Chapter 9~ Guilt

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The world around Natsu slowed to a stop. He hadn’t managed to get to Lucy in time and now she sat on her knees; pale and bleeding. Argon had ripped the sword out of her already and started to step back. He knew that now that he had hurt Lucy and now he knew that Natsu would kill him, his spell doesn’t last that long and he had planned taking them both out at the same time.

Natsu ran to Lucy stumbling a little each step. “Lucy!” he caught her before she fainted. “No, Luce. You’re bleeding.” Natsu said mostly to himself. “N-Natsu. I’m sorry for everything. Kay.” The pain was excruciating and she didn’t hesitate to cry this time. This pain was twice as bad as before because this time she thought she was going to really die this time. “Luce you’re going to be just fine, we’ll get Wendy and she can heal you. You’ll be nice and new.” He tried comforting her when really he was falling apart inside. “Natsu!” Natsu heard his voice but he didn’t even move to look.

“Lucy!” Erza and Gray were the first to reach them. They all stood stunned for a second until Natsu snapped out of his daze. “I’m going to kill him!” Natsu screamed and tried running off but he was caught by Gajeel. “Natsu take Lucy away from here, we’ll take revenge now. Once she is safe you can do it all you want.” No one would have ever thought that Gajeel would be the first one to start throwing smart orders around. Natsu was hesitant, he really wanted his revenge here and now but Lucy was way more important to him. Natsu scooped the fragile Lucy into his arms and ran out as fast as he could while the others distracted Argon. Lucy’s vision blurred and then the world around her went black, Lucy was now unconscious and bleeding to death.

Wendy and her group had made their way back outside because they hadn’t found anything. They all sat with Loki anxious as ever. The doors barged open and there Natsu stood, he held a strong expression for his younger friends. They then noticed Lucy curled up and bleeding in Natsu’s arms. “Lucy!” They all said rushing over to her. “Wendy please, help her.” Natsu said as he sunk to the ground still holding onto Lucy. “I’ll do my best!” She said. “Natsu!” Happy used his whiny voice as he flew onto Natsu’s shoulder. He too had to fight back tears. “I can’t completely heal her Natsu-san.” Wendy said in a small voice. Natsu flinched and shut his eyes. “Wendy I can’t let her die on me.” He said. “Can you at least heal her well enough for the ride back to Magnollia? if you could we take her to that scary woman that heals people.” Romeo said. “Yes I can do that but I’ll take everything I got and I will be very weak after it, I just hope no one else gets injured.”  Wendy said as she placed her palms over Lucy’s wound. “Wendy?” Charla asked. “No Charla I must do this!” Wendy concentrated and she healed Lucy only a little but it did mean she would keep breathing for now and stop losing blood. Natsu was so concerned for Lucy he hadn’t even realized the presence of a stranger; Elizabeth. She stood with her mouth hanging slightly open and her one eye went wide. She then felt like she was going to cry once more.

Loki had sunk to his knees. He felt so guilty; he could not lose another Master. It hurt too much the first time. He had promised himself he would protect her always, when he really needed her the most he was utterly useless.

Wendy had finished, feeling very week she fell backwards only to be caught by Romeo. “I got you Wendy.” He said.

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Still inside the others had weakened him enough to take him into their custardy. They weren’t going to kill him; they all felt the same way Natsu did. But they all made an executive decision to let Lucy or Natsu to decide his fate. Jellal, Erza, Ultear and Meredy stayed behind while the others left with Natsu. They had to keep Natsu away for now because Natsu would kill him there and then without thinking about it.

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“Who are you?” Natsu asked still holding Lucy; suspicious of the girl that peered over at them. Elizabeth flinched when she heard him. “I-I’m E-Elizabeth, are you Natsu?” She replied asking him. Natsu raised one brown curious, “how do you know who I am?” He asked. “Lucy she had said some things about you and she had also called for you every time she was in pain.” She told him but instantly regretted it because Natsu frowned and looked very angry with himself.

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Natsu walked in front of his friends with Lucy in his arms, her breathing had steadied and she had stopped bleeding for the moment. They had to get her to <cite>Porlyusica quickly so she could heal her properly before Wendy’s spell wore off. Natsu laid her onto the waiting carriage, as soon as he placed her down she started to shiver once more because she no longer had Natsu’s feverish body heat surrounding her, Loki offered to let her rest on his lap and despite feeling weirdly jealous to letting Lucy head rest on Loki’s lap he had let it happen, there wasn’t anything else soft enough and there wasn’t much room, he had to think of Lucy not himself. He squeezed Lucy’s hand and placed his warm forehead on hers. “Keep her warm Loki.” He said as he walked away. Loki nodded and agreed. Natsu looked towards the carriage once more before Happy picked him up and they met with Gajeel, PanthaLilly, Wendy and Charla once more, though Wendy was barely conscious. After watching the carriage with Lucy in it drive away into the horizon they followed closely behind. </cite>