Author's Note: Hello again! As promised, here's the next chapter! I hope you enjoy it because I had a lot of fun writing it! This story is close to its ending with only three chapters left! Thank-you for reading and as always, please let me know what you think!

June 1st

Grace

An entire month had gone by, to everyone's dismay. Lucy was nowhere to be found. The group had divided, searching until they collapsed from exhaustion and needed sleep. Even then, Grace was fairly certain she only slept a few hours every day or so. The group was in horrendous shape, their magical energy depleted. The attacks by Zeref's followers were getting more frequent and the group could hardly keep up anymore. They had to unseal the gate and get to Hell. Zeref had to be stopped. They couldn't wait any longer, even with Lucy missing. While everyone else was convinced, their leader was not. Natsu was hellbent on finding her. He had rampaged after she left, slaughtering everyone remaining in the base they had been prisoners in. Zash was gone, Melody was gone, even all the grunts were gone. He even killed Raylik, the lanky man that had originally captured Grace. He spared no one and Grace was in shock. She had hoped that Lucy would regain her memories when Raylik was dead, but she never showed. Losing Lucy was hard on everyone, but it absolutely shattered Natsu. It left him an empty, bloodthirsty shell that lacked most basic human emotions. She hadn't seen him in his human form in weeks and the others began talking of ways to subdue him. Between the four slayers, herself, Erza, and Jellal; they thought they could succeed. They were wrong. They were left bloodied and scorched after cornering him at Hell's gate. That was nearly two weeks ago and Wendy had collapsed, using all her magical energy to heal everyone. It wasn't worth trying to the same technique again and they weren't able to track Natsu's movements.

Now, with the group together once again, they stared into the fire, surrounding the only source of light. Erik had been out scouting the gate, trying to get a read on how much time they had left.

"Everyone have a breather now. We need to get to the gate. And where the hell is Cobra anyway? He left over a day ago." Grace shoved herself off the ground, tired of the sound of Laxus's voice. He had taken the spot as leader since Natsu went over the edge. He wanted to recover by the weekend and storm the gates of Hell without Natsu. Without their true leader, they were nothing. They wouldn't stand a chance against Zeref. The odds were slim even with Natsu. Without him? They were weak and foolish to even think they could change the outcome of whatever events would transpire in the weeks to come. Despite her protests and the protests of Gajeel, Laxus was adamant. They were running out of time and this was their only option. A suicide mission. Grace wasn't interested. Instead, she followed in the direction of familiar energy nearby. It was approaching from the West and she recognized it. She would recognize it anywhere.

"Grace." She didn't even flinch at the sound of her name. She knew that voice. She stepped behind a tree, eyes searching for her closest ally. Her eyes landed on familiar maroon hair and single purple eye. She smiled.

"Erik. You're back." He approached her, a smile on his lips. When she met his gaze, she knew something was wrong."What is it?" He didn't respond though. Instead, he cupped her cheek and pulled her face towards his. His lips were sweet and gentle, hesitant and posed as a question. Her answer? It was a lot more forceful. She swiped her tongue across his bottom lip, deepening the kiss. He could hear her every thought. She had always left her mind wide open to him, even when they first met. He knew how she felt and she knew that he viewed himself as poison and nothing more. She never thought he would make the first move and yet, here they were, in the middle of a forest, tired and broken. His kiss, his touch; it slowly built her back up until she was whole. She hoped it had done the same for him. They broke for air, his face still close as he pressed his fingers into her cheek. They breathed in shared air until she opened her eyes to meet his gaze. What she was met with, was a gaze that knew her. Truly knew her and accepted her for everything that she was. Damn it. She fell in love with the creepy snake charmer. A surprise laugh bubbled up in Erik's chest before erupting from his lips. She couldn't help, but laugh along with him. "Now, are you going to tell me what's wrong? Or are you just going to kiss me until we forget about the others and the looming shit storm that awaits us?" He let out a breath before kissing her once more. He entwined their hands and pulled her back towards the others.

"They all need to hear this. I just needed to see you first." He spoke softly and she accepted his words, nodding as they walked together. For his resolve to shatter, for him to give in to his feelings. It had to be really bad.

"Cobra! Took you long enough. What's the gate look like?" Laxus shouted over the fire, the group falling silent as the pair approached. Happy immediately landed on Grace's shoulder, tending to cling to her in Lucy and Natsu's absence. She didn't mind. She was just happy to provide some comfort for the poor cat. He had been through so much, only to be reunited with his best friend and then yanked away again. It was a cruel fate.

"I couldn't even get close enough to see it. It's completely surrounded by Buracktors." He growled, fists clenching as everyone stared in silence. The only sound was their breathing and the crackling embers.

"Buracktors?" Erza eyed Erik before glancing at the other slayers.

"It's what Natsu called the demonic creatures, the followers of Zeref. Apparently, its what Zeref named them long ago. They're mindless and hungry for battle. They'll do anything to collect souls for Zeref to open the gate. They must be close if they're surrounding it in such high numbers." Erik huffed and Gajeel scowled.

"We're going to have to destroy them all before even touching the gate. The gate will consume too much of our power when we open it. We won't be able to defend ourselves. When Wendy and I went to find Jayce, he gave us more information than we expected. We need the zodiac keys. We have to find Lucy." Gajeel spoke up and Laxus scoffed.

"We can do it without the princess, okay? We can find any celestial wizard." He countered and Grace pulled her hand from Erik's. She stormed over to Laxus, toes brushing his as she stared fiercely into his eyes.

"We aren't doing this without Lucy. She's our friend and our top priority. If we find Lucy, we can calm Natsu down enough to think rationally. We already went over this. We need both of them. They're our family." She was rational and furious.

"Listen princess. I don't care if you actually are royalty. I will zap the shit out of you. You are not my family and neither is blondie." Laxus knelt down to be eye-level with her and she spat at him. The slayers had found out her secret after everything had calmed down. They didn't know why there was a bounty for her and she was tired of lying. She had sat them all down with Erik at her side, and told them all her story. She told them where she came from, why she left, and why she kept it a secret. Everyone forgave her for lying. Everyone, except for Laxus.

"I'd like to see you try pretty boy. From the looks of it, your bark is a lot worse than your bite." She stepped closer and he smirked. Electricity engulfed his hands and he swung, aiming right for Grace's face. Erik was suddenly in front of her, sliding in between the two. His scaled arm blocked the attack and he snarled.

"Get your shit together. Both of you. There are things more important than your egos." Erik snapped, shoving Laxus's arm down and yanking Grace to the other side of the fire.

"I hate to say it, but Laxus is partially right." Wendy's shoulders slumped as she spoke up. Everyone turned to look at her, shocked by her words. "We have to clear out the Buracktors. We can find Lucy after, before we open the gate. If we let those creatures live any longer, they'll kill hundreds of innocent townspeople. They're hunting for souls and there are multiple villages in the surrounding area. We can't let them harm anyone else." The tears. Wendy tended to show her emotions more than anyone else and tears always guaranteed her getting her way, even if that wasn't her intention.

"We set out at sunrise. Everyone rest up. If you fall behind, I'm not coming back for you." Laxus huffed, stalking off to make his own space to sleep. Gajeel cackled.

"Yeah, great leadership Laxus." He muttered, tracking the perimeter. "I'll take first watch. Cobra can after me, then Laxus. Everyone else, get some sleep." He vanished into the darkness before anyone could counter his plan. Erik sighed, pulling Grace down with him. Wendy had already fallen asleep by the fire, Happy curled up on her side. Erza and Jellal were laying next to each other, talking strategy in hushed tones. Grace glanced over at Erik who was frowning at her.

"I'm not going to apologize." She mumbled.

"I didn't ask you to. Laxus deserves a good punch in the face, but you really shouldn't taunt a demon. While Gajeel might not attack back, Laxus will. There's only one human he is fond of and after he abandoned her family and Natsu when Natsu was a kid, she never forgave him." Erik sighed and Grace glanced over to study Laxus.

"He actually has a heart?"

"Only for one. Her name is Mira. She's a wizard in Fairy Tail, her strength rivaling Erza's. I'm sure you'll meet her one day." He explained before pulling her gently to lay in a spot of plush grass. "You should really get some sleep. Tomorrow is going to be a rough day."

"Do you think Natsu will show?" She inquired, a rather large yawn escaping her lips.

"I'm certain of it. There will be a huge influx of magical energy in a central location. He won't be able to ignore it." He concluded and she nodded.

"And we can find Lucy after this is over?"

"I promise you. Even if the others oppose it, I will help you look for her." He kissed her cheek, giving her a soft smile. It was moments like these, that she knew she loved Erik with all her heart. Though, if she was being honest with herself, she was hooked the night of her birthday. He saw everything she was and accepted her anyway. He bared his soul in return, showing her his softer, kinder side. Everyone else just saw his rough exterior and she was lucky enough to see what's below it. "Yeah, yeah. Whatever. You're just making me soft. I'm losing my edge." He grumbled under his breath and she laughed, reaching over to pull his face closer to hers. She sealed their lips together, enjoying the closeness and warmth spreading through her.

"Trust me. You haven't lost your edge." She pecked his lips once more before curling up into a ball beside him. With him by her side, it was easy to fall asleep.


Laxus wasn't kidding when he said they would move at sunrise. The sun was still on the horizon when he yelled for everyone to get up. He split the group into pairs. Erza and Wendy, Gajeel and Grace, Erik and Jellal. He didn't trust the humans to be on their own and Grace had to swallow her fury. Not only did he insult them, but he separated her and Erik. As they maneuvered through the trees, Erik brushed by her side.

"Please, keep your mental images clear. If you need my help, I'll be by you in a second. I trust Gajeel, but I would have preferred if you were at my side. Cubellios will be with you. She will watch out for you." He whispered, lips brushing her ear.

"Cubellios is your guardian, Erik. I'll be fine." She assured him, but he just smiled at her.

"I'd rather her be with you, okay? Also, I found this. I figured you could use it." A sparkling handle caught her eye and she gasped. It was the other diamond dagger, the one the river had swallowed up when the two of them had first met.

"But...how?" Her eyes were watery and she rubbed at them furiously before taking the dagger in her hands.

"Well, I was the asshole who made you drop it into the river in the first place. When I was searching for Lucy, I tried to retrace everywhere the group went. I may have spent some time in the river. Luckily the rivers all connected. I found it right before a shark swallowed it." He smirked and Grace threw her arms around him.

"Thank-you. You don't know how much this means to me." She held on tighter and he scooped her up in his arms, walking forward to keep pace with the group.

"Your uncle. He was the only one to ever support your dream of joining a guild. He made you these in case you never developed magic of your own. You dreamt about it once. About the day he gave you the daggers and about the day your father sentenced him to death. Since that night, I knew I had to get it back for you. You're the only rightful owner of those daggers and you should be able to wield them like he intended." The tears were flowing freely now, burning her eyes and soaking his shirt. He only held her tighter until she was steady enough to walk. She pulled his arm to stop them from following the group. She slid the dagger into its holder on her hip and grabbed both of his cheeks with her hands. She yanked his face towards her and crashed her lips to his.

"I love you. Keep yourself safe." Before he could respond, she ran ahead to catch up with Gajeel. She fell into step beside him and he smirked over his shoulder at her. "Shut up." She snapped and he cackled, turning his attention back to Laxus who was leading the group.

"Just remember, we get to cut through the center and get as close to the gate as possible. Cobra is arching out right with Jellal and Wendy is going left with Erza and Happy. Laxus will be with us, but he won't pay any attention to us. We have to work together. Can you handle that?" He eyed her and she laughed.

"I think I can handle that Metal face. Just try to keep up." She spotted her first target and sprinted towards it, freeing both daggers from her hips. She slammed the daggers through the creature's skull, pulling them in opposite directions to separate its jaw and facial bones. She choked back the vomit bubbling up from her stomach, ignoring the burning and sour taste of stomach acid in the back of her throat. Now wasn't the time for it. She could get sick later, when every creature was destroyed. Gajeel called for her and she jumped, feeling the iron of his arm beneath her feet. He launched her forward and she slammed her dagger through the chest of a flying creature. They have wings now? Shit never stopped surprising her. She bent her knees to take the brunt of her landing before joining Gajeel. They were back to back, fighting creatures that had pounced on them. She caught Erik and Jellal breaking away from the group. Erik effortlessly tore through the creatures with his poison-soaked talons and Jellal nearly blinded her with the strength of his magic. She still wasn't sure what his magic was, but it was powerful and he could hold his own. Her eyes slid to catch a glimpse of Wendy and Erza. Erza tore through the creatures without breaking a sweat. She had at least thirty swords around her, stabbing through the beasts. Wendy was slicing through them with wind, using her sky dragon roar to keep them from getting too close. Grace's attention was pulled by a magic circle under her feet. She felt her limbs lighten, her body able to move quicker.

"It's Wendy's magic. She is helping us all move faster. Go!" Gajeel shouted, breaking form their positions and pummeling through the nearby clusters of demonic beings. Grace did the same, hardly able to keep up with her own actions as she cut down Buracktor after Buracktor. By the time she reached the gate, she was covered in black ooze and some blood of her own from where a Buracktor got the jump on her. It had sunk its teeth into her shoulder and she stabbed it through the eye, right into its brain. Some of the creatures still had acidic blood and she took extra care to avoid that ooze. Most of the black ooze on her was from the winged creatures that lacked the acidic blood. Grace's toes brushed the edge of the gate when something roared above her. Natsu.

He was covered in black ooze, soaked from head to toe. He was also engulfed by roaring flames. They were brighter than she had ever seen and she could feel the heat from them despite how high he was flying. In a blink, creatures surrounded him. They tore him down, at least thirty of them jumping on him at once. They were getting smarter.

"Natsu!" Grace bolted forward, trying to take down the outer creatures before throwing them off to the side. Wendy had joined her, using her sky dragon roar to send them flying. Erza was there as well, cutting down the creatures. Their attack had distracted the creatures enough for Natsu to crawl out from under the bodies. He was human, all of his scales and spikes gone. He was breathing heavily, blood pooling from his mouth. A creature was stalking him, about to strike. There was no way Grace could get to it in time. Shit. Shit. Shit.

"Star shot!" Arrows arched out, hitting the creature and all nearby ones. They exploded upon impact, sending the creatures flying. Grace turned to follow the source of the arrows. Natsu shoved himself up onto his knees, eyes reaching the source before Grace could.

"Lucy." He choked out, pushing himself to his feet and stumbling forward. He fell forward and instead of hitting the ground, he landed in Lucy's arms.

"Hey. Sorry it took me so long." She held him closely, an adoring smile on her face. Tears streamed down his face, his body shaking as he sobbed into her chest. She just held him tighter.


Lucy

Lucy held onto Natsu as tight as she could. She choked down her regret and everything else she wanted to say at that moment. She remembered, remembered everything. She even remembered what she had said to him the last time they had seen each other. She had called him a monster. She hated herself for it. They had only been separated a few days when she found the pouch with her keys nestled by her makeshift fire. A day later, her memories came crashing back, bringing her to her knees. She knew it was Natsu that brought her keys back to her. She also knew that she had to find him and beg for his forgiveness. He was everything to her and she loved him with all her heart. She could never see him as a monster. Despite knowing that and knowing that she had to make things right with him, there was something else she had to do first. She had a quest of her own to complete before she could make her way back to Natsu and the others.

"You came back to me. I knew you would." Natsu choked out, quieting his sobs to lift his arms and hug her back.

"I would've come back sooner, but there was something I had to do first." She whispered softly, tangling her fingers in his hair. He breathed in deeply, inhaling her scent before looking up at her with curiosity in his eyes.

"Ice-make, death scythe!" Right on time. Lucy smirked as a giant scythe sculpted from ice sliced through some of the aerial creatures.

"Water slicer!" Bands of water arched out, cutting Buracktors in half.

"Lightning! Reverse Tower! Lovers! Thunderbolt's Fate!" Cana's lightning attack rivaled Laxus and Lucy beamed at her fellow guild mates. Despite many of them being away on quests, helping nearby villages with their own demonic infestations, Lucy managed to gather some of her closest friends. She knew the slayers would need help and she knew she could count on those at Fairy Tail.

"Demon blast!" Mira had insisted that her and Elfman came to help Natsu. They had no idea how much trouble the group of them were in, otherwise they would have come sooner. Mira arched above them, using her Satan Soul takeover magic. She smirked down at them before ripping through more Buracktors.

"Beast arm, jet black sword!" Elfman wasn't far behind, slashing through the creatures with a grin on his face. Lucy was in awe, stunned by the power flowing from her fellow guild members. They amazed her and she felt a swirl of pride in her chest. Natsu's shaking hand lifted to cup her cheek and it pulled her focus towards him. He pressed his forehead to her own.

"Thank-you, Lucy." He spoke softly before shoving himself to his feet. He was hunched over, hardly able to stand on his own. "I don't have enough energy to transform. I was in my demon form for too long. Hopefully, this is enough." He coughed, small flames forming on his fists before going out. "Ah, hell." He coughed again, before shoving himself forward and punching a Buracktor in the face.

"Natsu! The others can handle it! You need to rest." Lucy jumped up behind him, pressing her chest to his back as she hooked her arms under his to hold him in place.

"Luce, I need to fight. I'm okay." He didn't sound convinced and Lucy whispered in his ear.

"Please, Natsu. I just got you back. I'm not losing you again."

"I think I can help with that! Solid script, fire!" Levy. A wall of fire shot straight for Natsu and Lucy. A smirk touched Natsu's lips and he shook Lucy off gently before launching himself forward. He sucked in, swallowing all the fire that Levy could summon, before landing on his feet and wiping his lips with the back of his hand.

"Now I've got a fire in my belly. I got this Lucy. Thanks Levy." Fire raged up his arms and he gave Lucy a reassuring smile before bolting towards a group of Buracktors.

"I got your back Lu! Stay with Natsu. I'll take some of them out on my way to Gajeel!" Levy grinned at Lucy and Lucy had never been so grateful. Levy didn't have to move though, because Gajeel catapulted himself right to her. He grabbed her, clutching her to him tightly.

"Shrimp! What in the hell are you doing here?" The moment Gajeel put her down she scowled at him.

"Lucy finally filled me in on everything. Why didn't you tell me Gajeel Redfox? When this is all over you are sitting down and telling me EVERYTHING. And you're never lying to me again!" She furiously hit his chest with her fists and he grabbed her wrists, pulling her forward to kiss her forehead.

"You got it, shrimp. I'll tell you everything. Just keep yourself safe, alright?"

"Solid script, bullet!" She shouted, turning from him and hitting a Buracktor in the face with a barrage of bullets. "I think I can manage. Keep yourself safe too." She kissed his cheek and grabbed his wrist, pulling him towards a cluster of creatures. Lucy smiled before summoning Loke. Her star dress shifted, the familiar black fabric now brushing her knees. Loke took off, punching through the creatures that got too close to Lucy. She sprinted through, finding Natsu fighting a winged creature.

"Natsu!" She shouted and their eyes met. They nodded at each other and Lucy ran forward. "Regulus Lucy-"

"Fire Dragon's-" Natsu shouted with her.

"Kick!" "Talon!" Together, they launched themselves up, sending the creature crashing through the trees from their power. When they landed, they smiled at each other before Natsu eyed the sky again.

"Happy?" He called and the cat responded instantly.

"Natsu! You're not a big scary monster anymore!" Happy smacked into him and Natsu caught him just in time.

"Yeah, thanks buddy. Think you can give me a lift?"

"Aye sir!" Together, the pair took off into the sky, taking care of the remaining aerial creatures. Lucy joined the others in taking down the remaining clusters. As the sun set, the last of the creatures fell and it everyone was left covered in black ooze and breathing heavily.

"Lucy! I'm so glad you're back!" Grace smacked into her, wrapping her arms around her.

"I'm so sorry that I forgot you. It won't happen again." Lucy assured her, laughing as they spun.

"Damn right it won't!" Grace smiled widely before being snagged by Cobra. Lucy turned to look at her closest friends and she smiled brightly. Mira and Elfman had released their take over spells, smiling at Lucy and each other. Gray stood with Juvia, hands clasped together. Wendy was with Levy and Gajeel, bouncing with excited energy. Cana stood to the side, smiling with Erza and Jellal. Laxus had migrated towards Mira, staring her down from behind the group. Only a moment went by before Happy dropped Natsu onto the ground and Natsu yanked Lucy into a bear hug. He enveloped her, his warm energy surrounding her.

"You're brilliant Lucy." He whispered into her hair.

"Well, Fairy Tail is a family. I knew they'd be willing to help us." She responded and he chuckled.

"Damn right we are."

"Aye!" Everyone cheered with Happy, hands in the air. They all worked together to set up camp after introductions were made. Grace and Cobra were welcomed by everyone with open arms. In shifts, they took the time to wash themselves in a nearby lake before finding some kind of food for the night.

"It's great that everyone is all happy and shit, but we still need to open the gate. Or did you idiots forget that already?" Laxus stood over the fire, scanning the group as he met everyone's eyes.

"I didn't forget about it Laxus." Natsu shoved himself to his feet, not moving from Lucy's side. "While this was a huge win, there are still nearby villages being torn to shreds by the creatures. We're going to have to split into groups. Some groups go to the villages, while the rest of us stay here to open the gate and face Zeref. I hope the slayers will follow me into Hell, but I will not ask that of anyone."

"I'm in." Gajeel and Cobra spoke at the same time before meeting each other's gaze with a smirk.

"Count me in!" Wendy smiled from the other side of the fire.

"I want to see Zeref's face when we destroy him." Laxus muttered, arms crossed over his chest.

"Gray, Juvia, and I will help the nearby villages. We can head west in the morning." Levy responded after whispering to Gajeel. Natsu nodded.

"Elfman, Cana, and I can handle the villages to the east, since we cleared the ones north and south of here already." Mira smiled brightly, her tone bubbly as always.

"Thanks guys." Natsu nodded with a smile, before turning to look at Erza, Jellal, and Happy.

"I'll follow you anywhere, Natsu!" Happy raised his paw and Natsu smiled.

"I have a score to settle with Zeref. We would like to accompany you into Hell." Jellal gestured to Erza and himself.

"Happy to have you." Natsu nodded before glancing at Grace.

"I really hope you're not asking me. I thought you knew me better than that Salamander." Grace snapped and Natsu smirked.

"That's why I didn't ask." He laughed before glancing at Lucy.

"I'm not leaving your side Dragneel. Never again." She stated and he smiled sweetly at her.

"Then it's settled. We will all leave at sunrise. I can't thank you guys enough for everything you're sacrificing to help me."

"You're a member of Fairy Tail. Fairy Tail members never abandon their friends. Ever." Mira smiled at everyone and Lucy's heart warmed.


The sun had risen, breakfast was eaten, and farewells had been made. Levy had crushed Lucy in a bear hug before saying goodbye to Gajeel. Cana had punched her shoulder and then Natsu's for good measure. Gray had given her a hug and Juvia had given her well wishes. Along with her well wishes came a small orb.

"It's water, for Aquarius. Gray told me she is your strongest spirit, so you might need her down there. It's my way of thanking you for helping him with my birthday cake." Juvia whispered in her ear before following Gray to where Levy was waiting. Lucy kept the orb in her pouch of keys, hoping it would be safest there. The last to depart was Mira. She had been whispering harshly to Laxus and when Lucy glanced back over at them, she was gone. Laxus seemed more at ease though, the tension in his shoulders relieved. She smiled softly.

"Alright, everyone gather up." Natsu shouted and everyone listened, even Laxus. "Igneel, he told me that we are going to need nine zodiac keys and nine dragon slayers to open the gate." He glanced around at everyone, a sigh escaping his lips. "With God Serena and Acnologia dead, plus Sting and Rogue bailing on us, things weren't looking too good. But, Jayce told me that we need four strong souls to replace them. Looks to me like we have our four." He glanced around, locking eyes with Grace, Erza, Jellal, and finally, Lucy. They smiled at one another before he continued. "Jayce also said that Lucy has to assign us zodiac spirits." Lucy freed her ring of keys, the gold and silver glistening in the morning sun.

"For you, the lion. Loke." She pressed the key into Natsu's hand. Her hand lingered for a moment, enjoying the warmth of his skin before she moved on. "Wendy, you have the white ram, Aries. And for you, Gajeel. You have the maiden, Virgo." His eyes squinted at her, his confusion made clear by his scrunched up face and furrowed brow. She smiled, confident in her decision before continuing on. "Erza, you have the golden bull, Taurus. Jellal, you have the archer, Sagittarius." She turned towards Cobra and Grace next. "Cobra, you have the scorpion, Scorpio. And Grace, you have the twins. Gemini." She stopped in front of Laxus and he scowled at her. She smiled anyway. "Laxus, you have the goat. Capricorn." They were both strong fighters and his key was the quickest decision, besides herself and Natsu. "I will hold the water bearer, Aquarius. Happy, I have one more key. Natsu told me that Jayce said, the more celestial spirit magic the better. We could use your help." She placed her final key in his paws.

"Aye! Which spirit do I get?" He danced around her before settling on Natsu's left side.

"You have the giant crab, Cancer."

"Yummy! I get the giant crab man!" A little drool slipped from the corner of his mouth and Lucy giggled. Everyone quickly fell into the order Lucy handed out keys and she took a breath.

"I am standing in for God Serena, Erza is taking Acnologia's place. Jellal is taking Sting's place and Grace has Rogue's place." She spoke up before Natsu finished explaining the plan.

"Igneel said we have to channel our energy into the keys while Lucy focuses on opening the gates. With the outpour of slayer magic and magical energy, the celestial spirit magic, and the energy slipping through the gates to the celestial spirit world, the seal should break and the entrance to Hell will open. As soon as it does, we can't waste time. Everyone will feel weak, but we must push through. We can find a place to rest in hell." Natsu met each person's eyes before shutting his own. "Now." He growled, fire engulfing his body as the key glowed with the same, fierce energy. Each person channeled their magic in their own way. As Lucy focused, she opened each gate, feeling as the spirits passed through. The last spirit to pass through was Aquarius and she settled behind Lucy. Her hands pressed on Lucy's shoulders and she bent forward.

"You better keep yourself safe, Girlie." Aquarius hissed in her ear before pulling back to focus on the gate. Lucy nodded, channeling all of her energy into it. Within a few minutes, the seal snapped, the ground quaking under their feet as the stone shifted. Each person shot out backwards from the circle. Happy was first, followed by Grace, then Jellal, then Wendy, then Gajeel and Cobra, then Laxus, and finally Erza. All that was left standing was Lucy, Aquarius, Natsu, and Loke. The two spirits were holding the pair up until the gate stopped shifting. Their gates snapped shut and Lucy fell to her knees. It only took a moment for Natsu to gather himself and end up by her side.

"Come on. We have to get moving." He maneuvered her to lean on his back, curling her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist. Happy had stumbled over to them, keys in hand. Lucy's vision was foggy, but focused enough to notice him returning the keys to the safety of her pouch. She mumbled a thank-you while the others all shoved themselves to their feet. It took Lucy a moment, but she realized that Grace was on Cobra's back. Jellal was with Gajeel and Erza was holding herself up with a sword. She waved Wendy off, urging them to push forward. Natsu stepped up first, his toes brushing the edge of a dark pit. Black energy seeped out from the pit, tendrils licking the trees and grass. Everything it touched was drained of color, curling in on itself.

"Do you trust me?" Natsu whispered softly and Lucy nodded.

"Always." She huffed and Natsu launched them off the edge. They were free-falling and Lucy blacked out before they hit the ground.