Song: Come Back
By: Zoltán Zádori

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~Natsu~

I explained everything I had to do for the third Shard to Gramps yet somehow my knee was still jumping from the news I was recently given. Knowing at one point Lucy and Hades loved each other and the possibility that those feelings may spark again on Lucy's side made me beyond terrified. If Lucy does remember her past before becoming a human, would she leave me to be with him? To be with that soulless son of a bitch and leave me to rot without her?!

Knowing her, she would drop you dead.

"Shut. Up." I muttered. Gramps, who I didn't realize was talking, stumbled over his words. "What did you say?" My hand suddenly slammed down on my jumping leg. "What's taking so long to tell me what I need to know!? We need a Celestial Mage here right now so I can go and get the Third Shard! Is it so hard to understand these simple steps that I have to repeat myself!?" Gramps leaned back into the cushioned chair. "No my boy, you make complete sense. As I was saying, before you interrupted me, we have a lacrima ready to teleport Yukino if she agrees to help us. I will need to speak to their new Guild Master who happens to be Sting. Just give me an hour and-"

"I DON'T HAVE AN HOUR TO WASTE OLD MAN!" I screamed chipping the desk with splinters flying in different directions. All I could keep thinking was Lucy leaving me to be with Hades. How I imagined that when she woke up after my struggle to reattaching her soul, and she thanked Hades. It was Hades that scooped her from the hospital bed and it was Hades that would hold her. Even with my Soul Connection with Lucy, it was Hades that would have her.

Over and over again did I watch it replay in my head.

"Natsu! You need to control your anger this instant! This is no time to start lashing at me or any of your nakamas!" My fingers ran through my hair until I repeatedly smack my head with my palms. Lucy embracing Hades. Lucy laughing as Hades kissed her cheek. Lucy and Hades sharing a passionate kiss. Lucy and Hades. Lucy and Hades. Lucy and Hades!!!

She will leave you. Lucy will end your relationship to be with him. Lucy never loved you.

"SHUT THE HELL UP!!!" The ceiling formed a crack when the floor beneath me nearly came tumbling down to the first floor. I kicked the chair away still using my hands to hit my head without stopping. "Natsu get ahold of yourself!" Gramps ran up to me trying to stop me from hitting my head once again. "If it's the voices you are hearing they are only lying! You have to stay away from the Balance or else you will shift! You must be strong for Lucy!" Gramps's words ring through me like a wind tearing past me. No matter how hard I tried to resist the power of the Balance it kept pulling me back to Hades's confession. The Balance was using this as a way to make me lose control, and it was honestly working. I was only reminded of the fact Lucy may not love me anymore when she wakes up. It came to the terrifying truth that despite our Connection and fighting through all Five Realms to bring her back, Lucy would choose another man to be with.

She will choose Hades. You were nothing to her.

"Make it stop Gramps! Tell them to stop speaking to me!" I cowered to the floor listening to the whispers of the Light and Darkness. With only the soft voices of these two entities, I was left with nothing to grasp for. I was alone, isolated to nothingness. Until Gramps grasped my hands into his'. "Listen to my voice, Natsu. What did you tell Lucy to do when she was losing control!? Think Natsu your life may as well depend on it!" I tried to concentrate on how I would do it. Usually, my sense of touch would pull her back to reality, but it also helped if I told her to breathe. Gwen used to say the same thing back when she was alive and it always worked. So perhaps it would help me too? "B-Breathe. I would tell her to breathe." Master nodded with his eyes fixated on me. "Alright then. Natsu, I need you to breathe in for me. Not to fast, but gently and slowly. Come on son you have to breathe to regain control!" It helped a little at first, but the images of Lucy and Hades embedded itself in my mind.

I wasn't ready to let Lucy go. I don't think I ever will be if she left me for him. "Come on Natsu! Breathe!" I inhaled deeply, holding in until my lungs seared from pain, then slowly exhaled for relief. I did it again, breathing in with force then exhaling with ease. The whispers were gone just as they appeared. When I exhaled one last time, my body felt heavy and exhausted. Though my anger and the Balance lost its hold on me, I didn't feel any better. I still dwelled on the chances that Lucy could possibly leave me. "I...I think I'm okay." I murmured rubbing my temples with my knuckles. Gramps examined my scalp searching for any self-harm I could have done to myself, thankfully I didn't pull my scalp out from my tantrum. "Natsu," Gramps began whilst he sat in front of me. "I've seen you throw a lot of fits in my life. So many that I've basically lost count." Gramps closed his eyes until he opened them with uncertainty. "But the way you were acting, it reminded me of when Lucy was the Dark One. You were turning into-" Master pursed his lips from continuing to speak, shaking his head. "You were turning into something bad, Natsu. I can't believe I hadn't realized this, but your Connection to Lucy is beginning to hurt you. The Giver told me as it also says in the book she wrote, humans should never try to control the essence of the Balance. Two entities continuously fighting, balancing Magic itself, and maintaining the Realms is something no human is capable of. The Balance is beginning to take effect on you. It's changing you!"

I closed my eyes to avoid Gramps's gaze set on me. Lucy this entire time has been doing everything in her power to stop the Balance from ever taking ahold of me, but now that she's gone, she being the only shield I had, the Light and Darkness is using me to take control of my body. Unlike Lucy, I can easily fall into their grasp if I'm not careful. I can hear them whisper in my mind, pushing me to the edge of insanity. "How could Lucy live like this? I can feel them constantly fighting against one another. I've never felt this tired before until fighting them off from taking control of me."

"You know what Lucy is, Natsu. You must remember that Lucy is a God, and you are only a human. If what the Giver told me is true then you will only be a target for the Light and Darkness, and Lucy will have to defend you from them. You aren't meant to hold their power, because it's too much for a human to contain. The Giver only believes you've survived for so long is because of your immortality." I looked back at Gramps after he said that. "I won't be alive for long if I don't find the next Shard of Lucy's soul. I only have nine days and I know how time works in the Celestial Realm; which means I can't play around for the next hour and waste any more time. You also know I can't stay in the Realm too long otherwise I will waste who knows how many days depending on how long I am in the Realm!" Gramps and I stood back up, fatigue laying itself on my shoulders. "The discussion with Sabertooth won't take long. The only reason I said an hour is because I want you to rest. I can't continue to watch you fall unconscious from pain or exhaustion. Please Natsu, give yourself one hour to eat and sleep as we prepare for Yukino to arrive. That is all I ask of you to do as your Guild Master."

"You aren't giving me a choice in the matter?" Gramps shook his head. "Absolutely not. Go home, not in the infirmary room but home, and sleep. I will send someone for you when it's time for you to go to the Celestial Realm." I was thankful that I could actually rest. I nodded my head to Gramps then showed myself out of his office. My nakamas must've heard the commotion upstairs because all of their eyes were suddenly on me. "What? Do I have something in my teeth?!" I lashed out making everyone return to their discussions and drinking. Happy flew up to me looking as if he hasn't slept well in the past few days. "Natsu?" He asked when I placed him on my shoulder. "Yeah buddy, we're going home for a little bit. We both need some rest from the way we look." Happy sighed as his eyes were already droopy. "Aye. We'll need rest before we go to the Celestial Realm."

"Who said you're coming with me?" I asked not reasoning I was about to get a rise out of my Exceed. "I did! And you're gonna have to live with that! I want Lucy back as much as you do! If I'm able to go with you then I will!" Happy exclaimed with an authoritative tone. I raised my hands in defeat. "Alright, alright you can come with me. But I will warn you that every Shard I've found something happens to the environment. I'm not sure what's going on with the Celestial Realm but it's most likely not going to be easy."

"Which is why your life is gonna be easier with my help!" I cracked a smile listening to my blue Exceed. "Yeah Happy," I said reaching the apartment I share with Lucy. "I know you're gonna make my life a lot easier."

~~~

For some peculiar reason I found myself writing, but what was even stranger was I was writing with etiquette, and almost cursive. I could never write that well in the first place, but now I was writing like I actually knew how to write! That was until I glanced at my right hand and could see the pink insignia that resides there.

I must be reliving one of Lucy's memories.

She saw him standing before her. The eyes of a monster but with a heart of gold. Lucia knew that she was saved thanks to Nathan. Lucy finished the sentences when I heard someone shout her name. "Luuuucy~! You've been writing forever come do a mission with us!" That person was me, Natsu. I felt Lucy's irritation when she aggressively placed her pen down. "Can't you see I'm trying to write a novel right now Natsu? After going on so many missions with you I've fallen behind on my writing! I really need to do this." Lucy returned the pen in her hand and began once more.

He took the hit for her, and yet Nathan was able to stand tall. How could a man with such pain still stand with his head high? Lucia wanted to reach for his hand, she wanted to tell him- "Wonder what she's gonna say." Natsu, or me, said hovering behind Lucy. I felt embarrassed that I actually wanted to hide my face when Lucy kicked me away from her! "Get out of here Stupid!" She yelled not meaning the rudeness of what she called me. I felt as she was blushing from her fictional writing and of how I was also reading it. Lucy was always discreet on who would read her incomplete novel. She turned around ignoring Natsu as memory me groaned from the headache she gave me. Lucy put away her unfinished novel from preying eyes. "Well, you sure do know how to kill a writing mood!" I watched myself stand back up with a big knot forming on my head. "Come on Luce! Going on missions isn't the same without you! I need you!"

Lucy's heart fluttered. "You need me? Why's that?" I remembered this now. This was after Phantom Lord attack and Gajeel shortly joined afterward. Lucy still felt guilty about her father sending a guild to retrieve Lucy for her arranged marriage. Lucy leaned on her writer's desk crossing her arms over her chest. She was waiting for my answer. I remember exactly what I said...

"Because without you I can't fight as strong as I can. Having you by my side gives me the strength I need!" Why didn't I realize sooner was that I just wanted her by my side? Was I so stupid that I couldn't even figure out what love even was? Lucy turned her head for me to not see her flushed with red. "Don't say things like that so easily. You could give a girl the wrong idea you know?" I tilted my head like a complete moron. "The wrong idea how?" Lucy's embarrassed self grew tenfold that anger managed to sprout. "It doesn't matter! Just, go home already!"

Wait, Lucy. You'll see what I mean just please be patient. I wanted to tell her that, but I could only watch. I watched as I struggled to tell her why I really wanted her to go on a mission. The Natsu before me couldn't simply say that I enjoyed her being around me. It was too hard to tell Lucy I wanted to be with her forever. "Luce, I want to go on a mission! It's always more fun when we're together!" Lucy's scowl softened by what I said. "Natsu, we'll always be together. We're in the same Guild silly!" Memory Natsu bit the inside of his cheek. "I know, but what I think I mean is-"

"Natsu," Please Lucy let me finish! "I understand. We'll go on missions tomorrow. Celestial Mage promise and I never break my promises." No Lucy! Please you should have let me finish! The Natsu in front of Lucy grinned, but deep down I recalled I felt disappointed in myself; like I should have said more or pushed harder to speak my case. But I didn't, and that was the last time I tried to express my conflicting feelings to Lucy. Not until she became the Dark One did I realize I had been a fool. "Sure thing Lucy! I'll see you tomorrow?" Lucy nodded as she watched me escort myself out by using the window. I closed the window and vanished when Lucy sat back down in her chair. Her heart was suddenly pumping at an extreme pace that she sighed. "What is that idiot thinking? Does he know what he's doing to me? Is he teasing me on purpose? Or does he really not know what on EarthLand he's doing to me?" Wait...Lucy knew all along? She knew the entire time I was trying to somehow express my feelings to her? She could see me struggling, but instead of pushing me to just tell her, she let me do it at a slower pace. She must have been waiting this whole time, but I thought she just rejected me. This entire time I believed Lucy never liked me the way I liked her. Gods, I really am an idiot.

Lucy sat back down, taking out the novel she was writing before I interrupted her. Without a second's hesitation, Lucy wrote her last sentence of the chapter. She wanted to tell him that she loves him. The man that has protected her from danger, receiving every blow that was meant to harm her, it was him that saved her. It was always Nathan.

Lucy...did you always feel this? Even before I could understand what it meant? You waited until I understood even if it had to make you wait? "Perhaps I could try Lucia's way; take his hand and confess my feelings. As if!" Lucy smiled, but I felt heartbroken. If I had just known her feelings for me sooner...if I hadn't been so blind by what I was feeling...

Maybe everything we are now could have been more.

~~~

"NAT-ZUUU!" I felt my body impact the ground. My head felt like I was spiraling down when I let out a gasp. "Wh-WHAT!?" I yelled still dazed from what I relived. Happy was looking at me funny. "It's time to go to the Guild Hall! Jellal stopped by a minute ago and is waiting outside! Let's go!" My heart was still racing when I could only nod to reply. I grabbed my vest still shaken up from my sleep after I locked the apartment that was still trashed. I slept on a ripped up feather bed with my vest as a pillow. For now, I could only sleep then get a move on, but once Lucy is okay then I'll replace the bed I tore in half. Jellal was waiting staring at the canal when he heard me close the door. "Yukino is at the Guild Hall getting ready. Apparently, there's something happening in the Celestial Realm."

"Why am I not surprised?" I retorted back walking alongside Jellal and my Exceed. "Because nothing is meant to be easy. My point is, is that Yukino's spirits aren't responding to her, which means she's going to try to call for Lucy's spirits to see if one of them will answer. I'm sure they're all confused about why their Key Holder hasn't acknowledged their calls." On Lucy's night table in the infirmary is where her keys stayed. Nearly every day since Fairy Tail came back from Aria her keys jingled and glowed in her pouch. We knew her Celestial Spirits were calling for their master, but there was no way of telling them anything. And what's even stranger Loke hasn't shown his snarky face around the Guild to find any answers. Something isn't adding up to what's happening, and now Yukino can't call for her spirits! "Let's just get to the Guild Hall. I want to know what's going on." Jellal agreed, both of us now rushing to get back to Fairy Tail.

It must have been only a few minutes because we were entering the frantic Guild Hall as Yukino tried to call her spirits once more. "I don't understand why they won't come through! Something terrible must have happened!" Erza was cooing the Celestial Mage when Grey paced down the stairs with Lucy's keys. "I have them. They're being eerily quiet for some reason." Before Grey handed Lucy's keys I gripped his wrist. "I want her word that she won't do any funny business with Lucy's keys." My eyes turned to Yukino. "Because I will know if you try to do anything stupid." I barked when Yukino shook her head. "I would never try to hurt Lucy's spirits! Just as Lucy, I also believe that Celestial Spirits aren't tools, but are my friends also. Lucy saved my guild not once, but twice. I owe her my life."

"Please Natsu, Yukino only wishes to help us." Erza gently explained. I don't know if it was marriage that softened her, but Erza was acting like a softie. And I don't know if she changed her perfume, but her scent was changing more and more. Somehow, it alleviated me. "Okay," I said letting Grey's wrist go. Yukino took the Lion key from Lucy's pouch. "Open: Gate of the Lion! Leo!" There was no bell, not even a glow appearing from the key. "Huh? I don't understand!" She cried clutching the key in both hands. "Try another key!" I said with authority. Shaking from panic, either because of the way I was speaking or because of the silence of the spirits, Yukino took the Maiden key. "Open: Gate of the Maiden! Virgo!"

Nothing. None of the Celestial Spirits were responding to any of us.

"I can't reach the Celestial Spirits. They've become...silent." I didn't know what to think. Without a spirit, I can't traverse to the Celestial Realm. The Universe, the Gods, have deterred me once more in my path of bringing Lucy back. "Have you tried a silver key?" Wendy asked with Carla in her arms. Yukino perked up. "N-No I haven't." Yukino picked a certain silver key. "Open: Gate of the Lyre! Lyra!" There was a sound of a bell chiming as the key twinkled in Yukino's hand. The small girl in her bonnet and dress was holding a lyre until she crumbled on the ground. Lyra seemed to have been sucked into a tornado because her hair was poking in every direction and she was disheveled. Even one of the strings on her lyre was severed. "Thank Heavens! I've been saved!" Lyra cried out. Yukino went down to her knees. "Miss Lyra, what's happened? Why can't we call the Golden Keys to our aid?" Lyra looked up to Yukino. "You aren't my Key Holder. Where's Miss Lucy? Why hasn't she helped us!"

"Tell us what's going on," I said trying to keep my irritation and patience in control. "Maybe I can help in her place. Lucy isn't doing so well and I'm trying to help bring her back." Lyra wiped her eyes from any tears that were falling. "Miss Lucy is not doing well? Has she fallen ill!?" Yukino shushed the small spirit. "There's no time Miss Lyra. What's happened to the Celestial Realm?" Lyra peered at the ruined lyre in her hand. "I don't know when it happened, but a sudden torrent made of wind overcame the Realm. It was never-ending continually windy. But it was powerful! It flung me in the air what I reckon for hours! And when we needed the Golden Keys most, when we cried for our Celestial King, they've vanished! Us Silver Keys can't find our king nor our Golden Celestials! They're gone!" Lyra wept into her hands while Yukino comforted her. "It's alright Lyra. You're safe now." The Celestial Mage looked up at me. "Without a Golden Celestial Key, I'm not sure you'll be able to go to the Celestial Realm Natsu."

"I don't have a choice! I need to go to the Celestial Realm!" Lyra tugged on my single sleeve. "Mister Natsu, there is a way to go to the Celestial Realm." The spirit glanced to Yukino. "If you summon three Silver Keys, I'm sure we can have enough magic to be able to send one Mage. Us Silver Keys aren't as powerful as the Golden Keys, but together, we can pool enough magic to do whatever needs to be done."

"Then do it." Yukino and Lyra looked up to my eyes. "Whatever needs to be done, do it." I lowered my gaze to appear less hostile, needing to remember that I have to control my emotions, and having to remember this isn't anyone's fault. I can't allow the Balance to take control of me. Not when I have to save the woman I love from dying. "I have faith in you Yukino. Whatever needs to be done, I know you can do it. You and Lucy closed the Eclipse Gate, and it's you who is going to help bring her back too."

"Thank you," Yukino whispered as her eyes gleamed with hope. "I won't let you down. Just tell me what needs to be done and I'll do it. Anything to help Lucy won't be an issue." Lyra pointed at the keys in her hands. "Thankfully since Silver Keys use very little magic to cross to EarthLand, it shouldn't be too hard to call for two more Silver Celestials. Be sure to bring clothes from the Celestial for this Mage! He won't be able to walk in our Realm without them."

"Don't forget clothes for me!" Happy swooped down determination set in stone. "Natsu isn't going without his trusty cat! So bring me some Celestial clothes too while you're at it." I bend down to where I could rest my arms on my knees. "Still on board with this bud? It may not be pretty when we go." Happy's big eyes turned to me. "I want to help bring Lu-shee back too! You can't do everything on your own! You need friends and I just happen to be your best friend!" I cracked a smile. "You happen to be right on that, Happy."

Yukino called for two more Silver Celestials, both also Lucy's keys when Crux, The Southern Cross, and Plue appeared. Crux was spinning in mid-air until he settled down whilst Plue was dizzy that he fell over. "By the Stars, I thought I would never stop flying!" The old cross exclaimed finally sitting up with his hands on his knees. "But it wasn't my Master that summoned me, and the contract isn't broken which means something terrible has happened!" Plue was shaking like a leaf when his dotted eyes searched the crowd that surrounded the Spirits. He was mumbling incoherently when tears welled at the corner of his eyes. "Dear little Nikora, Lucy isn't here. Don't cry small one."

"Mister Crux." Yukino interrupted the Spirits. "Lucy is not doing well. I don't know most of the story myself, but this gentleman and his Exceed need to go to the Celestial Realm to help whatever is causing the chaos in your Realm."

"Miss Lucy is sick, but I should have known this! I know everything about what happens to my Master! Why do I not know this?" I stepped forward. "Lucy isn't sick...she's dying." The old cross became stunned. As he was thinking of what I said, Plue looked at me with what looked like in disbelief. The tears that stirred in his eyes fell to the ground as he was calling for his master with his disjointed words. "Poor Plue." Happy said going over to the dog spirit to console him. The Southern Cross finally looked up. "Why hadn't I put this together already? I swore as I was being pulled by the wind in the air I saw what looked like my Key Holder. But if you say she's dying, then what I saw was...her soul?"

"A shard of it, yes. Lucy's soul is shattered so I'm going to every Realm to find the missing pieces to bring her back from dying. The only reason her soul did that in the first place was because-" I stopped talking. Saying too much about what Lucy was could be too dangerous for even the Spirits to know. What would the Celestial King do if he eventually found out? How would her Spirits feel if they knew Lucy was an immortal, all-knowing God? "...because it was a Bringer that did it. Hades has never killed a living being ever until Lucy. This has never happened before." Crux played with his cross-shaped mustache. "No," he said, thinking of what I said. "it has never happened before."

"I need you three Silver Celestials to take me and Happy to the Celestial Realm. If what you saw was Lucy then I have to go now without delay. Time moves differently in the Celestial Realm, which means I have to move quickly to find her. Where did you see Lucy when you were flying through the air." Crux lowered his head, soon snoring with a bubble forming from his nose. "Um, is he asleep?" One of my comrades asked when I put my hand up. "No, he's thinking right now." How on EarthLand did I know this? Lucy must have rubbed off her knowledge of the Celestial Spirits. That's the only explanation I could think of!

The old cross screamed by jumping causing everyone, excluding myself, to jump back in horror. "I recall that this piece of Lucy's Soul was near Sirius A. Plane. But Natsu, only the Celestial King himself can walk on Sirius Plane. The ground is so intensely bright that not even Leo the Lion can stare at it for too long. For a human to go would-"

"That's all I need to know." I stood back up looking at Lyra. "Get me and Happy some clothes, because we're going to the Celestial Realm." The girl nodded shortly leaving to go back for some Celestial clothes soon returning. "With everything being torn apart from the harsh winds, I was only able to find a former piece of the Celestial King's cloak. Even without him there he still managed to help us. There should be enough to spare between you and your Exceed." Lyra handed the dark fabric to me. It felt like nothing was in my hand it was so light, and hard to even tear in half. I managed to snag a piece that Happy could have a small cape for him while I tied the remainder of the cloth around my shoulder to my hip. "That should do. With the Celestial King's cloak with us, we should have enough time to find Sirius Plane and bring the Shard back with me." The three Celestial Spirits clasped their hands together. "When you find what you're searching for, call for EarthLand and we will bring you back. Please, help us bring peace back to our Realm. Without our King or friends we've become lost with no one to guide us." I bowed my head. "I'll do everything I can to help. Let's hope once I get the third Shard it'll cease the windy storms you've both talked about. I know this is her doing." The Spirits closed their eyes, glowing as they were pooling their magic together. A rune appeared under me when Happy jumped onto my shoulder. It was glowing brighter by the second that I had to close my eyes until the rune was released. Happy and I fell through going from one Realm into another.

Finally, we were going to the Celestial Realm.

~~~

I didn't even hit the ground. With only the sound of Happy screaming and the wind whipping us through the air, I knew we were in the Celestial Realm. My line of sight was unfocused as I was thrown and swiveled that I was incapable to even concentrate. It felt like the Realm itself was in a tornado. It didn't matter how hard I struggle against the tide of wind because it would only fling me over and over. "Happy!" I shouted needing to find my Exceed. "I'm...getting...dizzy!" The cat responded what sounded like a mile away. I was already dizzy that my motion sickness was already acting up. "Get your wings out and follow the course of wind! When you're able to, try and catch me!"

"Aye, sir!" Happy unfolded his wings out attempting to gain control of the wind drafts. I was vulnerable, barely evading large crystals and meteorite rocks that were hurled all around me. "Got it! Hang on Natsu I'm coming!" I did a spiral that made my stomach lurch. "Better hurry!" My Exceed followed the current until he was able to snatch me. "Got'cha!" Now with my vision able to focus, I could see the utter chaos going on all around us. It was a storm made entirely of wind that was so powerful it was able to move what seemed like the land itself. "Come on, we have to find the Sirius Plane before we waste time."

"But where on EarthLand are we going to find it!?" Happy hollered over the tearing wind whilst I inspected the surrounding area with keen eyes. Over by my left, I saw a source of an intense light that I had to cover my eyes. "I think we're not too far! Can you fly West where that source of light is?" Happy turned his head which caused him to scream. "AGH! Natsu that's too bright for us to even get close! I'm not sure how we'll be able to fly without being burned alive!" Happy shifted his wings for us to move left. I creased my eyes when we were flying headfirst to a field that looked like a surface of a white burning star. That's where the wind was intense, and that's where my tether was guiding me. "You let me worry about crossing the Sirius Plane. I just need you to get me close enough to where I can quickly find Lucy's soul." The wind roared in anger as it washed over us nearly causing me and Happy to lose control. "I may not be able to keep up with the current much longer! The wind is too harsh for my wings to handle!"

"Keep flying!" I yelled as we were over the Sirius Plane. Below us was an intense light that would burn just about anything that touches it. I understood now why only the Celestial King could walk on this surface. "Nat-zu! I'm losing control of the wind!" Happy yelled with his grip slipping on my collar. I tried to search for the source of where the wind was, scanning over and over again of the surface until I would find it. Happy grunted, losing his hold. "Nat...su!"

"There!" We were drawing near that I was able to see the silhouette of the figure. It was the shard of Lucy as she searched frantically in the wind with panicked eyes. I was about to tell Happy to guide down, but his hold slipped from his paws. Soon I was once again spiraling in the wind, but like water running down the drain hole I was falling at a rapid speed. Happy screamed in horror but had no power in where the wind was taking him. I told my small Exceed to let me worry of what I would do next after I had sight of the shard. Happy helped me beyond imagine, but he was in danger if he went near the surface of this burning surface of a star. I could only hope that my dragon scales could keep me safe from the intense heat bubbling and soaring up along with the wind. My skin shifted from my normal skin into the maroon scales I shared with my father. I landed, hard, as I barrel rolled with every impact punching air out of me. Eventually, I came to a stop with no air in my lungs, but I was still unscathed. The heat was unbearable but wasn't doing a tremendous amount of damage I was expecting. The only thing I was worried about was how long until my scales could withstand the heat.

Lucy was in Celestial clothing, just like the outfit she and I wore as a match. Only instead of shorter hair in the form of her pigtails, her hair was longer as it was today, cascading down to her back that seemed to shine with the light around us. I had to shield my eyes when I trailed to get closer to the third Shard. "Lucy!" I called out gaining her attention. She was certainly panicking when she ran up to me and gripped my biceps. "I only did it because I was scared! You don't understand I was scared!" She looked back and forth. "They told me I could be free! I gave them what they wanted and yet I'm still here!"

"Luce what're you talking about?!" Lucy moaned as she hid her face. "What else do you think?! To finally rest and save my family I bargained my life for freedom! I did what I had to and gave the only thing that mattered! But it still wasn't enough, and now I'm trapped! I'm trapped forever!" Lucy crouched down to her knees, sobbing uncontrollably. "I don't have anything else to give! I don't know what to exchange in order to be free!"

"Lucy there's nothing to give! I understand that you're scared. I'm scared too! But giving in to fear will only fuel whatever it is you're talking about. Don't take the punches and fight back!" Lucy bawled into her hands. "I can't keep fighting anymore! If I fight back then I'll get hit ten times harder, and it will only continue getting worse every time I fight back. I don't want to hurt anymore!" The wind crashed over us like a powerful tide. No matter how I try to tell Lucy she had to fight she was too exhausted. Who knows how long she's been fighting the Balance for so long in secrecy and I was there without helping her. I can understand how Lucy feels about keeping the Balance from overtaking her, but that doesn't give her damn good reason to give up! "You listen to me, and you better listen well Lucy Heartfilia!" Lucy's tear-soaked face lifted to see me. "I didn't come here to watch you give up! For far too many times I have seen you give up your life, your goals in life, and even your dreams! I won't keep allowing you to do this to yourself anymore you hear me! From me to you, listen to how I feel!" I ran to her opening my arms before pulling her into me. My arms wrapped around her as I tucked Luce's head into the crook of my neck. I was pouring out my emotions through our connection as I hoped that she could feel my emotions towards her.

'I love you so much.'

'Let me help you.'

'This world needs you, Lucy. I need you!'

'I'm not giving up on you.'

'You have to keep fighting. Fight for your family! Fight for Fairy Tail!'

Lucy gently wrapped her arms around me. Her tears still fell over her cheeks, hiccups still tearing out of her lungs, but she clutched tightly to me. "How could you love someone so broken?! You had the choice in rejecting me, so why...why are you here saving me again?" I shushed her blissfully. The hiccups became less but still, she cried. "Because no matter how hard I pushed my feelings away from you, they came back stronger than before. Falling in love wasn't an option, but was instead a gift I could no longer refuse."

"N-Natsu." Lucy sniffed into my shoulder still clinging to me. "I made the mistake of giving my life up. Please, help me fix my mistake. Help me come home." I pulled Lucy's face to look at me. Her hair was disheveled by the wind while her eyes were puffy from crying but never has she looked more beautiful until now. "I promise, Lucy. Soon, you'll be home." Just like the other Soul Shards, Lucy was becoming translucent with a glow coming from her. One last time I felt her hug me with a firm hold. "I will never let you go again." She was a beam of light, then as soon as she was brighter than any star I've ever seen, the light was diminished. All that was left was the small flame of her soul, in the center holding the Shard with Lucy's heart drumming loud and clear. I extended my hand out when it flew over my palm. After closing my hand feeling the third Shard return to its formal host, the stormy wind began to cease and wither. It was gone leaving nothing but an eerie sense of calm behind it. It was peaceful for a whole seven seconds until my favorite Exceed screamed bloody murder and hit the back of my head. "Gah!"

"Natsu did you see me!? I flew us through that storm did you even see it!" Happy clamored as he swung his arms then pointed in different directions. All I could think was that Lucy regrets giving up her life. Somehow, hope welled inside my heart for the first time. If she wants to come back home then that must mean Lucy is fighting to give us a chance. She's doing everything she can to give me and Fairy Tail the time to bring her back. I didn't think I could fall in love again, but what I felt wash over me was falling for Lucy once more. "You did great Happy! Come on, let's go home." Happy's eyes sparkled with glee. "Can I say it Nat-zu!?" I pushed my hand forward as a sign to let him. "Go for it buddy. Make it quick being on Sirius plane isn't good for either of us."

"Lyra, take us back to EarthLand!" A bell in the distance chimed when the rune returned under our feet. The next thing I felt was me and Happy plummeting back to EarthLand knowing that only two shards remain until Lucy comes back. I felt my hope grow in me and without a second hugged it close to my heart.

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As always...love you all!❤️