Hello! So you know how I said, back in like early chapter 20 something, I said that the story was coming to an end soon??? And then it's been a few months??? And over 10 more chapters??? Yeah, well it's finally/officially coming to an end, like I'm aiming for chapter 40! And then I will be done for good with this story! That's how close we are now! But hey, you can't get mad! I promised that I would stall as long as I could with this story, and I have! But now it's time to face a little bit of reality . . . the story will soon be over! So anyway, I would like to dedicate this chapter to Jovie_23! She's a new follower! The rest of you people should follower her choice to! You know, the following me thing. Hehe, just kidding you can if you want to! And if you follow me, I will follow you back! I'm always going to be willing to follow my followers back! Cause you guys are so cool! Anyway, love you Jovie_23! Love you guys! Enjoy the chapter!

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POV: Natsu

"NO!" I screamed as I stood up from my chair. And looked around the room until I was looking at Lucy sleeping peacefully.

'Let have just been a dream. A real dream.'

Then the door bursted open with Gajeel first followed by Levy, Erza, Juvia, Gray, and a bunch of other people.

"What's going on?" Gajeel said as he walked through the door. Before I could say anything Lucy started screaming in pain, gasping for air, and started shaking like she was having a seizure.

"Lucy!" I yelled at her trying to keep her still. "Come on Lucy, fight it!"

"Natsu! What in the hell is going on?" Erza yelled at me as her and everyone started to help by holding Lucy down to the bed.

"She's fighting her last battle against the darkness." I heard a voice come from behind me by the door.

"Kiara?" Everyone said. She was wearing a black coat, white tank top, purple shorts, black mid-thigh socks, and black boots.

"The one and only." She said gesturing to her body.

"Where the hell have you been?" I asked her.

"I've been dealing with the Magic Council." She said and I looked at her questionably. "I can explain later. Now Natsu, what happened in your little dream with Lucy exactly?"

"'Dream with Lucy'?" Levy asked. I felt my cheeks warm up a little when Kiara asked me that.

"Natsu." Kiara said as she walked around eveyone to stand next to Lucy and held her head down. "Right now I need you to pay attention to me and answer my questions."

"Okay." I said.

"Now what happened in your dream?" She asked again.

"The darkness found her. And she got trapped in a corner." I said. Kiara gritted her teeth.

"Dammit. Everyone out!" She yelled, and everyone did as they we're told. The only ones left were me, Gajeel, Levy, Juvia, Gray, and Erza who were still holding Lucy down. And Happy who was watching from afar.

"Kiara." I said. "What's going to happen to her?" Kiara stood there silently staring at me, with the expression saying she didn't want to answer. "Kiara?"

"She's fighting the darkness for the last time." She finally answered me. "And when Lucy loses, she will no longer be Lucy."

"What do you mean by that?" Gray asked her.

"If Lucy refuses to let the darkness take control, she will have to fight it to her braking point. And that's what she's doing now." Kiara said. Then all of a sudden Lucy stopped screaming and shaking. Her body was still. In the middle of her chest black started to slowly travel through her veines.

"Kiara what's happening?" I asked her. She stared at Lucy's chest as the black continued to slowly flow throughout her body. "Kiara!" I yelled at her to snap her out of it. "What's happening?"

"The darkness is forcing its way through Lucy's body." She said. "It's taking over by force."

"Is there anything that you, or anybody else could do?" I asked.

"There's only one thing that anybody could do at this point." Kiara said looking down at the ground and her hair covered her eyes. "And that's say goodbye, then kill her before the transformation is complete."

"WHAT!!!" Everyone but me yelled. I stood there socked at what Kiara had just said. I was so shocked that I couldn't move, breathe, or even cry.

"What do you mean kill her?" Erza yelled.

"Unless you want to deal with the darkness again, actually worse than before, it's the only way to stop it." Kiara said.

"What do you mean by worse exactly?" Gajeel asked.

"Lucy is strong, stronger than she realizes. Perhaps even stonger than me." Kiara said. "And you saw how bad it was with me, it would only be worse with Lucy."

"H-how would it be worse?" Levy asked as tears rolled down her face. "I-I mean you took over her body. Wouldn't it be the same?"

"No, no it would worse." Kiara answered. "Because the darkness made me take control over Lucy for her body. Not her magic."

"And now the darkness will have access to her magic energy?" Gray said. Kiara nodded.

"And killing love-rival is the only answer?" Juvia asked as tears flowed out of her eyes just like everyone else's. Except mine.

"I'm afraid so." Kiara said as tears fell as well.

"Does that mean we're not going to be able to see Lucy again?" Happy asked. Kiara nodded to him. I slowly picked him up, to comfort him. He started to sob on my shoulder as he hugged me tightly.

"How long does she have?" Erza asked.

"At this rate." Kiara started to say but stoped to think a moment. "She will most likely be gone by sundown."

"That a little over an hour." Gray said.

"Yes, and I suggest those who wish to say goodbye, do so." Kiara said.

"I'm going last." I stated. I wasn't going to let anyone tell me different.

"Alright." Kiara said. "Do you guys want to go first while I explain what's happening to everyone?" Levy, Gajeel, Erza, Juvia, and Gray all nodded their heads at the same time. Kiara nodded and walked towards the door. I followed behind her, after placing Happy on the bed, but was stopped by Gray stepping in front of me. He didn't say anything, but he hugged me.

"It's going to be alright." He said. And then another set of arms followed. It was Erza.

"Grays right, we will always be here for you." She said. Then everyone else joined in on the group hug. Even Gajeel joined in. But I didn't hug them back.

"Natsu." Kiara said delicately after a moment. "Come on." Everyone let go of me and I walked out the door behind Kiara.

"How is she doing?"

"Is she going to be alright?"

"What happened?"

"What's going on?"

All these questions were being asked, but I didn't pay attention to them. I just walked over to the bar and sat down.

"Everyone, if you would please come over here and I will explain everything!" Kiara yelled loud enough so the whole guild could hear her. Everyone gathered around her on the other side of the room, and Kiara explained everything to them. When she finished explaining, everyone was speechless, but it looked like everyone was crying as well. Right after Kiara had told the guild what was going on Erza, Gray, Juvia, Levy, Gajeel, and Happy came out of the room and sat down at a table silently.

'They were all crying. Why is it that they can cry . . . . but I can't?'

"Everyone I suggest going in to say goodbye in groups, due to the time shortage." Kiara said. "I know nobody wants to go in with a group but it's the fastest way." Everyone agreed and went in with a small group one by one. While I sat at the bar thinking about Lucy.

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Flash Backs:

"Well how about this. After this job we can go on a bunch of jobs for a whole month, just you and me." Lucy said smiling.

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'I still want to.'

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"Luce? What are you doing?" I asked in a whisper, as I lifted the blanket off of Lucy's face.

"Hiding." She whispered back.

"From what?" I asked turning my head to the side.

"The boogey man." She said in a cute little kid's voice. I silently laughed at her cuteness.

"You don't need to hide from anything. I'll protect you."

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'Looks like I broke that promise.'

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"Will you promise me that you'll never change? That you'll always be the one to smile instead of frown? Laugh instead of cry? Be happy instead of sad? And always be the one that's different from the rest?" She asked. I was quite for a few moments.

"Lucy." I said, pulling away from her grip on my arm. I then wrapped my arms around her. She looked up at me and I smiled. "I promise."

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'That one too.'

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"All of you!" Lucy said from behind me. Everyone turned slightly to look at her. "Better not leave me out!" We all smiled at her.

"Leave you out?" I said. "Never!"

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'I've never left her out of anything, and if she dies, I can never fight along side her again.'

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"I love you all!"

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'I love you too, Lucy.'

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"She carishes every single day that she's spent with us?"

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I've done the samething. Any moments that have you in it, I charish it with my heart and soul.'

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"I'm home!" Lucy cried, smiling, as me and her hugged each other like we needed air.

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'She's always been there for me. And I've always been there for her. What's going to happen when I lose her.'

Almost a whole hour went by and the last group came out of the imfirmary, but I didn't move from my bar stool.

"Natsu." Kiara said as she sat on the bar stool next to mine. "It's your turn to say goodbye."

"I don't want to." I said.

"I know." Kiara said as she gentally placed her hand on my shoulder. "But if you don't do it now, I know that you will regret it for the rest of your life."

"I don't know how I'm going to say goodbye." I said looking at her.

"Don't worry, it'll come to you." She said smiling a little. "Trust me, I know it will."

"Okay." I whispered as I got up and made my way towards the door to the infirmary. I could feel everyone's eyes on me, but I didn't pay them any attention. I opened the door and closed it behind me.