Chapter 7
"Sure, but do you want to talk about that here?" he asked quietly tilting his head slightly towards Natsu whose back was turned to them. Conflicted for a moment, she said "your right, come on, let's go to the back" as they got up and started walking towards the stairs when the other three saw them. "Hey, where are you two going?" asked Natsu. "To the back, I need to talk to Gray" said Lucy firmly. "You sure you don't want us to come with you?" asked Erza questionably. "Yes, we aren't going anywhere, just in the back. Come on Gray" she said as she grabbed his wrist and went downstairs. Natsu didn't question it. He knew Gray would protect her and if she didn't want the others to follow then it was something between her and Gray alone. He had already had his own talk with him, now it was Lucy's time. "I wonder what's going on" said Erza as Jellal eyed her. "What?" "Don't even think about it Erza. Just let it go. Lucy has her reasons and we need to trust her." Said Jellal reasonably. "Your right" she admitted as she went back to watching the members below. Sitting down, he looked over at Lucy who closed the door behind them. "So, what's this about?" Lucy had a worried expression as Gray said, "what's up Lucy? are you alright?" Sighing , her croakiness clearing up some as she came and sat next to him and said "I trust when Natsu told you about my past, he mentioned the part about when that guy wished me dead in the cafeteria" "Yeah, he mentioned it. I'm not surprised, sounds like the guy was a real asshole." She chuckled as she looked at him with a calm face confusing him. "Am I missing something?" "Natsu, he'll talk till he's blue in the face except about himself." "Why?" "Because there's a part of him he doesn't want people to see..at least not when it comes to me" "You mean when he's protective?. That's to be expected Lucy" he told her as she shook her head.
"It goes beyond that. What he didn't tell you Gray, was that yes, he beat the guy up, but it didn't stop there." Gray's face turned shocked as he listened. "Natsu beat the guy to a pulp and he would have kept going if I wouldn't have stopped him. The guy already had a beat-up face and broken nose and jaw. The parents tried to sue Natsu but Igneel stepped in and said Natsu was just trying to defend my life since their son had wished me dead." "Well good thing for him then" he said casually as Lucy's face was anything but as she said "if it wasn't for his father, Natsu could have ended up in juvy or worse. Luckily his father was respected by everyone for being a reasonable, kind person and believed him." "Lucy, he said after that you two got together" "We did, no one had ever defended me for anything like he did, and I loved him and wanted to be with him. So, after that we did" "Okay, what else happened?" "That's when I saw a different side of him, he wasn't violent or controlling so don't think that but whenever someone tried to insult or harm me, Natsu would get really angry in protecting me. As long as I was there, he would hold back, and I could rein in his temper but without me..." "He would go nuts right?" said Gray finishing her words as she nodded. "It's true we were inseparable, not just because we loved each other, but because I also kept his anger in check, it happened enough that it was like a different personality would come to the surface. An angry, protective one who would stop at nothing short of me stopping him from taking out the one opposing me. Whenever it wasn't happening, he was the most wonderful man I know. I have never met someone who loves me as much as he does. After my parent's death and I got into music, he did everything he could to support me. Helped me pay for singing lessons, and he bought me outfits. He's always done that." She smiled a happy, warm smile as she remembered.
"Did that personality ever come back out?" he asked. "There were times it presented itself, but It wasn't as bad as it was in high school. At most, he just got really angry and yelled at the guy but he didn't beat anybody up but that was also due to his own control. He didn't like how violent he got but he also wanted to make sure I was defended so after some..and don't repeat this to anyone. After a few anger management classes, he got it under control, and he's been fine since but now..." She cut herself off. "Lucy, why are you telling me this? He asked insistent and concerned as she got a downcast look on her face. "Because over these last few months, that control has been slipping away from him and it's only a matter of time and I need you to know for when Zeref comes after me" "Lucy" he said cutting her off. "He's not going to touc" she held her hand up silencing him. "Please don't Gray. With all this shit he is doing to torment me..I know he's going to come after me and you need to be there for Natsu when he does" she said quietly. "Lucy!, you aren't giving up are you?" he asked immediately. "No I'm not. I just know he's coming..and I won't be there to hold Natsu back. He's close to tipping over the edge and I need you to help him from hurting himself" "Lucy, if what your saying is true, what the hell can I do?" She looked at him dead serious in the face and said "keep everyone out of his way. He won't care who it is, he will run straight through them in order to find me because no one will stop once he turns" "Well that's good thing isn't it?" "Not if it's you guys, I'm telling you Gray, make sure he doesn't hurt himself but keep everyone out of his way…There's a name for his other personality." "What is it?" "E.N.D. Etherious Natsu Dragneel. We came up with it after school. Gray, please tell me you understand"
"Yes , I understand Lucy, but I hate that you're asking me to do this. I'm not saying I won't do it. You guys are family, just not liking where this is going" he said sadly. Standing up, she walked over in front of him and said "I know but please know there is no one I trust me to watch over Natsu because he is going to need you…even if he doesn't know it" He stood up and pulled Lucy into a hug as he wrapped his arms around her shoulders as she put her hands up his back. "You can be damn sure we will come after you" he said in a serious voice. "I know..there won't be a person who will be able to stop you guys with Natsu there" she said confident as they released the hug. "I love you, you know that right Lucy?" "Of course, I love you too" she answered softly. "Come on, we better get back up there. I'm afraid what Erza has going through her head if we stay here any longer" he said lightly as Lucy laughed some as she said "okay, lets go" .
He opened the door and up the stairs they went back up. "Everything good?" asked Jellal "Yup, all good" replied Gray who nodded towards Natsu who was getting frustrated. "Come on!, does anyone not have fucking anything?" he yelled. "Natsu, ease off a little, they are reaching out to whoever they can" said Erza as she went to put a hand on Natsu's shoulder as he gave a look that said not to touch him. Lucy and Gray stayed silent as they watched. "Now I see what she means. He's starting to crack" he thought. "Mommy" said Layla who had walked over to Lucy. "What is it baby?" she asked. "Can I have another book?" she asked. "Sure, just me go get some out of the car" she replied as she took a step towards the stairway when bullets came flying as Lucy pushed Layla to the floor covering her as Natsu dived for the stairs. "Lucy!, Layla, grab my hand quick" he yelled as they reached and he pulled them up into him as he hugged them to him covering them with his jacket as the bullets went flying. "EVERYONE FIND SHELTER!" Erza shouted as everyone panicked and tried to find a place to hide from the incoming bullet storm. Natsu and the others knew who it was without guessing. "Outside now!" he ordered as they made way for the doors dodging bullets. Still covering Lucy and Layla, Natsu stepped outside with the others as they saw Evelyn and Zeref standing there. "Here for a rematch because I can guarantee, your not getting out this time" snapped Natsu.
"No brother, I'm here for her" he said pointing to Lucy. "Your not laying a damn hand on her" Natsu said angrily putting her and Layla behind him. "EVERYONE ATTACK!" he shouted as Erza and the team with the mafia attacked. "Mommy!" Layla yelled scared as Lucy got to her knees and hugged her as Layla was shaking. "It's alright Layla. I'm right here" she said trying to comfort her while trying to keep her own fear down. Natsu stood ready for the defense but he couldn't believe it as he saw his team slowly get overrun. Zeref's people just kept coming like there was no end to them. "Natsu, how long are you going to keep this up, as you can see your team has been beaten. Just give her up." Natsu looked around and saw his team being held back by his guards as Natsu angrily said "over my dead body, you son of a bitch" In a split second, Zeref shot him right through the chest as Lucy and Layla screamed. "Fuck" Natsu mumbled as he fell to the ground unconscious. "Natsu!, Natsu!" Lucy yelled as Layla tried shaking him. "Grab them" Zeref ordered as Lucy's eyes and everyone's eyes widened. "Them!?" she yelled panicked as Zeref laughed and said "yes , I did say it was just you I was after. Not really. I'm after you both..Now grab them" he ordered coldly as guards picked up a flailing Lucy and Layla.
"NATSU!, DADDY!" they screamed as Lucy looked directly into Gray's eyes as he received the message loud and clear as if she had spoken the words herself. "Remember what I told you" "NO!" Erza shouted as they weak in body stood ready. "Erza, you have two choices. You can either try to save them or Natsu who is currently bleeding out. Your choice" he said with a sly grin as she stood there conflicted. "Erza!" Jellal shouted as Erza glared and said "your going to pay" "Hmm, I see your choice is made. Good let's go" said Zeref as Evelyn smiled and turned. "Erza!" yelled Jellal and Gray in unison. "What the hell have you done?" exclaimed Jellal. "I made a choice, now let's get him inside" she told them sternly as they helped her bring Natsu inside quickly as they worked quickly to try to save him. After carefully getting the bullet out, they wrapped the wound up and put his shirt back over it as they waited for him to wake up. "You have no idea what you have done. He is going to kill you when he wakes up" said Gray.
"At least he will be alive to hate me and to go after them" "Erza, you know Natsu would rather have died then to have Lucy and Layla taken. Who the fuck knows! What he has planned for them. What were you thinking? Demanded Jellal. "Natsu was dying, I was trying to save his damn life" she snapped at him as Gray was quiet. "Maybe so Erza, but you have no idea what you have unleashed doing that" he thought grimly as Natsu's eyes flashed open as he made a dash for the door. It was thunder and lightning with rain pouring down as the other three yelled behind him. "Where is she!, where's Layla!" he yelled as the three of them looked at him with frozen looks, their mouths stuck open. "WHERE ARE THEY!" he shouted. "There gone Natsu" said Jellal guiltily. Natsu dropped to his knees with his fists in front of him as he lifted his head and bellowed to the sky "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO" as the rain soaked him from head to toe making his hair loose its spikiness and drop down. He pounded the ground as he cried out. Before Gray could stop him, Jellal called out "Natsu" as Natsu's hands started to shake and he turned on a dime to face them. He had a look in his eyes none of them had ever seen before scaring them. "E.N.D" thought Gray grimly as he looked at Natsu. What did you think of the E.N.D reveal?