Natsu

It took us a week but we finally made it back to Magnolia. My strength came back to me and I returned being the strong Dragon Mage I'm known as, and Happy's strength was also back. Though we looked like bums we felt like kings. Happy and I waltz out of the train cart after I threw up from the transportation.

"WE'RE HOME!" I screamed falling on my knees and kissing the stone road. Happy flew his heart out saying the same thing. "Aye Nat-zu! Let's get back home and see our nakamas!" Happy came back to my shoulder and sat down as I started walking to the guild hall. We followed the canal pointing at things we didn't see from over a year ago. "Look Happy, It's a new restaurant! We can ask Lucy and see if it's good or not!" My little exceed nodded."Aye sir!" He replied back with his paw in the air. I didn't even notice the people sitting outside looking at us as if we were ghosts.

I walked along and passed my apartment seeing the old land lady outside fixing the doorknob. Happy and I jogged to meet her. "Yo, landlady!" She turned to face us with a scowl until she realized it was us. The landlady dropped her tools and started to shake. "Y-Y-You..." was all she could say before I laughed. "I know it's been awhile, but I'm back and we look like wrecks! But I bet Lucy is at the guild hall so we'll be back later tonight. Oh, I'll also pay my part on rent at the end of the month. Scout's honor!" The old land lady pointed at me, but she was still frozen to say anything. "Um, son-"

"Don't worry! Your rent will be payed for!" I interrupted then turned to continue walking. Happy and I left her alone and waved off. "At the end of the month! See you later tonight with Lucy!"
I didn't see the tears falling down her cheeks when I finished my sentence. Happy jumped on my shoulder in excitement. "Hurry up Natsu I can't wait anymore!" Happy yelled in my ear. I laughed and did a full on sprint. "Is this good for you?!" I screamed with Happy clutching my shoulder. "Aye siiiir~!"

The guild made an appearance after we reached the top of the hill. I was out of breath, with a grin on my face. "You ready bud?" I whispered looking over to Happy. The blue exceed nodded in return. "Aye sir." I made my way to the large guild doors, hearing a commotion inside. "Ah, I bet they're about to brawl." I said chuckling and missing the fact I haven't suckered punched Gray in a year. Happy also chuckled. "Natsu you really need to think about something else than fighting." I rolled my eyes and put my hands on the door. "I'm all fired up."

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I opened the doors with everyone sitting down at one table. Everyone's heads turned to see me. I scratched the back of my head with a childish grin on my face. "Yo! Anybody missed me?" Happy made his appearance by flying over me and stood on my shoulder. "We're home!" He announced.

The guild was so quiet, you could've heard a feather fall. Then, I heard a cry. Levy fell down to her knees bawling her eyes out. I watched as Erza ran to comfort her. Juvia was also in tears clinging onto Gray for life. Gajeel was holding two identical children in his arms. Mira's eyes became blank, when Lisanna screamed and punched the table. Elfman was holding his tears back. The guild, was in anguish from my return. "Hey, what's going on?" It was all I could question when an angry Laxus was suddenly in front of me and picked me up by my collar. "YOU MORON!" He screamed, shaking violently. "WHY DIDN'T YOU COME BACK! WHY DID YOU DISAPPEAR ON US! ON YOUR PREGNANT WIFE!!!" His eyes were full of rage, I could feel the static off of him. "Put him down Laxus!" Gramps ordered, standing a foot away from us. "HE LEFT BLONDIE ALL ALONE! HE LEFT ALL OF US TO GRIEF!"

"Hang on, what is going on!" I struggled against Laxus's grip on my collar. Gramps, exhaled heavily, and calmly ordered Laxus to put my down one more time. Laxus glared at his grandfather, before throwing me back to the floor. I heard Gramps walking until he was in front of me. "What...happened, Natsu?" It was all he could ask before tears fell down his cheeks. I was on my knees heaving for oxygen. "The job was a trap! Happy and I were tortured for our magic and we rotted in a cell for a year! Where were you guys! Why didn't I see any of you! Huh?!"

"Because we thought you were..d-dead."  Levy stuttered, pulling her eyes up to look at me. "We found your scarf. We found Happy's green bag. They were coated in blood!" She screamed, pulling Erza in for a hug. The scarlet mage looked down, her lips pouting. "We tried finding you guys. But, we searched all of Fiore and couldn't find you. Even if we were searching for bodies...we tried!" The scarlet-haired woman exclaimed. A thought, as heavy as a mountain, crushed me. "Where's Lucy?" I asked very hushed. Levy and Juvia screamed again. Everyone from the moment they saw me, reacted that they did. Laxus could only look away like Gramps did. I asked again. "Where's...Lucy." This time it wasn't a question, it was a statement. Gray's eyes were shadowed when he gently put Juvia back to her seat. "Follow me." Was all he said when he began walking.

The world was crushing me at that moment. All I knew was, was that Lucy wasn't in good condition. I ran to catch up with Gray, the sound of my nakamas crying and screaming at me to not go. To not see what's happened to my fiancée. I was going numb as I followed Gray upstairs to the second floor of the guild hall. We continued walking to the door of the infirmary. Gray stopped when we saw sight of the door. "Go look, look what a broken heart...a broken soul goes through." I turned from Gray back to the door, my heartbeat was pounding in my eardrums the closer I got. My hand was already on the doorknob, as I slowly turned it. The door opened widely, showing my not my Lucy, but what looked like a corpse.

Lucy didn't have any flesh on her bones, she was so thin, and her skin was heavily bruised as if she tried to fight in this condition. Her eyes were closed, tubes in her nose that allowed her to breath, and so many bandages covered her hands. Why did I see blood, why am I smelling it? A blue-haired Dragon Mage came out of the supply closet holding more gauze. Wendy didn't notice me until I took a step closer. "Natsu!" She dropped the gauze, frozen in place. I didn't even hear Wendy call my name, I only saw the stains of tears on Lucy's cheeks. There were dark heavy bags under her eyes, her face was so frail that if someone even wrapped their hand around her neck, she could possibly be killed from that. I fell to my knees, my hand reaching for her bandaged left one. "Lucy?" I whispered, the knot in my throat stopping me from talking.

I didn't want to shed tears today. It was supposed to be happy, when Happy and I finally came back we were going to be a family again. Another thought crushed my entire being. "Wendy, what about my child?! Where's our child!" Wendy was shaking, when she put her hand over her mouth. Wendy shook her head, as my heart was ripped out of my chest. Lucy lost the baby, and I wasn't there to help her heal. I wasn't there to hold her at night when she cried herself to sleep. I wasn't the husband I was supposed to be, I'm only a deadman walking back into everyone's life. "No..." I was shaking to the core, my life was shattering before me and I couldn't stop it. Everything was going downhill! "Leave, Wendy." I ordered not even looking at her direction. "N-Natsu..."

"Leave!" I barked still staring at my fiancée. A moment later Wendy left with the door closing behind her. I didn't want to cry, I refused. But, this was my fault. Lucy, the love of my life, was dying because of me. I took ahold of her hand in mine that gripped firmly. Her bones were so easily bruised I was terrified to even grasp for her. My body was shaking, I couldn't breath right from the sight of my Love. Gently, I caressed her cheek. "Lucy..." I softly whispered, afraid that she was too far gone to hear me. "Please wake up." My head fell to the mattress, with my hands holding hers'. I could only pray that she could hear my voice. It seemed that only the Gods could help Lucy to come back, but she's barely breathing...she's going to die.

"Lucy, I promise if you come back," I cried allowing my tears to fall. "I won't leave again. I'll always come home and never make you wait again. I won't let you suffer anymore!" My sobs echoed the room, as my crying continued to grow louder. I crawled on the bed and held her small, frail body into my chest. Her head easily leaned where my neck was, as I sniffed the snot and pain back from staining the pillow. I rocked her gently, hoping that Lucy hearing my heartbeat would help bring her back.

"Heaven." I heard.

I became stiff, when I realized I didn't say that. No one was in the room, but me and Lucy. My eyes glanced down to my wife. "Lucy?" I baffled out. The blonde didn't move her body, but I heard her again. "Am I...finally dead?" My heart clenched from her question. 'Finally' dead? The tears poured out again when I shook my head. "No! No you're alive! I'm here baby, I'm right here!" I picked her body up and put Lucy in my lap. Her dull eyes were still closed, she still looked as if she was sleeping.

"No. I...should be dead." Lucy replied as her head leaned back into my hand that was holding her head up. I shook her gently to keep her awake. "No Lucy, no! I'm not dead! I'm right here, alive and with you..." Lucy's already tear-stained face started to cry again. "Igneel..." Lucy sobbed as she held her stomach. She cried out again. "Where's Igneel!?" So I had a son...I pulled Lucy into a hug, both of us sharing the pain of our lost child. "He's watching over us my Love. Igneel is in a better place."

"I lost him...I lost my family." My heart was shattering into pieces. The love of my life has been broken that she doesn't even understand it's me. Lucy thinks she dead, and in heaven. My heart told me one thing, and that was to heal Lucy for however long it took. A moment later, I placed a kiss on her cracked, dry lips. I stayed there in place, allowing my salvia to wet her lips and to prove to Lucy that we were alive. I felt her gasp through her teeth, and was surprised by the sudden action. Lucy didn't fight my kiss, but instead she pushed harder as if she was starving and wanting more to eat. I didn't object to her desire. I cupped her face into my hands, pushing our kiss deeper to where we were almost eating each other. Lucy pulled away, gasping for air from my sudden kiss. Her skeleton hands caressed her lips, as if a fire burned was lit aflame once again.
"N-Natsu..." Lucy's eyes slowly found my eyes, the dullness still staining her brown orbs. I pushed her hair out of her face, smiling while my tears still fell. "Yes. I'm right here Lucy."

"But you were dead...we couldn't find you. There was nothing." I shook my head from her words and hugged her tightly. "It's a long story, but I'm back. I'm not going anywhere." Lucy returned my hug by wrapping her arms around my neck. I felt her chest jumping from the sobs she was holding in. "Natsu... I lost our baby. I lost Igneel." Lucy wept, hiding her face in my chest. I sat there, still holding Lucy in my lap and chest. "No, we lost Igneel. It isn't your fault Lucy. It isn't your fault that he's gone."

"But it is! I wasn't taking care of myself after I lost you. If I just continued living, if I just took care of myself...he would still be here." My hands caressed her back, soothing my wife as she took the burden off her shoulders. "I was ready to die Natsu. I was ready to die so I could be with you, with Igneel." Lucy admitted, her small body shaking in terror. "Lucy, Igneel may be gone, but he's still with us. He's always been with you, in your heart. Just as I've been with you as I wasn't here." One last time, I pulled Lucy in for a kiss. Our kiss lasted not for long when she pulled away. "Natsu, is it too late for me? I feel as if I'm slipping away to a nap I won't wake up from. I think...this is it."

"No! This isn't it for us! We can still be happy Lucy, we can still have a family! Please, please you can't leave me now. Not when I finally made it back to you." I begged on my knees, and held her hand in my own. Lucy slowly closed her eyes and sighed. "At least, you're home... that's what I wanted most. Was to see you if not one last time..." Lucy smiled, her tears once again falling down her cheeks from the trail of tears before over the year. I held her tightly, shaking to the core of where my soul stayed, my instincts wanting to just keep fighting to keep Lucy alive. "No! I'm begging you please don't go! Lucy I love you so much, so so much... PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ME!!!"

"I love you...Natsu." Lucy replied, her body going limp, when she chest stopped moving. My heart was broken into a million pieces, I was too late to save Lucy. After all the years, I was always able to save Lucy in time. But now, the moment I made it home...she was too late to hang on anymore. Lucy's gone...my hands gripped her shoulders, and as if a dragon woke in me, I screamed at her face letting all the anger and fear out of my system.

Lucy jerked awake with her eyes looking around the room. I was heaving for air when her eyes landed on me. "Did you just...scream me back to life?" Lucy asked flabbergasted and confused. I glared into her soul before pouncing on her for a hug. "YOU ARE NOT LEAVING ME ALONE LUCY! WE ARE GETTING MARRIED AND HAVING THIRTY BABIES! THAT'S FINAL!" My muscles were shaking in anger when Lucy put her hands on my cheek. Lucy smiled, pulling me down for a loving kiss. "Don't you know when to quit... I was ready to be with Igneel."

"Igneel wouldn't want that. I know what my son would want for his mother, and that would be to continue living in his name..." I said back looking down at Lucy's eyes. The shine was slowly returning, as I witness a human being finding a purpose in life again. "Natsu Dragneel...you really are an idiot." Lucy cried, both of us pulling each other in for a hug.

"Lucy Heartfilia, take my last name." Lucy laughed, and nodded her head in agreement. The remainder of the night, I slept next to Lucy in the infirmary room. Her heart continued beating with life, as she finally found her purpose again. And that, was to be a Dragneel. To live for Igneel Dragneel, our first son.