A/N: Okay guys, this is a casual chapter, just so you see what's going on from Laxus's POV. i will update tomorrow if i find time, very busy day tomorrow, and it will be more humorous, so bare with! ;)

ALSOOOOOO, IMPORTANT BIT RIGHT HERE... PLEASE READ IT...

I already have a BRILLIANT idea for my next story and I am GIVING YOU LOVELY PEOPLE THE CHANCE TO DECIDE WHO TO PAIR LUCY WITH IT! CAUSE I'M AWESOME!

Now, after Fury is complete, I'm heading to University on the 20th, so you lovies will need to wait patiently for it, but I will try and find time at some weekend to begin the story. I might try to complete it before posting any chapters, so you'll need to be patient with me, but I will put up the poll tonight on my profile (so gimme five minutes please!) and it will stay up till maybe early October time? Cause that is when I will have settled into my course maybe...

SO, CHECK OUT MY PROFILE ONCE YOU'VE READ THIS DOOZY OF A CHAPTER AND VOTE AWAY!

FYI, I WON'T ACCEPT VOTES/REQUESTS FOR OTHER MEN TO BE IN THE COMPETITION, I AM STRICTLY A CRACK-SHIPPER, SO FORGET A GRALU, NALU, LOLU, ROLU OR STICY (I know they arent all normal ships, but I'm not fond of those ones tbh, so deal with it) :P (i may write a NaLu in the future, but do not pester me please. it'll make me hate the idea more than anything if i have pesterers!) ;) x

EITHER WAY, HERE YA GO! ENJOY MA LOVELIEEESS! :)

Oh, P.S. Please remember to review! let's me know what ya think, and if it's good enough. :) :3 xxxx

Laxus's POV

I sat beside her, watching her breathe; once again useless as she lay in this damned infirmary, Bix in the other bed, me sitting between them and keeping vigil over their sleeping forms.

My mind couldn't help but skip back to when we'd found her; her body dangling painfully from those rusted, sharp shackles that dug into her flesh like a knife, continuously scraping at her creamy skin.

I remembered how the dragon within me wanted to leap forwards and murder Bix when his lips touched hers, when he stroked his large, calloused hands across her smooth bruised and bloodies cheeks... I knew it would happen. I'd wanted it to happen, for them both to fall in love and find the happiness they deserved, Bix especially.

But it still felt like a giant fist had punched through my chest and grabbed my heart before squeezing out every last drop of rational emotions I had left.

Basically, it fucking hurt to see him with her, despite me giving up on any chance with her, it still fucking hurt.

I remember how my eyes had clouded over with rage, and I had to clench my fists tightly against my sides to stop my body from throwing itself at them and ripping them apart before claiming her as mine with my lips against hers instead of his, replacing his own taste with my own in her mouth.

I remember how I had crushed those feelings, ignoring the howling dragon within my mind that screamed at me to claim and instead turned to the deal with the bastards that had caused her so much pain, intent on releasing my frustrations and anger out on them, before being attached to the freaking wall.

God how pathetic and useless I felt, my soul being ripped apart and my mind falling over the edge of sanity as I saw her body being stuffed full of magic, that freaking magic from Tenrou that had already caused her so much trouble.

I had felt so proud as she punched that blonde asshole who'd been smirking at us as she approached, the act of a mindless zombie in place. That guys face filled with shock when she hit him in the wall, and I almost couldn't hide the laughter from that old creep.

It surprised me he'd been so easy to take down, then again, blondie had been filled up with the entirety of Tenrou's magic, and at that moment had probably been the strongest mage alive.

I sighed, looking down at her still face before turning to look at Bix snoring with his babies, recovering all the magic energy he'd spent to save her, to reconnect her soul to the land of the living.

I'd never known he could do something like that, probably a good thing since I used to be such a jerk.

'Hey Laxus.' I turned to see Gray enter the room, shirtless as he sat on the other side of her bed and reached out to take her hand in one of his cold ones, smiling softly at her before beginning to chat to her.

She'd been asleep for a week now, along with Bix.

Porlyusica had almost bitten off Gramps head for calling her again, but had immediately got to work in assessing the two.

'This stupid human male will be fine, complete bed rest for him. The blonde girl will wake when she's ready. She's suffered a large magical trauma, now don't call me for the rest of the month unless it's life or death, even then don't bother! I HATE YOU HUMANS!' I snickered slightly at the memory of her smashing a broom over Gramps head before stalking out of the guild, glaring at anyone who dared to look at her, making them cower at her extreme ire.

A rota had been worked out for visiting hours for blondie; we couldn't have that fire idiot in here all the time and waking Bix up when he needs total rest like he does, so Mira and I were chosen to run the visiting hours.

Team Natsu visited the most, but everyone in this guild, and several mages from other guilds had visited, as well as ordinary civilians who'd nervously stood by her bedside before leaving with an awkward wave towards me and a gentle smile towards her still form.

It made me realise how much people loved her; how much she was valued to the guild and the people of Magnolia. She truly was an incredible woman... who'd never be mine.

I listened to Gray ramble about his fights with Natsu over the past week, and how Erza had sworn off of strawberry cake till she'd woken up, and told her to get up soon, cause Erza was more snappy and grouchy than ever now she'd promised not to eat her sweet treats.

Gramps had managed to get the guild to celebrate her return, but when reality had finally set in they'd grown easily depressed, so were often sent out on missions by Gramps to keep their minds busy. Carle had let slip that coma patients had been known to stay comatose for years in some cases, causing the entire guild to go silent for a whole ten minutes- something that had never happened in the history of Fairy Tail.

Seriously, people came in off the streets to see if we were still alive.

Gray had finally finished talking and was gently holding onto her hand, staring into her unmoving eyes, clearly praying she would wake up and giggle, laughing that she'd tricked us properly this time; that she'd fooled us and she was fine.

I knew because that's what I'd been hoping with every fibre of my being every second I sat beside her.

'Thanks for being here all the time Laxus.' Gray whispered, before releasing her hand and placing it carefully on the covers beside her body, walking out silently with his shoulders hunched as his hands dug deeply into his trouser pockets.

'Come on blondie. Wake up, please... everyone's worried bout you all over again. Even Natsu, he's just been sitting silently- I know, never knew he could be silent, but he is. He just won't talk to anyone but you. So wake the fuck up, please Lucy... we need you... fuck I hate this kinda pussy ass talk, but jeez blondie, just wake the fuck up already...' I bit my lip and screwed my eyes tight shut as I clutched at her hand, raising the numb limb so her soft, warm skin rested on my forehead.

'Please Lucy... come back to me... we... I... need you... so get the fuck off your sassy ass and smile at us again before I lose my fucking mind.' I felt the tears running down my face, ignoring them as I smoothed my thumb across her palm, rotating it in small circles across her skin as I kept it against my head.

I lost track of how long I sat there, desperately clutching her hand to my face, trying to trick myself into believing she was awake and was giving me some form of comfort... trying to trick myself into thinking she loved me, that she cared as much for me as she did for Bix.

'Hey, Laxus. You should go rest, it's late.' I looked up, noticing my head had fallen to the mattress beside her body, to see Mira standing in the doorway with a worried expression on her face.

I looked around and found it had already got dark, and the guild was being locked up.

I shook my head at her, looking down at Lucy, before turning to look at Bix.

'I'll stay. He might wake up tonight. I gotta tell him what's going on... I can at least stop a rampage.' I told her, forcing myself to smile before I found my gaze being pulled back to her angelic, peaceful face.

'If I didn't know any better, I'd think she was just napping.' Mira whispered, moving to stand beside the head of the bed and stroking a hand through her blonde fringe, stroking her fingertips through the soft golden locks.

'Only difference being she might never fucking wake up.' I spat out, suddenly angry, before I forced myself to calm down and mutter an apology.

'You love her too, don't you Laxus?' Mira asked suddenly after a few moments of silence. I blinked at her, before scoffing and glaring into her sympathetic and pity filled eyes.

'Hell no, demon lady. She's like a sister to me now, she's Bix's. Besides, Gramps loves her as much if not more than me. I thought you were happy your "ultimate ship" had got together.' I sneered at her to cover the pain that ran through my body as Mira seemed to remind me she could never be mine with that understanding look she'd given me.

That's cause she never will be Baka... Bix is gonna treat her like a freaking Princess, he'd never hurt her, so there's no chance you'd ever be with her. I sighed out loud and ran a hand through my hair as I sat back in my chair, quickly releasing her hand as I did so, hoping Mira had missed it.

I felt relief soak into my body as she turned to leave the infirmary, before she paused at the door and faced me with a serious expression.

'Whatever you say Laxus. It's unhealthy, but I'll let you lie to yourself for now. Just remember, you're going to have to see them together every day. You sure you can handle that?' I stared at her, my face in that expressionless mask I'd cultured over years of learning to ignore the whispers behind my back.

'That's if she wakes up.' I said, staring down at her face and waiting for the sound of Mira's retreating footsteps.

As she walked away, I closed my eyes and allowed one last tear of regret to slip from my eyes.

One last tear of sorrow and loss, because even if she woke up, I'd never have her the way I'd grown to dream of.

One last time, would I allow myself to shed tears over the love I knew I would never find the like of again, even if I searched every nook and crevice of the world, this was it.

This would be the last time I would imagine me with her, the last time I would allow my fantasies to run riot in my mind; thinking of her touch, her kiss, her love being all mine and mine alone... after this night, I would never think of her this way again.

She'd be my little sister blondie who was dating my best friend, the only guy in the world I'd ever give her up to; the only guy who could love her more than me.

'I love you...' I almost wanted to snatch the whispered words back from the air, but they fell on deaf ears and I felt relief wash over my body.

She'd never know, which is exactly what I wanted. If she knew, she'd make things awkward, or feel guilty and might hurt Bix... which is the one thing I never wanted to do.

'You make him better Lucy. You make him into a stronger, braver person... please, don't ever hurt him. He's had the most bullshit past of almost everyone, and has carried that guilt with him forever. I think... you take that away... you're the light to his pains darkness... so please wake up before he does, so he doesn't feel responsible for you being like this. It'll kill him inside...' II choked on my words, forcing the liquid to stay in my eyes, refusing to let myself cry any more.

'I swear to you, right now. I'm going to get stronger. I will never let you get taken like that again, and I will destroy anyone who threatens your happiness with him. I will shield you both, from anyone and anything. I promise. So wake up soon, you got it blondie?' I glared down at her, hoping she would shoot upright and kick me into the wall for calling her blondie again, only to get no reaction from her sleeping body.

I sighed again, sitting back in the comfy chair to fall asleep, keeping a close vigil over my two charges.

My promise began now, and I would carry it out till I died.

They would never feel the pain of not having the one they love beside them, like I do now.

They need each other, and I will never allow them to get hurt or separated.

The dragon in my purred with satisfaction; this is what he was meant for, this is what he and I needed, something, someone to protect.