A/N I am overwhelmed by the amount of views this has gotten so far! Almost 1k! I'm glad you guys are enjoying my little crack ship fic 3

Chapter Nineteen

Lucy…? I could hear her voice in the darkness but I couldn't tell where it was coming from. I didn't even think I was conscious. I couldn't breathe and I could still feel the slimy, sticky dark magic wrapped around my neck. But I swear I could hear her, was she reciting a poem? No…she was…chanting…I couldn't make out her words but her voice sounded like a light in the darkness.

Then all of a sudden my body was engulfed in a gentle sensation, I felt the dark magic release its grip and I took in a deep, shuddering breath, inhaling a powerful light magic. I could feel the sensation entering my body, wrapping every cell in its gentle embrace. I couldn't tell you what it tasted like, there were too many flavors popping along my taste buds. It was like every delicious thing in the whole world all at once. But I could tell you what it felt like. Like sleeping wrapped up safe and sound in Weisslogia's tail, like the first time I met Lector, like when Rogue and I found each other again, like playing in the ruins with the other dragon spawn. Like eating your favorite food after a long day of training, or swimming in the guildhall pool surrounded by my friends. Like my first kiss with Lucy. Like hearing her heart beat faster when I stroked her cheek. Like feeling her warm breath on my ear as I leaned in to kiss her neck. Like the sound of my name on her sweet lips.

It felt like home. It felt safe. It felt…a little like love. All of a sudden my head cleared, the fog of darkness, loneliness and self doubt lifted and I was me again. I felt confident, healthy, I felt strong. Whatever this power boost was, however Lucy gave it to me, because I was sure it was her doing, I knew this would make the difference. I knew we could win.

My body literally floated into the air, I was just hovering there, powered by this pure beautiful white light. I looked around at my comrades, struggling against the darkness taking hold of them and I felt nothing but pure, holy rage.

I spread my hands, holding the brightest light I've ever seen, channeling it through me, forming it, bending it to my will. When I released it little balls of white light flew from my fingers, falling through the sky like shooting stars. They collected on the tendrils of darkness burning them away, healing the poison on the bodies of my friends.

"H-h-how?" Khavary stuttered.

"Like this," I said. Then I thrust my fist towards him and let loose a jet of light so concentrated that it burned right through him like a laser beam.

"No," he coughed, sputtering around the blood dripping from his mouth. Falling to his knees.

"Sting?" Lucy's voice was like a beacon, guiding me towards her. She sat on the ground behind me, legs folded to the side, head hanging. I think she was only sitting up because Loke was supporting her. Gods what did she do? I turned my gaze to her companion.

"She'll be ok," he said, giving her shoulder a gentle squeeze. "She used up almost all of her magic, but she'll recover." I knelt down beside her, intending to sweep her into my arms and hold her safe and sound until she got her energy back.

"Sting," she whispered my name and I leaned in to hear her better. "It's not over, you have to finish it. Please?"

Like she even needed to ask.

"Of course, Blondie," I reassured her. "I got this." She looked up at me for a moment, a smile lifting up one side of her mouth before she collapsed against her spirit.

"I'll stay with her," Loke said. And I knew he'd keep her safe.

"Alright old man," I turned to Khavary. "Lets get this over with. I can't kiss the girl til I've kicked your ass."

His cloak was in tatters now, I could see the darkness swirling on the frayed edges, trying to reform and failing.

"I'm gonna break that mermaid's key as soon as I'm done breaking you," he snarled at me. Then he pulled a hand and a half broadsword from his back, coating it in darkness too. He was weak, injured, that hole in his chest still dribbling blood in a steady rhythm. But I could feel my power boost fading. I probably only had enough magic power for a few good attacks. I'd have to get close, make sure I couldn't miss.

Khavary held his sword up beckoning me with one hand and I launched myself at him. He swung his sword high, aiming for my face, but I ducked under it and used his forward momentum against him to power my own blow to his gut. He doubled over gasping for air. I didn't let up. I bent my leg, catching his jaw with my heel, forcing him back up. Then finished with a right hook to his face.

I was relentless. Pummeling him over and over, my fists glowing in the power Lucy gifted me.

"Please," he was begging. "Please, you win. It's done." I grabbed his shirt with my left and lifted him up to face me, my right hand ready to resume his beat down. If I kept going I was gonna kill him with my bare hands. It's what my instincts were screaming at me to do. What Jiemma had trained me to do. No mercy. No one would blame me. The guy was totally evil, he wanted to destroy the whole fucking world. I'd be doing everyone a favor.

But I didn't like the fear on his face. The shuddering little sobs coming from his mouth. I didn't need to kill him to win. He was already beaten. I pulled his face close to mine and made him meet my eyes.

"You're done," I said.

"I'm done," he promised.

I flung him hard to the ground and heard his teeth rattle from the impact. Then I walked away. Towards my friends, towards Lucy.

I crouched down in front of her, surprised when Loke made room for me. I pushed the hair away from her face, tucking it behind her ear and rested my hand on her cheek.

"Hey," I said.

"Hey," was her whispered reply.

"Lucy, can you move?"

"I-I think so," she tried to pull her feet under her to stand up, I could see her struggling so I grabbed her upper arms and helped lift her to her feet. She stood up, swaying a little.

"Thank you," I told her. "You saved everyone...you saved me." I liked the way her face lit up when she met my eyes. The look of relief and gratitude on her face.

I just leaned in, aiming to claim my prize, steal a victory kiss from her soft lips. But I saw her eyes widen in fear.

"Sting! Look out!" She screamed at me roughly pulling me to one side. But it was too late. I felt a strange thumping sensation on my back, the feeling of something sliding inside me, something foreign and dangerous.

I looked down and saw the tip of an eerie black sword protruding from my stomach. I looked up and met Lucy's wide fearful eyes.

"Lucy?" I whispered. Then I spun around and released all my rage and pain at the man whose fault it was we were in the mess in the first place. He was standing 20 feet away from me, arm still outstretched from releasing his blade and a triumphant smile on his ugly face. The white hot burning of my attack hit him full on, he screamed in pain, or fear maybe, then the light dissipated and nothing was left behind but smoking wisps of darkness before they faded to nothing.

I turned back to Lucy, intending to finish what we started and get that damn kiss when I felt my body sway, my strength and balance fleeing my limbs. I tipped forward slightly but Lucy was there, catching me and trying to hold me upright. We fell to our knees together, her hands gripping my forearms, tears streaming freely down her face.

"I vaporized that one free real," I coughed. I could taste something metallic in my mouth.

"Wendy!" Lucy screamed for her little friend. "Wendy, please! Help me! Save him!" She looked frantic, but I knew it couldn't be that bad. I wasn't even in pain.

"Hey," I tried to get her attention. "Blondie?"

"You're blond too, Sting." I let out a coughing chuckle.

"Yea," I rasped. "But..the..name…suits you." I was having trouble getting my words out, gasping them out between breaths that were getting harder and harder to take.

"Shhh," she begged. "Don't try to talk, save your strength. Wendy!"

"Hey, Lucy?" Talking was hard, but there was something I needed to tell her. Something that I should've known from that first night in the courtyard.

"What is it?"

"I…love you." The last thing I saw before my vision faded and the darkness consumed me once again was the shocked and tormented look on her face and the tears streaming down her cheeks.

Wendy rushed to my side as quickly as she could. She was limping and I was afraid she may have broken her ankle. I was just sitting there on my knees, my arms wrapped around Sting, his head resting on my shoulder. I couldn't tell if he was breathing or not. My heart was racing and an intense fear flooded me down to my very soul. Wendy knelt down next to us, hands glowing with her soft blue healing light, hovering over the sword where it entered and exited Sting's chest.

"He's still alive," she said, relieved and I felt a little of that fear release its hold on me.

"The wound is….it's real bad Lucy," Wendy continued. "But I think I can help. We need to remove the sword."

Loke was there immediately, crouching behind Sting and supporting some of his weight.

"Tell me when," he nodded to Wendy.

"Wait just a moment," she looked around frantically.

"Deep breath, child," Carla placed a comforting hand on her shoulder, stilling her movements. "Just tell us what you need."

"Right," Wendy blew out a big gust of air. "I need something to cauterize the wound, there's…there's too much blood." I heard Lector and Rogue let out a choked sob, they were holding each other. Frosch perched on top of Rogue's head, eyes wide and brimming with tears.

"My light won't be hot enough," Loke said, sounding irritated at his helplessness.

"Erza," Jellal reached out to the red haired mage. "A dagger, please." She reached her hand in the air next to her and a long, simple dagger appeared in her hand. Jellal opened his palm and concentrated for a moment before a small ball of fire materialized on his palm. Erza thrust the tip of her knife into the flame and soon the metal began to glow.

"At your word, Miss Wendy," Jellal said, tilting his head at the little girl. Wendy placed her little hands on either side of the sword jutting out of Sting's chest.

"The sword missed his heart, thank goodness," her eyes were closed in concentration, her glowing hands casting an eerie light over her face. "But I think it may have nicked a lung. Loke, when I say go pull the sword out as straight as you can so we don't do more damage." Loke nodded his understanding, a look of grim determination on his face. "Erza, as soon as it's clear I need you to cauterize the wound on the front." Erza was wide eyed and a little pale. I can't remember the last time I saw her this worried, probably during Tártaros, but she nodded as well.

"Lucy," she said to me gently. "I'll need your help too," I nodded for her to go on. I didn't trust myself to speak and my mind was moving a million miles a second…Would he make it through this? Did I mess up? Did I wait too long again? Would I lose him too?

"I'll need you to support Master Sting when we're ready so we can cauterize the entry wound. Do you understand?" When did Wendy get so mature, since when was she this calm in a crisis? I was grateful she was so strong, it gave me strength as well.

"Alright," I lifted his right arm and placed it on my shoulder so I'd be ready.

"Ok," Wendy said. A fierce look on her face. "Go!"

Loke moved quickly and smoothly, pulling the sword out in one even motion. As soon as the blade cleared his skin Erza placed the red hot blade of her knife against the wound, then Loke tipped Sting's still form towards me, my arms wrapping around his waist, the full weight of his body leaning against me, so Erza could cauterize the back. Then they pulled him out of my arms and laid him on his back.

The whole time, he didn't move, didn't make a sound. Wendy leaned over him, chanting something under her breath. All I could do was stare at his too still, too pale form. Loke, Erza and Jellal stepped away giving Wendy more space to work, but nothing could have pulled me from his side. Wendy looked at me for a moment, concern showing in her big brown eyes. I didn't want to see the sympathy there, I didn't want her to give me bad news.

"Lucy…"

"No!" I said. "No, I will not leave him!" I tightened my grip on his arm, I thought if I held on to him tight enough, I thought, maybe, I would be strong enough to keep him here.

"You don't have to," Wendy said gently. "But I need you out of my way to work. Please."
"Here, child," Carla took pity on me, gently adjusting my position so I could rest his head on my knees. I felt something sticky and sandy on my knees, looking down I realized I was kneeling in a pool of blood, frozen from the snowy ground. So much blood…Sting's blood. I ran my fingers through his soft spiky hair, caressed his face, all while keeping up a silent prayer to all the gods and spirits of the heavens to not let me lose anymore.

"Please, Sting….please," I begged. "Don't leave me, you can't! You can't because I-I-I love you too. Please…I can love you too…" I placed a gentle kiss on his cool forehead and hoped that little Wendy was as powerful as Sting needed her to be.

A/N I wanted to add a bit about Rogue infusing Sting with his shadow power like he did against Larcade but I couldn't make it work. Honestly, I suck at battle scenes. But really the battle didn't matter as much as Sting and Lucy's connection. Hopefully I was able to get that part across.