Aaaaaahhh! I'm sorry, I'm sorry ok? Finals were going on, but now that school is FINALLY over, I can get back to my writing. Reviews welcome and encouraged .

Chapter 5: Lucy…Gone?

Natsu P.O.V:

"Did you hear something…?" Gray said. "Huh?! Where'd he go?! Natsu…?" Gray turned to face the dark, swirling mass of clouds now surrounding their little camp site. "Wha…WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!

Natsu was already rushing up the hills in Lucy's direction. He'd heard her screams. He was a Dragon-Slayer after all; he had a dragon's ears. Taurus had disappeared, as Lucy's magic power was currently being siphoned away by a maniacal lunatic (although, Natsu didn't know that).

What the hell is going on…why was Lucy screaming…I'm gonna hunt down the bastard that hurt her…. Natsu couldn't think straight. His thoughts were a jumbled mess. He was fast approaching the hill and didn't even know who or what he was up against. Wait…what? Natsu's THINKING? Oh ya….THAT'S RIGHT! I DON'T NEED TO THINK! ALL I NEED TO DO IS KICK SOME ASS! Thanks, magic voice from the sky! "LUCY!" he cried out, breaking into the swirled mess of a storm. (Author says, "No problem Natsu… although you did break the fourth wall….")

Suddenly, the dark mass of clouds moved to surround him. He could see now that they had been levitating Lucy in the air, sucking her power into a dark tornado above her body. She was collapsed on the ground, unmoving. Natsu couldn't see if she was breathing or not. "Lucy! Hang in there!" I don't need to be worried. No matter what, she always comes back to me…no matter what…

He tried to run towards her, but vines had crept around his body, rendering him useless and unable to move. Natsu looked down. "WHEN THE HELL DID THAT HAPPEN?!" Suddenly, he heard a voice.

"Another useless idiot, huh? Why do I always get the stupid ones? The girl was much more intelligent…too bad she won't be talking anymore…" the voice chuckled a little bit, but Natsu thought it sounded empty and…evil.

"SHOW YOURSELF, YOU BASTARD!" Natsu yelled into the fog.

"Aaaaahhhh, easy on the ears there, idiot. But… if you really want to see me…here I am!" A smile with jagged looking teeth appeared in front of Natsu's face. The salmon-haired fire mage suddenly had the urge to rip this guy's mouth out of his face.

"I AM SO GOING TO MURDER YOU, YOU INVISIBLE BASTARD!" Natsu screamed, seemingly to empty air.

"Hmmm…I'm getting bored…the girl's magic power has been nearly siphoned…I think it's time to take yours." The voice turned menacing. A golden light surrounded Natsu. "What the…AAAHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"The process has started boy! Soon all your magic power will be mine!"

Natsu's vision was starting to go black…I have to do something! I still need to see Igneel! To tell him…about Lucy…and my family…MOVE, YOU IDIOT!" It was no use. Natsu was on the verge of slipping into unconsciousness when… he saw her.

She got up, out of her crumpled position on the ground. Even though her body was a tattered mangled mess, her eyes were alive; there was a fire burning in those eyes. The fires of rage. The fires of love. "You…you dare hurt my friends…my family!? She whispered through clenched teeth.

"I'm surprised you could get up. What are you going to do about him, girl? Your magic power is almost gone. You'll be dead soon enough anyway." The voice sneered.

"I can do plenty. I will take revenge on you. My family…they're all I have. My reason for living! YOU WILL NEVER TAKE MY FAMILY FROM ME!

Lucy's body started to glow with a silver, ethereal light. Her dragon keys lit up. There was an immense amount of magic power radiating from her. Suddenly, her body twirled up in the air. She snapped open her eyes, which had turned a peculiar shade of gold, and stared at the man with a hate-filled gaze. Her celestial spirits had granted her ethereal sight. His transparency magic had no effect on her.

"YOU WHO DARE DESECRATE MY FAMILY…I LAY WASTE TO YOU AND YOURS…PRAY FOR SURVIVAL…"

The man was cowering in fear. "No…how could this girl…HOW COULD THIS GIRL BE SO POWERFUL?!"

Lucy didn't wait for his pleas and begs. She formed the silver light emanating from her into one sparking, heavenly, deadly, firecracker orb, and shot it at the man.

It was almost too quick to see.

But then, there was nothing to see.

There was nothing left of him.

Natsu was released from the vines. Erza and Gray ran up to him. "Natsu! What happened!?" Erza shouted. Then she saw Lucy. "Oh my God…Lucy!"

"Hey guys…" Lucy turned her battered and bruised face to her concerned group of friends. "It was a good run…"

"No Lucy, you're not going anywhere! Get up, we're taking you home! Erza said, on the verge of hysteria.

Lucy closed her eyes and laughed softly. "I love all of you…" A tear fell out of the corner of her eye, making its way slowly down her temples. "I wanted to…have so many more adventures! Just a bit more time…with my…family…Suddenly, her eyes snapped open and she looked straight at Natsu. "Find him. Find Igneel. Find your family. You…never know how much time you'll have left." She turned to face Gray. "…She really does love you. Make sure you're not too hard on Juvia…" She let out a soft chuckle. Natsu didn't realize that it was his favorite sound until just now. How…sad. Suddenly, Lucy let out a gasp. Her head rolled back and her eyes closed. "Bye…" she whispered.

"Lucy…wake up! Lucy? Wake up!" Erza turned to Natsu and shook him. "NATSU! SHE'S NOT WAKING UP!"

Natsu stared at the lifeless body of his nakama, not registering anything. She…was amazing. She sacrificed herself for him. Wait…Lucy's not dead…SHE'S NOT DEAD! SHE CAN'T BE! Yeah…she's still right there. In front of me. I just have to wait until she wakes up…she'll wake up…she will…she always does…

"LUCY!" Erza cried. Gray hugged her tight, tears running down his face.

Sheets of silver poured from the sky, dripping onto the former team of four.

It started raining. Natsu thought.

People say rain cures sadness and washes pain away.

Everything went black.

Not this time…not ever again…

Words on a black background…

The pain will never go away.

I feel like Natsu's going a little crazy. I didn't anticipate that. It's funny how sometimes the characters have minds of their own, even if the author's the one who wrote the story. That was a pretty cliché ending, huh?

Next chapter in 2 days!