Natsu felt the Jupiter canon fire, the rebounding shock from the blast sending him and those around him stumbling to their knees, pausing their battle.
He and Gray had joined Elfman in trying to destroy the final lacrima crystal powering the Jupiter canon, but found themselves blocked by two of the Element Four of Phantom Lord. Elfman had already been taken out by the earth user, Sol. Natsu had arrived to see Elfman collapse to the ground, tears streaking his face, and the twisting bastard laughing at his friend's suffering.
Gray arrived soon after, followed by a strange blue-haired woman with an oddly familiar scent. Before Natsu had a chance to think about where he knew the woman from, the two Phantom mages were on the attack. Natsu found himself battling a strange fire sprite with the ability to manipulate his dragon's fire, and Gray and the stranger took on the monocle-wearing mage.
"Stop…using…my…fire!" Natsu screamed in frustration, emphasizing each word with a flaming fist, only to have that very hand turn and strike his face instead. Growling, he lunged for the laughing fire sprite, who sent a wave of purple flames toward him. Natsu quickly opened his mouth to suck in the strangely colored fire, only to cough and choke the moment the flames passed his lips.
"Oi, what kind of bullshit fire is that?" He yelled, rolling to avoid another attack and running up behind the sprite to send a wave of red-hot (normal) fire spiraling at him, except the attack dissipated and the fire sprite remained unharmed.
"I, Totomaru, am the master of flame! Not even your pitiful dragon fire can best me!" The man laughed, easily avoiding another blast of flame. Natsu scowled, glancing over to see Gray and the strange woman easily overcoming the earth user.
"Tch, I can't let that bastard beat me again," He grumbled. He stared down at his fist and the flames encasing it, then took a deep breath and pushed his fire back inside him. "If I can't use my flames against you, then I'll have to beat your ass the old-fashioned way."
Natsu cracked his knuckles and smiled deviously at Totomaru. He ran at the man, ducking past a blast of green colored flames and swiped his leg at Totomaru's ankles, knocking him to his knees. Natsu quickly kneed him in the face, and then followed with a flurry of punches.
Totomaru lurched and spun out from under Natsu's grip, jumping away to catch his breath. Blue blood flowed down his nose and from his forehead, dripping onto the white floor. The sprite spat and glared at Natsu. "How?"
Natsu wiped his brow, then scowled and with a wild roar, lunged again. Totomaru blasted him with orange flames, which tickled at his skin and made his nose itch.
"How are you resisting?" He exclaimed, launching attack after attack at the drake, only for Natsu to emerge unscathed. Natsu grappled with the sprite and threw him to the ground, his hand wrapped around his neck.
"I have someone I need to protect," Natsu growled, tightening his grip around the sprite's neck until he passed out.
"Natsu! The canon!" Gray exclaimed, watching in horror as the glow emanating from the lacrima drained into the piping surrounding the magical orb and dimmed. Natsu howled and quickly sent a wave of intense flames at the lacrima, not wanting to acknowledge that they were too late, and that while he stood there, uselessly, his friends and his guild were being destroyed. Gray soon followed with a volley of ice lances piercing the lacrima and cracking the surface. Natsu summoned another fiery roar and shattered the lacrima.
Natsu paused for only a moment to catch his breath, then he dashed out of the room, forgetting about Gray and the water woman to run out and blow his way out of the castle. He froze the moment his feet hit the hard ground and the wind caressed his skin.
Leading from the mouth of the canon and stopping at the end of the river, was a deep gouge in the earth that stopped at the end of the river where there was a giant crater. He saw a familiar red-haired woman lying like a broken doll at the edge of the crater, surrounded by shattered pieces of armor.
The air began to heat and swelter as Natsu fumed. He felt his magic bubbling out of control, and a part of him couldn't be bothered to care. His body burst into flames, and he started running towards the crowd of his friends. He crossed the barren riverbed, sparing only a small thought for where the water from the river had disappeared to, and paused at the edge of the crowd surrounding Erza. The crowd parted around him, not wanting to get burned by his flames. Natsu glanced down at Mira, who had pulled Erza's head into her lap.
"What happened?" He said under his breath, clenching his fists. Mira told him what Erza did, and said they were waiting for Porlyusica to come and see what could be done for the fallen Valkyrie. Seething, he turned and perused through the crowd, searching for a blonde head of hair. The flames around his body dissipated and he sniffed the air to try and find her scent.
"Hey, Mira, where's Lucy?" He asked. Mira glanced up and looked around, "She was right over there, where that sword is."
Natsu walked over to the shining golden light embedded in the ground, curiously grabbing at the handle. He jerked away, the metal of the hilt burning his skin.
"Ow! It burned me!" He shouted, shaking his scorched hand. Gray and the Phantom Lord woman joined the crowd, and Gray scoffed at Natsu's reaction. He quickly knelt and pushed a strand of hair out of Erza's face and whispered something to Mira before walking over to Natsu.
"I doubt that," He said, walking over and grabbing the sword, only to have a similar reaction and cursing while rubbing the burned skin on his palm.
"See, I told you." Natsu said. Cana appeared at their side and she squatted next to the sword and looked at it curiously. She waved her hand near the glowing metal of the blade, and as her skin neared it the sword started to ring.
"Interesting," She muttered. Smiling, she stood back up and took a large step away from the weapon. "It's a literal physical manifestation of Lucy's magic. So as long as it remains here in the physical world, she should be okay."
Natsu huffed and muttered, "Then where is she." He crossed his arms, staring warily at the weapon. He tried again to find a trace of her scent, but the overwhelming stench of the Jupiter canon residue clogged his sensitive nose. Cursing, he looked around again.
"You don't think she went to turn herself in to Jose, do you?" Gray asked. Natsu glared at the ice user and said, "Of course she didn't! You didn't see her face when she walked out all alone before. She wouldn't do that."
Gray lifted his hands in surrender, stepping away from Natsu. He could tell that now was not the time to pick a fight with the fire drakon. As a creature born from ice and snow, his instincts told him to stay away from Natsu's blistering aura. Not that he would ever admit such a fear aloud. Ever.
Natsu started pacing next to the weapon made from Lucy's pure, celestial magic. The golden aura calmed his nerves, albeit slightly. He unconsciously hovered near the last remnant of Lucy. Cana watched the drake's behavior with a devious grin.
Porlyusica soon emerged from the crumbling guild, announcing that the injured were still relatively safe in the infirmary. The healer crouched next to Erza and started to imbue her with healing energy.
"It'll take a few sessions, but she should heal just fine," The surly woman grumbled. Natsu relayed the information to the two standing with him next to Lucy's weapon, knowing they wouldn't be able to hear as well as him. Gray smiled at the news.
"Oh, Natsu, before I forget, the woman that helped us destroy the lacrima was one of the Element Four, but she defected and wants to join us. And um, she was the one that kidnapped Lucy," Gray said, cautiously observing Natsu for his reaction.
"Wait, that's where I know her smell from," Natsu said, staring into Gray's eyes, "and you trust her?"
Gray shrugged, and nodded. Natsu stared into his slanted dark eyes for a few moments, then nodded and returned to hovering near Lucy's aura around the sword. He wanted to go searching for her, now that Erza was being taken care of. He was about to suggest his idea to Gray when the sword started to emit a high-pitched ring that painfully pierced the fire drakon's ears.
Cursing, he stumbled away from the weapon as it started to glow brighter and brighter until it radiated the same blinding and burning light as Lucy did in Fairy Tail all those weeks ago when she lost control of her magic. The light radiated across the clearing and continued to grow hotter until the ringing abruptly stopped and the sword burst from the ground and exploded in a shower of silver light, the force of the explosion sending Natsu, Cana, and Gray flying.
Natsu crawled to his feet and stared at the empty spot where Lucy's sword had been. He looked over at Cana and asked, "What does that mean?"
The card mage bit her lip and winced. "Nothing good, I'm afraid."
Natsu cursed and whirled to stare at the distant fortress. Before he could take off and storm the fortress, he felt something warm in his pocket.
"Hey, flame-brain, why is your crotch glowing?" Gray asked, nodding to the light radiating from Natsu's pocket. Shrugging, he reached into his pocket and grabbed something metal. He pulled a jingling keychain from the pocket and nearly dropped the familiar object in shock.
"That's Lucy's keychain," Cana whispered. Natsu closed his fist around the warm keys and clutched them close to his chest. He suddenly remembered the way she looked at him as he ran off with Elfman before the battle, with teary eyes and her hand reaching out towards him. He should've known, should've felt her put the keys in his pocket. Lucy thought she would be captured by Jose and gave him her precious keys to keep Phantom's grubby hands away from her spirits. While he loved how she'd trusted him with her most treasured friends, she didn't think he'd succeed in keeping her safe.
And for that, he could never forgive himself or Phantom Lord.
-ooooo-
Lucy woke up slowly and painfully. She was once again lying on cold concrete, but instead of a dark cell, she was in a large antechamber. The room was empty, save for the menacing man that had abducted her- she really needed to figure out how not to get kidnapped so much- and Jose, seated on a throne in front of her. She held back a giggle at the sight of Jose perched on a large block of black stone like a ruler. Of course, he had a throne, he was such a ridiculous man.
"Welcome back, my dear," Jose said. Lucy snarled and rose to her feet, ready to charge at the despicable man before her, when a steel rod slammed into her stomach and sent her reeling.
"Now now, Gajeel, she is our treasured guest," Jose cackled. The man, Gajeel, scoffed and crossed his arms and returned to his spot behind Lucy. She glared up into his red eyes and spat at his feet. Gajeel just raised a brow.
"Ms. Heartfilia, I believe you need to be punished for betraying us and escaping," Jose sneered, standing and descending the steps leading up to his glorified chair. Lucy laughed again and said, "It seems to me like you're overcompensating with that ridiculous chair of yours."
Gajeel howled with laughter, stopping with a cough when Jose shot him a deathly glare. Jose nodded at the man, and Gajeel sighed, then kicked Lucy in the back. She fell again, scraping her knees on the rough concrete.
"Insolent girl, it seems we will have to teach you a lesson," He spat. He waved at Gajeel, who frowned and kicked Lucy again, sending her rolling across the rough stone.
Choking, she curled in on herself and shuddered. She felt her magic bubble inside her, only to be sucked away by something far away. Frowning, she focused on following that thread of power to find where it had gone, and saw the glowing image of her short sword embedded in the ground. The sword shone, and she got the feeling it was trying to tell her something. She dove deeper into the vision, and saw the sword burst into brilliant flames. Natsu, she thought. Lucy returned to her body, and felt another kick in her stomach, the steel-toed boots digging into her skin.
She bit back the scream of pain, and summoned another wave of magic, sending it down her arm to the sword she knew was with Natsu. She trusted her instincts.
Lucy rolled onto her stomach and lifted onto her knees, glaring at Jose. She spat a glob of blood and spittle at his feet and muttered, "Do what you will, you will never get a hold of my power or my keys."
Jose stared at her in confusion, then his squinty eyes narrowed and he nodded to Gajeel once again. The man huffed, then lifted Lucy by the collar of her shirt and started to pat her down. He reached into her pockets and then shook his head when he found nothing.
"You bitch! We will find those keys of yours and you will pay for this!" He screamed, spittle flying from his thin lips. He stalked towards her and grabbed her by her hair, pulling her to her feet. Wincing, Lucy had no choice but to follow as Jose dragged her to the steps and threw her against the hard stone, the edges digging into her spine. Lucy bit her lip hard enough to draw blood as she tried to keep her screams from being pulled from her throat.
"Beat her bloody, I don't care if she's permanently damaged so do your worst, Black Steel," He ordered, returning to sit on his black throne. Gajeel hesitated, his gaze locked on the blood seeping from her lips and dripping onto the stone floor.
"Black Steel, I gave you an order!" Jose snapped. Gajeel scowled, but walked over and grabbed Lucy by the hair, throwing her across the room. Lucy screamed as she slammed against a stone pillar. She rolled onto her stomach and tried to rise to her feet, but Gajeel's arm turned into a steel rod and it thrust into her gut. Lucy's stomach emptied itself and she spat and choked, trying to catch her breath. Gajeel crouched down to grab her again, and she heard him whisper, "I'm sorry for this, I really am."
Lucy snorted and tried to smile up at the man beating her. "If you're sorry, why obey?" She asked. Gajeel paled, and bared his teeth. Lucy saw conflict in his eyes as he struggled with the decision to obey Jose. Ultimately, his red eyes hardened and he picked her up and sent her flying into another pillar. Lucy screamed when she felt her shoulder pop, and burning pain seared down her arm. She felt the magic flowing through her arm and into her sword sputter and stop. Blinding white light filled her vision and she screamed as her magic exploded out of her in a flash of light.
"What was that?" Jose exclaimed, blinking away the spots in his vision. Gajeel shrugged, and looked to Jose for what to do next. The Master of Phantom Lord gestured for him to continue, then stood and walked out of the room saying, "I'm going to check on the castle and get the canon working again, I want you to finish up here."
Gajeel sighed and stalked over to Lucy, who struggled to crawl away from the man. Her right arm hung limp at her side, dragging uselessly across the floor. Gajeel kicked her again, and pressed his knee against her stomach while he started to punch her face repeatedly. Lucy spat the blood from her mouth and coughed as Gajeel paused his assault to send her rolling again with a strong kick to her back.
Her vision blackened as her face swelled and bruised from his fists. A sharp pain pierced her side with every breath, and Lucy was sure a few of her ribs were broken. She was barely holding on to consciousness, her eyes locked on Gajeel as he stomped towards her, his arm morphing into steel once again to strike her from afar. Her breath was ragged and wet as blood surged up her throat and forced her to cough up blood and vomit. She tried to roll out of the puddle of her own bodily fluids, but only managed a few inches before Gajeel reached her. He gripped her by the collar of her shirt and kneed her in the chest, then tossed her aside like a ragdoll.
Lucy curled in on herself, choking on her sobs and tears. Every part of her screamed in pain, every nerve, every fiber. Her magic pulsed weakly inside her, struggling along with her but flickering away into nothingness.
Gajeel neared her again, then sighed and raised one foot, slamming it down on her leg. Lucy screamed and wailed as her bones snapped and crumbled under the force of his foot. She glanced down and saw her bones pushing against her skin from the inside, and pain swirled through her. Gajeel looked away, then kicked her again and again.
Finally, after what felt like hours, the onslaught stopped. Lucy tried to look up at Gajeel, to make him suffer and realize the pain he was causing her. She spat on his boots, which made no difference since they were already coated in her blood.
"I'm impressed. Most people would be dead or knocked out from the beating I gave you," He muttered. He knelt next to her, cringing when she jerked away from him, groaning in pain at the movement. She could barely see from her left eye, the right one swollen shut. He reached out and wiped some of the blood from her face, his face stoic. Lucy knew she was crying from her blurry vision, but she couldn't feel the tears rolling down her skin through the pain. Gajeel frowned and rose to his feet.
"…don't care what he says," She heard him mutter. Gajeel cursed under his breath and turned to her, when the doors behind them burst open and a wave of heat filled the room. Red flames snaked through the antechamber, bringing a scorching heat with them.
Lucy felt her lips try to curl up into a smile. She would know those flames anywhere. Gajeel whirled, poised to attack, when a spiral of white-hot fire slammed into him, sending the iron user flying into the opposite wall and embedded into the stone.
Lucy heard her name being called, and felt someone warm envelop her and lift her up, and knew she was finally safe. The pain thrumming through her body finally overcame her senses, and she passed away into the darkness of unconsciousness.
Natsu burst through the fortress of Phantom Lord with ease. He was about to scream for Lucy and go charging in a random direction to find her when he caught a whiff of her scent coated in the metallic tang of blood. He turned and sprinted down the hall where the scent flowed from, his rage spiraling out of control the closer he got to the source of the blood. He knew that Lucy was bleeding way too much from how much the scent of her blood clogged his nose.
His vision went red as he burst through a large pair of double doors and the smell of Lucy's blood flooded his senses. He saw a dark figure standing over Lucy's bloody and beaten body, and Natsu quickly sent a fiery roar at the man with all the power he could muster. The man went flying and Natsu turned his attention to Lucy.
He crouched down next to her, his hands hovering over her body. His knees sank in the puddle of her blood and he felt tears well up in his eyes. She was barely recognizable, her golden hair coated in her blood and her face swollen and bruised. He cringed when he saw her shattered leg and her bloated arm hanging limply at her side. She turned her head toward his body, and he heard her mutter something unintelligible under her breath before she passed out.
All the muscles in his body tensed and he became eerily still. The man who'd beat her stumbled out of the rubble and stood at the foot of the ridiculously giant stone chair across the room.
"Don't worry Luce, I'll get you all fixed up in no time," He muttered, pushing her hair out of her face. Natsu rose silently, and his flames extinguished and his skin became boiling hot. He felt his skin start to itch and when he looked down he saw red scales crawling up his skin. Smoke wafted from his mouth and nostrils and he felt his dragon fire swarm inside him. Magical energy filled his entire body and overflowed his aura until it burst into white flames. The man across from him had the sense to look mildly terrified as Natsu's form continued to change. When spiraling horns started to grow from his scalp, Gajeel paled and enveloped his body in his iron scales.
Natsu howled in rage and lunged at the man, flying through the air with insane speed. He appeared behind the iron-scaled man and swiftly grabbed him by the neck and wrenched him to the side and into a stone pillar. Before Gajeel had another moment to defend himself, Natsu launched a volley of attacks, punching and kicking at the iron scales until they started to burn and fade away. Gajeel tried to push the fire drakon away, wincing in pain.
Natsu drew in a large breath, then pulled Gajeel up inches away from his face and with a dark smile, spat an unyielding inferno right into his iron face and skin. Gajeel coughed and his iron skin flaked away. Natsu lifted a flaming fist and slammed it repeatedly into his face until the iron drakon passed out.
Even after his eyes rolled back in his head and his body went limp, Natsu barely stopped his assault, resisting the urge to continue and kill the bastard. The scent of Lucy's blood reminded him that he had to take her to Porlyusica immediately.
He tossed Gajeel's body against the stone steps, then carefully lifted Lucy into his arms. A growl rumbled deep in his chest as her warm blood dripped down his arms and onto the floor. He cautiously increased his body temperature to keep her body from becoming too cold from the blood loss.
He ignored the sounds of battle echoing throughout the castle and sprinted-while being careful not to jostle Lucy's body too much-out and across to the crumbled wreckage that used to be Fairy Tail. Mira was directing the assault, with Warren assisting her with communications. Her eyes widened at the sight of the blood-soaked pair as Natsu whizzed past, bursting into the infirmary.
Porlyusica looked up from where she stood by Jet, eyes narrowing as she scanned Lucy's body in his arms. Natsu tightened his grip on Lucy, and said, "Please, you have to help her."
Porlyusica nodded, pointing to one of the empty cots next to Levy. After carefully placing Lucy on the cot, his concern rising when she didn't even flinch at the movement, and knelt next to her. Porlyusica raised a brow, but said nothing as he placed his chin on the edge of the cot, his nose brushing against strands of her hair. The grumpy healer made a face as she waved a glowing hand over Lucy's injuries, sparing a glance for the drakon. Knowing how draconic instincts drove his species, she decided against telling him the likelihood that Lucy would emerge from her injuries unscathed and let him stay by her side as she worked.
Natsu remained at Lucy's side as Porlyusica poured healing magic into her body and set her leg, and poured countless potions down her throat. He paid no attention to those that entered the room, only growling his threats at those who neared Lucy's cot. As the time passed, he figured the war against Phantom Lord had been won, considering the guild was still- mostly- standing and from the muffled cheering echoing through the door.
Eventually, Mira entered the infirmary, giving Natsu a swat on the back of his head when he targeted her with a growl as she neared Lucy's cot. She handed the healer a jar with swirling light inside of it, then joined Natsu at Lucy' side. He could smell the anger wafting from her aura as she neared him.
"I've done all I can for now," Porlyusica said as she stepped back from Lucy's cot and took the glowing jar over to Makarov's tiny form. The healer opened the jar, then grabbed the shining light within and tossed it, rather haphazardly, over the master's body. The waves of magic energy slowly returned to the Master with every breath, until his entire aura had been returned. His skin pinked and his breathing went from ragged to even. Porlyusica huffed, then made her rounds with each patient to ensure their health was indeed improving.
"Who did this?" Mira asked, placing a hand on Lucy's cheek. Natsu grumbled his answer, and glanced up at the barmaid.
"Who won?" He asked, despite knowing the answer. Mira smiled softly down at Lucy as the blonde leaned into her palm, and answered, "Gray had some assistance from Erza, who woke up and returned to the battle without a care for her own health, as usual. Together, they retrieved Makarov's aura, and then they sent Jose packing. He ran, abandoning his guild and his castle," Mira paused to sneer, "-then Erza stumbled back with Makarov's aura and passed out right after you got here."
Natsu grimaced. That bastard Jose was still out there somewhere, planning to steal Lucy away and to kill his friends. As though she could read his thoughts, Mira ensured him that Warren and Gray were out searching for that cowardly bastard Jose. She knelt next to Natsu, eyes filling with tears as she stroked Lucy's blood-soaked hair.
"How could this have happened?" She asked breathlessly. Natsu shrugged, sparing a glance at Makarov and Team Shadowgear. Together they sat in silence for a few moments, keeping watch over the injured.
When Gray burst through the doors, the water woman hot on his heels, Mira stood to greet them while Natsu stayed where he was by Lucy's side. Her breathing had started to even out, and her cheeks were beginning to flush a soft pink.
"Bastard got away, how's Gramps?" He asked, shaking his arm out of the blue-haired woman's grip.
"He's improving, according to Porlyusica," Mira explained before turning her gaze to the shy woman standing behind Gray and said, "You said you'd explain later, well, it's later."
"This is Juvia, she helped me destroy the Jupiter canon and helped us in the fight," Gray said, pulling her out from behind him and placing her in front of Mira. The half-demon looked over the water mage, then smiled and welcomed her to Fairy Tail.
"Juvia was happy to help, Jose was not a nice man to Juvia," The woman, Juvia, said with a shy smile. Natsu let out a growl, glaring over at her from his spot next to Lucy. A part of him wanted to rush forth and beat Juvia into a pulp for taking his Lucy away and handing her over to Jose, while another, admittedly larger, part wanted to stay as close to Lucy as he could to ensure her safety.
Juvia blanched and scampered back behind Gray again, shooting a nervous look at the fuming fire drakon. Mira glared over at Natsu, and he could hear her lecturing him on manners in his head. The trio walked out of the infirmary to continue talking outside, away from the annoyed and territorial drakon.
Natsu puffed smoke from his mouth and rolled his eyes. He turned his eyes back to Lucy's face, his scowl deepening. He focused on the all too slow beat of her heart and let his mind and body relax.
-ooooo-
Lucy was tired of waking up in immense pain. It had been happening all too often, for her liking. Luckily, this time she awoke in a familiar room, rather than the dark prisons of Phantom Lord's fortress. With a quick look around, she saw that the infirmary was empty and quiet. She slowly sat up, wincing when her head throbbed in pain. A sharp pain pulsed through her shoulder and she grimaced, cautiously rolling the joint after a moment's rest. Once she could move her arm without too much pain, she looked over the rest of her body. She placed a hand on her chest, grimacing when she felt the thick bandages around her ribcage. Her leg was wrapped in a thick cast from ankle to thigh, and she could already feel the dull ache in her bones.
The memory of Gajeel slamming his boot down on her leg until the bone shattered made her breath shake and her heart race. Her grip on the bedsheet tightened and she squeezed her eyes shut. When she finally regained control of her emotions, she reopened her eyes and rubbed her temple. Great, more nightmare material.
The sound of muffled laugher drifted through the closed door, and Lucy pursed her lips and stared longingly towards the door, where she knew her friends were. Since she was lying, somewhat healed, in the infirmary, she assumed Fairy Tail had beaten Phantom Lord, and hearing the boisterous sounds from the tavern, she assumed everyone had survived the battle.
"I am not going to stay stuck in this bed forever," She muttered, determination filling her brown eyes. With a deep breath, she swung her legs over the edge of the bed, trying her best to ignore the shooting pain thrumming through her broken leg. Hissing in pain, she used her good arm to support her leg, then carefully stood. Wobbling, she gripped the edge of her cot for support and took another deep breath.
"I can do this," She whispered under her breath. Lucy eyed the counter a few feet from her current position. She could make it. She cautiously lifted her hand from the edge of the cot and balanced on her good leg. She hobbled over to the counter with a soft whimper every time she tried to put weight on her bad leg. She practically fell against the counter, huffing and puffing from the exertion. Pouting, she slid down the counter until she reached the door a few minutes later.
By the time she reached the doorway, she was panting and sweating. Black dots spotted her vision and she felt vaguely queasy. Lucy pushed through the pain and discomfort, determined to find out what was happening on the other side of that door. She needed to know what had happened after Gajeel beat her half to death. Since Levy was no longer resting in the infirmary, Lucy hoped her friend was already back on her feet.
Lucy opened the door with what little energy she could muster. It slowly creaked open, quiet enough not to draw any attention from those on the other side. As the light from the tavern filled the room and the sounds of her friends laughing and enjoying themselves echoed, Lucy felt her lips part into a small smile. Unfortunately, her smile melted away when she saw the vast space between her and the bar or a chair. It seemed like too much ground to cover with her bad leg.
Well, let it be known that Lucy Hearfilia was not a quitter. With a grimace, she swung her bad leg out in front of her and started to make her way out of the shadows and towards her friends. She could see Mira tending to the bar, and Levy sitting at one of the stools, her skin still pale and sickly. Lucy slid along the wall, cursing under her breath with each movement. Soon her leg was screaming with pain, and her head was pulsing and her shoulder sent pinpricks of agony down her arm. Her ribs ached with each breath. Sweat dripped down her forehead and into her eye, and she started to sway as her vision darkened. Lucy gritted her teeth, determined to make it to the bar in one relatively okay piece.
She was almost halfway there when she felt her muscles spasm. Lucy was powerless to stop her body from giving out on her and collapsing. Before she hit the ground, a pair of warm arms wrapped around her and lifted her. She let herself be held up and turned to face the man helping her.
Natsu was scowling down at her. He twisted, then lifted her into his arms, swinging her legs out from under her. Lucy was too tired to protest the contact, and instead nuzzled into his neck. Natsu was always there to take care of her.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" He snapped. His body started to heat as his anger intensified, but Lucy relished in the warmth. She lifted her good arm and wrapped it around his neck.
"I wanted to see everyone," She whispered. She felt a rush of warm air against her ear as he sighed. With a grumble, he turned and carried her over to the bar to join Levy. Lucy knew normally she'd be embarrassed by Natsu's behavior, but she was too tired to care.
"I know if I took ya back to the infirmary I know you'd throw a fit and try again," He grumbled with a low laugh. Lucy smiled and gripped tighter onto his shirt collar.
"Lucy!" Levy exclaimed upon seeing the blonde in Natsu's arms. Smiling, she patted Natsu's shoulder until he cautiously set her down on a barstool. Panting, she reached out to hug Levy.
"I'm so glad you're okay! When I woke up and saw you, I was so worried," Levy said.
"Like you're one to talk, I was so worried about you and look at you. You're already healed, how long has it been?" She asked. Natsu, who'd been hovering behind her as if waiting for her to tumble off the stool, stepped closer until his chest was pressing against her back, his warm aura enveloping her.
"It's been four days since the battle, and you've been unconscious the entire time. Jet and I woke up the day after, and Droy a little bit after us," Levy explained. Lucy's eyes widened and she leaned back into Natsu's chest with a groan.
"Four days?" She muttered. Levy reached out and grabbed her hand with a concerned look. Natsu placed his chin on the top of her head, his breath fanning down over her face. Lucy peered up at him and raised a brow. He just stared with a blank expression. She just rolled her eyes, then turned back to face Levy, trying her best to ignore the clingy drakon behind her.
"Well I'm so glad you're okay," She said with a yawn. She could feel Natsu's disapproving look, and knew he wanted to take her back to her cot so she could rest.
"Oh, before I forget, what happened? The last thing I remember was-" Her voice caught in her throat as the memory of Gajeel relentlessly pounding away at her body sent her heart racing. Suddenly, she was glad for Natsu's comforting presence behind her.
"I beat up that iron bastard and Gray and Erza got Gramp's aura back. Jose got away but Gramps has been talking to the Council about hunting him down," Natsu said. Her heart rate started to return to a normal pace as the minutes passed.
"Well, at least everyone is okay," She said softly. Levy's eyes filled with sympathy. Before anyone could say anything else, a loud voice boomed through the room.
"LUCY HEARTFILIA, WHAT ON EARTH ARE YOU DOING OUT OF BED?" Erza bellowed, pointing an accusing finger her way. Natsu jerked back, causing Lucy to start to wobble and lose her balance. She screamed Natsu's name as she started to tumble from the barstool, and with a curse he reached out and helped right her again. This time he just kept one hand placed on the small of her back.
"Erza! I'm so glad you're okay," Lucy said with a nervous smile, hoping to calm the violent red-head. She watched with increasing fear as Erza stalked towards her. She leaned closer to Natsu and whispered, "You don't think she'd kill me while I'm still injured, right?"
"One can only hope," He whispered back. Erza stopped right in front of Lucy, pausing to stare her down. A moment passed, then she smiled and plucked Lucy off the stool and pressed her against her chest, her armored chest.
"I'm glad you're okay," She said, clutching her tight. Lucy coughed, wincing in pain, but mumbled a similar sentiment. Her shoulder started to burn, then warm hands plucked her from Erza's arms and placed her back on the stool, holding her waist.
"Hey, watch what you're doing, crazy woman. She's still healing," Natsu said. Erza stepped back in shock, then bowed and said, "I'm so sorry Lucy. Please forgive me."
"Ah, Erza! It's fine, I'm okay," Lucy said quickly while waving her arms. Erza straightened and clapped Lucy on the back.
"I knew you were strong. I remember you fighting with that magnificent short sword on the battle field. I'd love to help you train sometime," Erza said. A spark of interest lit Lucy's dark eyes and she eagerly agreed.
"I don't even remember how I summoned that thing, to be honest," She said as she glanced down at her right hand, as though she could summon the celestial weapon just by looking at her palm.
"Well, when you do, I'd be happy to help you train," Erza said, a devious spark in her eyes. Lucy suddenly realized that being trained by Erza might be detrimental to her overall health.
"You need to get back into bed, young lady. You need your rest. Porlyusica said you should stay off that leg until she comes back to check on you in a few days," Erza said with a disapproving look, her brow raised. Lucy fought the urge to roll her eyes, but she knew Erza was right.
"I feel fine, honest," She said with a dismissive wave of her hand. She pushed against Natsu's hand, and hobbled off the stool with false confidence. "See? I can stand on my own."
As soon as the words left her lips, sharp pain shot up her leg and she bit back a whimper. She wobbled on her feet, determined to stay standing for at least ten more seconds. If she could make it out of the infirmary, she could stand on her own.
"Luce, get back over here and sit down before you pass out," Natsu ordered, hovering at her side with his arms at the ready. Lucy just swatted his hands away with a frown.
"I'm perfectly capable of standing on my own, thank you very much," She stated, ignoring the spasming in her good leg. Even Levy looked worried, the demi-fae hopping off her stool to stand near Lucy's other side in case she fell that way.
"I'm fine I tell you! It wasn't that bad. So I was passed out for a few days, I'm all rested up now," She stuttered, her balance wavering. Natsu huffed, then grabbed her waist and tossed her over his shoulder.
"Like hell it wasn't bad. Don't forget that I saw what that bastard did to you," He argued. Words failed her as Natsu carried her, like a sack of potatoes, back to the infirmary.
"All of you go away, you can talk to her tomorrow," Natsu ordered. Lucy huffed, but allowed him to carry her away from her friends, choosing to wave goodbye from her perch on his shoulder. Levy was laughing, and Erza had a wide smile on her face. Mira came out of the kitchen right at that moment, choosing only to send Lucy a devious smile and a wave.
Natsu remained strangely silent as he burst into the infirmary and gently placed Lucy on her cot. He pulled the cot next to hers closer and sat down with a pensive look on his face. Lucy leaned forwards, awkwardly stretching her broken leg off to the side. She reached over and grabbed one of his hands, her thumb softly rubbing the back of his hand, and asked, "What's wrong?"
Natsu clenched his jaw, staring pointedly at her leg cast, and the bandages around her arm, then to her ribs, where more bandages wrapped tightly around her ribcage.
"I was too late," He murmured, placing his free hand on top of hers and locking their hands together. Lucy swallowed past the lump in her throat. The last thing she remembered from the fight with Phantom Lord was lying broken and bloody on the floor while Natsu burst into the room and held her in his arms. She knew how terrible she looked now, four days later. She couldn't imagine how she must've looked before.
"I'm okay now, you saved me," She said with a smile, using her free hand to lift his chin.
"Look at me. I know I'm a bit battered now, but I'll heal," She urged. Sure, her whole body was sore and throbbing in pain, but Natsu didn't need to know that.
"I was so scared. I thought you were dead, you were soaked in blood and so bent and broken," He stammered, leaning against her hand until she cupped his cheek. Lucy bit her lip, fighting the tears pooling in her eyes.
"I know, I'm sorry. I let myself get captured, then I provoked Jose like an idiot," She laughed. Natsu groaned and ran a hand through his hair. His shoulders perked up and he released Lucy's hand and reached into his pants pocket and pulled out a familiar keychain.
Lucy gasped and reached out to grab her keys from him, cupping them close to her heart. She could feel the metal heat in response to her touch, and knew that her spirits were relieved to be back in her hands.
"Thank you for taking care of them for me," She said.
"Yea, well you better not pull shit like that anytime soon. D'ya know how annoying it is to have those keys angry with you? For magical objects they sure do have an attitude," He complained. Lucy giggled, placing the keys next to her pillow.
"Still, thank you, Natsu. I don't know what I would've done without you." She smiled. Natsu sighed, and nodded. Lucy released a tired sigh and leaned back against the wall with closed eyes. She heard Natsu chuckle and say, "Your stubborn streak is gonna get you killed one day."
Lucy smiled and couldn't help but agree with him. Her body was certainly angry with her, too. She snuggled down under her blanket and rolled onto her side so she could look over at Natsu. Sleep pulled at her, tempting her to drift away into unconsciousness. She reached out and grabbed his hand again.
"I don't know what I did to deserve you," She mumbled as her eyes drifted shut. The last thing she heard before falling asleep was Natsu's voice saying, "I'm the one who should be saying that."
Okay, so this turned into a meaty 7300 word monster...I hope y'all liked it! I didn't want to leave off on another cliff hanger, so a special extra long chapter it is! Soon we'll have some more keys enter the story and drama with Jude, so stay tuned!
As always, I love hearing your thoughts so don't forget to leave a review, it really makes my day!
