Fairy Tail 1. Prologue

Welcome to my entry for NaNoWriMo 2014 which is an idea that has been lurking in my file for nearly a year now. I'm just putting the prologue up for now, I might start putting the rest up when I've got a few more chapters written or I might wait until the end of November.

Disclaimer: As always Fairy Tail and its awesome characters don't belong to me, I'm merely borrowing them.

A/N: The bits in italics are from the anime and belong solely to Hiro Mashima.

FT

"_We feel the exact same way. Never do anything like this again…Never again!" _- Natsu

FTFTFTFT

_Prologue:_

Natsu groaned as he slowly came to, his body immediately clamouring for his attention as every injury he'd received came to life in a flash of fire. However, before he could begin to take an inventory of his body he became aware of the violent shaking beneath his body. Fighting the almost instantaneous nausea that welled up at the motion he found the strength to raise his head, eyes widening in alarm as he realised that not only was he still in that thrice-damned Tower of Heaven, but the thing was in the process of coming down around his ears. Suddenly his earlier attempts at destruction didn't seem like such a brilliant idea.

Biting his lip against the pain he tried to raise himself up with shaking arms, nearly falling flat on his face as they threatened to collapse. With sheer stubbornness he locked his elbows so that he remained partially raised, unsure if he could actually make it all the way to his feet. A soft gasp of pain that wasn't his own drew his attention and he glanced up only to feel his heart threatening to stop as his gaze fell on Erza.

"_Erza…"_He whispered with a sense of dawning horror as his gaze moved over her to where her arms were gradually being sucked into the lacrima behind her, his eyes widening as she tensed with pain as she was drawn deeper into the magical container even as he watched.

"_Natsu…" _Despite the quietness of his whisper she had heard it even over the rumble of the collapsing tower, her head whipping round to look at him and he froze as he took the expression of grim determination and guilt on her face.

"_W-what are you doing Erza?" _He asked, although deep down he already knew what she was attempting to do, but he wanted to deny it. There was no way she could be doing something so reckless and idiotic…was there? _"Your body's going into the lacrima…." _He swallowed hard when there was no immediate denial of his worst thoughts, and he felt himself going cold as he realised that she was deliberately letting herself be consumed by the lacrima.

"_This is the only way to stop the Etherion," _her voice was soft and calm, sounding much as she did when discussing the simplest of jobs despite the pain passing across the pain whenever the lacrima contracted around her arm.

"_Stop the Etherion…?" _He asked in confusion wondering just what he'd missed whilst being unconscious._"Yes. Look around us,"_ she gestured around them with her free hand, and Natsu followed it with his gaze, swallowing as the tower deformed in front of his eyes and another deafening rumble echoed around them."_ The etherion is out of control and will destroy the tower in an enormous explosion any minute now!" _She explained, some of the calmness leaving her voice as she fought to stifle the pained cries that were tearing themselves free as she was dragged further in_. "But if I can merge with the Etherion and restrain it…!" _Merge? His eyes went wide as he realised just what it was that she was proposing, especially when he took in the resolution in her eyes.

"_Are you insane?!" _He demanded as horror twisted his expression, his panic lending him the strength to force his battered body to its feet._ "If you do that, you'll…!" _He couldn't even vocalise the thought as he staggered forward, determined to reach her and pull her free before she could continue with this nonsense. As if he'd let her sacrifice herself to save them, especially after everything she had just been through!

Unfortunately his body wasn't as determined as his mind and he'd barely gone a couple of steps before his knees buckled beneath him, sending him toppling to the ground once more with a pained grunt. However, his discomfort was quickly forgotten as she cried out in pain once more, his gaze springing back to her with growing horror as he saw that both of her arms were now inside the lacrima with the rest of her body being dragged after them.

"_Erza!"_

"_Don't worry about a thing. I will stop it!" _She panted through gritted teeth, her earlier calmness disintegrating slightly now that the pain was increasing but there was no wavering in the determined expression on her face, even when she contorted with yet another cry of pain.

"_Stop!" _Each cry of pain was torture for the Dragon-Slayer and he could feel his eyes starting to burn as he desperately dragged himself forward, he lacked the strength to rise fully, but he crawled forward not caring how pathetic he might look._ "Stop! Erza!"_ He was pleading now as more and more of his nakama was disappearing into the lacrima, collapsing in an exhausted heap just short of her and raising desperate eyes to meet hers.

"_Natsu… I can't live without Fairy Tail, I can't even imagine a world without my friends," _she was smiling now as she spoke, reaching out to cup his face with surprising gentleness and for some reason that made everything that much worse. How? How could she smile so happily when she was throwing her life away? The burning in his eyes developing into proper tears now as he realised that she wasn't going to back down on this insane idea.. "_That's how important all of you are to me." That's how important you are to me,_ she added privately as she stared resolutely into his eyes, hating the pain and fear she could see swimming in the olive depths. Of all of them he was the one she least wanted to hurt, and seeing his tears she knew that she had failed in that.

"_Erza,"_ Natsu could barely speak, couldn't she see that everything she said applied to him and the rest of their nakama? Did she really think for a moment that any of them could be happy again if she gave herself up for them? Desperately he fought to find the words to tell her just that, to tell her that she was the heart of Fairy Tail and that there could be no Fairy Tail without her, his gaze falling as he frantically groped for the words that might stop her.

"_If I can save you all, I won't hesitate for even a moment,"_ the confidence and air of finality in her voice forced him to look up once more, an icy shard of terror piercing him when he saw that all that remained free of the lacrima at this stage was her face. Her smile grew wider as she met his gaze with shining eyes as she slowly spread her arms wide in a gesture of offering._ "I will gladly give up this body!"_ She shouted the last bit a second before the rest of face finally slid within the confines of the lacrima, a faint shimmer moving across the surface as it sealed itself against any further intrusion and that finally gave the Dragon-Slayer the strength to move again.

"_Erza! Come out, Erza!" _Natsu pleaded desperately as he slammed his fists against the surface of the lacrima over and over, oblivious to the pain he was inflicting on himself as tears streamed unchecked from his eyes. He could see her floating away from him, a serene smile on her face as she gazed at him for a long moment before her eyes drifted shut and he felt something important inside of him break at that moment.

"_ERZA_!" He howled throwing himself against the lacrima in sheer desperation, unaware of the fresh blood forming on his hands from his frantic attempts to break the vessel. "Erza!" He couldn't breathe, couldn't think as he threw himself again and again against the unyielding barrier keeping him from her. He was blind to the power building around him, or the dazzling light filling the air…his entire being was focused on reaching her…on saving her…even as the Etherion finally exploded around him.

FT

_Natsu…I leave the others in your hands… I'll always be right there with all of you…_

FTFT


	2. Chapter 1

NaNoWriMo 2014

Disclaimer: As always Fairy Tail and its amazing characters don't belong to me, I am just borrowing them.

FTFT

Gray groaned as consciousness came slowly creeping back to him, blinking slowly as he tried to take stock of his body. Everything ached, especially his back, but as he cautiously began to shift it didn't feel as though anything was broken. Relieved he forced himself up into a sitting position, fighting back nausea as the world seemed to swim around him and pain flaring through his back.

"What the hell happened?" He mumbled, glancing around as the world began to settle down and his eyes widened as he realised he was on the beach. His eyes narrowed as he took in the small crater that he was currently occupying and the trail in the sand that led down into the water's edge, realisation struck him as the sight of the waves brought his memories rushing back. _The Tower of Heaven exploding…Erza…Natsu…_

The worry and fear that shot through him alongside those memories jolted him back to his feet despite the pain the movement caused. He glanced around wildly as he searched for the others, recalling how they'd all been swept up in the blast wave from the explosion. Juvia's water bubble had protected them from the worst of the blast, but they had been sent flying wildly over the surface of the sea and his stomach roiled at the memory and for a moment he felt that he understood how Natsu felt when faced with transport. Shaking his head to clear that thought he carefully climbed out of the crater with a frown, clearly the bubble had broken at some point and he just hoped that no one had ended up with worse injuries than him.

"GRAY!" The relieved shout distracted him from his worried thoughts and he whirled around, a sigh of relief escaping as he spotted Happy soaring towards him with Lucy suspended beneath him.

"Happy! Lucy! Are you both okay?" He asked once they had landed next to him, his eyes instinctively darting to the bloody gash on the Celestial Mage's face with a darkening expression on his face. Noticing where his attention had gone Lucy reached up to wipe at the cut, grimacing as her fingers came away bloody before shoving the pain aside with a shrug, there were bigger concerns at the moment.

"We'll live," she replied and the Ice Mage noted the edge in her voice and realised that she didn't want fussing over. "Have you seen the others?" She asked changing the topic, and he could see the terror swimming in the depths of her eyes and he knew that as much as she was worrying about Juvia and Erza's friends, that her thoughts like his were fixated on their missing teammates.

"Not yet," he admitted and her face fell, whilst Happy looked close to tears as he reached out to grasp Lucy's leg with a trembling paw. "Come on we need to get moving," he declared firmly, knowing that if they didn't get their acts together then they were all going to fall apart and he was unable to ignore the growing anxiety in the back of his mind.

Normally he wouldn't have been so anxious about Erza and Natsu, knowing full well that both of them were more than capable of taking care of themselves and each other. However, this situation was far from normal and he couldn't prevent the uneasy feeling that was creeping into his heart the longer they waited. Erza's armoured heart had been compromised if not outright destroyed by these events, and he wasn't sure that she would be able to fight like normal with that new vulnerability. Whilst Natsu had been going all out in a way that the Ice Mage had never seen, and he feared what might've pushed the Dragon-Slayer to such extremities.

"I can still fly for a bit longer," Happy finally spoke up, his voice trembling despite his attempt to inject confidence into it as he rubbed briefly at his eyes to stop the swimming tears from breaking free. "I'll check the water," he added, knowing that they had no way of knowing where the others had ended up although his heart went cold at the thought of any of them actually being out at sea.

"Alright but make sure you come back before you run out of magic," Gray said warningly, they couldn't afford to have anyone else in trouble and he knew the cat would willingly push himself too far if he thought it would help his nakama.

"Aye Sir," Happy agreed but there was a mutinous look in his eyes as he sprang into the air once more, and the two mages sighed as they watched him wing his way out over the water knowing that they would have to keep an eye on him.

"Let's split up to," Lucy suggest after a brief moment of silence, turning to look at the Ice Mage with a worried expression. "It'll increase our chances of finding them." In all honesty she didn't like the idea of splitting up, half of the trouble they'd had in the tower had come from the fact they'd ended up separated. But the fact that Natsu and Erza hadn't turned up yet was fast turning her worry and unease into full-blown terror and she knew that they were going to have take the risk.

"Are you sure?" Gray asked gently as he saw the hesitation in her eyes and knowing how much she disliked having to go off on her own during jobs let alone in a situation like this. He could see the sense in her words, but there was no way he was going to force the issue especially given how close to the edge their emotions were already.

"I'm sure," her voice was steadier this time and he nodded in acceptance of her words, knowing that if he argued further it would only be wasting time and would get her back up and they couldn't afford to waste time bickering.

"Okay, send up a signal if you run into trouble or if you find them and for heaven's sake be careful," he couldn't keep the note of worry out of his voice, and for the first time he realised that he was actually just as reluctant to split up as she was. He frowned not liking this new hesitancy that was filling him, and abruptly he turned and walked away before he could end up suggesting that he could stick together despite his earlier thoughts on the matter.

"Be careful," Lucy called softly after him and he raised a hand in acknowledgement, relieved that she hadn't tried to call him back and knowing the she had probably guessed the motives behind his sudden departure.

Realising that was the only reaction she was going to get Lucy gave a strained smile before forcing herself to turn in the opposite direction, her eyes darting anxiously over the seemingly abandoned beach. She just hoped that they could find their missing friends sooner rather than later, wanting to do nothing more than patch up whatever wounds everyone had and then get the hell out of here. She wanted to go home with all her nakama and try and forget that the last couple of days had happened…she was sure that this hadn't been what Loke had, had in mind when he gave them the tickets and she wondered how or if she could tell him.

FTFT

Happy glanced around with increasing desperation as he soared over the now calm waves, wondering how on earth the sea could seem so at ease when to him it felt as though the world was in turmoil. He knew it was wrong of him but he couldn't find it in himself to focus on the search for the others who had been in the bubble with them, all he could focus on was the fact that they hadn't found Natsu and Erza and even then his main focus was on his partner.

He'd been terrified when they'd watched the tower rocking and shaking, knowing instinctively that it was his partner who was on the rampage. Natsu was always overly destructive, but he only reached levels similar to the ones he'd used in the tower when things were truly got to hell. That, along with the fact that the Dragon-Slayer had yet to appear scared him more than anything, and he couldn't shake the feeling that something had gone horribly wrong and he hadn't been there to help.

"Natsu!" He called frantically as he tried to shove the fears aside to focus on the search, especially as he could feel his magic beginning to waver around the edge. There wasn't much time left and he knew that he should head back to the beach as Gray had asked, but he couldn't find it in himself to give up on his efforts so ignoring the warning running in the back of his mind he headed further out to sea.

FTFT

Lucy shivered slightly as she trudged along the beach, the tattered remnants of her clothes was doing little to keep her warm in the night air and it didn't help that she'd landed in the water when the bubble had burst. Still there was no time to worry about that, not when she still hadn't found the slightest sign of the others, despite covering a fair distance already and having nearly turned her voice hoarse from calling for them.

"Natsu! Erza! Minna!" She called again, flinching as her voice seemed to be lost in the sound of the waves crashing onto the beach. Turning she glanced in the direction Gray had taken and her feeling of isolation only grew as she realised that the Ice Mage had disappeared out of sight, and she had to fight the temptation to summon one of her spirits just to have some company. Sighing she turned back and continued along the beach, cursing slightly as she stumbled on the sand and trying to hold back the rising sense of fear in her heart.

"Lucy-san!" Her head shot up at the shout, her eyes widening as she found Erza's friends rushing towards them, noting with concern that Sho was being supported between the other two with his head hanging to the point it was nearly resting against his chest. Quickly she ran to meet them, swiftly burying the traitorous part of her that wished it was Natsu and Erza that she had found, knowing that the latter would be concerned with their safety than their own.

"Are you okay? What happened?" She asked as they met up, her eyes darting over all of them and noticing the array of cuts and bruises they were sporting and guessing they'd had a bad landing after the bubble burst.

"We're okay but Sho's hurt," Millianna explained anxiously, peering at the tanned boy with obvious concern and he weakly raised his head to shoot her a look that was meant to be encouraging.

"I'm okay."

"Sit him down so I can look at him," Lucy ordered hearing the clear lie in his wavering voice, she was reluctant to spend too much time away from the search but she couldn't ignore the fact he was injured. "Have you seen anyone else?" She asked as they followed her instructions, her eyes darkening as she took note of his laboured breathing.

"Juvia-san was with us," Wally spoke up and she glanced at him, relieved to hear the water mage was alright after everything she had done to help them. "She went to search the water, I think she was worried about Gray."

"Gray's fine I met up with him along the beach but we split up to search for the rest of you," Lucy explained as she carefully reached out and ran a hand done Sho's side, wincing sympathetically when he cried out as she brushed against his ribs.

"What about Erza-nee?" Sho asked once he'd caught his breath, glancing up at with a worried expression and she could only shrug helplessly and his face fell at once. Biting her lip she set to work on binding his ribs, carefully tearing strips of material from his shirt to work with as her thoughts drifted back to Natsu and Erza. They were the only ones unaccounted for now, and she couldn't fight the icy terror that was beginning to dig its claws into her – where were they?

FTFT

Gray was beginning to think that he must've chosen the wrong direction when he realised how far he had gone with no sign of anyone, cursing at the thought that he might be wasting his time. Glancing ahead he decided to keep going until he could reach the next cove before turning back just to make sure. Resolutely he plodded on, wondering whether Happy or Lucy had managed to find anyone else yet, although he knew the latter at least would have signalled if that was the case.

He was clambering awkwardly over the rocks separating the main beach from the next cove when something wrapped itself around his feet, and with a startled cry he fell forwards, cursing violently as the rocks cut into his hands. Muttering to himself he twisted round to see what had set him flying, dark eyes widening as he recognised the familiar white scarf that had wrapped itself around him. With trembling hands he reached down to untangle himself, his fingers digging into the material as he brought it up to rest against his chest…Natsu had to be nearby!

Ignoring the fresh pain his fall had caused he pushed himself back to his feet and looked around frantically, aware of the fact the scarf could have been swept away from Natsu, but hoping that it wouldn't be the case.

"Natsu!" He called loudly, despite the knowledge that if Natsu had been able to call out he would have already done so, after all the Dragon-slayer was always able to tell when there was someone close to him. However, he refused to let himself dwell on the reasons why the other teen wouldn't be able to do that. Gripping the scarf tightly as though afraid to lose the tenuous link to his nakama he continued to clamber over the rocks.

It was only a couple of minutes later that he stumbled again, and he knew instinctively what it was that had tripped him this time even before he turned back to look at the ground.

"Natsu," the Ice Mage breathed in horror, frozen for a moment as he stared down at the badly injured figure sprawled in the sand. Shaking himself out his shock he stumbled forward, dropping heavily to his knees beside his friend, his hands hovering helplessly over Natsu's body as he took in the full extent of the wounds covering the other's body. "Natsu!" He called more loudly as he finally risked touching the fire mage, carefully grabbing him by the shoulder and giving him a gentle shake in an attempt to rouse him, but there wasn't even a flicker of reaction in the still face.

Taking a breath to steady himself Gray forced himself to check the other's pulse and breathing, relieved to note that they were steady if somewhat weak. Drawing confidence from that he turned his attention to the other's wounds, hissing with sympathy as he took in the bloodied hands, wondering who or what Matsu had been hitting. He ghosted his hands over the torn flesh fearful of actually touching it and causing his friend further pain; instead he turned his attention to Natsu's other injuries, gently pulling aside the tattered remnants of his clothes to get a better view. Although when he did he wished he hadn't, gazing wide-eyed at the myriad cuts and bruises and guessing that the outer wounds were hiding even more serious injuries.

"Natsu can you hear me? You need to wake up for me?" The Ice Mage called with a hint of desperation in his voice as he looked for any hint of a reaction, more unnerved than he cared to admit by the sight of how injured the fire mage was. Seeing Natsu injured wasn't that shocking in itself, but he didn't think he'd ever seen the other teen looking so lifeless and he wondered just what had happened inside of the tower and wishing that he'd fought harder to get back inside.

Forcing himself to focus on the present and not the what ifs he hastily sent an icy flare up into the air to tell Lucy he had found something, the cold light startlingly bright against the night sky. He hoped that she had managed to find the others because there was no way he could leave Natsu at the moment, and he was too worried about the possibility of further internal injuries to risk moving the fire mage without assistance.

Praying that she wouldn't take too long he settled back down next to his friend, noticing with a frown as a small shiver worked its way through Natsu's body. His eyes widened as another followed and then another and fear began to rise once more in his chest, he'd never seen the other teen react to the cold before and he knew that it was a sign that things were worse than he'd thought.

"Damn it," he muttered glancing around for inspiration, knowing that the usual solution of sharing body heat would be useless in this situation because his magic meant that his body was always substantially cooler than everyone else's. His eyes widened as he remembered the scarf that he dropped in the sand beside him when he found the Dragon-Slayer and he quickly grabbed it, gently draping it over Natsu's chest in the hope that it would lend him some warmth. The rest of the Fire Mage's clothes were in tatters and he'd long since lost his own shirt and coat so he couldn't even use them, and there was nothing else in sight that could be used.

FTFT

"Look!" Wally called drawing Lucy's attention from her examination of Sho's injuries, whirling to look at he was indicating with hope rising in her chest despite her attempts to quell it. Her eyes widened as she took in the icy light filling the sky, suddenly remembering his instructions about sending up a flare and her face lit up as she realised what it might mean.

"Gray's found someone," she exclaimed, feeling guilty for forgetting to send up a flare of her own when she found the trio of friends. The sense of hope reared its head again though as she realised that if she had found them, then it meant the Ice Mage had found at least of their teammates – she resolutely quashed the thought that maybe he'd run into an enemy, unable to bear the thought of more fighting at the moment.

"Let's go, it might be Erza-nee," Sho said weakly as he forced himself to his feet, swaying gently and he would have fallen if Millianna had swiftly darted forwards to wrap an arm around him, her face a mix of hope and worry. "I can walk on my own," he protested as he felt Wally moving to his other side, but the pair sent him quelling looks and he quickly subsided. Lucy wanted to protest knowing that really he need to rest, but as she met his eyes she realised that they were just as worried for her missing friends as she was.

"Stay close to me," she instructed instead and they nodded without protest, following closely as she led the way back down the beach.

FTFT

"Natsu!" Happy called wearily as he felt his magic flickering for a moment before abruptly it gave out, his eyes widening with alarm as his wings disappeared once more sending him plunging towards the sea with a panicked shout for help even though he knew the others were too far away to help him.

Just as he was about to hit the water cool arms wrapped around him stopping his fall, and with a relieved mew he twisted his head to look up at his rescuer. He blinked with surprise to find that it was Juvia was holding him, however, she wasn't paying any attention to him as her gaze was fixated on something in front of her. Unnerved by the paleness of her face and the shock in her eyes he turned to see what held her gaze and felt his own eyes widening in horror.

"Erza…?"


	3. Chapter 2

Thank you for the amazing reviews, follows and favourites.

Disclaimer: Fairy Tail and its brilliant characters don't belong to me, I'm just borrowing them.

FTFT

_Just as he was about to hit the water cool arms wrapped around him stopping his fall, and with a relieved mew he twisted his head to look up at his rescuer. He blinked with surprise to find that it was Juvia was holding him, however, she wasn't paying any attention to him as her gaze was fixated on something in front of her. Unnerved by the paleness of her face and the shock in her eyes he turned to see what held her gaze and felt his own eyes widening in horror._

"_Erza…?"_

FT

Ahead of them, sitting unmoving despite the waves lapping gently at its base, was a lacrima that was nearly triple the size of the bubble that Juvia had created to protect them when they fled the tower. It glittered brightly in the night and from what they could see the insides seemed to be fluid, and in constant flux. However, what drew their attention was the heartbreakingly familiar figure floating within the depths of the lacrima, her crimson hair being tugged by the flowing etherion so that it spread out like a halo around her head.

From their position it was impossible to tell if she was breathing or not, and as they watched her aimlessly drifting they couldn't help but fear the worse.

"What is this?" Happy asked his voice a mere whisper as though afraid to break the silence that had settled over them. Wide-eyed he reached out hesitantly towards the lacrima but just before his paw came into contact with the lacrima's shell he snatched it back, afraid of breaking or disturbing it in case it caused further damage to Erza.

"The last bit of the tower," Juvia breathed horrified as she stared at the figure floating in the depths of the trapped magic, cautiously she leant forward making sure to keep Happy away from the surface as she gingerly pressed her hand against it. There was sharp tingle against her skin and she rapidly pulled away with a slight hiss of pain, watching as a shimmer passed through the lacrima's contents, forming a faint glow around Erza for the briefest moment before disappearing. "I don't want to try breaking it in case I make things worse," she added gently glancing down to meet Happy's gaze, before turning her attention to her hand and noting with concern that it looked burnt.

"We should find the others…they need to know," Happy said, realising that if Erza was in this kind of condition then it didn't bode well for his partner's condition and he could only hope that the others had managed to find Natsu. Quietly Juvia nodded, realizing how hard this news was going to hit the others, especially her beloved Gray who had been oscillating between worry and panic for the red-head since she'd first rescued him in the bar.

"Let's go," she said softly and making sure she had a firm hold on the exhausted cat she set off over the waves, finding it harder than she thought possible to bear the thought of abandoning the trapped mage even though she knew they needed help if they were to be able to do anything. In her arms Happy sniffles quietly, torn between terror at what state Natsu might be in and fear that there might be nothing that they could do for Erza.

FTFT

Lucy wanted to shout with relief when she finally spotted the dark outline of the Ice Mage barely illuminated by the last remnants of the ice flare, but instead she had to focus on guiding Erza's friends over the rocks as the walk had taken a lot out of Sho and he was struggling to stay on his feet.

"Gray! What did you fin…?" Lucy called as they finally stepped off the rocks, her voice trailing off as her eyes landed on the scarily still form lying next to him, and her eyes grew impossibly wide as she realised who it was. "Natsu!" She cried charging forwards, completely forgetting about her companions as her entire focus was on her best friend. Tears were already trickling down her face as she dropped down into the sand beside him, a horrified gasp escaping as she took in the damage marring his body.

"He's still with us," Gray said, answering the unasked question he could see in her eyes as she reached out hesitantly towards the fire mage, clearly afraid to touch him in case she made things worse for him. Both of them knew that he was leaving the _for now_ unspoken, and as Lucy got a closer look at her friend's wounds she realised how true those silent words were; she had never seen Natsu so badly hurt before and it scared her to see him laid so low. "You didn't find any trace of Erza? Or that girl…Juvia?" He asked as he turned to look at Erza's friends who were hovering awkwardly a short distance away, clearly afraid to intrude on the personal movement.

"Juvia was with them but she went off to search in the water before I found them," Lucy replied as she reluctantly dragged her gaze away from Natsu to reply. "There's still no sign of Erza," she added much more quietly, knowing that the longer they went without news of the re-quip mage the less likely it was that the news was going to be good.

"I'm sure she'll be fine," Gray said, but there was a lack of conviction in his voice as he spoke, his gaze lingering on Natsu as he spoke. If the fire mage was in this condition, then what condition would Erza be in? He knew that no matter how hot-headed and plain idiotic the fire mage could be, he would have defended Erza with all his strength regardless of what she wanted and it was growing harder to ignore the pit of terror growing in his stomach…Erza would be fine…she had to be.

FTFT

"Gray! Lucy!" They all looked around at the loud cry, Lucy automatically scanning the sky only to find Juvia running across the beach towards them with Happy cradled protectively in her arms as he waved at them to get their attention. They were disappointed to see no sign of Erza, but as the pair drew closer that disappointment gave way to worry and alarm as they took in the pairs' pale expressions and the tears trickling unchecked down Happy's face.

"What is it?" Gray demanded as soon as they reached them not giving them chance to catch their breath, dread pooling in his stomach as they exchanged a grim look before Happy turned back to face him.

"I..It's…We found her, we found Erza," Happy blurted out finally and the pain in his voice told them that they weren't going to like the news. The cat struggled to continue, trying to find the words to convey what they had found but his voice had dried up in his throat as he tried to block out the haunting image of Erza floating trapped in the lacrima.

Glancing around as he struggled to rein in the welling emotions his gaze finally fell on the still form lying between Gray and Lucy, and the little cat froze, his eyes growing wide as they moved across to the familiar salmon-coloured hair. With a noise that was half cry and half whimper Happy darted across to Natsu, the flow of tears down his face increasing as he laid trembling paws on his partner's arm as he desperately searched Natsu's face for some sort of reaction. "Natsu," Happy finally whispered, and the pain in his voice was heart-breaking for his friends to hear and yet they had no means to comfort him and they could only watch sorrowfully as he buried his head against Natsu's chest with a loud sob.

"Juvia?" Gray asked turning back to look at the water mage when it was clear that Happy had been completely derailed by Natsu's condition, and unable to find it in himself to force the cat away from his partner despite the need to find out about Erza.

"Erza-san," Juvia started hesitantly flushing slightly as everyone's attention switched to her, and lowering her gaze as she realised how intently Gray was looking at her. "We found her trapped in a lacrima just beyond where the tower was…" Gray's gaze immediately darted down to Natsu's bloody hands, the injuries taking on an even darker meaning as he imagined the Fire mage desperately trying to reach Erza – he probably hadn't even been aware of the fact that he was injuring himself.

"Why didn't you free her?" Sho spoke up in a heated voice drawing Gray's attention away from the Dragon-Slayer and the Ice Mage watched in concern as the other teen staggered back to his feet as he glared furiously at Juvia.

"Juvia tried," the water mage countered softly before Gray could intervene, flinching away in the face of the anger and she was relieved when his companions reached out to pull him back, their faces slowly morphing into masks of grief as they began to register what she was telling them. "My magic was unable to penetrate it, and it disturbed the etherion inside and I didn't want to risk causing more harm. It didn't like my magic," she added holding her hand out for them all to see the burn marring the pale skin, the skin looking angry and irritated and they all saw the small wince that passed over her face at the movement.

Gray swallowed hard at the evidence of her attempts to free Erza, having known from watching her that she was telling the truth and he could feel his eyes already beginning to burn. Silently he stepped forward to gently take hold of the burned appendage, ignoring the way her face flushed bright red as he allowed the cool of his magic to seep over skin and soothe the burn, watching as she instantly relaxed slightly.

"Was she…is she alive?" He forced himself to ask once he was sure it was working, annoyed with himself for failing to keep the waver out of his voice. He was terrified of what the answer might be, but needing to hear it all the same.

"We couldn't tell," Happy replied unsteadily as he finally looked up from Natsu, tears still cascading down his face as he met Gray's gaze. "She didn't respond to the disturbance Juvia caused though," he added sadly a tremor in his voice, before his gaze dropped back down to Natsu as his words seemed to hang in the air for a long moment as the others tried to absorb what he was telling them.

"No," Lucy cried dropping back to her knees as she began to weep, barely aware of the hand that Gray laid on her shoulder in an attempt to comfort her even as he tried to keep his own feet, his chest currently feeling like it was trying to tear itself in half. "Erza…She can't be…she can't…" She was vaguely aware of the others beginning to cry out their own denials as the water mage's words finally sank in, but she couldn't find the strength to try and offer them comfort as her own grief weighed her down.

FT

Gray knew that they couldn't afford for them all to fall apart at this point, especially not with Natsu in dire need of medical attention and looking around he realized that he was going to have to be the strong one for now. He glanced at Natsu, wishing that the fire mage would wake up as he was much better at offering comfort and finding hope in the very worst situations than he was. Although he doubted that even the ever optimistic Dragon-slayer would be able to find anything positive in this situation.

Shaking his head he turned to consider his other companions, knowing that they needed to get word back to the guild as soon as possible. Even before looking at them he knew asking his own guild mates was out of the question, there was no way they would leave Natsu behind in his current condition and he wouldn't ask them to. Erza's friends were in a state and the blond-haired one was obviously fairly injured, which left Juvia as the only real option although he was slightly hesitant to ask...not because he didn't trust her, in his mind she had proved herself with all that she had already done; but because he wasn't certain that the rest of the guild would be so forgiving towards the former Phantom Lord member.

"Juvia would you take a message to Fairy Tail for us?" Gray asked grimly realising that he would just have to ask her and let her decide, and he was startled by the speed at which her attention shifted to him and for a brief moment he imagined that there he saw faint hearts dancing in her eyes. Shaking himself he shoved that thought aside as being a side-effect of his tiredness and emotions. "Natsu needs proper treatment and I don't think he's up to a long journey at the moment, but our Master needs to know what's happened." His voice wavered slightly at the end and the burning in his eyes that he had been trying to ignore was growing in intensity, but he forcefully blinked it aside for now.

"Hai, I'll tell him," Juvia said softly seeing the pain in his face and silently marvelling at the strength he was showing, she barely knew the red-haired mage and yet the sight of her trapped within the lacrima had brought her to tears, and yet here he was staying strong for the sake of his nakama. As much as she wanted to remain by his side and try and offer him comfort, she knew that honouring his request would help him more. "Please take care," she said imploringly, resisting the urge to glower at Lucy's proximity to the Ice Mage.

Without waiting for acknowledgement she took off, determined to prove to Gray and the rest of his guild that she was worthy of their trust. Fighting beside them in the Tower and sharing in their worry and pain as they watched the tower erupt had cemented her desire to join Fairy Tail. It was a guild where she would be able to find everything that had been missing from her time with Phantom…trust, friendship and hopefully love.

FT

"We need to get Natsu back," Gray said seriously once the Water mage was out of sight and turning to look at Lucy who was still staring down at Natsu with tears still trickling down her cheeks. However, at his words she hastily brushed them aside and got to her feet with a determined expression as she nodded in agreement. "We'll need to carry him between us, I don't want to risk making his injuries worse," he instructed as he crouched down to lay his hands down on either side of the Dragon-Slayer's head, Happy quickly moving to one side as he realised what Gray was doing. "Ice Make…" he murmured and slowly ice spread out from his fingers, carefully forming a stretcher beneath the injured mage.

"Gray won't he melt your ice?" Happy spoke up hesitantly as though afraid of angering the Ice Mage and Gray sighed before shaking his head sadly as he glanced down at the worried cat.

"He's cold to the touch Happy," he said softly, wincing at the horrified gasps that escaped his companions as they realised the implications of his words and shivering as their reactions cut through his own denial. "He's completely used up all his magic and it'll take a while to even begin to recuperate given his condition, so this should hold till we get him back," he finished his explanation, thankful when none of them commented on the slight shakiness to his voice, knowing that if they did there was no way he would be able to hold himself together.

Silently Lucy moved to stand by Natsu's feet before cautiously taking hold of the stretcher, forcing herself not to hiss as the coldness of the ice burned against her skin. The pain helped to bring her out of the cloud of grief she had been slipping into, and sniffing she glanced expectantly across at Gray who nodded in acknowledgement before moving to the other end. With extreme care they lifted their friend, waiting with bated breath to see if he would react, and both struggling to hide their disappointment when there wasn't the slightest bit of response.

"Let's get him back," Gray said when he managed to find his voice around the disappointment welling in his chest. Silently they began to make their way back over the rock, the other three following behind them still lost in their own grief whilst Happy dragged up enough energy to take to the air to lead the way, all of them highly aware of what they were leaving behind.

FTFT

Gray had managed to hold himself together all the way through getting Natsu back to the hotel and had even managed to stay in the room whilst the hastily summoned healer did what she could to treat the fire mage. In the bright hotel lights the Dragon-Slayer's injuries had been thrown into sharp relief, making the Ice Mage shudder as he tried to imagine just what could've happened in the Tower whilst trying frantically to block out the healer's warnings that Natsu wasn't out of danger yet. He couldn't even allow the idea of losing the hothead to take root in his mind, knowing that if he did he would lose all ability to function.

Finally the healer had left with stern instructions that Natsu was not to be left alone for the next couple of days, which was the critical period that would determine whether or not he survived or not and Gray felt himself beginning to fall apart. As soon as the healer was gone he had turned to Lucy who was sat cradling Natsu's hand against her chest, with tears trickling silently down her face.

"Lucy can you stay with him?" Gray asked numbly, aware that his voice was wavering as he felt the control he'd ben exerting over his emotions beginning to crack and realising that he wasn't going to be able to hold them back much longer.

"Of course," Lucy replied instantly, and there was an understanding expression on her tear-streaked face as she took in the way he was trembling and the moisture swimming in his eyes. In all honesty she had expected him to crack before now, but looking at him now she realised that he didn't want to do it in front of her or Natsu (even if the latter was dead to the world). "Go," she added when she saw him hesitating when he glanced at Natsu, and with a jerky nod he obeyed, practically stumbling from the room in his hurry to escape.

Thankfully he didn't encounter anyone as made it down the corridor to his room, slipping inside he quickly locked the door behind him, unable to bear the thought of anyone bursting on him at the moment. In a daze he shed the remainder of his clothes and headed for the shower, turning the water to its hottest settings, needing the heat to ground him in reality

"Erza," he whispered as he stepped under the cascading water and the sound of her name broke the dam that had been holding back his emotions, and a sob forced itself free as tears began to course freely down his cheeks. A low wail escaped him as for the first time he allowed himself to acknowledge the fact that they had lost Erza, and the strength drained out of him and he slumped into the bottom of the shower as he began to sob in earnest. _Why? After everything she's been through, why did she have to be the one we lost? Why hadn't Natsu…?_

His head shot up as that thought dissolved as suddenly as it had formed, and guilt pooled in his stomach for even contemplating the idea of blaming Natsu for what had happened. The fact that he was laid down the corridor fighting for his own life, and the spectacular rampage they had witnessed earlier was more than enough proof that he had given his all for their red-headed friend. He couldn't even begin to imagine what state the fire mage would be in when he woke up, and they had no way of knowing if he was already aware of the fact they had lost…her, or whether it would fall to them to tell him.

"Damn it Erza…What are we supposed to do without you?" He asked brokenly as he slowly buried his head in his knees, trying to escape from everything if only for a little while.

FT

It was some time later that he emerged from the bathroom, his emotions back in check for now although he knew that there was still lots to come. As much as he would like some more time to himself he knew that Lucy must be just as keen for a shower as he had been, and that she also probably needed a break from everything that was happening…if she could bring herself to leave Natsu's side that was. He knew that it was a shock for her to see just how bad it could get on jobs, the rest of them had been in the guild for much longer and had unfortunately seen other cases that had ended just as badly…Lisanna immediately springing to mind.

With that realisation in mind he turned his feet towards Natsu's room. Although he found himself hesitating at the door, terrified of opening the door in case he found that the Dragon-slayer had taken a turn for the worse during his absence. Eventually though he forced himself to take the handle and push the door open, knowing that if anything had happened good or bad that Lucy would have sent for him.

"Gray," Lucy's head had shot up as he stepped inside and he noted that her hand had dropped instinctively down to her whip, and he felt a momentary sadness for her growing loss of innocence even as he raised his hands to indicate his lack of threat. "Are you feeling better?" She asked, wincing slightly at the question but he knew that she hadn't many anything by it and he merely nodded in response.

"You should go and get a shower to, we're in for a long night," he said gently, unsurprised when she hesitated looking reluctantly at the Dragon-Slayer and he realised that she had been sat holding his hand when he entered. "You won't do him any good neglecting yourself," he added softly and her gaze flickered back to him, her reluctance gradually fading away to resignation as she got to her feet. For a brief second she hesitated before leaning over to press a gentle kiss against Natsu's forehead before pulling away and heading for the door.

"Look after him," she said softly before slipping out of the door without waiting for a response, knowing that the request was unnecessary but feeling better for it all the same. Sighing, Gray waited until the door had clicked shut behind her before finally moving across to claim a seat next to the bed.

"You have to come back to us Natsu, we can't survive loosing you too," he muttered to his one-time rival before he found himself reaching out to grasp Natsu's hand, trying not to flinch away as he felt the unnatural chill still tainting Natsu's skin…it wasn't right for the walking furnace to feel so cold, and for the first time the Ice Mage found himself fearing the cold.

FT

An Hour Later:

Gray sighed as he stretched out his stiffening limbs for a moment before turning his attention back to Natsu, afraid to look away for more than a moment at a time in case he missed the slightest change in his friend's condition. He had spent the last hour talking quietly to the unconscious mage, unsure of whether Natsu was able to hear him but unwilling to leave him lying in the shadow without a link back to them. He spoke of their childhood, of their various scraps and adventures, although his voice would always break when he ventured near the topic of their red-haired friend.

"Gray?" The ice mage turned at the quiet voice, forcing a smile that he knew appeared more like a grimace as he found Lucy peering around the door, her face pale as her eyes darted to the figure on the bed obviously looking for some sign of change.

"Come in," he said softly seeing her hesitation and with a silent nod she slipped inside, hovering near the door for a moment before quietly moving across to stand at the end of the bed. Her eyes were searching as she stared down at Natsu with a lost expression on her face, and he sighed as he realised that she had never seen Natsu in this state before…injured yes, but hovering on the edge of death? "He'll come back to us, he's stronger than you know," he said, but he wasn't entirely sure who he was trying to comfort as his own gaze drifted back to Natsu.

"Where are the others?" He asked turning his gaze back to her, realising that he hadn't seen or heard anything from Er…her friends since they returned to the hotel and feeling guilty for forgetting them, they might have fought against them to start with but it was clear that they cared just as much for Erza as they did. He felt his chest tightening up again at her name even if it was only in his head and his eyes began to burn again and he had to blink heavily to hold them back.

"They haven't come out of their room and I didn't want to force them," Lucy said softly and he sighed before nodding in understanding, he couldn't begin to imagine how they felt at the moment. "Happy is asleep in my room, I think he cried himself into exhaustion," she added with a worried frown, the little cat had been inconsolable between the discovery of Erza's current situation and his partner's current condition she couldn't help but wonder how he would survive if anything happened to Natsu…she wasn't sure how any of them would survive if that happened.

FTFT


	4. Chapter 3

Thank you for the reviews, follows and favourites.

Disclaimer: As always Fairy Tail and its awesome characters don't belong to me, I'm just borrowing them.

FTFT

Two days later:

Lucy sighed softly as she slipped back into Natsu's room after briefly slipping out to check on Erza's friends who hadn't left her red-headed friend's room since their return from the beach. The trio were a mess and she didn't know what she could do to help them, and although she felt bad about it her main focus remained on her own nakama. Her eyes softened slightly as they fell on Gray, the Ice Mage draped awkwardly over the side of Natsu's bed, his face pale and drawn even in sleep as he clung unconsciously to one of the Fire Mage's heavily bandaged hands. Whilst on the other side of the bed Happy had curled into a tiny ball, his face pressed against Natsu's side as one paw clung to the Dragon-Slayer's clothes.

"Gray," she called softly trying not to wake Happy as well, as she padded across to the bed, a tight smile appearing as he reluctantly began to stir, his brow furrowing as he fought against consciousness but after a moment his eyes flickered open. For a long moment they just stared at one another and then he sat up with a jolt, his head swinging in alarm towards Natsu, his eyes frantically searching for any sign of change in the Fire Mage.

"Damn I didn't mean to fall asleep," he growled once he was satisfied that nothing dire had happened during his impromptu nap, his expression guilty as he turned to look at Lucy. The Celestial mage sighed again at his expression and shook her head before making her way to the seat on the far side of the bed, dropping heavily into it before turning her attention back to Gray.

"You should get some proper rest," she scolded even though she knew that he wasn't going to listen to her, not that she could blame him. The last time he had popped out of the room for more than a couple of minutes the Dragon-Slayer's condition had taken a turn for the worse, and if it hadn't been for the speed at which Happy fetched the healer they might have lost Natsu.

FT

Gray sighed as he sat back in his chair, his expression warming slightly as he glanced across at Lucy only to discover that she had imitated his earlier actions and was now dozing awkwardly in the chair. He winced at the uncomfortable position she had adopted, knowing that she was going to be stiff when she woke up but unable to find it in himself to disturb her rest. She had barely rested either in the last couple of days, and she had been busy splitting her time between Natsu and Erza's friends, especially as he had found it impossible to bring himself to go and visit them – despite the fact that he knew his resentment towards them was more than unfair.

Unfortunately now that Lucy was asleep there was nothing to distract him from his thoughts, and as he turned his gaze back to the unconscious Dragon-slayer, his eyes lingering on the slow rise and fall of his friend's chest he couldn't stop his thoughts from drifting to Erza. For better or worse he had made the decision to go and visit her prison the day before, needing to see for himself what had happened for her although part of him wished that he hadn't given into the temptation – the image of her floating just out of reach was going to haunt him for a long time.

_Gray felt nauseous as he stared up at the lacrima imprisoning his childhood friend, his eyes darkening as he stared at the figure floating in the confines of the etherion. She looked so peaceful, the glow from the confined magic making her glow and he couldn't stop the tears that trickled down his cheeks as he reached out with a trembling hand only to stop just shy of the lacrima as Juvia's words and the sight of her burned hand flashed through his mind._

"_Erza," he murmured softly, his gaze locked on the floating figure which seemed so close and yet so far. Despite the evidence Juvia had shown them he couldn't resist the temptation, and before he could spend to long worrying about the consequences he summoned up his magic. "Ice Make: Lance!" He roared, knowing at this distance he couldn't miss and that he would achieve maximum impact. Instinctively he'd closed his eyes for the collision not wanting to get hit with any shards of ice or lacrima, and it turned out to be a blessing as a blinding light filled the air, bright enough to burn through his eyelids._

_Unfortunately having his eyes shut meant that he was caught by surprise when the Etherion within the lacrima reacted violently to his attack, and he found himself being violently flung aside, a cry of pain forcing itself free as the wild magic lashed against him._

"_ERZA!" He roared frantically as he regained his balance, reaching out to steady the little row boat he was in, eyes wide with alarm as watched the magic lashing angrily at the air for a moment before eventually subsiding back into the lacrima. Desperately he leant forward, pressing himself back against the lacrima as he desperately peered in…only letting out a relieved breath as he found her floating unaffected in the depths of the magic._

FT

Angrily he shifted in his seat, reaching up to scrub at his eyes as he felt the all too familiar burn of tears. The visit had been bad enough, but when he had returned to the hotel it was to find Lucy and the healer fighting to save Natsu as his condition nose-dived. He was sure he wouldn't be able to forget the sight of the Fire mage struggling to breathe whilst the healer frantically cast spells, whilst Lucy and Happy had looked on helplessly. Gray had nearly collapsed in the hallway, convinced that he was about to see another friend slip away from him.

The healer had said that it was nothing more than a miracle that the Dragon-Slayer had survived, and had warned that if his condition deteriorated like that again then it was unlikely that she would be able to help him. That news had immediately destroyed the relief they'd felt at seeing Natsu resting safely and peacefully once more, and neither of them had dared to venture far since then, determined that he wasn't going to get the opportunity to slip away from them.

FTFT

The next morning:

Gray yawned slightly as he moved slightly in his seat, cursing the uncomfortable piece of furniture yet again as he felt his back protesting its mistreatment. Grimly he vowed that when they eventually left the hotel he was going to destroy it even if it did mean paying for damages, only to glance up in surprise as he heard a small chuckle only to find that his movements had woken Lucy and she was watching him with wry amusement and he flushed slightly as he realised he'd spoken his thoughts aloud.

"I might join you in that," Lucy grumbled as she stretched out her own stiff body, scowling as tried to work out kinks her unfortunate sleeping position had caused. As soon as she was sorted her gaze drifted to Natsu, her expression falling at finding him still unconscious although logically she knew that Gray would have woken her if she had woken up. "Any change?" She couldn't resist asking, praying for even the slightest development.

"No," Gray replied simply, hating the way her expression fell further but unwilling to give her false hope as he turned his own gaze to the Dragon-Slayer. Apart from the incident when he was away, Natsu had survived what the healer had highlighted as the critical period but even that knowledge could do little against the fear growing in them every moment that passed without the slightest sign of change. Both of them glancing sadly at Happy who was still sleeping, a frown still present on his face as he clung to Natsu; the cat had refused to shift from the bed since Natsu's near miss, not that they could blame him.

"What…" Lucy trailed off as there was a soft knock at the door, and both of them tensed for a moment before exchanging worried look and her eyes widened as she noticed Gray's hands sliding into a battle-ready position, and she quickly followed his lead as her hand dropped down to her keys.

"Come in," Gray called calmly, and they both watched warily as the door silently opened, their eyes widening as the familiar figure of their Master stepped into the room and both immediately abandoned their battle-ready stances with guilty expressions.

"Gramps," Gray breathed in surprise having not expected anyone to arrive from the guild for at least another day or two. Makarov looked up at him and the Ice mage found himself freezing as he took in the worried and grief-stricken expression on the old man's face, not even when Mira and Elfman returned with news of Lisanna's death had their Master looked so broken and Gray found himself unsure of what to say.

"Gray…Lucy," Makarov's voice was soft as he gazed between the pair before finally allowing his eyes to move to the still form on the bed, and there was no hiding the pain that flashed across his face as he stared at Natsu. "Natsu," he breathed before slowly moving towards the bed as he slowly took in the Dragon-Slayer's condition, and Gray silently stepped aside to allow the old man to take over his position at Natsu's side.

"He took a turn for the worse the other day, but since then there's been no change in his condition," Lucy reported wearily as she met their Master's eyes and seeing the question in them, and he nodded in understanding, seeming to age in front of her eyes as he hesitantly reached out to touch Natsu. His hand brushed against the Fire Mage's cheek, his expression darkening at the lack of heat coming off the Dragon-Slayer and realising just what that indicated.

"What did the healer say?" Makarov forced himself to ask as he allowed his hand to come to rest in pink locks, turning to look at Gray, not liking the grim expression on the teen's face as the Ice Mage sighed heavily at the question.

"Magical exhaustion, burns from exposure to the Etherion and numerous injuries from his battles within the tower," Gray listed off bleakly, remembering his own reactions when the healer had listed of Natsu's injuries especially as she hadn't been as sparing with the details and he was unsurprised when Makarov paled even at the shorter list.

Makarov nodded silently as he absorbed Gray's words, his gaze shifting back to Natsu and feeling a pang of sorrow at seeing one of his favourite children in such a state. Juvia had tried to warn him about what to expect when she turned up at the guild to tell him what had happened, but somewhere along the way he had managed to convince himself that it couldn't be as bad as she was making out. Now, however, he was being confronted with the harsh reality and it took him more effort than he would ever admit to, to turn back and ask the question he had been trying to put off.

"And Erza?" There was no hiding the pain in his voice as he asked the question, realising now that Juvia had probably been more sparing with the details of what he was going to find than he had originally thought, and he was relieved that he hadn't told the rest of the guild what was happening before he left.

Gray swallowed hard at the question, the image of Erza trapped in that thrice-dammed lacrima filling his mind and he found himself taking an unconscious step backwards as though trying to distance himself from the image. Desperately he tried to find the words to explain what had happened to the red-haired mage but he couldn't force them past the lump that had risen in his throat, and he turned to look helplessly at Lucy.

"From what Juvia and Happy told us," Lucy paused to glance across at the sleeping Exceed but she was reluctant to wake him, especially as she knew as much as he did. "The Tower of Heaven has been reduced to a single, very large lacrima that is filled with the remnants of the Etherion that didn't shoot into the sky. Erza is trapped in the middle of that lacrima," her voice trembled at the end and she exchanged a pained look with Gray, once again thankful she hadn't gone to visit the red-head as she saw the haunted expression on his face.

"You've tried to free her?" Makarov answered glancing at Gray who nodded mutely, the grim expression on his face telling the older man how unsuccessful the effort had been, not that he had expected anything different after Juvia had shown him the burn on her arm.

"This time the Etherion lashed out in response," Gray muttered finally, knowing that their Master would need all their information if he was going to stand a chance of doing something for Erza. "As far as I can tell it didn't affect her, but…" _What if I did hurt her?_ It was a thought that had plagued him ever since he'd returned to the hotel, and it rose with full force as he raised his gaze to meet their Master's.

"But you can't be sure," Makarov concluded with a sigh, his brow furrowing in thought as he considered their situation. On the way to the resort he'd contacted those he trusted and who he knew could be discreet both within the council and the guilds to see if they had ever heard of a similar situation, so far none of them had been able to come up with anything even remotely similar, and whilst they were continuing the search he had little confidence that they would be able to find anything.

"Master…"

"Don't worry there is still hope," Makarov said seeing the open fear on Lucy's face, and the terror that Gray was barely holding at bay beneath his mask and his expression tightened. His gaze shifted back to the bed and he scowled, the situation needed to be resolved as soon as possible before his children were hurt anymore…he refused to allow the insidious whisper at the back of his mind that said that it might be too late for him to help Erza, knowing that if he let that thought in now then he would be useless. With a firm nod of his head he got to his feet, feeling their eyes immediately following his motion.

"Gramps?" Gray asked slowly, startled by the sudden movement and more than a little worried by the grim expression on the old man's face and the faint stirrings of his magic that could be felt in the air around them.

"I'm going out to her," Makarov said gently, holding up a hand as Gray opened his mouth and the Ice Mage froze. "I want you to both stay with Natsu," he added, knowing that Gray had been about to offer to go with him although it was blatantly obvious he was still shaken from his last view of Erza and he was unwilling to add to their burden.

"But…" Gray began to protest but trailed off guiltily, in all honesty he had no desire to see Erza trapped in that lacrima again, and yet it didn't feel right just staying behind whilst Makarov tried to free her.

"Gray it's all right," the Ice mage looked up at the soft tone and seeing the understanding in Makarov's eyes he finally nodded with a mixture of defeat and relief. "Look after him," Makarov added with a last lingering look at the Dragon-slayer, Natsu's unnatural stillness unnerving him more than he would ever admit out loud especially with Lucy and Gray's anxious eyes watching him. Shooting them a comforting look he disappeared, closing the door firmly behind him as summoned his courage for what he was about to see.

FTFT

Later that afternoon:

Gray paced anxiously in front of the door, his brow furrowed in concern as his gaze alternated between the unmoving form of the Dragon-Slayer on the bed, the clock on the wall and the door. It had been several hours since Makarov had left to go and visit Erza and to see if there was anything that he could do to free her, and the Ice Mage was getting more and more angsty the longer the old man was gone. It didn't help that he was torn between hope that the old man would be able to find a way to help Erza, and terror that he would return only to say that there was nothing that could be done.

"Do you want to go and look for him?" Lucy asked softly, tired of watching him pace from her seat next to Fire Mage and Happy glanced anxiously between them before snuggling back next to Natsu not wanting to get involved in the discussion. Gray paused in his pacing at her question and she could see the conflict flickering across his face before with a resigned sigh he shook his head.

"No, I don't want to leave him," he said quietly before gesturing at Natsu, terrified that if he left again something else might happen to the Dragon-Slayer if he dared to step out of the room. Lucy opened her mouth to reply, unsure of what she could say to ease his worries when she was just as worried as he was, just as the door behind him swung open to reveal an exhausted looking Makarov. "Gramps?!" Gray cried as he swung to look at Makarov, his expression falling as he took in the state of their Master and the disheartened expression he was sporting.

"Master come and sit down," Lucy ordered in a concerned voice, shooting a quelling look at Gray as he opened his mouth no doubt to demand answers. With a weary sigh Makarov obeyed, his expression darkening further as he looked searchingly at Natsu as he settled into the offered seat, the lack of change another blow to his heart and he couldn't resist reaching out to take hold of one of the Fire Mage's hand.

"Gramps?" Gray asked more softly this time as he drew closer to the bed, his expression a mix of fear and desperation, needing to know what was happening but afraid of what Makarov might be about to tell them. Makarov sighed as he glanced between them, easily reading the emotions in their eyes and pondering what to say to them.

"My magic couldn't break through the Etherion either," he admitted softly and their expressions fell at once, and Gray dropped numbly to the floor, his hands clenching into fists as he felt the hope that had been sustaining him being slowly destroyed. If a Saint Wizard couldn't break Erza out of the lacrima then what else could they do? "Some reasearchers from the council have arrived as well," Makarov continued and Gray raised his eyes, a dark scowl forming on his face at the mention of the council.

"It took them all this time to get here when it was their fault in the first place?!" He spat angrily, if they had never fired the Etherion then Jellal would never have come close to achieving his goal and none of this would have happened to Natsu and Erza. He had never been found of the council, especially with their tendency for taking matters out on their guild, but he knew he would never be able to respect them again after this.

"Can't they do anything?" Lucy asked desperately, she was angry with the council as well as she could understand the fury burning in Gray's eyes but if they could help Erza then she would be more than willing to accept their help.

"The council are looking into it, but..." Makarov trailed off, unable to bring himself to crush the last remnants of hope that he could see his children clinging to. Realistically he knew that it was better to tell them the truth now so that they could come to terms with it, but they had already been through so much and with the uncertainty about Natsu's condition…

"They don't think it can be done…do they?" Lucy asked hesitantly, and he winced as he saw her exchange a grim knowing look with Gray and he realised that they must've discussed it during the long hours of watching over the Dragon-Slayer.

"They said it is…unlikely that there is anything they will be able to do," he admitted with a sigh, realising that he had underestimated their awareness of the situation, although as he expected pain flashed across their faces at his words. On the bed Happy let out a choked sob before pressing his face back against Natsu's chest, and Makarov felt his heart break further at that sight as he forced himself to continue. "Not only are they unsure if there is a mage powerful enough to break through the lacrima, but they believe that if the outer shell is breached the Etherion trapped within will explode and obliterate both Erza and any trying to rescue her."

"So they're not going to do anything?" Gray demanded with a growl in his voice, unable to bear the thought of giving up on Erza, even as a calmer more realistic part of himself acknowledged the validity of that choice. Unfortunately where Erza was concerned…or rather where any of his nakama were concerned that more rational part was often forced to take a back seat and there was fire in his eyes as he glared at their Master.

"No," Makarov denied immediately, seeing the glint of rebellion in the dark eyes and wanting to head off any explosions before they could happen. "They're going to research it, see if there is anything in the archives about similar situations…" Although he had been around a long time and had witnessed a lot of things and he doubted very much that a situation such as this had ever happened before, however, he hoped that their lesser experience would leave his children with a least a glimmer of hope that something could be found.

"In other words they're just going through the motions," Lucy said bitterly, and both Gray and Makarov looked at her in surprise, neither having expected to have heard such a tone from her and it immediately quashed Makarov's thought that he could give them some hope to hold on to.

"They won't be alone in their search," he promised instead, realising that they would have more faith in that promise than in any words from the council that had made it obvious on more than one occasion that the wellbeing of Fairy Tail was not their primary concern. Their expressions had softened slightly at his words, and realising that it was the best he was going to get for the time being he quietly excused himself to go in search of the healer.

FT

"Gray," Lucy said softly a short while after their Master had left, and the Ice Mage looked up at once and winced as he saw the unshed tears swimming in her eyes and before she spoke he already knew what she was going to say. "What…What do we do if we can't bring her back?" Her voice trembled as she voiced the question that had been hovering over them since the moment they had heard what had happened to her.

"I don't know," he admitted after a long moment, he had not allowed himself to even consider the possibility until now, needing that glimmer of hope to hold himself together. Yet now, looking at Lucy's tearful face and with their Master's words ringing in his ears he had to face up to the fact that it might be more than a possibility. "I don't know," he repeated helplessly, feeling his eyes beginning to burn again as the image of Erza and her prison filled his mind again and he could feel his control beginning to slip once more.

FTFT

That evening:

"I've spoken to the healer and she says that it should be possible to take Natsu home tomorrow," Makarov said quietly as he slipped into the room, unsurprised to find that neither Lucy nor Gray had shifted since he'd left them. The only change was that Happy had finally fallen asleep, although he remained curled up against Natsu with one paw stretched out to lie over the fire mage's chest as though to check he was still living even in sleep.

"But…what if he takes a turn for the worse?" Gray demanded anxiously as he glanced at Natsu, the thought of Natsu stopping breathing whilst they were travelling making him panic. "None of us has healing magic!"

"I know," Makarov reassured him. "The healer has some stuff we can take with us, and I've sent a message ahead for the guild to send for Porlysuica." Gray relaxed slightly at that news, knowing just how talented the snarky woman was at healing mages especially from magic related problems – his gaze flickered back to Makarov at that thought.

"So we're just going to leave her?" Lucy asked softly and without heat turning the conversation back to Erza now she was reassured that Natsu would be okay, turning to look at their Master with dulled eyes and he winced at seeing the Celestial mage so downtrodden and wishing that there was some simple way to bring the sparkle back to her eyes.

Gray opened his mouth but then froze as he realised that was exactly what their Master was suggesting by saying they could take Natsu home. However, his protests died as he saw the conflict on Makarov's face and he scowled darkly as he stared at the ground. The thought of leaving Erza behind broke his heart, but they had already proven that neither his nor Gramps magic was capable of freeing her so there was little they could do here…and all the materials they needed for research were back at the guild.

"There is little that we can do here," Makarov replied heavily echoing Gray's thoughts, hating to admit how helpless he was in this situation but knowing that there was little for them to achieve by remaining in the resort. Still it left a sour taste in his mouth to even begin contemplating leaving behind one of his children, but as his gaze drifted to Natsu he knew it was a decision they had to make, and deep down he knew that Erza would approve. Lucy's expression fell as she realised that he was right, but the thought of leaving Erza broke her heart and she glanced helplessly between Makarov and her unconscious best friend…could she leave the red-head behind? Even if it was for Natsu's sake?

"Natsu might recover better at home," Gray offered quietly as he saw the pain in the Old Man's voice, and knowing that arguing against leaving would only cause more pain and tension. He wasn't convinced that going home would help Natsu, especially as they still had no idea whether Natsu had witnessed what happened to Erza before passing out…if he had then he doubted it would matter where they were. "What about Sho and the others?" He asked forcing himself to change the topics before he became lost in that train of thought.

"I spoke with them earlier and I said they were welcome to come to Fairy Tail with us," Makarov replied with a sigh, he didn't know the three youngsters but it had been impossible to miss the grief and guilt in their expressions as they listened silently to what he had to say about the council and Erza. "But they have decided that they need to try and find their own way in the world," he wasn't entirely happy with the decision, worried about what they might do in their current emotional state and also aware of the fact that Erza would want him to care for them. But they had been resolute in their decision, and after what they had lived through for the past eight years he had no right to stand in the way of whatever freedom they chose to pursue.

"I see," Gray said softly glancing down, he felt slightly guilty for not having been to see them but a small part of him was resentful, why did they have the right to grieve when it was partly because of them that Erza and Natsu had ended up in that tower to begin with.

"Does the rest of the guild know what happened?" Lucy asked quietly as she tore her attention away from Natsu, somehow unable to muster up any real feelings about the news that Erza's friends were parting ways with them.

"No," Makarov shook his head, that was something else that he still had to face and he knew that it was going to be a massive blow for his close-knit guild. Despite her harsh exterior Erza had been well loved and had been a central party of their mis-matched family, and the hole she was leaving behind would be difficult to heal…if it ever could. "Juvia asked to speak to me privately when she arrived, and I didn't want to say anything until I had seen for myself."

"They don't know?" Lucy whispered, unable to imagine how bad their homecoming was going to be…Erza and Natsu were precious to everyone in the guild, and everyone had known the pair of them much longer than she had. She jumped violently when a cold hand grasped her shoulder and she turned to find Gray stood beside her, his eyes understanding as he glanced down at her before reaching out to grasp her hand before pressing both of their hands against Natsu's.

"Let's take Natsu home."

FTFT


	5. Chapter 4

Thank you for the amazing reviews, follows and favourites!

Disclaimer: Fairy Tail and its awesome characters don't belong to me, I'm just borrowing them.

FTFT

The next day – Late evening:

There was usually a sense of relief and contentment when they arrived back at the guild hall after a job, knowing that they were safely at home and with the anticipation of the celebrations that were come. However, this time both Lucy and Gray felt a heavy weight pressing against them as they paused to stare up at the guild, knowing that just on the other side of the heavy doors were their unsuspecting nakama who had no idea of what had happened. Who were right now likely to be laughing and chatting away, unaware of the storm about to break upon them and neither of them could find the strength to take those final steps up to the guildhall.

Makarov glanced up as he realised that the pair had stopped, pain lancing through him as he took in their expressions and wishing that he could do something…anything to erase the looks of grief and hopelessness on their faces, even though he knew that his own expression was exactly the same. Turning his own attention to the doors he too felt the unusual reluctance to approach the guildhall, however, he knew that they couldn't linger out here for much longer and the rest of the guild deserved to hear what had happened even if it would hurt them.

"Let's get Natsu inside," he ordered softly as he stepped between them, glancing at the unconscious fire-mage cradled protectively against Gray's chest as he did so, the Ice Mage having refused to allow anyone else to move Natsu or to use something as impersonal as a stretcher now that it would no longer endanger him. "I want you to take him upstairs and get him settled…I'll tell the others about what happened". There was no way either of the teens were in any condition to face the rest of the guild mates for a prolonged period of time, especially once they knew what had happened.

FT

It was startling how fast the silence had spread through the every noisy hall as everyone's attention swung around to see who had entered, unspoken relief spreading through the room as they realised Makarov was back after his abrupt departure a couple of days ago. Although the relief began to fade as they all eyed the haggard appearance of the two teens flanking him, and the aged expression on his face.

"Natsu…" Mira whispered as she was the first to spot the limp Dragon-Slayer that Gray was cradling against himself, her eyes widening in horror as she took in the terrible physical state that the pink-haired teen was in. The glass she was cleaning dropped from suddenly nerveless hands, and the sound of glass breaking broke the stunned silence that had enveloped the guild as everyone realised that something had gone terribly wrong.

"What happened to him?" Macao demanded worriedly as his eyes roved over the unconscious Dragon-slayer, his expression darkening as Makarov slowly met his gaze, and unease settled in as he saw the deep grief in the Old Man's eyes and he automatically reached out to grab Mira as she made to move towards the group ignoring her startled protest.

"Master?" Elfman asked uncertainly as he glanced between Makarov and Macao, hastily moving to his sister's side as he saw the tears that were already beginning to form in her eyes and feeling his own eyes beginning to burn.

"Where's Erza?" Cana spoke up realising that the red-headed re-quip was missing, her eyes narrowing in alarm as grief flickered over their faces and Happy let out a small sob as he pressed closer to Lucy who silently reached down to scoop the cat up.

"Take Natsu upstairs," Makarov ordered softly glancing at them, and Gray and Lucy immediately moved to obey, for once desperate to be out of the guild hall and away from their nakama especially as they could feel the realisation that was slowly spreading through the gathered mages. "Everyone else," he paused his heart heavy as he glanced around at the gathered guild members who had instantly swung their attention back to him, wishing that there was some way for him to bear this grief for them. "I have some bad news…"

FT

Half an Hour later:

After passing on the news of what had happened to both Erza and Natsu, and explaining what was being done to help the red-haired mage (too much derision from the wiser members that realised just how little the Council cared for their guild) Makarov carefully excused himself. Whilst he wanted to stand by them as he watched them pass into various states of grief and shock, he knew that of all of them it was the four upstairs that needed him the most at that moment in time.

The rest of the mages were barely aware of his disappearance as they tried to wrap their heads around what he had just said, the situation feeling unreal as they gazed at one another in shock and horror.

"She can't be gone," Cana muttered as she stared blankly into her unusually untouched mug of bear, tears glittering in her eyes but refusing to fall as she tried to deny what their Master had told them. "She can't…" She trailed off this time unable to finish the denial as a choked sob welled up in her, and seconds later she was pulled against a warm body. A brief glimpse of white material and the familiar smell of burnt cinnamon telling her it was Macao that had wrapped her in a hug, and despite herself she allowed herself to slump into his hold as finally she lost her hold on her tears.

"Shhh let it out," he encouraged his own voice thick with emotion, and when she risked a quick glance up she was unsurprised to find tears trickling down his face as well. After all he had been with the guild since before either she or Erza had joined, had watched as they grew up and surpassed him, treating them as though they were his own children and she knew that although he wouldn't show it any more than he currently was but he was breaking inside. She tightened her hold on him as she realised that he would have the added burden of going home to tell Romeo what had happened, his little boy was going to be devastated,.

Beside them Mira had long since dissolved into silent weeping, her face pressed into her Brother's chest as he held her close, his own expression a mask of grief as he tried fruitlessly to comfort her. For both of them the scenes of grief surrounding them were far too familiar, and it brought barely buried memories close to the surface and this time there was no excitable Dragon-Slayer to help push through them.

The rest of the guild was quiet, even those mages that were less familiar with Erza and Natsu on a familiar level were shocked by the news and none of them dared break the tense atmosphere that had settled over the room when Makarov disappeared upstairs.

"Did you see how bad Natsu looked though?" Wakaba commented quietly as he turned worried eyes towards the stairs that led upstairs, and the atmosphere in the main hall darkened even more as the truth of his question sank in. It was a frequent occurrence for Natsu and the rest of his team to return heavily bandaged, after all they always seemed to stumble into one misadventure after another, but they had never seen Natsu look so bad and vulnerable.

"He'll be okay," Macao replied softly, his own eyes moving to the stairway and there was a stifling feeling in his chest as the image of Natsu lying helpless in Gray's arms flashed through his mind. "He has to be."

FTFT

Upstairs Makarov had been relieved to find that Porlysuica had already arrived and was already busy at work on Natsu who had been settled in the far corner of the infirmary. Silently he moved to stand next to the two teens that were watching her every move with anxious eyes, none of them daring to say a word as the healer was notorious for her dislike of being disrupted by anxious watchers and fearful of drawing necessary attention away from Natsu.

For Makarov it was the first time that he had got a clear view of Natsu's injuries and he found himself gritting his teeth in sympathy as he watched Porlysuica change the seemingly never-ending reams of bandages with gentle hands. His eyes narrowed at the sight of the magical burns marring tanned skin, knowing just how powerful the magic had to have been to break through Natsu's natural resistance and he found himself wishing with all his might that he could have borne those wounds for the teen.

"There is little else I can do for him," Porlysuica admitted with a sigh when she had finished changing all the bandages, and from the frown on her face it was clear that she was frustrated by that admission and her voice was terse as she continued. "The healer who tended his wounds did everything she could, aside from changing the bandages we have to leave it up to him now." She glanced across at Makarov and winced at the sorrow that was written across his face, although he nodded in understanding and acceptance as he caught her glance and her expression darkened as she saw him burying his sorrow so the children wouldn't see it…such things would only make his own health worse and she sighed realising that she would need to talk to him before she could even think of heading home.

"Then we just have to wait?" Lucy asked heavily, realising just how much hope she had pinned on the older woman being able to help bring Natsu back to her as she felt herself sinking into the chair beside the Fire mage's bed. Quietly Gray stepped to her sat and reached out to lay a hand gently on her shoulder and squeezed softly, however, when she glanced up into his eyes they held the same disappointment that she was sure was showing in her eyes and she reached up to lay her hand on top of his.

"I'm afraid so," Porlysuica said softly, somehow unable to summon her usual snarky attitude in the face of their disappointment and not with Makarov watching with such darkness in his eyes. She turned her gaze back to the Dragon-slayer, carefully schooling her expression into blankness as she stared down at him – his injuries were grave and she wasn't confident that he could come back from them, but there was no way she was going to voice that in front of his family.

"Then we'll wait," Gray said simply as he met Lucy's gaze again for a second before turning his eyes towards Natsu. "We'll wait as long as it takes," he added in an even softer voice so that only the Celestial mage heard his words and she nodded in agreement, knowing that there was no way either of them could cope if they let themselves lose faith in Natsu.

"He would do the same for us," she added weakly and they all knew it was true, Natsu was too stubborn to ever give up on one of his friends, and there was no way they could do anything less.

FTFT

The next morning:

Lucy sighed softly as she slipped into the infirmary only to be met by the familiar sight of Natsu's still form on the bed, and she found herself having to close her eyes against the sting of tears in her eyes.

"He wouldn't want you to cry," the soft voice made her jump violently, her eyes widening as she looked up to find Gray watching her with a sad expression from where he was sat on the far side of their friend's bed. She was about to snap back that it wasn't her fault when she realised that his eyes were red-rimmed and her words died on the tip of her tongue, and she quietly moved across the room.

"Sorry," she murmured as she reached them, unsure of whether she apologising to Gray or Natsu although her eyes were fixed on the latter as she spoke, searching desperately for any hint to indicate that he was coming back to them.

"Porlysuica popped in a while ago and checked his injuries, she says they're doing well and that his temperature is going back to normal," Gray said softly as he watched what she was doing and seeing the disappointment in her eyes when she couldn't see any visible change, but at his words she reached down to brush a hand against Natsu's cheek, her face relaxing minutely as she felt the heat burning beneath her fingers.

"I never realised how much I was missing his warmth," she whispered finally turning to look at Gray and he nodded in understanding, shuddering as he remembered how cold Natsu had felt at the beach, and silently making his mind up never to complain about the other's temperature again when he woke up. "You should go and get some rest, you've been here all night," she added as she realised just how exhausted he looked, and feeling guilty for listening to him when he had chased her off to rest just after midnight after the third time she'd nearly fallen out of her chair due to dozing off.

"You're right," Gray admitted with a sigh as a yawn fought its way free, although he hesitated before getting to his feet, his eyes fixed on Natsu before he sighed in defeat. Having two pairs of eyes on him instead of one hadn't made a difference yet and he knew that Lucy would fetch him if Natsu so much as twitched and he was absolutely exhausted. "I'll go and have a shower and a nap, fetch me if anything changes."

"Of course," Lucy reassured him as she moved to reclaim her seat from the night before, and after another minute of hesitation Gray turned and headed for the door, the prospect of a cool shower and bed suddenly sounding like heaven.

"Lucy," he called pausing in the doorway as he recalled the idea that had popped into his head in the early hours and she immediately turned to look at him curiously. "Would you be okay if I popped out this afternoon? I want to go up to Fairy Hills." For a moment there was confusion on her face and then understanding dawned and her expression tightened.

"Will you be okay?" She asked worriedly, knowing how badly his last solo trip had turned out and not wanting him to add to his burden.

"Who knows, but you'll be okay?" He knew that he was avoiding the question and from the knowing glint in her eyes she had realised it as well, and he let out a soft sigh of relief when she finally nodded in response to his question, having clearly decided not to call him on it. With a muttered thanks he quickly slipped out of the room before she could change her mind about it.

FTFT

That afternoon:

Gray hesitated for a moment as he stared up at the Fairy Hills dormitory, his chest constricting as he recalled the numerous times they had come out here to visit Erza and it hurt to know that he wasn't going to walk in and find her there working on her numerous armours. He was tempted to turn around so that he could avoid that sight, but he knew that all waited for him back at the Guild was the increasingly heavy atmosphere in the infirmary and he sighed as he realised that there was nowhere to escape to at the moment that wasn't associated with either of his friends.

Summoning his courage he walked up the last bit of the path and knocked on the door, a weak smile trying to break through as he recalled the time Natsu had walked in without knocking and had subsequently been chased down the path by the intimidating matron…the Dragon-slayer had refused to come near the dormitory for several months afterwards, and the matron always glared at him whenever he turned up after that. The smile faded as the door opened and he found himself staring into the weathered face on the matron, wincing as her expression saddened as she looked at him.

"Come in Gray," she said gently and he jolted at the unusual tone of voice before quietly stepping inside, suddenly unable to think of anything to say and he stared when she grasped his arm. "Master Makarov said that you might be dropping by and asked that I give you this," she explained as she gently pressed a key into his hand, and his eyes widened as he realised it was a key.

"Is this…?"

"The key to Erza's room," she said with a nod and his heart clenched at the mention of her name, his eyes burning again as he curled his fingers around the cool metal. "That room belongs to her, I have no intention of touching it or allowing anyone else to move in," her voice was thick as she continued and when he glanced up he was stunned to find tears rolling down her face, and uncertainly he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her, tightening his hold as she began to sob.

He was unable to deny the relief that her words had caused, as he'd had visions of them trying to take over the room and as foolish as it sounded it felt like losing that room was almost as good as losing Erza.

FT

Half an hour later:

The door opened easily and he froze in the doorway, pain lancing him at the silence that met him and he shrank in on himself for a moment before forcing himself to step into the room. It was painfully her…the entire room was a random mixture of girlishness and armoury and everywhere he looked he caught a glimpse of his friend…from the paintings on the wall that she had commandeered from Reedus over the years, to the pile of old training weapons in the corner to the fancy cake-stand on the counter that he and Natsu had clubbed together to buy her for Christmas a few years ago.

Feeling numb he moved across the room, his fingers trailing over random items as he moved across to gaze at the paintings and letting the memories wash over him. There was the picture of Erza from when she had returned triumphant from her S-class exam a broad grin on her face and he remembered how both he and Natsu had sworn that they would catch up to her when they saw that grin. Another photo showed them all as children running around in the snow enjoying a rare day of no fighting or work, and even Erza had discarded her usual seriousness and was in the process of chasing Mira across the road. Another was of Erza and Lucy sat chatting happily in the guild, a large slab of cake sat in front of the former.

Quickly he turned and moved on as he felt himself beginning to lose his weak hold over his emotions, and he found his attention being drawn to the part of her room that had been set up as a workshop area for her to work on her armours on the few occasions that they were damaged enough to need more than a brief clean-up. For some reason though the sight and smells of her armour was the final push he needed and he let out a noise that was half-sob, half-growl as his emotions began to burst out of him.

"Damn it Erza!" He ground out feeling the burn of tears as he trailed a hand down a suit of armour that had been set up to be repaired, realising that there was a chance it would never be restored to its pristine condition, and that knowledge brought bile to his mouth. "This isn't how it's meant to be! You're meant to be here with us, yelling at me and Natsu, enjoying your cheesecake and hanging out with Lucy!" He dropped to his knees as his tirade ended, drawing in heavy breaths as he tried to calm himself, surprised that no one had come running at his outburst but guessing the matron had told them to let him be.

He wasn't sure how long he'd sat slumped on the ground and in all honesty he couldn't bring himself to care, but eventually he forced himself to stand, knowing that he needed to get back before Lucy began to worry. Sighing he glanced around the room, wondering what it was that he had hoped to achieve by coming here as all it seemed to have done was drag up old memories that now felt like salt being rubbed into a wound as he was once again confronted by the reality of the situation.

Shaking his head at his own foolishness he turned on his heel and headed out the door, carefully closing it and locking it before slipping the key into his pocket, knowing that at some point he would end up here again…and he prayed that it wasn't to sort through her stuff if the worst to happen. That thought chilled him and he shivered before he turned and practically ran down the corridor, suddenly desperate to get away from the place, and he barely managed to mutter a quick farewell to the Matron as he shot out of the front door at a dead run.

FTFT

That evening:

Makarov sighed as he tossed aside yet another book before reaching up to rub at his forehead, trying to ease out the headache that had formed after hours of reading through the pile of books he had gathered from their library in the hopes of finding even a slight clue as to how they could help Erza. He had contacted everyone he was on friendly or neutral terms with and they were in the process of searching their own archives for him, but for now he had to make do with what he had on hand…so far it was far from encouraging.

Etherion was poorly understood at best, as no-one really knew what having all those different kinds of magic would do outside of its intended use and there were only a handful of occasions when the weapon had been used in the past. He had known all this before he started, but he had not let it sink in and now he was being forced to face the reality of the situation as he stared down at the single page of notes he had managed to make…and all of them useless in terms of actually helping Erza.

With a frustrated groan he got to his feet and headed for the door, he needed a break from the fruitless research and it had been a few hours since he'd last checked on Natsu and although he knew that Gray or Lucy would have fetched him if anything changed he wanted to check on the fire mage with his own eyes.

FT

Quietly he slipped into the infirmary unsurprised to find both Lucy, Gray and Happy spread around Natsu's bed although they had all given into their exhaustion at some point, and he found himself wincing slightly at the positions they had wound up in – only Happy seemed comfortable where he was curled up pressed to Natsu's side. Closing the door quietly behind him, he moved across to the bed being careful not to make any noise as he knew none of them had rested much over the last few days.

Natsu was unmoving in the centre of the bed, only the rise and fall of his chest indicating that he lived and Makarov felt a little bit of his heart break all over again. At this moment in time even the slightest of movements would have been a welcome sign amongst the unnatural stillness, and he found his eyes desperately roving over the mage in the hopes of catching the faintest twitch even though he knew it was a pointless endeavour. The only sign that anything had changed in the teen's condition was the slight hint of colour that had returned to Natsu's face, although it was still a far cry from his normal healthy colour and Makarov knew that if he reached and touched the Fire mage's skin he would find it slowly returning to its normal heat.

Little signs and although he knew that he should be encouraged, he couldn't help but wish for more. Sighing he moved forward and settled in the spare chair at the end of the bed, guessing that someone else had been up to visit as Lucy had told him earlier that their other friend's had begun to pop in and visit Natsu although no one was able to stay long, unnerved by the sight of their Salamander laid so low and he couldn't really blame them.

Glancing across at the two sleeping teens he settled himself more comfortably into the seat as he prepared to take over the vigil knowing that they were worried about leaving Natsu unsupervised but realising that if they didn't get some proper rest then they would end up making themselves ill. He knew that he should be in his office working on Erza's situation, but as his gaze shifted back to Natsu he couldn't bring himself to regret the decision to sit with the fire mage for a while.

"Come home to us Natsu."

FTFT


	6. Chapter 5

Thank you for the amazing reviews, follows and favourites.

Disclaimer: As always Fairy Tail and its amazing characters don't belong to me, I'm just borrowing them.

FTFT

A Week later:

It had been a long, seemingly never-ending week since Makarov had broken the news of what had happened to the guild and a grim mood had taken hold. Barely any jobs had been accepted since the news had broken and for once the noticeboard was overflowing with requests, but not even could find himself to look at them, there was an unspoken fear that something else might happen if they left the guild…and eyes would flicker nervously to the stairway whenever that thought popped up.

With the exception of Gray, Lucy and Happy no one had seen Natsu since he had first been whisked upstairs but it was well known that nothing had changed yet, and the guild could only watch in silence as the trio occasionally came and went with pale, drawn expressions and an unwillingness to talk about what was happening. The only updates they received were on the few occasions that Makarov was able to pull himself away from either sitting with the Dragon-slayer or the piles of papers and books he had buried himself in, in the hopes of finding anything that would help Erza…and whilst they understood why they were all distracted, it only increased the atmosphere of concern and resulted in the old man being leapt on whenever he ventured downstairs.

FT

Cana had been the only person that had ventured away from the guild during this time, and that had only been because she had gone to see Erza, refusing to believe that there was nothing they could do to help. She had come back silent and grim-faced and silently drunk herself into a stupor with a speed that no-one had ever witnessed before, and nobody could bring themselves to ask her what had happened. The only thing that really mattered was that Erza was still gone, and the ever growing possibility that they might lose Natsu too if something didn't change soon.

The Strauss siblings had been the quietest since the news was broken, and neither strayed far from the other as they waited with quiet desperation for any news on Natsu. The loss of Mira's warm smile and gentle chatter cut the guild to the core more than any other reaction, and it only served to highlight what else had been lost with Erza and Natsu. It was only now that it was dawning on the guild how much they relied on the pair of teenagers to fill the guild with life and laughter, and no-one was sure how to fill the sudden void that had appeared…or if it was even possible for the void to be repaired if the worst should happen.

Macao was also conspicuous with his frequent absences from the guild, although he made sure to pop in a couple of times a day to check for updates on Natsu's condition. When Wakaba asked him about his absence he had quietly explained that he was staying home with Romeo, as the boy had fallen apart at the news that his hero was so badly injured… He had brought Romeo with him once, the day after Natsu had been brought home and even the most hardened mages in the guild had been silenced by the heartbroken expression he had been sporting especially when Makarov had, had to explain in a gentle voice that he couldn't see Natsu until he was doing better…needless to say, that news hadn't gone across well and Romeo had left in floods of tears.

FT

In the far corner of the guild Juvia and Gajeel sat together in total silence, watching as their new guild went to pieces around them. The former watching with more than a little guilt, knowing that the others were aware that she had been involved in the events at the tower and although Makarov had made it plain that she had fought for their nakama she could still detect some suspicion in the glances that were shot her way. It didn't help either that she was consumed with worry over Gray, as the few times she'd managed to catch a glimpse of him, he'd looked so broken and lost that she had just wanted to hold him and make it all go away.

Gajeel on the other hand was unsure of what to make of the entire situation, having arrived a couple of days after the news had been broken, still stunned by the fact that Makarov had even bothered to seek him and out and offer him a place to belong. That feeling had only deepened when he realised the Old Man had sought him out at Juvia's request despite what was already happening with the guild. So far his presence had been largely ignored, and he knew part of that was a result of what was happening with the Titania as he'd more than expected people to react badly to him joining the guild.

Crimson eyes narrowed as they drifted to the stairway in contemplation, even from here he could pick up the faint traces of the Salamander's sent underlain with the coppery tang of blood and a strange mixture of magical scents. It bothered him more than he would ever admit out loud to have his rival Dragon-slayer laid low, and he refused to acknowledge that what he was feeling was concern…he was just disappointed that he wasn't going to get chance to pay the Salamander back for his defeat as quickly as he'd hoped.

FTFT

The next day:

_Natsu reached out desperately as Erza began to float away from him, terror lending him strength as he fought against the waves trying to pull her away, and yet despite his best efforts he never seemed to get any closer. Tears were streaming down his cheeks and his voice had long since turned hoarse from screaming out her name, and yet he still fought to reach her, uncaring of the pain that was flaring through him as the magic trying to steal her from him lashed out at him._

"_Erza…"_

FT

Lucy and Gray leaned forward as they caught the brief movement out of the corner of their eye, their previous quiet conversation completely forgotten as they waited with baited breath, only to be rewarded by the Dragon-slayer shifting slightly again a moment later. It was only a slight furrowing of his brow and a brief twitch of his arm, but after the unnerving stillness that had enveloped him since the tower it was beautiful sight and they exchanged hopeful looks, their eyes brighter than they had been for days.

"Natsu? Natsu can you hear us?" Lucy called hopefully, reaching out to carefully grasp his hand still mindful of the healing injuries hidden beneath the bandages, her eyes tracing every contour of his face as it contorted once more.

"Natsu open your eyes!" Gray ordered, hoping that if nothing else his tone of voice would get a rise out of the hot-headed teen, although he knew that the worry and hope were too clear in his voice for anyone to be fooled. The Dragon-slayer twitched again and seemed to make a half-hearted attempt to roll over before pain flashed briefly across his pace and he abruptly stilled once more, a frown still marring his forehead.

"Natsu…" Lucy whispered as they waited hopefully for any further moment, but as the minutes passed it became clear that he had slipped under once more, and neither of them were able to mask the blatant disappointment on their faces as that realisation hit home. "At least it's a start, and it shows that he's trying to come back to us," Lucy said in a slightly trembling voice as she tried to bolster their spirits and Gray managed a half smile in response, although his eyes were heavy as he focused on Natsu and a grim silence fell over them as they settled back to continue their wait.

FT

Later that evening:

"_Natsu… I can't live without Fairy Tail, I can't even imagine a world without my friends," she was smiling now as she spoke, reaching out to cup his face with surprising gentleness and for some reason that made everything that much worse. How? How could she smile so happily when she was throwing her life away? The burning in his eyes developing into proper tears now as he realised that she wasn't going to back down on this insane idea. "That's how important all of you are to me." _

_He desperately wanted to scream and shout as he watched her slowly beginning to float away from him, and yet some part of him realised that it was already too late…tbat he had already lost her and instead he felt silent tears beginning to trickle down his face and he turned his eyes towards his hands, hoping to stop the image of her disappearing being burnt into his memory and instead he found himself staring at bloodied knuckles with no idea where the injuries had come from._

"_Erza!"_

FT

The next time Natsu showed signs of stirring it was Makarov that was sat with him whilst his friends took a rare break, and the Old Man had never moved as fast as he did as he shot to the boy's side at the first sign of movement. Reaching out to grasp one of Natsu's hands and squeezing it softly and his heart swelled as the bandaged fingers twitched in his hold, and he gently ran a finger over the back of the healing hand.

"Natsu?" He asked hopefully, aware that this might be another false alarm after hearing what the teens had said but he couldn't help but pray that this might be different especially when Natsu shifted more violently a moment later. "Natsu I know you're in there, you need to come back to us," he called and he couldn't keep the desperation out of his voice, knowing that it was much more than that. The whole guild wanted no…needed Natsu to come back to them and he felt guilty for placing that kind of expectation onto the teen's shoulders, and yet his words seemed to trigger a reaction as Natsu shifted uneasily with a low noise that was barely more than a whimper.

It took several minutes of small movements before Natsu's forehead creased into a frown, and Makarov found himself leaning forward encouragingly as the teen's eyelids twitched and ever so slowly the olive eyes crept open. The Dragon-slayer couldn't seem to force them past half-mast, and it was clear from the hazy and unfocused look in his eyes that Natsu still wasn't fully aware of what was happening but it was still a beautiful sight.

"Natsu? Can you hear me?" Makarov asked gently hoping to gain the teen's attention and it seemed to work as slowly the half-open eyes drifted in his direction although they were clearly failing to focus properly. For a moment they threatened to drift shut and his heart leapt into his mouth, but before he could do anything to try and keep Natsu awake the Dragon-slayer had forced them back to their current half-open state before weakly opening his mouth.

"Er…za," it took a couple of attempts before he could force the syllables out and even then it was barely even a whisper, and Makarov winced as he realised what Natsu was saying and he felt his eyes beginning to burn at the idea of having to break the news to Natsu when he was in this state.

However, the effort of waking and saying that simple word had clearly drained whatever strength Natsu had managed to scrounge up and before he could even work out what to say to the teen, the Dragon-slayer's eyes had slid shut once more and this time they didn't open again. Makarov sighed in disappointment as he slowly let himself slip back into the seat, knowing that such broken awakenings were to be expected given the gravity of the mage's injuries, but that knowledge didn't help when they were all so desperate for Natsu to come back to them.

"Natsu…"

FTFT

Two days later:

_As he watched Erza being pulled away from him yet again he was aware that he had seen this scene before, and somewhere deep inside he knew what the outcome was going to be and yet he couldn't stop himself from throwing his body at the lacrima in desperation. Part of him knew that she would want him to go and escape from the rapidly collapsing tower, but there was no way he could leave her…she hated being on her own no matter what she said to the contrary. _

"_Erza!" He slammed his fists against the lacrima once more, not heeding the blood beginning to trickle free from freshly broken skin and barely aware of the magic lashing around him. "ERRRRRRRRRRZZAAA!"_

FT

Gray sighed wearily as he glanced up from the book he had been working his way through to check on Natsu, it had been two days since the Dragon-slayer had roused enough to open his eyes and say Erza's name. The Fire mage had made small, infrequent movements over the course of the last two days and every time they had hoped that he was coming back to them, but he never quite managed to pull himself out of the unconsciousness. That in itself was disappointing enough, but it didn't help that Porlysuica seemed to look more worried each time she examined him, even though his wounds were slowly on the mend.

His eyes flickered over the other's pale face and he was just about to turn back to his riding when a small movement caught his eye, and instead the book found itself being unceremoniously tossed on the floor as Gray darted to the bed. For a long moment there was nothing but stillness and he was worried that maybe he had just imagined it, but then there was a small whimper and his eyes narrowed as pain flashed across Natsu's face as he stirred slightly. Remembering what Gramps had said about Natsu's last waking the Ice mage hastily grasped one of the Fire mage's hands, squeezing it gently to let the other teen know he wasn't alone.

"Natsu it's time to wake up now," he called softly and he was rewarded by Natsu's head turning ever so slightly in his direction, a frown creasing his forehead as his eyelids began to flutter slightly. "That's it open your eyes for me," he encouraged, unable to keep the slight edge of desperation out of his voice, terrified that Natsu might slip back under again and unsure of whether he would be able to bear it. It was only the hope that Natsu was coming back to them that had given him the strength to keep going over the last week.

With painstaking slowness the Dragon-slayer's movements began to increase in both frequency and strength, and Gray kept up a constant stream of encouragement the whole time, wishing that he could fetch Lucy and Happy to help him but terrified to pull away now when Natsu seemed to be finally coming back to them. Instead he moved his free hand up to gently stoke his fingers against a pale cheek, earning a faint twitch from the Fire mage before he subtly began to lean into the touch, his eyelids fluttering more often now.

It took several more minutes before Natsu finally managed to achieve the final step of forcing his eyes open, and Gray felt his knees threatening to buckle under the force of the relief flooding through him. It was clear that the Dragon-slayer was still exhausted as he blinked heavily, clearly struggling to keep his eyes open as his gaze slowly began to clear and a small, but true smile spread across the Ice mage's face as hazy olive eyes slowly drifted up to meet his gaze.

"Hey…welcome back," he said softly not wanting to startle the other, and the relief was clear in his voice and despite his lingering concern he felt the smile widening. Suddenly all their doubts and fears from the last few days seemed utterly ridiculous, they should have known that the Fire mage would come back to them without fail, he was too stubborn to do anything else.

FT

Natsu blinked wearily as he slowly allowed his gaze to drift around the room, his memories slowly sorting themselves out in his mind and he felt everything stutter to a stop as his dream…no memory of Erza floating away reared to the front of his thoughts. Frantically he turned his head, gaze flicking from bed to bed in the desperate hope that he would be granted a glimpse of scarlet hair, but he already knew that it was a false hope and he could feel everything beginning to fracture around him.

Slowly he turned his attention back to Gray who was watching his actions with a curious expression and opened his mouth, needing to ask as the last little flicker of hope whispered that maybe just maybe she was safe…However, he couldn't seem to force the words past his lips and in the end he was forced to mouth her name and pray that the Ice Mage would be able to understand what he was asking.

It took a brief second for Gray to recognize what word the Dragon-slayer was mouthing at him, and once he did he wished that he hadn't. There was no way that Natsu was in any state to hear this news, and yet he knew that the other teen wouldn't let him out of answering and he found himself closing his eyes briefly as he tried to brace himself to break the news. Taking a deep breath he reopened them, but as he turned his gaze back to Natsu he realised that his actions had rendered any words unnecessary and he went cold as he watched Natsu's eyes fill with a heart-breaking mix of grief, horror and worst of all guilt…they had known that Natsu was likely to blame himself, but he hadn't expected them to be faced with that so soon.

Frantically he tried to think of something…anything that he could say that might ease the other's suffering, but he found his mind devoid of ideas as he watched Natsu slowly turn his head away as tears began to leak silently down his face.

"Natsu…" Gray started knowing that he had to say something, but he found himself unable to continue, after all how could he comfort Natsu when he hadn't even been able to begun to handle his own emotions?

"Gray?" Both mages jumped violently as Lucy's voice rang out through the room and Gray automatically reached out to settle Natsu, his expression becoming shuttered as the Fire mage shrank back from his touch with wild eyes darting from him to Lucy who had frozen in the doorway as she realised that Natsu was really awake. "Natsu…?" Her question was echoed a second later by Happy who had appeared at her ankles, his eyes wide as he stared at Natsu before a wide smile spread across his face, although it disappeared a moment later when the Dragon-slayer silently shifted over so that he was facing away from them.

Gray could see the hurt on their faces, but a small part of him was relieved to see that Natsu's reaction to them had been no better than the reaction to him, although he immediately felt guilty for that thought as he saw Happy's eyes beginning to shine suspiciously. Silently he glanced back down at Natsu, somewhat surprised to see that the Fire mage was still awake although he was staring at the wall with hooded eyes and he sighed, realising that this was more out of their league than he had expected.

Reluctantly he stepped away from the bed and headed for the other two who were still hovering in the doorway, their initial relief having rapidly vanished in the face of Natsu's reactions and the heavy atmosphere lying over the room.

"What happened?" Lucy asked quietly when he reached them, carefully keeping her voice low even though she knew Natsu was fully capable of hearing her.

"He asked about…Erza," Gray replied just as softly, hesitating over the Re-quip mage's name as he had done ever since the Tower and Lucy's eyes darkened with pain and understanding as her gaze went back to Natsu, catching the shudder that went through him as he caught their words. "He remembers…he knows." He didn't need to add how Natsu was reacting to that knowledge as it was clear from both his own expression and the Dragon-slayer's actions, and Lucy closed her eyes for a moment as her heart went out to her best friend.

"Stay with him?" Gray asked needlessly and the pair nodded silently, there was no way that they were going to leave Natsu alone when he had finally managed to come back to them and especially not with his current state of mind. "I'm going to get Gramps. Try and get him to drink something," he added with a concerned frown as he glanced back at Natsu, remembering how the other teen had desperately mouthed Erza's name when he was unable to force the words out.

"We will," Lucy promised, and Gray nodded in thanks before slipping past them and out of the door and leaving the pair to exchange worried looks before cautiously heading towards the bed.

FTFT

Natsu stared blankly at the wall, barely aware of the fact that Lucy and Happy were sat by his side, one of his hands cradled gently in the Celestial mage's as she spoke to him quietly. However, the words couldn't make it pass the rushing sound that was filling his ears as he lost himself in the memory of what had happened in the tower. His heart breaking as the sight of Erza floating away from replayed over and over in his mind, and each time he failed to catch her, failed to stop her and he could feel himself slowly shattering inside as he realised that his failure was the reason she wasn't there right now.

"Natsu, whatever happened inside the tower we know it wasn't your fault," Lucy murmured softly but there was a desperate edge to her voice when nothing she said produced a reaction, his gaze never shifting from the wall in front of him, and the dead look in his eyes scared even more than his stillness over the past week and half had. "Please listen to me, it wasn't your fault!" She said more firmly this time when there was no sign of reaction and she felt fear welling up inside her…he was completely shutting them out; they hadn't even managed to get him to drink like Gray had asked.

"Natsu," Happy whimpered glancing between the pair with teary eyes, before tentively reaching out to lay a paw on top of the pairs' joined hands, a low mew of distress escaping as he felt Natsu flinch underneath his touch and he hastily retreated, unsure of how to get through to his partner who suddenly felt a million miles away even though he was lying right in front of them.

FTFT

Gray could feel himself beginning to fall apart once more as he hurried down the corridor to Makarov's office, praying that he wouldn't run into anyone else on the way, as he was sure even the most innocent question or comment would open the floodgates and he couldn't let that happen before letting their Master know about Natsu. Reaching the office he didn't even bother to knock as he burst inside, and despite himself he was impressed at the speed with which the old man responded to his abrupt entry.

"Gray? What is it? What's wrong?" Makarov demanded as soon as he realised who had interrupted him, unease flooding him as he took how pale and upset the Ice Mage looked and he unconsciously climbed to his feet the papers he had been working through already forgotten. "Gray?" He prompted when the teen failed to respond, and he realised from a quick glance into onyx eyes that Gray was the verge of falling apart and hastily he made his way across to the teen's side.

With gentle hands he guided the unresisting Ice Mage into one of the chairs in front of his desk, letting his magic out to play as he tried to fill the air with as comforting atmosphere as possible although it was hard when he could feel the dread stirring in his gut.

"Natsu…he woke up…properly this time," Gray finally managed to mumble and Makarov's eyes widened and for a brief second relief flooded him at the news, but then his expression dropped as he realised that there was no relief or happiness in the teen's voice even though this was the news they had been waiting for. "He…He remembered…He knew what had happened…" There was no need for him to say anything else, as it was clear from his expression and broken words how Natsu had reacted and Makarov closed his eyes, sharing his children's pain before he slowly got to his feet.

"Stay here," he ordered softly, able to see that Gray was clearly on the verge of losing the very thin bit of control he still had over his emotions and knowing that the independent-minded teen would prefer to be alone when that happened. The fact that the Ice mage made no attempt to protest cemented the fact that he had been right in his assumptions, and without saying anything else he headed for the door…he had a Dragon-slayer to see.

FTFT

Then next update should be quicker…I hope


	7. Chapter 6

Thank you for the amazing reviews, follows and favourites.

Disclaimer: As always Fairy Tail and its amazing characters don't belong to me, I'm just borrowing them and promise to put them back later

FTFT

Previously:

"_Natsu…he woke up…properly this time," Gray finally managed to mumble and Makarov's eyes widened and for a brief second relief flooded him at the news, but then his expression dropped as he realised that there was no relief or happiness in the teen's voice even though this was the news they had been waiting for. "He…He remembered…He knew what had happened…" There was no need for him to say anything else, as it was clear from his expression and broken words how Natsu had reacted and Makarov closed his eyes, sharing his children's pain before he slowly got to his feet._

"_Stay here," he ordered softly, able to see that Gray was clearly on the verge of losing the very thin bit of control he still had over his emotions and knowing that the independent-minded teen would prefer to be alone when that happened. The fact that the Ice mage made no attempt to protest cemented the fact that he had been right in his assumptions, and without saying anything else he headed for the door…he had a Dragon-slayer to see._

FTFT

Now:

Natsu was slowly drifting back to sleep despite his best attempts to keep himself awake, aware that the only thing that awaited him in his dreams was more memories of what had happened to Erza…not that being awake was offering him any relief from that. A small part of him was tempted to turn over and try and get the others to distract him from the never-ending reel of memories, but he knew that all they would be able to offer him was more words of forgiveness…words that he knew that he didn't deserve.

The pain had settled into a background hum for the moment, but there was a lingering taste of medicine in his mouth and he knew that it was just being masked by whatever they had given him, and he found himself wishing that they hadn't bothered…at least the pain would be able to distract him from his thoughts. With an inaudible sigh he forced his eyes open, unsure of when they had drifted shut, and focused his increasingly blurry vision on the wall and trying to fill his thoughts with that vision…but barely a moment later the sight of Erza drifting away into the Etherion flashed through his mind and he couldn't stop the flinch that went through him.

"Natsu? Are you alright? Are you in pain?" Lucy said at once and he could feel her leaning over him, but he couldn't bring himself to look at her, unable to bear the thought of seeing the pain and accusation he was sure would be in her eyes. He couldn't even find the strength to muster up a verbal response, and eventually he heard her let out a dispirited sigh before her presence retreated slightly and he guessed that she had returned to her seat. His nose twitched as he caught a salty scent in the air and he knew that she was crying silently, and the weight of guilt lying on his chest increased as he realised that he was still managing to hurt his nakama.

"Lucy…" He heard Happy say softly, and he could just imagine the look of worry that would be marring the little cat's expression and the guilt pressed even closer on him. Not only had he failed to bring Erza back to them…but now he was making those closest to him cry…and for once he had no idea how to stop those tears.

"I'm okay," Lucy's voice was thick and trembling and he desperately wanted to be able to cover his ears to block it out…_No you're not,_ he wanted to scream at her. _You're not okay, it's not okay…Erza isn't here so how could it be okay?_ Instead all he did was close his eyes and try to block out everything around him, only to find himself being swept back into the seemingly never-ending flow of memories running through his mind.

FTFT

The door had barely swung shut behind Makarov when Gray's tenuous control over his emotions had shattered, and he had toppled out of the seat, crouching on the floor as he broke down. Tears streaked down his cheeks as he trembled violently, and he desperately wrapped his arms around himself as though trying to stop himself shattering. After everything…after all the waiting and praying for Natsu to come back to them…he had been unbelievably unprepared for what it would be like to face the Dragon-slayer…to talk to him about Erza.

Gritting his teeth he slammed his fist against the ground, the pain making him wince, but it gave him something else to focus on as he began to reign his emotions in. He hated losing control of himself like this, but he knew that if he didn't then it would burst out at him at a later time and probably when they could ill afford it. At least right now he knew that Natsu had someone with him and he hoped that Makarov could say or do something that might help, because the Ice mage had no idea what to do and the feeling of helplessness that realisation caused made him want to scream. Instead he huddled further into himself, burying his head against his knees as he tried to ride out his emotions.

FTFT

Makarov hesitated for a moment as he reached the infirmary door, Gray's expression haunting him as he contemplated what words he would be able to say that would offer Natsu any comfort. He wished that they had at least made some progress in finding a way to help Erza, as he suspected that was the only thing that might give the Dragon-slayer new hope, but so far all they had been able to do was rule out options…and deep down his own doubt was growing ever stronger, but there was no way that he was going to share that with his children.

Taking a deep breath he quietly opened the door and stepped inside, unsurprised when Lucy and Happy whirled around at the noise, the former's hand automatically dropping down to her keys and he felt a wave of sadness as he realised just how much innocence and trust she had been forced to toss aside recently.

"It's just me," he said soothingly and they both relaxed, allowing him to turn his attention to Natsu, a frown forming as he took in the closed off posture and realising that the teen wasn't even allowing his best friends in at the moment. "Can you give us a few minutes?" He asked softly, turning his attention back to the other two, they looked reluctant for a moment their gazes darting between him and Natsu before Lucy sighed and nodded as she got to her feet.

"We'll be back in a bit Natsu, okay?" She asked quietly, waiting for a moment for any response and her face fell a bit more when Natsu gave no indication of having even heard her words. Blinking back the sudden burning in her eyes she headed for the door, pausing beside Makarov briefly. "He wouldn't talk to us," she whispered before continuing on her way, but her words made his heart sink even further.

Happy was more reluctant to leave and he stood on the edge of the bed, staring at his partner's back with worried eyes before slumping in defeat. Perhaps Natsu would listen to their Master if he wasn't willing to listen to his friends? That idea hurt more than he had thought it would, and there was a tremor in his paw as he reached out to gently lay it on Natsu's shoulder.

"I'll see you later Natsu," he said softly not expecting a response, however, he froze for a moment as a brief flicker of azure light flickered in the air in front of Natsu. Before he could do anything thought it had vanished, and Natsu gave no indication of being aware that something had happened, and with a slight frown the cat turned away and hopped down onto the floor. "Please bring him back," he pleaded turning huge eyes towards Makarov, and the old man nodded silently although there was uncertainty in his expression and with a soft mew Happy followed Lucy's path out of the door.

FT

Once the door had shut softly behind them leaving Makarov and Natsu alone in the painfully silent room, the Old man let out a soft sigh before slowly heading towards the bed. In all honesty he had been hoping that Lucy and Happy would be able to get Natsu to respond despite Gray's concerns, after all they were a little bit closer to the Dragon-slayer than the Ice mage because there was no added strain of rivalry in their relationship…but for Natsu to even block out Happy told him that this situation was much worse than he had allowed himself to believe.

Reaching the bed he quietly moved around it, his heart aching as he caught his first glimpse of the blank expression on Natsu's face. The Dragon-slayer was one of the most expressive people he knew, and now to see the blankness in his expression now was unnerving, and it took more effort than he would ever admit to close the last of the distance between them and settle himself on the edge of the bed beside Natsu.

"Natsu," he said softly, praying that Natsu would at least listen to him even if he didn't respond. He was stunned but relieved a few minutes later when the hazy olive eyes slowly drifted across to him, although he had to carefully school his expression into one of calmness as he took in the darkness in the Dragon-slayer's eyes.

"What happened at the Tower of heaven wasn't your fault," Makarov said gently, staring into Natsu's eyes and praying that his words would be able to reach the obviously traumatised teen. He had no doubt about the truth of his words, knowing that Natsu would have done everything in his power to protect Erza, the problem was making sure that Natsu realised this and from the blank stare he was getting he was unsure of whether the teen had even heard his words.

_How can you say that Gramps? How can you sit there and say it isn't my fault when you look so sad? _

Natsu wanted to scream and lash out at the forgiving words that were being offered to him, but he couldn't find the strength to carry out that wish…what would be the point? Even if he did it would only hurt his nakama more and he couldn't bear to add to the sorrow that was practically radiating off the man in front of him. Part of him longed to hear what Makarov really thought and felt about the situation, to hear the recriminations and blame he knew that everyone must be feeling towards him but had so far masked beneath their concern and forgiving masks.

"Please Natsu," Makarov begged softly as he saw the darkness deepening in the olive eyes, but Natsu gave no sign that he was even listening and after a long moment the Dragon-slayer rolled over so that he was facing away from Makarov. "Natsu, this is not what Erza would want!" A violent tremor went through the Dragon-slayer at her name and for a moment Makarov half expected the teen to lash out at him, and he would have welcomed even that sort of reaction…he just wanted some sign that their Natsu was still there with them.

Instead Natsu curled in on himself, although there were no shivers working their way through his body and Makarov could hear the slight hitching to his breathing, but as the minutes stretched on there was no further sign of an outward reaction…he dreaded to think what might be going on inside Natsu's head at the moment.

"Natsu…"

FTFT

Once he had finally managed to wrestle his emotions back under control, Gray had abandoned Makarov's office, suddenly in dire need of company if only to help him shore up his efforts to keep himself together…there was no way he would let himself fall apart around the others, therefore he kept them nearby he could keep going…could pretend that things would get back to normal…that they would be able to bring back their teammates…a shudder went through him at the insidious doubts whispering at the back of his mind and he quickened his pace.

Still despite that resolve he found it harder than he had thought to take the last few steps into the guild hall. Perhaps it was because the usual Fairy Tail atmosphere was nowhere to be seen, even from where he was stood he could pick up on the overwhelming strain that was filling the air, muting the conversations and quenching sparks that normally would have erupted into guild wide brawls. Once upon a time he had naively thought that nothing could encroach on Fairy Tail's spirit, and yet now as he forced himself to step into the hall he was confronted with the reality of how wrong he had been.

It only took a moment before the others realised that he had stepped into the room, and he found himself immediately surrounded by worried faces and panicked enquiries.

"How's Natsu?" Wakaba asked anxiously as he glanced towards the stairs where Gray had come from and the Ice mage froze for a moment, just what should he tell them? A quick glance around a the worry, fear and faint hope in their expressions told him that he couldn't let them know the state that Natsu was in…or give voice to his own growing fears and doubts…but nor could he lie, because he knew that at some point they would find out what was happening upstairs.

"He's awake…" He began hesitantly, trying frantically to work out what he could say that wouldn't give to much a way. "The Master is talking with him right now." _At least that's true_, he told himself as he watched the hope growing in their expressions at his words, and he could feel a bit of life creeping back into the atmosphere as everyone drew strength from hearing their Salamander was awake once more.

"Gray?" Macao asked uncertainly, catching the odd emotions that were flickering across the teen's face and catching the strained note to the Ice mage's voice. "What else has happened?"

Gray wanted to curse the older man for having caught on, although he knew that Macao was a lot more perceptive than many people gave him credit for, especially when it came to the kids that he had watched grow up in the guild. Instead he silently shook his head, shooting Macao a look pleading with him not to push the issue…he didn't want to talk about it…he couldn't. Reluctantly the Fire mage nodded in acceptance although it was clear from his expression that it would only be a short reprieve, however, seizing on the opportunity Gray pushed his way through the crowd…he needed a drink of something.

"Oi don't just ignore us!" Cana suddenly appeared in his path having caught the brief exchange with Macao, and her red-rimmed eyes were narrowed with suspicion as she glared at him. "We have as much right as you to know what's going on! They're our nakama too!"

"Just leave it," Gray muttered glancing away, although he was unsurprised when she reached out to grab his shirt.

"Tell us!" She insisted angrily and he could feel his own emotions rising once more, and his eyes flashed as he raised his eyes to meet her gaze. Whatever she saw in his eyes made her pale and release him as she took a few steps back, and he dreaded to imagine what she had seen but he wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth and he hastily stepped around her and headed for the bar.

"Mira, I need a drink," he said grimly as he reached the bar, cutting off the questions he could already seeing forming on her lips and thankfully she realised from his tone that he couldn't deal with any more questions for the time being. Instead she quietly moved around making up one of the drinks that was usually reserved for Cana and setting it before him without a word, with a silent nod he grabbed it and retreated to an empty table, glowering at anyone that tried to approach.

FT

Gray downed his drink without thought, an expression of disgust crossing his face as the liquid burned his throat reminding him why he rarely drank the stuff unless already drunk. Still the burning helped to drown out his whirling thoughts ever so briefly, although the warmth that blossomed in his gut moments later immediately swung his thoughts back to Natsu and with a groan he reached up to pinch the top of his nose. _Damn it!_

"Gray?" A gentle voice broke into his thoughts and he slowly turned to look up, startled to find that Lucy was standing over him and his immediate concern was the thought that Natsu had been left alone in his current state of mind.

"Natsu…?"

"The Master is talking to him at the moment and he said he'd stay until I came back," Lucy explained realising at once what he was asking, and feeling a slight flash of annoyance at him for even thinking that she would leave the Fire mage alone at the moment. However, her irritation faded as she look at him properly, taking in the darkness in his eyes and the worried frown marring his brow…and on top of that she had just watched him down a drink just as quickly as Cana normally would, and she knew that he didn't drink like that.

"Did Natsu say anything to you?" Gray asked quietly pulling out of her thoughts and the Celestial mage sighed sadly before dropping down into the seat opposite him, and he flinched as he saw the hurt in her eyes as she shook her head.

"No, he wouldn't even look at me or Happy," she replied softly, and his eyes narrowed in concern. It was unlike the Dragon-Slayer to ignore Lucy, as he was always willing to go the extra mile for her; but it was unheard of him to ignore Happy unless they were arguing about something ridiculous like fish. That more than anything told him that things with the Dragon-slayer were far worse than he had suspected, and he felt fear churning in his gut.

"Where is Happy?" He asked when he realised that the little Cat was nowhere to be seen, and he doubted very much that Makarov would have let Happy stay for the conversation he was going to have with Natsu, especially when it was clear that he had sent Lucy away as well.

"He's gone home, I think he was more hurt than he let on about Natsu ignoring him," Lucy said softly, and he nodded quietly, Happy always had a habit of retreating when something had deeply hurt him although he hadn't expected to hear that he had gone so far as to actually leave the Guildhall.

"Well they have been together for a long time," he said with a sigh, realising that he had been so caught up in his own feelings and his concern for Lucy that he hadn't paid as much attention to the cat as he should have. "Still I'm surprised he left."

"I'm sure he won't be gone long," Lucy replied with a light shrug, and he knew that she was probably right as none of them had been able to stay away for long over the last few days and he doubted that, that would have changed even if Happy was feeling hurt.

An awkward silence descended over them as they lost themselves in their thoughts, and they were grateful when none of their watchful guild-mates came across to bother them, both of them certain that they wouldn't be able to stop themselves snapping at their nakama. Eventually the silence was broken by Gray as he was overcome with the urge to yawn, his eyes watering slightly as he raised his hand to cover his mouth, realising just how exhausted he was feeling.

"I'll stay with him tonight, why don't you head home and get some proper rest?" Lucy asked gently as she caught the yawn, glancing at him with open concern in her eyes and he shook his head at the question.

"I'm not leaving…not now," Gray said at once with more than a hint of desperation in his voice, the mere idea sending a flash of panic through his mind…leave? There was no way he could leave, not now.

"But…" Lucy began to protest taken aback by the almost desperate edge to his voice, she could see the exhaustion in his face and she knew that he had fallen apart earlier – despite his best attempts he hadn't managed to erase all the evidence of his breakdown, she just hadn't commented on it.

"I'll ask the Master to let me use one of the other rooms," Gray said at last cutting across her protest, realising that she wasn't going to give up on the issue of him getting some rest, but unable to stomach the thought of actually going home and having that distance between them…what if something else happened? With everything hanging unresolved over them, there was no way that he was going to risk it.

"Okay if you're sure," Lucy caved as she saw the steely determination in his eyes, knowing that if she was in his place she would also be refusing to leave.

FTFT

Later that night:

Lucy was startled into wakefulness as screams rang out through the air, her eyes wide she bolted upright with a frightened cry even as she looked around for the source of the noise. It took her a second to realise that she had dozed off in her chair in the infirmary, before her attention was drawn to the Dragon-Slayer as she realised that he was the source of the heart-rending noise. For a moment she watched shocked as he twisted and churned wildly on the bed, his blank expression from earlier now twisted with grief as another scream escaped him. The noise broke through her shock and in an instance she was on her feet and moving swiftly to his side.

"Natsu! Natsu wake up!" She cried urgently as she reached out to grab him, startled when instead of stirring he began to fight against her hold, still screaming out his grief even as he unconsciously strived to free himself. Desperately she tried to soothe him, murmuring comforting words to him as she removed one hand so that she could card it through his hair, but he continued to fight against her and nothing seemed to be reaching him.

Her nerves were nearly at breaking point when he screamed yet again and after a moment of hesitation she forced herself to reach out and slap him sharply. She winced at the sharp noise, already feeling guilty for her actions but then she blinked in shock as the screams halted abruptly. Startled she looked down to find that Natsu's eyes were wide open and he was staring up at her, and she had to fight the urge to cry as she found herself faced with the same terrifying blankness that filled them when he'd first woken earlier that day.

As she fought off her own tears she was stunned to see that tears were slowly beginning to form in his eyes, and as she continued to watch they finally brimmed over and began to slide down his cheeks as a silent sob shook his body. Relieved beyond belief by this first crack in his blank façade she wasted no time in climbing onto the bed next to him, gently but firmly pulling him across despite his weak attempts to fight her off before wrapping her arms around him and drawing him close.

"It's okay to cry Natsu," she whispered softly in his ear as she buried her face into his neck, feeling him beginning to shake as all the grief that he had been holding back finally became to come out. She could feel his tears soaking into the material of her top as she absently began to rock him gently in attempt to soothe him, realising as she did so that he really was just a boy. She tended to forget that he was her age in the face of his awesome magic and the determination that gave him the strength to achieve what many adults couldn't. "Let it out," she ordered quietly, her voice barely above a whisper as she reached up to begin stoking his hair soothingly as his sobbing intensified although worryingly he remained silent throughout.

It felt like hours later when his tears finally ran dry and he slumped against her, completely worn out from his outburst. Sighing softly she tightened her grip on him, humming one of the songs that Lyra had sung to her when she was younger as she felt him gradually beginning to relax in her arms. Only when she was certain that he was asleep once more did she carefully settle him back down on the bed, pausing for a moment to study his pale, tear-streaked face before slipping off the bed. Gently she tucked the blankets back in around him, feeling her eyes beginning to well up as she reached up to brush the lingering tears off his cheeks.

"Erza surely this isn't what you wanted?" She whispered as she stared down at Natsu through suddenly blurry eyes. She knew that the Re-quip mage would have only done what she had done if she thought it would protect them…would protect Natsu…but she wasn't sure that Erza had realised just how much pain and anguish she would be leaving behind with her actions. And it was becoming clear that just because Natsu had woken despite his injuries, there was no guarantee he would be able to recover fully…especially if they found that there was no way to bring Erza back to them.

"Are you both okay?" The sudden voice startled her but she quickly realised who it was, and sighing she turned to look at the Ice Mage, watching as worried onyx eyes widened as he took in her expression and she let out a watery noise that was torn between a chuckle and a sob.

"I don't even know any more," she admitted, sniffling as she reached up to scrub at her eyes to stop the tears that were threatening to escape. "He cried," she added simply with a mixed sensation of relief and grief, and dark eyes narrowed sharply as Gray swung his gaze to the sleeping Dragon-Slayer.

"Did he say anything?" He asked hopefully, his face falling when she silently shook her head, her expression reflecting the emotions he was sure his face was showing and he sighed in resignation. "Go and get some rest, I'll stay with him for the rest of the night," he ordered realising that Natsu's breakdown had shaken her and that she needed some time to sort her emotions out, and after a seconds hesitation she nodded realising why he was offering and agreeing that she needed some alone time. With a soft goodnight she headed for the door, whilst Gray moved across to commandeer the seat she had been sleeping in earlier.

"What's going on in that head of yours?" He asked quietly as he studied the sleeping Dragon-slayer, the drying tear tracks marring the pale skin sending a pain through him, and he gently reached out to brush them away. "You're back with us, and yet it feels like you're further away than ever," he muttered softly as he sat back, feeling as though there was a huge void lying between them…he had never felt like that before even when little more than rivals and it scared him…scared him even more than the thought that they might not be able to rescue Erza, and he had no idea how to stop it from happening.

FTFT

The next morning:

Natsu was silent as he passively submitted to Porlyusica's examination, barely even reacting when she pressed down on some of the more injured spots, only the slight tensing around his eyes indicating when he was in pain and the healer was becoming irritated by the silence…and unnerved, as she knew from Makarov's stories just how loud this brat could be and yet he looked practically lifeless as he sat in the bed watching her actions with a blank expression.

"I need you to tell me what is still hurting the worst," she told him finally, her voice more snappish than she had intended as she had promised the old fool that she would be gentle with the Dragon-slayer, and she felt slightly guilty as she felt him flinch slightly at her tone.

"Natsu…?" Lucy prompted nervously when the silence threatened to drag on, noting the irritated twitch that had developed in the healer's eye and desperate to avoid an explosion as she had heard rumours of how terrifying the older woman could be when truly angry. It had been bad enough watching her reaction to the news that Lucy and Gray were going to be there when she examined her patient…and that had been irritation not real anger.

Natsu blinked as he realised that they were speaking to him, the words breaking through the fog filling his mind and his gaze flitted between them as it registered what they were asking him to do. Reluctantly he resigned himself to bowing to their demands, seeing from their expressions that they weren't going to let him be until he responded and hoping that if he cooperated then they would go away that much quicker.

"….." Natsu's eyes widened in alarm as he moved his mouth but no sound came out, his heart beginning to beat wildly in his chest as he tried frantically to push words out, but all he could feel was a heavy weight settling over his chest.

"Natsu?" Gray asked in alarm, stepping forward as he watched the other teen beginning to panic, his mouth working desperately even though there was no sound coming out. He could feel a ball of dread forming in the pit of his stomach but he desperately fought to keep it off his expression, Natsu didn't need any more worry and fear to feed off. "Natsu can you say something for us?" He asked cautiously in a carefully gentle voice and slowly after a long moment, Natsu shook his head, his eyes wide and frightened as he crammed his mouth shut.

"Out of the way," Porlyusica ordered as she brushed past the Ice Mage who hastily stepped aside without complaint moving across to stand with Lucy who was watching everything with wide, worried eyes. "Has he said anything at all since waking?" She asked as she reached out carefully to pull Natsu's scarf away from his neck so that she could run careful fingers over his throat, noting how he tensed at her actions,

"He was screaming last night in his sleep," the Celestial mage offered up hesitantly and the healer paused for a moment to consider her words before refocusing on her gentle examination of Natsu's throat, the Dragon-slayer's eyes had darkened at Lucy's words and now he was carefully keeping his gaze everywhere but on her.

"And Gramps said that he said her na…something when he woke up briefly whilst he was watching him," Gray added, hastily altering his words as he watched a tremor work its way through the Fire mage as Natsu worked out what he'd been about to say.

"Aside from the damage caused by eating the Etherion I can' feel that there is anything else wrong," Porlysuica muttered barely paying attention to her audience as she frowned that her patient, before raising her hand to run a spell over the area as well but she was unsurprised when nothing that could be causing his silence showed up.

"What is it?" Gray asked as he watched her frown deepening and the hint of anxiety that had crept into her expression, sighing she stepped back from Natsu and turned to look at the two watching teens.

"There's no physical reason for his silence," she said softly and Gray reeled at the implications of what she was saying, worried eyes darting to Natsu who was now staring silently down at his clenched fists, the earlier fear and panic now buried back behind that infernal blank mask he had been wearing since waking up. "The damage from the Etherion is healing well, and whilst it might've made speaking somewhat painful it wouldn't prevent it altogether. Which means…"

"We understand," Gray said cutting her pff before she could voice her suspicions aloud, and seeing the understanding in his and Lucy's expressions she resisted the urge to snap at them for interrupting her when she had been answering their queries.

"I'll go and inform Makarov," Porlysuica turning to glance back at her silent patient with a troubled expression, she disliked it when she was unable to help someone even if she did prefer her solitude, and the fact that this was one of Makarov's beloved brats only added to that feeling. But she was wise enough to know that this was not something she could mend, whilst she could help knit the boy's injuries back together and help him regain his strength…this wound could only be fixed by his family. "Stay with him," she added unnecessarily, although both teens nodded in agreement and satisfied she headed for the door, dreading the expression that she was about to put on the Old Fool's expression.

FT

Exchanging a look the two teens quietly moved across to the bed where Natsu was sat, the Dragon-slayer still making no effort to even look up even when they both settled down on opposite sides of the bed, although he did try and shrink further in on himself as he felt the bed the dip.

"Natsu," Lucy began gently as she reached and laid a hand on top of one of his clenched fists, noting with a flicker of hurt how he flinched at her touch although she was relieved when he made no move to escape. "Will you look at us please?" She asked, allowing a hint of begging to enter her voice, knowing that normally he was never able to resist that tone and willing to use anything that would let them help him. Sure enough his eyes gradually rose until he was peering up at her although he carefully avoided meeting her eyes.

"Is there a reason you don't want to talk to us?" Gray asked in a softer voice than he had ever used on his rival ever before, and perhaps that was the reason that Natsu finally lifted his eyes to meet the Ice Mage's gaze. Gray closed his eyes briefly as he saw the emotions playing through the Dragon-slayer's eyes, emotions that were as far from the blank mask Natsu was wearing as it was possible to be. "You know it wasn't your fault don't you? No matter what you believe, not one of us blames you for what happened and we never will." He ignored the flash of guilt that went through him as he flashed back to where his thoughts had taken him that first day, and stared directly into Natsu's eyes, willing the Dragon-slayer to accept his words.

"We waited for days for you to come back to us, we were terrified that we were going to lose you!" Lucy added passionately, wincing slightly as she also heard to the unspoken '_as well'_ in her words and she caught the flicker in the olive eyes that indicated Natsu had caught it as well. "We waited, and we would have waited as long as it took! So don't try and slip away from us now."

"Do you think we feel any less guilty?" Gray asked softly and Natsu's eyes narrowed slightly, and the Ice mage took heart from the slight reaction. "We were there at the Tower as well Natsu, but when it came down to it we weren't there to help you and…Erza when it really mattered." His voice was barely above a whisper by the time he'd finished and he could feel dampness of his cheeks although he made no move to remove it…he had been the one that was most insistent on trying to help and protect Erza when the events at the Tower had begun, but he had not been the one at her side when everything went to hell….

"All we could do was sit there and watch, not knowing what was happening inside," Lucy whispered, remembering the fear that had filled them as they watched the Tower being wrecked by a battle they couldn't see and then the sight of the Etherion coming to life…her hands clenched into fists at that memory…they had been so useless.

Natsu watched them with sad eyes, wanting desperately to reach out and comfort them, to be able to say something…anything to ease their pain. And yet at the same time their words tore into him, adding to his own guilt…they hadn't been able to reach them, and they had needed him to do what they could not and he had failed them…just as he had failed her. A small, logical part of his brain was screaming at him that, that was not what they were saying…that they were sharing his pain and guilt over what had happened and were reaching out to him, but it was being swallowed up by the empty feeling in his chest and he found himself unable to move or speak.

_Erza, I'm so sorry…I failed you and them…what do I do? What do I do?_

FTFT


	8. Chapter 7

Thank you for the amazing reviews, follows and favourites.

Disclaimer: Fairy Tail and its amazing characters don't belong to me, I'm just borrowing them.

FTFT

_Natsu watched them with sad eyes, wanting desperately to reach out and comfort them, to be able to say something…anything to ease their pain. And yet at the same time their words tore into him, adding to his own guilt…they hadn't been able to reach them, and they had needed him to do what they could not and he had failed them…just as he had failed her. A small, logical part of his brain was screaming at him that, that was not what they were saying…that they were sharing his pain and guilt over what had happened and were reaching out to him, but it was being swallowed up by the empty feeling in his chest and he found himself unable to move or speak._

_Erza, I'm so sorry…I failed you and them…what do I do? What do I do?_

FTFT

One Week later:

It had been a week since Natsu had finally woken, and whilst his physical injuries were healing quickly now and his magic was heading back towards its normal levels, they still hadn't managed to get him to speak. Porlysuica maintained that it was a purely emotional response whenever they pestered her for a more detailed answer, but they couldn't help but worry that there was something more serious keeping him silent and they watched him with worried eyes as they tried to get even a single word out of him.

The rest of his team spent nearly every moment of the day at his side, coaxing him to eat despite his obvious reluctance and trying to engage him. However, whenever he was wake he kept a careful distance from them, never letting them close and wearing a blank mask that stopped them getting a proper read on what he was thinking or feeling…the only time they were able to cause a crack in his façade was when they spoke about Erza and what was happening with the search for a way to free her, and it was in those few moments that they caught a glimpse at the raw pain he was hiding. But it would always disappear before they got an opportunity to try and do anything to ease it, and those glimpses haunted them.

Night-time was a different situation altogether as sleep stripped the Dragon-slayer of all the defences he was able to erect during the day, and not a single night had passed without them waking to find him in the throes of a nightmare. It was always a battle to rouse him from whatever nightmarish images were filling with minds, the sound of his screams grating on their nerves for every second that they delayed…it was at that moment that they actually found themselves wishing for his silence, although the wish was always short-lived as Natsu would automatically lapse back into silence as soon as he woke.

It was in the minutes just after he woke though that they were able to get past the barriers holding him back in the day, and although all they could do was wrap him up in their arms and murmur comforting words that they weren't even sure reached him, it gave them hope that he was still capable of being pulled out from behind those barriers. Still it hurt to watch him weeping and losing himself in his pain, and they had been forced to take it turns to spend the night in the infirmary with him as the toll of watching him from was wearing them down and they accepted that they couldn't bear to endure it every single night…although at the same time, they felt bad for spending anytime away from him even if he wasn't responding to them.

FT

"There has to be something else we can do," Lucy said quietly as she glanced across at the sleeping Dragon-slayer, noting that even though he didn't seem to be having a nightmare, there was still a small furrow between his eyes indicating that even then he was being haunted by his thoughts. "We can't let this carry on…" _He's slipping and if we're not careful we're going to lose him,_ her unspoken words hung heavily in the air between them.

"I know," Gray said heavily, running a hand wearily across his face as he had been the one to stay with Natsu the night before and had struggled to get back to sleep even after getting the Fire Mage to sleep again. "But unless he lets us in…or Gramps manages to find something I don't see what else we can do." He hated admitting how helpless they were in this situation…after all they usually found a way around every obstacle, but somehow everything seemed that much harder these days without Erza and with Natsu slowly drifting away.

"But…" Lucy began before trailing off as Gray reached out to lay a reassuring hand on her shoulder, and his eyes were fierce as he spoke.

"Gramps won't give up easily," his voice was soft but firm, and he made sure that none of his underlying anxiety broke through…Gramps would come through for them, he had to. "You know what he's like when any of us are in trouble, and both of them are close to his heart." He knew it wasn't a case of the Old man favouring them, as he was just as protective towards every member of the guild…but there was no denying that their generation that had come to Fairy Tail seeking a home and family had a special place in the Old man's heart, and it was feeling that they all returned full force.

"I know," Lucy agreed with a weak attempt at a smile before it dropped away and she let out a sigh. "But they've not found anything yet and it's already been…" She trailed off as there was a sudden movement on the bed, neither of them wanting to have this kind of discussion around Natsu as they knew he would only be able to focus on the negative.

They watched quietly as the Dragon-slayer slowly roused himself, noting the faint winces that still appeared as he shifted around and they knew he was still feeling the effects of what had happened in the Tower of Heaven more than he had been letting on. It didn't help that he couldn't speak, or that he was reluctant to even hint at what was still bothering him as it left them and Porlysuica having to rely on guesswork more than anything…but they couldn't bring themselves to scold him for it, even though it was causing them so much worry.

Finally he managed to push himself upright, raising an uncoordinated hand to rub at sleep encrusted eyes before slowly he turned his gaze to them and they fought the urge to sigh as they saw the shutters immediately come down as his eyes fell on them.

"Morning Natsu," Gray said with forced cheer, ignoring the brief spark of pain that came from the sight of the other teen pulling away from him again even after clinging to him only a couple of hours before as the nightmares clung to him. "How are you feeling?" He asked in concern, not expecting much on an answer so he wasn't surprised when the Dragon-slayer offered a weak shrug in response before glancing off to the side.

"Porlysuica should be by in a bit to check on you," Lucy added and this drew the Dragon-slayer's attention and as he glanced at her they caught the brief flicker of irritation that passed over his face before it went back to blankness. "Don't give me that look, you're still healing so you need to let her do her job," she scolded slightly hoping to draw another reaction out of him, but this time he refused to even look at her and her shoulders slumped slightly in defeat.

"Once she's done though we could go downstairs for a bit?" Gray suggested gently, taking over as he took in her slumped position. They hadn't taken Natsu downstairs yet despite the numerous requests from the rest of the guild to be allowed to see him, but he was wondering if maybe that would be the push needed to crack through Natsu's walls…maybe seeing just how much the entire guild had been missing him and worrying about him would bring back the spark that they always associated with the Fire mage.

Neither of them missed the flinch that went through the Dragon-slayer at the suggestion, although his expression never wavered and they exchanged worried looks…surely he wasn't frightened by the thought of facing the rest of the guild? Unless…

"Natsu?" Lucy prompted softly with a worried expression, if he was acting this way with them because of the guilt that he was feeling then it was possible that he was scared the rest of the guild might blame him for what happened. "Everyone wants to see you, they've all be worried sick about you." There was no way she was going to let him think for even a moment that anyone in the guild held him responsible for what had happened.

"They're always asking about you and Gramps has been having to fight them off otherwise this room would constantly full of people," Gray added as warmly as possible, hoping to coax the Dragon-slayer into at least trying to see the others and a conflicted expression flickered across Natsu's face before he ducked his head to hide his face from them. "Natsu…"

Natsu clenched his fists as he considered their words…he wanted nothing more than to stay up and hide from the world, at least up here he could clutch at stray moments where he wasn't overwhelmed by what had happened…but down there he would be surrounded by people who were also missing Erza...her, who would want to talk about what happened…who would know that he was the one that had failed to bring her home…

A shudder went through him as he imagined being surrounded by a room of accusing eyes, and he was about to shake his head in refusal when he allowed himself to peep up through his bangs and he paused as he caught their expressions. Both Lucy and Gray were watching him with worried expressions, but the more dominant expression was hope and encouragement and he realised with a pang just how much they wanted him to do this…and he couldn't bring himself to deny them even though it went against every instinct he had. His hands were trembling violently as he slumped in defeat before silently nodding his head to signify his agreement, and he couldn't look at them as they let out excited noises at his reaction.

"I'll go and hurry her up," Lucy said eagerly, practically bouncing to her feet and despite himself Natsu lifted his head and watched as she bounded out of the infirmary and for a little while he could feel the shadows lifting in the face of her reaction.

"Thank you," Gray whispered softly and the Dragon-slayer turned to look at the other teen, startled by the sheer level of relief shining in the dark eyes and his world brightened even more…the fear was still there and the guilt, but seeing his friends losing a little of their own darkness helped and he nodded slightly, his expression lightening although he couldn't quite attempt a smile.

FTFT

It was a testament to how worried they were about him changing his mind that Porlysuica had barely left the room before they were eagerly pulling him out of the bed, and guiding him towards the door, one on either side of him as though to stop him from bolting…a thought that had been growing ever stronger as his doubts seeped back into his heart during the examination, not helped by the fact that the healer had looked so satisfied when reporting that his injuries were healing faster than she expected…_he didn't deserve to heal that quickly…not when Erza…_

Still he managed to reign in the urge to flee as his friends carefully guided him towards the stairs, barely paying attention as they chatted to him about how everyone would be glad to see him…the only time he paid attention was when they said that Happy would hopefully joining them in a little while, his eyes narrowing slightly at the reminder that the little Exceed had been spending less and less time with him…the rational part of him knew that it was because the cat hated to see how he was acting, but his mind whispered that Happy was blaming him for what had happened.

Gray and Lucy exchanged nervous looks over the top of the Dragon-slayer's head, neither of them missing the conflicted emotions flickering across his face…on the one hand they were relieved to see the emotions as it meant that the wall he had erected between himself and them had at least cracked, and yet on the other hand they were worried by what his expression was showing. Their earlier relief when he had agreed to this idea had rapidly faded, and they realised with concern that he had only agreed for their sake and not because he wanted to reconnect with the guild….still they didn't even dare suggest not going, hoping that the visit would at least widen the crack in his walls as they were virtually out of ideas of how to reach him.

FT

Natsu raised his head slightly as they stepped out into the main guild, immediately noting that the hall was much quieter than usual and he came to a halt, the urge to flee intensifying even when Lucy and Gray were right there muttering encouragements in his ear…_This was a bad idea…I can't face them…I can't…_

"Natsu!" The shout rang out before he could act on the dread that was flooding his veins, and his eyes went wide as suddenly everyone was turning in his direction and he found himself rooted to the spot, unsure of what to do.

"It's Natsu!"

"Natsu! Natsu he's here!"

"See," Lucy murmured in his ear before giving him a gentle nudge forward, and he stumbled forward numbly as the rest of the guild moved to greet him. Hoping that the others would be able to get through to the stubborn Dragon-slayer, Lucy and Gray retreated slightly, not wanting him to cling to them as they could see the fear in his eyes as he glanced around warily at the gathering mages and the way he flinched back slightly as the others began to press in on his personal space.

"I'm not sure this is going to work," Gray whispered as he watched Natsu shifting nervously, his gaze flicking briefly to whoever was talking to him at the time but it was clear that the Fire mage was trying to avoid engaging properly with them.

"Give it time," Lucy replied softly, but there was a hint of uncertainty in her voice and she frowned as she spotted worried looks spreading among some of the more observant guild members as they noted how oddly Natsu was acting and the fact that he hadn't uttered a single word. "He's only had us around since he woke up…" She trailed off weakly, whilst she hoped that it was something as simple as that, she knew there was a lot more to it than that.

"Yeah…"

FT

Nearly ten minutes had passed since they'd first brought Natsu into the guild hall, and their worries were only continuing to grow as the Dragon-slayer was clearly not reaching out to the rest of the guild despite their attempts to talk to him. Gray was deeply regretting even suggesting this idea as he caught Natsu glancing around with panic glimmering in his eyes, but he had no idea how to get the Fire mage back upstairs without causing an uproar among the rest of their nakama…and he had a feeling that, that reaction would be even worse for the Dragon-slayer than the current situation.

"Gray what's going on with him?" Cana asked softly coming up alongside him and settling into the seat beside him and when he turned to look at her, he found that her gaze was locked firmly on Natsu and that there was a concerned expression on her face unlike any he had seen before.

"He hasn't spoken since he woke up," he admitted quietly, trying to avoid drawing Natsu's attention although he knew just how sharp the Dragon-slayer's hearing was, and he heard the sharp intake of breath beside him and winced. They had been keeping that fact from the rest of the guild, not wanting to dampen the hope that had blossomed when everyone had heard Natsu had finally woken up…but there was no hiding it now, not when it was visibly clear to even the most unobservant that there was something seriously wrong with Natsu. "We're hoping that being around everyone might help."

"It's not from his injuries?" Cana asked with a worried frown, her sharp eyes taking in the remaining bandages and the way in which Natsu was leaning against the wall for support and realising that he was still healing. Silently Gray shook his head, his own expression darkening as he noted how Natsu was shrinking back whenever anyone got to close, almost as though he was expecting a physical attack. "He's scared of us…" She commented also noticing the way he was reacting, and Gray sighed softly knowing that she was too sharp to hide things from.

"We think that he's expecting everyone to blame him for what happened," Gray explained softly, watching with sad eyes as Natsu twisted his head away as Macao tried to speak to him and watching as the older Fire mage backed away with suspiciously moist eyes and how Lucy was quick to place a comforting hand on the man's arm.

"That's ridiculous," Cana snapped instantly, quickly quieting her voice when several pairs of eyes moved towards them although thankfully not Natsu's. "We might not know exactly what happens, but we all know that he would have done everything he could…he always does when we're in trouble," she added in a much softer voice, flashing back to how fiercely he had fought to protect them all during the battle against Phantom Lord…there was no way she could see him doing anything different this time.

"It's not me you need to persuade," Gray replied holding his hands up defensively, although he was definitely relieved to hear her making the same arguments that he and Lucy had been making…surely if enough people said it, even the stubborn Fire mage would have to accept their words?

FT

Makarov sighed softly as he leant on the banister rail, watching the scene below him with worried eyes as he watched how Natsu flinched away from even the most tentative attempts to engage him in conversations. When Lucy had sent Happy to him earlier to tell him that the Dragon-slayer had given into their demands to visit the rest of the guild he had allowed himself to hope that they had reached a turning point, but it was clear from watching Natsu that he had just been trying to make things easier for his friends.

"Are you sure there's nothing more you can do for him?" He asked softly, glancing at Porlysuica who was stood just behind him and she shot him an irritated glance before sighing, her crimson eyes unusually defeated as her gaze shifted down to her most recent patient.

"Physically he's on the mend…it's the emotional side that's the problem, and my magic can't help with that," she replied and none of the annoyance from her expression showed through in her tone, and she looked almost sympathetic as she turned her attention back to her old friend. "Time…and freeing Erza are the only things that will help."

"I don't think time will fix this," Makarov said softly with a barely noticeable shake of his head, his gaze shifting back to Natsu and his expression darkened slightly as he watched the Fire mage staring at nothing with a lost look in his eyes.

"And Erza? Has there been any progress?" Porlysuica asked with a frown, noting the almost defeated edge to his voice and the way that he had avoided mentioning the Re-quip mage. "Makarov?" She prompted when he didn't immediately reply, and her eyes widened as his hands clenched into fists against the bannister.

"We're running out of sources to check," Makarov admitted softly, feeling something inside him crack as he voiced his fear aloud for the first time and he couldn't look at her as he felt his eyes beginning to burn.

"And…?" The healer encouraged quietly, pretending not to notice the quiver going through him but unable to ignore the silent '_and'_ that she could sense in his words.

"The Council have begun hinting that we should start planning a memorial service," Makarov said finally, and this time he did raise his eyes to look at her and she winced as she saw the grief in his eyes…not that she felt much different, of all of his brats, Erza had been the one that she had known the best and at some point the girl had wiggled a way into a small part of her heart.

"Their help was short-lived," she muttered with a scowl, but there was no real surprise in her expression or voice as she added with a hint of bitterness. "As usual."

"Unfortunately the rest of the magical world hasn't stopped just because of our loss," Makarov replied grimly although a large part of him wanted to agree with her words, especially as he was certain that there was more that could still be done…that should be done after what the Council had done by firing the Etherion that day. "They can't focus on Fairy Tail…on Erza forever…But…" _But they should,_ he added privately and his eyes narrowed as he turned his gaze back to the scene below, watching as Natsu was reluctantly shepherded to a table where he was quickly joined by Mira and Elfman, the former watching the Dragon-slayer with rising concern.

"Do they know?" Porlysuica asked as she followed his gaze, unsurprised when he sighed softly after a moment before shaking his head in reply.

"No," Makarov admitted and there was a heaviness to his words, which was reflected in his shadowed gaze as he turned to look at her once more. "They've been so worried about Natsu I couldn't bear to add to their burden…not when there's nothing more they can be doing." He knew that if he told them they would be compelled to try and help even though there was little they could be doing, and it would stretch them even thinner than they were already been stretched by the situation with Natsu…he couldn't do that to them…not when there was still some hope left.

"You'll have to tell them soon," Porlysuica scolded but without any of the usual iron to her voice, and her eyes were understanding as she met his gaze. "It'll be far worse if they hear it from the Council."

"I know," Makarov agreed, wincing at the very thought of the Council making that announcement to his unsuspecting brats. "I…"

"You want to protect them," the healer added softly, finishing the unspoken words for him and quietly she laid a hand on his shoulder before adding gently. "Sometimes it's just not possible to protect them from everything."

"I can try."

FT

It was too much…there was too many people after days of just seeing his teammates, and every one of them was either trying to get him to speak or reassuring him that what had happened wasn't his fault…and it was all lies. He could feel the difference in the atmosphere in the guildhall, could see it their dulled eyes and forced happiness and it was grating against his nerves and yet he couldn't bring himself to just abandon them. Lucy and Gray were constantly nearby and he knew that they were watching everything with hopeful eyes, and Happy had appeared a short while ago and was shadowing him closely although thankfully he was one of the few that wasn't constantly trying to engage him in conversation.

"…Natsu, we're just glad you're okay…" He blinked as Mira's gentle voice broke through his whirling thoughts and he glanced at her, tensing as he realised that she had probably been repeating the same reassurances that she had been uttering since she'd caught sight of the guilt that appeared in his expression whenever the Tower or Erza were mentioned…In the past he might have listened to her, knowing that she often had a way of seeing things that others missed, but now he couldn't move past the darkness lingering in her eyes…_it's the same darkness as back then…you'd finally begun to laugh and smile without that shadow appearing and now I've brought it back…_

"Natsu?" Elfman's voice was unusually soft and gentle, and there was worry and a similar shadow to Mira's in his eyes as he reached out to and draw the Dragon-slayer's obviously wandering attention back to them and Natsu twitched back just out of reach, guilt lancing through him at the hurt that flickered across the larger man's expression.

_ENOUGH!_ He screamed in his head, wishing desperately that he could force his voice past his lips as he brought his hands down hard on the table. There was a brief moment where Mira and Elfman trailed off into silence, but before they could say anything there was a blinding flash of light and Natsu let out a silent cry of pain as magic forced itself free of his body…he knew instinctively that this wasn't his magic, and his eyes went wide with shock as the table disintegrated in front of his eyes.

"Natsu…" There was a frightened edge to Mira's expression even as she summoned up the courage to edge closer to him, and he glanced down realising that his hands were still glowing and nausea welled up as he recognised the distinctive blue light they were letting off…_Etherion…_ A whimper escaped as he hastily stood, frantically backing away as he clenched his hands together as his head whipped from side to side as he sought an escape route…

"Natsu calm down!" Gray appeared on the periphery of his vision, and despite himself the Dragon-slayer flinched violently and another burst of magic broke free scorching the ground between them and filling the air with the smell of burnt wood. "Natsu…" The Ice mage somehow managed to stay calm although he had to swallow slightly as he realised just how close the blast had come to hitting him, but he didn't hesitate as he continued to move towards Natsu who had frozen in silent terror at the second loss of control. "Easy, it's okay…just calm down," Gray kept his voice low and soothing, relieved to notice that Lucy was also pushing her way through to them, unsure if he would be able to calm the panicking Dragon-slayer on his own.

How was this happening? He wanted to scream aloud as he stopped beside Natsu, his eyes narrowing as he caught the tremors wracking the Fire mage's body before his attention was drawn to the subtle blue glow around the Dragon-slayer's hand…Etherion… He could have lived a lifetime without having to see that light once more, and he winced as he carefully raised his eyes to meet Natsu's, the sheer pain shining in them cutting them to the core. Not allowing himself to show any hesitance he reached out and gently grasped the Dragon-slayer's arm, ignoring Natsu's attempt to escape.

"Easy…It'll be okay," he repeated softly, carefully tightening his hold even as he stepped closer to Natsu, resolutely ignoring the protest he could see in the Dragon-slayer's expression…

"Let's get out of here," Lucy was suddenly beside them, her expression and voice calm as she looked at Natsu and Gray was relieved by her composure…a glance around showed the worried and somewhat nervous expressions on their friends' faces and whilst he couldn't blame them, he knew each and every one of those expressions would be eating away at Natsu. "Natsu, come on let's…"

Whatever else she had been about to say was abruptly interrupted by the sound of someone sharply clearing their throat, and the gathered mages turned towards the source of the noise and a frenzy of worried whispers broke as they took in the pair of Rune Knights standing in the doorway staring at Natsu with hungry expressions.. Gray and Lucy hastily stepped in front of Natsu as they realised that the newcomers had witnessed his outburst and feeling uneasy as they took in the way the mages were looking at their friend, and behind them Happy let out a worried mew as he clutched at Natsu's leg with a trembling paw…

FTFT

A/N: Sorry for the delayed update folks I had a bit of writer's block with this chapter, and then had a fit of inspiration this morning . Hopefully the next chapter will be up a lot sooner.


	9. Chapter 8

Thank you for the amazing reviews, follows and favourites.

Disclaimer: Fairy Tail and its amazing characters don't belong to me, I'm just borrowing them.

FTFT

Previously:

_How was this happening? He wanted to scream aloud as he stopped beside Natsu, his eyes narrowing as he caught the tremors wracking the Fire mage's body before his attention was drawn to the subtle blue glow around the Dragon-slayer's hand…Etherion… He could have lived a lifetime without having to see that light once more, and he winced as he carefully raised his eyes to meet Natsu's, the sheer pain shining in them cutting them to the core. Not allowing himself to show any hesitance he reached out and gently grasped the Dragon-slayer's arm, ignoring Natsu's attempt to escape._

"_Easy…It'll be okay," he repeated softly, carefully tightening his hold even as he stepped closer to Natsu, resolutely ignoring the protest he could see in the Dragon-slayer's expression…_

"_Let's get out of here," Lucy was suddenly beside them, her expression and voice calm as she looked at Natsu and Gray was relieved by her composure…a glance around showed the worried and somewhat nervous expressions on their friends' faces and whilst he couldn't blame them, he knew each and every one of those expressions would be eating away at Natsu. "Natsu, come on let's…"_

_Whatever else she had been about to say was abruptly interrupted by the sound of someone sharply clearing their throat, and the gathered mages turned towards the source of the noise and a frenzy of worried whispers broke as they took in the pair of Rune Knights standing in the doorway staring at Natsu with hungry expressions.. Gray and Lucy hastily stepped in front of Natsu as they realised that the newcomers had witnessed his outburst and feeling uneasy as they took in the way the mages were looking at their friend, and behind them Happy let out a worried mew as he clutched at Natsu's leg with a trembling paw…_

FTFT

Now:

Before the Council mages had been able to say or do anything about Natsu's surprising magic, Makarov had intercepted them and steered the group upstairs and into the privacy of his office. Not to keep it from the rest of the guild, who had made it more than obvious that they were ready to step in at moment's notice if either of the Knights had tried anything against the Dragon-slayer, but to give the clearly shaken Fire mage a smaller audience. Gray and Lucy had immediately claimed the seats either side of Natsu to form a protective barrier, pressing close to their friend as they felt him trembling continuously and the Celestial mage silently reached out to grasp one of his hands before turning her attention to the two Rune Knights.

"Is it really necessary to this right now?" She demanded, not caring that she sounded less than respectful and ignoring the frowns that they both sent in her direction…she could tell that if Makarov hadn't been there watching everything with worried eyes they might've been tempted to try and act against her rudeness. She felt the chill that had been emanating from Gray since the moment he had spotted the pair increasing, and she fought the urge to shiver as the cold danced across her skin, and she pressed ever so slightly closer to Natsu's warmth.

"I'm afraid so," the taller of the Knights replied after a moment, and whilst his eyes were still narrowed in irritation at her tone, none of that showed in his voice which managed to sound genuinely apologetic…not that it mollified Lucy's fears in the slightest, but she realised that she would need to at least give them a chance if they were willing to be civil with them. "We had come in the hopes of speaking with Mister Dragneel about what happened, and to pass on some news…"

"However, what we witnessed downstairs changes things," the second Knight spoke up this time, and his voice had an oiliness to it that immediately set Lucy's teeth on edge and she narrowed her eyes at his words, noting the way his gaze was fixated on Natsu and the hunger that flickered through his eyes for a moment before it was masked a moment later.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Gray demanded harshly, having also noted the man's expression and catching the way that Lucy had tensed out of the corner of his eye. However, what fanned his temper more was the shudder that had gone through Natsu at the mention of what had happened downstairs…the Dragon-slayer was only slightly calmer now than he had been downstairs, and Gray desperately wanted to shout at them for upsetting the Fire mage, but he knew that, that could also set Natsu off further and he was terrified of setting off another Etherion-powered outburst.

"It's possible that if we can find out how he is able to use Etherion that it will help us in freeing Erza Scarlet," the taller Knight explained taking over again, shooting a quelling look at his partner as he picked up on the obvious tension coming from the protective teens. "At this moment it is the only lead we have," he admitted a moment later…and there was honest disappointment at having to admit that fact in his eyes as he glanced between the three teens and then across at Makarov.

"So that's why you were here, to tell us you were giving up," Gray said quietly, glancing across at Makarov and catching the pained expression on the Old Man's face…part of him wanting to shout and lash out at their Master for keeping it from them, but for now he had to focus on Natsu's safety and with difficulty he turned his attention back to the taller of the two Rune Knights.

"To tell you that the council had exhausted its resources, yes," the man admitted with such ease that both Lucy and Gray had to grit their teeth in irritation, and Happy twitched slightly at their feet although he didn't speak. "However, it seems like there might be a chance now," he added tilting his head meaningfully towards Natsu and the Dragon-slayer shrank in on himself as he felt the gaze burning into him.

"As if we'd let him go with you," Lucy snarled and she unwillingly released Natsu's hand as she felt the Dragon-slayer flinch at her tone, and she shot him a brief, apologetic glance before turning her attention back to the Council members. "Have you taken a look at him? He's still healing!" Her eyes were narrow as she glared at them, seeing no concern or give in their expressions…they didn't care a jot for the fact that Natsu was still healing and her fingers twitched towards her Keys before she forced herself to stop, it wouldn't help anyone if she got into a fight now.

"We understand that," the shorter man said soothingly, but the glint in his eyes made them tense further and that feeling only increased as he added plainly. "But time is running out." It was meant to sound concerned...like he was worried that time was running out for Erza, and for all they knew their red-headed friend might be running out of time…but in that instance it sounded like more of a threat, and Lucy shivered slightly as the chill in the air increased once more, and a quick glance at Gray showed that he was glaring furiously at the Rune Knights.

"Yo…"

"Natsu Dragneel the decision is yours," the taller Knight spoke cutting across whatever angry protest the Ice mage was about to make, and Natsu's head shot up with a fearful expression written across his face at being directly addressed and there was no relief at seeing something other than the blank expression on his face… "Will you help us try and find a way to save Erza Scarlet?

"What are…" Gray growled out furiously, feeling Natsu shifting uneasily beside him and he watched as the Dragon-slayer's hands clenched in his lap…damn them for playing on Natsu's guilt, they had clearly managed to work out that he would be willing to do anything to help Erza and they were going to use that to their advantage.

"Will you help us?"

FT

_Will you help us?..._ The question echoed in Natsu's mind, breaking through the blankness that he had been so desperately clinging to since realising what was fuelling his outburst downstairs, determined to make sure that he didn't lose control again…not when he had come so close to hurting his friends. Slowly he shifted his glance between the two Rune Knights with a hint of fear…remembering all the times he had run into trouble with them before and not completely blind to the hunger in their eyes as they looked at him. After a moment his gaze flicked to Makarov who was watching everything with a grim, worried expression and then to his friends and seeing their concern and anger as they watched what was happening.

Shivering slightly he lowered his gaze once more as he tried to wrestle his whirling thoughts into some kind of order. Logically he knew that there was a very high chance that his unexpected ability to use the Etherion lingering in his system would not help them work out how to help Erza…but…if there was even the slightest chance that it could…_Erza…Can I save you?_

FT

A couple of moments had passed before Natsu finally nodded quietly, barely able to meet any of their gazes as he did so, although there was a determined set to his face that told them that he meant what he was agreeing to.

"Natsu…" Gray breathed in horror...this was what he had been afraid of, that Natsu would agree without really thinking about it and he knew that it would be practically impossible to talk the Dragon-slayer out of this decision once it became lodged in his stubborn mind. Biting his lip he glanced up at Makarov who looked equally worried, and silently the Ice Mage tilted his head towards the far-side of the room and the older man nodded as he caught the silent message.

"May we talk about this in private for a moment?" Makarov asked politely, deliberately inserting a hint of steel into his voice so that the Knights would realise that it wasn't really a request…he might have to respect the Council and the power they wielded, but he had no intention of letting them force Natsu into anything, especially not in his current condition.

"Of course," the taller replied instantly, although it was clear from both of their expressions that they honestly weren't too keen on the idea…but apparently they had caught the warning in Makarov's tone, and wisely decided that it was better to allow this conversation than pick a fight.

"Come on Natsu," Lucy encouraged as she gently pulled the unresisting Fire mage to his feet, wrapping her arm around his waist as she guided him across the room with Gray following them. Both teen's detecting the silencing magic that sprang up between them and the Rune Knights as soon as they crossed the halfway point, and Gray nodded approvingly, risking a glance back at the men and having to fight back a smirk as he took in their expressions when they realised they couldn't even listen into the conversation.

FTFT

_There was pain…and an endless sea of blue…and for a brief moment there was a flicker of awareness…of realisation…that she wasn't meant to be here…but she wasn't sure where this was…and before she could begin to try and work out the answer to that puzzle she was gone…lost once more to the endless blue._

FTFT

"You want to go with them?" Makarov asked softly as he stared at the Dragon-slayer wanting nothing more than for Natsu to change his mind right then and tell them that he didn't want to go, but he wouldn't pressurize the Fire mage into making that decision no matter how strongly he wished for it.

"Master…" Gray began to protest at once, his eyes going wide as he realised what their Master was asking and already knowing deep down that there was no way that Natsu would change his mind. However, Makarov merely raised a hand to cut off his protests, his expression one of understanding before he turned his gaze back to Natsu who was watching the interaction with a blank expression.

Seeing that their attention had swung back to him, the Dragon-slayer hesitated for a brief moment, his gaze flicking over his friends' anxious expressions before darting towards the Rune Knights who were watching the discussion even though they couldn't hear what was being said. Finally he turned his eyes back to Makarov and meeting the Old man's gaze squarely, he gave a small but undeniable nod and beside him Gray let out a low groan of despair.

"Are you sure?" Makarov pressed, struggling not to let his expression reflect the conflict he was feeling and he was unsurprised when the Dragon-slayer gave a second more distinct nod.

"Natsu…" Lucy whispered seeing the expression on her best-friend's face, her eyes stinging as she glanced between him and their Master before shooting a glare at the council mage's that were watching everything with blank expressions…_why did they have to turn up today of all days?_ They would never have let them near Natsu if they knew he was having issues with the Etherion he had consumed…would have stopped them ever having the opportunity to speak to Natsu, to get inside his head…

Seeing the conflict on his nakamas' faces and realising that they were going to fight this unless they really understood his motivation for doing this, Natsu gestured towards a pile of paper on Makarov's desk and mimed writing. Makarov frowned for a moment before realising what he was asking for, quickly rooting around the mess on his desk until he tracked down a pen before quietly pushing it and a sheet of paper towards the Dragon-slayer who accepted it with a small nod of thanks, tensing as he immediately felt everyone's eyes falling on him once more. His hands shook wildly as he wrote, betraying the fear and uncertainty that had been flooding him since he'd first said that he was willing to do this…a small part of him that sounded suspiciously like his old self was screaming at him not to do this…not to trust the council…but the larger part was consumed by the memory of Erza floating away from him and the thought that maybe, just maybe he could do something to help her.

Finished he stared down at the short note he had written for a moment before silently picking it up and holding it out to Makarov, who accepted it with a resigned expression, already having a good idea what he was about to read.

"He says he wants to do it if it'll help Erza," Makarov reported heavily as he scanned the page, his fingers tensing as he glanced from the messy scrawl to Natsu who was watching him with intent eyes, his face a mask of anguish and pleading…pleading with him to let him have this chance to try and save Erza.

"Master can we have a word?" Gray asked through gritted teeth, and it was clear that it wasn't really a request and with a sigh Makarov nodded and climbed to his feet, allowing Gray and Lucy to guide him a short distance away from Natsu…not that the distance would help with the Dragon-slayer's keen hearing.

FT

"Master we can't let him go through with this!" Lucy hissed furiously, her eyes blazing as she glared at Makarov with none of the usual respect or affection that she had for him and her magic was pulsing around her as it responded to her agitation.

"It's his decision," Makarov said weakly, wincing at the dark look that both teens sent him…not helped by the fact that he was just as worried by the situation as they were, however, he was torn between his worry and the need to respect Natsu's decision and the reasons behind it.

"Look at him," Gray's voice was glacial as he gestured across at Natsu, the Dragon-slayer hadn't moved since they'd pulled Makarov aside and he was staring blankly down at his hands and even from here the Ice Mage could tell his hands were shaking violently…no matter what mask he might be showing them, he was scared…of himself and of the situation he was in, and all Gray wanted to do was keep him safe, even if it was from himself. "He's in no fit state to be making any decisions, let alone one like this," he added in a softer tone as he turned his attention back to Makarov.

"And can we really trust them?" Lucy asked, her own voice much quieter now as she glanced back at the watching council mages, noting their impatient expressions with a growing sense of unease, and there was a slight waver in her voice when she continued. "I saw how they looked at him when they first walked into the guild… it's not for Erza's sake that they're doing this…"

"And he still isn't speaking," Gray added grimly, glancing across at Natsu and scowling as he caught the lost expression that had flickered briefly across his face. "He can't protect himself like that…they could hurt him." When Natsu was his normal self, there would be no way that the council would be able to get one up on him…but in his current state…and worse Gray wasn't sure that Natsu would be able to see that any mistreatment he received was unacceptable, that he didn't need to be punished for what had happened.

"Gray, Lucy," Makarov said softly, sighing as he glanced between them before his gaze drifted across to Natsu and his expression darkened as he spotted Happy hunkered down next to the Dragon-slayer…his family was falling apart and he felt helpless to stop it. "I know you don't like the council but I'm sure that they wouldn't hurt him," he said as he forced himself to turn his attention back to the issue at hand, surprised at how even and calm his voice came out, although neither teen looked particularly convinced by his words.

It didn't take long for them to realise that they had reached an impasse, and reluctantly they dropped all the privacy wards so that they could address the Knights once more as they had managed to agree that there were several questions that they all needed the answers to before they could let Natsu go with them.

"Where will you be taking him?" Makarov asked turning his attention back to the Rune Knights who seemed a lot happier now that the privacy spells had been removed, and he narrowed his eyes, he really didn't want to trust these men but for the time being he felt as though he had to.

"The council facility in Magnolia for now," the shorter Knight replied after sharing a glance with his partner, before adding with a careless shrug. "It may be necessary to move elsewhere if our equipment proves insufficient." It was clear to both teens and Happy that he was anticipating that being the case and they shared suspicious looks before glancing across at Makarov, the old man had a concerned expression but he still seemed unwilling to speak out so they shifted their attention back to the Rune Knights.

"You won't object to us visiting him then?" Gray asked after a moment making it clear from his tone of voice that it wasn't really a question, and beside him Lucy shot them a challenging look, practically daring them to try and deny her access from her best friend.

"Of course not," the taller Knight replied easily and both teens backed down slightly at the agreement and the lack of hesitation that had accompanied it.

"If it is necessary to relocate Natsu elsewhere," Makarov said sternly as he glanced briefly at the silent Dragon-slayer who was watching the discussion with a blank expression, before making sure that he had the attention of both men before he continued as he wanted to leave no room for negotiation on this matter. "I wish to be informed of any such development and his friends will accompany him."

"Very well," the taller Knight agreed seemingly unsurprised by the demands, and his expression was neutral as he glanced around the group before his gaze settled on Natsu. "If that is all, we should be on our way as our superiors were expecting us back some time ago."

"What about his belongings?" Lucy asked, both wanting to delay what she was now realising was inevitable but also not liking the idea of them dragging him out of there with nothing but the clothes on his back.

"We have sufficient facilities for tonight, and you can bring anything you deem necessary when you visit tomorrow," the Knight replied calmly and Lucy paused, caught by surprise by the blatant permission for them to visit their friend and so quickly and she exchanged glances with Gray who looked equally startled although he was hiding it slightly better than she had.

"Natsu is that acceptable to you?" Makarov asked glancing across at Natsu who jolted at being addressed directly, but after glancing briefly across at Lucy and Gray the Dragon-slayer nodded silently…_in all honesty he didn't really care what happened, all he wanted to do was help Erza and he was finding it increasingly hard to focus on everything that was happening around him._

Realising that they were out of stalling actions, and that Natsu was not about to be dissuaded from his chosen path and without Makarov's support there was no way they could challenge the Council directly at this point the teens backed off. Ignoring the Rune Knights they moved across to Natsu who had finally taken the initiative and climbed stiffly to his feet, heading silently towards the door and they quickly moved to flank him, desperate to spend as much time as they could with him. Behind them they could hear the Knights and Makarov following, but they didn't turn to look back.

Makarov sighed softly as he followed the group out of his office, knowing without a doubt that he was going to face similar questions and protests from the rest of his children when they realised what was happening and he was dreading it. His dark eyes narrowed as they settled on Natsu, once again questioning his decision to honour the Dragon-slayer's choice and to trust the Council…so much depended on Natsu being able to help them, and the Council honouring their word and he didn't like how uncertain both elements were, but he couldn't see any way of improving the situation.

FTFT

The rest of the guild were still lingering in the hall, quietly discussing earlier events and waiting to find out what happened with the Rune Knights that had accompanied Makarov and the others upstairs. None of them had the best experience with the Council and they were worried about what the reaction to Natsu's unexpected use of the Etherion would be, and they were all more than prepared to fight for Natsu if it came down to it…no matter what else happened or had happened, he was still their nakama and nothing was going to change that.

It was into this atmosphere that the small group appeared, and it was immediately clear that something that they weren't going to like had happened…and several of them tensed as they took in how the Rune Knights had taken up positions behind the Dragon-slayer and how their eyes were never moving from the silent Fire mage. Their concern was only heightened by the grim expressions worn by Lucy and Gray, and the dejected expression on Happy's face as he gazed sadly up at his partner and several of them sprang to their feet in case they need to spring into action.

"Where are they taking Natsu?" Elfman demanded loudly as he shot to his feet, only Makarov holding up a hand to stop him, preventing him from doing anything rash although it didn't stop him from adding loudly. "He hasn't done anything wrong!"

"Natsu…" Mira whispered anxiously as she stared at the Fire mage with concerned eyes. He had scared her earlier, but she knew that he was in no way to blame and she definitely didn't like the fact that the Council seemed to be getting involved. Silently she glanced across at Makarov with a questioning expression, but he merely shook his head silently, but the concern she could see in his dark eyes only fanned her own concern.

"Gray, Lucy what's happening?" Cana demanded anxiously as she shoved her way through to them, her eyes narrowed as she glanced at the Rune Knights and Natsu before turning her attention to the pair.

"The Council think that he might be able to help them find a way to free Erza," Gray explained tonelessly, his gaze never leaving Natsu as he spoke, his fingers twitching as he watched the Fire mage shrinking in on himself as he realised that he was once more the centre of attention. "He's going to go and help them."

"Are you crazy?" Cana demanded incredulously, before gesturing wildly towards the silent Dragon-slayer with a worried frown. "He's in no state to do that!" _If he couldn't face us…or believed for even a moment that they would blame him for what had happened to Erza…then there is no way he should be allowed to make decisions like this._

"You think we don't know that!" Gray demanded angrily, his eyes flashing as he turned to glare furiously at Cana who hastily held up her hands to indicate she meant no harm…she had never seen the Ice mage look so angry and it only increased her concern over what was happening, and she glanced across at Lucy hoping for a less explosive response.

"Natsu agreed to this," Lucy whispered and the gathered mages could hear the pain in her voice, especially when she added with an audible waver in her voice. "And our Master wants to respect that."

"But…" Cana protested weakly, trailing off as she took in the defeated expressions the pair were wearing and realising that she wasn't saying anything that they probably hadn't already said in an attempt to change Natsu's mind.

"Believe us we know," Gray replied in a much softer tone, before scowling as he realised that the Rune Knights were indicating that they wanted to leave. Gritting his teeth to stop himself snarling at them he lightly laid a hand on Lucy's shoulder before tilting his head towards them when she glanced at him curiously, and she paled before nodding in understanding. Without a word they turned and quickly headed for Natsu, determined to make sure that the Dragon-slayer knew that they were there for him…and that if anything happened he was to tell them.

FT

"Natsu you have to promise us that you'll let us know if they're doing anything they shouldn't be," Gray ordered as he stared into blank olive eyes, desperately looking for any sign that Natsu had even heard his words… but there was nothing and the ice in his chest seemed to spread…this was a terrible idea. "Promise?" He repeated almost frantically, but all he got was a slow blink in response, and his fingers tightened in the material of the Dragon-slayer's vest for a moment before he forced himself to release him and step aside to let Lucy step across.

"Natsu…" She began but then trailed off helplessly as she stared into his eyes, and her eyes began to burn once more as she realised that in his current state there was no way to talk him out of this decision. For a moment she hesitated, wanting nothing more than to take him in her arms and keep him safe with them but she knew that for now at least they had to let him do this. With a heavy heart she closed the last bit of distance between them, wrapping her arms around him in a brief but tight hug and reached up to press a gentle kiss against his cheek. "Make sure you come home to us," she whispered unable to stop her voice wobbling, and she had to surreptiously swipe at her eyes as she released him and stepped back.

Turning she glanced at Happy who was still hanging back watching everything with tearful eyes, and when she inclined her head towards Natsu the little Exceed shook his head sadly…he couldn't bring himself to say goodbye, and in a way she understood, although a small voice at the back of her mind muttered that this might be his only chance but she hastily smothered that thought…_Natsu would be okay, he had to be!_

"Take care of him," she said grimly as she turned around to find that the Rune Knights had stepped up alongside Natsu, and her hands curled into fists at her side as it took very little to imagine that they were there to remove him as a prisoner and she itched the reach out and pull Natsu back into her arms.

"Of course Miss Heartfilia," the taller of the pair nodded politely before turning to glance down at Natsu who was stood silently studying the ground with a drawn expression. "Master Dragneel," he prompted, and the Dragon-slayer jolted violently before lifting his head and briefly allowing his gaze to meet Lucy and Gray's worried eyes before nodding, allowing the pair of Knights to guide him towards the door, ignoring the worried murmurs rising in volume around them.

"Gray….we…." Lucy whispered brokenly as the door closed behind Natsu and his 'escorts' and now there was no stopping the tears that slipped down her cheeks, and seeing this Gray swiftly stepped across to her and hugged her tightly, ignoring the curious murmurs that were spreading out through the guild around them.

"I know," he murmured softly, swallowing back his own concern and swirling anger as he felt her breaking down completely as she buried her face into his shoulder. Realising that she would hate having everyone witness her meltdown, he gently pulled back although he kept his arm around her as he turned to glance at the lost looking Exceed behind them. "Come on let's get out of here. Happy!"

"Aye Sir,"

"Come on Lucy," Gray ordered softly as he steered her towards the door, ignoring the weak attempts from the surrounding mages to stop them and find out more about what was happening. He trusted that Makarov could deal with it, and at the moment all he wanted to do was get as far away from the Guild as possible.

FT

"Did I make the right decision?" Makarov asked softly with a pained expression on his face as he watched a grim-faced Gray guiding a sobbing Lucy out of the guild, Happy following them with a dejected expression on his face and the atmosphere they had left behind was heavier than it had been since the news of what had happened to Erza had been shared. He turned to glance at Porlysuica who had stepped up beside him, unable to find even a spark of humour at the irritated expression on her face at having failed to sneak up on him.

"I don't know," she said softly as she followed his gaze. "The boy chose this…and I doubt even the council would be foolish enough to do anything…unnecessary…against him." She frowned at her own words, praying that they were true…she dreaded to think just how much devastation those teens would cause if any harm befell their friend…her gaze slipped back to Makarov and she knew that whatever they did would pale in comparison to what Makarov would do if they dared to hurt his precious 'brat' and she couldn't quite stop the shiver that went through her at that thought.

"Gray and Lucy are worried…"

"Of course they are," Porlysuica said with a hint of impatience entering her voice. "They may have already lost Erza, and they have been forced to watch Natsu fall apart in front of them… they haven't left his side since that day."

"And now I've allowed him to just go," Makarov said heavily, wishing more than ever that he had at least tried to argue with Natsu…but if he had, would that have meant leaving Erza to her fate? How was he supposed to choose between his children?

"All we can do is wait and see what happens," Porlysuica said softly, all traces of irritation gone now, especially as she added in an even quieter tone. "And pray the Council doesn't stray from their word," they exchanged worried looks as the words hung in the air between them.

FTFT

"This isn't right," Lucy whispered shakily as she took a small sip of the tea that Gray had pressed into her hands several minutes ago, and she raised tear-reddened eyes to look across at the Ice mage as she added. "We should never have let him agree to this."

"We'll check on him every day," Gray promised firmly as he gripped his own mug so tightly that she was afraid that he might break it, and there was a dark threat in his voice as he added so quietly that she had to lean forward to catch his words. "The first sign we get of anything being wrong and we'll get him out of there." _With whatever force is necessary,_ he added silently to himself, knowing that if it reached that stage then the Council would be unlikely to just hand Natsu back to them…if that happened they wouldn't know what hit them.

"But what if we miss something? What if we're too late?" Lucy asked as she felt fresh tears slipping down her cheeks at the idea that they might "He's already hurting…I can't bear the thought of something else happening to him." _And can he survive anything else happening to him,_ the unspoken words were clear to all of them even though they didn't want to even consider that possibility.

"I know," Gray agreed softly, setting his mug down on the coffee table before he could break it. "But we know Natsu….we'll know if somethings wrong," he added, sounding a lot more confident and reassuring that he was feeling and he prayed that that he was right…a quiet voice in the back of his mind unhelpfully pointing out that they hadn't been able to get a clear reading on what Natsu was feeling or thinking since he'd first woken up…he just had to trust that Natsu would reach out to them if he really needed to.

"Do you really think it will help Erza?" Happy spoke up for the first time since Natsu had left with the council members, his ears laid back against his head as he stared up at them with wide, teary eyes. Hearing his tearful tone Lucy immediately shifted closer and wrapped an arm around the little cat, trying to offer him comfort even though she felt as though she was about to fall apart herself.

"I don't know," Gray admitted with a sigh, rubbing a hand wearily over his face before adding hesitantly. "I want to say yes…But…"

"It's the council," Happy finished for him when the Ice Mage trailed off and Gray gave a reluctant nod of agreement…bitterly reflecting on the fact that the very body supposed to protect guilds and mages was the same thing posing the biggest risk to them at the moment...he couldn't bring himself to believe Makarov's hopeful words from earlier, and his eyes darkened as he raised his gaze to meet Lucy's.

"And they looked so excited when they saw him using that magic," Lucy added with a hint of her earlier anger shining through, and her magic crackled once more as she began to lose control of her emotions as she spat out. "So hungry…and they didn't care that he was still recovering!"

Gray didn't reply, it wasn't necessary as he had seen everything that she had seen and they all shared the same fears and concerns. Instead he silently wrapped an arm around her shoulders, watching as she did the same to Happy and they sat in tense silence as they all contemplated what Natsu might just have willingly walked into.

FTFT

_Awareness flittered back through the endless blue, and this time all she could bring to mind was a pair of terrified olive eyes…she knew those eyes…Natsu…where was Natsu?...Where was she?...His name was on her lips although no noise seemed to pierce the blue, and she felt a stinging in her eyes for a second before they slid shut once more._

FTFT


	10. Chapter 9

Thank you for the amazing reviews, follows and favourites.

Disclaimer: As always Fairy Tail and its amazing characters aren't mine, I'm just borrowing them.

FTFT

Now:

_Awareness was coming more often now, but only in fleeting moments and she still had no idea where she was…or what had happened…all she knew for certain was that she was alone in this endless blue, and that realisation hurt more than she had thought it could…Where was Natsu? Where were her nakama? Had they left her behind…? But why?_

FTFT

One Week later

Natsu's mouth was open in a silent scream and despite his best efforts to stop them, tears of pain were forming in the corners of his eyes although thankfully they hadn't managed to slip free just yet and he hoped that he could manage to hold them back. He didn't want to show that kind of weakness, he didn't deserve to show that kind of weakness regardless of how much pain he was in. He could endure any amount of pain if it stood even the slightest chance of helping to free Erza from the Etherion. _Erza I'm going to find a way to bring you home, whatever it might cost. _Weakly he closed his eyes as the machine sending the jolts through him reduced the voltage giving him a few moments to brace himself for the next barrage.

"Incredible," one of the researchers were muttering and slowly Natsu opened his eyes once more and let his gaze drift towards her, narrowing his eyes as he struggled to bring her into proper focus, realising that she wasn't even looking at him but at one of the lacrimas that was currently recording his body's reactions to the jolts of power being sent through it. "I never thought it would be possible for a human, even a mage to have Etherion within their body without it tearing them apart." Natsu wanted to laugh at her words, didn't she realise that he was being torn apart? It felt as though the Etherion was ripping him apart from the inside out whenever it lashed out against the jolts they were sending into him, and he felt as though there should be visible cracks on the outside of his body…that there should be some physical evidence of what the magic was doing to him.

"Not only that but according to the men that brought him in he's actually able to use it," another replied glancing briefly at Natsu, and for a moment their eyes met and Natsu felt a chill go through him as he realised that there was nothing but cold, clinical interest in those eyes and he shivered as for the first time he realised that they had long since ceased to see him as anything but an experimental subject and for a second he felt his resolve wavering. _Have they forgotten about Erza? Have they forgotten why they're supposed to be doing this?_ He found himself wishing for his voice so that he could ask them, but all he could do was arch his back as a fresh jolt of power went through, his world turning blue for a split second and a groan escaped before he could stop it but no one paid it any heed. "Albeit with little actual control."

"Perhaps it's because he's a Dragon-slayer?" The first researcher was saying thoughtfully and Natsu shifted his attention back to her with difficultly, biting down on his lip hard enough to draw blood in an effort to hold back the fresh scream he could feel building in his chest. _Because I'm a Dragon-slayer?_ It was hard to gather his thoughts into any semblance of order and yet that thought took hold, he had even had access to Dragon-force back then and yet it still hadn't been enough. Being a Dragon-slayer hadn't helped him protect Erza and yet these people were saying it as though it was the most amazing magic in the world.

"Possibly," the first woman said as she scribbled something down before adjusting the power level on the machine and Natsu writhed as it sent a jolt through his body, barely aware of the blood now trickling down his chin as he let out a silent scream and her next words sounded like they were coming from a great distance. "Very little is known about that kind of magic nowadays, it's a pity that we can't study it at the same time." They had discovered early on that if his own magic was free to respond to the pain of the situation then the etherion wouldn't respond, and at some point they had slipped on special cuffs designed to inhibit his own natural magic to give the etherion the chance to respond and he could barely feel his fire churning in the background.

Slowly the power rushing through him dwindled once more, and he hung limply, only the leather straps tying him in place keeping him upright as he sucked in desperate breaths. His vision was blurry as he slowly raised his head once more, grimacing at the coppery taste now filling his mouth as he tried to focus on the researchers, searching for any sign that they had found anything that would actually help free Erza but all he could see was clinical interest in their expressions. Wearily he let his head slump, snatching the brief opportunity to rest and trying to not to think about the pain that was still to come.

FTFT

Two hours later:

Natsu staggered as he was guided back into the small room he had been given in the council building, barely able to keep on his feet now that the supportive hands of his escorts had disappeared and he gave no mind to the sound of the door closing behind him as he was focused completely on making it back to the small bed. Slumping onto it as soon as he was within reach, and weakly shifting until his aching body was properly on top of it before letting his head fall onto the pillow with a soft huff of relief as the material felt cool and soothing against his flushed skin.

Part of him knew that he should get up and take care of his injuries, and he made a weak attempt to get up but he only just managed to lift his head a couple of inches off the pillow, his entire body shaking violently from even that amount of effort. He hovered like that for a moment before he admitted defeat, allow his body to fall back onto the bed, and letting his eyes slide shut as he swiftly dropped off into an uneasy doze. His dreams plagued once more by the sight of Erza drifting away from him into the Etherion and even in sleep he reached out desperately towards her…_Erza! Erza please don't go! Come back!_

FT

It was nearly an hour later that he woke once more, somehow finding the strength to move at last, gingerly forcing himself to sit up once more, his arms shaking at the effort of pushing himself upright. He had to pause for a moment to catch his breath, feeling his still healing injuries burning dully beneath the sharper pains of newer injuries and he had to bite his lip as he waited for the wave of pain caused by the movement slowly subsided to a background hum. Finally he made himself move again, carefully peeling off the simple white t-shirt they had made him wear during the 'tests', wincing as it caught on raw, burned skin and despite himself he felt his eyes watering at the pain but he forced himself to blink the tears away…_don't you dare cry over this…what is this compared to what Erza…to what…_ he trailed off unable to even bring himself to finish the thought.

Shuddering at that thought he jolted to his feet despite the pain, cautiously moving across to the small mirror hanging on the far side of the room, unsure of whether he truly wanted to see what state he was in. With a great deal of hesitation he slowly raised his gaze to study his reflection, dull eyes taking in the tapestry of injuries covering his body…the wounds from the fighting in the Tower of Heaven and the subsequent explosion of the tower were still in various states of healing, but now they were overlain with fresh bruises in varying shades. On top of that there were ugly burns and scorch marks all over his torso, but never venturing to places that couldn't be covered by his usual clothes, and despite his acceptance of the situation a hint of bitterness seeped into his thoughts at the realisation that they really had planned this well.

With trembling fingers he reached up to gently trace around the most recent one, a burn mark covering a considerable area of skin on his left side, grimacing as he brushed against the damaged skin. Remembered pain flashing through his mind and he snatched his fingers away with a small hiss, and despite his resolve he felt his eyes beginning to burn and as his vision blurred slightly he reached out a hand to rest against the mirror. _How had it ended up like this?_

FTFT

Three days earlier;

Natsu glanced up as he heard the door to his room creaking open, his nose twitching as he caught the familiar scent seconds before Lucy quietly stepped into the room her expression full of concern as she glanced at him before firmly shutting the door in the face of the guard that had led her up. Even after three days with no sign of any funny business she wasn't willing to relax around the Council members, and resolutely refused to let them interfere with their visits even though she knew it was only rousing their suspicions…thankfully, so far though they had proven unwilling to push the issue too far and so far their visits were still unmonitored.

"Hey Natsu," her voice was soft as she moved across to claim the single chair in the room, her eyes sad as she studied him clearly searching for any sign of change and he saw her face fall when he merely blinked at her in response…he had thought that maybe being here…being somewhere new that wasn't saturated with memories of Erza or with the sadness of the rest of their guild-mates, that maybe he would be able to find his voice once more…but so far everything remained locked up behind the ache in his chest and he lowered his gaze, hating the fact that he was still causing his friends further concern and pain.

Lucy caught the gesture and silently berated herself for allowing her disappointment to show, knowing that every-time it slipped out it was only making him feel worse. Quietly she reached out to gently lay a hand on the knee closest to her, her eyes narrowing slightly at the way he jolted at the simple touch but she forced a warm smile when he looked up at her, trying to ignore the blankness still lingering in the olive eyes that met hers.

"It's alright, I know you're not ready to talk yet," she told him reassuringly, although there was no response to either her words or tone and she had to swallow hard before forcing herself to continue. "Are you feeling alright? They haven't done anything they shouldn't have?" They had all made sure to ask each time they visited him, even though he was still unable…or refusing to speak aloud to them, and they still hadn't been able to convince him to even write proper responses to their questions. Instead they were forced to rely on visual examinations and the hope that they would be able to notice anything going amiss with the Dragon-slayer, and on what the Council themselves had told them.

According to the Rune Knight that had led her up, they were still focusing on simply examining Natsu's magical levels in relation to what was known about his power before the Tower of Heaven, and getting him to use his flames to see if there was any sign of the Etherion leaking through into his normal magic and so far there had been no more signs of the Etherion appearing. She had questioned whether that meant it had already passed out of his system, secretly hoping that was the case so that she could take him home, but the man had said that whilst it was possible, they still didn't have enough information to know for sure before asking her to bear with them.

Silently Natsu nodded his head and then shook it to respond to both questions, and he could see in her eyes that she didn't truly trust his answers but after a moment she sighed and reluctantly nodded her acceptance of the response.

"We're just worried," she said softly and he lowered his gaze slightly at the emotions he could hear in her voice, and her next words made him close his eyes in pain. "We don't want anything else to happen to you." Even now they were worrying about him, even though he was the reason why they were in this situation in the first place, and he wished that there was some way to make them understand that. That they should be supporting the Council's efforts and his decision to help them…that they should be doing everything, no matter the cost to try and bring Erza back. The Celestial mage narrowed her eyes as she caught the emotions flickering in his eyes, and she had the resist the urge to grab him to try and shake some common sense back into him. _Damn it Natsu, can't you see that we don't blame you for anything? That all we want is for you to be safe?_

Silently she resolved to talk to Makarov again when she got back, determined to try and convince him that they needed to bring Natsu home. Even the vague hope that he might show signs of improvement if he spent some time away from the guild had so far proven false, and she wasn't willing to leave him a place like this just to test the theory. She understood wanting to respect Natsu's wishes, but not at a time like this when he clearly wasn't thinking clearly. Catching the Fire mage watching her quietly she forced those thoughts aside for now, instead forcing a bright smile onto her face as she settled in and began to chatter about the guild, still hoping to find a spark of their Natsu somewhere in him.

FT

An hour later:

Natsu watched from the window of his room as Lucy left the building, taking a half step back when she glanced back up at the building, his sharp eyes easily able to pick out the worried expression on her face and for a split second something flickered in the depths of his eyes. He knew that they were all worried about him and about what the council wanted with him, and even the fact that the battery of tests he had been facing over the last few days had been simple and safe had done little to ease their concerns. He was torn between wanting to soothe their concerns and wishing that they would realise that they shouldn't be wasting their concern on him.

Sighing softly he watched until she disappeared from sight before turning and retreating back to his bed, sinking down on it wearily before flopping onto his back so that he could stare blankly up at the ceiling. In all honesty he was disappointed by the tests that had been done so far, he couldn't see what any of them would show that could possibly help Erza and that was the only thing he cared about at the moment. He was fully aware of what his friends had suspected the Council might be willing to do to him when he agreed to help, and part of him had been expecting that to happen…he didn't even care if it did, as long as it helped Erza. _Erza_._ Was she even still alive in the Etherion? Was she aware of the fact that she was trapped? Was she waiting for him to come back for her?_

Gritting his teeth he rolled onto his side. The thought that she was aware of what was happening and waiting for them to help her was haunting him almost as much as the image of her slipping away, made worse by the fact that he had no idea how to help her. It was why he was willing to let the council do whatever they wanted, because he couldn't bear the thought of her remaining trapped there for much longer…as much as she kept herself armoured, she hated being alone and his hands clenched at his sides at that thought and he could feel his eyes beginning to burn, blinking desperately to force the tears back._ I can't cry now…I don't have the right to cry…I don't._

FT

He wasn't sure how long he had been lying there lost in his thoughts although he was vaguely aware that it was starting to get darker outside, not that it made any difference to him, whilst he wasn't locked in, he had no interest in venturing outside. This was the only place where he might find the way to help Erza and beneath the blankness he was determined not to return to the guild until he had found the answers he needed. A small voice at the back of his mind pointing out that it might just be an impossible task, but he skittered away from that thought, knowing that if he allowed it to take hold then he would truly shatter.

Noise from beyond the door broke him from his thoughts and slowly he sat up as he heard steps approaching, wondering whether it was his friends again as a couple of times they had visited twice in a day clearly hoping to catch the Council doing something they shouldn't be. There was a quiet knock on the door and it opened before he could try and respond, and his eyes narrowed slightly at the female researcher who had been leading all the tests over the last few days stepped inside with a small smile of greeting although he noted that it didn't reach her eyes.

"Mr. Dragneel might I have a word?" She asked and Natsu nodded silently, watching as she closed the door before pulling the chair across so that she could sit down in front of him and he had the sudden urge to squirm as she stared at him intently for several minutes. Finally he tilted his head and made a soft questioning noise in the hopes of prompting her to explain why she was here, and she sighed softly before leaning towards him. "The tests that we've done so far have told us a little," she explained quietly, and olive eyes narrowed further…realising that his earlier thoughts about the tests had been correct, he could already here the 'but' in her words. "But unless we can properly study you using the Etherion I don't think we'll be able to find a way to help Miss. Scarlet."

_I don't think we'll be able to find a way to help Miss. Scarlet,_ the words hit him hard, etching themselves on his heart and there was pain visible in his eyes for the first time in days as he hastily glanced down, trying to hide the tears that he could feel forming. Was this it? Was he finally going to have to accept the fact that she was gone? Even before that thought had fully formed he was frantically shaking his head, knowing that if he did then there would be nothing to stop him shattering completely. A soft cough broke into his whirling thoughts, and dashing a hand across his eyes he forced himself to look up at the researcher, taken aback by the almost eager expression on her face. _How could she look like that, when she had just said something like that?_

"Starting tomorrow I want to try something new," she explained and his eyes widened in realisation as what she was saying registered, _she wasn't giving up?_ "You've demonstrated that you can't summon the Etherion at will, but from what the reports said it lashed out when you were stressed back at the guild?" She arched an eyebrow at him in question and he nodded in response, shuddering as he recalled just how close he had come to potentially hurting Mira and the others and he had to admit a small part of him had been relieved that he couldn't summon it at will. At least here there would be no chance of him hurting those nearest to him.

"In that case I want to start trying to encourage the etherion to lash out," she continued and he quickly refocused on what she was saying. "I can't promise that it will be without risks though, and it might be an uncomfortable process." He caught the slight hesitance in her voice as she said the last bit, and his eyes narrowed briefly, the suspicions that Lucy and Gray had spoken of echoing in the back of his mind and he knew that if they were here their immediate response would be 'no'. However…

Glancing around he reached out and snatched up the small pad that Lucy had brought him the day before, hoping to get him to write replies to her and he quickly scrawled a message before handing it over to the woman and watching expectantly as she scanned it.

_**Will this help Erza?**_

"I can't say for sure," She admitted after a moment before setting the note aside and meeting his gaze head on, and her voice grew more confident as she continued. "Very little is known about Etherion beyond its use as a weapon, but I believe that this new approach stands the best chance of uncovering a way to help her".

Natsu hesitated for a moment, aware that there was more to what she was planning than what was being said and the more logical part of his mind was screaming at him to refuse, and for a split second he nearly shook his head knowing that he should trust his instincts. But then Erza's face flashed through his mind once more and before he had eve realised what he was doing he had nodded his agreement, and at once the researcher's expression lit up.

"Thank you," she said excitedly and Natsu merely stared at her, noting the almost fanatical gleam in her eyes with a touch of alarm although he made no move to change his decision. Offering him a small smile she got to her feet before adding. "We'll start tomorrow then." Once he'd nodded once more she turned and left, an energy to her steps that had been missing before and the logical part of his mind was practically screaming at him now but he had no intentions of changing his mind. _This has to work…_

FT

That night:

Natsu lent against the window ledge staring up at the night sky, his eyes carefully picking out familiar constellations as his thoughts drifted to Lucy and the others. He was aware that what he had just agreed to was exactly what they had been fearing, but despite that he couldn't bring himself to regret his decision regardless of what might happen tomorrow. Lucy and Gray were close to Erza and he knew that they were grieving just as he was, but he doubted that they knew just how deep his friendship with the re-quip mage ran. There was never really a limit to what he would do for any of his nakama, but a small part of him acknowledged that he would go even further for Erza…and not just because of the guilt he was feeling over the current situation.

His eyes drifted shut and despite the situation his lips twitched upwards for a second as he recalled the day that he had finally begun to see her as something more than a terrifying task-master and disciplinarian…the day she had forced herself into his world.

_He had been sat down by the river near Gildarts house, silently watching a small family of ducks playing in the shallows with a melancholy smile on his face and completely unaware of the fact that he had an audience._

"_Natsu?" The sudden question made him yelp in alarm, and he jumped to his feet as he whirled around defensively with flames already flickering around his hands. Only to come up short as he found himself staring up at Erza who was staring at him with an odd expression on her face, and he immediately paled._

"_E-Erza?" Realising that his hands were still flaming and clenched in preparation for fight he hastily doused the flames, definitely not in the mood to pick a fight with the older girl, especially as he knew that there was no chance that he could win._

"_Are you alright?" She asked ignoring his actions as she carefully made her way down the slope towards him, and he watched her warily as she approached. "You've been quiet all day and you didn't even respond when Gray was trying to pick a fight with you earlier."_

"_Isn't that a good thing?" He asked with a frown, startled by the fact that she was the one to have picked up on his mood, not even Lisanna seemed to have noticed even when he had flatly refused to go out to the woods to play as they usually would. Besides, Erza was always scolding him and Gray for their fighting so he was confused by the fact that she was making it sound like a bad thing that he hadn't risen to the Ice Mage's baiting earlier on._

"_Not really," she replied softly as she dropped down onto the grass, patting the spot beside her as she made herself comfortable before adding quietly. "I think it means somethings wrong." Natsu could only gape at her for a long moment, finally moving forward on stiff legs before dropping down beside her although he maintained a careful distance between them as he turned his gaze back towards the river._

"_I…" He began before pausing, glancing briefly at her and realising that she was watching him with an oddly patient expression and he found himself choking up slightly at the concern he could see in her eyes and after a moment he shook his head. "It's nothing…"_

"_Natsu…"_

"_IT'S NOTHING!" He hadn't meant to shout, but it had just burst out and he immediately cringed away from her waiting for a fist to collide with some part of his body, but instead he was met by a soft sigh and when he cautiously peeped at her, he found her still watching him with sad eyes._

"_No it isn't," she said softly as she met his gaze and he opened his mouth but she held her hand up to stop him, before continuing in a slightly sad tone. "I know we're not that close…but you're family Natsu and I don't like seeing you sad." His eyes widened at her words, remembering how she had told him that everyone in Fairy Tail was family on his very first day in the guild and his eyes dropped to the ground as he tried to protest._

"_But…"_

"_Tell me," she encouraged him softly although he could hear a hint of steel in her voice this time, and oddly enough the reappearance of the normal Erza was reassuring although it hadn't stopped him from weakly muttering._

"_It's stupid."_

"_Let me be the judge of that."_

_Something in her expression and tone had dissolved the last of his stubbornness, and steadfastly staring at the ground he began to speak. It was the first 7__th__ of July since Igneel had disappeared and everything was reminding him of the fact that his foster-father had just left him behind…Macao had been in the guild with a tiny Romeo with everyone admiring the little boy, Mira and Elfman had been busy plotting another family job and Makarov and Laxus had been quietly speaking in the corner…everywhere he had looked had been families and then to top it off Gray had laid into him, mocking him and claiming that no-one as weak as him would ever be able to find a Dragon, it was a normal insult but today it had been magnified._

_She had listened to him quietly, waiting until he had finally fallen silent and he had been bracing himself to be scolded or laughed at. Instead she had merely re-quipped into her causal blouse and skirt before pulling him firmly against her side, wrapping her arms around him in a hug and after a moment of stunned disbelief he had burst into tears, sobbing violently into her shoulder as she whispered comforting words in his ear. _

_It had taken nearly an hour for him to cry himself out completely, and he had been blushing at the end of it as he pulled away to wipe his eyes, cringing as he realised that he must look like a mess. But she hadn't said anything, merely waiting for him to sort himself out before quietly getting to her feet and holding a hand out for him which he hesitantly accepted._

"_Let's go home," she said softly as she pulled him to his feet, before offering him a slightly mischievous smile as she added. "I'll even let you beat Gray up without interfering?"_

"_Really?"_

"_Just this once," she warned although she smiled at the return of his usual enthusiasm and after a moment he grinned brightly at her before pumping the air with a triumphant cry._

"_Yes! I'm all fired up," he crowed imaging just how surprised the Ice Mage was going to be when Erza made no move to stop them, determined to make the most of the opportunity. However, just as they reached the top of the bank he paused for a second before turning to look at her with a more serious expression, waiting until she met his gaze before whispering. "Thank you."_

Natsu blinked and sighed, that had been the moment that had cemented their friendship and after that she had always made sure to be around the guild on the anniversary of Igneel's death. Some years he would seek her out for comfort, whilst other times she would startle the entire guild by turning a blind eye to the fights between him and Gray on that one day…although the next day she would lay them both out if they caused trouble, much to the Ice Mage's consternation as neither of them had ever explained why there was one day a year they could escape punishment. And at some point she had managed to creep into the centre of his world without him even noticing…until she was already gone.

_I will bring you back! I want to go back to that no matter what it costs._ He vowed as his hands clenched on the window sill, he had no doubts that whatever they were planning on doing to him tomorrow was going to be unpleasant. That he would need to hide it from the rest of his nakama. But he could bear all that, as long as it produced results, as long as it brought Erza home.

FTFT

_Natsu…Gray…Lucy…Happy…where are you? Why have you left me here? She shouted into the blue, but there was no sound and she wasn't sure whether it was her hearing or her voice that wasn't working and she wondered whether the others were trapped in this strange place as well…_

FTFT

Makarov sighed softly as he reached out to gently lay a hand against Erza's prison, his expression solemn as he studied the floating form of the girl trapped within, her scarlet hair framing her face liken a blood-stained halo and he wondered if that wasn't a sign that they might soon have to accept the fact that she was truly lost to them. It had been five days since he had allowed Natsu to leave with the council members, and even now he was unsure of whether or not he had made the right decision in letting the Dragon-slayer go…so far the Council had reported that they hadn't found anything in his unexpected retention of the Etherion that would help Erza, and he knew that Gray and Lucy were still unconvinced of the Council's true intentions.

"Did I make the right choice?" He murmured softly as he turned his focus back to Erza, wondering what she would make of his decision and knowing deep down that she would have been furious at him for risking Natsu for her sake…even though if the tables had been turned, she would have done exactly the same as the Dragon-slayer was doing although that did little to comfort him about the current situation.

FT

_There was a spark…and she turned eagerly towards it, her eyes widening as she realised just how familiar the presence felt and desperately she reached out to it._

"_I'm here! Please, I want to come home!" She shouted in the hopes that whoever it was would hear her, but all that met her desperate cries and straining hand was endless blue and a few minutes later she felt the presence moving away and she began to sob. Why? Why couldn't they hear her? Or could they hear her, and were only choosing not to help her? "Please…I just want to go home."_

FT

After several minutes Makarov sighed softly and slowly and reluctantly turned away, it hurt to have to turn his back on one of his children but he knew that there was nothing that he could do here and he knew that he was needed back at home. He just hoped that at least there he would be able to do something. It rankled that he was so helpless in this situation, having to rely on the efforts of Natsu and the others and the council.

"I'm sorry Erza," he murmured softly pausing once more to glance back at her, some part of him realising that he had already acknowledged that this battle was over and for once they hadn't managed to pull a victory out of the bag. Closing his eyes at that thought he reached out to tap the lacrima to activate the motor, knowing that if he didn't leave now he wouldn't be able to pull himself away and there was an uneasy feeling in his gut that told him that he had to return. With a roar the lacrima activated, and the boat sped away towards the coast leaving the etherion-filled lacrima in its wake.

FT

_Come back! Please come back!_

FTFT

Present:

Natsu froze as he heard movement out in the corridor, a brief flash of panic breaking through the blankness as he caught Lucy's voice and hastily he staggered back to the bed, retrieving his own clothes with fumbling fingers and hastily yanking them on before tucking the marked t-shirt beneath the duvet…rationally he knew that hiding it was foolish, that what was being done to him was wrong but as long as there was the slightest possibility that it might help Erza, there was no way he could let the rest of their friends know. They would pull him out of here in an instance, even though it would spell a death knell on the attempts to free Erza…._I can handle it…as long as it helps her I can handle anything that they do to me._

It was that thought that let him bury the pain lingering in his body as he settled onto the bed, mere moments before the door to his room opened and the Celestial mage entered. Behind her he could see one of the Rune Knights and for a brief second their gazes met, and he could see the unspoken warning in the man's eyes and he lowered his eyes in acknowledgement…he would hold his peace. Then the door was closing and he quickly turned his attention back to Lucy who was watching him anxiously, having caught the last bit of the interaction and he could see the curiosity burning in her eyes and he struggled to hold her gaze for a moment…_please don't ask…_

Lucy frowned as she stared into Natsu's eyes, her previous uneasiness blossoming into full blown concern as she realised that his gaze was much duller than it had been the day before and for a moment she could have sworn that she had seen a hint of panic in their depths. The Dragon-slayer shifted slightly under the force of her gaze and her hand clenched at her side as she caught the slight wince that slipped free before his face resumed its blank mask, and she could feel her magic beginning to churn in response to her rising temper…_What have they done to you?_ She thought furiously, certain now that something else had happened and her mind whirled as she tried to work out how she could get the truth from him.

"Natsu…" She said softly as she finally moved across to join him on the bed, settling beside him and waiting for him to look at her. "Look at me," she ordered firmly reaching out to gently place a finger under his chin when he refused to turn to her, raising his head until their eyes met and she struggled not to scowl as he tried to look anywhere but at her. "Natsu, you have to tell me…what have they done?" She couldn't quite keep the fury out of her voice and she felt him flinch slightly at her tone but she refused to let him go, certain that something had happened.

_I can't tell you…If I tell you, they'll stop trying to save Erza…_ He didn't know what to do, it wasn't as though he could verbally reassure her that everything was okay and he knew that if he just avoided responding all together it would be taken as an admission that something was happening. Hesitantly he shook his head slightly before shrugging lightly, forcing himself to hold her gaze and hoping that nothing was showing in his eyes. _Everything is fine, please leave it at that. _Brown eyes surveyed him and he could see the disbelief in them and he had to swallow against the rising panic in his chest, nervously tugging on the edge of his vest and missing the way her eyes narrowed at the gesture.

The Celestial mage was more certain than ever that he was hiding something from her, that he was lying to her and yet she had no idea how to prove it or how to force him to tell the truth. She knew that he was closer to the edge than many of them had realised and she was terrified of pushing him closer to it, of pushing him further away from them, knowing that they couldn't afford that distance at the moment. Finally after a few more minutes of staring at him, hoping against hope that he might give in and change his mind, she let out a soft defeated sigh as she realised he really intended to hold his silence.

Quietly she changed the topic, not missing the relief that flickered over his face before disappearing behind the blankness once more, and inside her temper continued to rise. As she chatted away to him, her eyes were constantly assessing him noting every faint tremor, every repressed wince and storing them in her memory. There was nothing she could do for the moment, not on her own and especially not when he hadn't actually admitted to anything being wrong…as much as she might hate to admit it, the Council held the power in this situation and she didn't want to risk making things worse for Natsu by acting rashly. Gray would help her, regardless of what Makarov said…they had already agreed that the Fire mage came first and she wished that he had come with her today, but he had gone to help Yajima-san for the morning as his rent was due soon.

Natsu was relieved when she finally trailed off ten minutes later, as it was getting harder and harder to mask the pain was in and he knew that if she stayed much longer there would be no way that he could conceal it from her. Turning she briefly wrapped her arms around him and it was all that he could do to stifle the gasp that threatened to escape as she unintentionally brushed against his injuries, and he rapidly blinked his eyes to clear the unexpected tears that had formed as she pulled away, cautiously meeting her gaze as she pulled back and got to her feet.

"I'll be back tomorrow," there was a fierceness to the declaration that told Natsu she hadn't been fooled by his performance and he hesitated for a moment before nodding, already knowing that he was going to have at least one more session before she came again, and praying that he would be able to hold himself together the next time they saw one another. With a last lingering look she turned and headed for the doors, hesitating in front of it and he could see her hands clenching at her side and knew that she was fighting the urge to just drag him out of there and he held his breath, letting it out in a soft sigh when she finally opened the door and stepped out without a backwards look. It was only when the door had closed behind her, and his sharp ears had tracked the sound of her moving away down the corridor that he allowed himself to slump back against the wall.

FT

Natsu glanced up dully as the door to his room opened once more, and the shorter of the rune knights that had brought him here had stepped inside and despite his general apathy to the situation he couldn't quite stop himself from curling up protectively. Of all the people here, this was the one he trusted the least and even after everything that had happened he trusted his instincts…this man was dangerous and had the potential to become a threat to his nakama, not that Natsu had any intention of letting that happen, and it was with that thought in mind that he forced himself to raise his gaze to meet the man's.

"Did you tell her anything?" The knight demanded and Natsu caught the warning tone behind the question, the conversation from before flashing through his mind once more and he slowly shook his head, making sure not to look away as he did so. A small part of him was aware that in the past that kind of question and warning would have set his temper aflame, but at the moment he couldn't summon more than a brief spark of dislike for the man.

"Good," there was a brief flash of irritation at the smug response but it died rapidly and he wearily lowered his head as he lent back against the wall. "Rest a bit more, but I believe they want to have another try later on," the Knight added before retreating once more, and olive eyes slipped shut as the door closed with a soft click leaving the Dragon-slayer alone with his thoughts.

FTFT

Gray looked up in alarm as the door to his flat burst open with such violence that it slammed into the wall as Lucy dashed inside with Happy flying close behind her, and his eyes narrowed as he caught the concern on both of their faces, his own worry deepening as he caught the furious expression on Lucy's as she slammed the door shut before whirling around to look at him with blazing eyes and he felt dread pooling in his stomach. There was only one thing at the moment that could put an expression like that on her face and his fingers were trembling slightly as he set aside the magazine he had been trying to read.

"What's happened?"

"I'm not sure but somethings very wrong," She replied grimly and with utter certainty, and he felt like he had been doused in cold water at her words…_this was what they had been afraid of from the moment that the Council had asked Natsu to help them…_ and his hands clenched in his lap, ice creeping briefly across his trousers before he managed to rein in his magic, although his control nearly slipped when she added softly. "They're doing something to him…"

"Are you sure?" He hated the fact that he had to ask that, but he knew that they had to be one hundred percent sure before they could take on the Council. Whilst Natsu was their sole concern at the moment, they still had to consider the rest of the Guild and they had no doubt that if they acted rashly it would be their nakama that suffered. Lucy stiffened at the question and the fury in her eyes deepened, and he held up his hands defensively as her expression took on a decidedly dangerous edge.

"I'm sure," she spat unable to control her temper even though she realised why he was asking, glancing briefly at Happy who had settled on the couch and was watching them with worried eyes. "I could see it in his eyes, and he was in pain even though he tried to hide it," she added in a slightly softer tone as she recalled how the Fire mage had flinched briefly, and she wondered just how hard he had, had to fight to hide just how injured he was. _Damn it Natsu…we told you not to hide this kind of thing from us, so why couldn't you let me know. Did you really think I would leave you there if I knew exactly what was going on?_

"I believe you!" Gray reassured her firmly, his eyes narrowed and dark with barely concealed fury at the thought that Natsu was being used or mistreated, but there was also a hint of hurt that the Fire mage hadn't tried to reach out to them…_Didn't he trust them to help him?_ "But without evidence there's no way Gramps will move against the Council, and unless Natsu talks to us I don't know how we're going to get the evidence…" He added when he managed to get his thoughts back under control, a scowl firmly in place as he considered his own words and realised just how helpless they were in this situation and he wanted to curse at that realisation. He glanced down at his fists, Natsu had promised to tell them if something had happened and the Dragon-slayer had always kept his promises, so why wasn't he keeping his word this time. "Damn it all why won't he just tell us what they're doing?"

"You don't think…" Lucy began hesitantly with a worried frown, and Gray glanced at her when she didn't continue before gently prompting her when he realised she had become lost in her own thoughts.

"What?"

"If whatever they're doing is hurting him as badly as I think it is…" Lucy paused, her hands clenching into fists at the thought of anyone else hurting her nakama but her eyes held only sadness when she raised them to meet Gray's gaze. "Maybe the reason he isn't telling us is because he thinks that he deserves it. We all know that he never truly believed us, even when everyone was telling him that what happened with Erza wasn't his fault…what if this is his way of trying to atone for that?" She didn't doubt for a moment that his primary motivation was to try and save Erza, but if he thought that it might also make amends for his 'failure' there was no telling just how far he might go.

"But…" Happy asked quietly, his voice shaking as he considered her words before asking with a hint of anger. "How can he atone for something that wasn't his fault?"

"He can't," Gray whispered softly, he had been prepared to snap that of course it wasn't Natsu's fault and that there was no way the Fire Mage would think like that, but deep down he realised that Lucy was probably spot on in her reasoning and his expression was defeated as he admitted as much. "But I think maybe Lucy's right."

"If I am there's no way he's going to change his mind and tell us what's happening," Lucy said grimly, wishing desperately that she had been wrong in her thinking as she knew that Gray was right when he said that they couldn't act without evidence even though every part of her was screaming at her just to storm in and get Natsu.

"But if he doesn't," Happy said with a worried mew as he followed her train of thought, his eyes huge as he stared at her in growing alarm.

"We'll all go tomorrow, perhaps if we're all there he might be more inclined to confide in us," Gray said finally and he raised his head to look at the other, trying to sound more confident than he felt as he took in their worried expressions, and silently praying that his words would prove true. But he knew Natsu, even as changed as he was by recent events, the Fire mage was more stubborn that the rest of them put together and if he truly felt as though he deserved whatever was being done to him then it wasn't going to be as easy as that to get him to reveal the situation.

"And if he doesn't?" Happy asked with a worried expression, knowing just how stubborn his partner was and terrified that they wouldn't be able to do something if he refused to speak out.

"Then we'll take matters into our own hands," Gray replied grimly and there was a coldness to his voice that sent shivers down their backs, his dark eyes flashing with determination as he added quietly. "Gramps might not be able to act…and we might cause him no end of trouble but..."

"But we can," Lucy finished for him with a firm nod, before shaking her head slightly and correcting herself. "No, because we have to," she said her hand slipping down to her keys as she raised her eyes to meet his gaze, they had been the ones that had failed to talk their Master out of letting Natsu go with the council.

FTFT

_Erza. Erza. Erza. Erza._

Her name had become a mantra in the back of his head, the only thing allowing him to cling to consciousness as more and more lightning was sent through him, and his world was slowly filling with blue as the etherion lingering deep in his body began to respond to the threat even as it forced his own weakened magic further into the background. Tears formed in the corner of his eyes as he writhed, his mouth dropping open in another silent cry as etherion crackled in the air around him and he had to close his eyes, unable to bear seeing the magic that had stolen Erza from him. Trying not to think of the fact that he was actually the source of that same magic, he clenched his fists, forcing himself to focus only on the thought that somehow all of this had to find a way to save Erza.

FTFT

A/N: Sorry for the long delay folks, I have been ill and then my laptop went kaput and then to top it off this chapter has been a nightmare to write (this is the fourth version!) and whilst I'm still not happy with it, I don't think it's going to get any better and I want to get onto the action to come ;).


	11. Chapter 10

Thank you for the amazing reviews, follows and favourites.

Disclaimer: As always Fairy Tail and its amazing characters aren't mine, I'm just borrowing them.

FTFT

_Previously:_

"_We'll all go tomorrow, perhaps if we're all there he might be more inclined to confide in us," Gray said finally and he raised his head to look at the other, trying to sound more confident than he felt as he took in their worried expressions, and silently praying that his words would prove true. But he knew Natsu, even as changed as he was by recent events, the Fire mage was more stubborn that the rest of them put together and if he truly felt as though he deserved whatever was being done to him then it wasn't going to be as easy as that to get him to reveal the situation._

"_And if he doesn't?" Happy asked with a worried expression, knowing just how stubborn his partner was and terrified that they wouldn't be able to do something if he refused to speak out._

"_Then we'll take matters into our own hands," Gray replied grimly and there was a coldness to his voice that sent shivers down their backs, his dark eyes flashing with determination as he added quietly. "Gramps might not be able to act…and we might cause him no end of trouble but..."_

"_But we can," Lucy finished for him with a firm nod, before shaking her head slightly and correcting herself. "No, because we have to," she said her hand slipping down to her keys as she raised her eyes to meet his gaze, they had been the ones that had failed to talk their Master out of letting Natsu go with the council._

_FTFT_

_Erza. Erza. Erza. Erza._

_Her name had become a mantra in the back of his head, the only thing allowing him to cling to consciousness as more and more lightning was sent through him, and his world was slowly filling with blue as the etherion lingering deep in his body began to respond to the threat even as it forced his own weakened magic further into the background. Tears formed in the corner of his eyes as he writhed, his mouth dropping open in another silent cry as etherion crackled in the air around him and he had to close his eyes, unable to bear seeing the magic that had stolen Erza from him. Trying not to think of the fact that he was actually the source of that same magic, he clenched his fists, forcing himself to focus only on the thought that somehow all of this had to find a way to save Erza._

FTFT

Now:

Natsu slowly stirred, wincing as every inch of his body began to throb with pain as he began to wake up properly and for a moment he wished that he could slip back into unconsciousness. Reluctantly his eyes inched open and he blinked, confused to find himself lying on the bed in his small room as the last thing he remembered was being in the lab and even as he strained his mind he couldn't recall how he'd managed to get back here. Part of him acknowledged that was a bad thing, but he couldn't bring himself to care as he turned his focus to the surprisingly difficult act of forcing his body into an upright position.

It took several minutes to sit up and when he did he found himself quickly having to lean against the wall, closing his eyes as the room began to spin nauseatingly around him, and he hastily clamped a hand over his mouth determined not to throw up. Slowly the nausea began to subside, but he waited not daring to risk opening his eyes again just yet as he slowly took stock of his current state. He felt weaker than he could ever remember feeling before, and it was making it harder and harder to deal with the pain he was in. A small shiver went through him and he tensed as he realised that he actually felt cold, and despite his worries about the room continuing to spin his eyes shot open…_When was the last time I actually felt cold?_ Even when his magic was completely drained from a battle he had never felt like this, and for the first time he felt proper fear about what they might be doing to his own magic although he stubbornly quashed it a moment later…_It doesn't matter_.

Thankfully the room had stopped spinning around him, although he realised that his vision was still slightly blurrier than usual and a dull headache was beginning to form. Sighing he sank back against the wall before glancing down at himself, scowling as he realised that he was still in the loose fitting clothes he wore in the lab and he knew that he was going to have to move soon so that he could change before Lucy and the others arrived. Just the thought of actually standing and moving around was enough to make him wince and he wished that he could just tell them to go away, it would make it so much easier to hide what was going on….but Lucy at least was already suspicious and if he pushed them away it would probably confirm her suspicions.

Hanging his head in defeat he began to try and gather himself for the act of getting up, only to freeze as his eyes landed on the cuffs around his wrists, only now feeling the weight of them and his eyes widened. Trembling he brushed his fingers against one of them, struggling to focus his blurry vision enough to study it, swallowing hard as he confirmed his own suspicions… they had left him in the magical suppressant cuffs. For a moment panic threatened to overtake him. It was one thing allowing them to supress his magic in the lab when it was essential, but for them to do it even when they weren't working on the etherion? He trembled violently feeling more vulnerable than ever, instinctively huddling in on himself and tugging weakly on the cuffs even though he knew from experience that they wouldn't come off in that way.

It explained why he felt so weak and cold at the moment, and oddly he felt reassured by the realisation that it wasn't a sign of his magic malfunctioning although it did little to calm the panic raging in his chest. A large part of him wanted to get up and find someone who could remove the cuffs, desperately wanting to fee the spark of his magic once more and he began to uncurl, inching towards the edge of the bed before coming to a halt…something telling him that if he went through with his protest they might just give up on the experiments and he couldn't let that happen. He had no way of knowing if they were close to finding something useful, and they hadn't really shared any of their results, but it was a risk he couldn't afford. With a defeated sigh he sank back against the wall, shivering once more before drawing his knees up so that he could in on himself. _It's fine, I can bear this. My magic is still there even if I can't feel it._

For several long minutes he sat there trying to calm himself and convince himself that there was nothing to worry about, but eventually he gave up, knowing that there would be no way that he could feel completely at ease until his magic was back under his control. Taking a shuddering breath he glanced across at the clock and wincing, knowing that it wouldn't be long before Lucy or Gray showed up and with a sigh he carefully pushed himself the rest of the way up. His legs wavered violently as he stood and he had to reach out to grab the wall to balance himself, biting his lip as the room threatened to resume its earlier spin, but thankfully it subside only a moment later.

Unsteadily he moved across to the cupboard, knowing that whilst the researchers had bothered to bring him back to the room they probably hadn't tended the newest injuries and he retained enough awareness to know that he needed to take care of them if he wanted to keep going. Fumbling he dug out the medicinal supplies they had given him and a set of his own clothes, before moving across to the mirror so that he could actually see what he was doing although he knew for a fact that he didn't really want to see the extent of his injuries now._ Erza. It's all for Erza…_somehow the mantra was weaker than it had been before, but it still leant him the spark of strength needed to set to work.

FTFT

An hour later:

Lucy took a deep breath as they stopped in front of Natsu's door, privately terrified at what they might find inside…she knew that something had been wrong and she hated the fact that they had, had to wait so long to come back knowing that the Council could have done something else to Natsu in the time. Feeling a cool hand brushing against her arm she glanced up at Gray, noting the same worry and tension in his gaze as he met her gaze evenly before tilting his head towards the door. They didn't dare say anything about their worries aloud, not wanting to cause the Council to cut off their access and unsure of just how far they would go to keep hold of Natsu.

Summoning her courage she reached out and quietly knocked on the door, waiting a moment before opening the door and leading Gray and Happy inside, coming up short as she found Natsu sitting on the bed staring somewhat dazedly towards the window. Swallowing she cleared her throat softly, waiting as he jerkly turned to look at them and she felt her anger rising once more as his deadened gaze finally landed on them. She was sure that he looked worse than he had the day before and all she wanted to do was wrap him up in a hug and take him home, but there was something in his expression that screamed 'go away' and she hesitated unsure of what to do.

"Hey Natsu," Gray greeted softly, gently guiding Lucy into the room so that he could close the door behind them, aware of the curious eyes fixed on them from outside. As soon as the door clicked shut he let out a soft noise of relief, before turning his own focus on the Dragon-slayer and his eyes narrowed as he took in the difference in Natsu and he immediately knew that Lucy had been spot on in her suspicions. The temperature of the room dropped briefly, and it was only Lucy nudging him that got him to reign in his magic and he shot her an apologetic look before watching as Happy carefully approached the bed. The Fire mage didn't protest as the Exceed scrambled up beside him, but none of them missed the way in which he shifted ever so slightly away and their concerns rose at the sight as Natsu had been more welcoming of the Cat than the others until now.

"Natsu what are those?" Lucy asked as she finally found her voice, having immediately spotted the cuffs that he was trying to hide from them, her eyes narrowing as she realised that he hadn't been wearing them the day before. Olive eyes darkened for a moment and he hastily glanced away, tugging futilely at his sleeves to try and hide the cuffs and her hands clenched at her side…_Don't you dare try and hide this! Don't lie for their sakes! Damn it Natsu, we're right here so why won't you reach out to us?_

"What?" Gray glanced at her for a moment taking in her narrowed eyes and the way her hand had drifted to her keys, before turning back to Natsu, his own eyes narrowing as he also took in the sight of the cuffs and his expression tightened. He couldn't quite make out the markings on the cuff, but it was clear that they weren't there for a good reason and his voice was terse as he demanded. "Natsu?"

Natsu didn't know what to do and for a moment he glanced between the three of them, his rising uncertainty and fear growing when he realised that even Happy was looking at him suspiciously and he swallowed hard before ducking his head as he gave a half-hearted shrug in response. There was no way he could tell them the truth. As soon as they heard what they were for, they would be dragging him out of here and whilst a small part of him wanted that to happen he knew that he couldn't let them do it. He jumped a moment later as a piece of paper and pen were shoved onto his lap and he had to bite back a wince as he raised his head to meet Lucy's shockingly stern gaze.

"Natsu we want a proper answer," her voice was harsher than he had ever heard it and he could tell from the glint in her eyes that she wasn't going to back down on the issue.

Natsu hesitated for a moment staring down at the pen in his hand and the blank sheet of paper that Lucy had handed him. So far he hadn't directly had to lie to them as he'd just been able to avoid answering the questions, but there was something more behind their questions today and a quick glance at them confirmed that there was no way he was going to be able to avoid answering. His gaze flickered back to the cuffs on his wrists and for a wild moment he was tempted to tell them the truth, to let them know what he was going through…but he knew that he couldn't, not if he wanted to stand a chance of continuing and possibly helping Erza.

_**They're monitoring cuffs, they're there in case the etherion bursts out when I'm not in the lab.**_

There was a nasty taste in his mouth as he wrote the words, and he couldn't bring himself to look at them as he shoved the paper towards them, dropping the pen as he heard one of them pick up the note and he could easily imagine the expressions crossing over their faces as they read it and he braced himself waiting for one of them to try and call him on the lie.

"That's a good idea," Gray said calmly shooting Lucy a warning look when she turned back to Natsu with an angry expression, catching her eye he shook his head silently before turning back to the huddled figure of the Dragon-slayer. He was sure that what Natsu had written was a lie, and it cut him to the core to realise that the Fire mage was willing to go that far over this matter, wondering just how much he was hurting over that fact…Natsu had always been bluntly honest and he couldn't imagine that the lie was resting easily on him.

"Natsu," Lucy said softly once she had managed to calm herself, waiting until Natsu reluctantly raised his head to look at them although he carefully avoided eye contact and she sighed softly but decided not to quibble before continuing quietly. "We're worried about you, will you come home with us?" She already knew what his answer was going to be, but she had to try, some part of her still hoping that the Fire mage would reach out to them…the hope dying in an instance when he immediately shook his head in response, pain flashing through his eyes at the gesture before it was carefully masked before a look of calm indifference and she had to fight the urge to reach out and shake him until that mask shattered.

Seeing this Happy piped up, babbling away about this and that, seemingly completely unaware of the situation that he was interrupting although not one of them was fooled by the act. Natsu shifted his gaze to his partner, overwhelmed with the gratitude he was feeling towards the cat in that instance, and something of how he was feeling must have shown in his eyes as Happy gave him a small smile of reassurance. Gray used the brief moment of distraction to step closer to Lucy, resting a restraining hand on her shoulder and shaking his head silently…it was clear that Natsu wasn't going to reach out to them, or let them into his secret anytime soon and lashing out would only make it that much harder to help him.

It was clear that she wasn't happy about it, and Gray completely shared her sentiments but finally she sighed and relaxed before quietly joining in the conversation, although her gaze frequently strayed to the cuffs on his wrists and she had to keep her hands in her lap to resist the urge to reach out and tear them off and her voice showed her strain. Gray mainly stayed out of the conversation, using the time to study Natsu and noting every slight flinch or flicker of fear, his eyes narrowing as the Dragon-slayer shifted and he caught sight of what looked like fresh bruising before Natsu hastily rearranged his clothing with an alarmed expression.

They managed to stretch the visit out for a half-an-hour despite the tension in the air, and in that time Gray had seen more than enough to completely eradicate any doubts he might have had that something more was going on and it had become increasingly hard for the Ice mage to hold his tongue…only the knowledge that it wouldn't be enough to take down the council made him hold is peace, but it made the act of actually leaving Natsu behind almost impossible…Still eventually they forced themselves to leave, making the usual promises to visit the next day although if they had their way the Dragon-slayer would be home before then.

FT

Natsu sighed with relief as the door finally closed behind the trio, sinking back wearily against the wall and trying to ignore how badly he was trembling. He had never thought there would be a time when he was glad to be left alone, but all he felt in that moment was relief and that realisation made his heart ache. His eyes were beginning to burn with unshed tears and he tried to blink them away unsuccessfully before closing his eyes and trying to ignore the warm tear that slid down his cheek…he had lied…he had actively lied to his nakama and the worst thing was that they clearly knew he had lied to them. _What am I doing? What am I becoming?_ He had seen the truth in Lucy's eyes when she looked at him, heard it in Gray and Happys' voices…they knew he had lied, that he was changing and yet all they felt for him was concern. Where was the anger, the disappointment, the resentment? _Why do they still look at me as though the Tower of Heaven never happened?_

His breathing was beginning to speed up and he clenched his hands, burying them in the folds of his duvet as he tried to ground himself. He couldn't fall apart now. He couldn't… Tears were trickling down his cheeks faster now and he couldn't find the strength to reach up and push them aside, instead focusing on trying to get his breathing back under control and praying that his nakama wouldn't come back for any reason…and that the council wouldn't come and get him just yet...in that moment he wasn't sure if he could go through anymore experiments as it felt as though every part of him was finally shattering into pieces and he had no idea how to stop it.

FTFT

The trio were quiet as they followed the Rune Knight back towards the exit barely paying attention as he babbled on about what was being done, none of them believing a word coming from his lips after seeing the state of the Dragon-slayer and yet they held their tongues. They hated the fact that until they had conclusive evidence they couldn't act, but after how Natsu had acted they knew that they were going to have to take finding that evidence into their own hands…It had been the outcome they were expecting, even though they had hoped that maybe Natsu would change his mind, that he would still realise that they were there for him.

Once they reached the main door the Rune Knight halted, but it was clear that he had every intention of lingering there until they were completely out of sight and Lucy and Gray shot each other frustrated looks. On the way there they had come up with a very loose plan of how to get at least some of the evidence they needed, but for it to work they needed a distraction, with a quick roll of her eyes Lucy turned back to the mage with a small smile.

"I almost forgot," she exclaimed raising a hand to her lips and looking horrified, supressing a smirk as his attention immediately shifted to her. "We were supposed to ask if it was possible to get a summary of your results so far, just to help our own researchers…there's no point in everyone looking at the same thing after all."

"I'm not sure…"

"Please?" Lucy pleaded looking at him with huge eyes, and letting her voice wobble slightly as she added. "I know your research is more likely to find something useful, but we have to do something…" She had to fight to keep her voice level for the last bit as her emotions threatened to overflow, but somehow she managed to keep herself calm and seeing that he was completely focused on her, and struggling not to roll her eyes at how he puffed up at her implied praise for the Council she wiggled her fingers behind her back.

Gray caught the gesture and he hastily dragged his eyes away from her performance, impressed despite the situation and turned his attention to Happy who was practically vibrating on the spot with anticipation. There was no way Gray or Lucy could wander around without attracting notice, even those that didn't know them personally would be able to recognise that they didn't belong…and Gray had appeared in Scorcerers Weekly a couple of times which increased the likelihood of him being recognised. Happy on the other hand was much smaller, and had the advantage of being able to fly and they were gambling on those factors being enough to conceal him until he was able to find some evidence of what was really going on.

"Happy go," Gray mouthed and with a silent nod the Exceed shot into the air, soaring back into the building with the Rune Knight none the wiser as Lucy was now feigning being near tears and it was clear that the man had no idea how to deal with tearful females. His lips twitched at the horrified expression on the man's face, but he hastily schooled his face into a mask of concern as he hurried to Lucy's side, shooting the Knight a slightly accusing look as he wrapped an arm around her as a gesture of support.

Eventually after extracting a somewhat frazzled promise from the Knight to see what he could do about a report on the research Gray led Lucy away, keeping his arm around her to keep up the pretence of a guild-mate supporting another.

"You are way too good at that," he muttered under his breath when he was sure they were a safe distance away and she shot him a small smirk, before it was rapidly replaced with a worried frown and she straightened slightly.

"Did Happy get back in okay?" She had tried to keep an eye on what was happening, but she hadn't wanted to risk giving their plans away and she hadn't seen the Cat going past. Gray nodded sharply, silently guiding her around a corner and down one of the side streets before coming to a halt as soon as he was sure that they were no longer in sight of the Council building before adding softly and with more than a hint of worry.

"Let's just hope he doesn't get caught."

FT

Natsu watched with dull eyes as the researchers worked around him, carefully strapping him to the machine with deceptive gentleness. He had only just managed to stem his tears when they had come to fetch him, and he knew that they had seen the evidence of his crying…of his shattering, and a part of him knew that he should be horrified that they had seen such weakness but it was too much effort to summon up such emotion. He hadn't even bothered to try and ask why he had been left wearing the suppressant cuffs…_he just didn't care anymore…even the ever present chant of Erza's name in the back of his mind was beginning to lose its power…_ Wearily he closed his eyes as he felt the last of the restraints being set in place, trying to prepare himself for the pain that he knew was about to come.

FT

Happy carefully moved along the corridor, thankful for the high ceilings that allowed him to pass by overhead although he didn't dare lower his guard as he wouldn't put it past them to have warding or surveillance magic in use. The Council had been accepting of their presence so far, but he doubted that it would extend to excusing him if he was caught sneaking around like this, especially if their suspicions were correct and they were doing something to Natsu. Hearing voices below he quickly grasped hold of one of the lights, stilling and biting his lip as it let out a dull metallic noise at the impact, but there was no pause in the conversation below and he carefully let out his breath in a relieved sigh even as he settled into listen.

"I don't understand why they don't just move him to Era or Crocus, surely the facilities there are much better?" Happy's eyes narrowed as he began to pay attention to the speaker, struggling to hold back a low growl as he realised that it was the same knights who had taken Natsu from the guild in the first place, and he felt his hackles already beginning to rise…unable to forget the hunger on their faces when they had realised that Natsu had some access to the Etherion he had consumed.

"They are but we're trying to avoid trouble with the rest of the Guild," the second knight replied and Happy's eyes narrowed further, a dark expression dawning on his face as he knew that if they were only doing what they had said they were doing then there would be no reason for such concern…despite their reputation as troublemakers, even the Council knew that Fairy Tail only acted against others when its members were threatened…_but what were they doing?_

"Would they really act against the council?" The first asked with a hint of doubt to his voice, and Happy couldn't help the small smirk that formed…clearly the man had only heard the rumours of what their guild was capable of, and whilst he had acted cautiously around them at the guild, here in the safety of the council building it was obvious that he didn't fully believe those rumours. He would be in for a shock if they were really forced to act against them.

"Of course," the other Knight replied instantly and Happy caught the note of nervous fear underlying his voice and his eyes narrowed further, they might be able to make use of that fear. "You've heard the stories, and given how his friends have acted so far it's clear those threats aren't empty."

"But…"

"Didn't you hear about the Phantom Lord incident?" The first Knight's voice rose slightly and Happy grimaced at the reminder, his ears flattening against the top of his head…remembering back to that incident made their current situation all the more painful. They had, had a lot of trouble back then…but they had still had Erza, and Natsu had been his normal, indomitable self and if he could he would wish them back into that situation in heartbeat. He wanted that Natsu back. "There's no way we want that kind of trouble, so this façade is necessary." Happy was pulled back from his memories at the confirmation that they were hiding something from them, and he wished desperately that he had Warren's telepathy in that moment…it would make it so much easier to find the truth as he doubted that they were going to go into detail out in an open corridor.

"Fine," the second knight demanded, and Happy hissed slightly as he realised the conversation was coming to a halt…his suspicions had been confirmed, but he still didn't have any proper evidence which meant that the search was going to have to continue and he was highly aware that the longer he took the more likely it was that he would be caught, and the more Natsu might have to endure. "Still seems a waste of time to me. The Council shouldn't have to bow down to a mere guild." The first knight made an noncommittal grunt in response, and Happy hastily shrank in against the light as he heard them moving forward once more, praying that they wouldn't look up as they passed beneath his hiding place.

Happy waited impatiently for the knights to disappear from sight before cautiously descending and continuing to make his way along the corridor they had come from, more confident now that he was heading in the right direction and he sped up as he cast his thoughts towards his partner. _Hang on Natsu I'm coming…_

FT

He wasn't sure if they had increased the strength of the shocks, the fact that his mantra had begun to lose strength or whether it was his own body failing him, but the pain lancing its way through his body felt a hundred times worse that it had the day before. He was vaguely aware of the dampness on his cheeks, and his expression twisted as he realised that he could taste blood on his tongue and idly he noted that he must have bitten it at some point. It was impossible to focus on anything beyond those brief impressions though as every time a thought tried to take shape it was washed away by pain.

Yet he couldn't bring himself to care enough to try and put a stop to it. In a way the pain was proving useful as it drowned his awareness of the fact that he was shattering inside, and it gave him a focus. Pain was something he could understand even with his world falling apart around from him, and the taste of copper in his mouth made it easier to recall why he was doing this…_blood…red… Scarlet…Erza._

FT

Happy wanted to curse as the corridor finally split, hovering in mid-air as his gaze darted between the two choices. He knew that he could check out both, but it would take more time than he had and he was reluctant to waste precious minutes searching in the wrong direction. Trying to think what the others would do he let his eyes close, trying to focus every fibre of his being on the Dragon-slayer…Natsu had always stated that he could feel them when the situation was bad, and he never seemed to find them one way or another. A couple of minutes passed before Happy's eyes shot open and he turned down the right path, hoping that the feeling he was following wasn't just his imagination.

His doubts increased when he found himself in a large library, idly noting that Levy would probably love to be let lose in this place. Still he doubted very much that whatever they were doing to his partner would be occurring in a library of all places, and he was just about to turn around and try searching in the other direction when he spotted something in the far corner. If he had been on the ground there was no way he could have seen him, and his eyes narrowed, obviously the council hadn't anticipated flying enemies which seemed like a stupid oversight to him not that he was about to complain.

Carefully he soared towards the door that he had spotted hidden among the stacks, landing hastily on top of a bookcase as it suddenly opened just before he reached it, crouching down so that no-one would be able to spot him even as he inched forwards so he could peer over the edge. One of the researchers that they had met days before came bustling out of the room behind the door, a massive pile of paper in his arms and Happy wished that he was closer so that he could read them. His thoughts were derailed a moment later when a loud scream filled the air, coming from the room, and even as the researcher hurriedly closed the door cutting the sound off Happy paled…he knew that voice.

FT

He was barely aware of the agonised screams that were being torn from him, and yet he felt disconnected from them as though they were coming from someone else. The world around him was bathed with blue once more, the colour so bright that it reached him even through his closed eyelids and he tried to shrink in on himself. He hated that colour. Feared it more than anything he had ever feared before. It had taken Erza from him, and he was becoming increasingly convinced that it would take his life before all this was over. A small defiant part of him tried to flicker to life at that realisation…his usual refusal to accept defeat appearing for a brief second, before another jolt of power had him arching up in agony, all thoughts being washed aside by the fresh wave of pain that accompanied it.

FT

Happy had only just managed to wait until the researcher had disappeared amongst the stacks before rapidly soaring down to the door. That scream had come from Natsu, he was sure of it and he was terrified to discover what could have forced a noise like that out of the Dragon-slayer. His paws were trembling so badly that it took several attempts for him to open the door, cracking it open just enough for him to slip inside, hastily shooting towards the ceiling in the hopes of avoiding detections although it seemed as though no one was paying attention to the door. Instead they were focused on the centre of the room, and Happy followed their gazes with terror already building in his stomach, and as his eyes finally landed on his partner he let out a weak mew before rapidly landing on top of the nearest piece of equipment as all strength seemed to drain from him.

Nothing…not even the worst of their suspicions could have prepared him for this, and he flinched as another scream rang out, his eyes burning with unshed tears. This wasn't what he had expected to find, and a large part of him had been hoping that their suspicions had been wrong even after hearing the Rune Knights speaking…_but this_…

"Natsu…" He whispered not caring if he was discovered, his vision blurring as he took in the sight of Natsu strapped down in the centre of the room, etherion filling the air around him and he swallowed hard as his mind flashed back to the sight of the Tower of Heaven exploding and he glanced down as his paws clenched. _They hadn't been able to protect Erza…and now they had failed Natsu as well_. Another cry drew him back to the present, and despite the sick feeling in his stomach he forced himself to look up and fully take in what was happening, he owed Natsu that much.

The Dragon-slayer was straining against the restraints holding him in place, but the fact that he hadn't managed to break free told Happy just how injured he must be, a thought that was confirmed as he studied his partner more closely. Natsu was no longer dressed in his normal clothes, and the t-shirt and shorts he was wearing now revealed injuries that he must've been hiding from them that morning, and Happy struggled to fight back the hurt that realisation caused. _Why would you hide this?_ Forcing himself to move past that for the time being, his eyes followed the wires that he had just spotted running between the bed and the machinery behind Natsu, gasping as he watched the machine flare to life sending a wave of power through the wire and his eyes went wide as Natsu arched off the bed with a sharp cry.

Without thinking Happy sprang to his feet and his wings were already spread before his brain kicked in once more and he froze. As much as he hated to admit it, he knew that if he interfered now there was no way he would be able to get both of them out of there and looking at Natsu it was clear that the Fire mage wouldn't be able to move on his own…if he could even be convinced to leave. The fact that Natsu had concealed all this, meant that at least on some level he had accepted what was being done to him, and if that was the case it was unlikely that Happy on his own would be enough to convince him that he needed to leave. Acting now would more than likely just result in him being captured, which would leave Gray and Lucy with no knowledge of what was happening…and put Natsu in even more danger.

He knew what he needed to do…but it didn't make it any easier to accept and for several minutes he just hovered on the edge of the equipment, his mind racing as he studied the rest of the room, studying the researchers and guards with angry eyes. All the while the machine continued feeding shocks into his partner, although exhaustion had clearly taken hold now as the previously sharp cries had faded to pained whimpers that cut Happy more than the screams had. He was also fairly convinced that he could see blood trickling onto Natsu's chin, although the distance and the blurring coming from the Etherion made it hard for him to know for certain.

Finally though he took a hesitant step backwards, forcing himself to ignore every part of him that was screaming at him to just get down there and help Natsu. In that instance he hated the more logical part of himself, and the fact that magically he was too weak to be able to save his partner on his own, but he refused to let himself to shy away from that truth. He couldn't save Natsu, not on his own at least. But he had every faith that Lucy and Gray would be able to…they just needed his information first. Taking a deep breath he took to the air once more, glancing back at Natsu once more and imprinting the image of partner on his mind before forcing himself to head for the door, ignoring the tears he could feel streaking down his cheeks. _Hold on Natsu…we'll get you out of here I promise._

FT

Natsu blinked as he caught movement in the periphery of his vision, and despite the pain it caused him he turned his head towards it, blinking to try and clear the tears out of his eyes. But when his vision cleared briefly he found that there was nothing there, and despite himself he felt a flash of disappointment. For a brief moment he thought he'd caught a flash of blue… a different blue than the etherion currently surrounding him, a blue that brought to mind memories of happier times and even though he knew it had been a foolish thought he couldn't quell the peculiar sense of abandonment rising in him in that moment. _Happy…why would Happy be here. I lied to them…sent them away…_

FT

Happy shot out of the window stunned that he had managed to avoid detection as all thoughts of stealth had vanished after seeing Natsu. Hovering a safe distance from the building, he desperately scanned the area below as he searched for Lucy and Gray hoping that they hadn't been driven away from the building as he had taken a lot longer than he had expected. A brief gleam of gold caught his attention and he twisted his head, to spot the pair standing down one of the side-streets, with Lucy gesturing to him with a Key in her hand and he immediately twisted in mid-air and shot towards the, knowing that they couldn't afford to waste any time.

"I found him," He cried breathlessly as he glided down to them, landing clumsily in his rush and it was only Lucy's quick actions that stopped him from toppling forward in an undignified heap and he willingly lent against her arm as he struggled to catch his breath.

"You found him?" Gray prompted after a moment, and Happy nodding shakily as Natsu's pained expression and silent screams flashing through his mind and his expression was grim as he looked up at them and he caught how they both tensed as they took in his expression and the damp fur that spoke of his earlier tears. "Tell us," Gray ordered, unsure of whether he actually wanted to know what had put that expression on the Exceed's face and a quick glance at Lucy showed that she looked just as conflicted. _Natsu what have you got yourself into?_

"They're torturing him," Happy whispered and Gray went completely still for a moment and there was a roaring sound in his ears. He had known from the moment that he'd seen Natsu that whatever was happening was bad, and defiantly against what they had agreed to, but it was different hearing it spoken aloud and he could feel his magic beginning to stir once more.

"What?!" Lucy hissed loudly, her eyes blazing and golden light spilled out of her key pouch as her anger and magic riled up her spirits as well and Gray quickly reached across to grasp her wrist as she blindly reached for the Keys.

"Not yet," he warned her urgently, tightening his hold until she eventually nodded and pointedly moved her hand away as the golden light faded. Satisfied that she would wait he loosened his hold, not quite daring to remove his hand altogether as he knew just how she felt, and it was only the need to hold her back that was helping him to hold back his own temper and his voice was strangled as he forced himself to ask the question that he wasn't sure he wanted the answer to. "Happy what were they doing?"

"He was strapped to some kind of machine," Happy replied nervously, glancing warily at Lucy who was clearly still seething and catching the way her eyes flashed at his words. Swallowing he glanced down, noting that his paws were shaking slightly and he clenched them as he continued quietly, his voice wavering slightly. "It looked like it was shocking him…he was screaming…and there was a lot of Etherion in the air, but no sign of his own magic"

"They're monsters," Lucy muttered angrily before turning to look at Gray with dawning realisation in her eyes. "Those cuffs…"

"They must be magical suppressants," Gray replied darkly, instinctively shivering at the mere thought of being cut off from his magic. "No wonder he seemed so weak earlier." Depending on how long he had been forced to wear them, it was amazing that he had been conscious let alone capable of communicating and maintaining his façade no matter how unbelievable it had been and he shook his head slightly. _Only Natsu._

"Do you think he agreed to it?" Happy asked softly, his gaze flicking between the two.

"Yes," Lucy replied shortly although she regretted her tone as his ears drooped and she gently patted his shoulder in apology before turning her attention back to the Ice mage, and there was a mix of anger and resignation in her voice as she added. "He lied to us Gray…he agreed to this."

"But…" Gray began weakly, desperately wishing that he could argue that Natsu would never have done anything so foolish, that he wouldn't have gone so far as to endanger his beloved magic…but he couldn't bring himself to put that hope into words, knowing that the Natsu that they had brought back from the Tower of Heaven would have done just that.

"I'm sure he knows that it's idiotic," Lucy murmured although she didn't look completely certain, and her voice was watery as she added. "But...all he can see right now is Erza." It hurt slightly to realise that he no longer really saw the rest of them, but he had been there when Erza was lost to the Etherion and they hadn't been….he had that image…that memory constantly in his mind and she knew that if she had been there then she would have most likely acted the same as he was.

"I know he misses her…and that he blames himself," Gray muttered glancing down for a moment, swallowing hard and trying to avoid confronting the fact that he felt the same and he hadn't been right there in the tower with her. He could understand why Natsu felt like he did…but he couldn't, wouldn't let the Dragon-slayer destroy himself over it…knowing that Natsu would never let him do it if their roles were reversed or he was able to think clearly, and his voice was firm as he continued. "But there's no way we can let this continue. We're getting him out of there." He knew he was making it sound a lot simpler than it was going to be, as they not only had to contend with the Council but probably with Natsu as well as he couldn't see the Fire mage coming willingly given his current state of mind.

"Where was he?" Lucy asked turning back to Happy with a grim expression, cursing the fact that they only knew enough of the building to be able to get from the entrance to Natsu's room and back again.

"If you go down the corridor from his room, heading away from the entrance and follow it straight until it widens out into a hall," Happy replied his brow furrowed as he tried to translate his birds eye view into directions that they would be able to use. "The corridor narrows again after that and then splits into two, if you go right you'll find the library and in the far right corner is the door that leads to the lab. It's quite well hidden among the bookcases though…"

"We'll find it," Lucy cut across him without the slightest hint of hesitation, refusing even to acknowledge the possibility of failure. "Did you see how many were in there with him?"

"Half a dozen researchers and at least ten guards around the room in addition to the others we've met, but there might have been more I didn't stick around to check," Happy admitted suddenly cursing himself for not thinking of that.

"It doesn't really matter," Lucy reassured him as she caught the dejected set to his ears and guessing where his thoughts had gone, and she meant her words. Hearing that their suspicions had been more than correct meant that she was more than willing to take on all that the Council had to throw at them if it meant helping Natsu.

"Happy fly back to the guild," Gray ordered once he'd got his temper back under control, turning to look at the Exceed with a grim expression as he added quietly. "We're going to need Gramps!" The building wasn't as heavily guarded as the main council buildings, and he had no doubt that he and Lucy could cause quite a lot of destruction on their own but he wasn't about to take the risk of betting on that. The most important thing was getting to Natsu and getting him out of here, and if they needed to be heavy handed then so be it…the council had brought it on themselves, and he shuddered slightly as imagined just what Makarov might do when he learnt the truth.

"Alright," Happy whispered with a small nod, realising why Gray was asking that of him even though he hated the idea of leaving them behind…wishing that it had been possible for him to just snatch Natsu when he'd found him, and his voice wavered as he glanced up at the pair with huge, pleading eyes. "Please…please help Natsu!"

"We will," Lucy vowed reaching out to lay a hand on his shoulder, and he could see the fury and determination burning in her eyes and he nodded, knowing that she would do whatever it took to keep that promise.

"Go!" Gray ordered.

"Aye Sir!" Happy shouted as he spread his wings once more, leaping into the air and soaring out of the window before activating his speed magic, determined to get help as fast as he could even if it meant exhausting himself.

"Come on we need to move too," Gray said as he got to his feet, holding a hand out to Lucy who accepted it allowing him to pull her back to her feet. For a moment they just looked at one another and Lucy briefly opened her mouth before closing it and shaking her head, there was no need for words, she could see the fury and determination in his eyes and knew it mirrored her own expression. With a last glance they broke into a run as they headed back towards the Council building, knowing that they should probably wait for help to come, but unwilling to leave Natsu in there on his own a moment longer than necessary.

FT

Natsu was barely clinging to consciousness now, his eyes at half-mast as the machine was finally paused to give him a brief break and he grimaced as he realised that the coppery taste in his mouth had only grown stronger. Weakly he rolled his head to the side and spat out the blood that he could now feel filling his mouth, ignoring the soft noise of disgust from one of the researchers who was checking the cuffs. He wished desperately that he had the voice to ask if they had discovered anything useful, but it was all he could do to focus on drawing in shallow breaths, every inch of his body screaming out in pain and he let his eyes drift shut as he felt fresh tears trickling down his cheeks. _I can do this…_ somehow that statement lacked the conviction it had before and he squeezed his eyes tighter, desperately fighting the urge to start sobbing, refusing to let them see that much weakness.

FTFT

Happy was breathing heavily by the time the guild hall came into sight and he could feel his magic beginning to falter, but he gritted his teeth and forced himself to greater speeds. The image of his partner strapped to that machine, not even making a sound despite the pain he was obviously in was burned into his mind and he knew that he couldn't stop until he knew that Natsu was safe. That determination gave him a final burst of speed and he burst into the hall, the doors slamming loudly against the wall and immediately drawing everyone's attention in his direction.

"MASTER!" He shouted frantically, glancing around wildly until he spotted the diminutive form sat at the bar with Cana and Mira and immediately he shot in that direction.

"Happy? What is it?" Makarov had risen to stand on the bar at the Exceed's shout, and his expression darkened as he took in Happy's frazzled state and desperate expression as the cat landed clumsily on the ground in front of him, wings disappearing instantly indicating he had used up the last of his magical reserves.

"Natsu!" Happy cried staggering forward, ignoring the concerned and startled mages gathering around him as he was focused completely on getting to Makarov. "Natsu needs help! Please…" The last of his strength gave out with that final plea and he crashed to the ground, barely keeping himself up as he sucked in desperate breaths. _Natsu…please you have to help Natsu._

"Happy here take a sip," Mira was suddenly knelt beside him, a glass of water in her hands which she gently held to his lips, watching with worried eyes as he took desperate sips. When he tilted his head to the side to indicate he was done she carefully set it aside, before turning back to him with an encouraging smile that was ruined by the tenseness around her eyes although her voice was gentle as she urged him to continue. "Now tell us what's going on."

"They hurt him!" Happy said urgently, knowing that he needed to explain but hating every moment that was being wasted and he curled his paws as he turned wide eyes towards Makarov who had a dangerous glint in his eyes. "We knew something was wrong, so I snuck in for a look around and they're experimenting on him…he looked terrible…" He tried to continue, to explain what he had seen, but he couldn't bring himself to put into words what he had seen and he trailed off shaking his head helplessly. _Natsu…_

"Where are Gray and Lucy?" Makarov demanded urgently, already guessing the answer to his question but needing it confirmed before he decided how to act…and he would act. He had let Natsu go with the Council, had trusted the Council to keep their word and they had betrayed that trust and expectancy but more than that they had harmed one of his children.

"They didn't want to wait," Happy replied with a slightly nervous edge to his voice, investigating the council on their own had been risk, but charging in alone upped that even though he knew Gray and Lucy wouldn't regret it…and neither did he for that matter. Natsu had to come first, regardless of what trouble they might end up with and his voice was much stronger as he refocused on Makarov before continuing. "But they said we needed you."

Makarov's expression tightened and turbulent emotions flashed across his face for a moment. Part of him wanted to be angry at the trio for acting on their own, but he sighed knowing that they had been suspicious from the start and he had refused to listen. Resting a hand on Happy's shoulder and squeezing gently to indicate that he wasn't angry he turned and searched the gathered crowd for the face he was looking for.

"Jet!"

"Master?" The speed-mage was immediately at his side looking unsurprised to have been called, anger glittering in his eyes from hearing what had been happening to their Dragons-layer, an expression mirrored by all the gathered mages. Even Gajeel who was lurking in the background had fury in his eyes, and little bits of metal kept flickering over his skin indicating how close he was coming to losing his temper.

"I need you to get me to the Council," Makarov ordered grimly, secretly proud to see how his guild…his family were rallying around each other, and he just hoped that Natsu would let himself see what they were doing once they brought him home. "And then fetch Porlysuica." The healer had returned home a couple of days after Natsu had gone to the council, but she had promised to return if needed and he had a dark feeling that they were going to need her services far more than they had thought.

"We should all go," Cana muttered and there was a dangerous expression on her face, chasing away any traces of the alcohol she had consumed that day, her hand already lying on her bag in anticipation.

"No," Makarov denied immediately as he got to his feet, turning to look around at the gathered mages with a grim expression. He knew that they would all willingly go up against the Council if he asked, they had more than proved their willingness to fight against the odds for the guild during the conflict with Phantom Lord, but he couldn't let this turn into a war. No matter what wrong the Council had done to Natsu…to Fairy Tail…the fact remained that they were the council, and he wanted to limit the trouble they were going to get into. "Let me handle this."

"But…"

"Natsu will need all of you when we get home," Makarov cut across Macao's muttered protest, his tone gentle despite the anger still coursing through him. "Focus on that and let me deal with the Council." Despite his gentle tone they all shivered at the threat in his voice, remembering just how dangerous the old man could be despite his normally genial and often childish personality and the remaining protests died at that reminder. "Jet!" Makarov turned back to the other mage once he saw the others were going to accept his decision and Jet nodded in understanding, crouching down to allow Makarov to scramble onto his back.

"I'm going too!" Happy shouted as he clambered back to his feet, shaking off Mira's supportive hand with a grateful glance before turning to Makarov who was studying him with worried eyes.

"Happy you should rest…"

"No!" Happy shouted, cutting across Makarov before continuing in a slightly softer tone although there was no denying the emotion swimming in his voice. "I can't…not until Natsu is safe." It had been hard enough flying out of there to get help, there was no way he could sit here and wait for others to help his partner when he knew what Natsu was having to endure.

"Alright," Makarov conceded after a long moment, seeing the determination and desperate fear in the cat's wide eyes, the latter telling him that they didn't have the time to be arguing about this. Besides he knew that they might need Happy to get Natsu out of there whilst they dealt with the council. "Make sure you stay close," he ordered even as he held out a hand to lift the cat up onto Jet's back, glad that they were both small and light enough for the mage to carry simultaneously.

"Aye Sir," Happy barely had time to agree before Jet was moving, the guild disappearing behind them in a blur of movement and colour.

FT

"Will they really be okay?" Levy asked nervously as the guild doors slammed shut behind the disappearing trio, her face pale as she glanced around at the others for comfort. She had spent most of the past week locked in the library searching desperately for some way to help Erza, but deep down she had been trusting in the council to be able to find what she couldn't…that hope had died a painful death with Happy's news…but worse than that they had hurt one of her nakama.

"With the Master in that kind of mood?" Macao asked, still slightly shaken by the glimpse of the more dangerous side of their Master before he shook his head ruefully. "I almost pity the council," he added, recalling the devastation that had been caused when Makarov had faced down Master Jose, and he doubted that the Magnolia branch of the council had any mages at a level capable of facing their Master as an equal…it was going to be carnage.

"Don't waste your pity on them," Cana spat angrily, still itching to pick a fight with the council and it was only the fact that she had seen equal fury in Makarov's eyes that was stopping her from disobeying the order to stay put. "They deserve everything they have coming for what they've done to Natsu and Erza," she added with a snarl, remembering just how broken Natsu had looked the day he had agreed to go with the council and she knew that this latest development and the fact that the hope of saving Erza was moving closer and closer to being impossible was more than enough to finish shattering him…she just prayed that they would be able to bring him back to them.

"Enough," Mira ordered firmly as she finally rose to her feet, a fire in eyes that none of them had seen for years and they fell silent at the sight and she took advantage of the silence to continue. "Talking about it isn't going to help anyone. We need to prepare the infirmary for their return, and we should keep an eye out for any sign of retaliation as there's little chance the council is going to take this lying down." For a moment the silence continued as everyone contemplated her words, and then the group sprang into action with an explosion of noise.

"I'll sort the infirmary," Cana said tossing aside her bottle and turning and heading for the stairs before anyone could argue, and Mira's lips twitched slightly, catching the relief in the other woman's eyes that showed how much she needed to be doing something to help.

"We'll set up a watch," Macao offered glancing across at Wakaba who nodded grimly in agreement, and others echoed their offer and Mira nodded and smiled gratefully across at them. She still wasn't ready or able to join in the fighting, but she could help keep the guild motivated and organised…she just hoped that it would be enough.

"Levy are you okay to resume your research?" She asked as she halted in front of the Solid-script mage who blinked in surprise, before tilting her head in question, clearly wondering why that was important at the moment. "The council won't help us after this, but I refuse to believe that Erza is completely lost." _I can't believe it,_ Mira added silently her expression sorrowful as she gazed out over the guild…even now with a purpose to move them forward it was clear that the guild was missing its heart and she clenched her hands. _Erza…did you not realise how much this would change the guild._

"I'll find something," Levy promised seeing the pain in the taller girl's expression, and recognising as the same pain that had been driving her research ever since Natsu and the others had returned from the Tower of Heaven. With a weak attempt at a reassuring smile the Solid –script mage turned and hurried away towards the library, snagging hold of Droy on the way and dragging him unprotestingly after her, knowing that she needed what help she could get. Mira sighed as she watched the pair disappear, turning to watch as the others dispersed to set up a protective perimeter around the guild and silently her thoughts turned to Lucy and Gray…_Just bring Natsu home…_

FTFT

Lucy and Gray were completely unaware of the chaos they had caused back at the guild as they made their through the council building. They had met surprising little resistance on their way back into the building, although part of that had been because they had begun by using the ruse that they were just here for another visit, unwilling to take their rage out against potentially innocent workers in the building. However, the ruse had broken the moment they moved deliberately past Natsu's rooms in the direction that Happy had described, ignoring the storm of questions that were sent in their direction until eventually one of the Knights had stepped into their path ordering then to stop…

FT


	12. Chapter 11

Thank you for the amazing reviews, follows and favourites.

Disclaimer: As always Fairy Tail and its amazing characters don't belong to me, I'm just borrowing them.

FT

Previously:

_Lucy and Gray were completely unaware of the chaos they had caused back at the guild as they made their through the council building. They had met surprising little resistance on their way back into the building, although part of that had been because they had begun by using the ruse that they were just here for another visit, unwilling to take their rage out against potentially innocent workers in the building. However, the ruse had broken the moment they moved deliberately past Natsu's rooms in the direction that Happy had described, ignoring the storm of questions that were sent in their direction until eventually one of the Knights had stepped into their path ordering then to stop…_

FTFT

Neither of them hesitated…not caring in the slightest that this was the council, and that by attacking they could bring a whole world of trouble down on their heads or on the guild. All that mattered was that the Knights was currently standing between them and Natsu, and from the sounds heading in their direction more were coming to join him. Briefly they glanced at one another and then Gray darted forwards his lips pulled back in a fierce snarl as he slammed his hands together, magic dancing beneath his skin and responding to his anger and determination.

"Ice Make: Lance!" Ice filled the air in front of him, and the Knight who'd clearly not been expecting them too actually attack went down hard beneath the onslaught. There was no satisfaction from the victory though, and none of the usual energy that came from battle and Gray knew it was because the rest of their team was missing…and something dropped in his stomach at that realisation. The thought of continuing on…of going on jobs without Erza's overwhelming presence, her nagging and constant interference on his rivalry with Natsu…the thought of fighting without Natsu's bright grin, idiotic mistakes and never-ending noise…_That's not a future I want…_

"Gray!" Lucy's urgent shout broke into his morose thoughts and he blinked, angry at himself for spacing out at such a moment but unable to shake away that realisation. However, he forced it to the back of his mind as he realised that more Knights were pouring down the corridor towards them and he bit out a curse before crouching and slamming his hands on the ground, ice spreading out in a wave before him and causing the approaching Knights to halt for a moment. He knew that it wouldn't hold them back for long, but all they needed was a split second.

"Gate of the Golden Bull I open thee! Taurus!" Lucy cried taking advantage of their shock, and sensing her mood Taurus wasted no time with his usual flirting, instead charging into the approaching group with a fierce roar the ice shattering beneath his hooves. Gray's ice joined his flashing axe a moment later and the small group of Knights didn't stand a chance, melting away beneath the force of the combined attack until that remained was a scattered group of limp bodies.

"Come on we need to keep moving," Gray shouted as soon as the last Knight was down wrapping a hand around Lucy's wrist and she allowed him to drag her along, knowing that they couldn't afford to waste time. Glancing back she mouthed a quick thanks to Taurus who bowed his head in acceptance before disappearing back to his own world.

FTFT

_Natsu?! Natsu! At some point she had stopped calling for the others…her thoughts focused on the Dragon-slayer. He had been there with her before and she was terrified that he might be trapped somewhere in here as well…Natsu hated being alone…she had to find him. If she could find him then she had no doubt that they'd be able to find a way out of this endless blue. NATSU!_

FT

Natsu was drifting now…barely aware of the world around him, although the pain lingered as an ever present background sensation that he couldn't escape. It was impossible to muster even a semi-coherent thought anymore, and as his eyes fluttered open weakly after a moment the world around him was completely filled with blue. Something in him wanted to recoil from that colour although he didn't know why, and he found himself trying to pull back only to find himself trapped in place…distantly he was aware that, that should bother him but he couldn't focus enough to remember why.

There was a spike in the pain and he felt a whimper escape, his brow twitching faintly in distress, but again he didn't know why he felt like this. The blue was pressing in on him now, and he let his eyes drift shut, desperately seeking even a brief respite from the light…a soft sigh escaping him as he drifted off into shadow, not quite unconscious but not fully awake either. It was peaceful.

FTFT

Unfortunately news of their presence had managed to spread ahead of them and they found themselves clashing with small groups of Knights as they followed the path that Happy had described. Each confrontation was short-lived, neither teen willing to show the slightest hint of mercy, but each battle cost them valuable time and they were highly aware that each second lost meant there was high risk of more reinforcements being called in…more chance of Natsu being hurt even further…and that knowledge pressed in on them.

Finally they reached the library that Happy had told them about, relieved to realise that there was no more Knights waiting for them although they had little doubt that more would be waiting for them in the lab. Even from here they could feel the magical pressure filling the air and they both exchanged horrified glances, easily recognising the magic from the Tower of Heaven and Natsu's outburst in the guild.

"Etherion…" Lucy breathed her eyes wide with alarm and she couldn't quite conceal the shiver that went through her. Back before she joined the guild she could never have imagined being afraid of any form of magic, but she couldn't deny the fact that she was frightened of etherion…it had already taken one of her nakama, had nearly killed the rest of them and it might still steal Natsu away from them. Gray rested a hand on her shoulder as he caught the shiver, although he had to admit that he didn't feel much better, but they couldn't falter now. "I'm alright," she whispered as her hand snaked up to squeeze his fingers briefly in thanks before stepping forwards. "Let's go."

FTFT

Makarov bit back a groan as they entered the council building as an alarm began to blare, guessing that Gray and Lucy had met resistance somewhere inside and given the situation he knew that there was no way they were going to hold back. Happy let out an alarmed noise, hating the fact that he had left them behind to deal with even though he knew that he had been more helpful by fetching their Master. Makarov glanced down at the Exceed, resting a hand on the cat's head for a moment and offering him a reassuring smile when Happy glanced up at him.

"Head back to the guild," he said finally turning to glance at Jet, shaking his head sternly when the younger mage opened his mouth to protest. "We'll handle things here." There was more than a hint of threat in his low voice and for a brief second his magic flared out around him, and the speed mage nodded silently, barely resisting the urge to back away from the smaller man.

"Bring Natsu home," he managed to say past suddenly numb lips, and just like that the pressure was gone from the air as Makarov nodded grimly, and satisfied by the silent promise Jet turned and disappeared in a blur.

"Let's go find Natsu," Makarov said quietly as he headed further into the building with Happy close on his heels.

FTFT

For a long moment the pair stood frozen in the entrance to the lab, struggling to accept what their eyes were telling them. Even Happy's forewarning had done little to prepare them for the sight of Natsu strapped down in the centre of the room, the sight of the wires running between it and the machines surrounding him making Gray snarl angrily even though he was relieved to see that it wasn't releasing energy at the moment. Lucy barely paid any mind to the restraints holding the Dragon-slayer in place or the wires, all she could see was Natsu…he looked half-dead, his skin far paler than it had been earlier and in the clothes he was wearing now it was easy to see the injuries that had been inflicted during his stay.

"Natsu!" She couldn't hold back the cry, even though she instantly cursed herself as everyone turned to look at them, but her attention was still focused on Natsu. There hadn't been any sign of him reacting to her cry, and it was impossible to tell from where they were standing whether he was even conscious…a small voice whispered that it might be even worse than that but she resolutely squashed it, unable to even contemplate it.

"Lucy…" Gray wanted to groan as he realised that they'd completely lost any element of surprise, but he couldn't blame her for calling out, and he couldn't quite hide his own panic when there was no sign of reaction from the Dragon-slayer…._Damn it, hold on Natsu we're right here…_ Before he could say anything else though the researchers and few Knights present in the room finally shook off the shock caused by their sudden appearance.

"What are you doing here?"

"Who let you in?"

The flurry of questions ended abruptly as the machine whirled to life once more, and Gray and Lucy were forced to watch helplessly as power surged along the wires towards the still form of their friend. Almost instantly the air around Natsu lit up with the familiar azure light of etherion and both teens stiffened as a weak cry of pain was torn from the Dragon-slayer. There was no comfort to be taken from the fact that he was still conscious, because it just reinforced the fact that Natsu had chosen this…otherwise even as weakened as he was he would be fighting back.

"Stop it! Stop it!" Lucy pleaded desperately as another cry rang out, tears slipping from her eyes at the sound and her hand slipped down to her keys when she realised that they had no intention of stopping what they were doing. Before she could act though a cold hand grasped hers, stilling the motion and she glanced up at Gray in surprise, ready to lambast him for stopping her. _Natsu's in pain! Why are you wasting time?!_

"Get to Natsu," Gray ordered grimly before she could speak, glancing at her for a moment before stepping between her and the approaching mages, the air around him growing icy cold as another cry from Natsu fanned his temper and his lip lifted in a snarl. He hated going into a battle whilst in a rage, knowing from past battles that it could cloud his judgement to a dangerous extent, but there was no way to calm himself now…not with Natsu being hurt right in front of their eyes. It didn't matter if Natsu had chosen to allow this to happen…the Council had promised to take care of him and they had broken their word.

"But…" Lucy protested weakly, she knew better than anyone that he could handle this number of opponents on a good day. But she could see his fury…knew it matched the same fury burning away deep in her chest, and she was reluctant to let him fight alone in that state even if every part of her was yearning to dash to Natsu's side.

"I can handle these ones," Gray snarled fiercely even though he was aware that she was doubting his ability, and he shot her an apologetic glance before gesturing towards Natsu with a shaking hand as another cry rang out from the Fire mage. "Just get him off that thing." His voice was shaking now, and Lucy regretted her earlier flash of irritation as she realised that he was only managing to hold himself together through his anger.

"Right!" She agreed sharply and dashed forwards, trusting Gray to cover her back as she set her gaze squarely on Natsu, barely heeding those who reached out in an attempt to stop her as she felt the ice magic forming at

"ICE MAKE: FLOOR!"

FT

Makarov and Happy paused as the building around them shook violently, the Exceed letting out a frightened mew before taking to the air as though expecting the ground to give way beneath them at any moment.

"Those brats…" Makarov muttered, easily able to imagine just how much damage Gray and Lucy could cause with the right motivation. Normally they were more restrained than their teammates, but the Council's actions had blasted right through that restraint and he knew that there would be no stopping them until Natsu was completely safe. "Happy we need to hurry!" He knew that if the battle was getting this heated then it wouldn't be long before reinforcements arrived, and despite the faith he had in Gray and Lucys' abilities he knew that that they wouldn't be able to deal with that with the state that Natsu was likely to be in.

"Aye Sir!" Happy agreed soaring a head so that he could lead the way, praying that the others had managed to get Natsu to safety before the fighting had broken out. _Wait for me Natsu, I'm on my way…_

FTFT

Natsu blinked as he realised that the shocks had finally stopped, vaguely aware of the fact that he could hear raised voices all around him, but it was proving difficult to focus beyond the pain still coursing through his body and he simply let his head slump back against his chest as his eyes slid shut once more. There was dampness on his cheeks and he wanted to brush it away, but he couldn't even muster the strength to open his eyes once more. Part of him realised that was a bad sign, but he couldn't bring himself to care even when the sounds of fighting began to go in and out of focus, as though someone was playing with the volume.

_I just want it all to stop…._

FT

Lashing out with her whip she sent the researcher foolish enough to get in her way careening into the path of Gray's ice, and without sparing the woman another glance she ran up the steps to Natsu's side, fumbling as she tucked her whip back into her belt knowing that she would need both hands to free him. Thankfully the shocks that he had been receiving had stopped the moment that Gray had attacked, as researchers and Knights alike were tugged into the conflict, although the silence now coming from the Dragon-slayer was terrifying in its own right,

"Natsu?" Lucy called frantically as she reached Natsu at last, forgetting all about the battle going on behind her as she got a good look at his injuries and fury bubbled up inside her…this was what they had feared, what Happy had warned them about and yet she still hadn't been prepared for the sight of him and golden light glowed around her for a moment before she took a deep breath to calm herself slightly. "Natsu can you hear me?" She tried again and this time she was rewarded by a soft groan as he weakly tilted his head towards her although he made no effort to open his eyes, and gently she brushed her fingers over his cheek to reassure him, shuddering as she realised how cool he felt to the touch and feeling the dampness of the tear tracks marking his skin. "It's just…"

"Get away from there!" One of the researchers had managed to escape Gray's onslaught, charging boldly at Lucy and trying to grab her arm to pull her away from the Dragon-slayer. "You're interfering with our research you foolish girl!"

"HOW DARE YOU!" The Celestial mage spat furiously and forgetting all about her whip she lashed out viciously with her fist, sending the researcher staggering away from them before slipping her hand down to her pouch. She would much rather have dealt with them herself but she knew that she needed to look after Natsu, and she only hesitated for a moment before pulling out a key, turning dark eyes back towards the researcher who was slowly climbing back to his feet and hissing. "He trusted you! Gate of the Maiden I open thee! Virgo!"

"Princess?" The Spirit asked as she appeared, her expression unusually grim as her gaze flickered briefly between where Gray was fighting the Knights and other researchers, to Natsu and then finally landing on Lucy with an expectant gleam.

"Keep everyone but Gray away from here," Lucy ordered tilting her head towards where the researcher had just stood and the Spirit nodded in understanding before disappearing in a flurry. Barely a moment later the researcher disappeared into the large hole that had appeared at his feet, vanishing from sight with a startled cry as Virgo reappeared in his place, turning to bow towards Lucy with a small smirk.

"Certainly Princess."

"Natsu…" Lucy whispered turning her attention back to Natsu, trusting Virgo to protect her whilst she focused on freeing Natsu. Her anger was buried beneath her sorrow and guilt as she gently set to work on undoing the restraints holding him in place, her eyes burning as she realised that they had cut into flesh from where he had struggled under the force of the power surges. She bit her lip hard enough to draw blood in an attempt to hold back the sobs she could feel forming, her fingers trembling as she methodically removed the restraints tossing them aside with disgust…such weak restraints and yet they had caused such damage, and Natsu hadn't broken them which meant that he willingly laid there and endured this pain. _You idiot…_

FT

Gray briefly spared a glance towards Natsu and Lucy, relieved to see Virgo prowling protectively between the pair, knowing that there was no way the loyal Spirit would let anyone close enough to harm either of them. He desperately wanted to be over there with them, needing to see for himself that Natsu was still with them…that this was something that they could still fix, especially as from what he could see the Fire mage hadn't moved yet. Sensing movement behind him he whirled, ice forming as he blocked the sword that had been swinging for his back/

"Ice Make: Lance," he roared pushing his worries aside as best as he could. He knew that Lucy would take good care of Natsu, which meant that it was his job to clear up the rest of the mess…he just hoped that Happy and Gramps were on their way, as it had already taken them longer than he'd hoped and he had little hope that they were going to be able to get out of here before reinforcements arrived to try and stop. "Ice Make: Saucer!" _It doesn't matter how many there are…I won't let any of you get near him again._

FT

Lucy had carefully lifted Natsu off the bed, lowering them both to the floor and cradling his head in her lap as she gently examined the wounds left by the restraints. She was just about to move on to check his other injuries when Natsu stirred faintly beneath her touch and she immediately froze, her eyes widening as she leant forwards hopefully, one of her hands slipping down so that she could entangle her fingers with his as she called softly to him.

"Natsu?!"

The Dragon-slayer moaned softly and she winced at the hoarseness she could hear, her eyes narrowing as she knew what must have caused that. _'He was screaming…' _Happy's words echoed in her head and her fingers tightened around Natsu's, she never liked hearing him in pain, but before she had always had the knowledge that he was fighting back…that he could hold his own. But this time was different, he had chosen not to fight, and looking at him now it was clear that even if he wanted to fight back now he lacked the strength and that scared her more than anything. Before she could fully give into her panic she felt a tentative touch, and glancing down she realised that his fingers had curled ever so slightly around hers and as raising her head once more she was relieved to find his eyes open at last.

"Natsu? Can you hear me?" She asked softly, knowing that he would be able to hear her even over the sounds of fighting from around them. It took a couple of moments for his eyes to drift in her direction, and she swallowed hard at the pain and darkness swirling in the olive depths…this was worse than the terrifying blankness he had shown in the first few days of being awake at the guild, and she felt her eyes beginning to well up once more. "Natsu…"

Finally his gaze focused on her, but whilst there was recognition in his gaze there was none of the relief that she had been hoping to see. Instead he looked defeated and betrayed, and she realised that despite his condition he didn't want them here…didn't want them interfering with his attempts to help Erza, even though all those efforts were achieving was his own destruction. Her heart ached but she didn't waste her breath trying to scold him for thinking like that, knowing that he wouldn't be able to hear her words in his current mind-set. Instead she settled for reaching up to brush sweat-drenched hair out of his face.

"We're taking you home," she told him gently but sternly, wanting him to realise that this wasn't up for debate, not that there was anything he could do or say that would convince them to leave him here. They had listened to him before…against their own wishes, and this was what it had led to…there was no way they would make the same mistake again.

Natsu tensed as her words registered finally driving away the last of the haze that had been clinging to him, and he nearly cried out again as the pain seemed to intensify along with his awareness. _We're taking you home…_he could feel her words trying to wrap around him like a comforting blanket, and deep inside a small part of him wanted to give in and let them…to go home with her and forget all about this pain…But he couldn't...his home had become lost to him the day that Erza became trapped in the etherion, and he couldn't allow himself to go back there without her. _I can't go home…I have no home…_The words were still trapped inside and all he could do was shake his head frantically, peering up at the Celestial mage with desperate eyes, pleading with her to understand…to take back those words. _Please…_

"Natsu stop," Lucy pleaded, his reaction to her words hurting even though she had expected it. But she had seen the brief flash of relief that had appeared before he could hide it, and she allowed that to give her hope. "You can't do this anymore," she told him gently removing her hand from his hair so that she could gesture at the machinery surrounding them, sighing when instead of agreement she was met with a mulish look of determination as he followed her gesture.

He knew that she meant well in her own way…and he was coming to realise that maybe, just maybe his friends and family were being honest with how they'd been treating him since that day…but it wasn't enough to drive out the memories that haunted his every moment. Closing his eyes so that he didn't have to see the pleading expression on her face, his thoughts turned unerringly towards Erza and he immediately missed the emptiness and inability to think that the pain had been giving him. _I don't want to remember…I don't want to see it anymore. _And yet now that his mind was clearer he couldn't keep them at bay…

"_If I can save you all, I won't hesitate for even a moment," the confidence and air of finality in her voice forced him to look up once more, an icy shard of terror piercing him when he saw that all that remained free of the lacrima at this stage was her face. Her smile grew wider as she met his gaze with shining eyes as she slowly spread her arms wide in a gesture of offering. "I will gladly give up this body!" She shouted the last bit a second before the rest of face finally slid within the confines of the lacrima, a faint shimmer moving across the surface as it sealed itself against any further intrusion and that finally gave the Dragon-Slayer the strength to move again._

Lucy swallowed hard at the grief that had overtaken his expression, realising that he had slipped into his memories once more, and she wished that there was a simple way to take those memories from him or that she could at least share them with him. He had seen far more that day than the rest of them had, and she knew that, that was partly responsible for the distance that had appeared between them. She was about to speak up, desperate to pull him free of those memories even if it was only for a moment or two, but before she could his eyes snapped back open and she sucked in a sharp breath at the sight of fresh tears swimming in his eyes.

"Natsu…"

Somehow he managed to summon up enough energy to lift one of his arms, the movement slow and jerky as he reached out towards the bed behind them, his eyes locked on hers and his lips working soundlessly. It took her a moment to decipher what he was trying to say to her, and when she had, she wished that she hadn't closing her eyes for a moment to try and calm her own emotions. _Please…_he was begging her to let him continue…to let him go back to the pain that he had been suffering for days…to let the Council continue to use him as an experiment.

"I know you want to help Erza, but you can't. Not like this anyway," she pointed out softly as she reopened her eyes, voice trembling slightly as her emotions threatened to break free when Natsu shook his head again at her words. "Can't you see? Don't you realise that this isn't what Erza would want for you?" She asked almost desperately, feeling bad for mentioning the red-head's name as Natsu's eyes widened for a moment as though he'd just been struck, but she needed to get through to him somehow.

She was stunned when Natsu suddenly came to life in her arms a moment later, unprepared as he tried desperately to lunge free of her hold despite the weakness pressing in on him. Frantically she tried to retrain him, wary of scaring him or causing more injury and she found herself having to lean backwards as one of his hands came dangerously close to her face.

"Natsu!" She shouted desperately trying to get through to him, her eyes narrowing as she realised that his gaze wasn't on her, but rather was completely fixated on the equipment behind them. It was the expression on his face though that broke her heart, guilt and grief warring with sheer need to be doing something…anything to help their fallen friend and she felt fresh tears trickling down her cheeks at the sight. _Natsu…_ "Natsu! Stop! You're not getting back on that!" She shouted as he lunged forwards again and this time she barely managed to hold onto him. "Erza wouldn't want you to do this!" There was a full body shudder this timeas he registered her words, but his attempts to escape increased in intensity and she realised that she wasn't going to be able to contain him for much longer without causing more damage.

"GRAY!"

FT

_Exhaustion was weighing down on her now…no matter what she tried she couldn't find Natsu, not even the slightest hint to show he had been there. And there was no end to the blue surrounding her…and she began to feel hopelessness press down on her. Was there any way out of this?_

FT

Gray had frozen briefly at the frantic shout, as the fear in Lucy's voice registered he sprang into motion once more, swiftly downing his current opponent before turning to glance at the pair. Dark eyes widened in alarm as he realised that Natsu was fighting back against Lucy clearly straining to reach the bed he'd been on before, and his anger disappeared instantly. Punching his opponent out of the way he took off at a run, noting for the first time that nearly all their opponents were down…he'd lost track under the force of his anger, and he scowled…this was why he hated fighting when he was in a rage.

He'd just reached the bottom of the steps leading up to where Lucy and Natsu were, when the ground in front of his feet exploded under the force of gun-blast and he instantly whirled around with a curse on his lips. One of the Knights had managed to regain his feet, a magic gun pointed directly at his chest and his eyes narrowed…he could easily block the shot, but it was risky with the other two just behind him and he didn't want to lead more attacks towards them. He was just about to charge forward to deal with it, when the ground opened up beneath the man's feet and he disappeared from sight with a startled shout.

Blinking he turned as he heard movement beside him, the light rattling of chains telling him who it was even before he met blazing blue eyes.

"I've got this," Virgo told him with a dark smile and he nodded his thanks, relieved beyond belief that she was on their side. Trusting the spirit to cover them, he dashed up the steps towards the other two, dropping down beside them and meeting Lucy's panicked gaze for a brief second before he wrapped his arms around the struggling Dragon-slayer.

"Natsu stop this!" He ordered, reluctantly applying more force than he'd wanted as he pulled Natsu against his chest, trying to ignore the fact that under normal circumstances there would be no way that he could have so easily held the Fire mage in place. Natsu ignored the command, his struggles getting wilder even as the strength behind them seemed to decrease and Gray knew that it wouldn't be long before he exhausted himself…but he didn't want that to be why he stopped. He wanted Natsu to stop because he realised that this wasn't something that he needed to do. "Natsu listen to me!"

Lucy opened her mouth intending to tell him that it wouldn't work, but he caught the motion out of the corner of his eye and hastily shook his head before she could speak. He had no doubt that she had done everything in her power to bring the Dragon-slayer around, but they couldn't afford for Natsu to know that she was losing hope that they could get through to him…it would only feed his determination and desperation to continue. Offering her what he hoped was a reassuring glance he turned his attention back to Natsu, scowling as he felt the struggles beginning to weaken, and his gaze darkened as it fell on the new injuries that the Fire mage had clearly been hiding from them that morning. _How can he fight when he's in this state?_

"Natsu," he called again and this time he got the sense that Natsu was actually hearing him, although he continued to try and break free from his hold. Taking a deep breath he added softly. "Please…" He had learned a long time ago, back when they were nothing more than rivals that the Dragon-slayer could never deny his friends…his family anything when they used 'please', and feeling the shudder that went through Natsu he was relieved to realise that, that hadn't changed even with everything that had happened.

Slowly but steadily the Dragon-slayer's struggles stilled, and Gray patiently waited him out, his arms strong and supportive as he held Natsu to his chest one hand moving to rub soothing circles on the other teen's back. At some point Lucy had reached out to grasp Natsu's hand once more, needing to feel like she was doing something and wanting to reassure him that she was still there as well. A couple of minutes later Natsu had slumped completely against the Ice mage, the fight completely gone from him as his head fell back to lean against Gray's shoulder. For a long moment Gray just studied the pale face, noting the exhaustion and whirling emotions in the olive eyes which were clearly struggling to stay open, scowling at the traces of blood on Natsu's chin from the Dragon-slayer had clearly bitten himself hard enough to draw blood.

"Natsu…" He began softly, waiting until dazed eyes drifted up to meet his gaze. "We know why you want to do this…we know that you want to help Erza." His heart constricted at her name, but he forced the pain back, knowing that he would never be able to get through to Natsu if he let his own emotions get in the way. It didn't help that Natsu's eyes had welled up once more at his words, and cautiously he removed one arm so that he could reach up to brush away the fresh tears. "It wasn't your fault…I know that you're not ready to believe that yet, but we'll keep telling you that until you do. Just the same as it wasn't our fault, although it's hard for us to believe that sometimes…"

"Gray's right," Lucy added just as softly, squeezing Natsu's hand as his gaze slowly drifted to her and she offered him a watery smile. "We've been blaming ourselves for what happened as well, we were right there as well and we couldn't help her either. But you didn't blame us, did you?"

Natsu blinked slowly at her words…_Blame you? Why would I blame you? I was the one that was right there…_ After a moment he shook his head in response to her question, confused when something eased in her expression at his reaction.

"Then why are you blaming yourself? And expecting us to blame you?" Gray asked quietly, letting out a soft breath that he hadn't been aware that he'd be holding…realising that he'd been afraid that Natsu might actually blame them for not being there. The Dragon-slayer turned to stare up at him with wide eyes, and in any other situation the shock in his expression would have been funny, but at the moment it felt more like a punch to the gut as they realised that he'd truly never considered it in that way. "It wasn't your fault," he repeated and this time he made no move to erase the tears now trickling freely down pale cheeks, knowing better than anyone that sometimes this kind of release was needed, and relieved that Natsu was actually showing them this reaction and a quick glance at Lucy showed that she was feeling the same.

FT

Gray was unsure of how long they'd been sitting there, and although he knew that they really needed to get moving he couldn't bring himself to disturb Natsu just yet. There had been the occasional noise in the background and it had been difficult not to turn around and check what was happening, but he trusted Virgo completely, and he knew that Lucy would've been keeping at least half an eye on her beloved spirit. It was a reminder that their nakama and family were still there, even if it was somewhat fractured by what had happened and he felt his own eyes stinging at that thought…_when did I let myself forget that fact?_

Slowly Natsu's tears began to slow, his eyes drooping as exhaustion both physical and emotional settled over him, and now Gray did reach out to gently brush the lingering tears away with his finger, noting a faint hint of light in the Dragon-slayer's eyes that hadn't been there before. He wasn't foolish enough to think that this would be enough to drive out all of Natsu's doubts and fears, but it was a start, and after the last couple of weeks he would take whatever he could get. Meeting the weary olive eyes that were now fixed on him, he smiled slightly at Natsu.

"It's okay you just rest," he encouraged gently, seeing just how hard the Dragon-slayer was struggling to stay awake, and eager for Natsu to have a break from the pain that he must be in. "We'll get you home safely," he promised fiercely and Lucy nodded beside him, and after a moment Natsu let out a soft noise that might have been agreement before his eyes slid shut, as though he had been waiting for those exact words before he could let himself drift off. Almost instantly his breathing eased out, although it was slightly strained from his injuries and Gray felt himself relaxing slightly at the sign of trust.

"I think your words reached him," Lucy whispered softly once she was certain that Natsu was properly asleep, raising her gaze to meet Gray's with a relieved smile. It had hurt slightly when she'd realised that Natsu was willing to accept those words from Gray and not her, but the relief, and the hope that they might have finally reached him was enough to wash that brief hurt away.

"I hope so," Gray muttered with a sigh as he glanced down at the sleeping Dragon-slayer, the relief melting away into a darker expression as he contemplated the damage covering Natsu's body…it was too soon after the events of the Tower and he shuddered slightly as he recalled the state the Dragon-slayer had been in when he'd found him on the beach, and he felt his earlier anger threatening to surge up once more. _They hurt him…far more than we realised…_

"Princess!" Virgo's sudden shout broke the silence and Lucy immediately snapped her head up to see what had alarmed her spirit, paling as she automatically reached up to grasp Gray's arm to get his attention and seeing her expression the Ice mage turned to look behind him, cursing violently at the sight that met his eyes.

"Damn it we took too long," Gray muttered as he took in the massed Knights in the doorway, before glancing up with a worried frown. "Where the hell is Happy and Gramps?!" If Happy had been delayed or stopped before he could get the message back to Fairy Tail then they would be in trouble, as they hadn't expected them to have so many knights in place and it was clear that they couldn't leave Natsu on his own making it hard for both of them to fight.

Lucy caught the frown and the way his eyes darted anxiously to Natsu and she knew where his thoughts had gone and she narrowed her eyes before smoothly rising to her feet. Gray was still holding onto the Fire mage and she didn't want to risk separating them at the moment, not when it had been Gray that had finally managed to settle him…besides so far Gray had been the one to mainly handle the council, and for the first time she found herself actually wanting to battle. To punish those that had hurt Natsu, who were currently fighting to try and keep him from them.

"Look after him," she ordered sternly as she straightened and Gray blinked up at her, he had never heard that particular tone from her before and for a moment he had almost imagined that it was Erza issuing that command.

"Lucy?"

"I'll deal with this," Lucy glanced at him briefly and he was taken aback by the fire burning in her usual gentle eyes, and he found himself unable to do anything other than nod in agreement, his arms tightening around the Dragon-slayer and her eyes softened at the sight before she strode forward to stand beside Virgo who seemed similarly taken aback by the expression on her mistress's face. "We can't let them get past us."

"Understood, Princess."

FTFT

Makarov cursed as he heard pounding feet coming from behind him, easily picking up on the magical energy approaching him and his eyes narrowed as he turned around to face the newcomers. Slowly his gaze roved over the magical knights, noting that some of them were beginning to shift nervously as they realised just who they were facing and he let a grim smile spread across his face as stepped forward. He knew that they were just obeying their orders, and that there were probably many among them that wouldn't agree with the Council's actions if they knew what was happening, but he didn't have the time to explain that to them, not when they were preventing him from reaching his children.

"Happy stay back," he ordered sparing a glance at the Exceed who nodded in understanding, shooting up towards the ceiling so that he would be out of the way. "I apologise but I cannot let you get any further, nor can I let you slow me down more than this," he apologised with a short bow, even as his body began to glow as he released his power, the ceiling rushing towards him as his short form grew rapidly and he was moving forwards before the transformation had even finished, eyes alight with magic as he attacked. _Wait for me Natsu…_

FTFT

"Where the hell are they?" Cana demanded anxiously as she paced across the guild-hall, her hand resting on her bag of cards briefly before she forced herself to remove it, she wouldn't be doing them any favours if she lost control of her magic. Unfortunately the infirmary hadn't taken long to set up as Mira was usually very prompt at restocking it and restoring it after injuries had been dealt with and that had meant that she hadn't been distracted for long.

Jet had stopped by briefly to tell them what had happened when he'd dropped Happy and their Master at the Council building, and she knew that she wasn't the only one that had wanted to rush over there and join them, especially after seeing the concern lingering in his expression. However, Makarov's words and the promise he had given the speed mage held them in check and reluctantly they'd forced themselves to wait, Jet taking off a moment later to fetch Porlysuica.

"They'll be back soon," Mira said soothingly, but there was tension in her expression that had been missing earlier and she had resorted to cleaning the same bit of the bar repeatedly, and Cana realised that she was just as concerned as the rest of them although she was trying to stay calm for their sake. Sighing at that realisation she moved across to the bar, dropping down onto one of the stools with a defeated sigh and shaking her head when the Take-over mage placed a full tankard in front of her barely a moment later. "Cana?" Mira asked in confusion unable to recall the last time the other woman had refused a drink.

"I need a clear head for this," Cana muttered staring down at her hands for a moment, recalling the sight of Erza trapped within that damned lacrima. It had hurt to see the other mage in that state, and the thought that they might never be able to free her scared her…and yet it was nothing in comparison to the fear she felt for Natsu. She had seen how broken he was that day in the guild, it was why she had been so against him going with the council and now her fears were being proven correct. "What if we've waited too long….he was already hurting so much."

"I know," Mira whispered and there were tears in her eyes when Cana glanced up at her. "He's always felt everything so strongly, and what's happened with Erza…I'm surprised that it didn't shatter him completely." She knew that Natsu and Erza had always been far closer than anyone realised, even when they were younger and the Fire mage had spent most of his time with her sister, she knew that the bond had already been there. "But he's strong," she added with a sniffle, reaching up to brush at her tears as she met Cana's gaze with surprising determination. "It'll take time but I'm sure that he can come back from this."

"I hope you're right."

FTFT

Gray had never doubted Lucy's strength and ability, but watching her fight now to protect Natsu he realised that he had never truly appreciated just how strong she was. She and Virgo were moving around one another with practiced ease despite the short time they had known one another, each covering the other without the slightest hesitation although the Spirit had protested on more than one occasion that her 'princess' shouldn't be protecting her. Lucy hadn't bothered to respond, merely using her whip to toss another Knight into one of the holes that Virgo had created.

Still it seemed as though for every Knight they took down another two appeared, and it was clear that the battle was beginning to wear on the pair. _Just how badly do they want to hold onto Natsu?_ He wondered, clinging tighter to the Dragon-slayer as he noticed a small group trying to circle around the Celestial pair to reach his position. He let his own magic rise, preparing to take them out when Virgo appeared in front of them with a determined expression on her face.

"I apologise but I cannot let you go any further," she said formally and Gray's eyes narrowed certain that he had just seen her flicker slightly, but before he could alert Lucy to the danger the Spirit had charged forwards disappearing under an onslaught of magic. He could hear the mages crying out as she sent them spiralling down into fresh holes, but when the magic finally cleared he was horrified to realise that the magic had blasted her apart, golden light flaring at the ends of the wounds and he gritted his teeth a the sight.

"Virgo!" Lucy screamed in alarm watching as her spirit began to fade away, logically she knew that Virgo would be fine after returning to her world and resting, but it did little to comfort her at the sight of her Spirit being injured.

"It's alright…" Virgo whispered, and the smile she sent to Lucy was warm albeit strained by the pain that she was feeling. "…Princess."

"Dammit," Lucy hissed as Virgo disappeared from sight, her hands clenching at her sides as she seethed for a moment. Then her head shot upwards and she lashed out once more with her whip, driving back the mages that had been trying to take advantage of her distraction even as she dropped her hand down to her keys. She was already tired, and it had taken a lot of her magic to keep Virgo out as long as she had, but there was no way that she could falter now and she squared her shoulders as she drew forth another Key. "Gate of the Lion I open thee! Loke!"

"Lucy?" Loke asked as he materialised and Gray found himself blinking in shock, still stunned by the fact that his friend was actually a Spirit…but more taken aback by the change in his appearance, although he had to admit he looked a lot more imposing in his suit than he had in his parka and jeans. Lucy didn't have the change to respond as more mages were charging, and at once the Spirit's smile at seeing her disappeared into an angry scowl as he charged at them, blinding golden light surrounding him for a moment and when it cleared they were all sprawled on the ground at his feet.

"We can't let them get to Natsu!" Lucy shouted as she focused on her own opponents, and for a brief second Loke turned to glance up at them, understanding dawning on his face as he took in Natsu's state before his gaze briefly met Gray's and he offered the Ice mage a crooked smile before turning and launching himself back into the fight.

"Loke…"

FT

Makarov sighed softly as he glanced at the downed mages, regretting that the situation had come to this, but drawing relief from the fact that these Knights at least wouldn't be going after his children. The sounds of battle from deeper in the building were intensifying and he rapidly shrank back down to his normal size before taking off at a speed that belied his age. A soft noise beside him told him that Happy had rejoined him, although neither of them spoke as they sped onwards.

FT

Sheer numbers were beginning to tell and Gray couldn't help but wonder where they were coming from, as it seemed almost never-ending…Had they been expecting this to happen from the start? Or was what they had been doing to Natsu that valuable that they had decided it was worth taking on Fairy Tail at this stage? His arms tightened around Natsu at that thought even as he glanced anxiously towards the door…_Seriously where are Gramps and Happy?_ He had expected them to arrive long before this, and anxiety and fear were beginning to churn in his stomach. _What if they don't come in time?_ He knew without a doubt that if the Council got their hands on Natsu again right now, then there would be little to no chance of them managing to rescue him again.

Gritting his teeth his attention shifted back to Lucy just as she was caught in the side by a blast of Fire mage, his eyes widening at her pained shout and he jolted forwards, only the fact that his hands were full preventing him from immediately retaliating.

"Lucy!" Gray shouted in alarm as she went down hard, readying himself to join the fight although he was reluctant to leave Natsu alone even for a second. The Dragon-slayer hadn't stirred once, despite the noise of the fighting and the Ice mage knew that was a bad sign...but at the same time he couldn't let anything happen to Lucy.

"I'm fine," Lucy gasped as she forced herself back to her feet, swiping at the trickle of blood she could feel coming from her nose, before she added fiercely. "This is nothing compared to what they did to him!" There was nothing he could say to argue against that, and he watched silently as she re-joined the battle with fresh determination, pausing briefly to reassure Loke that she was alright as she caught his worried look.

Still it was obvious that they were slowly being forced backwards, even with her fresh determination and Gray felt his own fear growing as their gazes met briefly, her eyes duller than they had been as her eyes drifted down to Natsu with a tense frown. After a moment her hand tightened around her whip and she turned back to the fight and Gray stared at her back, and for a brief moment he almost imagined that he could see crimson hair dancing in the air between them. _Erza…Lucy…_He grit his teeth, preparing to lay Natsu down on the ground so that he could join the fight, refusing to risk losing another friend when he was right there and able to fight, but just as he started to move something familiar tingled on the edges of his senses and he froze. _He knew that magic!_

"Gramps!" Gray couldn't keep the relief out of his voice as he felt the familiar magic filling the air, his head turning to look at the entrance just as golden light filled the air, spilling into the room and blinding everyone for a brief moment.

Slowly it faded away and the Knights closest to the door began to back away with sudden nervousness, unintentionally opening a path through to where Lucy had just fallen to the ground, panting as her magical energy ran out on her. She vaguely felt Loke disappearing behind her with a whispered apology, refusing to linger and put further strain on her body. Tears of frustration were threatening to leak down her cheeks when she heard quiet footsteps that sounded deafening in the sudden silence that had fallen, and she raised her head, blinking as she found Makarov walking calmly towards her with Happy at his heels, seemingly unconcerned by the Knights that were currently watching them.

"Master," Lucy murmured as she forced herself back to her knees, breathing heavily as she glanced up at Makarov as he stopped beside her. There was fury shimmering deep within his eyes, but more obvious was the concern in his expression as he glanced up at Gray and Natsu for a moment before his gaze shifted to her, and in that instance she felt the resentment she had felt over him allowing Natsu to come here easing slightly.

"You've done well," Makarov said softly laying a hand briefly on Lucy's shoulder and offering her a small smile, which she weakly returned leaning slightly into the touch as it reassured her that they weren't alone…that there was someone else now who could protect Natsu. "Look after Natsu now, I'll handle the rest," he added as he removed his hand, and she nodded even as she felt Happy grasping her shoulders and pulling her into the air.

"I'm sorry we took so long," Happy whispered as he carried her over to Natsu and Gray, his wings vanishing the moment he had set her down and she carefully caught him in her arms, hugging him against her chest.

"It's okay," she replied softly, pressing a gentle kiss against his head before reaching out to grasp one of Natsu's hands once more as she added. "You came…that's all that matters."

FTFT

A/N: Not sure how I feel about this chapter to be honest…

Also just to let you know I am doing Nanowrimo this month – writing two stories one for Fairy Tail and one for K. So whilst I will be updating other stories as often as possible, please bear with me if there are delays.


	13. Chapter 12

Thank you for the amazing reviews, follows and favourites.

Disclaimer: As always Fairy Tail and its amazing characters don't belong to me, I'm just borrowing them.

FTFT

Previously:

_Slowly it faded away and the Knights closest to the door began to back away with sudden nervousness, unintentionally opening a path through to where Lucy had just fallen to the ground, panting as her magical energy ran out on her. She vaguely felt Loke disappearing behind her with a whispered apology, refusing to linger and put further strain on her body. Tears of frustration were threatening to leak down her cheeks when she heard quiet footsteps that sounded deafening in the sudden silence that had fallen, and she raised her head, blinking as she found Makarov walking calmly towards her with Happy at his heels, seemingly unconcerned by the Knights that were currently watching them._

"_Master," Lucy murmured as she forced herself back to her knees, breathing heavily as she glanced up at Makarov as he stopped beside her. There was fury shimmering deep within his eyes, but more obvious was the concern in his expression as he glanced up at Gray and Natsu for a moment before his gaze shifted to her, and in that instance she felt the resentment she had felt over him allowing Natsu to come here easing slightly. _

"_You've done well," Makarov said softly laying a hand briefly on Lucy's shoulder and offering her a small smile, which she weakly returned leaning slightly into the touch as it reassured her that they weren't alone…that there was someone else now who could protect Natsu. "Look after Natsu now, I'll handle the rest," he added as he removed his hand, and she nodded even as she felt Happy grasping her shoulders and pulling her into the air._

"_I'm sorry we took so long," Happy whispered as he carried her over to Natsu and Gray, his wings vanishing the moment he had set her down and she carefully caught him in her arms, hugging him against her chest._

"_It's okay," she replied softly, pressing a gentle kiss against his head before reaching out to grasp one of Natsu's hands once more as she added. "You came…that's all that matters."_

FTFT

Now:

It had been Makarov's intention to end this as swiftly, with as little damage as possible, but seeing his children hurt…seeing Natsu who he had allowed the Council to take, albeit reluctantly, hurt was more than he could bear and as soon as he was sure that Lucy was safely back at their side he turned to look at the Knights who had been using his distraction to rally himself. He couldn't go all out, not without bringing the full wrath of the Council down on the guild, but he had every intention of leaving a lasting impression so that they would think twice about retaliating, and he was already growing, shifting into his Titan form as he moved towards them…the Knights apparently had some common sense as they had backed away slightly, and his expression tightened. _Why do we follow these fools?_

"Makarov Dreyar you…"

"Enough!" His voice carried easily across the room, magic suffusing it as he turned his gaze on the man that had begun to speak, eyes darkening as he noted the insignia on his cloak…_So Era knows some of what is happening here?_ The temptation to go too far, to punish them the way he truly wanted was rising…it had been bad enough thinking it was restricted to the local branch, but it this went deeper. His magic flared around him, making sure that everyone's attention was riveted on him. "This is over. If you push I will destroy you and this building, this was never a battle you could win." He knew that it was numbers rather than skill that had nearly got the better of Gray and Lucy, and he was fully aware that there was no one here that came close to his level. _Which is a pity…if there was I wouldn't need to hold back..._ However, that didn't mean he couldn't leave them with a demonstration of what he could do, and light flared. _I will bring a catastrophe if that is what is needed…_He had said that when facing Jose, but the anger he felt now was far worse than back then, and there was hesitation as he whirled, demolishing every piece of equipment that remained in the room and leaving a large hole in the far wall. _Believe me if I could I would tear this place down brick by brick…_

Taking a deep breath to calm himself, he turned back to face the stunned Rune Knights, unimpressed by the expressions of fear that met his gaze as he slowly allowed himself to shrink back to his normal size. He turned just enough to glance towards Natsu and the others, his expression darkening once more as his gaze settled on the Dragon-slayer._ I'm so sorry Natsu…_

"You will let us leave, with Natsu and that will be the end of this matter," he said softly, but it was deafening in the silence that had fallen, and he was relieved to see Lucy and Gray swallowing the protests that he could see brewing in their eyes. He couldn't blame them for wanting to take this further, but the situation was delicate and if nothing else, he wanted to spare Natsu from anymore conflict. A soft cough drew his attention back to the captain that he had identified as a messenger from Era, and he arched an eyebrow in question as he took in the would-be confidence that the younger man was trying to project.

"Are you threatening us Makarov Dreyar?"

"Threatening?" Makarov asked softly, shifting his full attention back to the man and to the handful of mages who had rallied behind him, although not one of them seemed to have dared to take a step closer and he shot them a challenging look. _Just one step…_whilst he was reluctant to allow the situation to escalate, he wasn't going to give them the chance to get near Natsu again. "No, I am making a promise to you and to my brats." His gaze shifted back to the teens and Exceed behind him, his gaze lingering for a moment on Natsu before he refocused on the Council mages, allowing his magic to crackle visibly around him once more so that they would see that he wasn't joking. "You broke your word to me. To our guild. And you hurt one of my children. If you come near Natsu or Fairy Tail again, if you try and seek recompense for today, nothing will protect you from either me or my guild…I held back today, I will not be so lenient in the future."

Silence met his proclamation and he could see that his words were being believed, and he knew that these mages at least weren't going to try anything else…the rest of the Council might be a different matter, especially as he knew that there would be no stopping the Captain from reporting what had happened today, but he would take what he could get for the time being. Allowing his magic to flare one last time to reinforce his warning he turned, dismissing the Rune Knights and moving across to join his children, feeling every one of his years hitting him as he stared down at Natsu. At this distance there was no missing how dire the teen's state was, and his heart ached as he studied the unconscious Dragon-slayer for a long moment. _I did this…but Natsu…why didn't you tell someone? Why would you let them do this to you?_

"Master…"

"Let's take him home," he said softly, struggling to hide his anger and grief behind a mask as he caught the fear in Lucy's eyes, the tears on Happy's face as pressed against the Celestial mage and the way that Gray was clinging to Natsu, realising that now the fight was over the full impact of what had happened was beginning to hit them as well. He leant forward as though to try and take the Dragon-slayer, only to find the Ice mage automatically tightening the hold he had on Natsu, frantically shaking his head in denial.

"I've got him," Gray whispered, unwilling to release his hold on the Dragon-slayer. It was his words that seemed to have got through to Natsu, and he feared the other teen slipping back into his dark thoughts if he ventured from his side for even a moment. Makarov stilled, studying the dark-haired teen for a moment before nodding in understanding, stepping back and watching with sad eyes as Lucy helped to lift Natsu, noting with concern that not even that movement and the pain it must've caused were enough to rouse Natsu. His hands clenching at his sides as he was afforded a glimpse of even more injuries that had previously been hidden. _How could I let this happen?_

No one made any attempt to stop them as he led the way out of the room, his children close on his heels, but there was no feeling of triumph as they made their way unhampered through the building.

_This should never have happened…_

FT

It was painfully familiar the way the silence spread out through the guild when they stepped through the doors, only this time there had been a tense edge of expectation to the quiet. This time everyone had been on edge, knowing that something was wrong and waiting to find out what had happened, and that expectation only heightened the impact of watching as Makarov helped a limping Lucy inside, or the sight of their Dragon-slayer curled limply in Gray's arms. The grim set to their expressions, and the droop to Happy's ears sending dread curling through them…the wait for news had been nearly unbearable, even for those who weren't especially close to Natsu, but suddenly, staring at the battered Natsu and seeing the damage his teammates were sporting they were almost afraid to ask…yet after a moment Cana stepped forward, eyes blazing as she got a closer look at the injuries covering Natsu's body, barely hidden by the clothes he was wearing.

"Natsu…?"

"He's still with us," Makarov was quick to reassure them, realising that they were fearing the worst, but his grim expression did little to reassure them, and they all heard the silent '_for now'_ within his words and it was met by a ripple of angry murmurs. Sensing this he helped Lucy into a nearby seat, before straightening and gazing around at the gathered mages, knowing that if he didn't put a stop that now then some of his more hot-headed children might make the situation worse. "The Council has been warned not to come near Natsu or the guild again, and I doubt that we will have any more trouble for the time being; and we are going to leave it at that." _Natsu and Erza need our attention now…_

"But…" Mira had move forward to stand beside Cana, and there was a darkness to her expression that they hadn't seen in a long time as her gaze lingered on Natsu, her hands curling into fists at her sides and Makarov sighed at the sight. _Stubborn brats…_He let his gaze drift to the Dragon-slayer for a moment, easily able to understand where their anger was coming from and not liking the fact that Natsu hadn't stirred once on the way back to the guild and wanting to get him upstairs and get a proper view of his injuries, but he knew that he needed to deal with this first…especially as Gray and Lucy seemed to be coming out of their overwhelmed states, and were looking more than ready to support the protests that were beginning to spread around the guild, and given that they had already shown how far they were willing to go for Natsu he knew that he needed to head that off.

"Unless they act against us I will not let this turn into a war," he replied sternly, allowing some of his power to show through as he knew from experience that was often the only way to get through to them, although this time it didn't seem to be enough and his expression softened slightly. "We've already lost enough. Natsu has already suffered enough, I won't allow anything else to happen to him and that means avoiding unnecessary fights and casualties." If Natsu had been willing to go this far because of his miss-placed guilt over Erza, he shuddered to think what the Dragon-slayer would do if anything happened to the rest of the guild because of him.

"And if the Council disagree?" Cana demanded harshly, although some of her anger had receded at his words, unable to argue that they needed to protect Natsu from any further harm…but at the same time she refused to be unprepared. The Council had hardly shown them much consideration in the past, even before this latest stunt.

"Like I said they have been warned…"

"I don't think they'll act anytime soon," Lucy interjected wearily, remembering the fear that had met Makarov's threat back at the Council building…seeing their Master like that had been terrifying for both her and Gray, and they hadn't been the target for his anger…_I hope they stay away,_ as much as she wanted them to pay for what they had done to her best friend, she was more concerned with taking care of Natsu and trying to bring him back to himself. "Please…this isn't the time to be arguing about this. Natsu…Natsu…"

"Lucy…"

"Lucy is right," Makarov said, relieved to see that the Celestial mage's words seemed to have calmed the guild, her broken words dousing their anger far more effectively than he had been able to, although he wished that he could have spared her that pain. "We'll talk about this later, for now we need to get Natsu taken care of." _And the others,_ he added as he glanced at Lucy and Gray, but he knew that neither teen would let themselves be treated before the Fire mage had been taken care of. "Is Porlyusica here yet?" He asked turning back to Mira, who shook her head anxiously, biting her bottom lip as she glanced towards Natsu. "All right, we'll get started if you can send her up as soon as she arrives."

"Okay," it was clear that she wanted to come with them, but it was visibly obvious to everyone that neither Lucy or Gray were eager to let anyone else close to the Dragon-slayer at the moment, and even Happy managed to look fiercely overprotective as he shot across to help Lucy stand. Offering her a small of thanks, Makarov quietly began to shepherd the foursome towards the stairs, trusting the rest of the guild to stay put for now…if only because they would be waiting for news on Natsu's condition…his expression darkening once more now that he was no longer focused on calming the rest of his children, and instead on the unconscious Dragon-slayer. _Natsu…_

_Please hurry Porlyusica…_

FTFT

_Natsu…Everyone…I'm not sure how much longer I can hold on…this blue is too much…_

FTFT

It was painful having to settle Natsu down in the infirmary once more, but it was even worse than it had been the last time, because this time he had chosen to let this happen…and an uneasy silence settled for a moment after Gray had gently laid him on the bed, none of them sure what to do now, hating how small and vulnerable the once vibrant Dragon-slayer looked at the moment.

"We should get him cleaned up," Makarov suggested gently, realising that they needed to keep busy until Porlyusica arrived. "It'll make it easier to see to his wounds, and it'll probably make him more comfortable." _I hope…_Although he knew that the physical damage was only the tip of the iceberg, and he had absolutely no idea how to even begin to help Natsu recover from this…_Erza, we need you for this._ The fact that they would certainly have lost all support from the Council in their search for a way to free Erza was a blow, and he knew that their chances of success were falling by the day, but they couldn't give up…both for her sake, and for the Dragon-slayer's sake.

"I'll do it," Gray spoke up softly breaking into Makarov's thoughts, and colouring slightly as they all turned to look at him, but he wasn't about to take it back. "It'll be less embarrassing for him if he wakes up, and you look like you might fall over at any moment." He added the last bit as he glanced at Lucy, and the Celestial mage couldn't argue, she did feel like she was about to fall asleep at any moment although she was stubbornly determined to stay awake until Natsu was completely sorted.

"Alright."

"I'll go and get some clean clothes for him," Happy offered quietly, needing to get away from it all for a few minutes as every time he glanced towards his partner he found himself being hit with a fresh wave of guilt. _Natsu I'm sorry…_Lucy rested a gentle hand on top of his head, fully aware of where his thoughts had taken him, offering him a reassuring look when he glanced up at her with worried eyes. "Lucy…"

"He's going to be fine." _He has to be…_

"I need to try and contact those who still support us in the Council, I want to make sure that they can't steal a move on us," Makarov said softly, it wasn't that urgent in his mind, but he could tell that Gray and Lucy needed some time alone with Natsu, and to be honest he was reluctant to do too much with Natsu's injuries until the healer arrived. _Natsu…_ The fact that he merely got quiet nods in response, rather than worried questions told him just how out of it the teens were, and he hesitated for a moment before heading for the door with Happy following a moment later.

Gray and Lucy stood on opposite sides of Natsu's bed in silence for a few minutes, hating the fact that they were back here again so soon after the Tower of Heaven, both of them fearing that this was going to be even worse than that time. Finally, Lucy moved, stepping forward and reaching out to cusp the Dragon-slayer's cheek with a trembling hand, brushing her fingers against his cheek before leaning in and pressing a chaste kiss to his temple.

"I'll be back soon okay, so don't you dare do anything else," she whispered to him, her hand lingering for a moment before she straightened and turning her attention to the Ice mage, worried by the darkness in his eyes, but knowing him well enough by now to know that he needed to work through it on his own first before he would be willing to talk to her. "I'm going to go and clean up a little," she added softly, waiting until she got a small nod of acknowledgement before reluctantly pulling herself away from the Fire mage's side and heading for the door, although she hesitated in the doorway. The last time she had left Natsu when she knew that something was wrong, this had happened…but Gray was right there, and she knew there was no way he would let anything else happen to Natsu. "Look after him," she whispered before slipping out of the infirmary and closing door behind her.

The Ice mage waited until he heard her footsteps receding before moving, gently beginning to peel the dirtied white clothes off the Dragon-slayer, tossing them aside with a disgusted expression and silently promising to make sure they were fully destroyed. His breath caught in his throat when he was done, his eyes beginning to burn as he got his first look at the full extent of the damage that had been done to the Dragon-slayer…damage that the smaller teen had laid there and allowed to be done to him. _What the hell were you thinking? Did you really think this would help?_ But he had, at least a little…he knew that Natsu didn't care about anything but helping Erza at the moment, and if he had thought for a moment that this really wouldn't have helped he would have put a stop to it. _I hope…_Gray's expression darkened, his certainty fading slightly as he glanced at the pale face, strained even in unconsciousness. _Natsu…_

"Natsu? Natsu can you hear me?" He called softly, leaning forward and gently shaking the smaller teen, suddenly overcome with a need to see the other's eyes open…to see if his words had really got through, or if Natsu had already sunk back into that kind of thinking. However, there wasn't even the slightest sign of the other teen even trying to wake, and after a moment he stopped, wary of causing further damage although his hands lingered against the Fire mage's shoulders for a moment. _He's still here…as long as he's still here we can still help him…_It was the only comfort he had to cling to for the time being, and he took a deep breath before forcing himself to move, heading towards the basin in the corner to get water and a cloth, realising that he probably didn't have that long to get Natsu cleaned up before the healer arrived.

Gray's expression was stony as he gently ran the cloth across Natsu's skin, his hands trembling whenever he passed over a fresh cut or bruise, the sight of each one adding to the growing pit of anger in his heart. In a way he was relieved that the Dragon-slayer had yet to regain consciousness, as it meant that he didn't have to worry about upsetting the other teen with his expression, although he found himself having to reign in his magic as a chill began to permeate the air around them. _Natsu…you idiot…_He was angry at Natsu for allowing this to happen and for hiding it from them, but that anger was easily outstripped by the cold fury he felt towards himself for not realising what was happening…or how far the Dragon-slayer had been willing to go. He had protested of course…but he still should have done more to stop Natsu from ever going with the Council…_I could have prevented this…_

"I'm so sorry," he whispered around the lump that had risen at the back of his throat, the apology not just for the unconscious Fire mage on the bed in front of him, but also for their lost Requip mage…she would be furious at them for allowing things to get this bad, and he closed his eyes, knowing that she would have realised what was going on with the Dragon-slayer a lot earlier than they had.

_I'm sorry…_

FT

Lucy paused in the middle of wiping the dirt of the battle off her skin, lifting her head to stare at her reflection, nearly unable to recognise herself at the moment…so much had happened since she had joined Fairy Tail and she had been aware that she was changing, growing because of her nakama and their experiences…but the eyes that met her gaze were hardened with pain and anger, and her hands tightened on the sink. _Natsu…_The anger that had consumed her earlier had scared her a little, and she knew that she had been willing to go as far as necessary to make sure that he was safe, and her magic had responded. _But this isn't what I wanted…_She had wanted to get stronger, needed to feel that she was able to catch up with her team who were miles ahead of her…but not like this. She would quite happily have remained the weak one on the team if it meant that they could have Erza back, if she could have Natsu back to his old self…to see that brilliant grin that had led her to Fairy Tail once more. _Natsu…_

Tears trickled down her cheeks, and she closed her eyes, unable to bear the sight of the changes she had undergone any longer. She was well aware that it was an impossible wish…that there was no taking it back, and that all she could do at the moment was try and hold herself together for the Dragon-slayer's sake, and hope that somewhere…somehow there was a way to bring them both back.

_Please…give them back to us…_

FT

It hadn't taken him long to get back to their house, his need for solitude lending speed…but the comfort he had hoped to find in the safety of their home was nowhere to be found. It had been a long time since they had both been here, or at least it felt that way, and the Dragon-slayer's absence was blatantly obvious and Happy let out a choked sob. _Natsu…_Everywhere he looked drummed up memories of happier times and he buried his face in his paws as he tried to block them out, fresh tears beginning to trickle through his fur as he realised that unless they found a way to bring Erza back, that side of his partner might never come back.

"Natsu…"

_Erza…please…I can't lose him._

FTFT

_Natsu…where are you? Have you already given up? Please just give me some sign that you're at least looking for me…I can't fight this blue on my own…not for much longer…_

FTFT

That evening:

_Pain._ That was the first thing that registered as he drifted towards awareness, and he squeezed his eyes shut more tightly trying to force it away, trying to slip back into the shadows, but the approaching consciousness was overwhelming and he couldn't stop the quiet whimper that slipped out. _Why does it hurt so much?_ Barely a moment after the noise had escaped, he felt hands tightening around his own, and his brow creased in confusion as familiar scents tickled his nose. _Lucy…Gray…_Almost as soon as their names came to him, memory came flooding back, and his eyes shot open as everything hit him at once…although he immediately regretted the action as light assaulted his eyes and he was forced to slam his eyes shut once more. However, the brief glimpse of the familiar ceiling had been enough to tell him that he was no longer in the council building. _They brought me home…I failed…Erza…I'm so sorry._

"Natsu?" Lucy's voice was quiet and it sounded suspiciously like she had been crying, and despite the instinctive need to check that his nakama were alright he couldn't bring himself to look at them. _I failed…_The pain assaulting his body made more sense now, the memory of the room and the electric shocks rising to the surface, although now he was more alert he could feel that his injuries had been tended to at some point. _Why? Why did you bother? I failed..._He could vaguely remember what they had said to him back at the council, the memory blurred by pain, but he found himself unable to believe them as the reality of his failure pressed in on him once more. "Natsu please open your eyes."

As much as he wanted to hide from them…he didn't want to see their worry, their forgiveness, he didn't deserve either of them…he couldn't refuse that pleading tone, and reluctantly he let his eyes drift open, blinking as it took him a moment to bring the room into focus. Gray and Lucy were leaning over him, hope mixing with the worry in their faces and he could feel a small pool of warmth by his feet which he guessed was Happy, a suspicion reinforced a moment later when his sharp ears picked up on the soft breathing from that direction…_They know what happened…they know what I did…_He couldn't bring himself to look at them as that realisation hit, and so he focused on the ceiling above their head. _I really did fail…_He knew that there was no way they would let the Council anywhere near him now, and given what he could remember of what had happened back in the lab, the Council were unlikely to be willing to continue to help them. _Erza…_

"Natsu?"

"Why? Why did you bring me back?" His voice was hoarse and it hurt to speak and he shuddered, the memory of the screams that had been torn from his lips too close to the surface. _It wasn't enough…_He could see their expressions darken out of the corner of his eyes, but he couldn't stop the words from coming, the pain welling in his chest more than just physical. "I c-could have helped…"_ I could have found a way to bring her home…_

"Natsu…" Lucy whispered, fresh tears forming in her eyes as she realised that he really hadn't heard their words back then and she shot a pleading look at Gray.

"Look at me," the Ice mage ordered softly, squeezing Natsu's hand gently and waiting patiently until the Dragon-slayer's eyes slowly drifted towards him. He had naively thought that there would be nothing but relief when Natsu woke…Porlyusica had spent hours treating his wounds, and she had warned that these latest ones on top of the lingering damage from the Tower of Heaven were going to leave him out of action for at least a couple of months if not longer…she hadn't dared make a proper assessment on the damage that had been done to his magic by the Council's experiments until he was awake, but her expression when blue sparks had skittered across his skin during what had appeared to be a nightmare, had been more than enough to tell them that it wasn't good and he was determined to make Natsu realise that he had already done enough. _More than enough…_ "You've done enough. What they were doing to you was never going to help Erza!"

It hurt to say it aloud, even more than it had to hear the healer cursing when she had realised that it appeared that they had been more focused on seeing just how much etherion a mage could contain and use…rather than anything remotely related to Erza, and he could see the devastation slipping into the olive eyes. _I'm so sorry Natsu…_

"No…"

"I'm sorry," Gray murmured softly, not protesting when Natsu abruptly wrenched his hands away from theirs, huddling in on himself in an attempt to hide from their words despite the obvious pain the movement caused, and there was a dull ache in his chest as he continued quietly. "I know you wanted to help. But…this wasn't the way to do it. Destroying yourself is not acceptable, we…"

"We can't lose you too," Lucy finished for him, realising that Gray was becoming overwhelmed by the situation. He hadn't let Natsu's side since they'd brought him back to the guild and she was silently cursing herself for not making him talk before this, although at least he seemed to be able to keep himself relatively calm on the outside for Natsu's sake…and she met his gaze for a moment, silently trying to convey that she understood before turning her attention back to Natsu. "How do you think we would have felt if we had got there too late? If we had lost, you because of this?" She didn't like taking such a harsh line, not with the devastation already written across his face, but she knew that they had come far closer to losing him than Porlyusica or Makarov had been willing to say, and she needed him to know that they couldn't let that happen. _We need you…_

"We haven't l-lost her," Natsu protested weakly. He hadn't missed the rest of what the Celestial mage had said, but he wasn't ready to let it in…it didn't matter what happened to him, as long as they got Erza back, but they still seemed incapable of realising that fact and he lacked the strength or willpower to argue with them right now. _I haven't lost her…_

"Natsu…" Lucy began, wracking her brain for something to say that would actually get through to him, well aware that he was trying to ignore the situation. However, before she could say anything else Natsu had rolled onto his side with a low his of pain, curling in on himself despite their worried protests and closing his eyes, and they exchanged worried looks over him as they realised that he was shutting them out once more. Neither of them knowing how to break through, and worried about pushing too far at the moment as Porlyusica had warned them that his magic was highly volatile at the moment and as it depended so much on his emotions, outbursts were to be expected, and they knew that he couldn't handle that at the moment.

_Natsu…how do we help you?_

FTFT

A/N: I am sorry it has taken me so long to update this story, I've had this chapter open nearly every day since the last update but I had written myself to a standstill and no matter what I tried I couldn't seem to get it moving again…but I think I've got it sorted so it should hopefully only be a week/week and a half till the next chapter.


End file.
