A/N okay okay I know I left you all with abit of a cliff-hanger but...*throws new chapter at you all and runs for cover*

I am sorry! (I am not really sorry, I enjoy cliff hangers and it helps build the tension *manic laughter*)

The night was cool and quiet, or was it early hours of the morning? Natsu had no idea, he had lost track of time as he sat watching his unconscious mate.

He knew he should sleep, but ever time he closed his eyes his dreams were plagued with the image of Lucy... His brave and selfless Lucy, jumping through the air, getting hit in the chest then falling to the ground.

He replayed it in his head over and over again. The image was burned into his brain and it was driving him close to insanity.

~Flashback~

Natsu was feeling ill at ease as they walked through The Forest Of Nightmares. His hand gripped Lucy's tightly and he wished more then ever that she had stayed behind. Everything surrounding them was damp and dead.

The trees had not a single leaf and all the plants were dark and wilted. Everything was silent and that was quite unnerving in itself.

As they walked they could see something through the fog, a house of some sort? No it was too big to be a house. It looked almost like a guild hall but it had clearly not been maintained or occupied for a long time.

It looked almost as dead as the forest around them.

"That must be where Levy is" Lucy broke the silence with a whisper. Even a whisper sounded loud here.

"Yeah, lets go" Gajeel said with determination as he walked forward.

"Luce?" Natsu spoke apprehensively.

"Yeah?"

"Please just... stay behind me okay? Don't try to be a hero. I don't want you getting hurt" Natsu pleaded.

"I can handle myself you know? I'm not made of glass" Lucy sounded offended as she stormed off after Gajeel... right before all hell broke loose.

As they stormed into the run down building three things caught his eye. Firstly was an unconscious Levy, chained up to the wall with her clothing torn but otherwise unharmed. Secondly was the fact they were surrounded by bones, bones that appeared to be human. And thirdly was the Yokai, blocking the path between them and Levy and very clearly waiting for them.

"Shit" Gajeel cursed

"What the fuck is that thing?" Lucy spoke suddenly very nervous and reaching for her keys.

"A Yokai. Its an entity of pure evil, a collector of souls, a demon" Natsu answered, already putting himself between Lucy and the threat in front of them.

"Well I was wondering when you would all finally grace us with your presence" the creature hissed. Its features relatively human... except for the eyes. Those eyes contained pure evil, what kind of demon was this?

"What do you want? Why did you take my mate?" Gajeel shouted in rage.

The Yokai laughed manically before answering. Treating the situation as though it were a game and they were merely players.

"It's simple really, I want power and to get power I need to take it. Newly mated dragon slayers possess some of the most powerful and delicious souls. As do their mates. I will however let your mates go free if you choose to give me your souls willingly". The demon laughed again.

"If I die so does Levy, if you want my soul you will need to tear it from me... That is, if you can manage to do it before a kill you with my bare hands!" Gajeel roared his words with a ferocity that would make anyone flinch.

"Pity, what about you fire dragon? Will you give your soul in exchange for your mates guaranteed safety?"

Natsu stayed silent. Lucy's guaranteed safety? Natsu would normally never even consider giving his soul but he could sense the power radiating off of the creature in front of them. If he were to fight, he could lose. Then what would happen to his treasure? But his soul for her safety? That was a price he would unflinchingly pay for his love.

However it was Lucy that answered for him.

"If you want Natsu's soul you will have to pry it from my cold dead hands and even then I won't let you take it! We are a team and we live or die together. NO EXCEPTIONS!" He didn't have to see her expression to sense the rage in her voice.

"Well". The demon smirked. "This will be fun".

Then it attacked. Orbs filled with dark magic shot toward them from all angles. He could hear Lucy summoning multiple spirits and cracking her whip, destroying the orbs flying toward her.

Natsu was attacking as quickly as he could manage, shooting his fire toward the demon and dodging the orbs at the same time.

Gajeel was fighting too, although Natsu couldn't spare him more then a sideways glance he at least seemed to be doing okay.

The demons laughter echoed throughout the hall.

"If any of my orbs touch you, you will go down. Then once I reach you, your soul will be mine to devour".

Orbs were shooting toward them as fast as they could destroy them. Each time they destroyed one another appeared.

Natsu spared a glance at Lucy, she was okay but sweat was beginning to drip down her forehead. Summoning multiple spirits and still fighting, she was more powerful then anyone gave her credit for.

Natsu caught a glimpse of Gajeel slowly moving out of the demons view, making it look as though he was struggling but Natsu seen the small grin on his face and the flicker of thought in his eyes.

He had to keep this monster distracted, Gajeel looked like he had a plan and Natsu really needed some hope right now. Gajeel's plan may just be enough to save them all.

The demon was clearly growing tired, but so were they. This fight could not come down to who managed to outlast who, if it did then not everyone would make it out alive.

"Hey soul sucker! Is that all you got? I bet I could take you one on one and still beat ya!" Natsu put on his most confident voice, although he was feeling anything but confident in that moment.

"Is that a challenge fire dragon?"

In that moment the demon made a fatal mistake... but so did Natsu.

The demon stopped focusing its attention on all three wizard in front of it and instead started targeting Natsu. Orbs still went toward them, but it was a much smaller amount, at the same time the orbs of darkness started flying toward Natsu. He couldn't keep track of the amount.

Gajeel slowly snuck behind the demon who was preoccupied, flinging as many orbs in Natsu's direction as it could manage.

Natsu was fighting, shooting balls of fire as quickly as he could.

He could hear Lucy screaming but couldn't quite make out what she was saying.

What happened next was a moment Natsu would never forget and he would swear in that moment, time slowed down completely.

Natsu turned to see an orb flying toward him, to close for him to destroy in time. It would hit him and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

Lucy ran toward him and dived through the air quicker then he could tell her not too.

Gajeel used his iron fist to stab the demon straight through the heart.

The orb that was meant for Natsu hit Lucy straight in the chest...

Natsu was screaming a scream that only the most broken of men could manage as hot tears poured down his face.

The demon was laughing as blood dripped from its mouth and it fell to its knees.

And Lucy hit the ground. Completely unconscious as a single tear ran down her cheek and hit the cold stone floor.

~End Flashback~