Natsu grabbed my hand and pulled me to my feet. Gray draped one of my arms behind his neck, and Natsu took the other. Erza and Cana kept quiet, walking ahead of us. The boys half carried me back to the guild. Nobody said a word. My right hand fisted around the necklace Umidjon had left for me.

My brother…

I was emotionless. Images passed by me in a daze. Natsu and Gray carrying me into the guild. People crowding around us until Erza forced them back. Being laid down in a bed in the medical room. Natsu lying next to me. Natsu stroking the wet hair out of my face. It somehow turned back to its original blonde. Natsu saying everything would be ok. Natsu clipping the necklace around my neck. Natsu.

Natsu…

I opened my eyes groggily to realize I was lying almost on top of Natsu. I quickly tried to roll off, saving myself the embarrassment of him seeing me like this, when he wrapped his arm around my waist and held me even closer.

"How are you?" he asked. He was already awake.

"I'm alive," I coughed. Natsu reached behind him to the table and handed me a glass of water, which I gladly gulped down.

"Did you dream about Umidjon last night?" he asked. I nodded, blinking back the tears forming at just hearing his name. "I thought so. I woke you up in the middle of the night when you started screaming. I assumed it was something like that."

I unwound myself from his arm and sat up, leaning against the headboard. He mimicked me, putting his arm around my shoulders.

"What am I going to do now?" I asked helplessly.

"Like you said. You are going to live. We'll get him a grave stone and put it next to your mother's. And then, things will eventually go back to normal. You'll take your time healing, and I'll be there every step of the way," he said.

"Promise?"

"Lucy, I promise I'll always protect you with everything I have. You will never leave my side again. I love you."

"And I love you, Natsu."

I was wrong. I thought that after Umidjon was gone, my nightmares would stop. In reality, they only got worse. Instead of having no confidence in myself, I utterly loathed myself. I dreamed of saying those cursed words to Umidjon, and then holding him as he disintegrated in my arms. I would be reliving this moment in my life forever.

Natsu was right, though. I was going to live. We put a stone right next to my mom's for him. She would have liked that. Natsu and Happy came with me when I brought flowers for them. They were both completely serious, for probably one of the first times in their lives. But of course, that couldn't last. They were teasing me and joking the entire way home. I could only join in halfheartedly, but they understood.

The day I woke up, the night after Umidjon died, was chaos. But Natsu stood by my side the entire time. As I explained to the master what had happened, then gave an edited version to the rest of the guild. I only told them that after Umidjon had taken over my body, Natsu saved me and I was able to defeat him. I didn't tell them that he was dead, or that he was my brother. But the entire time I spoke, I held my new locket between my fingers and hoped that he found my mom, wherever he is now. The only ones that held my secret now are the ones that were there that night, plus Master.

And that's pretty much the end of this story. Looking back, I realize how crazy it is. Some random guy decides to torture me for months, and then tells me he's my older brother that my parents didn't want. He tried to kill me, but I end up killing him instead. It sounds like the plot of some really bad soap opera.

Natsu and I are happy being together right now. Mira winks every time she sees us together and mouths 'I told you so.' I think Juvia likes me more now, since she knows a little better that I'm not going after Gray.

And Umidjon is there for everything, sitting in the hollow of my neck. He'll always be with me now.

At the end of the day, I really am grateful for my new friends and family in Magnolia.

I really love Fairy Tail.

The

End