To Protect You

Epilogue: Irreplaceable friends

(okay, if anyone reads the manga and can tell me where that title comes from, I will make them my sole dedication in my next fanfiction)

Lucy woke in a dark room. She winced softly as she sat up and placed her hand over the wound in her stomach, letting out a soft groan as she glanced down.

It was quiet and as she looked around, she spotted a few of her friends. Juvia with Gray by her bedside, his head on the bed as he snored slightly. She smiled softly and looked towards the window, the slight snoring coming from the room causing her heart to swell. She looked over and her lips parted, realizing the Natsu was no where to be found. 

Where was he? 

Lucy moved her feet to hang off the edge of the bed. Wincing, she sucked in a breath of pain as she pushed herself onto her feet. Her mind was wandering at a million miles at minute as she slowly walked to the door, her entire body stiff. It felt as though all the bones were groaning in protest as her fingers reached towards the door handle. 

She jumped slightly as it swung open, the door handle slipping from her fingers. She made a sound of surprise as she looked up, spotting that all to familiar pink hair. Natsu stared at her shock, his eyes wide.

"Lucy..." He breathed and it was in an instant that she was in his arms, his hand on the back of her head as her face pressed into the crook of his neck. 

"N-Natsu...?" 

"I'm so sorry." He said simply and tears filled her eyes. "I am so...so sorry." 

She wrapped her arms around him slowly, closing her eyes as the tears fell down her cheeks. "There's no need to apologize, you idiot. It wasn't your fault." Natsu remained silent, his body shaking. 

"Natsu..." Lucy pulled back, placing her hands on either side of his face. The dragon slayer had tears in his eyes and she watched him, swallowing before she leaned forward. 

Natsu stiffened as Lucy grew close, her soft lips pressing against his. His eyes widened as she pulled back, her lips leaving his almost as soon as they came. He looked at her in confusion as she smiled at him. 

"It wasn't my Natsu who hurt me." She said softly and he blinked, moving his hands to her cheeks. Thumbs brushing softly over her cheekbones, Natsu swallowed hard as the tears in his eyes began to slowly fall.  "This..." she moved her hands from his face to his chest, her right hand splaying over his heart. "This is the Natsu I know. This one, right here. Your heart beat tells me that."

Natsu looked to her before leaning forward, placing his lips against hers. He felt her fingers curl in his jacket as he kissed her, moving his hands from her cheeks back to her hair. His heart was soaring as a new feeling of warmth spread through him. Not the normal feeling. 

But one of hope, relief and...a feeling he couldn't place.

He cared for her so much. He cared for the woman in his arms. 

More than anything. 

He eventually pulled away and she looked at him, her brown eyes shining as she let out a soft sigh. 

"Natsu..."

"Come on." He said and she made a sound of surprise as he softly pulled her into his arms. Moving to the bed she had been in, Natsu softly placed her atop the sheets and climbed in next to her, pulling the blanket over the two of them. 

"Don't leave." She said softly. 

"Never." He murmured, moving his hand to interlace his fingers with her. "I'm right here." 

***

A few weeks later, Natsu and the others were back at Fairy Tail and the guilds normal antics were ensuing. 

"Hey, Hot Pocket! Watch where you're going!" Gray snapped, spinning on his heels and grabbing Natsu by his jacket. 

"Shut up, Popsicle! You're fat head got in my way!" 

"What?!" 

Lucy sighed as Juvia giggled, smiling widely. 

"They're back at it." Lucy said, resting her cheek in the palm of her hand. 

"Hey, Lucy?" Juvia started, turning her head towards the blonde. 

"Hmmm?" 

"Are you okay?" She asked and Lucy stiffened slightly, looking to her friend. 

"Yeah." She said, smiling softly. "I'm okay." 

She looked to Natsu as he and Gray disappeared in a cloud of dust, causing the two girls to sigh in tandem. 

"This never gets old." Lucy said softly, looking at the boys with a smile on her face. 

Natsu jerked back from Gray, a glare on his face. He turned to glance at Lucy, spotting her smile which caused his heart to swell. He never wanted that smile to leave her face. He always wanted to see that smile. 

"You better pay attention, Salamader!" 

Natsu jerked around and had a split second to react before a fist slammed into his face. Natsu slammed in the bar next to the girls. 

"Gajeel!" Levy yelled. 

"You son of a bitch!" Natsu yelled, clambering to his feet as he lunged towards the Iron Dragon Slayer. 

"Men!" Elfman yelled, lunging forward to join. 

"Stay out of this!" Gray yelled, practically tackling Natsu and causing Gajeel's fist to connect with Elfman's jaw. 

"Knock it off, you idiot Icicle!" 

"Who're you calling an idiot, you literal hot head." 

"SHUT UP!" 

Lucy smiled, laughing as the antics increased and Makarov cackled, already drunk. 

This was Fairy Tail. 

The man in a flurry of fists and feet was the one she wanted to spend her life with. 

'But he doesn't need to know that.' Lucy thought with a smile. 'At least, not yet.' 

-----

Alright, short but hey. It's here. 

I'm really sorry that this ending kind of sucked. But I'm working on a better and newer fanfiction right now! 

I love you all, thank you :) 

This story was started on July 29th, 2016 and was ended on March 3rd, 2018.