She knew he was dead. Of course she knew. She killed him when she tried to save—
To save who?
Lucy's hand who was hovering above her keys went to her head. She clutched it in pain, her head throbbing intensely.
Jackal still smirking at her, stepped towards Lucy. He raised his hand—and got blasted off by blaring hot fire.
He screamed as he got thrown away by the force of the flames. His clothes caught on fire and he patted it down furiously.
"Don't you touch her." the dragon slayer growled, his voice menacing.
"You again." Jackal spat both in fury and disgust. "I don't want to do anything with you. Leave."
"I ain't leaving." he said, his fist blazing in a burning fire. "You're going to leave my girl alone."
"No way am I gonna do that."
Without any kind of warning, the dragon slayer dashed at Jackal. He yelled his famous fire dragon wing attack. The hot flames burning Jackal's skin.
The supposed to be dead etherious demon couldn't believe what was happening. How come the guy he fought years ago—which he is sure wasn't that long ago—is this strong now? His flames felt like decades of burning fire. Fire that has never went out and only burned hotter and hotter every single day. It was like his flames have been waiting for this exact moment.
Jackal screamed in extreme pain. The flames scorched his skin. He felt the skin of his face start to melt like candle wax.
Jackal turned to stare at the dragon slayer. A look of horror across his face. Who was this man? Jackal was unbeatable. Anyone who dared touch him blew into smokes. He remembered that exact man beat him before. He remembered clearly. But he wasn't as strong as he is now.
"Who are you?" Jackal uttered in a small voice as his skin kept melting away. Even though his voice came out barely in a whisper, the dragon slayer heard clearly.
"Natsu Dragneel."
And it's only then as Jackal started to burn to nothing, death swallowing him, did he see the monster who that man was. "My lord." And he vanished.
.
.
.
Lucy opened her eyes. She didn't remember falling alseep. She was sure she was at her old house and she was making her way to the train station when—
Jackal came. Then there was this throbbing pain in her head.
Lucy sat up from what seemed to be a bed. When she looked around she noticed Natsu sitting far away on a chair, his gaze on her.
"What happened?" she asked, her voice coming out as a croak as it was dry.
Natsu motioned to the glass beside the bed Lucy was on. She noticed and took it, drinking. When she was finished, she put it back where she took it and she asked again.
"What happened?"
"The guy who attacked you is dead." Natsu answered. "When I looked to see if you were okay, you were passed out."
Lucy tried to remember the events, to know how Jackal died. But she couldn't, not yet anyway. The only thing she remembered was the recognition in Jackal's eyes when he glared at Natsu.
"He knew you." Lucy uttered.
Natsu simply nodded.
"And he knew me too." Lucy said. "Have you fought him before?"
Natsu nodded again, doing his very best to not tremble. He will not cry again. He will not.
"Was I—Was I there?"
"You were." Natsu answered.
"Oh," Lucy muttered and stared down at her hands. She started to play with the ring on her ring finger—a habit of hers.
Natsu stared at her while she was playing with it. A warmth spread through him when he saw the metalic ring shine even though there was no shining light in the room.
"I don't remember." Lucy finally said. She looked up, glancing at Natsu.
"I know," Was Natsu's only answer.
Silence fell upon them after that.
Lucy kept playing with the ring, trying to think of something to say—to talk about. The silence between them wasn't uncomfortable, but still...
As for Natsu he kept staring at her. Her blond golden long hair, her chocolate brown eyes, her pale soft skin, her pinkish soft and kissable lips...
Natsu sighed and tried to calm himself down. His thoughts were starting to get elsewhere.
Then suddenly, a thought crossed Lucy's mind.
"How did you know where I was?" Lucy asked, giving him a look.
Natsu's eyes widened, taking aback by the question. He hadn't expected that question at all.
Natsu stammered, trying to find an answer. An answer that wouldn't creep her out. He could lie, but he didn't find the nerve to do so. So he decided to tell the truth afterall.
"I followed you."
Lucy blinked in shock. "What?" she shrieked with utter disbelief.
"The guy you're lookin' for doesn't give me good vibes." Natsu explained. "I didn't want anything to happen to you so I followed you."
"But that's just—" Lucy paused. "Did you just say that you were concerned for me?"
Natsu bit his tongue, his cheeks turning red and he nodded.
"Why?"
Natsu shrugged not being able to tell the truth about that one. He would only cause her more pain if he did.
"Ok..." Lucy mumbled. "How was Jackal there? I mean... he's supposed to be dead. I remember killing him."
"I don't know." Natsu answered truthfully. "There's a friend of mine, though... that had a similar experience."
"A similar experience?"
Natsu nodded. "Erza fought a guy who brought back—I don't know how exactly his magic worked—but old enemies she fought."
Lucy took the information in. "You think it was that guy?"
"He's supposed to be in prison," Natsu said. "But he could have gotten out."
"Then we should go look." Lucy uttered and pulled the sheet that was covering her off. She pulled a leg off the bed and her bare foot touched the cold floor.
"We?"
"Yeah."
"No," Natsu said and stood up from his seat as Lucy was out of bed and putting on her combat boots she found in the corner. "We're not going together."
"What? You don't want to help me?"
"That's not what I meant." Natsu said and took a step towards her. "What I meant is that you're not going."
"What?" Lucy shouted, anger rising up in her throat. "What do you mean I'm not going?"
"Exacty what I mean."
"You cannot decide for me!"
"But I will."
Lucy pulled the last boot, took her book that was on the floor and straightened up, walking up to Natsu. "I will go. You have no power over me."
"Luce, you won't go."
Her mind flinched when she heard the nickname. A ton of blurry images appeared before her eyes. She kept hearing that exact same voice over and over again calling her 'Luce'. Then the pain faded.
Have I met him before?
"I'm going, end of discussion." Lucy said, making her way to the door and grabbing the doorknob with her free hand. "Come with me or not, it's your choice."
And she left.
Natsu stared as the door closed behind her.
"Goddamn, she's stubborn." Natsu muttered, his hand going through his hair, but a smile creeped up his lips.