Don't Just Survive, Live

Chapter Four: Survive

Everyone was asleep except for Lucy and Jellal.

They just sat there, enjoying the heat that the fire let out. But while Lucy was thinking about how lucky she was to have everyone, Jellal was thinking about leaving.

He felt jealous, sad, disappointed, and angry. Jealous of Sting, sad that he would probably never see Lucy or Wendy again, disappointed at himself for not being able to keep Aquarius's promise, and angry at himself for not being strong enough. Maybe, leaving them would be a good thing. He was on a dangerous mission, and bringing Lucy in it would be breaking Aquarius's promise. And he couldn't bare see Wendy and Lucy hurt. Sting would be with them now, they could rely on him from now on.

"Lucy," he softly called.

"Hm?" She looked up at him and away from the dancing flames that seemed to intrigue her.

Jellal looked away as he told her, unable to look her in the eye. "I'm leaving."

"What do you mean leaving? When are you coming back?" Lucy questioned, not quite understanding what Jellal was trying to get at.

Jellal sighed. "I'm not coming back, ever."

Lucy shook her head. "I don't get it, why are you leaving us? We-we're family."

"I couldn't protect you when I promised Aquarius that I would. I can't bring you on my mission, it's too dangerous. I won't be able to protect you or Wendy. And I won't be able to live with myself if something happened to you because of me." Jellal stared at the flames in front of him, still not daring to look at Lucy. "And you have Sting, he'll protect you and Wendy."

"No, no, no." Lucy's eyes watered as she ran over to Jellal and hugged him. "You can't leave us, I'm not letting you. We're family! Family doesn't break apart!"

Jellal was shocked at the sudden interaction and what she was saying. "I'm sorry Lucy, but there is a guild not too far away called Cait Shelter. Please, head over there when I leave."

Lucy shook her head as she cried into his chest. "No, you're not leaving! I won't let my family fall apart again!"

Jellal felt guilty as she said the last sentence, but he knew that what he was doing was for the best. "It's okay, it's going to be alright."

But if only he knew, how not alright it was going to be.

• • • • • • & * * * *

Lucy woke up with dry tears on her cheeks.

She sniffled and rubbed her eyes as she sat up, her little pink dress wrinkly from sleeping. She found herself on a red blanket, Jellal's blanket. Her eyes watered as she looked around and saw him nowhere in sight.

"He really did leave. . ." She muttered quietly.

She looked over at Wendy and Sting sleeping peacefully. She noticed the fire was out, Jellal must have done that while she was sleeping. What would she do without him? How could she take care of Wendy and Sting? Both were only four years old and she was not much older.

She saw a small puddle on the ground and summoned Aquarius. She couldn't carry both of them on her own.

"A puddle?" Aquarius glared at her. "How many times do I have to yell you to not summon me in such ridiculous places?!"

"I'm sorry Aquarius." She flinched at her loud voice. "I just need help carrying Sting."

Aquarius huffed. "Fine."

As Lucy grabbed Jellal's blanket and threw it over her shoulder Aquarius picked up Sting. Swooping up Wendy, Lucy headed towards Cait Shelter with Aquarius right by her side.

After a ten or twenty minute walk, they had reached the guild. Lucy was feeling a little tired, having Aquarius out for so long, but she pulled through.

Once she had explained to the guild their situation, the master accepted Wendy with open hands and promised to keep her safe. It was hard for Lucy to leave her like that, but she knew that what she was doing is too dangerous of her.

"I'm sorry Wendy, I'll find Jellal, we will be a family once more," were her final words before heading off in a different direction.

"You don't have to carry him anymore Aquarius, I think I could now. Go back to the spirit world and rest." Lucy offered to her celestial spirit.

Aquarius rolled her eyes. "You won't be able to carry him. He's heavier than he looks."

"Oh, okay."

"Did you know he has Dragon Slaying magic?" Aquarius asked, trying to lighten the mood. "It's actually quite cool."

"What's that?" Lucy questioned.

"An old magic, taught by a dragon. I bet he probably has a good sense of smell, he could help you on your journey." Aquarius explained.

Lucy perked up. "Does that mean that he could help me track down Jellal?"

Aquarius nodded, "of course if he wanted to, you can't force him though."

Lucy looked down and nodded, kicking a pebble that was in her path.

What if Sting didn't want to stay with her and help her? Would she ever find Jellal? And if she did, would he even want to see her?

She started doubting herself, everything could just turn out to one big mess.

• • • • • & * * * *

It had been three months since Jellal had left, and Lucy had dropped Wendy off at Cait Shelter. Sting and had stayed by her side, helping her track down Jellal. Sting had even found an egg and a red cat with wings popped out of it. It was just those three now, Lucy, Sting, and a flying cat named Lector. Lucy's been making sure that Sting was happy and was never sad. She was happy to see him happy, even though he had to bear the scar that he got while killing his father for the rest of his life.

So far they haven't found much, Sting had lost Jellal's scent due to so much rain. Now they just venture places, hoping to find a clue.

"Find anything?" Lucy asked Sting as they walked up to each other.

"Nope, I've asked around a lot and tried to pick up his scent, but both were a fail." Sting told her. "I guess he never went through this town."

"I guess, let's keep moving then. I hear that there's a town not too far away, if we travel by train we could arrive in a few hours." Lucy looked around at the town full of buzzing people.

"A train?" He complained childishly. "You know I don't feel well when I go on those things!"

"Yeah, Sting is right," Lector butted in, sitting on Sting's head. "Let's just walk there."

Lucy rolled her eyes. "So yall want to spend the rest of the day walking?"

"Anything but the train." Sting begged, going on his knees and bowing. "Please Lucy the Goddess."

Lucy couldn't say no. "Fine," she said as she walked away stubbornly. "But hurry up, I don't want to camp out."

"Yes ma'am!" Sting and Lector chased after her.

They walked out of town with Sting and Lector pointing at everything that they thought was interesting and running up to it. As they passed a magic shop, Sting grabbed Lucy's hand and bolted towards it.

"Look Lucy! Look! It's a magic shop, maybe it'll have some keys!" He said excitedly, dragging Lector with his other hand.

Lucy laughed at her friend's excitement and allowed him to pull her in. Once they were, Sting's eyes immediately went to a case that had a gold shiny key in it. He quickly grabbed the key and brought it to Lucy.

"Look, it's just like Aquarius's key! You have to buy it!" He grinned, showing his canines.

Lucy smiled at him before looking at the man behind the counter. "How much is the gate key?" She asked sweetly.

"30,000 jewel, Girly." The old man replied.

Lucy frowned, she didn't even have close to that much jewels. "Oh okay, we'll be going now."

She put the key back on its shelf and started walking out of the shop.

"What happened?" Sting asked as he ran up to her.

"Too much jewels." Lucy smiled sadly at him. "But it's okay, once I get enough money, I'm coming back and getting it."

"Defiantly!" Sting grinned, hugging Lector as they walked.

They walked in silence now as they reached a forest. They had to go through it if they wanted to go to the next town.

"Sure brings back memories," Lucy took in a deep breath, stopping in front of the trees.

"Don't worry, we'll find him." Sting reassured her, before looking at her hand.

He slowly moved his hand towards hers, he was uncertain if he should be doing what he was doing, but he did it anyways. He softly grabbed her hand and smiled.

Lucy looked down, surprised by the sudden act. But none the less, she smiled back and started walking in the forest, their hands intertwined.

Half way through the forest, Sting had thought about what happened on that day, he had still never asked about why she did it, or what type of magic it was. Finally, he gathered up his courage and started the conversation.

"Lucy, I was wondering if you could answer a few questions?" He asked kindly.

Lucy smiled. "Sure, what's on your mind?"

"I was just wondering. . . What type of magic you use other than Celestial magic, and um, why you saved me that day?" He looked around nervously.

Lucy was surprised by such sudden questions, mostly the last one. As she opened her mouth to speak another voice beat her to it.

"Well, well, well, look what we have here?" A feminine voice spoke.

"Looks like our job just got a whole lot easier." A man commented.

"Who's there?" Lucy demanded, looking around to see no one in sight.

"Lucy Heartfilia, we would have never expected to meet again in this way." A different voice responded, sounding a bit creepy. "It was quite lonely when you left, might I say."

Sting held Lector protectively as he stood by the Celestial mage.

Three figures in cloaks walked out from trees, all wearing masks. Great magic power could be sensed from all three of them.

Lucy gritted her teeth, standing in front of Sting. "What do you want with me?"

The female laughed. "Your father wasn't too happy about you leaving like that, especially when he wasn't done with you. He's very very disappointed Lucy. Tsk tsk tsk, so disappointing, isn't it Keyes?"

Lucy clenched her fists. "Leave us alone!"

One of the men spoke, the one with the creepy voice. "Us? You made friends I see. Interesting." He then snapped his fingers.

With lightning speed, one of the masked figures grabbed Sting from behind her, along with Lector. Lucy was shocked, she didn't even have time to blink before Sting was gone from her side.

"Hey!" Sting shouted. "Let me go!"

The figure held him upside down by his ankle and held Lector by the tail. "Quite powerful friends you have." He joked as both struggled to get free.

"Let them go!" Lucy stomped her foot.

"Then come with us." The female told her.

Lucy gritted her teeth and closed her eyes, looking down. She had no choice. She brought both of them into this, she had to get them out.

"Fine, but don't hurt them! Leave them be and live on with the rest of their lives." Lucy agreed, watching as Sting struggled more.

"No! Lu-" Sting tried to shout.

"Shut it Kid!" The figure holding Sting threw him beside Lucy, along with Lector.

Lucy was quick to react, since Lector had wings she dove to catch Sting. She tumbled as she landed but she held Sting safely in her arms while Lector flew above them.

"Prove it." The lady demanded.

Lucy let go of Sting and walked towards the three figures with her head down. The female nodded successfully as she grabbed Lucy by the head.

"Great, any last words?" Was all she said.

Lucy turned around and looked at Sting with a small smile. "I'll be fine, really."

"No!" Sting screamed, his eyes watering. "Don't do this!"

"Survive Sting, for me, so one day, we'll be able to see each other once more. Because that's what people who love each other do right? I remember Wendy telling me that once." Lucy smiled a little bigger, tilting her head to the side with her eyes closed. "Just remember, we'll always be family, no matter what."

Sting watched her with his eyes widened and tears streaming down his face. He trembled as he watched his friend turn away. Turn away from family.

"How touching." The female commented. "Keyes, now."

One of the figures nodded while the other one muttered words under his breath. And before Sting and Lector could respond, an ice cage was formed and fell around them.

"I told you not to hurt them!" Lucy cried as she went to run towards them.

"Not so quick." The female quickly grabbed Lucy's dress before she could go anywhere. "The cage should vanish in the next day or two, they'll be fine. We just don't need people to follow us. Now let's go." And with that, all three figures vanished into thin air, including Lucy.

Sting grabbed onto the bars and couldn't believe what just happened. Lucy had saved him once again, sacrificing herself to go with them. He banged his fist onto the bar, anger overwhelming him.

"Sting, I'm scared." Lector hugged Sting's leg. "What's going to happen to Lucy?"

"Don't worry Lector." Sting comforted him. "I'll find her, and when I do, I'll be the one saving her. I promise."

little longer than any of my chapters, I hope you liked it ((:

feedback, advice, errors?