Hey guys, did you miss me? Maa, I understand if you didn't 'cause I'm slow as fuck and have been putting off this next chapter. I've been reading heaps of NaLu love one-shots and I just had to postpone this before I turned it into a massive love-fest that would ruin the point of this story.

Also, when do you think I should end this story? I'm thinking at the end of Eclipse and not do Tartorus or something like that. But I can keep going if I make the love take ages…

Eh, I'll figure it out later, time for the chapter!

(I hope you guys don't get confused with the switches between time and P.O.V.s!)

Disclaimer: I don't own, but if I did, Natsu and Lucy would've at least kissed by now!

Warning: Language, blah, blah, blah…

-Five weeks have passed since job initiation-

"Ah!" Lucy managed to duck the glowing card that cut through the air, just missing her hair that was currently up in a ponytail. "Do you have to throw them so fast, Cana?!"

The drunken mage snickered to herself as she drew some more plain cards from her usual blue side-bag. "That's the whole point, Lucy-chan. If you want to learn how to dodge impeccably, then you have to learn how to dodge fast moving objects." Flicking her wrist, she sent three cards whistling through the air towards her blonde comrade, who squealed in turn and covered her hands over head as she scrunched down into a small ball.

"You have to stand up straight," lectured Erza as she cut strips into a – very much dead – monsters tough outer skin. "Twist your body like I taught you and you'll be able to dodge Cana's cards, then be perfectly prepared for more attacks that come right after." Lifting a dark brown strip of monster skin, Erza examined the material closely. "This stuff will be excellent to sell to a local armoury. It's so tough that it can take hits from swords and magic, and come out perfectly fine."

"Excluding your swords," Cana said dryly as she rummaged around for more cards. Pulling out another card, she examined his print and a very evil grin covered her face. "Hey, Lucy…"

Said blonde's face drained of Cana. She knew that look.

Wagging the cards tauntingly in the air, Cana began to push her magic to them, watching gleefully as they began to glow a deep purple. "Are you ready for this, Lucy-chan? These are explosive cards, something I just know you'll love."

"Please," Lucy whimpered as she watched Cana rear her arm back in preparation. "Have mercy."

"Dodge this, Lucy-chan!"

"AAGGGHHH!"

Tugging her metal tube from her belt, Lucy swung Fleuve d'étoiles back as it activated and extended out in a glittery, blue tendril. "Hah!" Flicking the whip, Lucy watched with satisfaction as it coiled around a scuttling monster twenty metres away. Casually flicking her wrist again, Lucy lifted the unsuspecting monster up in the air and then across, right into its friends.

Lucy began to cheer as the ten or so monsters were knocked over like skittles. "Haha! KO in one shot!" With a smug look on her face, she looked over to her current companion in her usual sweep of the forest for monsters. "Try and beat that."

Taurus let out a moo and tore his gaze away from Lucy's sizable bust that was barely contained by her current singlet. "I'll try my best foooor yooour nice body, Luuuucy-san!"

The cow-spirit raised his axe in a ready position and charged through the trees after monsters that only he could see.

"Taurus!" Lucy's left arm waved frantically in the air as she began to sprint after her spirit. "Wait up, Taurus! Don't just go running off like that! COME BACK HERE!"

"MOOO! I WILL GET VICTOOOORY FOR LUCY-SAN'S NICE BODY!"

"LIKE HELL YOU WILL!"

Sitting on a log around the fire that Cana had started, Lucy let out a tired sigh and massaged her tired calves. "Man, I never thought that running through a forest could be so hard."

"Be glad that Erza banned you from wearing mini-skirts and heeled boots," commented Cana as she tilted her head back to get the last drops of whatever alcohol she was drinking from her flask. "The trip you had over those tree roots would've been even more mortifying than it already was."

A hot flush worked up Lucy's face as she remembering the embarrassing incident earlier that day. "Oh god, it so would've."

Trying to hide the blush still lingering around her cheeks, Lucy leant forward to pick up a stick so that she could poke at the cheery campfire they had going. She and Cana sat together in companionable silence until Lucy spoke up once more.

"Um, Cana?"

The brunette made a noise of acknowledgement at the question.

"T-thanks for saving me today." Lucy fiddled with an end of her blonde that she noted was getting longer. Maybe she should get it cut? "If you weren't there when I tried, who knows what could've happened."

Cana cocked an eyebrow at the quiet comments, but her face turned soft as the girl who had spoken fiddled uncertainly, an air of hesitance around her. "'S okay, Lucy-chan. I know that you or Erza would've done the same for me, so think of it as a compensation for working together."

Looking up uncertainly, Lucy gave Cana a soft smile. "Yeah, I get it." Her gaze was still troubled though, and Cana quickly caught on to her train of thoughts. "You're not weak, you know?"

Lucy jolted in surprise. "W-what?"

"You're not weak." Cana leant back on her own log, right leg going over her left to get more comfortable. "You're not weak if you need assistance every once in a while. You're not weak when you openly admit to being wrong. You're not weak when you need your comrades to be there, even if it's just to lend a helping hand." The drunks face was soft as she said it, even understanding in a way.

Gazing in surprise at the older girl, Lucy couldn't help but wonder why she hadn't already been friends with this nice, sweet, caring girl before. People like Cana was why she fell in love with Fairy Tail over again every time she walked through the guild doors. Smiling, Lucy nodded to Cana, "mn!"

-Six weeks have passed since job initiation-

"I have just informed Master of the fact that we are staying here for another month," announced Erza as she walked into the clearing that she and her two friends called 'home base.' Sitting down with poise on one of the many logs that counted as their seats, Erza watched with interest as Lucy roused from her meditation and Cana turned from her impromptu game of darts – except with cards and a simple tree knot as bullseye – to look towards her.

"Oh," Lucy uncrossed her legs and sent Crux back to the spirit realm with a slash of his key. "I was wondering how long it would take for the mayor to acquire you a speaking lacrima. It was a week ago that you went into town to ask him for one, wasn't it? The same trip that you managed to get real food."

"My, Lucy-chan." Cana sauntered over to flop on the grass near Erza's booted feet. "It seems like you're complaining about mine and Erza's exquisite meals of roasted deer and pheasant."

Lucy quickly protested as she sat down next to Cana. "N-no! I would never! It's just…" a pout came over her and she picked sulkily at the grass at her feet. "I miss Mira's cooking."

"We all do, sweetheart," sighed Cana.

"Food aside," Erza interrupted with an amused tone. "Master says that he's fine with us continuing this job and that he wishes us well. He also said that Levy and Mirajane say hi."

Lucy smiled a wry grin. "I miss them too…"

Cana shot a look towards Erza. 'That's not all she misses…'

A saddened look replaced Erza's amused one and she frowned as she thought along the same lines as Cana's unspoken thoughts. 'Damn you, Natsu! Even when you're not here you're still causing trouble!'

"Ah well!" The sharp clap of Lucy's hands drew the two older girls out of their thoughts. "We're just going to have to work extra hard to make the reunion extra special!" The blonde jumped to her feet and began to tug slightly on Erza's arm. "C'mon, Erza! I want to go through those punches you showed me last week! I think I'm getting better!"

Erza merely smiled as the excited blonde began to pull her towards a slightly trashed area of the clearing that was the girl's designated 'training zone.'

'If someone had pulled me along like this barely a year ago, I would've proceeded to beat them into unconsciousness. Lucy, you don't realise how much you've changed everyone.' Her arm was promptly let go and Lucy bounded back a couple of paces in order to show Erza some of her punches. "See! I think I've got a mean left hook in me if I keep at this!"

"Maybe," Erza replied as she went over to correct the way that Lucy stood. "If you work hard at it, Lucy."

Lucy turned her head to smile a beautiful smile at Erza. "Okay!"

A soft smile crossed Erza's face as she watched the girl. 'And I think you've changed everyone for the better. Especially me.'

-Three weeks since Lucy, Erza and Cana have left for their job-

"Natsuuuu," whined Happy as he tugged on his partner's vest. "Can we please go on a job?! I'm getting bored and I want enough money to buy Carla another fish!"

There was no response from the Fire mage, who continued to stare listlessly at the swirls in the wood of the table he was currently sitting at. This was Team Natsu's and his usual booth, until two of them had left for a job for a month and the other had been asked on a job by a nervous Water mage.

Happy's paw slipped from Natsu's vest and he stared sadly at his partner's blank face. "…Okay, Natsu. I'll just be over by Carla and Wendy if you need me." With that, the exceed sprouted wings and glided over to the table that currently housed a chatting Wendy and Carla who was sitting opposite Laki, something that had been seen more and more the past couple of weeks.

Although Fairy Tail were all a family and mixed easily, there was still small groups inside of the guild. Little, tightly-knit groups that associated mainly amongst themselves. But lately, the girls had seemingly acted on an unspoken order and had begun to associate more and more with each other and other males that they normally didn't talk to.

Wendy was the main person who changed partners in jobs and conversation. Being the youngest, the older girls all felt some sort of older sister protectiveness and many had acted on it, frequently inviting her on jobs and giving her useful advice when she was sitting alone at the guild. It had made her transition into Fairy Tail a little bit easier. The young girl really hadn't had time to settle before the guild got swept up into Edolas, so it was a nice thing for her to get used to the guild and its members.

When Happy landed next to Carla on the tabletop, one of Wendy's hands instantly came up to scratch him behind his left ear like he loved. She had been doing that more and more recently, neither Lucy nor Natsu there to do it like they usually did.

Natsu looked over at the scene and quickly lay his head back down on crossed arms, face unreadable as he buried it into his scarfs usual warmth. 'Only a week or so more. Just a few more days…'

-Six weeks since Lucy, Erza and Cana have left for their job-

'It's been too long!' Natsu looked around the guild with a frown on his normally joyous face, noting at how many of the everyday members had a similar worried look on their face. 'Luce should be back by now! Where are they? Is she hurt?'

There was a rapping noise from the wooden balcony that overlooked the guild, and Natsu – along with the other Fairy Tail members – looked up to see their master gazing down on them, staff clutched in one hand as he perched on the railing surrounding the balcony.

"OI GRAMPS!" Natsu roared, standing up abruptly from his usual seat. "IT'S BEEN OVER A MONTH! WHERE THE HELL IS LUCY?!"

There was a murmur of assent across the guild, several members looking to each other to agree with their nakama's words.

"Sit down, Natsu," Makarov said firmly, staring with a stern eye until Natsu sat down again. "I am about to announce something about three of our members job." He coughed lightly into his hand before continuing. "As some of you might know; Erza, Lucy and Cana left on an S-class month long job. And yet, it's been over a month, hasn't it?"

"Get on with it!" Natsu grumpily yelled, standing up again out of agitation. 'Why doesn't he just hurry up and tell us if they're alright already?'

"Yes, well, ignoring that interruption." Makarov adjusted his grip on his staff, waiting warily for the reactions that were, no doubt, about to come. "I have just been contacted by Erza via speaking lacrima, and I have found out that the mayor still needs their assistance for a bit longer. The forest they are cleansing is vast and riddled with numerous monsters, so it has taken a bit longer than expected to clear out their allotted area of the forest."

No. Natsu knew where this was going. He knew where this was going to head.

"So, in light of that, our three girls are staying on for another month, to make sure that they do a thorough job. Fairy Tail mages don't leave any job unfinished or half-done!"

A yell of agreement echoed across the guild, but many people's hearts weren't in it. Their favourite re-quip, drunken card, and Celestial mage weren't going to be back for another month.

Sure, Erza used to often leave for months at a time on S-class jobs before she had been part of Team Natsu. But, everyone had gotten used to her presence. As scary as it was at times, Fairy Tail had gotten to love her over again, her heart softening and becoming more accepting as time went by. They loved their Titania and missed her sorely since she was gone.

It was strange, for many of the regulars of Fairy Tail, to come to the guild and to not see their resident drunk already chugging down barrels at her usual spot on Mirajane's bar top. The guild had been a lot quieter without the usual sly comments slipping out her mouth and antagonising several males. Very quiet indeed.

It was also curious, to miss someone so furiously when they had been at the guild for barely a year. But their Celestial mage was cheerful and bubbling, often brightening many people's days with her kind words and bright smiles. It was rather empty without her usual large aura that commandeered so many people's attention.

Meanwhile, a certain Dragon Slayer returned back down to his seat and lay his head on the table. It was only when several taunts from Gray snapped his last thread of patience that he moved. Jumping up to engage the Ice mage into a fist fight that he hadn't realised that he missed.

Shortly, several other people were pulled into the brawl and the tense atmosphere evaporated at the familiar yells and crashing that meant home.

Mirajane watched this all with a soft smile, only turning her gaze from the chaos to lock gazes with Makarov, her smile slipping slightly at his serious expression. The old man looked down at the scene and his serious expression turned to one of exasperated endearment before he turned to go back to his office. Waiting, like so many others, for their girls to come back.

-Nine weeks have passed since job initiation-

Absently kicking away a small, creeping monster, Lucy pondered over the fact that, in three days' time, she, Erza and Cana would finally be heading back to Fairy Tail. The time had been passing so quickly in their home base, and Lucy had to say, she would miss this.

It was oddly soothing to wake up each morning, knowing that you could do whatever you wanted. As long as you brought a partner to protect your back, you could go almost anywhere in the small area of the forest they had started clearing monsters out of.

Occasionally, Erza had declared a rest day, and the girls had spent their day swimming in a river that was their water source, or even just doing small, trivial things that they loved.

Before, Lucy may have wrote a couple of chapters to her book, but she had found no urge to scribble aimless words down on paper. How could she, when she could be spending her time play-fighting with her beloved spirits or nakama. How could she, when she had the option to try amazing things that she had never done before.

It turns out, Lucy really did have a brave side buried inside of her. It shone brightly when Cana would dare her to small contests that she used to mock Gray and Natsu for doing.

First one to the top of a three-storey tree? Sure, she could climb it with her bare hands now, only a small trace of fear sitting in her chest, but that was usually washed away after a minute or two of climbing, the adrenaline stronger than any fear she had ever felt.

Take down one of those giant beetle monsters that Erza had taken down on their first day in the forest? Definitely. How fast did you want it done?

Back in the protection of Fairy Tail's strongest team, Lucy was sheltered from so many things! It was like she had never lived until she had tried hunting down her own food when they didn't have any more provisions from the nearby town – A day's walk was a bit much for packaged meat when you could just get it yourself in the wild. Natsu or Gray used to do this, but Erza expected her and Cana to take turns with her to get food, and that was now fine was Lucy. Sure, she had whined at first, but she eventually learned that whining didn't get you anywhere with two other females. Natsu was the one who used to crack under her pouts and whines, but that wasn't needed out here.

Would she even need it when she went back?

No. She wouldn't need to be that whiney, prissy girl who wore mini-skirts and tube tops. After Erza had banned those accessories along with heels, Lucy found – after a week or two though – that she didn't miss them anymore. Comfortable t-shirts and loose singlets were more than enough. Paired with shorts and long pants, Lucy didn't think she had been more comfortable in her life wearing clothes.

And of course, she had taken to wearing her red gloves almost all the time. They were surprisingly tough and hardy, not tearing under the pressure of rough wood when she carried large hauls of it for the fire.

So maybe she was excited to go back to Fairy Tail and to see more of her precious nakama, but she would also miss this simple lifestyle. The only things to worry about was surviving battles and whether the food would be badly burnt.

Back at Fairy Tail, she had so many worries and unanswered questions that was only going to stress her out. The main being; Natsu.

Oh god, how could she face her most precious nakama when she had run away? Run away from him and their hurt feelings? Looking back on it now, Lucy could safely say that yes, she was a bit of an idiot for running away and hiding. But, all the same, if she hadn't done that, would she have done all of the things she had done recently?

Again, no.

Rousing herself out of her thoughts, Lucy blinked twice to realise that the surrounding monsters had all been taken care of.

"We are! Sorry Lucy, but I thought I could clear off these last freaks while you were daydreaming."

A blush rose to Lucy's face at Scorpio's casual words. "Sorry, Scorpio! I shouldn't have fallen asleep on the job like that!"

Her spirit shrugged his shoulders as he walked over to her, "ah well, Lucy, you have your reasons."

"Eh?"

Scorpio patted her softly on the shoulder, a huge feat for him since he – along with Aries and Gemini – had been rather uncomfortable with human contact after Angel. Lucy suspected that Angel had done some horrible things to her beloved spirits. Loke had admitted to her that Aries hadn't been that nervous and anxious last time he had met her, with Karen, and he was rather worried.

Lucy had sat down during her time in the forest, and had talked to all of her spirits one-by-one, working out problems they had, in both their lives and with her. It was safe to say, she had copped a lot of verbal abuse from Aquarius and had been mortified by some of her spirits stories of previous owners.

She had begun trying hard to understand her spirits, relaxing her usual yells at them, in fear, that they may think of her as their old, horrible summoners.

"You have talked to us spirits about, Natsu, haven't you?" Scorpio interrupted her thoughts and jolted her back to the present, where currently, she was being asked about a touchy subject.

"Yes," said Lucy simply, "I have."

"And you know that majority of us want to punch him right in the face?"

"I know." Now Lucy was amused. Her spirits could be so protective sometimes.

"But we also know how worried you are to go back to Fairy Tail, to finally talk to him." Scorpio let his hand slip from her shoulder and he stepped back. "So relax, and don't worry, Lucy. If anything happens, know that we'll be right there beside you! Fists at the ready!" He gave her his usual hand sign and disappeared in a golden flash, his grinning face imprinted into Lucy's mind.

"You guys…" Lucy sighed in fondness as she fingered her keys that hung from her belt. "I love you guys so much, you know that?"

Her keys jingled together and glowed a bright gold in response.

The Celestial mage smiled again before turning around and heading through the tangled forest to get back to her nakama that were waiting for her at home base.

Cana was calmly laying out cards to read the future. Not really a specific future of anyone, just anything that might be happening soon. Anything at all.

"Hm, the tower. The queen. The serpant." Cana fiddled with her deck some more before tugging out two more cards and placing them down. Almost instantly, her calm face turned to one of slight panic and anxiousness. "Damn it! This isn't good. The cards say that there will be happiness, but it will be short lived, only to be replaced with endless time." The brunette frowned to herself before placing three cards down to read the immediate future.

"Fuck." Cana stared down at the cards that basically spelt out pain. Flipping a forth card, she relaxed slightly. "Only slight pain. One that doesn't last long, thank god."

Hearing clanking, Cana looked up to see Erza marching over to her, a sword disappearing from her hands in a flash. "How was the last sweep?"

"Fine." Erza sat down on a log and relaxed. "I think we've completely cleared this area, which is good as the mayor says the next bout of mages are going to come soon for the next area."

Cana made a noncommittal sound in her throat and slowly packed away her tarot cards. "The cards aren't reading too good, Erza. I'm reading bad things in the future, and it seems like they'll last for a while."

Nodding, Erza passed over a card with tangled roses on it. "That's not good news for us, is it?"

Cana didn't say anything to that, but quickly glanced around the clearing. "Shouldn't Lucy-chan be back by now?"

"Yes, I believe so, why?"

Glancing down at the rosed card in her hand, Cana's mind turned to the scythe card she had just packed away. "Pain…" The light bulb went off and Cana jumped up off the grass, cards clenched tightly in her hands.

"Cana?" Looking confused, Erza stood up beside her friend. "What's wrong?"

"I think Lucy's in trouble," stated Cana anxiously, forgoing her usual casual endearment for her blonde friend in her strife. "The cards are telling me bad things."

Erza disappeared, only to be replaced by the strong warrior, Titania. "You have that card to lead us to Lucy's whereabouts, don't you? Activate it and lead on!"

"There's no need for that." Loke pushed his way through some vines and out into the clearing, his arms occupied by the still form of Lucy. "I have her here and we need to get her help. Now!"

There was a pause as the two girls took in Lucy's blood-soaked right arm before they sprang into action. Cana running for the medical pack they had brought from the town for this reason and Erza hurrying forward to help Loke bring Lucy to a safe and comfortable spot on the grassy ground.

A hiss of air escaped Erza's teeth as she took in the claw that had taken pieces out of Lucy's skin. There were three claw marks that ran horizontally across her arms. One was just below her elbow, another a few inches down and the last one cut into the back of her hand before trailing to her wrist.

"Hurry Cana!" Erza bellowed back to the other girl as she and Loke pressed down on the wounds that were sluggishly weeping blood, not minding that their hands were becoming slick with the substance.

"Here!" Cana threw Erza the bandages and quickly kneeled down next to Lucy's side, opposite of Erza, with a tub of herbal salve in her hands. "Shit!" The brunette took in the wounds before exploding back into action, frantically unscrewing the tubs lid and dipping her fingers into the pale paste to swipe it gingerly across the wounds.

"Lucy!" Patting the blonde's pale cheeks, Loke tried to get a response out of her. "Lucy, stay with me here! Don't you dare fall unconscious!"

A rasp came out of Lucy's throat in response, her head twitching until her brown eyes could stare up into Loke's own, his glasses tilting his eyes blue. "I'm not going anywhere yet, Loke." She broke off into a hiss of pain as Cana dabbed the salve more thickly onto her wounds, the tub of salve turning red with the blood that was being put back into it.

Working quickly, Erza followed Cana's path of treatment, bandaging whatever part Cana had just salved, making sure that the bandages were tight and thick enough to slow the amount of blood leaking out of the wounds. "We'll pack up home base now and get moving. It'll take us three days to get back to Magnolia if we catch the train, and I'm sure Lucy can hold out that long so that Wendy can heal her."

Loke opened his mouth to protest, but a pale hand grasped his dangling red tie weakly. "D-don't worry, Loke, I'll be fine. I'm made of tough stuff, remember?"

A bitter chuckle came from Loke's lips at Lucy's words. "Yeah, I remember." He then looked at Erza and Cana seriously. "You two can go pack up, I'll get Virgo out so that she can help tend Lucy, she's the best person for that."

Sharing an uncertain look, Cana and Erza nodded before scrambling up to go and collect their things into the packs that they brought.

"Brother, is Hime hurt?" Virgo appeared, standing, next to Loke, her normally blank face shadowed slightly.

"Yes, Virgo," Loke said quietly his arms going protectively around Lucy as he lifted the suddenly unconscious girl to carry her in a bridle carry. "I'll need you to be on hand if Lucy gets worse."

"Of course," Virgo nodded to the greater spirit before standing to attention. "Do you want me to tunnel a hole under this forest and to the nearby town?"

Loke nodded gratefully. "That would be excellent Virgo." The maid bowed and disappeared down in a flurry of dirt.

"We're ready to go, Loke!" Cana ran towards him, Erza falling into step beside her. "Let's hurry up and go!"

"Follow me!" Loke replied, approaching the hole Virgo had left. "Virgo has made a tunnel for us directly to town. It'll be faster and safer to get to town by this."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Erza breezed past him. "We have no time to waste!" She leapt down the hole and Cana could hear her clanking as she landed. "It's safe, now Loke come next with Lucy! Will protect her from both sides if Cana follows behind you Loke!"

Smiling grimly, Loke jumped down the hole, followed seconds after by Cana. "Let's hurry and catch the afternoon train. It'll be the next one."

Cana nodded and chased after the lion spirit, worried eyes trained on the bandaged arm that dangled limply in the air beside Loke, already turning a deep scarlet in colour.

The train rattled and Virgo calmly steadied Lucy whose head was currently in her lap, her torso and legs supported by Erza and Cana respectively.

"How much long until we get there?" Loke asked anxiously from his seat opposite the two girls in the compartment. They had been given the private compartment after the train attendants had seen Lucy's condition, and they had proceeded to state that they would continue the train past its usual stop in order to get to Magnolia quickly. Something that everyone was very happy about.

"Six more hours," said Erza, brushing her fingers across the bandaged arm that they already had to change twice before. "Just six more hours…"

The compartment fell into an uneasy silence, content to wait for the train to reach its destination.

-Nine weeks since Lucy, Erza and Cana have left for their job-

"When is Lucy coming back?" Levy stroked the spine of a book, not opening its pages, just sitting at a table and stroking its worn spine over and over, like a mantra.

"Don't know, shrimp," Gajeel grunted. "It could be any-" He suddenly sat up, body tense, as he listened to something that only he could hear. The pierced mage didn't answer Levy's questions, instead, he turned to look across the guild to where Natsu normally sat.

He too, was sitting bolt upright, intent on listening. Even from his fair distance away, Gajeel could catch the whispered, "no way.."

Natsu made to stand up, but found his movement interrupted by the abrupt slamming open of the guild doors.

Collectively, the guild froze and then turned to look at the blinding light that came in from the door way, Natsu was caught in a half-standing position as he began to make out the shadows in the bright afternoon light.

The unmistakeable clanking and rattling of armour awoke the guild from their daze and many begun to get excited. "Erza! She's back!"

The Re-quip mage barged forward, her face extremely serious, and underlined with worry and fear. "Quickly! Is Wendy here?!"

Many people's heart sank as they interpreted their nakama's words. "Who's hurt? Who's been injured?"

Cana entered next, out of breath and clenching tightly onto her tarot cards. "Wendy! We need her right now!"

Right there and then, Natsu didn't think he could get more scared than right now. His heart was past his navel and he was dreading what he was going to see next. His legs though, hadn't heard what his brain and heart was thinking, and had already begun to move him towards the guild doors and the last shadow.

"I'm here!" Wendy ran out from behind her usual table and stopped beside Erza and Cana. "What is it?!"

"Lucy's hurt," came the croaked reply from Loke as he stepped out of the glare of the sun. "We need you to heal her Wendy. Right away."

In his arms was Lucy, her body looking unnaturally frail right then. Natsu couldn't help but notice she looked thinner and stronger, before his gaze finally fell onto her right arm that dangled uselessly, seemingly tumbling out of Loke's strong arms.

Even though they were heavily bandaged, Natsu could still smell the sweet, yet metallic, scent of blood, and he could only watch in horror as the bandage changed into a darker shade of scarlet.

"Luce…?"

I hate everything right now. This chapter was so…UIFBHRGBJWDOWPQJNF!

Meh, even if it's awful, I don't mind too much. I'm good with what I've written, even if it's a little melodramatic.

I wasn't going to write Lucy being injured, but then I realised that she should've been injured at least once on her trip. It would be ridiculous and make Lucy seem overpowered if she came out unscathed, so yeah. Ta daa!

Okay then, I'm finished and I hope you didn't hate it too much.

Ciao.

P.S. Have you guys ever heard Lucy by Skillet? It has just come on as I'm finishing this and I can't help but think that if Lucy ever dies, I will be listening to this song for about three days straight after.

May Lucy never die and may Natsu and her walk hand and hand always, just not in heaven.

Amen.