"Hello Lucy!" Mirajane said cheerfully from behind the bar. I slouched on my stool in front of her and rested my head on my arms. "What's wrong?"

Since people found out about my curse a little less than a week ago, they've all tiptoed around me. They'll say hello, ask how I am, and quickly back away. This isn't the normal guild I know and love. This is a bunch of wizards scared for their nakama. In a way, I appreciate that they're worried, but I just want to be treated normally again. Everyone's afraid that I'm a ticking time bomb, about to explode, which doesn't even make any sense. Happy, Mira, Erza, Levy, Wendy, and Gray are the only ones who still treat me like a normal person. Natsu is a little better than others, but he constantly asks if I'm ok, or he tried to plan ridiculous ways to reverse the wish.

"My head is killing me," I groaned. Mira patted my hair gently.

"Is there anything you need?" she asked carefully. I shook my head gingerly. "Just yell if there's anything I can do." I nodded thankfully, still not lifting my head. I heard her footsteps fade away.

It feels weird saying this, but I really miss the fighting that almost always went on in here. It made the place seem more home-like, like one big family that can never agree on anything. There's not even a ton of arguing anymore; just loud talking and sudden glances my way.

"LUCY!" Natsu yelled, charging at me from across the room. Happy flew behind him and landed right next to my head. I sat up, but kept one hand rubbing my temple, hoping that would relieve some of the pressure. "Do you want to go search for that key?"

After Natsu brought me back from the woods, the four of us (five, including Happy) went back to Master's office for another meeting. Natsu kept his hand firmly connected with mine, signaling the little butterflies in my belly to start dancing. I explained to the others the only way to reverse the wish. I told them how my mother left me Libra's key, and how I needed the last one of the 12 zodiacs before I could call on Celeste. Since then, if Natsu's had any free time, he's either gone by himself or taken me and Happy with him to search for it.

I shook my head no. "I really don't feel good, Natsu. Maybe another time," I said sadly. I loved going places with Natsu, especially since he's been dragging me by the hand everywhere lately, and not letting go when we get to our destination. He's been acting a lot more different lately, and I hope it's not just because this stupid wish is making him feel bad for me.

I could barely think straight through this migraine.

"Is someone hurt?" Happy asked. Concern clouded Natsu's eyes.

"I—I don't know. I think I just need to go home and lay down," I said, standing up wobbly from my seat. I was trudging to the main doors when Natsu caught up with my and grabbed my wrist. He wrapped one arm around my waist and lifted my arm around his neck.

"You can barely walk. Let me help you get home," he said seriously. I grudgingly nodded. People stared as we made our way towards the entrance, before returning back to what they were previously doing. And that's when I felt it.

A torturous pain made me double over, clutching my stomach. Something was very wrong. Natsu had already been half-carrying me, but he didn't expect all my weight to fall forward. The thud of hitting the floor reverberated through my body when I fell to the ground. Cana was the first person to look over and notice me in the time between me falling and Natsu yelling. The drunken state she was in a minute ago immediately disappeared. She lifted my head onto her lap carefully and added her voice to Natsu's. Natsu was crouched beside me helplessly. Happy sat on Natsu's shoulder with tears in his eyes. There was a sharp slash across my legs, then my hands, then my arms. I looked around blearily and saw red.

What team was out right now? Shadow Gear was here, Erza and Gray were here, Lisanna and Elfman, even the Raijinshu and Laxus were here for once! So who….?

Wendy and Romeo! Although Master had taken down most of the requests, there were still a few easy jobs on the board. Wendy and Romeo were going to go on their first mission together this morning! Macao was worried and obsessing all day yesterday about it, and I guess it's for good reason now. At this rate, they were going to be killed. No, wait, at this rate, I was going to be killed.

"Wendy and Romeo," I gasped out to Natsu. He yelled out my message to Macao and Wakaba, and they took off running towards where the children were supposed to be. Natsu was about to follow them, but I grabbed his wrist. "Please… stay…." He hesitated, but nodded resolutely and sat next to me, holding my hand tightly. I curled up on the ground, using Cana's legs as a pillow, and tried to ignore the crowd of people forming a ring around us while trying to stay conscious.

"Lucy?" Master Makarov asked, appearing beside me. I looked up and tried to smile, most likely failing.

"I'm okay," I whispered. No sooner had the words passed through my lips when the pain became too much and I passed out.

Natsu's PoV

"Is Lucy going to be ok, Natsu?" Happy asked me, sitting on Lucy's pillow in the infirmary. After she passed out, I'd carried her in and tucked her into a bed. About a half hour later, Wendy and Romeo rushed in. Wendy tried to heal Lucy, but she'd already used too much power fighting against the guys that ambushed them. Charle forced her to stop when she was about to pass out too. Romeo stayed silent, but he trembled slightly. He and Charle guided the crying Wendy back into the main hall to rest up and get something to eat before she tried again.

Mira came in when they were gone with an armload of fresh bandages. I helped her change them when the first set had been soaked through around Lucy's legs. I think Mira tried talking to me, but I wasn't really paying attention. All I could focus on was the beautiful injured girl in front of me.

If only she hadn't jumped in front of me when that Geo guy attacked. She has to suffer through all this pain because of me. If I hadn't been so damn cocky, I would've taken the bastard out before he had the chance to do any real damage. Maybe then Lucy would be ok.

Was Levy telling the truth about how Lucy felt? I guess she would know. Lucy always tells stuff to other people and not to me. I wonder why. Maybe if she likes me too, I can tell her I like her. But then what would happen? Would we turn into Biska and Alzack? Oh shit…

If I tell her, then do I have to propose to her?!

"Natsu?" Happy asked again. I realized I'd been staring at Lucy's face the whole time and quickly looked away, banishing that last thought I'd had.

"She'll be fine!" I said, grinning toothily. "She's Lucy! We just have to find that last key, and then she can find Celeste, and then everything will be ok!"

"But doesn't she have to kill Celeste to make the wish go away?" Happy sniffed.

"We can find a way around that!" I said confidently.

Hopefully.