Lucy couldn't believe it. She couldn't accept it, but here it was happening right before her eyes. Natsu Dragneel, her best friend and the person who changed her life for the better, was disappearing along with the book of E.N.D.
"N-no...no! Natsu!" Lucy screamed.
She ran over to him in a desperate attempt to somehow save him. She couldn't handle losing someone else. Least of all Natsu. She crashed into him, and hugged him as tight as she possibly could.
"You...you can't leave...please. I can't...loose anyone else, Natsu. I'm begging you! Stay!" Lucy cried.
She felt Natsu pull her back slightly to look her in her tear filled eyes. He smiled his bright, goofy smile, even though he knew he was fading away.
"Hey, it will be ok." Natsu said softly.
"H-how can you say that? You're disappearing!" Lucy exclaimed. "You...you won't be able to go on anymore adventures...or eat your favorite foods or break into my apartment with Happy. You'll be gone...forever."
Natsu's smile never faltered as he cupped her cheek with his more solid hand.
"Please don't cry, Lucy. I don't like it when you cry." Natsu remarked.
"How can I not cry? I'm losing my best friend! The one who changed my life in the best possible way! You are the most important person to me and...this the end of you." Lucy choked up.
"Listen, this might be my end, but I couldn't ask for a better one. I got to spend it with you, and all our friends. I don't have any regrets. I'm so happy I got to met you and drag you on all those crazy adventures with me. Thank you for being my best friend, and putting up with me for so long. I'm going to miss you so much, but I know I'll never forget all the memories we made. You mean the world to me, Lucy. I love you." Natsu confessed.
Lucy cried harder and leaned against him as her legs grew weak. She couldn't handle this. Not after everything they had been through together.
Not after losing Aquarius like she did, and after just getting him back. Especially not after hearing that he loved her.
"I love you too, Natsu." Lucy admitted. "Please don't go."
"Never forget me, Lucy Heartfillia." Natsu said before he fully vanished.
Without him there, her shaky legs gave out from under her and she fell to her knees.
The only thing left of him, was his white scaly scarf. She sobbed loudly into the rough fabric that smelt of burnt ash. It comforted her, but also made her sadder at the same time.
She calmed down for a moment and stared at the wet scarf in her hands.
"I could never forget you...Natsu Dragneel." Lucy whispered. "Never."
She stayed there a while longer, curled up in a ball and cried. She was unable to bring herself to move from that spot. It was all too much that she couldn't focus on anything but the lose and pain she felt.
Gray and Erza eventually got her home. They had to drag her away and even carry her into her apartment.
However, Lucy wouldn't leave her bed after that. She didn't get much sleep either. She just laid there for days, holding Natsu's treasured scarf and crying whatever tears she had left.
All her friends came by and tried to get her to come out. But no matter what they said or did, Lucy wouldn't budge.
"Lucy, it's Wendy! Please open up. We are worried about you." Wendy called through the door.
Lucy only pulled the covered further over her head. She heard mumbling on the other side of the door, but didn't bother trying to listen.
"Lucy, open the door or we are breaking it down!" Erza's powerful voice came.
"Just go away." Lucy cried in a hoarse tone.
"Will you quit being so stubborn!" Carla snapped.
"Calm down, Carla. She's just upset. Lucy, I know it hurts. We all lost someone important that day, but you can't stay in there forever. Natsu wouldn't want that." Wendy said. "Even Happy is trying."
Wendy's words struck her. She was right, Natsu wouldn't want her like this, no matter what happened. But she still couldn't bring herself to come out. Not yet. The wounds were still to raw and she didn't want anyone to see her this broken.
After a few more failed attempts to coax Lucy out, her friends let her be. Of course they would be back, but for now, Lucy was left to sit in the deafening silence.
Hours passed by and the silence was finally starting to get to her. She got out of bed, and she made her way to the bathroom. She took a long shower, followed by an equally long bath to try to soothe herself.
By the time she came out, it was dark, and Lucy soon found herself staring out the window. The same window he would always come in through.
For the first time since the incident, she actually felt like going outside.
So, she threw on a random pair of clothes and wrapped Natsu's scarf around her neck before she left.
The night air was cold, but Lucy didn't care. Her whole body felt numb and her mind was in such a haze. She wasn't really playing attention to where she was walking. She just wanted some fresh air in hopes to clear her head and stretch her stiff muscles.
Before she knew it, Lucy was in front of her parent's graves. She smiled sadly as she stopped at the two well kept graves.
"Hi mom...hi dad. It's been a while...hasn't it?" Lucy asked, but knew she wouldn't get an answer. "I...I just lost someone recently. Someone really important to me, and...I don't think I'll be able to heal this time."
Lucy felt the tears coming again, but she didn't care one bit. She let them flow, not bothering to wipe them away.
"It was Nastu...I'm sure you remember him from my letters. He is my best friend and I love him so much. So, so much and it's killing me that he isn't here." Lucy choked up.
Her shaky hands subconsciously made their way to the scarf and crushed the fabric between her palms. Her body began to shake and her legs wobbled beneath her. She felt so helpless that she couldn't do anything to help him when he needed it the most.
Lucy fell to her knees and screamed out in pain at the top of her lungs. She screamed and whaled until her throat hurt too much to go on. Slowly, she dissolved into soft cries and hunched over in front of her parents graves.
"Why...why did he have to go?" Lucy sobbed quietly. "It isn't fair. He didn't do anything wrong. If anyone should still be here, it's him. He might be destructive and a complete idiot at times, but he had the biggest heart I've ever known. He...he should be here. I wish he could come back."
Lucy suddenly glanced up at the star filled sky. A strange feeling bubbled up in her, and the next thing she knew, she wasn't sad anymore. She was angry.
Lucy scrambled to her feet, barely able to keep herself steady and pointed up at the night sky.
"Hey! Whoever is up there, I don't care who it is! Whether it's mom or dad, a Celestial spirit, or even a complete stranger, it doesn't matter. Whoever you are, you have to bring Natsu back! I don't care that he is E.N.D, or what he has done in the past! I just want him back the way he was, without being tied to that stupid book...that is my one wish as a Celestial Wizard...so make it happen. Please...I'll do...anything..." Lucy trailed off.
She suddenly felt completely drained of all strength. It was as if all the exhaustion from those sleepless nights had finally hit her. She couldn't fight her heavy eyes from closing, nor could she keep herself up any longer. She collapsed onto the cold stone path, giving into her aching, tired body's demands.
As she laid there, she could have sworn she heard the soft tap of steps drawing near. She didn't have the strength to turn and see who it was, but she let herself hope, even if she knew better.
"Natsu..." Lucy whispered just before sleep took hold of her.
The end
(Jk jk there's more. I don't do sad ends.)
The next morning, Lucy woke up and found Natsu's scarf draped over her face. When she lifted it off, she noticed it was day time, and she was back in her room, in the comfort of her bed.
"What? How did I get back here? I passed out at my parent's graves... didn't I?" Lucy wondered aloud.
She sat up as she tried to remember what happened. There had to be an explanation. It was way to vivid to just be a dream.
Just as she considered that one of her friends must have brought her back, she heard a deep groan and felt a familiar warmth radiating from the spot next to her.
Lucy immediately went stiff, but slowly turned towards the lump under the covers next to her. Hesitantly, she grabbed the blanket, deathly afraid that she was imagining this. But she sucked in a breath, and pulled it back. To her awe and disbelief, she found a pink haired dragon slayer sleeping soundly next to her.
"Natsu?" Lucy whispered.
Lucy couldn't believe it. She had watched him disappear. There was no way he was back, right? She squeezed her eyes shut and pinched herself as hard as she could.
After a few seconds, she slowly opened her eyes, and Natsu was still there. Fresh tears burned her, already puffy, eyes as she reached out to touch him. She still couldn't believe he was there with her, and needed to be absolutely sure before she let herself get excited.
Her fingers brushed against his warm cheek, and he stirred at her touch.
"Natsu." Lucy beamed.
He was back. Natsu was really back. She couldn't help the overwhelming joy that shot through her. Natsu Dragneel was back.
Natsu opened his eyes lazily and looked around.
"Hm? Lucy? What-"
"Natsu!" Lucy cheered.
She tackled him in a tight hug, barely giving him time to fully wake up and register what was happening.
"You're back! You're alive! I can't believe it! I'm so happy! You have no idea!" Lucy cried joyfully.
Natsu was confused about her sudden outburst, but gladly hugged her back. Lucy had never smiled as brightly or been as happy as she was right then. Natsu was back in her life, and she was going to make sure it stayed that way.
"What happened? How did you come back?" Lucy asked.
"Honestly, I have no idea. One minute I'm disappearing and the next it's dark out and I find you sleeping outside." Natsu replied. "What were you doing out there anyway?"
Before Lucy could answer, she noticed movement outside her window. To her surprise, all her celestial spirits were standing outside, smiling at her through the window. Upon closer inspection, she also saw her parents among them, and she knew exactly what happened.
This, Natsu's return was all thanks to them. They somehow granted her wish. Lucy waved at them and sent a bright, happy smile to say thank you. They all nodded in understanding and disappeared from sight.
"It doesn't matter right now." Lucy muttered as she pulled back from the hug. "I'm just so glad you're back. You have no idea what a wrack I was after you disappeared. Seriously, I was such a mess, and I didn't ever want to leave this bed."
Natsu gave a worried frown, but Lucy didn't let that distract her for a second. She was just too happy and had so much she wanted to get off her chest.
"There was so much I wanted to do with you and say to you. Stuff that I would be too scared to do before, but I'm not scared now." Lucy smiled.
"What kind of stuff?" Natsu asked.
"Stuff like this." Lucy answered.
She grabbed ahold of his scarf, that was loosely wrapped around his neck, and pulled him forward until their lips met in a tender kiss. Natsu was definitely surprised, but happily complied as he pulled her close and kissed her back.
They held each other as close as humanly possible and tangled their fingers in each other's hair.
It was better than either could have imagined and they never wanted it to end. They just wanted to stay in their sweet little moment forever. Unfortunately for them, their lungs disagreed and they broke the kiss. But they didn't go far.
"I love you, Natsu. With all my heart, and you are never allowed to leave me again." Lucy warned, poking his nose.
"I won't. I promise I won't ever again. Not if I can help it." Natsu grinned.
"Good." Lucy sighed in relief.
She leaned against him, resting her head on his chest and wrapped her arms around him in a gentle embrace. Being able to hear his heartbeat after nearly losing him, now three times, it was wonderful. Natsu smiled and rested his hands at her waist.
"Do you want to go to the guild?" Lucy asked. "I know everyone will be thrilled to see you."
"Not just yet. I want to stay here, just a little longer." Natsu replied, kissing her forehead.
"Alright. Just let me know when you're ready." Lucy whispered drowsily.
With the combination of the warmth radiating off him and the steady rhythm of his heart best, Lucy dozed off. When Natsu noticed, he ever so gently laid them both down back on the bed where he soon joined her in dream land.
After a short cuddly nap, the two left her apartment hand in hand with the brightest of smiles on their faces. When they arrived at the guild, they were met with a tearful reunion and a quick, rowdy party followed and just like that, everything was back to normal.
Well, as normal as Fairy tail can be. Especially with Natsu and Lucy's relationship.
THE END!!!