking up at me, it is taken away as Rogue pushes Lucy down again. Glaring daggers into me, he growls at me in a similar fashion to how I had spoken to him.

"What are you doing here, Salamander?" At that moment, a flash of blond hair appears by my side, a panting Sting now beside me. In my peripheral vision, I see his eyes widen at the sight before him, before he stares over to me and the visible anger that makes my body tense. Finally, his eyes settle back onto Rogue. The black haired man scowls at Sting, baring his sharp teeth at him. "You bought him here?!"

"I needed help getting you away from her, Rogue!" To this, Sting points to Lucy, but carries on staring at Rogue. His voice calm but loud, unlike his friends which is just loud. No control, no restraint; just anger. "You only get a single mate. What if when your mating season is over you realise you made a mistake choosing Lucy-sama, you don't even know her properly!"

"I know her enough to know that I love her! I know her enough to know she is my mat-"

"Bullshit!" I shout, cutting Rogue off. His words angering me, they are wrong. So wrong. He doesn't know Lucy, he doesn't know her at all. He hasn't shared the experiences I have had with her. He hasn't shared missions with her, jokes over a stripping Gray, scared hugs when Erza has threatened us. He didn't brave transportation to stop her before she could return to her controlling father, hear about Lucy's mother and the first time she called upon a Celestial Spirit. He didn't bring Lucy to his guild after saving her.

She isn't his. She wont ever be his. She's mine. A voice in the back of my head states. "You don't love her, you don't even know her last name!"

To this, he freezes, eyes darkening. Point. The voice speaks again after a long silence.

"Rogue, stop this."Sting speaks by my side, stepping forward towards Rogue who's eyes are still dark. "Just let her go."