"Lucy...you can't seriously expect us to just let you do this," Sting said quietly, his eyes darting between Laxus's threatening form, and her obviously shaken form. She had just told them the plan, and neither of them really agreed with it. It was risky, and Sting had no intention of Lucy going through with it.

"Sting...It's the only way...please just let me do this...It'll work." She takes a deep breath and looks down at the crumpled form of her pink-haired best friend. One punch and he had been taken out. How hard would it be to knock out the remaining three of them? The answer was simple. Not very difficult at all. And Laxus knew it.

"Blondie...I can't let you sacrifice yourself so we can get away! I...I won't let you sacrifice yourself for me again!..." Sting choked out, his features scrunched up. His mind was in a flurry, thoughts skittling and bouncing through his head like bullets. Panic had begun to set in. He couldn't allow Lucy to be the bait for that...that monster. Sting knew it was wrong to describe the lightning dragon slayer, and Lucy's once closest friend as a monster, but...when he looked at the scarred blonde, all he could see was a monster. The way Laxus's eyes glinted an iridescent sapphire blue, a sadistic gleam shining in them. The way he walked confidently, with no regrets or feelings of sympathy or pity. Apparently, the spell did not enhance the guy's empathy with others. If Laxus had even had mercy, to begin with.

"Sting... I know what I'm planning to do is dangerous..." She risked another glance at Laxus, who was still walking breezily towards them. His steps were still agonizingly slow and controlled. "But, I have to do it... I know can do it..."

He swallowed thickly, and he watched as Happy's lip quivered. The tiny cat was shivering. Not from an icy breeze, or from the cold, but because he was scared. He was scared for Lucy. His best friend, the woman he considered to be his mother-figure. His left paw clenched around the fish-locket that still hung around his neck. The picture inside had been replaced, and now held two pictures on the different halves. One, was of him, Natsu, and Lucy hugging goofily, with Lucy ruffling the fire dragon slayer's rose locks. And the other was of him, Laxus, and Lucy. Lucy was on Laxus's back, guffawing merrily, and Happy was curled up on her head with a grin on his tiny face.

"But, what if...what if you fail?" Sting whispered. Fear flashed across her features for a split-second before she masked her emotions, and plastered on a brave, stony expression.

"Then... then I..." She grasped for the right words to say to help ease their minds. But, the truth was, that Lucy didn't know what would happen if she failed. She could die, could be taken hostage...or worse. But, she couldn't tell them that. If there was one thing Lucy was sure of, it was she'd rather die than Happy, or Sting, or Natsu. She prayed it didn't come to that, but she was never going to be absolutely certain that they were safe. She would do everything in her power to protect her loved ones... even if it meant facing one of her biggest fears.

"Lucy... are you really going to do it?" Happy asked, his pudgy paw nudging her arm. It was as if the entire world melted away, and it was just her and the cerulean cat. Like all the fear, all the pain, all the panic had disappeared, and they were together by the stream merely enjoying a sunny day. She gazed into his huge, innocent obsidian eyes, and smiled sadly. Then, a heart-stopping thought hit her.

'What if...this is the last time I see him?...' She bit her lip. She wrapped her hand around his paw and squeezed. She nodded.

"Yes... Happy." She noticed Laxus getting closer to them again. "I have to go now...but, remember I love you...so, so much."

She brushed past Sting, who pathetically lunged at her shoulder to try and stop her. But, she moved briskly out of the way. Laxus rose an eyebrow in curiosity but didn't let the chance go to waste. Immediately, as she came closer to him, he tossed his lightning cage spell at Natsu, Sting, and Happy. Sting wailed loudly, his desperate howls causing her to tear up. He tore at the blue webbed electric cage until his hands were bleeding and shaking.

"Lucy..."

She let another tear slip down her cheek, and Laxus scowled.

"Why do you care so much about that insect?" He asked bitingly. She glared through her tears but stood strong.

"He's my friend. I love him," She said as if that was all that needed to be said to explain it. Laxus's fists curled at the word love, but he struggled to remain calm. She wasn't allowed to love anyone but him.

They stared at each other, the only noise being Sting's labored breaths as he recovered from his break down, and Happy's tiny sniffles. Lucy's hair flowed wildly in the wind, and her bangs brushed into her blue and brown flecked orbs. She smiled sadly, her tears glistening on her skin. Laxus stared back at her, and Lucy didn't even know if she recognized the man before her eyes.

"Laxus..."

"I'm sorry..." She whispered, and his eyes widened as if that was the last thing he expected her to say.

"I...I know you're in there...listening. And, I'm sorry...I'm so, so sorry. I...I couldn't save you. I-I failed you..." She began, her lip trembling. His mouth opened with shock, frozen in what was a cross between a silent gasp and sad frown.

"It's been half a year since I've seen you...and...I-I never really realized how much I needed you until you left..." She admitted bitterly, more tears tumbling down her cheeks.

"Even after everything. After all these months apart, and all the terrible things you've done because of this spell...I still care about you..."

She began to tread towards his shell-shocked form, her feet padding across the debris and chunks of blown apart earth. She watched as his mind processed her words, and she felt hope flare in her chest when she noticed his eyes flicker from the intense neon blue, back to the achingly familiar subtle, muted blue.

Her heart ached as she watched tears start to blur his eyes, and slide down his tan cheeks. He was in there, and he had heard her. She had somehow gotten through to him.

"I love you, Laxus...I love you so much...and I don't want you to feel alone and trapped in your own head...I want you to know, that I'm here. And I'll always be here when you need me...just like you were for me."

She got close enough to him that she could see the way his dark eyes brightened when he looked at her.

"B-Blondie?..." He croaked out, and she felt an onslaught of joyful tears brim her eyes and topple over dramatically. It was him. She knew it. She'd recognize that crooked, both bliss-filled and irritated smile, anywhere.

"Hey, Laxus...I've-I've missed you..."

He smiled again, a soft, warm grin that lit up his entire face. He still had the tears trailing down his face, but he didn't seem to mind. For a moment, Lucy felt happy. Happier than she'd felt in months. She returned the smile, but the grin soon vanished when he clutched his head, as if in extreme pain. She realized that the other Laxus had to be struggling for control. Abruptly, long fingers curled around her forearm and tugged her flush against a warm muscular chest. She stared up at Laxus and flinched when she noticed the neon, piercing gaze had returned.

"I'm back. Sorry to disappoint you, but I put weak, old Laxus back in his cage. I suppose it's time to go, Sweetheart," He said, moving to knock her out. She was quick to notice his line of thought and moved to touch his head. He scowled, and tried to jump back, but froze.

"Lucy!" Sting roared, banging on the cage in worry.

The minute she touched Laxus's head, the minute she channeled her magical energy to him, she collapsed. And he did as well.