A/N: I'm sorry about the late update. I've been swamped with work and then some personal things came up that couldn't be avoided. This is the last full length chapter of JE. I had originally planned to extend it a little bit longer, but it just seemed fitting to end it here. There is an epilogue afterwards, though, so do read that before you close out of the story for good. Maybe I'll come back and edit the full tale sometime in the future.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE: ONCE AND FOREVER
If I could turn back the clock,
I'd make sure the light defeated the dark
I'd spend every hour of every day
keeping you safe.
I'd climb every mountain
and swim every ocean
just to be with you and fix what I've broken.
Oh, 'cause I need you to see that
you are the reason.
In a world where time never stops, grief slips in like a shadow, always present no matter how far you try to run. Every shadow takes a different shape. For some people, the darkness is inescapable; for others, a demon meant to be conquered.. Learning to cope with loss is a natural process in life. But nobody ever tells you what to do in the event of your own death.
For Lucy, time no longer moved in hasty, linear strokes. Days didn't simply blur to weeks as they used to. She saw everything in slow motion. Seconds dragged on like tides lapping at the shores of reality, destined to recede and expose the murky depths of her own demise all over again. No matter how much she tried to move forward, something always pulled her back.
And now she was here clawing at the wet sand beneath the ocean, trying desperately to fight her way onto the shore.
When Lucy died, she'd lost more than just a life, more than just a few memories. She'd lost herself. And in the darkness now, somewhere, the light of a past she'd once known grew ever dimmer, until its warmth left her stranded in unfamiliar territory. She'd never known despair like this.
Here she was, alive, surrounded by loved ones, but Lucy couldn't bring herself to enjoy it. To be happy. It was as though fate dangled her from the edge of a haggard cliff, and no matter how many hands were offered to her, no matter how many people tried to rescue her, all she wanted was to let go.
Lucy's shadow was so enormous it encompassed everything in its path. She was terrified of what it might do to Natsu. To everyone she cared about. How long would she disguise herself in smiles before somebody finally took a peek beneath the costume? Maybe that's what she really wanted. To be seen.
No matter how she looked at it, Lucy didn't feel right grieving. This was a celebratory occasion. She should have been elated! Overjoyed to take new breaths of life. She was...
Lucky.
"What're you reading?"
Lucy hesitated at the sound of Gray's voice. Her fingers danced over the page of her book. A mirage of emotions passed through her, ghosts of feelings so empty they might as well not exist. But the ache in Lucy's heart was very real.
For reasons Lucy couldn't recall, seeing him brought tremendous waves of indescribable pain. She didn't know why, nor would he explain, but Lucy felt she owed him apology after apology. That feeling replicated in Juvia's presence, but not quite as sinister, and never quite so distracting. She couldn't help but feel like she'd wronged them.
"It's rare to find you alone these days," he said, trying to push the conversation. She appreciated the effort, really, but even small talk left Lucy weary. She couldn't help but feel like everyone treated her differently now.
"I'm waiting for Levy," she said, marking the place in her book and closing it. "Erza stole Natsu for the day, if that's what you're wondering."
For the past ten weeks, Natsu wouldn't let go of her hand. He followed her everywhere. It was almost suffocating. Having sensed Lucy's growing discomfort, Erza had formed a plan to steal Natsu for a while. It had worked. But only after an hour of protesting.
Undergoing regular checkups, Lucy spent most of her morning being probed and tested. Physically, Wendy sensed no changes in Lucy's body. She'd suffered no permanent harm, save a few scars here and there, the most prominent being the burn on her hand. After seeing Natsu's new guild mark, Lucy decided to honour him with a new one of her own—on the right shoulder, just like his used to be. Though the gesture seemed useless right now.
What good was a guild mark to a mage devoid of magic? She wasn't a Fairy Tail wizard anymore. Not really.
Fragments of power returned to Lucy day by day, so small they barely existed at all. At this rate, it would take years to recover. To return to the life she'd always known. She couldn't help but feel like she was still stranded somewhere in the Plains.
Despite her best efforts, she couldn't call any of her spirits. Not even Plue. While guild mates trained for the upcoming S-Class exam, Lucy watched from the sidelines, accompanied by self-pity. Nobody could say for sure when her power would return, or if it ever would. Some days were easier than others. She'd told herself it didn't matter. She had her writing to turn to, her friends, Natsu. Magic didn't complete her.
And yet...
Gray sat beside her, his warmth a remarkable contrast to his exquisite magic. He drummed his fingers on the table, his discerning gaze sweeping across the guild. Some things never changed. He always took things way too seriously. Even now, Gray couldn't relinquish his guard.
None of them could.
Every day, every second, Fairy Tail worried that Lucy would disappear again. And why wouldn't they? Lucy had lost count of how many times someone had knocked on her apartment door, claiming to be passing by. She couldn't blame them. Even Lucy had her doubts, often wondering if maybe none of this was real and she'd wake up alone in the Golden Plains once more.
Lucy fidgeted with the ring on her finger, twirling it until the pattern disappeared. She remembered in pale flashes having misplaced it in the Plains. Natsu had said this ring connected them. He'd been so excited when she'd accepted it again, having recovered it from her apartment mere moments before their reunion. And though his words rang true in her heart, Lucy couldn't bear to tell him the truth—that she didn't really know what she'd accepted.
"What's wrong?" Gray asked her. "It doesn't fit?"
Lucy glanced up from the ring. "Natsu gave this to me," she said, trying to distinguish which memories were new and which belonged to the past. "The day I woke up in the canal. He'd been so happy to return it."
"But you don't remember what it symbolises," Gray realised.
Lucy smiled wistfully. "No. I didn't have the heart to ask him. Whatever it is, it represented something important between us. More than he's letting on. I feel like we made a promise. I just..." She almost lost it—that thread of courage she'd been holding onto for so long.
"It's not your fault, Lucy."
That didn't make it hurt any less. "How could I forget something that made him so happy?"
"Your memories will return. Just give it time. Porlyusica said your amnesia is just a side effect and shouldn't be permanent. So what if you can't remember the little details? Your feelings remain. That's what counts."
Lucy nodded. "You're right."
Despite not remembering every detail of obtaining the ring, she knew it represented a promise between them, and that he'd won it for her at some point in their journey. Being so irrevocably in love with him, she didn't need to question those feelings.
"What about physically? How are you feeling?" he asked.
Lucy's hand moved instinctively to her neck, forgetting the abandoned chain and what it used to represent. She'd locked Aquarius's key away with the others; a bold step towards a future without regrets.
"Some days are easier than others," she confessed. "Ever since I returned, I feel so lost. Like I'm wandering the darkest woods, destined to never see the sky again. I miss it. Being a member of this guild."
"You will always be a member of this guild."
"You know what I mean."
Juvia called him from across the room, armed with drinks and a huge basket of food. Ever since Lucy returned, Gray and Juvia made frequent trips to eat lunch with Gray's parents. It was a new tradition, she'd said. They would sit at their graves and talk for hours. Hearing about it left Lucy wondering if Natsu would have visited her grave, had they bothered to erect one, and what he would say when he did.
Gray nudged her shoulder as he departed. "Keep your head up. You got this."
She'd barely expelled a breath when a familiar chill danced up Lucy's spine. She didn't see Levy's approach until it was too late. Small arms draped around her neck, clinging hard. The chills burst to warning blizzards birthed from long nights defending herself from E.N.D.'s power. Lucy froze. Instinct almost took over.
Breathe.
Lucy closed her eyes and reminded herself that she was safe, that the fight with E.N.D. was over, and squeezed Levy's hands. Reality sank in. Slowly, she turned to face her friend.
"You're late," she said.
Levy wasn't alone. She fussed over a double stroller, her back temporarily to Lucy. No matter how long she stared, Lucy couldn't put the puzzle together, as though she still had all the pieces but no box to reference. None of this made sense.
And yet it did.
Tears dripped onto Lucy's cheeks. "You have babies."
Levy blanched. "What's wrong?"
"You have babies," she said again. Some of the pieces clicked into place, barely forming parts of a picture. "Of course you do! I knew that! You have twins."
Lucy's head throbbed. Even though her heart knew something was wrong, Lucy just couldn't remember. So many memories scattered like petals across the Golden Plains, lost forever.
"Don't be upset. It's okay," Levy insisted.
Lucy wanted to curl up and cry right there on the guild floor. She felt so rotten on the inside, like a piece of her was still dead. Maybe it was.
She leaned over the sleeping twins, now a whole year older than when she'd left them. "I can't believe I forgot them. Levy, I'm so sorry."
"It's not your fault, Lu."
"I forgot that you're a mother, Levy. What else did I forget? It scares me."
"Well, that's the thing about memories, Lucy." Levy drew her into an embrace. "You can always make new ones."
Oh, how she'd missed Levy's sweet, rational voice. "I want to make even more memories with you, Levy."
Levy grinned. "Then let's start right now. A morning stroll will help unclog that brain of yours."
And it did help. If only a little. They walked until late noon, taking turns pushing the stroller as they reminisced over the past. Good memories, bad memories, one by the one they pieced Lucy's life back together again. It helped, if only a little. The memories seemed so foreign to her, like someone else had lived them.
They traversed the length of the canal leading to Lucy's home, calm water sparkling under the low sun. Spring was coming sooner than they'd expected. Patches of frost gave way to stubborn flowers, lending a splash of colour to Lucy's bleak hope of reclaiming her lost memories.
"Natsu took it really hard, you know," Levy said, easing the stroller to a stop.
They sat together on the canal wall in a moment of silence. Lucy tapped the heel of her boot rhythmically against the stone, not wanting to relive the horror of Natsu's grief. She'd heard so many stories, felt it in the way his arms found her waist during the night. She sometimes woke to hear him crying in his sleep.
"I know. While I was in the Plains, I think I used to visit him. I have these dreams sometimes. They're so real, Levy. In these dreams, I can see him there. He just sits and cries, begging me to come home. It's not Natsu. I've never seen him give up like that." Lucy spread her hands. "I wish I could take that pain away."
"That's because it wasn't him. Not really. When you disappeared, you took away a piece of Natsu. When you trapped E.N.D.'s power for good, it changed Natsu. He became violent and distant and strange. But with a little love, he started to recover. And so can you." Levy paused for a long moment. "Lucy, we were all affected by your..."
She didn't say it, but the word hung thick and gloomy in the air: death.
"It's okay. You can say it."
"No." Levy shook her head. "I can't. When you were gone, not even then. None of us could bring ourselves to admit it."
"I was dead," Lucy said pointedly. "That's all there is to it."
Levy frowned. "You're here now. That's what matters."
"Can I ask you something personal?"
"Of course. What is it?"
"Does it ever come back? That fear." Lucy swallowed, not entirely sure she should say it. "From back then, when Gajeel, you know."
"When he humiliated me?" Levy shrugged. "I used to be so afraid of him. I refuse to feel guilty for that. Back then, I didn't know who he really was. He's a good person who was led astray by the wrong people. Being afraid of the past is useless. If I'd held onto those feelings, if I'd judged him based on that single act, I wouldn't have these beautiful babies right now. Of course that Gajeel scared me. But I don't want to insult the man he became by holding onto those feelings. People change, they grow and they strive to be better. Of course those memories are painful. But what matters is that he lives everyday making up for them."
"I remember every gruesome detail of my fight with E.N.D.," Lucy confessed. It was the first time she'd said it aloud. "It makes me so angry. Of all the memories, why them? Why do I remember the bad ones instead of the good? How come I remember the pain of broken bones but not your children, Levy?"
"Healing takes time, Lucy. The deepest wounds always leave scars. But that doesn't mean we're defined by them. There's no need to rush. You and Natsu went through a serious trauma. You owe it to yourself to be honest with him, and with yourself. It's okay to be afraid. Sometimes band-aiding the wound isn't enough. You have to treat it tenderly and nurse it overtime, even if it hurts. Even if that means reopening it from time to time."
Lucy threw herself at Levy, almost tipping them over the wall. She squeezed hard. "You always know what to say!"
"Of course! I'm a mother now!" After recovering balance, Levy took Lucy's hands earnestly, flecks of mischief lighting up her dark eyes. "What about you and Natsu, hmm?"
"What about us?"
"Do you ever think about starting a family?"
A familiar warmth bloomed and wilted in Lucy's chest, leaving a strange cool bitterness in its place. Thinking about a family would have been cruel back then, knowing she might not survive their final encounter. But what about now? Lucy might not remember everything about their journey, but she did remember how much she loved him. She remembered their first night together. She remembered their first kiss.
"We are a family," she said. "Natsu and Happy, they make me whole. Maybe someday we'll grow a little. But not yet. There are so many things I want to do first, if I'm able to."
'Let's have a baby, Lucy.'
Lucy's heartbeat quickened. Broken threads weaved together again in her mind, tangling in knots she couldn't yet unravel. But that they formed at all gave her a little hope. Pressure gathered in her forehead, so hot she barely kept the pain from showing in her face.
"I wasn't expecting such an honest answer. Ever since you got back, you never talk about the future. It's like you keep expecting to disappear again. But you're here, Lucy. You're alive. Magic or not, memories or not, you'll always be the Lucy we love. Having you back home means more than you could ever know."
"Stop it, Levy. I'll cry again."
"Oh, please. Haven't you run out of tears yet?"
Lucy burst into laughter. "Thanks. I really needed this."
"Thank you. With Gajeel busy preparing for the exam it's nice to have someone to talk to."
Someone who isn't taking part, she meant. Until the twins were a little older, Levy had all but shelved guild responsibilities and goals. She'd be S-Class someday, she'd promised. But not yet. She wanted to focus on being a mother first. And that in itself was a new dream.
The quiet wrapped itself around them, a warm comfort on an otherwise brisk day. Lucy listened to the gentle rippling of water and the trill of winds clashing over the canal behind them.
"We should keep walking," she said, shooting a not-so-discreet glance at her nearby apartment. She wasn't ready to go home yet.
"You've stalling." Levy held up a finger and beamed, as though the entirety of Earth Land's wisdom lived within her small fingertip. "Are you worried that Natsu will be there?"
Lucy dragged her bottom lip through her teeth, trying and failing to summon a retort. She sighed in defeat and combed her fingers through her hair, which had grown significantly longer during her time in the Celestial Spirit World.
"I don't want him to see me like this," she said.
"Natsu loves you, Lucy. All of you."
But she couldn't show him her weakness. Not like this. Not after he'd lived so long without her, thinking she was gone forever. She didn't want him to question her feelings. To wonder if she feared or loathed him. It was only natural that he worried about those things—after all, some of them were true.
He'd made peace with his demonic counterpart. He'd accepted it.
So why couldn't she?
"By the way." Levy clapped her hands with a resounding smack. "I looked into what you said about the Wise Mages. I was intrigued, I guess. Once I started digging I just couldn't stop."
Lucy's interest piqued as suddenly as winter's breath rippled across the canal. She drew her coat tight around herself and offered an expectant look, Well?
"It turns out you were right. The brothers died in Crocus a long time ago. Their bodies became stone but was shattered years ago. That stone was used to repair the arena after the dragons attacked us. They didn't find out until just recently. Since then, people have reported seeing all kinds of strange things at the arena. It's possible that their magic caused you to see and hear things that weren't really there. But it's also possible that they really did visit you. And if that's true, then you're incredibly lucky, Lucy."
"What makes you say that?"
One of the twins stirred, a soft cry that evolved into full-blown wailing. Levy scooped Shutora into her arms and rocked her gently. A calming sensation filled Lucy from within, soft waves of warmth that caressed beneath her skin, quelling her dark thoughts.
"According to the books Makarov thinks are hidden in the library, a visit from all three of the Wise Mages means a change in destiny. I think you were the light meant to guide them into the next life. They wanted you to live. As cruel as it might seem, maybe you were fated to cheat death. Maybe this is exactly where you're supposed to be now. I know it sucks. I know you're scared. But there's a reason you were given this chance."
Levy was right. The Gods themselves had brought Lucy back here. She couldn't spend every day wasting such a precious gift.
"I think it's time for me to go," Lucy said. "Thank you."
Levy smiled. "For what?"
"For giving me the courage to move forward."
When Lucy reached the apartment, Natsu didn't greet her. She didn't spy Happy among the mess of food and pillows either. Something was oddly amiss. Papers littered Lucy's desk, accompanied by a single envelope. Lucy's heart shriveled at the sight of that crest. It was Natsu's seal.
Beside the envelope, Lucy's letter sat unfurled on the table. She'd forgotten all about it. About all the attempts she'd made at delivering it—at telling him about her true feelings. The feelings she'd suppressed for so long. Embarrassment crept under his skin. She'd never meant for him to read it.
Her gaze ticked to the envelope once again, wondering what kind of words awaited her on the other side of that thin paper. Hairline fractures scratched at Lucy's resolve, threatening to crumble it. She remembered finding his letter all those years ago. She remembered the heartache it caused. And then, with a steadying breath, she reminded herself of their reconciliation, of his apology, of their loving exchange in Crocus. This wound could not reopen. They'd healed it shut long ago. Maybe that's why she remembered it so clearly despite forgetting almost everything else.
With even greater resolve, Lucy opened the letter and began to read.
Lucy Heartfilia,
She smiled. His handwriting was almost legible this time.
I'm sorry I took so long to reply to your letter. I'm not the best at putting my thoughts into words. And you didn't really give me the chance, showing up so suddenly and all.
She laughed at that.
The truth is, when you disappeared, I didn't know what to do. I spent most of my life searching for Igneel, always chasing after the past. I knew you wouldn't want that for me. But I couldn't let go. I was angry with myself. I was a coward.
Meeting you was even better than all the adventures and treasure and food I could ever have. I didn't want to go on any new adventures without you.
I know my last letter made you cry, so I'm hoping this one will make up for that. I'm done living with regrets. I won't run away this time.
Come find me.
Natsu.
(I love you too, Lucy! Aye!)
Lucy didn't even need to ask where he might be. She knew it deep within her heart. Letter in hand, she ran. Ran and ran and ran with only her feelings to guide her.
When she appeared at his cottage in the woods, soft light flickered within the round window, illuminating the cool veil of shadows beneath the treetops. Lucy didn't knock as she entered.
Natsu sat on one knee in the middle of a near-indiscernible mess, objects and parchments and clutter surrounding him. Lucy almost sighed. She couldn't begin to count the hours she'd spent cleaning up in here. Why was he so messy?
And yet, she couldn't help but feel she was missing a point.
Happy knelt beside him, as serious as a soldier preparing for battle.
Lucy's breath caught. "What's going on?"
"It doesn't matter if you don't remember everything, Lucy," Natsu said. "All of your memories are right here. Since you joined Fairy Tail, we've always been together."
Her gaze swept across Natsu's home. This wasn't clutter at all. Countless memories surrounded her, reuniting her with a warmth that had been missing since she returned. Her maid outfit hung once more on the mannequin at the back of the room. New portraits and flyers dangled from pins on the wall, colourful swatches of memories filling her all at once. Her mind swam with images of a past she'd thought lost forever. It didn't matter that she couldn't hold onto them right now. The sentiment was enough. Tears dripped onto her cheeks.
"Six months ago, we made a promise," he went on.
'I'm going to find a better ring, Lucy.'
"What is this, Natsu?"
'Let's become a real family.'
Something deep within Lucy awakened. An ember kindled by the warmth of his smile. Natsu's letter dropped out of her hand, fluttering to the ground as slowly as the time passing her by.
"Even if you don't have those memories right now, I'll spend forever making new ones with you, Lucy," Natsu said. "You'll never be lonely. I'll never make you cry again."
"Too late for that one," she sobbed.
"Let's get married, Lucy," he said seriously.
For just a moment she thought she'd imagined it. His first proposal surfaced like a ghost, merging with the present. She didn't know what to say. What to do. Her mind slunk deep into her body, out of sight. She couldn't conjure a single thought.
Happy came forward, offering her a small white box. He opened it to reveal the most beautiful ring—shimmering diamonds set into a white gold band carved with different shaped stars. A rainbow of colours glistened in the stones.
"Let's become a real family," Happy said.
"Erza helped me choose," Natsu confessed. "If you don't like it, I can—"
"Stand up," she said.
Time sped up again. Lucy's heart throbbed, racing so quickly it might burst from her chest. Happy stared at her expectantly, as though he too awaited her answer.
Natsu stood woodenly, nervously. She'd never seen him so shaken. He didn't step forward, simply awaiting her response instead.
Lucy threw herself at him, almost losing the box as she embraced him tightly. He hoisted her off the ground, her legs swinging around him. She crushed her mouth against his.
"Is that a yes?" he asked when they parted.
"Yes," she said.
Natsu's eyes widened. "Yeah?"
"Yes!"
Happy leapt between them before Natsu could kiss her again, and together they laughed and cried with the relief of past burdens slowly melting away.
They spent the rest of the day together, and when the guild heard of their good news, they celebrated long into the night.
The next morning, Lucy woke to darkness in a cold sweat. Her hands sought Natsu in the bed, finding only rumpled sheets and an upside down Happy. Past memories thundered all around her, a single crack of lightning illuminating the dark room. The sun hadn't even risen yet.
Her gaze snapped from one wall to the next, finding nothing but empty despair in the brief light. Lucy's breathing quickened, every heartbeat an echo of past fears rushing forward.
No, no, no. It couldn't be. It wasn't possible. There's no way E.N.D. was back, and that he'd taken over Natsu's body again.
Get it together, Lucy! Don't just assume the worst!
And yet she couldn't help it. Memories of E.N.D.'s power chilled Lucy to the bone. She leapt out of the bed and staggered, her legs prickling, her body too weak to move. She closed her eyes and drew in a calming breath. It was over. That journey had ended.
"Lucy? Did the storm wake you?"
She turned to see Happy untangling himself from the sheets. "It's okay. Go back to sleep."
"Are you..." Happy hesitated. "Are you going to leave again?"
Lucy's anxiety subsided, replaced by an urge to comfort her friend. She scooped him out of the bed and cradled him close. She'd been so wrapped up in her own grief, her own confusion, she hadn't stopped to think about how much they needed her right now. Maybe it seemed impossible to heal alone. But together...
"I'm not going anywhere," she promised.
A second snap of lightning lit up the rain-streaked window, revealing a silhouette just beyond it.
"He's doing it again," Happy mumbled.
"What is it?"
Happy shook his head. "When you disappeared, Natsu started talking in his sleep. After a while, he started disappearing too."
So he was sleepwalking?
"Stay here, okay? I'll bring him inside."
Happy nodded reluctantly as she set him on the bed. With only a brief moment of doubt, Lucy slid into her boots and rushed out into the heavy downpour. Rain drummed the street, creating walls so thick Lucy couldn't see two steps in front. She sheltered her face beneath one arm and stopped walking only when the rain allowed her to reach him.
"Come back to bed," she implored.
Was he still asleep? No, something in his eyes told her that this wasn't just sleepwalking. He'd left by choice.
"Are you happy, Lucy?"
Lucy stared at the rings on her finger. "I'm going to marry the person I love. Why wouldn't I be happy?"
He took her hands gently. Lucy flinched at how cold they were, how distant. Unspoken feelings hung in the air, thick as the rain on their skin. Thunder rolled across Magnolia with a mighty crack.
"I'm sorry," he said. "I'm sorry I couldn't save you. I'm sorry you suffered because of me. I've wanted to apologise since you got back, but I could never bring myself to do it. I didn't want to ruin what we have now."
Lucy couldn't help but smile. "Natsu, I would do it all over again to save you."
He grimaced at that, but the sentiment seemed to touch home. He smiled warmly, rain dripping from dampened points of hair that clung to his wind-torn face.
"We'll get through this together, Lucy. Your magic, your memories, I won't stop until we've found them all!"
"Is that why you came out here? You were feeling guilty?"
Natsu's expression hardened until he showed no emotion at all. He stared long into her eyes, as though the answers to her questions belonged in her mind, not his own.
"The rain helps," he said.
"With what?"
His expression said it all. Erza had said that E.N.D.'s presence could not be fully erased. Though Natsu was safe to live the life he'd always wanted, there would be instances, however small, when E.N.D.'s presence revealed itself again. Just like Minerva, Natsu would always have traces of demonic power inside him. But that was nothing compared to the monster he could have been.
That he had been.
"Are you scared, Lucy?" he asked her.
Lucy found herself smiling in spite herself. "No. Not at all."
Natsu's smile widened to show teeth. His body sagged with relief, as though weeks—months—of anguish suddenly rolled off his shoulders with the rain. He stumbled against her, his arms enveloping her tightly.
"I missed you," he breathed.
Lucy combed her fingers through his hair. "I missed you too. Now come inside, I have something to show you."
After toweling themselves dry and reassuring Happy that Natsu was okay, Lucy told them both to sit on the bed and wait. She retrieved a package from a drawer in her desk and turned to face the eagerly awaiting duo.
"I've been waiting for the right moment to give this to you," she said. "I think now is the perfect time."
Natsu took the package quizzically, wasting no time tearing into the smoothly wrapped paper to expose the freshly repaired scarf within. He held it high in the dark room, tails dangling on either side of his face.
"I asked Anna to repair it," she said.
"Lucy..."
"I thought, maybe, it'd help you feel better."
Setting the scarf aside, Natsu pulled Lucy onto his lap and kissed her. Cobwebs of doubt fell away from Lucy's heart, freeing her mind to wander happier thoughts.
"You liiikkeee her," Happy teased.
Natsu shot him a playful glance. "You like her too."
Happy rubbed his head and beamed. "Aye!"
Lucy couldn't help but laugh. "I love you too. Both of you."
Once and forever.
Six months later, they were married in the guild, surrounded by friends and guildmates. And as the reception commenced and the drinking began, Lucy found herself sneaking away for a moment of quiet. She gazed into that same canal, waving to the same boats, staring into the same clear waters. Everything was as it should be.
Almost.
Lucy laced her fingers together behind her back and inhaled the sweet summer air. Natsu had told her to meet him after the ceremony, but that was a long time ago. She was beginning to wonder if he'd forgotten. Maybe Erza had finally convinced him to take part in one of those silly wedding games she liked so much.
'Meet me near your apartment,' he'd said. 'I want to give you my wedding gift.'
No. He'd come. She had faith.
Lucy lifted the skirts of her gown as she crossed the bridge, white silks dripping all around her in ribbons and delicate lace. Erza and Mirajane had styled her long hair with the most beautiful flowers and beads, each one woven into small braids on either side of her face. The rest of her hair fell long and thick now, waves swaying in the light breeze. She spotted her new husband across the bridge. He hesitated when he saw her, a mixture of surprise and elation on his face.
He looked like he'd just seen the reality of a vision come true.
A familiar face appeared beside him. Clad in a celestial suit, Loke greeted Lucy with the smallest of waves. Lucy's heart fluttered almost as much as it did while exchanging her vows. She raced across the bridge, heels unsteady, long hair whipping all around her as she ran.
Loke hoisted her into the air when she reached him, twirling her around at an almost dizzying pace.
"Congratulations, Mrs Dragneel," he teased. "Or is that Heartfilia-Dragneel?"
"Loke!" Lucy barely contained her tears. "You came!"
"Of course. Isn't it about time we renewed our contract?"
Lucy fanned her cheek. "Stop it. I can't cry, it'll ruin my makeup." Her gaze slid to Natsu. "But how?"
"Your magic is returning, Lucy," Natsu said. "I could smell it on you. You've been too distracted to notice."
Too afraid. Lucy had lost all hope and invested all of her time in the wedding, using it more as a distraction than anything. She'd been too afraid to try and summon her spirits after failing so many times.
"You'll see the others again soon. The more your magic returns, one bye one, the Spirit King will allow us to return to you." Loke offered a playful wink. "But for now, you'll have to settle for my company."
The celebrations lasted well into the night, and by the time they'd returned to Lucy's apartment, Natsu was so drunk he couldn't remember whether he was the husband or the wife, but not so drunk that he couldn't consummate the marriage. With Happy distracted by a mischievous Charle (Lucy would have to thank her tomorrow), they stumbled through the darkness, reaching the bed in a clumsy mess of stubborn buttons and tightly knotted lace.
'Let's go on a real date.'
Natsu kissed her feverishly, as though the world might disappear if he didn't take this moment to taste every inch of her skin. But before things could get too heated, Lucy stopped him, her hands firm as they sought out his shoulders.
"What is it?" he whispered.
"I need to say something. Before I forget."
Natsu's eyes retained so much heat it was as though his soul continued to kiss her long after his lips abandoned her skin. Lucy gasped uneven breaths as he shifted above her, painfully aware of how close he was. It took all her strength to choose words over actions. Her hands moved across his naked chest, feeling their way over his beating heart.
"Tomorrow, before we leave on our honeymoon," she said.
"What about it?"
"I think it's time we finally went on that date."
Song: The Reason - Calum Scott, Leona Lewis.
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EPILOGUE: A FUTURE SAVED