Hi guys! It's the school holidays again, which means a lot more updates (hopefully ._.) Anyway, for once in my life I've actually finished two chapters this week (it was originally one big 8000+ one but I decided it was too long) So I'm probably posting it tomorrow. Woo, extra long chapters!

Unfortunately this story is ending soon T^T The good news is that might just be able to finish this before Christmas. Bad news is that I probably won't be writing for at least a few months *cough* Special thanks to clumzybeans for her suggestion and AnimeLovi'nFreakForever for helping me as well. Enjoy the chapter!

Chapter 27 (Walking On Glass Shards)

Previously,

As soon as Sting finished speaking he was off. His speed a lot faster than earlier, his fist was extended out in front of him, the light surrounding both Dragon Slayer almost wrapping around his fist.

Natsu was frozen as Sting ran at him, his brain numb from the terrifying beauty of it, he wasn't a man that appreciated beautiful things nearly enough, but even he thought the swirling light was magnificent.

Deadly or not.

Suddenly as if reaching it's crescendo, it exploded. The white light swallowed up his vision and he could only believe he had been hit.

It was the only plausible thought in his head.

But as the seconds ticked by, he realised no pain had came. No cold numbness, no fatigue. Just him, standing there. Waiting like an idiot.

Natsu couldn't help but open one eye to see where exactly he was. Surely if he was dead he would only see darkness, or at least something that wasn't the arena. Anything.

But what he saw was completely different, it wasn't darkness or something, it was someone.

The name of the person escaped his mouth before he had time to think about it, making the person shielding him chuckle.

"Came here just in time, didn't I? Gehe."

Present,

Normal POV,

"Why are you here?!" Natsu hissed as his eyes scanned the Iron Dragon Slayer in front of him once again to prove to himself that Gajeel was indeed, in front of him.

Gajeel scoffed, "I came here to save your sorry ass before Lightbulb could finish it off, shouldn't you be thanking me right now?" Natsu clenched his teeth, grinding them ever so slightly. "I didn't need it, Metal Brains."

Gajeel held back a growl of frustration that was making it's way out of his mouth as Natsu spoke. He knew Natsu wasn't going to be happy when he found out that someone else had took the attack for him but Gajeel couldn't help it.

Salamander needed his help, you didn't need to be genius to figure that out.

Without him, Natsu would be on the ground, probably with a hole where his chest was suppose to be and half of his innards discarded beneath him.

"Don't pretend to be all tough Salamander, all those hits... Even I can't take that many." Gajeel muttered, taking the quiet way out. He didn't want to take the quiet way out, in fact he would gladly pound Natsu's stupid face into his skull, later. Right now he had to focus on whether Natsu was alright or not.

The Fire Dragon Slayer was silent for a few minutes, surprised at the actual sincerity in Gajeel's voice.

Gajeel was never sincere when it came to him, they weren't friends after all, oh far away from that. He was probably going to pound his face in later, but that wasn't the point.

Gajeel was worried.

Natsu couldn't help but wonder exactly how many hits he had actually taken after all. Was it so bad that Gajeel would force himself onto the platform and take the hit for him?

Natsu bit his lip as he thought about it. He had taken a lot of hits, even if he had taken the hit before and somehow didn't die from it. Well... He wouldn't have had much of a chance after that anyway.

Was he that close to dying just a minute ago?

"Thanks..." Natsu muttered quietly, feeling a little guilty that Gajeel had to block him from an attack that was aimed at him, that he was too weak to fend himself from.

Gajeel chuckled at Natsu's unease, he knew Natsu didn't like thanking him for anything, after all, he didn't like him, neither did he like Natsu.

But it didn't hide the fact they were still guildmates, still nakama, still family. That was something Gajeel agreed to a long time ago and he wasn't going to go back on it.

"Where's Sting?" Natsu asked softly, his tone stiffening as he said the Light Dragon Slayer's name. Gajeel jerked his chin towards the other end of the platform where a figure stood shaking.

Natsu fired his fists up again as soon he caught sight of the other Dragon Slayer but before he could fire an attack Gajeel stopped him. "Don't, the others have already made it up past the finishing line almost an hour ago, if we don't go now we'll all get disqualified."

Natsu glared at Gajeel not really believing him.

Gajeel met the other Dragon Slayer's with the same amount of hostility, daring him to say it.

Natsu quickly realising he wasn't going to win, sighed and gave one last look at Sting before nodding at what Gajeel had said. Gajeel was serious, he wasn't one to put off a fight after all so they really must be late. Really, really late.

But as the two Dragon Slayers began for the next platform they were stopped by Sting who didn't seem to be satisfied he hadn't just blown a hole straight through Natsu's chest.

But before he could make any move whatsoever Gajeel stopped him, "Don't even think about it Lightbulb, all three of us are already an hour late to the party. The longer we stay here bickering, the longer it'll take us to get to that finishing line. So shut up and move it."

Gajeel gave one last look at Sting before letting the fist-that was aimed at Natsu's jaw-go. He would have fought the guy himself if he had felt like it, but he didn't.

Not just because they still haven't finish the actual race yet, but because he knew somewhere in him this was Natsu's fish to fry, his loose ends to tie up.

Besides, he was more interested in-not the blonde idiot-but his sidekick. That guy that always stood around him, with that annoyingly long fringe covering one of his eyes.

He looked familiar to Gajeel, very familiar. But he just couldn't figure who it was. Gajeel frowned slightly as he kept up his pace with Natsu. Whoever that guy was, wasn't going to stay hidden forever.

And Gajeel wasn't a hundred percent sure he wanted to find out.

Lucy's POV,

I sat there in my seat next to Rogue as we both stared blankly at the Lacrima Screen in front of us. The crackling sound of static filled the air as the entire arena promptly fell silent.

The screen had just went out a minute ago, just before Natsu was hit. Just. Somewhere in my head I was already panicking, I couldn't just sit there. For gods sake, I want to know what happened.

Hell, I needed to know what happened. And after all Natsu had said...

Damn it.

Slowly, I began to regain my consciousness. Which was even worse because it was then when I actually realised what was happening outside the arena. That I wasn't just watching some dumb sitcom in my apartment or at the guild.

No, this was actually happening.

I got up hesitantly, glancing at Rogue as I went.

He was still sitting there in the seat next to me, his face in a mask of utter terror. I didn't know what was worse, the reality of the situation or the look on his face.

Quietly I opened the back door of our stand, my fingers fumbling on the doorknob until I finally make it into the lobby that connected the multiple stands to the main hallway.

Slowly I walk out into the arena, but my body didn't stop there. I quickly crossed the arena and stopped at one of the gates connecting the Domus Flau to the rest of city.

Where the finishing line for Chariot was.

Outside was even more silent then inside, the streets of Crocus seemed to be holding their breath waiting,

for their Dragon Slayers to be alright.

I stood there for what felt the longest minutes of my life, waiting. Holding my own breath as well, worried for both of them. I didn't care who my selfish heart wanted, I couldn't live without either of them.

Suddenly a thought drifted into my head, Gajeel was there too. He hadn't just disappeared after the fight had started.

What if he had tried to protect Natsu?

I bit my lip as I thought of what Levy must be thinking, neither of them would ever admit it but they had something. Levy had already lost me, she can't lose him too.

I glanced behind me as I thought about it, trying to find Levy's familiar face in a sea of thousands. But I came up with nothing, which only led me to one conclusion.

She had already left.

I turned away from arena sighing.

Of course she would have left, no way could she possibly just sit there waiting for Gajeel to magically appear scot free in front of the arena.

I stared at my feet thinking.

What if Natsu was dead? What am I suppose to do then? Do I even have the right to be sad about it? It's not like I'm anyone to him, I'm not even part of the guild anymore.

I had made that decision six months ago anyway, I can't turn back now. I clenched my fist, trying to hold back the tears.

How many people did I hurt leaving the guild anyway? How many people have I made cry? How many hearts have I teared apart? How many people actually tried to find me afterwards? How much space did I leave empty in the guild?

...

Even if I don't have the right to cry, I still would anyway, wouldn't I?

A single tear fell onto the ground softly as I held both my arms stiffly to my sides. Natsu can't be dead, he doesn't die, he's defeated so many other people before. He's even fought Hades and survived.

So why would he die now?

For you.

I felt my breath get lodged in my throat as it finally dawned on me.

This was all my fault.

If I hadn't left Fairy Tail, I wouldn't be here. If I hadn't left Fairy Tail, Sting would have never... Fallen for me. If I hadn't left Fairy Tail, Natsu would still be alive.

Cause if I hadn't left Fairy Tail, we wouldn't all be in this stupid, complicated mess.

I sucked in a breath shakily as I stared at the ground, trying desperately now to keep it in. The anger, the tears. Everything.

It was tearing me apart.

"Oi Gajeel, why is it so quiet?"

Wait.

"They probably all left, damn it Salamander. This all your fault!"

Wait, no. It can't be..

"How is it my fault?! I didn't want to fight."

No. No, my head it's already getting to me. Their not here Lucy, their not here. Your just imagining it.

"Oh really?"

"Yes! I- Lucy?"

I looked up at the mention of my name only to see Gajeel and Natsu walking steadily off the platforms a little banged up, but otherwise-fine.

I couldn't help but smile like an idiot as I saw the both of them, every cell in my body screaming at me to go to them but I had just enough resistance left to stop me from embarrassing myself.

"Bunny girl?"

I smiled softly at Gajeel's old nickname for me, guess I wasn't gone that long. "Yeah, it's me-" Before I could finish whatever I was going to say, I was being squeezed roughly by a pair of arms that-had been so familiar to me once-were now suddenly more foreign to me than someone else's house.

"Luce..." Natsu whispered into my hair as he hugged me closer to him. I didn't answer, I was too shocked.

What was happening? Am I...? Are we..?

Get it together Lucy, this is Natsu we're talking about. You've been hugged thousands of times by him.

Only... That was like six months ago.

Finally I manage to muster out, "Where's Sting?"

As soon as Sting's name left my lips Natsu froze, I slowly pry him off me and stood back, my heart still beating rapidly in my ear. "He was behind us when we left, right Gajeel?"

Gajeel gave Natsu a weird look as he turned around to answer. "I don't know, Lightbulb was pretty banged up himself." Natsu nodded and looked back at me, not quiet meeting my eyes as he did so.

Blushing slightly at his gaze I tried to speak, "I... I'm glad your alright." Natsu nodded, his every move seemed almost cold, artificial.

I couldn't help but bite my lip as I thought back to when he had hugged me just a minute ago. It was only for a minute or two but I had felt it, the warmth.

He stared at me for a moment as I spoke, this time actually meeting my eyes and for a moment I could see genuine worry in his dark eyes. "Luce... Were... Were you crying?" I quickly lifted my hand to my face to check when another hand beat me to it.

"Why were you crying?" I stared at him surprised for a minute, not knowing how to answer him. Before he could say anything more though I noticed someone else had arrived.

"Sting.." I whispered as I stared at his bruised, trembling body on the other side of the gate. He looked up at me as if he had heard me whisper his name. "Oh my god, Sting.." I whispered again as I ran over to him.

He didn't answer me as he fell to his knees, his face almost hitting the ground before I caught him. "Sting, STING!" I snapped, shaking him harshly. He opened his eyes slightly to look at me before closing them again and whispering,

"I'm sorry..." I glared at him, angry he would use precious air like that to apologise. What was he apologising for anyway? "For what?" He started to laugh before it quickly turned into a cough. "For... For trying to hurt you."

I froze as he said it, my mind suddenly remembering why Sting was injured so badly. My fingers turned cold as I stared at Sting, my mind replaying his words to Natsu moments before.

"You know Natsu-san, I usually don't activate Dragon Force this early into the Grand Magic Games. But I guess I'll make an exception..."

Sting met Natsu's narrowed eyes. "After all, this is..." He licked his lips. "Personal."

Sting had been willing to kill someone he knew was close to me without a second thought..

And his reason? It was personal.

Was this who he really was?

A cold blooded killer...

Suddenly the sound of a speaker being turned on echoed through the arena making all four of us jump. "It seems both Natsu and Sting survived the fight of the century, effectively capturing the 6th and 8th place in Chariot! Players please return to your stands."

I stared at Sting's unconscious body for a minute before a medic team was rushing in to carry him to the emergency room to be healed. I sighed as they loaded him like a sack of potatoes onto a stretcher.

Damn it, I refuse to believe Sting would really be that cruel. He couldn't have done all of that, he wouldn't. Sting was a lot of things, happiness, stupidity, noble but he wasn't a killer.

He wasn't.

Normal POV,

Gajeel stared at Lucy as she left the gate leaving only him and Natsu behind. The Iron Dragon Slayer glanced at his guild-mate who was standing quietly next to him, looking blankly at the grey sky above them.

Gajeel couldn't believe what he was seeing, he had had a theory that this was happening a long time ago but he didn't think it was actually happening. After all, he hadn't actually seen it happen in real life.

But that didn't mean it couldn't happen.

What he didn't get was how Lucy managed to get another guy to fall for her, was it because of Natsu ignorance? Was it cause he didn't show that she was her mate?

Or did she not even know she was his mate in the first place?

Gajeel frowned at the confusing idea, he didn't like complicated things. It was annoying and hard on his head. Besides, he didn't think unless he had to. Shrimp did all the thinking for him anyway.

Remembering suddenly that he had promised the other Dragon Slayer to explain to him what was happening, he quickly called Natsu over.

"Oi, Fire Ass I need to tell ya something."

Natsu turned towards Gajeel swiftly, his eyes narrowed at Gajeel's small smirk but he came over anyway. "What do you want Piercings?" Gajeel's smirk twitched at the new nickname but he ignored it.

Beating will just have to wait till later.

"Remember an hour ago when I told you I would tell you what's been happening with you and Lightbulb?" Natsu's face hardened at the mention of Sting but he didn't say anything and nodded.

"Well, I think it's cause of a... Uh... Mating... Uh what does Shrimp call it? Misconception." Natsu stared at Gajeel confused, "M-misconception?" Gajeel sighed at Natsu's obvious confusion, he should have known this was going to be harder than he thought."

"Did Igneel ever tell you about mating?" Natsu shook his head. "You mean like those things Gramps use to go to? Does Guild Meetings?" Gajeel rolled his eyes at the pink haired Dragon Slayer. God, he should not have put this much faith in the teen.

He was clearly absolutely clueless to this. Great, just fantastic.

How was he suppose to help him now?

"No. Mating, as in with an 'a'. It's when you know, a guy dragon really likes a girl dragon and they-"

Gajeel was cut off as Natsu's face slowly turned an ugly shade of sewer green. "Oh god, gross." Gajeel couldn't help but role his eyes again. So he did know a little bit about the basic, maybe Gajeel can finally get somewhere now.

"Ok fine, the point is the thing your feeling for Lucy right now, this protectiveness and possessiveness is cause of that. I don't know what you did with her or when you did it. But you did and now..."

Natsu stared at his feet as Gajeel drifted of into silence. He was 23 now, old enough to understand what sex was about, old enough to do it too. But up until then he was sure, he would sworn on his life he had never done it.

And here Gajeel was telling him he had. And clearly, the aftermath was not pretty.

Stubbornly he tried to find any kind of memory of him being especially intimate with his old best friend. Not surprisingly he came up with none. "I didn't do anything with her, we weren't... A thing."

Gajeel crossed his arms sceptically at the Dragon Slayer. "You were late to the guild that one time after we just got back from Tenrou."

Natsu frowned. "I was?" Gajeel raised an eyebrow at Natsu's surprise expression. "You don't remember?" Natsu glared at Gajeel. "No, I don't remember anything."

Gajeel stared at the Fire Dragon Slayer for a minute, holding back a sarcastic groan. Someone had one too many beers that night, didn't they?

"Maybe you were drunk?" Gajeel suggested sarcastically.

Natsu-who hadn't actually consider this-began to think again, even going through some of his fuzzier memories. Some from his childhood, some just really cloudy from the alcohol he had in that memory.

When he hit a rather shady one about Lucy carrying him somewhere. Curious he tried harder to summon more memories connected to that one.

When he realised something, what was he doing at Lucy's house that night?

19th Feb, X791

Natsu's POV,

It was still dark outside when I woke up again with a pounding headache. Tiredly I tried to grope for my mug-that was suppose to have some left over beer in it-only to find out it was gone.

Curiously I lifted my head up to look around, when I realised another thing-I wasn't in the guild anymore.

Slowly I sat up looking around, someone had dragged me from the bar at the guild and left me on their sofa. I looked around the room again and found various familiar things, like the padded chair that always sat in the middle of the room in front of a small coffee table and the desk that was snuggled up in the corner of the room where stacks of paper sat.

It soon became obvious where I was.

I was in Lucy's apartment.

What was I doing in Lucy's apartment?

I looked over to her bed where she was already curled up, snoring loudly. I stifled a laugh as she continued snoring, murmuring something as she slept. "At least she's not screaming again." I muttered, glancing over at the open window next to her.

I knew for a fact she had nightmares pretty often after getting back from Tenrou, they were mostly about her father. Sometimes she was back at Tenrou, other times she was at the guild. But it would always end in her screaming, about what I never know.

I yawned tiredly, looking up at her clock on the far wall, 2:00. I squinted at the clock, it was nearing dawn. I glanced back at the sofa I had been sleeping on and pouted.

That thing was not comfy at all.

Suddenly an idea crept into my head, I could just sleep in Lucy's bed, she's already asleep anyway so she won't mind.

Proud that I had thought up that idea, I quietly walked over to Lucy's side of the bed. I had to check she was actually asleep first or I'd get kicked straight out of the window.

But when I got there I realised she was in fact asleep, letting out a sigh of relief I tried to leave only... I couldn't. "Eh?" I tried to step away again when I realised why I couldn't leave, my arm was being held tightly by another smaller hand.

"Luce?" I whispered, testing to see if she was awake. She didn't answer but tighten her grip. "Don't leave." Was all she said. I smiled softly at how weird she was being, but as funny as this was, I still couldn't leave.

Gently I tugged my arm out of her grip, letting her arm fall back onto her chest. Realising I was gone she groaned sleepily, grabbing at me again. "Don't... Leave..." I frowned at how alarmed she was, "I won't leave Luce, I promise." As soon as I spoke Lucy went quiet.

I gulped, did I wake her up? I stood there frozen, not sure what to say if she was awake. After a few minutes of silence I realised she hadn't woken up after all. Sighing in a relief the second time that night I started to leave, but what Lucy said next made me stop right in my tracks.

"Thanks Rich..." I stiffened as she drifted off, falling asleep again. Rich, who was this Rich?!

My arms itched to go shake her awake and ask her who this person was, I didn't know why I needed to know either. Who cares who this Rich is anyway? Probably some guy who flirted with her before.

But that's impossible, I'm always around her... What if he snuck into her house when I wasn't here sleeping here that one night?!

Thousands of thoughts were flying through my head as I thought about this Rich guy. Who was he? Why did he sound familiar? Why was I so mad at him? Angrily I looked around the room trying to find something I could connect his name to.

Richard, Richard, Richard.

Suddenly my gaze settled on Lucy's desk again, there was something connecting that desk to Richard somehow.. Hmmm.

Wait... He was that guy! That guy that Lucy ditched to go on a mission with me and Happy! Was she seeing him or something? No way, he's not even a wizard. Why would Lucy want him?

I glared frustrated at the desk, part of me didn't even know why I was so pissed off at him, Lucy had even said he was a cool guy. But just the thought of him laying a single finger on Lucy made me... Just so angry.

This was all Lucy's fault, if she just didn't wear all those 'sexy' clothes no one would try to hit on her. I scowled angrily at Lucy's sleeping figure.

I'm never letting her out of my sight again.

Somewhere in my fuzzy head I knew I was overreacting, I was just Lucy's friend after all, not some weird jealous boyfriend or whatever she calls it. But I couldn't help it, I just couldn't comprehend Lucy being... Like that with a guy.

I mean it's not like I don't let her have any other guy friends, I mean Ice Princess and her are pals and Elfman and Laxus and...

Yeah, but you know they don't have a thing for her. Gray has Juvia, Elfman has Evergreen and Laxus has Mira.

I bit my lip as Happy's voice suddenly started to echo in my head. You liiiiike her. I growled, I do not like her, not like that anyway. Right?

But no matter how many times I said it, the voice wouldn't leave.

You like her, you like her, you liiiiike her.

I groaned and glanced towards Lucy again, who was still asleep in her bed, completely clueless to what was going on. I scowled as the answer to my situation finally dawned on me.

I have to prove that I didn't like her.

And the only way to that was-slowly I glanced at Lucy's sleeping face-to kiss her.

I mentally slapped myself as I got up quietly, fidgeting as I walked over to her bed again.

Come on Natsu, just do it.

How the hell am I suppose to do this?! I can't kiss her, I haven't kissed anyone in my life for gods sake. Damn it, damn it, damn it.

What if she wakes up when I do it?! What if-Before I could finish my sentence I had arrived at Lucy's bed, making me panic even more.

I'm already here, I can't just turn back now damn it. I gotta do it or I'm not gonna sleep at all tonight. I'm probably not gonna remember it anyway, with this hangover. But what if she remembers? What if I don't forget?

Will I just screw up our friendship cause I got mad at this stupid guy who, I think she's seeing but she's probably not cause we've been gone for 7 years and he probably doesn't even remember her and... God.

That's it, I'm doing it.

Hesitantly I started to lean down towards her, closing my eyes as I did so. I'll just pretend I'm kissing the wall or something, when-

"N-Natsu?"

I froze, absolutely horrified that Lucy had almost caught me trying to kiss her. "Natsu?" She asked again, clearer this time. I opened one of my eyes slowly, only to realise I was a lot closer to her than I had thought.

Her face was just underneath mine, I could feel her breath tickling my cheek as I stared down at her, my heart beating faster than before. Silently our eyes met, her brown ones to my black ones.

Suddenly I forgot all about what I was doing before and just stared. My body refused to move, I was cemented in place. So I did the only I could do at that point, look.

I couldn't help but be awed by her chocolate brown eyes, it felt like I was drowning in them, it was almost painful to keep on looking but I couldn't look away. There was something in them that grabbed at me, telling me to not look away.

Quietly I stared back at her, forgetting everything. Soon an empty silence filled the room making me uncomfortable when Lucy broke it. "Is... Is this a dream?" She choked, her gaze never leaving mine once.

I was silent for a few minutes, she was offering me an excuse, an out and still hadn't taken it yet. I gotta take it, I've got to. Slowly I forced my head to move up and down in a nod. Hoping to god Lucy didn't smell something fishy.

Lucy who was only half awake anyway nodded as well, not really caring how bizarre the situation was. "G-goodnight." I whispered, backing away from her bed. She merely nodded again and tucked herself in.

Tiredly I slumped down onto the other side of the room, exhausted from what had just happened. It wasn't long before I fell asleep again as well but I didn't realise the next time I woke up wouldn't be 9:00 in the morning but three hours later and something I would regret doing for the rest of my life would happen.

A/N Bad ending I know XD I tried to make it better you know, it kinda just ended up even worse afterwards. Anyways, I hope you guys like. Not really sure where I was going with Sting being an asshole thing.. Read and review!