Summary: Ice Mages are going missing, disappearing in alleyways next to words written in dripping blood. Gray was their next target, now he's gone and Fairy Tail isn't too happy about him missing. How will they get him back? How long will they have until he is gone forever?

A/N: Hey guys I'm really, really sorry about this chapter – I had to pull it out of my ass and make a decent cake out of it. These last few weeks have been busy, two weeks ago when this chapter was supposed to come out didn't because I went to see my favorite band in concert. Last week was just not looking up at all and this week wasn't swell either. So please forgive me for this chapter because it really (in my opinion) sucks and it's more of a filler chapter than anything else and I hate chapters like these, but to make this story longer and to tie up last chapter (or at least try and close it up) I had to write it. Please mind my gibbering, I'm extremely tiered and my eyes are close as we speak, so I'm not going to do review replies this chapter, but I will next chapter. So thank you:

AsDarknessSpreads, Yugato, April Hawkeye, ansjovisjj, YamiHinata, Icy Cake, Cake-Addict, GrayFuckingFullbuster, Guest, Scarlet Demon, Just Me, Just Me (2), Rewinsan, and Scarlet Demon (2)

For all the amazing reviews. :D

A/N(2): This week will be even tougher to be writing after because I do have a school activity that will be from 9 am to 9 pm all week long, so if I do miss next week please forgive me and I hope that I will make it up the week after.

Warnings: Cussing, a little OOC (but I hope not), there might be slight grammar and spelling errors because I did not look over any of my work that I forced myself to do, so please, please, please forgive me.

Disclaimer: I sadly don't own Fairy Tail, but if I did…I would make the manga chapters longer.

Thirteenth Day

He couldn't breathe.

Holy shit, he couldn't breathe.

His chest hurt, but not physically – emotionally (if that was possible). His body trembled. It was like an earthquake had erupted inside him, shaking his limbs making them feel like Jell-O. His lungs wouldn't stop taking in rapid, incomplete breaths.

He backed up till he felt the moldy wet crying wall against his back.

He couldn't focus his attention on the pile of powder before him. His eyes shook along with his limbs and he felt bile rise up his throat. Shit, he was going to be sick.

He fell to his hands and knees without thought and threw open his mouth. His large breakfast and lunch flew out of his mouth in a quick heave. Liquid splashed against the ground and chunks bounced off the floor. Then after a few more sickly heaves, he was finished.

Minutes passed. The muscles that held him in his position started to shake. His view that was looking upon the contents of food that had been in his stomach wasn't focused on the sight before him. His sight seemed to be unfocused and foggy.

He wasn't thinking. God, how could he?

Time passed. Had it been hours…days? How long had he stayed there on his hands and knees, breathing in the sickening smell of his thrown up food?

Then he heard voices.

"Natsu?"

"Natsu, where are you? Are you in here?"

"Hello, Natsu?"

They kept screaming, hollering, shouting for an answer. An answer that he knew he couldn't muster up and give them. Then he felt it, a hand rested on his shoulder. It was so soft and gentle; he had to jump away from it. Lucy peered down at him. Her large eyes held question, but the soft smile was warm with concern.

Natsu quickly pushed himself off the ground, but as he did so his hands slipped on the contents he had thrown up and he flipped onto his lower back and slammed into the wall. His gaze shot around the room. First landing on Erza, who stood behind the group looking from Natsu to the chair that held the mountain of dust then back to Natsu, her gaze filled with questions. Natsu swallowed. He then shot his gaze towards Happy and then found his way to a small frail man. The man looked scared and nervous; he stood behind Erza and backed away as he locked eyes with Natsu.

"Natsu," Lucy asked slowly, "are you alright?"

Natsu gasped for air. His chest rose with stutters.

Lucy reached her hand out again, but quickly flinched back as Natsu whimpered. "What's wrong? Natsu are you okay?"

Natsu looked down at his hands and shook his head slowly. "Shit," he whispered.

"Natsu," Erza spoke up and took a step forward, "What happened here?"

Fuck.

Natsu shook his head, but stopped half way as he looked back up and set his eyes upon the pile of dust. Dammit, he would have to tell them. Dammit. Dammit. God-fucking-dammit.

"Natsu?" Lucy leaned forward.

"Natsu?" Happy flapped his wings.

"Natsu?" Erza crossed her arms.

Natsu shook his head and dug his hands into his hair and squeezed his eyes shut. He could hear everything. He could feel everything. He just wanted it to all stop. Just for a few seconds. Just so he could get his mind wrapped around what happened. Just so he could understand something. "Stop, please, stop." His voice sounded small and scared.

Then arms wrapped around him. They were small arms, not muscular, not strong, not rough, but they felt warm and tender. The arms wrapped around his head and fell towards his back. A hand fell onto the back of his head and stroked his pink locks with care. A soft hum filled his ears and he began to relax. "It's alright," Lucy whispered, her voice sounding warm and sweet. "It's alright."

Six Years Ago

They were short, young, and arrogant.

They were kids.

Back then they really didn't care how tall, how powerful, or how muscular your arms were. They thought that they could kick your ass. 'Mash you into pieces', or 'burn your butt to ashes and stomp all over them' as they would put it. They thought that they were strong together, alone…not so much.

But they wouldn't admit it.

Hell, even after growing up, they still wouldn't admit it.

Thus, when one was alone, he would stick out his tongue and pull down his lower eyelids with his middle fingers and laugh. He would taunt and snicker about how much their 'big butts would be burning', once he was done with them. But even with the words spitting out of his mouth, he would regret some of them. He would think otherwise as the enemies he picked fights with, would come at him growing and calling him a 'pipsqueak'. Though there was one time when one would think otherwise. They got in a fight and it had damaged there odd but strong relationship.

"You suck!"

"Oh, great comeback, ass fer brain!"

"Well, you can go eat shit, you ice bastard!"

"Go suck a dick!"

"No, you!"

"I told you first, you shitty flamer!"

"No you didn't!"

"Yes I did!"

"No!"

"Yes!"

"No!"

"Yes!"

"NO!"

"YES!"

The guild was quiet. The happy chatter and laughing that normally drifted through the building had ceased to exist. All the Fairy Tail member's eyes were stuck on the two mages that were currently clashing against each other. Everyone seemed too shocked to do anything. Their minds all raced with one question: What the hell were these kids doing? Normally those two didn't clash as harsh, and even so, they never seemed to go this long against each other.

And the whole thing to set them off was by two simple insults: "squinty eyes" and "droopy eyes".

It shocked the guild, truly. They've called each other that before, so why had that set them off?

"You know what," Natsu paused, his fists clenching. "You're not worth my time." And he left. Just like that. Like a snap of someone's fingers, he was gone.

All eyes were on Gray now, who stood in the middle of the guild with clenched fists, a jaw clasped shut, and shaking limbs. The kid looked as if he were ready to punch a hole in the wall. "Fuck you, squinty eyed bastard." Then Gray left in fuming steps.

Natsu marched through the village. He was pissed. No, scratch that, he was beyond pissed. He was boiling with rage. That stupid dumb ass pervert, how could he? How could he do that to him? Natsu shook his head, he didn't understand. How could Gray, Gray fucking Fullbuster, betray him like that? He was the last person Natsu thought would betray him. It sounded stupid, but Natsu trusted his friend – and Gray stomped all over him.

"I don't need you protecting me."

Natsu ran a hand down his face. Fuck Gray. Fuck Gray and his stupid pathetic little life. Natsu was done trying to stand up for him. He was done being friends with the bastard. He was done. Done, done, done.

Natsu walked faster as he kept his heated glare on the ground. Natsu stood up for Gray and the dumbass throws it right back at him and blames it one him, that bastard. Natsu growled and shook his head. Goddammit, he wanted to punch the pervert right in the gut.

That bastard.

That's when he lost it. He screamed and angrily gripped his hair. "You stupid ice pervert," Natsu growled out. "You're an idiot and a fucking jackass!" Then he rammed into something. Natsu shot his gaze up as he growled, "Watch where you're going."

The man he bumped into was tall and muscular. His figure loomed over Natsu and the man sneered, "Little shits shouldn't talk to their superiors like that." The man's voice was low and slow.

"Who the hell said you were my superior?" Natsu snapped.

"Watch your voice, boy."

Sneering at the bad vocabulary Natsu rolled his eyes, "go back to school," Natsu growled before trying to push his way past the colossal man.

The man had other things in mind as he grabbed hold of Natsu and leaned down. "What did you say?" He spoke slowly with each word and his breath smelt of alcohol and raw meat.

"Let go, you giant." Natsu tugged roughly at his arm that was capture in the man's grasp. "I said let. Go!"

The large over grown man was obviously drunk. His posture seemed to tip and swing like an unstable house in a hurricane. The man's eyes blinked heavily as he tried to focus his sight on Natsu, who was trying to get free, but the man's grasp was surprisingly strong. "I'm gonna teach you some manners, boy." Then the man was pulling Natsu into an alleyway, he chuckled and whispered to himself.

Natsu's eyes widened and he looked around franticly. There were few people crowding the streets, few as in a couple walking away giggling and laughing while a man stood by a door fiddling with his keys and then opening his door. "Help," Natsu screamed towards the man, but he was quickly replied with the slamming of the door and a final yank from the man that pulled him into the alley. Natsu's eyes darted towards the large man in panic. He knew he couldn't take down the drunken bastard, though he hated admitting it.

The man had left a few hours ago, leaving Natsu to rot in his own growing puddle of blood. He winced, shit, he wasn't feeling to swell. Then he heard it. Loud pants, the pop of bones as the person clenched their fists, and then footsteps that started out slow then picked up into a fast trot. The quick steps came to a halt next to Natsu and the small Fire Mage held his breath.

"You…you stupid, dumbass, fucking squinty eyes bastard," the man panted in anger.

Natsu cracked an eye open that was caked in blood which streamed down from a large cut on his forehead. "Oh," Natsu paused, "it's just you."

"Damn straight it is, you shitty flamer."

"Why are you…here," Natsu coughed. His chest hurt as he did so and Natsu leaned forward clenching his chest.

"Saving your fucking ass, that's what I'm doing."

"I don't need you to save my-" His words were suddenly cut off as Gray move in front of him and placed both hands on Natsu's shoulders. Looking up into the Ice Mage's eyes, Natsu couldn't help but wonder why he saw pure concern and worry in Gray's eyes. Suddenly Natsu was pulled forward, arms laced around his back and pulling him forward into Gray's bare chest. The arms seemed oddly large for Gray, but they were muscular, strong and rough. The Ice Mage's arms shook slightly as Gray pulled Natsu in closer. Natsu could feel Gray rest his neck in the crook of his bloodied neck. The Fire Mage could feel Gray swallow by the rise and fall of his Adams Apple. Then, like they weren't close enough, Gray squeezed Natsu and swallowed a gulp of air; his breath came out unevenly and in stutters.

For a moment, Natsu thought he felt their souls touch.

"It's," Gray paused, "It's not that I don't need you protecting me, Natsu. It's just that…I want to protect you, and you never let me." Gray kept Natsu in his embrace, "You're my fucking brother…please let me do some of the work."

Natsu sat there confused, had Gray just apologized? He would've laughed if it wasn't for the "moment" they were having. Finding himself smiling, Natsu leaned forward to hide the expression and fell into darkness.

Present, Fifteenth Day

Teivel was proud of himself. He had completed his work and found a worthy adversary. Now that his job was done he could get along with his plan and make this world realize that magic wasn't everything, it was power.

Smiling to himself, Teivel wiped his bloody hands dry and stepped over his 'bosses' lifeless and mangled body. The man had been useless from the beginning, why Teivel hadn't gotten rid of him sooner was beyond him. But the old fat man was gone, that's all that mattered.

He looked down at his arms and grinned at the power that was flowing through his veins. Instead of blood flowing through his veins, white shining ice crystals glowed through Teivel's skin, outlining the veins.

Teivel laughed, "Oh life is good!"

He turned towards his prize, his prize that would get his adversary here, though his prize wasn't much to look at. Strolling over toward his possession, Teivel grinned at the man. His skin looked terrible, worse than it had a few days ago.

Cringing, Teivel leaned down to look into the dull and almost lifeless eyes of Gray. "I am envy of you – in some ways. Your friend is quiet powerful and breathtaking if I must say myself. And your power, you are a very strong mage. To try and live on without a life source of any magic, you are quiet a trooper. Though I must thank you for that, for if you don't stay wake till he gets here, I don't think the man will have enough motivation to fight me." Sighing, Teivel rose and stared down at the limp man. "Let's see…" Teivel wiggled his fingers and smirked. "Eenie meenie miney…moe!" Teivel reached down and lightly touched Gray's pinkies. Holes suddenly sunk away from the touch and then the fingers dissolved into dust.

Quickly glancing up, Teivel watched for any type of reaction from the Ice Mage. Pouting, Teivel rolled his eyes and turned his back on Gray. "Fine than," he sighed, "I guess you're not going to entertain me. Let's see…" Teivel paused and stroked his curled mustache, "should we bring your friend here, or wait for him to find us."

Teivel laughed at such a stupid question. He already knew the answer. Raising his hand into the air he readied himself to snap. Teivel looked back toward the man who sat lifeless in the chair he had been strapped down to for days. Smiling, he spoke towards the Mage, "Let the party begin."

With a snap, they were gone.

A/N: Holy crap. I'm really sorry that this chapter sucked and that it was really short. But hey, next week I hope to have really great fighting scenes and stuff. I think there will be at least 4 to 5 more chapters (?). Let's hope. :D

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