Chapter Twenty

Wendy didn't leave Sting's side for almost an hour. She only did finally because she had nearly passed out from using all her magic energy. Carla wouldn't let her attempt more. He was stable enough for now but we needed to get off this ridge and Wendy was worried about making his internal injuries worse, dragging him up the ridgeline. Luckily Gray was a literal genius. He used his ice make magic to fashion a sort of sled and a ramp leading up to the top. Jellal and Rogue pulled him from the front and Gray pushed from behind. It almost looked like they were carrying a coffin and I couldn't get rid of the feeling of dread settling like a ball in the pit of my stomach at the sight.

Traveling across Bargo was more difficult and took us longer to get through the forest and to the closest town.

We piled blankets on top of Sting to keep the chilled air away from him, we laid him next to the fire when we stopped to make camp. Rogue set up a separate tent for the blond slayer and Lector and I spent every night sleeping next to him. Poor Lector was so scared, he didn't know what he would do without his partner and best friend. I tried to comfort him as best I could but I couldn't find the words to say.

Finally, finally, we reached the large town and thank the gods it had a hospital. We got rooms at an inn nearby but honestly I hadn't spent much time there. We left that cave almost a month ago. We didn't get to a hospital until three days ago. The doctor's said it was literally a miracle he survived the journey. But I knew better. It wasn't a miracle, it was Wendy Marvell and her sheer power and determination. She would not give up on him. Every morning and every night and even once or twice while we walked, the little healer, no matter how tired she was, tended to her patient. She stabilized him and repaired most of his external injuries with no problem, though he'd likely have a scar for the rest of his life. The problem was whatever dark magic was coating the blade. It…infested him, was how Wendy put it. For a while you could see black veins growing out from the wound, crawling their way across his abdomen, marring his unblemished skin. Wendy had been able to slow its progress but it was the doctors' at the hospital that halted it all together. But they weren't sure what the long term effects might be or if it could be reversed.

Honestly, it didn't matter to me. It wouldn't make any difference if those injuries stayed with him forever. It wouldn't change who he was or what he did, it would be a badge of honor, the sacrifice he made for his friends…for me.

Lector was curled up at the foot of his bed, I was in a chair, my head resting on my arms laying next to him. I hadn't slept much, Gray had tried to convince me to go to the inn to rest but I couldn't leave him. I didn't want him to wake up alone. I knew Rogue or Yukino or Minerva wouldn't mind taking a shift while I got some rest, Gray had said as much, hell he even volunteered to do so himself. But I needed to be there when he woke up. I wanted to be the first person he saw. Maybe that was selfish but…I didn't care.

I was glad I was so stubborn about it when I felt him stir under the blankets. I sat bolt upright in my chair and squinted at his beautiful, tired face, willing him to open his eyes.

"Sting?" I said quietly, not wanting to wake Lector.

His brow furrowed, cute little wrinkles forming on his nose, then I realized he was sniffing the air. His eyes opened slowly, like his lids were almost too heavy to move.

"Lucy?" He smiled and I felt like my heart would explode with sheer joy.

"Yeah," I felt tears of relief forming in my eyes. Keep it together, Lucy!

"We…won?" His breathing was still labored, talking was probably still painful for him.

"Yes," I was crying in earnest now. "We won, Sting. You won."

"Ev-everyone…safe?" He was blinking slower and slower, he must still be exhausted. He expended so much magical energy and then his body has literally been fighting for his life for weeks.

"Shhh," I said, trying to keep him from straining himself. "Everyone is ok, we're all ok. I'm here, Sting, just rest now."

I could tell he understood me, his face seemed to relax like the strain was leaving his body. I had to go get the doctor, they'd want to know he was conscious. I waited a few moments to be sure he was asleep before I slipped out of my chair to go find someone. I'd just opened the door when I heard him rustling the blankets, I turned to make sure he was still sleeping and I couldn't help but pause at the sight. He was shirtless, laying with the blankets just covering his stomach. He had one arm above him and one by his side. His head was turned toward me, a sweet smile graced his lips. It wasn't his usual smirk, it looked like he was…content.

"Love…you…Lucy," he whispered.
"I love you too, Sting." And I left.

Apparently I had been incredibly out of it after that fight. And the entire trek back to town, almost a month, Lucy had told me, before I finally regained consciousness. And it took a few more days after that for me to stay conscious. Whatever the hell was on that fucker's sword really did a number on me. I had a neat little straight line in my stomach, right below my breast bone, with little black lines trailing out of it…like moss on a stone or dark veins under my skin. It didn't really bother me. Scars and wounds were a natural part of being a wizard. Hell, I'd had a scar on my face since I was just a little kid. One more wouldn't make a difference. And Lucy said if it did she'd just buy me a "full size" shirt. Jerk.

Lucy had been great. Lector told me he and Lucy barely left my side the entire trip from the mountain and my whole stay in the hospital. I'd woken up a few times, I guess, but I didn't remember it. I honestly couldn't remember anything past that sword getting lodged in my gut. When I asked Rogue and Minerva about it they said they didn't really see anything and Jellal and Erza just said we won and it was over. When I asked Rogue what happened to Khavary he just said; "Khavary won't be a problem…ever." Shit, did I kill him?

I wanted to ask Lucy about it but she seemed reluctant to talk about it. I couldn't even blame her for that. She must have hated me. I was shocked she could even look at me. While I knew it was probably the only way to truly stop him, Lucy had such a big heart, she was so forgiving. It was one of the things I really loved about her. She must be so disappointed that I couldn't control myself. I knew I needed to talk to her, to apologize. We just never really had a moment alone.

The doctors had finally agreed I could get the fuck out of this stuffy room tomorrow. I was so relieved, I needed to move around, I wasn't gonna regain my strength laying in a stupid hospital bed. Besides I'd probably have a shot being alone with Lucy on the journey to Ermina or the ship ride home. I was with Lector packing up my shit before heading to the inn tomorrow. I was holding my Celestial coat, examining the damage when Wendy walked in.

"Hi Master Sting!" She was so shy and formal. I'd fought wars with this little girl, saved the fucking planet with her, she saved my life and still it was Master.

"Just Sting," I said. "Anyone who saves my life does not use my title." I smiled at her, truly grateful for all she'd done.

"Ok, uh…Sting," her little face scrunched up uncomfortably, making me laugh.
"Wendy?"

"Yeah…Sting?" She was looking at me with wide eyes, like she was a little afraid of me. Well fuck that. She was my savior, she brought me back from the brink of death, back to my friends…to Lucy. As far as I was concerned Wendy could do no wrong and I would do anything for her. I set down my coat and walked right up to her, crouching down to her level and looked her straight in the eyes.

"Thank you," I told her. "Thank you for saving me, thank you for trying so hard. Lector told me you worked yourself exhausted to bring me back and I just…I can't tell you what it means that someone would do that…for me." I didn't want to unload all my insecurities onto her small shoulders. But she went above and beyond for an asshole like me when anyone else would've given up. I needed her to know how much I appreciated her.

"Oh," she blushed. "Oh really…it was nothing!"

"Not nothing…not to me," I told her, pulling her into a brief hug. Her little body stiffened and her cheeks heated up in embarrassment. I released her quickly, not wanting to make her uncomfortable, and sat back on my bed with my coat, one finger wiggling through the massive tear in the back.

"Well, you're welcome!" She beamed at me.

"So, what can I do for you, Doc?" Her new nickname earned me a pleased giggle.

"I know the doctors said you could leave tomorrow," she said. "But I wanted to check on you first, just to be sure."
"Ah I see," I raised my eyebrow and flashed her a smirk. "A second opinion, huh?" That got me another laugh.

"Yup!" She chirped.
"Well alright, who am I to question the doctor's order?"

She nodded, placing her hands near the wound just below my chest, her tiny hands too small to cover all the black that seemed to ooze under my skin. I felt a gentle heat against my skin as she hummed her healing chant under her breath.

"Alright," she said seriously. "I concur. You're safe to go home!"

I nodded my thanks, briefly distracted by the sight of the coat and sort of zoning out.

"Hey, Sting?"

"Yeah?"

"I bet Virgo would give you a new one if you asked."

She pointed at my jacket, at the hole I was playing with. I looked down and the coat with its small, flickering blue and silver stones, catching the light at just the right angle. I thought about Lucy's embarrassment at our matching outfits, the way we must've looked walking and fighting side by side, the way she looked that night at the river, cheeks flushed, lips swollen, eyes bright, spread out on this very same coat.

"Nah," I told her, shoving the coat into my bag. "This one's got good memories.

"With Lucy, right?" She beamed.

"Yeah," I sighed. "With Lucy."

She'd been acting mostly normal since I woke up, but something seemed off. Like she was scared to say something or do something, maybe she was scared of me. I'm pretty sure I did murder a guy after all. She'd never want me now, not when I was so out of control.

Wendy must have read something in the look on my face because she reached up her little hand and gave my forearm a comforting squeeze.

"You saved me too you know?" She said. "You saved all of us."

"But…" Gods, do not cry in front of this little girl, idiot. This wasn't Wendy's problem, she was so young, I didn't need to involve her in my guilt or whatever.

"It wasn't your fault," she said quietly, causing my eyes to snap to her. Did she know? Did Lucy say something to her?

"That dark wizard almost killed you, he would've killed all of us if you hadn't…." She trailed off, if I hadn't what? No one would come right out and say which made me think I was right. That I really did murder someone, right in front of Lucy. I had killed before, when I was in Sabertooth under Jimena. It was never anything I did on purpose. Jiemma never told me to kill anyone, just that I should never hold back, no matter what.

So I never did and…well, accidents happened. But this time I think I meant to. I think I knew I wanted to kill Khavary and I think, for a moment, I didn't really care what Lucy would think.

"We're all really grateful…all of us."

Lucy too? I wondered, but I was too scared to ask it out loud. Trust little Wendy to pick up on that unasked question though.

"Lucy said," I looked up at her again, eager to hear what exactly Lucy did say but she didn't go on. Finally I snapped and outright asked her.

"Uh…what did she say, exactly?"

"Well," she thought for a moment. "She said that if you hadn't done it she would have...I don't think so though… I think she was just really scared that you weren't gonna make it."

"Yeah," I thought sadly. Of course Lucy would never darken her heart like I had. "She never would."

"No," Wendy said firmly. "But Gray, Jellal and Erza definitely would." She nodded whether to me or herself I couldn't tell. I took some comfort in the fact that she seemed to think I'm the same as her friend, her precious fairies.

"The point is," she sighed. "I don't think you really meant to, and even if you did I think…I think it was the only way." Then she burst into tears. I had no idea what the fuck to do. How am I supposed to comfort a little kid? I hadn't even been around a little kid since I was one. I just stood there for a few minutes, awkward and uncomfortable while the little blue dragon cried her eyes out.

"Wendy? What's wrong?" Lector to the rescue. He pressed his soft furry body against Wendy and she opened her arms to hug him. Calming her tears while stroking his soft fur.

"Am I a bad person for not being mad at you, Sting?" She thought she was a bad person? For not hating me? Gods, I don't know. Maybe she was, I definitely was.

"Why would you be mad at Sting?" Lector asked. All innocence.

"Because…because…." She clearly couldn't bring herself to say it.

"Wendy," I said finally. "There's nothing about you that's bad. I didn't mean to do what I did, I don't even remember doing it. But I think…." I trailed off not knowing how to continue.

"That the world's a little safer?" She asked softly

"Yeah, I guess," I shrugged.

"That's what Lucy and Erza said too."

Huh, well…the Heart and the Chivalrous Queen of Fairy Tail thought I made them safer. Maybe Lucy wasn't mad at me like I thought. Then what the fuck is wrong with her?

We'd left the big city the next day in the early afternoon. I was actually looking forward to walking through those odd woods and back to Reino, maybe stopping in that little village again. I needed to exert myself a little. I still felt stiff and weak. And…I was looking forward to getting some alone time with Lucy. Now that I knew she wasn't upset about the battle, maybe I could find out what's really been on her mind. Maybe we'd get even closer. Maybe I'd spread her out on my jacket, maybe I'd press myself against her, feel her hot little fingers caress my body, maybe she'd dig her nails in my back as I thru—down, boy. Time and place, Stinger.

I took a breath trying to calm myself. Think about puppies, think about puppies. Damn, I had it bad if my body had that reaction just from the thought of being near her, inside her. Fuck, where is she? The girls had said they had a surprise for us, Lucy, Juvia, Erza and Minerva had left the Inn early that morning and Yukino was standing next to Rogue out front, bouncing up and down in excitement. Rogue was staring at her with this stupid grin on his face, the coward. He should just kiss her already. Then I saw Rogues face pale and his eyes widen slightly. I turned to see what was so scary and interesting that it could drag his eyes off the bouncing Yukino and let out my own groan. There was Lucy and Erza, driving a cart. Fuck I hope those lacrimas still work. Looked like we weren't walking after all.