So Much to Live For:

AN: Chapter 40! This is officially the longest fanfic I have ever written! Thank you guys for your continued support! You're amazing! Just a heads up, I will be posting an actual, chapter length story set in this Universe within the next few weeks that will be called "Obsessed" so keep your eye out for it.

As a thank you for all your continued support I will be giving you guys something that you have been asking for the last 3-4 chapters I've posted, so, enjoy!

And without further ado, cue the angst!

This job was a piece of cake. Drive a group of Black Market dealers out of an abandoned hotel and capture as many as possible. Natsu could do this in his sleep. He chuckled to himself as he grabbed yet another dealer by the scruff of his shirt, threw him to the ground, pinned his arms behind his back and began tying his wrists with rope.

"Get off my y-"

"Sorry. Can't do that," Natsu said, tightening the ropes a bit more. "Nothing personal. Just gotta a job to do."

"Yeah, well I do too, so get off."

"Nope."

"What's the difference between you and me, Mr. High and Mighty Fairy?" The dealer scoffed, spitting in Natsu's direction. The smug grin he had been wearing faded and Natsu stood and gave the dealer a swift kick to the shoulder.

"My job doesn't involve giving people objects that will posses, hurt, or enslave people."

He stepped over the man and kept walking.

"Happy, take him outside with the others."

"Aye, sir!" Happy cheered as he grabbed their new captive by the shoulder and began flying him off to where they had stored all the other Black Market dealers. Natsu wasn't worried about any of the dealers wiggling free of their bindings. He'd gotten that rope from Milianna when he stopped by Mermaid Heel on his way here. There was no way he'd get out of it, no matter what magic he had. He's loved to have taken credit for the idea, but it was Lucy's.

"Make sure you get that rope!" she had ordered him. "No winging it this time! I've dealt with these guys before, they aren't to be trifled with."

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Natsu had said. "I'll get it. And if I see that guy who tried to stangle you I'm ending him!"

"Natsu, I don't even know what he looks like," Lucy rolled her eye. "He was wearing a mask. How are you going to find him?"

"I have my ways," he'd replied before stealing a kiss and heading on his way.

Now here he was, a roll of rope tied to his hip as he walked through the darkened hotel hallway, the makeshift curtains set up to hide the shady opperations blocking out the afternnon sunlight, looking for more dealers. He kicked one door open. A guy was sitting behind a crumpled and dirty bed. The man shot a gun at Natsu. Natsu called forth a flame hot enough to melt the bullets before they hit him, then darted forward, grabbed the man by the scruff of his neck and slammed him onto the floor. The impact made him drop the gun. Natsu kicked it away and then began tying his hands up behind his back.

A loud Pop! Came from behind Natsu. He jumped up to turn around. As he did a strong, tight, crushing grip around his neck. Natsu tried to gasp, but he couldn't get any air past the choking ironclasp around his neck. His eyes grew wide as he stared into the chiselled face of a man who had not been there before.

"Hmph," the man smirked. "Another fairy."

His eyebrows raised as his grin grew wider. "Say, ain't you the husband of the girl I choked out before?"

Natsu's eyes narrowed. He punched a fist forward at the man, shooting out a fet of flame. The grip around his neck grew cold, hard, and rough. The man's entire body turned to crystal. Natsu's flames bounced harmlessly off him as his brow furrowed and he lifted Natsu off the ground. Natsu's head began spinning from lack of oxygen. He frowned as he began beating on the man's fist. He knew if he could work up enough stregnth and hit him hard enough he'd shatter the crystal. But he was losing air, and stregnth. With no oxygen he couldn't fuel his flames. The man began walking forward, holding Natsu above the ground.

"How is your wife? Recovering well is she?"

Natsu's eyes flared as he began swinging towards the man's face. The grip tightened around his neck. Natsu gagged as he began clawing at his fist. He needed to get out of his grip so that he could pummel this guy into dust. He lifted a leg and kicked against the crystalized arm holding him captive. Crap, nothing! He should have at least dented it! He'd busted harder stuff that this befo-

-wait! Natsu got a sense of something. Some sort of magic energy. One he hadn't felt in a while. There was something different about this guy...

"I'll bet she's in better shape than you will be!" the man shouted.

Suddenly the crushing grip around Natsu's neck released. He grinned. What an idiot, did he really think it was a good idea to let go of-

Crash!

Natsu felt a dozens of sharp and jagged points cutting into his clothing and flesh as a shattering impact knocked the breath out of him. He could still see the man, laughing at his downfall, as thousands of glass shards flew past Natsu. Gravity began pulling him towards the ground. Natsu gasped for air, desperately trying to fill his lungs with it so he could summon up a flame to propel him back up. He pointed his fist to the ground, a fire bursting out of it. He fueled the flames push him into-

CRASH!

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Natsu slowly opened his eyes. It was dark out. Pain radiated throughout his entire body. He let out a gasping groan as he tried to move. His legs wouldn't budge, and pain shot through them like a thousand swords being shoved through the bottom of his foot, up his calves, and into his thighs before shattering his hips bones. He let out a strangled cry.

"Natsu?"

Natsu slowly opened his eyes. Happy was leaned over him, tears in his eyes.

"Oh, thank goodness you're awake!"

"Hap? What-" Natsu tried to sit up only to have a seering pain shoot through his back. He fell back down, only agitating the agony more and groaned in pain.

"I heard a crash and came to see what it was," Happy explained. "I found you lying on top of a magical vehicle. Someone must have thrown you from the bulding and you landed on it. You completely smashed it. And-" tears began flowing down the exceed's face. "-and you weren't moving, and you were bleeding. I thought you were dead!"

Natsu gulped down another strangled cry of pain as he looked down at his legs. They were bent at odd angles, both of them, in multiple places. There was not telling how many times he'd broken them. A slash of agony went through his lower back.

Please don't let my back be broken! He thought to himself as he groaned. Break a leg, let it heal and you can walk again. Broken backs were usually a different story…

He took deep breaths trying to power himself through the pain. It was only then he noticed how sticky he was. He looked down at his arms. They were covered in blood and cuts, some of them still oozing dark, red liquid. Bits of glass shown through the crimson smears all over his body, still trapped inside him.

Natsu closed his eyes and groaned again.

"Hap…"

"Yeah?"

"I'm in trouble, ain't I?"

Happy sniffled. "I'm sorry, Natsu. I carried you for as far as I could, but my magic energy ran out! I had to stop here."

"And where is here exactly?" Natsu asked, opening his eyes again.

Nowhere. That's where they were, in the middle of smack nowhere with nothing but a dead oak tree and a lonely gravel road to keep them company. Natsu looked up at the said tree he was currently lying under. He remembered this place from when he'd passed it that morning. It was about a two hour walk away from the nearest village. Or, it was when one could actually, well, walk.

Natsu ran a hand over his face. How had he let this happen to himself? That guy totally snuck up on him and got the best of him! He couldn't even get out of his grip to fight him properly! This was so embarrassing! No, worse.

This was catastrophic.

He couldn't walk! His legs were shattered. His back was, at best, damaged. He was bleeding out. And Happy couldn't fly anymore. Natsu looked back down at himself, soake by his own blood, body contorted into unnatural angles. This was the kind of thing that got wizards killed, and Natsu knew it.

He looked back at the gravel road. At this time of night there was little to no chance anyone would happen along. Heck, there was little to no chance of that during the day! He couldn't wait or depend on anyone to come save him. He sighed as he ignited a flame in his palm.

"Natsu, I don't think that's going to-" Happy's jaw dropped open as Natsu set his flaming hand against one of the bigger gashes down his forearm. The blood sizzled as the wound burned. Natsu clenched his teeth, groaning loudly.

"What are you doing!?" Happy screeched.

"Stopping the bleeding," Natsu answered hoarsely as he began cauterizing another wound. Once he'd cinged all the still bleeding gashes closed he just lay there, trembling slightly, eyes closed. That sucked! And that wasn't even the hard part.

Natsu opened one eye to look at the gravel road. The idea of crawling along it on his stomach made him cringe. But he had no choice. He couldn't just lay here and wait for someone to come along or Happy's magic energy to rejuvinate. Yeah, he'd stopped the bleeding, but it used up pretty much all the magic energy he had left. Which was pathetic to say but his body had taken quite the beating and it showed. He needed to get some help and as soon as possible. Happy could start carrying him again when he got his energy back up, but until then he needed to get moving, to cover as much distance as possible. Besides, if those black market dealers were smart they'd come looking for him. He could not afford to get captured.

Natsu took a deep breath and rolled over onto his stomach. Just that movement alone was excruciating on his back and legs. He beat the ground with his fist as he groaned in pain. This sucked so hard! Crawling was going to just about kill him.

Maybe I should just wait here…

He thought to himself.

Even if I get captured at least they could possibly do something about my injuries, or they'll just put me out of my misery.

Natsu slowly lifted his head up. As he did so something caught the moonlight and shone it back into his eyes. His wedding band.

Lucy.

The kids.

He couldn't stay here. They needed him.

He took a deep breath and began dragging himself towards the road.

"Natsu, what are you-" Happy asked.

"Getting out of here," Natsu answered. "Gotta get back to the village."

"So you're just gonna crawl all the way there?"

"If that's what I gotta do."

"I can fly us there if you'd just wait a little while."

"And risk getting captured? Ain't no way!"

"But Natsu…"

Natsu stopped listening. Happy wasn't talking him out of this. The rough gravel aggravated his gashes and jostled his broken bones. His arms shook as they dragged the rest of his body along. After a few minutes he had to stop to catch his breath dropping his head to the ground as he panted for air, but he was determined to not stop for long.

Lucy.

Nashi.

Layla.

Igneel.

My family.

I've gotta get back to them.

Natsu picked his head back up and began crawling along again. Happy finally got back enough energy to fly for a little while, a rest Natsu gladly welcomed. The flight only lasted about thrity minutes before his wings began to disappear again.

"Sorry, Natsu," Happy said as he landed in a grassy patch by the road.

"It's okay, lil'buddy. You did you best," Natsu said, rolling over on his stomach again and pulling himself towards the road.

"Natsu I don't think you should-"

"Augh!"

A sharp rock that had been hidden amongst the gravel cut into Natsu's palm, spilling yet more of his blood onto the dust beneath it. Natsu clenched his hand closed and groaned in both pain and frustration. As if crawling hadn't sucked before, now he was going to have to do it with an open, bleeding wound on one of his hands!?

We've put some distance between us and that old hotel, maybe I can just wait for-

NO!

Lucy.

Nashi.

Layla.

Igneel.

I can't just stop! I can't give up on them!

Lucy needs her husband. The kids need their Daddy.

I can't stop.

Natsu took a deep breath, reached out, grit his teeth as the rough ground met his injured palm and began crawling again. Happy forced himself to fly after about fifteen minutes of crawling, but it only laste five minutes. They began taking turns. Natsu would crawl for five minutes, Happy would fly him for five. The sun began rising as Natsu, once again, pulled himself along. How much further was that village? Was he ever going to get there?

As if on cue, a giant wooden sign reading "Welcom!" came into view. Happy gasped and ran ahead, leaving Natsu behind. Natsu didn't even notice as he kept pulling himself along. He was almost there. He'd almost made it…

Voices began ringing out. Natsu looked up. Happy was coming back, a sworm of villagers behind him. Natsu let out a breathless chuckle. He'd actually made it to safety…

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Natsu slowly opened his eyes.

Wait, when had he fallen asleep? He must have passed out after he saw Happy coming back with the villagers.

So…

Where was he?

He looked about a bit. Light walls, soft bed, white curtains, and that old familiar smell. He was back at the Guild Hall! In one of the recovery rooms to be exact. He closed his eyes back and let out a sigh of relief, only to open them back up when he noticed another, familiar, but much sweeter smell.

Lucy.

She had her head pillowed on the side of his bed as she slept, still seated in a chair pulled up the his side. She had one of his hands clasped in hers. Her face was red and puffy. Had she been crying? Natsu gently wiggled his hand from her grasp and rubbed the back of his fingers against her cheek. It was only then he noticed his hand was bandaged. Almost his entire body was bandaged or stitched in one way or another.

Lucy grumbled something before her eyes began to flutter open.

"Lucy?" he whispered.

She gasped and shot straight up, eyes wide. "Natsu?"

He smiled softly as he reached up and cupped her face in his hand. "Hey."

Lucy let out a sigh of relief, tears welling in her eyes as she grapsed either side of his face and leaned down to kiss him. Natsu sighed as he melted into the kiss. He always enjoyed kissing Lucy, but after having fought so hard just to make sure he would make it back to her alive the sensation of her soft lips against his felt so good! She began to run the fingers of one hand through his hair, scraping lightly across his scalp, making it tingle. Her other hand gently stroked the scar on his cheek, her fingers so soft and so comforting after all the pain he'd endured.

He nibbled lightly on her bottom lip, smiling at the sweet taste he'd feared he'd never get to experience again. He was still here. With her. Kissing her. He hadn't let her down. He hadn't died on her. He was still here, living.

Lucy gasped, then decided to follow his example, deepening the kiss and flinging her arms around his neck. The sudden movement of her arms tighening around him caused his injuries to scream out in protest. Natsu hissed in pain and winced. Lucy jumped back, eyes wide with worry.

"I'm sorry!" she apologized. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mea-"

"No, don't stop," Natsu begged setting a hand behind her head and pulling her back towards him. He stopped just as their noses touched. He stared deep into her eyes. They were brimmed with tears and worry. Natsu knew she was scared of hurting him, but he needed her to kiss him. Of course he realized the irony of the situation. He'd fought so hard to get home to her because he knew she needed her husband, but now that he was here he was the one being needy begging for her:

"Don't stop."

She slowly closed the distance between their lips. Natsu set both hands on the back of her head, tangling his fingers in her hair. She set a hand on either side of his face, thumbs softly stroking his cheek bones.

He felt a tear drop fall onto his cheek. Not opening his eyes or breaking the kiss he brought one of his hands to her face to wipe her tears away. As he did so she turned her head, taking her lips away from his, casuing him to whimper in protest until she kissed his palm. She set a hand under his, holding it agaist her face as more tears began to fall. He used his thumb to wipe them away from one side of her face, and leaned forward to kiss away the ones on the other side of her face.

"I'm right here, Luce," he whispered. "I'm not leaving you."

"I know," she answered, sniffling a bit. "But for a while there I...I wasn't sure if you'd make it…"

"You really think I'd do that to you?" Natsu asked.

Lucy smiled softly though tears still trickled from her eyes. Natsu frowned slightly. He must have really scared her. He cupped her face in both of his hands, forcing her to look at him.

"I ain't dying anytime soon, Luce, okay? I've got too much to live for right now. You. The kids. I can't leave you guys behind, so I'm sticking around for a while."

Lucy's smile widened as Natsu pulled her in for another kiss. This one much more passionate than the last one. So much so Lucy was afraid she'd agitate his injuries.

"Natsu?" she asked in a concerned voice when they broke for air. "Are you-"

He cut her off by diving in for yet another kiss. Lucy broke away, still afraid of him getting too excited and further hurting himself. He let out a whimper of protest.

"Lucy, please…"

Lucy sighed. He was being really needy today, but after what he'd been through he most certainly deserved to be spoiled, just not in a way that would put him in anymore discomfort. She leaned down and nuzzled her face into his neck before planting a soft kiss there. Natsu's eyes fluttered closed as she began dragging soft, slow kisses up and down his neck. He moaned as he turned his head and arched his neck, allowing her easier access. Normally he was the one taking charge in these situations, but he had no problem letting her be the one to kiss on him this time. He didn't even try to hide how much he was enjoying it, gasping and moaning at every movement her lips made against his skin.

"You really scared me, y'know?" Lucy whispered into his ear.

"I know," he answered as she set a hand under his chin and turned his head to open up the other side of his neck.

"I was scared," he answered. "I wasn't sure how I was going to make it back to you, I just knew I had to."

"Hm," Lucy replied as she began kissing the other side of his neck. He almost couldn't feel any of the pain from his various injuries. He was only focused on the immense pleasure Lucy was giving him as she kissed every inch of his neck, making sure to spend extra time in all the little areas she knew he was sensitive, only stopping when she'd reached his ear and began whispering into it.

"I really did think you might leave me," she said.

"Uh-uh," he said, setting both hands on her back and pulling her down to lie ontop of him. Lucy was reluctant at first, once again, not wanting to hurt him but, as he nuzzled his face into her hair and began drawing circles onto the exposed skin of her shoulders through her sleeveless top, she gave in.

"I've got too much to live for to die," he said. "I've got an incredible wife to love. Three amazing kids raise. A guild to attend to. Hundreds of adventures to still go on. I can't go anywhere anytime soon."

Lucy smiled softly as she snuggled closer to him. "Well, you're almost completely right."

"Huh?" Natsu arched an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"An amazing wife to love? Right. A guild to attend to? Right. Adventures to go on? Right. Three kids to raise. Hm...almost right…"

"Almost right? Last I check we have three kids, Luce. Unless you've got another one tucked away that I don't kn - HOLD ON ONE SECOND!"

Lucy busted out laughing at the bewildered look on his face. Oh, what a goofball her husband was!

"ARE YOU PREGNANT!?"

Lucy chuckled again as she took one of his hands and placed in against her stomach. "Let's just say you've got something waiting on the bathroom counter for you when you get home."

"WHA-A-A-A-A-AT!?"

Lucy just smiled shyly and shrugged. "I know we were done having kids but...well...accidents happen I suppose?"

Natsu's face broke out into a grin. "No, not an accident," he gave her a quick peck on the lips. "Just a surprise, that's all!"

Lucy let out a breath she hadn't known she'd been holding. "Glad you're not too upset ab-"

"Upset!? Why would I be upset over something like this?" Natsu asked as he rubbed small circles over her abdomen. "I get to be a Daddy all over again!"

Lucy chuckled again and nuzzled her head against his shoulder.

"Even more reason why I can't go anywhere anytime soon," Natsu said as he gave Lucy and small, tight hug. "I've got so much to still live for."