A/N: May be disturbing to some individuals (that's my warning). You can expect the other half in a couple of days. After that, the action will begin! Plus, you'll be seeing some more of your other FT mages!

A huge thanks to all of my reviewers and readers--can't do this without you. I wanted to thank my anonymous reviewers as well (and not-so-anonymous ones), since I can't properly respond to your reviews. But, thank you all in kind! I appreciate that you take that extra step and leave me some words of encouragement and kindness.

Happy Reading!

Disclaimer: I do not own FT, only the OCs.

*****

*****

"Dying?" Adie repeated, her voice soft as she slowly enunciated the word, her eyes scrutinizing the tall doctor. She stared up at him questioningly, her head barely coming to his chin.

Lucy noted how the word rolled off of her tongue fluently—as if it were something with which the blacksmith was all too familiar. Adie looked from the mayor to the physician as if suddenly confused by the prospect of their news. Her back was toward Lucy and her friends, preventing them from reading Adie's reaction or expression. Lucy could only watch in horror as Adie's shoulders began to shake—faintly at first, gradually growing more pronounced as the seconds passed.

Lucy felt sorry for the woman, wanting to offer her condolences. Her own guilt at knowing Barsky's condition, and all the while hiding it, was gnawing at her insides. She lowered her eyes, staring at the ground in hopes of magically alleviating some of her self-deprecating thoughts. How could she not tell Adassandra? What if Barsky had died before they had returned? How would Lucy cope with that guilt?

"What the--" Gray whispered, his head turned slightly. His eyes were narrowed, as if he didn't believe what he was seeing.

"Hell. She's laughing?" Natsu finished his friend's sentence.

"Huh?" Lucy stared at the two mages for a moment, taking time to digest what they were saying. "Laughing?"

Her eyes followed their gaze toward Adie as her ears picked up Adie's voice as it carried with the wind. It slowly grew louder as the demi-spirit's shoulders shook more violently. Lucy's mouth fell open in shock: what she had thought were sobs wracking the blacksmith's body was actually...laughter?

"Why's she laughing?" Lucy's voice grew shrill as her confusion multiplied.

She glanced at Erza, who crossed her arms over her chest, saying nothing as she, too, watched the interaction. The red-head was studying Adie's reaction with slight interest, and Lucy had some notion that Erza actually understood what the demi-spirit was experiencing.

"It's how she copes," Erza finally murmured, avoiding her companions' questioning stares.

"Cope?" Happy's head snapped back around, so that he could study the scene in front of him. He didn't seem to understand how the woman thought her mentor's impending doom was funny.

"She's laughing instead of crying," Gray affirmed, his own understanding dawning. "Her own coping mechanism...she doesn't really get it."

"Exactly," Erza nodded in affirmation, her lips set in a grim smile.

Lucy's eyes returned to Adie's back. The mayor was fretting around her, his arms flapping as he nervously glanced at the physician. "A-Adie, my dear. W-What's so a-a-amusing?"

Adie's hand went to her stomach as she attempted to control her fit of laughter. "D-Dying.." she gasped between breaths, "H-H-He's ancient!"

Realization hit Lucy like a ton of bricks as her hand clamped over her mouth. Adie thought they were overreacting! She didn't believe them! It wasn't a coping mechanism--it was sheer and utter disbelief in their words.

"Adie!" Lucy yelped before she could stop herself. She should have known better, but she couldn't allow this continue. If Barsky was truly this close to death, then time should not be wasted. "They are telling the truth."

Adie's eyes widened at Lucy's words, as she stared at the spirit mage in horror. Her icy blue glare chilled Lucy to the core. Her voice was strained as she rasped her question. "What?"

This time, her voice was full of belief.

Lucy took a step forward, ignoring Natsu's worried glance. Even he seemed to know that this was not the time to reveal such information. Lucy nodded slowly, taking a deep breath before she offered her pitiful explanation.

"He told me....before we left. He was coughing up blood, I saw it. He made me promise! He's very sick, Adie. He didn't want you to kn--" her words were a jumbled mess, but they effortlessly spilled forth.

Before Lucy could finish, Adie's eyes grew dull and lifeless. The lackluster disbelief washed over her and anger began to replace her brief denial. She said nothing, her face becoming ashen as she quickly spun and squeezed her way between the mayor and visiting physician. She didn't bother using the door knob, quickly breaking the door off of its hinges as she stepped inside the tiny shop. Lucy watched helplessly as the mayor quickly shook his head, indicating to the physician that he was free to leave. The tall, wiry man descended the few steps, brushing past Lucy as he walked by--knocking her aside. The force of his weight nearly forced her to the ground.

"Hey!" she whined, as the man continued past her.

"Watch where you're going," Natsu growled after reaching out to stop Lucy's fall.

The physician stopped suddenly, stiffly turning and meeting Lucy's gaze. His voice was a whispering croak as he formed the words: "I'm very sorry."

Lucy's eyes narrowed suspiciously as she watched the lanky man awkwardly turn and stride down the street. She couldn't dispatch the feeling that something was slightly off in regards to the man. Something she couldn't quite put her finger on. The mayor slowly approached, looking at the handful of mages while dabbing his brow nervously.

"P-Please see that she will be f-fine," he stuttered, his voice hoarse as his eyes darted toward Daylon's shop.

The portly man said nothing more, casting one last glance toward the shop before replacing his hat. He tipped the brim in acknowledgment and hobbling off in the direction the first man had ventured. Lucy cast a worried glance over her shoulder, meeting her friends' questioning and uncomfortable stares before quickly following Adie's into the shop. She gingerly stepped past the dismantled door, squinting into the dim entrance-way. A few candles flickered from various parts of the room, casting an eery glow over everything.

The air that hit her was damp and dusky. It smelled of impending doom and fear--a smell that made Lucy gag. She squeezed her nose between her thumb and forefinger, letting her eyes begrudgingly adjust to the dim lighting. She could hear the faint echo of footsteps as her friends hesitantly followed her into the shop.

The entry foyer was turned into something akin to a hospital room. A single bed sat in the middle, its metal rails pulled up on one side of the bed, and end-table snugly against the other side. Lucy could see the glass of water with its straw, and the tiny, shriveled form of Barsky in the sterile bed. He was emaciated, his eyes and cheeks sunken into his skull. His thin, dry lips were puckered into his mouth as it hung open with each breath. His beard was shaven close around his face, though some areas were obviously missed by whomever took up the shoddy job. His color-less hair was in disarray around his head—fluffy wisps sticking out in every direction. She could see his hands protruding from under the blanket, his skin hanging from the bony fingers. The intrinsic muscles had long atrophied. If Lucy hadn't seen the faint rise and fall of his chest under the covers, she would have assumed he was already dead.

Lucy heard the sharp intakes of breath, confirming her friends' surprise at the old man's condition. They had seen him weeks ago, and he was far from this. The guilt that had been eating away at Lucy quickly returned. It multiplied ten-fold when she saw Adie quickly move to the side of the bed, fearfully staring down at her beloved tutor. Her pale eyes were filled with angst and horror, which was to be expected from such an experience, Lucy knew.

"Luce..." Natsu whispered, unsure of how to handle the situation.

He could tell that Lucy was struggling with the knowledge she had been carrying. And hiding. Lucy took a deep breath to steady herself. She was all too familiar with death. Her mother had spent her last days in a situation not unlike this one. She pushed the thoughts from her mind.

"Adie..." Lucy began, her voice soft and offering.

"Don't," Adie whispered, her fists tightly clenched at her sides. She stared down at Barsky's sleeping body, her eyes softening momentarily.

"I'm sorry--" Lucy pressed forward, wanting to alleviate the crushing guilt that was weighing on her chest.

"You're sorry? Is that all you can say?" Adie's head snapped upright, her eyes searching Lucy's. "You knew this entire time?"

Lucy nodded sadly, her eyes falling to the floor. She could feel her cheeks growing hot from the shame that was burning inside of her. She had been deceitful, even if it were not overtly purposeful. But, the fact was, she had lied. Even if were for a good cause. Even if it were to uphold a promise.

She had been dishonest, and she would accept the repercussions.

"And all of you as well?" Adie's eyes fell on Natsu, slowly trailing down the line of mages. Her voice cracked slightly, the only real indication of her hurt. Everyone avoided her stare, feeling their own guilt toward the situation. Adie's eyes lowered in defeat, her heart pounding in her chest.

"They just found out," Lucy explained weakly, glancing at her comrades apologetically. She had even kept that information from them. It had been Morpheus who had let that cat out of the bag.

"Oh, well isn't that just fucking dandy?" Adie spat, her face contorted with rage. Lucy could see her eyes growing glassy, the impending tears threatening to surface.

Another wave of guilt lashed at her insides.

"Get out," Adie hissed between her teeth, her eyes falling on Barsky's face. Her pale hair spilled over her face, hiding it from their view.

"But--" Natsu began, recognizing Lucy's look of defeat. He knew that Lucy would never intentionally betray someone. Though he never asked, Lucy must have had a good reason to hide it from Adie. He was sure of it.

"GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE!" Adie screamed, her cheeks red from both the effort and anguish. "How dare you talk about nakama and companionship! You pretend to be a friend, and the entire time you hide the fact that he's really dying!"

Her voice was becoming shrill as an odd energy began to emanate through the room. Lucy could feel the pulsations beginning in her hand, and she wriggled her fingers to dispatch the odd feeling. Natsu was bracing himself, preparing to explain, but Lucy laid a comforting hand on his arm, warning him to remain silent. She noticed the stone in her ring was once again glowing. Brightly, this time.

"Go back to your guild! Go back your picture-perfect lives. Go be happy somewhere else," Adie was quickly becoming enraged. More energy began to fill the room. Even Erza had seemed to notice it, taking a step back and glancing around for the source.

"You've done enough here," Adie spoke more slowly, in an obvious attempt to calm herself.

"We want to help you," Lucy offered, her voice more pleading than she had anticipated. "You can't do this alone--"

"Like hell I can't! I had finally started to believe in you," she sneered, glaring murderously at Lucy. "Even after all you've done, I still believed in you. But I can't believe you knew about this! That's real deception...to hide something like this!"

Lucy opened her mouth to answer, despite the fury that was churning within the shop. She could feel her friends' discomfort.

"You...would have...never...left," came the hoarse, dry whisper. Lucy's mouth snapped shut at the unexpected interruption.

Adie's eyes became round with surprise as she dropped to her knees next to Barsky. Her hand reached for him instinctively, grabbing at his withered limb. "Don't speak! Save your energy--"

He waved a weak hand, smacking his lips together. He slightly nodded his head toward the glass of water. Adie quickly reached for the cup, adjusting the straw to allow the frail man to suck the liquid from the cup. Lucy could see the pain in Adie's eyes as they all watched him move his lips for the straw, taking a few attempts to trap it between his lips. It was both sad and pitiful; a vulnerable moment shared between mentor and student. After a few moments of weak sips, Barsky attempted to speak again, despite Adie's requests to remain quiet.

"I asked...Lucy to not say...anything...made her..give her word," he whispered weakly. "She...has honor..."

"Why wouldn't you tell me?" Adie pleaded, her tone almost whining.

"Would you..have left?" he offered a weak smile in knowing. Adie didn't answer. She didn't have to. Everyone in that room knew the answer.

Ezra grabbed Gray and Natsu's arms, tugging them away in a forceful indication that they should leave the conversation to those immediately involved. Happy cast a apologizing glance over his shoulder as he followed suit.

"Answer's...no.." Barsky finally concluded his question. "You..you needed to leave....been too long...I have... I kept you.........here."

"I stayed because I wanted to," Adie adamantly denied Barsky's claims.

"For me....because..you felt safe..." the wizened man croaked, his voice cracking as he began to cough.

He tried to put a hand over his mouth, but he was too weak; the coughing fit was too much for his body. Lucy could hear the high-pitched wheezing as the air hissed from his lungs. Blood was spit from his mouth, bright red fluid spraying the front of his crisp white sheets and blanket. Adie was frantically looking for something she could do to help him. Lucy quickly handed over a tissue from the box on the table next to her. Adie shot her a frantic glance before wiping Barsky's mouth. Lucy could see the hurt cross the blacksmith's face as she tenderly wiped her mentor's face like a mother would for her child. It was heart-breaking to see Barsky in such a condition.

His sunken eyes found Lucy, his lids drooping from the effort. "Lucy-chan...good..to..see you..."

Lucy smiled weakly, patting his hand. Barsky licked his lips, before taking a ragged breath to speak, "Take...take good..care of her..my Dee--"

"Quit talking like that, Old Man!" Adie interrupted, a pained look crossing her face. " You're just sick, you'll get over it and be fine in no time!"

Barsky closed his eyes, his breaths becoming more shallow. Lucy knew that simply breathing was becoming an effort for him. He opened his mouth slowly. "Go..leave this town...find a place to be happy...find family..."

"I'm not leaving, dammit!" Adie pounded a fist on the bed, her voice cracking. Lucy could see the tears of denial filling her eyes. "Quit talkin' nonsense."

Barsky's lips turned upward in a weak smile. "Left...a gift for you..finished it..while you were..gone," he pointed toward the back room, where Adie did most of the armory and weaponry work.

"Gift?" Adie's brow creased in confusion.

"See..it...you'll...know," he opened his pale gray eyes, looking at her with pride. Lucy remained silent, allowing the much-needed conversation to play out in front of her.

"Lucy...she's a good person..." he told Adie, waving his hand feebly toward Lucy. "I think...you should trust her..."

Adie glanced at Lucy, saying nothing. It was as if something unspoken was passing between the two—something Lucy didn't understand. Adie's jaw clenched as she nodded slightly, a lone tear streaking her ashen cheek.

"Hey....don't cry...on me..." he tried to smile, but the effort was too great. He closed his eyes, the muscles of his neck straining for each breath. "Glad...to see you.."

Adie's eye grew large as she looked at Lucy helplessly. It was as if she were hoping the spirit mage would be able to do something to change all of this. As if she had the power to....

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you," Lucy whispered her own eyes watering from the emotions coursing through her. She hadn't been prepared for this. "He asked me not to. I wanted to, but I had promised. I don't go back on my word."

Adie nodded softly, her own eyes wandering over Barsky's sickly body. "I know. I understand," her fingers picked at the thin fabric of the blanket. "It's my own fault I'm unbearable."

It was all she said.

It was all she could say.

Lucy knew that Adie was speaking volumes, even if she said very little. It was who she was, and Lucy understood that.

"I'm here if you need anything," Lucy replied, her voice barely audible as her own tears streaked her face. She cast a worried glance at Barsky.

The man was listening, his lower lip trembling as his mouth slowly puckered and he clenched his eyelids shut. Tears began to slowly trickle from the corner of his eyes as he silently cried like a child. The action was enough to crumble even Adie's stony demeanor. Tears spilled down her cheeks as she laid her head on the bed, sobbing quietly. Lucy bit her lower lip, as the hot, prickling tears streaked her own face. She watched Barsky reach up and slowly pat Adie's head.

"You...were..always...my favorite," he whispered, his voice cracking with emotion.

Adie's back shook as she cried into the blanket. Lucy took a step backward, giving the two time to say their goodbyes. She had no doubt that it was as the doctor had said: a matter of days, at best. There was no guarantee that he would be coherent or awake for those days. No, it was not for Lucy to bear witness to the exchange between Barsky and Adassandra. She had apologized for her misgivings, and Adie had forgiven her. It was all she could do. Lucy wiped the tears from her face as she quietly exited the shop, finding her friends seated outside.

"Well?" Natsu asked, his face softening when he saw Lucy's tear-stained cheeks.

"Soon," she whispered, looking past them and staring at the small village.

It was the only home Adie had ever known, and she was about to lose one of the last people who were dear to her. Lucy understood that devastating feeling. It was the same feeling that Veleda had allowed her to experience. She knew that pain all too well.

"It will be soon." Lucy spoke into the wind.

***

***

The day had slowly passed them by, and the group had migrated inside. Erza and Lucy attempted to make dinner, while Adie stayed glued to Barsky's bedside. They had chosen to stay downstairs, sprawled on the floor and various pieces of musty furniture. Lucy hadn't prompted them to do so; her friends had done it on their own accord. It was their way of showing their unspoken support for Adie and Barsky.

Each had stood at the bed side, greeting the withered man. He had offered a smile to each of them, despite the cost to his dwindling well-being. When Natsu stood at Barsky's side, the old man reached for Natsu's hand, surprising the dragon slayer by the gesture. Lucy had smiled tenderly at the bewildered look on Natsu's face. It was something he was not entirely used to: intimate human contact. Death was not new to him, but Lucy knew that it was not an easy experience for the fire mage.

Darkness had fallen on the village, and candles provided the light within the shop. The sound of heavy breathing was a tell-tale sign of the mages' slumber as they were scattered around the first floor. Natsu was sprawled on the floor along with Happy. Erza was on a cot while Lucy took advantage of the futon. Somewhere, Gray was lounging in a chair. Adie was seated in a chair next to the bed, her head lying on the bed, her shoulders heaving with each heavy breath of sleep that had taken over her body. Lucy was lying with her eyes closed, too afraid to sleep lest she miss anything. Hours passed by, and the night thickened. Lucy had eventually fallen asleep on her tiny futon.

Barsky had suddenly awoken, his eyes rolling around as he realized where he was. He took a few gasping breaths before glancing down, where he saw Adie's head lying on her left arm as it rested on the bed. He mustered what strength he had reserved to raise his hand and pat her head. Adie softly stirred, before quickly sitting upright.

"What is it?" she asked, her eyes frantically searching the room. They slowly adjusted to the dim, candle lighting.

"It's time," Barsky whispered, licking his lips. He had long ago cried his goodbyes. He was ready for the departure. He was ready for a new adventure.

"Time?" Adie echoed, still groggy from sleep. She could hear Gray stirring his his chair, but she was more focused on Barsky.

The old man nodded, the action weak. "Time to...go."

"You...no, you don't mean--" Adie's whispers were becoming louder, her hands shaking as she understood his meaning. Her eyes widened fearfully. "No!"

Barsky patted her hand, his bony, gnarled fingers degenerated with age. "We don't...have..a choice, my child," his whisper was barely audible as his breathing became more shallow.

Tears immediately began to spill down Adie's cheeks as she clasped his hands in hers. "Please," she begged. "Please don't leave me..I need you..."

"You..have...others..." Barsky smiled through his own meager tears. "Find..a new..home...be happy, Dee."

"I'm happy here, with you!" Adie frantically protested, hoping she could somehow stave off the inevitable.

Barsky softly shook his head, the few tears left slowly drying on his withered, sunken cheeks. "I always..favored..you....like my own...you are...my daughter..."

"I can't do this without you--" Adie's voice cracked.

A soft, croaking chuckle interrupted her pleas. "I had....wanted..to see that pitiful sister of yours..one last time..." he stroked her hand with cold fingers. "She..was always draggin'...you down...holdin' you back.."

Adie said nothing, knowing full well how Barsky felt about her sister's irresponsible behavior and inability to take charge for her own misgivings. Adie knew that they had been too soft on Lilith. She knew it all too well, and had long ago promised that those days were over. No more would she feel at fault for Lilith's problems.

"Don't go easy...on her," Barsky murmured, settling his head back into the pillow.

His eyes were slowly fading, each breath becoming more difficult for him. Adie watched his chest rise and fall with each raspy breath. She placed her hand over his heart.

"At least....I got to see you....this last time..." he smiled, one last tear silently falling from the corner of his eye. It slowly trailed across his temple, disappearing into his dishevelled mane of hair. "Find happiness...Dee...for me...even if a little..."

Adie couldn't bring herself to say anything as she tried to contain her whimpering sobs. She bit her lip, the tears falling fresh. She felt one, last, gentle squeeze of her fingers.

She felt one last beat of his heart.

She saw one last rise and fall of his chest.

No more words were uttered as his eyes grew dark and unfocused his pupils widening slightly. The smile on his face did not fade, as if he were approaching something tangible to his senses. Adie took comfort in that she was by his side as he slowly drifted off into whatever was awaiting him in the next world. He had devoted his life to protecting Daylon's children, and she had stayed by his side out of honor and love--even in his old age. It was the least she could do.

"Bar?" she whispered, though she knew he had left her.

He didn't answer, confirming her fears. She slowly raised her trembling fingers to close his eyes, her warm tears dripping onto his cheeks as she did so. She softly kissed his forehead and each of his eyes, whispering into his still-warm skin, her words lost on foreign ears.

"I'll miss you," she murmured. "I'll never forget you. You find happiness, for me. You were always like a father to me."

She stood back, sluggishly lifting the thin blanket to cover his frail body. She wiped her tears, remembering what he had told her in confidence after Lucy had left. There was still much to do. Her body shook with the sobs she was repressing as she said her silent goodbye to one of the last people she had an attachment to in this world. Her entire life had been filled with the deaths of those around her. It was a curse of her condition, a curse of her slow aging process. Everyone around her enjoyed the fruits of humanity, while she silently watched it wither away. She would outlive them all.

They would all die. They always did.

And she would always be there. Alone.

Adie said nothing, quietly stepping away from the bed. She quietly opened the mutilated door, stealthily slipping outside into the cool night air.

She didn't know that someone had been silently observing the entire exchange. A pair of eyes followed her movements, watching her disappear into the early morning mist before they returned to the still body on the bed.

He closed his eyes, trying to tell himself that this was a natural part of life.

And life was never fair.