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Chapter 5 Lisanna

Wendy ran over to the side of the ship, a large smile on her face as she saw the approaching boat "Lucy!" she shouted in greeting, waving her hand. The blonde turned and looked up at her and waved back, but the wave seemed strained. When the boat was close enough for Wendy to see everyone fully she realized there were two extra people on board and given the glare Erza was giving Lucy, it had something to do with the blonde. A rope ladder was lowered and Lucy climbed up, followed by Leonardo, Tom and Eric. Erza leapt on board and Natsu grabbed up the two extra bodies before following her example.

"I can't believe you let her talk you into this!" Erza shouted the second her feet touched the ground, jabbing a finger the direction of the two bodies Natsu had just lowered gently to the floor. Wendy almost bit her tongue in her effort to hold back a gasp when she saw the two boys, she looked up at Lucy who had just stepped to her side and the blonde gave a brief nod.

"It's just for two days Erza." Natsu said, keeping his voice low so that the redhead didn't get even more riled up. "They're just kids."

"That doesn't matter! That blonde got into your head! Do you remember what happened the last time you let a girl get into your head?! I told you not to make this another Lisanna Natsu but it seems like you're bound to repeat your mistakes!" The whispers that had risen up from the crew suddenly halted and the air grew tense.

Lucy and Wendy looked around in wonder at the grave look on the faces of the crew before looking back at Erza who's furious expression had been replaced by regret. "N-Natsu I'm sorry, I didn't mean that…"

If Erza had looked furious, Natsu seemed to be in a rage. The veins in his face stood up, he had on a large scowl and he actually looked to be turning pink. Gray stepped out and placed a calming hand on the pinkette's shoulder but Natsu shrugged him off and started smashing his fist into the barrels and crates to the side of the ship. Everyone stepped back for fear of getting in his way, and then finally he let out a loud roar and stormed past everyone to his cabin.

"You shouldn't have said that Erza." Gray said, looking disappointedly at the redhead.

Erza sighed "I know…I was just so angry…I'll go talk to him."

Gray shook his head "That never works and you know it. Just leave him be for now…" Erza nodded and turned to leave; she saw Lucy and her angry expression returned but instead of taking out that anger on the blonde Erza merely marched past her. Gray looked at turned to Lucy "I'm going to need you to explain to me what happened."

Lucy nodded "Sure, but first I need you to help me move these boys to the medical cabin, I need Wendy to have a look at them." She gestured to Sting and Rogue. Gray nodded and hefted them both over his shoulder before taking them into over to Wendy's little room.

An hour later the story had been told and after Gray reassured her that she had done nothing wrong, he left. Sting and Rogue were still asleep, both of them curled up on the little cot in the room. Wendy had already scanned them and given them an okay so Lucy had nothing to worry about in that department.

"What do you think happened to the Lisanna in this world?" Wendy asked curiously, crushing together a bunch of the herbs Lucy had bought.

Lucy shrugged "I don't know, but given everyone's reaction she's more than likely dead…" she brushed away a lock of hair from Rogue's face then looked back at Wendy. "I don't think she was taken to a different world like what happened in our dimension…everyone's so different here…I don't think I like this Erza." She mumbled the last part with a pout.

"Well we can't blame her for being so untrustworthy Lucy, in this world the use of magic is met with death. Half the people on this crew use magic, half of them are wanted by the government and to her they're more important than we are." Wendy poured the powdered herbs into a jar and placed it on a shelf that was quickly filling with medication. "We just have to give her a bit of time."

"But that's the thing Wendy, we don't have the time! We'll be leaving in two days and there's nothing we can say to change that."

Wendy smiled softly, washing away the anxiety that had taken set in Lucy's heart "We'll figure it out soon enough." A sudden groan drew their attention to the two boys. Rogue was the first to open his eyes, followed quickly by Sting. Both boys looked ready to scream bloody murder but then they saw Lucy and quickly calmed down.

"Where are we?" Rogue asked, slowly sitting up.

Wendy was the one who answered "You're on a pirate ship, the Fairy Tail pirate ship to be precise. Hi I'm Wendy, Lucy's friend." Both boys blushed when Wendy smiled at them. "Lucy's a bit impulsive so she decided to take you along with her."

"You're a pirate?" Sting asked in awe. "But I thought you were a mage!"

"Shhh!" Lucy said quickly, holding up a finger to her mouth. "No one knows that I'm a mage and I would like to keep it that way, okay?" they nodded. "And I'm not a pirate; the pirates are giving us a ride to an island. We'll be there in two days and you'll both be leaving with us."

"Oh." Rogue said.

"I hear that your both Dragonslayers, I'm a Dragonslayer too." Wendy said.

Stings eyes lit up "Really?! We've never met another slayer! I'm light and Rogue is Shadow, what are you?"

"Air…hey do you wanna play a game? Lucy bought me a board game today." The boys nodded and Wendy quickly set up the game on the cot. She looked over at Lucy when the blonde stood."You don't want to play Lucy?"

"No, I'm gonna go check up on Natsu…"

"Are you sure you should do that? He looked really angry." Wendy looked worried. "Give him another hour or two."

Lucy shook her head "You shouldn't allow people to wallow in their sorrow. If he wants me to leave I'll leave…Sting, Rogue, you'll be sleeping in here for the next two days okay? If you need anything I'm in the cabin at the very front marked 'Captain' and Wendy is in the lower cabin with a red-haired woman." She left before they could reply, a bit occupied with her worry over Natsu. She entered his cabin without knocking because she knew that if she did he would say he didn't want to talk.

He was sitting at his desk looking down at a slip of paper with unseeing eyes, she wouldn't be surprised if he had been in that same position for the past hour. She didn't go closer to him instead she plopped down on the bed. "Hey Natsu, how long are you planning on staying like that?" He didn't move, much less answer. "You have a ship to run you know? I don't know who this Lisanna person was but she must have been amazing if you freaked out like this."

"Don't say her name…" his voice was so low she almost didn't hear him.

"Why? It's just a name Natsu…Lisanna, Lisanna, Lisanna…"

"I said don't say her name!" He finally stood to his feet and turned to face her, his face as furious as it had been an hour ago. "You don't understand anything. Just get out!"

Lucy shook her head "Nope, I don't think I'll do that. I think I understand a bit about what's going on. Given the crews reaction to Erza's words that Lisanna girl meant a lot to you and she's either dead or she betrayed you to the government."

"She didn't betray us!"

"So she's dead then… and I know that hurts, believe me I know how it feels to lose the people you care about, but sitting alone and wallowing in your pain while going totally insane when someone so much as mentions her name is not the way to go. Hiding away your pain isn't healthy Natsu."

The pinkette turned away and marched back over to his seat, but before he could sit Lucy wrapped her arms around his waist. "I'm sure you cried when she died but you have an entire crew to look after so you probably pushed away your own pain to take care of your crew right? You didn't get to let out your own pain, you kept it all bottled up." Natsu's frame started to shake but Lucy knew it wasn't in fury. "I'm not a member of your crew Natsu, I won't think you're weak for crying, I won't think any lesser of you if you do. You don't have to put on appearances for me…."

The pinkette fell to his knees and Lucy went down with him, switching to holding him to her chest and pulling her hand through his hair as he let out a heart wrenching cry. He sobbed and gripped her blouse tightly, she could feel the tears soaking through her blouse and she actually felt like crying herself. In this world Natsu was basically the master and he couldn't afford to spend time on getting over his pain when he had to help the crew get over theirs as well. Lucy was sure the crew knew this, which was why Erza had looked so regretful and the crew had looked so morose…they knew how much Natsu had sacrificed for them.

"She was just like you Lucy," Natsu suddenly started. Lucy knew he was about to tell her about Lisanna so she kept quiet and listened. "I met her 2 years ago after we raided a ship, she was being held captive alongside her older brother and sister to be sold as slaves. We saved them and as thanks they said they would work any job on the ship. Lisanna was great with medicine so she became the ship's doctor, her sister Mirajane made delicious food so she took over the kitchens and their brother Elfman was good with engines so he became co-shipwright next to Gajeel." Another sob shook Natsu's frame and Lucy held him tighter, whispering soft nothings into his ears. "I never used to smile or laugh a lot like I do now…I was really uptight, serious about everything. I formed this crew to protect my friends from the government and I tried to push all fun things aside because one little mistake could cost me their lives…but Lisanna changed that, she taught me to let loose and to live life to the fullest by being myself, she taught me how to smile and laugh again…she was my everything…"

Lucy looked down at Natsu with a sad look in her eyes, her Natsu had liked Lisanna but only as a childhood friend, this one on the other hand had loved her. Lisanna had been his world and she could only imagine the pain he had gone through. "She sounded like a sweet person." Lucy whispered.

Natsu let out a watery chuckle "She was. She was the nicest person you would ever meet."

"…how did you lose her…?"

Natsu tensed and for a few seconds there was complete silence, then he spoke "I got too laid back…we stopped at an island to pick up a few things. It wasn't much and we would have left in give or take 2 hours, but Lisanna wanted to stay the night for a festival…Erza told me it wasn't a good idea, she told me that staying in a place for even a day was too dangerous but I waved her off…I should've listened." Here it was, finally she would learn the reason Lisanna had died in this world and why neither Mira nor Elfman were on the crew. "The government got word we were there and barely an hour after the festival started we were attacked. Lisanna and I had been on hill watching the fireworks so we saw when everything started. We were ambushed before we could reach the ship…we fought and it looked like we were winning but then Lisanna got shot in the arm…I-I got really mad and took out the rest of the men then hurried to the ship with her. Somehow we managed to get away…"

Lucy was beyond confused; a shot in the arm wouldn't kill someone, especially not someone as strong as Lisanna. If she had been clueless she would have poked at the holes in the story, like how the hell a girl and a boy took on an entire squadron all by themselves, but she didn't because she knew he didn't want to tell her he was a mage, he would've done so already if he had. Instead she waited for him to complete his story.

"When we got back Lisanna had fainted from the blood loss, Mira hooked her up to the IV and took out the bullet…she should've gotten better in a day or two…but she didn't. She got worse, she got a fever and at random times she stopped breathing." Natsu sounded like he was in so much pain that Lucy wanted to tell him to stop. "No one on the ship had medical training so we stopped at an island for help; turned out the bullet had in a special type of poison…it was made specifically for people like us…" It was a slip in his part so she acted as if she hadn't heard the last part of his sentence.

"There was no cure. She died the night we found out about the poison…I-I watched her die Luce! I couldn't do anything and the worst thing was that I didn't even get to tell her I loved her!"

Lucy allowed silence to reign for a few minutes then finally asked "What happened to Mirajane and Elfman?"

"They left with her body that same day. They hated me. They had sided with Erza not to stay on the island, but I hadn't listened and because of me their sister was dead. Mira wanted to kill me. I could see it in her eyes…" Natsu looked up at her and Lucy almost cried when she saw his haunted look. "…I killed Lisanna and I can't help thinking that she died hating me for not stopping her."

Lucy shook her head "You didn't kill her Natsu, the poison did. She wanted to go to that festival with you and I'm sure she was happy because she got to go. She probably died hating the government but I'm sure she didn't die hating you…I'm sure she loved you as much as you loved her…"

"You don't know that."

"And neither do you…thank you for telling me Natsu, I know it was hard but you need to stop hiding her away and talk about her, it'll help, trust me." If she hadn't had Wendy she probably would've broken down long ago because she wouldn't have made it this long. "Now get up, I'm sure everyone is worried sick about you." She hauled him to his feet and pushed him towards the door, as she walked past the desk she saw the piece of paper Natsu had been looking at. It was a drawing of Lisanna. She had a large smile on her face with her arms looped around Elfman and Mirajane. She looked happy.

"I just want to go to bed." Natsu said his mood still morose. Lucy sighed and lifted her hand, swinging it to give him a slap across the head. "Oi! What'd you do that for?!"

Lucy scowled "To wake you up!"

"I was already awake!?"

"I thought you wanted to go to bed!"

"I was just saying that to get rid of you!"

"Why would you want to get rid of me?! I thought I was helping you! You don't want my help?!"

"It's not that, it's just I'm still a bit mad at Erza and I don't want to see her!"

Lucy laughed and Natsu looked confused "You're lying, you just don't want to apologize."

"Apologize for what? I didn't do anything!" Lucy slapped his across the head again and tugged on his ear. "I thought you were trying to help me! How can you do that when you won't stop inflicting pain on my person!"

Lucy rolled her eyes "I wouldn't be inflicting pain if you weren't being such a smart ass! You overreacted and you don't know how to apologize so you're hiding away in your room." She scoffed. "Some captain you are, you don't even have the guts to say you're sorry."

Natsu scowled for a full 10 seconds before it slipped off his face and he nodded "You're right, okay let's go." He stood straighter and stepped outside, Lucy close behind.

Happy came zooming from where he had been standing next to Charlie on the mast, Charlie had been trying to cheer up Happy who had been down since Natsu chased him out. "Natsu!" The blue cannonball slammed into Natsu's chest and the pinkette held him close as he sobbed. "I'm sorry!"

"Why are you apologizing?" Lucy asked

"Because!" Happy shouted

Lucy raised a brow "Because…"

"Just because!"

Lucy chuckled but said nothing further. Happy's shout drew everyone's attention and Lucy gave Natsu a slight jab in the side. The pinkette looked a bit reluctant but when Erza stepped out from inside the men's sleeping quarters with a worried and anxious look on her face he finally settled down and spoke.

"I want to apologize for how I reacted before. I shouldn't have acted like that." The breath that the crew had been holding was suddenly released as one and the subdued mood disappeared. In a flash smiles were on everyone's faces and they crowded around to clap Natsu on the back.

"No worry Cap, we all understand!"

"Glad your better Captain!"

Gajeel made a show of punching Natsu in the arm then marching of and Gray patted him on the shoulder. Everyone moved away to give Erza way, but unlike the rest of them she tugged Natsu into a tight hold, whispering that she was still sorry for what she had tugged Lucy out of the fray and when she looked up she saw Gray.

"How did you do it?" He asked, crossing his arms.

"Do what?"

"Get Natsu to come out and apologize. Usually when Erza does something like this and he gets pissed he stays in his cabin for 3 days and when he comes out he acts like nothing happened…this is first time he's ever said he's sorry."

Lucy shrugged "I didn't do much I just talked to him and told him to get his ass out here and apologize." Gray didn't look like he believed her, but when her serious expression did not falter he chuckled.

"You are definitely something else Lucy, we've tried to do that before but it never worked. Thanks for helping him…He told you about her right?" Lucy nodded. "Good, he never talks about her to anyone, I'm glad he did with you. Talking helps."

Lucy smiled, her eyes seeming far away "I know that more than anyone."

Lucy had stepped out of the bathroom in Natsu's quarters clad in a simple silk nightgown, her hair was up in a bun and she was stifling a yawn. Today had been very trying, first Erza chewed her out, then she cried about it, then she got attacked by a Chimera, then she met Sting and Rogue which resulted in a big fight on the ship and finally she fixed the aftermath of said fight.

So in all truth all she wanted to do now was sleep. She couldn't do that though because going by the serious look on Natsu's face from where he sat on the bed, he had something to say. She was curious enough not to pout about it though, he had a small black box in his hand and she wanted to see what was inside. "What's up Natsu?" she asked, plopping down next to him.

He thrust the black box into her face and she took it from him. "What is it?" He didn't answer, so with a shrug she opened it. Inside was silver chain and on the chain were 5 clear gems in the shape of a teardrop. She took it out with care. "Um Natsu, please explain why you just gave me expensive jewelry."

Natsu chuckled and scratched his head "Well you'll be leaving in a few days and I won't feel good not knowing if your okay. I have a similar one right here," He held up his hand to show a silver bracelet with 5 identical gems. "If you're hurt or in pain my bracelet glows red and if you're…if you die…it glows black. The same thing happens to yours if those things happen to me."

Lucy smiled, fingering the necklace now that she knew what it was for "You don't have to do this, I mean, you barely know me…"

Natsu grinned "That doesn't matter, I know enough."

"Thank you."

When Lucy woke up three days later it was with a smile on her face. She should have been gone from yesterday but by some struck of luck a storm had hit and though they had arrived at Methril island the ship could not set sail until it was fixed. The ship had been docked at the back of the island to avoid detection and just yesterday Natsu and the guys had gone to pick up some lumber to fix the damage. Somehow Lucy had convinced Natsu to make them stay until it was time they left, which wasn't for another two days going by the damage. Natsu wasn't asleep next to her, so he must be outside with the others. She got up and changed into a frilly blue and black skirt with a sleeveless white blouse; she caught her hair up a ponytail and fastened on her dragon heart necklace, the teardrop necklace and her dragon heart bracelet. Her keys were secured to her thigh by a black band. She wore shin high black boots.

When she stepped out onto the deck she headed over to where she saw Wendy, Rogue and Sting. "Do you think this is faith or something?" she asked quietly.

Wendy looked up with a grin "I don't know but at least you have more time with Natsu. I got a bit of herbs from him yesterday when he went into the island for the herbs, do want to help me crush them and lable the jars? I want to leave as much medicine as I can."

Lucy shrugged "Sure and after that we can play that board game." Wendy nodded and they both turned to leave, when the boys didn't follow Lucy looked back. "You guys coming?"

Rogue shook his head "We're gonna head down to the kitchens and grab something to eat then go watch the guys fix the ship." Lucy nodded and left, if she had known what would happen because she had left the boys by themselves she never would've done it.

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