Hi guys! Sry this took so long, my Beta Reader has been busy lately so I've decided not to bother her for the moment. I just hope I won't do that bad of a job of editing. Anyways, I hope you guys like it, I'm not going into as much detail for Day 2 unfortunately ^.^" Because there's a lot of details for Day 3 and 4.

So I'm more focusing on my evil little love triangle. Also, there's a little bit of swearing in this chapter :P So if your sensitive to that, then don't read this chapter, I'll probably recap what had happened in the next chapter anyway XD I hope you guys enjoy and thank you guys for all the support!

Chapter 22 (Against the Clock, Against the Odds)

Lucy's POV,

I was on the balcony again, but this time I was alone. I looked up at the sky above me and realised that the sun was rising soon. I couldn't help but get a sense of déjà Vu.

Balcony... Dawn...

I looked around me again, checking for any sign of life around me. But there didn't seem to be any. It must have been too early. Trust myself to wake up this early in the morning.

I tapped my fingers nervously against the railing of the balcony while leaning on the wall nest to me slightly. I shouldn't be here, not now, not here.

I didn't understand why I was uncomfortable with the idea of being here either, I just knew I shouldn't be here, well not right now anyway.

But I also knew I couldn't leave, that it was actually too late to leave. That as soon as I walked myself onto this balcony I was damned for eternity.

To what though, I had no idea.

Suddenly a noise that sounded like the footsteps made my grip on the railing tighten.

Crap.

I knew I needed to leave, I needed to leave right now. But I couldn't. I couldn't. I couldn't take a step away, not unless I didn't want to find out... Find out who I was so scared of.

The footsteps were getting closer now and ignoring my sense to flee was getting harder and harder. By then I knew it was a guy, it was definitely a guy. Besides no one else I knew would wear that cologne.

That cologne that had made me gag the first time I had smelt it.

I turned around, just missing the person's chest by a just a few inches. "Sting." I whispered coldly as I stared at his chest, refusing to look up at his face. "Lucy." He answered. I couldn't explain the coldness of my tone. I couldn't understand the sudden hatred that had builded up in my chest either.

"What do you want?" I hissed. "You know what I want." He whispered, every single word that he spoke felt like he was tearing them out of his throat. It sounded... Painful. I hesitated before answering. "No, no I don't know."

"Damn it Lucy." He snapped, breaking his controlled demeanour and grabbing me by my shoulders, burning me with his touch. It was then when I realised why I had snapped at him. I was angry. But I wasn't angry with him,

I was angry with myself.

I was angry that I loved Natsu, I was angry that Natsu didn't love me back. I was angry that I couldn't love Sting which was so much easier. So much.. Less complicated.

But I couldn't, because god damn it, I don't know.

Sting shook me firmly, making me look up at him. "Why are you doing this to me Lucy?" He whispered, his voice shaking. I stared at him, noticing the tears that had form near his already glistening blue eyes.

I could fall into them forever, those blue eyes.

But they only reminded of someone else, another pair of eyes, that were always grinning, always laughing.

Natsu.

I shook my head softly, crying a little myself. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm SORRY!" I yelled, trying to get out of his grasp but he wouldn't let go and just kept on staring at me.

"I'm sorry.." I whispered one more time before I realised someone else was behind me, behind us. And I wasn't the only one who had noticed.

"Sorry for what?" The person behind me uttered. His voice seemed to waver in my memory now, almost faint. But it was him, the same childish happiness, the same ignorance that constantly laced his words.

But what he was saying however, was a whole different set of words that I knew were from my own vocabulary. A figment of my own imagination.

"For loving me and not him? Me, Natsu, who is clearly in love with Lisanna and she knows it. You can't afford to be selfish ever, can you Lucy?" He stopped and chuckled.

"Or maybe your just weak, your just not strong enough to take me away by force. Wasn't that why you were kicked out of the guild? Too weak to defend yourself from Lisanna lies?" I turned around angrily at Natsu who was perched on the railing of the balcony, smirking.

"Have you even save yourself yet? Has Sabertooth been saving you over and over again?" He glanced over to Sting and laughed. I felt my heart fall to the bottom of my stomach. Save yourself...

It was true though wasn't it? I couldn't save myself from fake accusations, from Lisanna's desperate lies. That's what got me here in the first place, wasn't it?

I was weak, I was scared...

...

I was done.

I raised my head slowly to meet Natsu's onyx eyes.

I was done.

"I hate you."

The words must have hit him like a slap cause he stared at me dazed for a minute before his smirk returned. "Hate me? Oh Luce, we know exactly how you feel about me. You love me."

Normal POV,

It had only been twenty minutes since Sting had come to Minerva's room panicking over Lucy who had fainted out of the blue this morning. Sting had said he didn't know what had happened, but Minerva thought otherwise.

Why else would he look so guilty about it?

But Minerva didn't feel like pushing the Dragon Slayer further, he already looked like he was about to puke anyway, she could only imaging what her teasing would do.

So using her better judgement, she told Sting to get the others up for an early start and quickly got Orga to fill in for Lucy. He wasn't Lucy but he was good enough substitute for the day.

After sending them out she went to the infirmary to check on the blonde Mage and she's been in there since.

Minerva stared at the blonde girl who had defeated her father in a rush of anger. Her father. Her all powerful father who she couldn't seem to get a break from, who was heartless and cruel to her, her mother and her comrades.

In short, he was an asshole and Minerva couldn't really believe she was thinking about him right now.

She really ought to hate this girl with her entire being, it was her duty after all. Who wouldn't hate the Mage that defeated your dad... But she didn't. If she didn't know better she would have called the sleeping girl next to her, her friend.

Minerva smiled bitterly. Friend. What did it mean to have a friend anyway? Was it the same thing as tolerance? Did it mean you were obliged to help this person? Or did you have to want to, to do it.

Either way, Minerva didn't care. She just hoped Lucy would wake up soon.

Suddenly, Lucy started to move, very slightly at first but she was moving. Her palms were sweaty and were clenching and un-clenching her sheets. Her forehead was also clammy with sweat and her mouth was opened in a silent scream.

Minerva frowned but didn't move. Lucy was probably just having a bad dream.

But then a scream that chilled her to the bone, made her get up.

The scream was coming from Lucy. She glared at the girl who continued her blood-curdling screaming, making Minerva's ears pop a little.

What was wrong with her?

Minerva quickly grabbed both of Lucy's thrashing wrist and pinned them down by either side of her head. "Lucy, Lucy!" She yelled, trying to get past the girl's screaming. She could hardly hear her own thoughts, nevertheless her own voice.

But Lucy didn't seem to hear her and continued to scream. She was twisting and turning even more violently now, desperately tugging at both her trapped fists. Minerva couldn't help but started to get nervous.

What the hell was Lucy screaming about? Could a dream be that bad? Or was there something worse in the room?

Suddenly all at once, like it had hit a crescendo, it stopped and the room was quiet again.

Minerva, after reassuring herself that Lucy wasn't going to go into her fit again, let Lucy's arms go and leaned against the wall next to Lucy's bed, panting.

"Minerva?"

Minerva tensed and turned towards the bed where Lucy laid, now awake. She couldn't help but let her growing sense of relief go So Lucy was ok.

But the look on Lucy's face definitely dampened the moment.

"What time is it?" Lucy muttered sitting up. Minerva looked over to the wall clock on her left and shrugged. "The first game is starting in an hour." "But we have to arrive in an hour."

Minerva looked at Lucy curiously before nodding. "I know." "You know? We're going to be late!" Minerva sighed. "Don't you remember what happened this morning?" Lucy looked away from Minerva but didn't answer. Minerva glanced over at Lucy softly before speaking.

"Sting sent you in here after you fainted this morning, I sent Orga as your substitute, you should be able to participate tomorrow." Lucy tensed. "But we'll loose our privilege." Minerva crossed her arms across her chest and looked at the window nearby.

"Screw the privilege."

Lucy breath caught in her throat. Those three words echoing in her head. "Why are you letting me do this?! Don't you want to win?" Minerva turned around, her face twisted in what looked like a half grin.

"I do. But I need my comrade to be ok first." Lucy stared at Minerva in shock. Since when did she and Minerva became friends? Minerva rolled her eyes at Lucy's expression and turned back towards the window.

"Don't push it Lucy Heartfilia, this is the last time I'm ever doing anything nice for you." Lucy couldn't help but laugh. "Alright, I won't push it."

They were silent for a minute, both staring at nothing in particular, the same thought echoing in their head's.

Friends.

Suddenly Lucy broke the silence, "Hey Minerva?" Minerva nodded but didn't look away from the window.

"Can I ask you something?"

Minerva turned towards Lucy who was busy trying to not look too nervous, which was stupid because even she knew perfectly well that Minerva saw through people like she could see through glass.

People called it a talent, Lucy called it irritating. Minerva agreed with her.

"Depends on what you want to ask." Minerva answered, lifting her leg up onto the windowsill so she was half leaning, half sitting on it. Lucy glanced up at Minerva before opening her mouth, but no sound came out.

Minerva raised an eyebrow at the blonde Mage and nodded her on. But Lucy still couldn't say it. Minerva rolled her eyes and looked back towards the window. "It's about Sting, isn't it?"

Lucy stared at Minerva surprised but didn't say it. "I don't even want to ask how you knew." Minerva shook her head ever so slightly and chuckled. "Do you think I actually know these things?" Lucy sighed. "Well I thought-"

"You thought nothing." Minerva said harshly, cutting Lucy off. They were silent again for a few minutes before Minerva's guilty conscience made her break the silence. "I know what he feels about you, you know. I don't think he's ever wanted someone so badly."

Lucy glared at her. "This isn't helping me at all you know." "It wasn't suppose to.. I'm just telling you that you have a choice now and for his sake and yours, I want you to choose the right one."

Minerva turned around and met her dark eyes with Lucy's brown ones. "I don't want this to end up with everyone getting hurt." Lucy stared at Minerva, her eyes scanning the other girl's expression.

"Your telling me to choose him, aren't you?" Lucy whispered looking down at her lap. Minerva looked away from the Chaos Dragon Slayer. "I don't care who you choose Lucy, I just don't want anyone to be hurt. Not you or him."

Lucy didn't answer, her face betraying no emotion.

Minerva sighed and got off the windowsill. "The game is starting in an hour, but it's not too late."

After speaking she walked out the door, leaving Lucy in silence.

At the Domus Flau,

Sting stared dejectedly at the wall opposite to him in the box seat that Sabertooth had been assigned to, while Chapati, Yajima and whatever guest that they had on today for the second day of the Grand Magic Games introduced this morning's game.

He was barely concentrating on the details of the game as everyone picked their representative players. His mind was too busy flitting back and forth to what had happened this morning and the look Minerva gave him when he had walked into her room panicking. He knew that she thought what had happened was his fault, that it was his fault Lucy was unconscious.

But it wasn't. Whatever had got her to faint on the balcony that morning wasn't his fault. Well, he was pretty sure anyway.

But clearly pretty sure wasn't sure enough.

Damn it, he knew he shouldn't have just told her out of the blue. He should have given her hints, brought it onto her slowly. And then she could reject him. But of course, being the stupid idiot that he was, he did exactly what he shouldn't have done.

Told her exactly what he felt about her, without even bothering to beat around the bush.

Way to be straightforward dumbass.

Suddenly it was their turn to pick a representative player for the game which was ominously called Chariot.

Without even thinking, Sting volunteered. Determined with all of his heart to forget what had happened this morning. No one except for him, Minerva and Lucy knew about what had happened this morning after all. Hopefully by the time Lucy wakes up everything will be back to normal.

Hopefully.

Rogue gave Sting a funny look as he stepped out of his seat and made his way to the arena. Sting ignored him and tried to manoeuvre past Rogue without playing twenty questions with him.

He knew Rogue was already suspicious of him, add the fact that he was the one that had woken everyone up early this morning. Who wouldn't be suspicious?

But there was nothing that he could do now other than hope that Rogue could wait.

Without making eye contact with the Shadow Dragon Slayer he slipped past the others and reached for the doorknob. In his head he was sure he was successful, well as successful as he could be anyway.

But just before he could walk himself out of the back door, Rogue grabbed onto his shoulder just before he made it out the door, stopping him in his tracks.

"What's up with you?" He hissed, while glancing behind him to check if people were listening in on them.

They weren't.

Sting shook Rogue off harshly and reached for the doorknob.

"Nothing, nothing is wrong." Sting answered quickly while simultaneously sliding half his body behind the door but a rogue grabbed him again.

"I know there's something wrong Sting, you've been quite all morning. And Orga is here, what happened to Lucy?" Sting froze at the question and didn't look at Rogue. "Nothing, nothing happened. Now let me go."

Sting once again pulled himself out Rogue's grasp but this time Rogue didn't catch him again.

Lucy's POV,

I stood outside Minerva's office, my right arm raised, poised to knock on her door.

I knew she probably already knew I was outside, but she wasn't going to open the door for me. No, she wants me to do it myself. She needed to know for sure that what I was about to do was my final choice.

Or well it should be.

A clock was ticking not far away from me in the hallway, counting down the hours, the minutes, the seconds. I was loosing time standing out here, if I wanted to do this I have to do it now.

I raised my arm again and bit my lip.

Was I doing the right thing?

You'll never know if you don't knock.

I sighed and in a rush of adrenaline, I knocked.

The sound of my fist hitting the wooden door echoed across the hallway, making me shiver. This was it, the first step of my choice.

"Come in." Minerva's voice rang from behind the door. I straightened my shoulders and reached for the doorknob, quickly letting myself in.

Minerva looked up at me from behind her desk, her face betraying no emotion. She was simply.. Blank. "Lucy." She said quietly as she saw me walk through the door.

I half-smiled at her and closed the door behind me. She nodded and gestured towards the two chairs in front of her desk. I glanced at the chairs and walked to one of them, my heart racing in my chest.

She stared at me for a minute as we sat there silently, but before she could break the silence I cut her off.

"How much time is there before the game starts?" Minerva stared at me, somewhat taken back by my question. She glanced over to the old grandfather clock that stood on the other side of the room.

"In ten minutes, why are you-" Minerva didn't even finish her sentence before she was cut off by the shriek of my chair being pushed back into place in front of her desk.

"Lucy I know what your doing and it's stupid!" She yelled as I rushed down the hallway to the entrance/exit of the building. But as I ran down the staircase leading to the door downstairs, I realised she wasn't even following me.

She was letting me do it.

I stopped at the bottom of the staircase and turned around before screaming, "Arigatō Minerva!"

I never heard what her reaction was after what I had said, but I just knew, she had laughed.

Normal POV,

The arena was beginning to fill up with people as representatives from each guild walked onto the playing field.

Sting had just walked down to the arena, hands in his pockets when he caught sight of Natsu who was busy arguing with Gajeel.

Most people had already cleared away from the two Dragon Slayers knowing full well what was about to go down if those two really pissed each other off. Which wasn't hard since Natsu was about willing to fight with anybody and Gajeel wasn't about to loose to Flame Ass in front of everyone, especially not Pantherlily and Levy.

Especially Levy. He really just needed to regain Pantherlily's respect after what had happened with Laxus last time.

Sting glared at the pair as he walked past them, he wasn't exactly mad at Gajeel, it was Natsu that rubbed him the wrong way. It was Natsu's fault Lucy was like this after all, idiot was as oblivious as ever to everything around him.

Part of him didn't even know why he had looked up to the Fire Dragon Slayer in the first place.

Suddenly, as if the stand off between the two other Dragon Slayers had finally snapped and broke, a fight erupted from between them.

Punches and kicks were exchanged as each ran at each other head on.

No one dared to stop them, not even the emcees sitting up in their seats above the arena.

It was then when Sting had finally had enough and stalked over to the two, all ready to stop the two from getting the entire Domus Flau destroyed. But the only thing he achieved was get thrown into the fight himself.

As the three separated to get more room between themselves, the other two Dragon Slayers finally catch sight of the third Dragon Slayer in their mist.

"The hell are you?" Gajeel snarled as he glared at Sting then at Natsu. "Couldn't fight me alone, could'ya?" Natsu scowled at Gajeel then at Sting. "What the hell are you talking about Iron Brains?! I can defeat you myself."

"Then why is he here?!" Gajeel hissed, pointing an accusing finger at Sting. "I don't know! Why are you asking me?! Ask him!" Gajeel glanced over at Sting, realisation settling in his eyes.

"Your that Sabertooth guy!" Natsu turned towards Sting swiftly as soon as he heard the word 'Sabertooth'. "You! You, bastard! I'm going to kill you!"

Sting scowled at him. "Not if I kill you first." Natsu chuckled as if Sting had just told him a joke. "I'd like to see you try." Natsu said, his eyes burning like coals. Sting half-grinned.

"Try? It won't even take a minute."

But before either of them could even fire a attack at each other, someone rushed into the arena.

Lucy Heartfilia.

So I hope they weren't too many typos *^* (I hate reading over my own work, it makes me feel stupid XD) Sry for the cliffhanger, but come on, it wasn't that painful -.- Anyways, I actually didn't plan for Minerva to appear again so early XD But eh, whatever. Also, there should be crap tons of Nalu in the next chapter (That is if I can fit all of it in) Read and review!