The earth is shaking beneath him as he struggles to keep his balance, vision hazy from blood loss. The leader of the bandits they were supposed to find lay in a crumpled heap in front of him, knocked out. Though the man wasn't particularly hard to beat, he knew that his magic levels were drained, and he needed to be careful of the large gash on his side. Though his opponent didn't have a particularly large amount of magic power, he did have several sharp blades.

Around him, his sharp ears picked up the sound of Erza and that ice princess fighting off their own opponents. Happy and Charla are with Wendy, helping her against a fairly large and dangerous looking bull of a man. However, panic begins to swell in his chest when he realizes he can't hear her. He can't smell her either, the usual scent of vanilla and stardust isn't there and it scares him.

Forcing himself to his feet, a certain pink-haired dragon slayer looked around with wild abandon for his blonde partner. The smell of dirt fills his nose, making him growl in frustration. They had to fight these bandits in a large maze of caves weaving under a mountain, instead of fighting them outside where it was safer and easier to move. All the fighting was getting to the pillars of stone standing around them, and they were shaking in a way that made even him slightly nervous.

There.

Turning to the right, Natsu was able to zero in on a familiar head of silky golden hair, letting him release the breath he didn't realize he was holding. She was safe, Lucy was safe. At the moment, it seemed she was locked in a fight with a slim, vicious looking woman, her long dark green hair reaching past her hips.

The woman snarled at her, red eyes dark and deep and reminding Natsu of blood. Lucy lashed out with her whip, catching her opponent around the ankle and throwing her into the cavern wall, making it shake on impact.

The woman cried out as her head hit the rocks, before glaring at the celestial mage as she revealed a large staff made of black metal, delicate swirls decorating the top. "You'll pay for that one you bitch!"

"Bring it!" Lucy snarled back, reaching for her belt and taking out a golden key. "Stardress! Leo form!"

A golden light covered her body before dispersing, leaving her wrapped in black and gold, the symbol of the lion on her chest.

"Hmm?" The greed-haired woman looked impressed. "A celestial mage, huh? And a powerful one at that… how interesting. You could be of use."

If Lucy was bothered by the way she was looking at her like she was a piece of meat at a butcher shop she didn't show it. Instead she lurched forward, fists lighting up with what he knew to be Loki's regulus light power.

He watched with pride as his partner met her opponent blow for blow, occasionally using her whip to leave rising welts on her skin. The two women seemed equally matched, neither of them gaining any ground over the other. Both were winded and covered with small cuts and scrapes, but they didn't slow down in their fight. Finally, with one final Lucy Kick, the woman was sent barreling into a large stone pillar, her head making a direct hit with the hard rock. She slumped to the ground limply, arms hanging at her sides.

Only once she was sure she was down did Lucy look up, smiling at Natsu as her Stardress disappeared and she was back in her normal clothes. He returned her grin tenfold, his heart swelling with pride and relief as a familiar fluttering filled his chest.

Soon after that Erza, Wendy and Gray took down their opponents, all smiling at each other for another mission completed. Thankfully, it seemed all of them came out of the fight relatively unscathed. Ezra had a few dents in her armor, and Gray's right arm looked dislocated, but other than that no real injuries could be seen on any of Team Natsu. With the bandits defeated, they could tie them up and take them back to the village that hired the Fairy Tail mages, hopefully receiving the full reward.

"That was awesome Luce," Natsu grinned as he slung an arm over her shoulder. She smiled at him.

"Thanks Natsu," Her voice was soft and sweet and it made his heart do funny things in his chest, watching as her cheeks heated up from their close proximity.

"They liiikkkkkkeee each other." A certain blue cat grinned, landing on Natsu's other shoulder.

Lucy blushed harder but said nothing, and Natsu only laughed.

"Come on," Erza's sharp voice brought the three out of their conversation. "We should get these guys tied up before any of them recover. Natsu where did that guy you were fighting land?"

Natsu grinned, reluctantly separating himself from Lucy's side to walk over to the fiery red-head. "He was right over…" Natsu pointed to his left, voice trailing off when he realized the man he had defeated wasn't there. "What the hell…!"

Movement caught his attention to the left, along with the shuffling of clothes.

"Natsu!" He heard a voice screech. "Look out!"

The air was knocked out of him as he was slammed to the ground, the wound in his side beginning to bleed again as his skin scraped against the rock. Everything was moving so fast, his brain couldn't keep up. Above the roaring blood in his ears he could hear screaming, and the sound of a blade cutting through flesh and a body hitting the ground.

His head jerked up when Erza's wail resonated through his ears. "Lucy!"

Natsu could barely breathe as the heavy scent of blood flooded his senses. Sickly sweet and laced with tracing of vanilla and stardust…. "Luce!"

The dragon slayer stumbled back to his feet. There, in the spot he was standing only moments before Lucy lay in an ever-growing pool of her own blood, the liquid staining her white skirt crimson. At the call of her name, she looked at him through half-lidded and hazy eyes, a pained smile curving her mouth. There was a black dagger embedded deep into her chest, and Natsu knew that it was some kind of cursed blade.

"Luce…" His heart clogged his airway as he dropped to his knees beside her, picking her up carefully in his arms. She tried to speak, but blood spilled from her mouth when she opened it, and she began to cough. "Shhh," Natsu soothed the blonde. "Shhh Lucy don't say anything, save your strength. You're gonna be okay Luce, you're gonna be okay."

"N-Nat-su…" She choked out, blood continuing to spurt from her mouth.

Tears gathered in his onyx eyes. "Luce… Luce why would you do that? You shouldn't have…"

"S'okay, N-Natsu… We're- we're partners right? It's my job to protect you." Her eyes were calm and soft as he met her gaze, and he bit his lip so hard it bled.

"Lucy…"

Someone's laugher made him look up, and Natsu's black eyes narrowed in rage at the mage he knocked, the man he supposedly defeated.

"How cute," He chuckled. "The dragon being protected by the princess, that's certainly a new one."

An animalistic snarl ripped through Natsu's throat. "You bastard!" He yelled, rage making his blood boil to new temperatures.

"Natsu," Wendy's quiet voice caught his attention as she kneeled down beside the distraught dragon slayer and his blonde partner. "Let me see her."

Natsu gave a stiff nod, lowering his best friend back to the ground and reaching forward to stroke her bloodied hair. "I'll be right back Luce… I promise."

Lucy tried to nod her head. "Thank you Natsu," she whispered quietly. "Thank you…" Her voice faded as her head fell back against the rock, eyes sliding shut in a painful grimace.

Natsu began to panic, tightening his grip on the crusting hair between his fingers. "Luce!" She breathing was becoming shallow, and Natsu's dark eyes were on fire with rage. Without any further thought he launched himself at the bandit, fists alight with red flames. This was his fault, he should have made sure the bastard was down, he should have payed more attention, he should have been more aware. This was his fault. It was all his fault.

"Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!" He roared, smashing his knuckles into the man's skull. He was sent flying back into the wall, making the entire structure rattle and shake.

"Aw?" The man spoke again as he got to his feet. "Is the little dragon angry?"

"Shut up!" Natsu was in a haze of fury, everything in his vision tainted red. "I'll burn you to ash for touching my Lucy, you bastard!"

The two mages clashed, Natsu throwing caution into the wind as he struck out with his fist. He had to beat this guy quickly, that way he could get back to Lucy, and they could get her back to the Guild. She would be okay, he knew she would. She had to be. Lucy was strong, and this was too much like how Future Lucy died.

From behind him he could hear Happy's wails as they rattled off the walls. His voice was pleading, begging for something Natsu couldn't hear. Sparring a quick glance behind him Natsu saw blue hair fly back and forth as Wendy shook her head, her expression impossible to read.

Dammit! I need to get back to Lucy!

"Fire Dragon's Roar!"

"Natsu! Look! I got my guild mark!"

"Fire Dragon's Iron Fist!"

"You're such a weirdo, Luce!"

"Fire Dragon's Wing Attack!"

"Yo Lucy! Long time no see!"

Ragged breaths tore from Natsu's throat as he was sent flying into a wall.

"Come on Luce! Let's go! To Fairy Tail!"

"Crimson Lotus, Exploding Flame Blade!"

Natsu knew without having to look that last attack finished him off, sending the dark mage crashing through two stone pillars before falling to the ground next to the opposite wall. It vaguely registered in his mind that he had probably just killed a man, but none of that mattered when Happy's cry reached his ears.

"Lushi! No! Lushi don't close your eyes!"

"Happy…" The answering voice was frail and quiet, barely audible in the silence. "Look after my keys, alright? They will need some one to take care of them."

"But Lushi! You have to look after them! That's your job!" The blue cat began to wail, clutching the offered key ring to his chest as he buried his head in Lucy's neck. "You said you would never leave! You're breaking your promise!"

"I-I know, I'm sorry. I wish I didn't have too…"

Her voice faded like a distant breeze, the last of her breath being carried away as a pale hand marked with the symbol of the Fairy Tail Guild fell to the dust, and Wendy began to scream.

"I'm sorry Lucy!" She cried into the older woman's tattered clothes. "I- I couldn't save you. I'm so sorry!" Charla did her best to comfort the distraught young girl, even as tears matted the fur on her cheeks.

Behind them, Gray turned away, a shaking hand covering his eyes as he bit his lip so hard it bled. Next to him, Erza was in no better shape, dropping to her knees with her head in her hands as she began to whisper Lucy's name like a desperate prayer, tears staining the rock below her.

The only face devoid of emotion was that of one who most often showed it, and Happy raised his tear stained face when he realized Natsu was now standing over them. Truly, it was impossible to read what the Dragon Slayer was thinking as he fell to his knees next to Lucy's still and bloody body, his energy and magic spent as blood continued it's steady, sluggish stream from his wounds.

Cherry pink bangs fell over his eyes, his mouth set in a straight line as shaking hands reached out for his quiet partner.

"Luce…" Natsu called as he gathered Lucy up in his arms. "Lucy… come on Luce you need to get up now. It's time to go home. We need to go back to the guild, and you need to pay your rent. Your land lady will get mad at you if you don't. Come on Lucy! You can't leave me! Not like this! Wake up! Please… Please don't leave me!"

A cold, shaky hand dropped to his shoulder. "It's no use Natsu…" Gray whispered through constricting lungs. "She's gone."

At his words, something in the Dragon Slayer snapped. "No!" He roared, clutching tighter to the silent girl in his arms. His hands fumbled to feel a heart beat, a pulse, anything but the only thing that met his ears was eerie silence. Burying his face in his dead partner's golden hair, he felt tears fall freely from his eyes, his shoulders shaking under the weight of the heavy sobs that racked his body. "Lucy! Lucy please, please don't leave me! We're supposed to go on more missions together, and hang out at the guild! We're supposed to continue our adventures! Come on Luce! There's so much a have to tell you! You can't just leave!"

As the dragon screamed over the death of his princess, the rest of Team Natsu could only watch with breaking hearts, tears dropping like rain in spring. Then, the entire cavern began to shake, the earth itself seeming to close in around them as another of the stone pillars collapsed under the pressure. Realizing what was happening, Erza wiped her eyes.

"We have to get out of here! This entire structure is going to collapse!"

Gray cursed loudly as a large rock plummeted to the ground only a few feet from Natsu and Lucy, the Dragon Slayer having yet to raise his head. Wendy gathered a sobbing Happy in her arms, Charla flying near her head as the three began to race towards the exit, Gray following closely behind them, helping them forward with his good arm even as Happy continued to sob over the keys clutched tightly in his paws.

"Natsu!" Erza yelled over the rumbling. "We need to go! Come on!"

She helped the boy to his feet after he gave the smallest of nods, tears still streaming from his onyx eyes. Lucy was draped in his arms, and the sword wielder had to watch in dismay as his limbs gave out from the exhaustion and blood loss, sending him back to the floor.

Erza's heart bled just a little more when she realized she would have to carry the Dragon Slayer out, and it seemed to pause all together when she realized she couldn't carry both Natsu and Lucy. The requip mage squeezed her eyes shut, a few tears leaking from behind her eyelids.

"Natsu, come on." She urged as she grabbed his right arm, dragging him up and lifting it over her shoulder. Still, the boy remained unresponsive, hollow from grief as he refused to let go of Lucy's body. More tears fell from the great Titania's eyes. "Natsu! We can't do anything for her now! We have to get out! Please don't make me do this the hard way, because I won't leave you here to die!"

"It's my fault…" She heard the Dragon Slayer mutter. "It's all my fault."

Erza snapped. "Natsu! Stop!" She grabbed his shoulders, forcing him to look at her. "She gave her life to save yours! Don't disrespect her sacrifice by throwing your life away!"

Natsu's eyes were miserable as he met Erza's harsh gaze, thousands of emotions flickering within them. Nodding slightly after another harsh shake, he gently lowered Lucy's body to the ground, leaning over to press a kiss to her forehead, mumbling words she could not hear. The earth around them shook with more ferocity, and Erza pulled him to his feet, throwing the sobbing boy over her shoulder.

Closing her eyes, she sent a silent apology to Lucy for leaving her in this place, before she began to sprint for the exit. From over her shoulder, Natsu was forced to watch as Lucy's body faded away from him, his tears blurring his vision so much the only thing really visible was a patch of fading blonde hair.

As the walls continued to tumble around them, his exhaustion and grief won over his will, and his eyes slid closed.

Lucy…

xxxXXXxxxXXXxxxXXXxxx

When he woke up again he was underneath a white ceiling. The heavy scent of disinfectants filled the air around him, along with the familiar scents of the Guild, and he realized he was in the infirmary.

Raising one hand to rub his forehead, attempting to soothe the burning pain in his body, he began to look around. "What happened?" He asked aloud, though there was no one around to answer. He pulled back the sheets covering his body, and had just swung his legs over the side of the bed when the door burst open.

"Natsu!" A familiar blue exceed cried as he barreled into the boy, tears flowing from his wide eyes as he clung to his father's shirt.

"Happy!" Natsu smiled, glad the little exceed was okay. "It's alright buddy, I'm okay. See?" He grinned toothily down at the cat, who looked up at him with wide eyes.

"But Natsu… D-don't you remember that…"

"Natsu!" Happy was cut off when the doors burst open again, this time revealing Gray, Erza and Wendy, Charla perched on the young girl's shoulder.

They slowly approached the Dragon Slayer, a strange type of displacement in their faces. Looking closer, Natsu realized all of them look exhausted, and red rings around their eyes proved that they had been crying. Why?

A second later, Natsu voiced his other complaint. "Hey?" He asked when he noticed he could see his partner. "Where's Lucy?"

At the sound of her name Happy began to wail again, burrowing deeper into Natsu's chest as Wendy bit her lip and Gray looked away.

"Guys?" Natsu tilted his head, confused. "What's wrong? Where's Luce?"

"Natsu…" Erza was the first to speak. "You don't remember?"

"Eh? Remember what…?"

And just like that it all come flooding back to him. The mission, the bandits, Lucy, the knife, her knocking him out of the way, blood, tears, screams, Lucy. The cave in, he couldn't stand, Lucy… they had to leave her behind.

Lucy.

Natsu stared ahead of him in blank horror as he remembered, he remembered Lucy thanking him, he remembered probably killing the dark mage, he remembered Happy's sobs. And then… then he remembered holding Lucy's cold body to his chest, he remembered not being able to feel a pulse no matter how hard he searched.

"L-Lucy…" His voice was raspy as he choked around her name, tears already gathering in his eyes. No, no it wasn't true. It's all some bad dream, a nightmare. Because there's no way that Lucy would…

Don't leave me!

Thank you… Natsu.

"No…. No! No no no no no!" Natsu shook his head, hands gripping his hair. "No! It's not true!You're lying! Lucy's…. Lucy's not dead! She… she wouldn't just leave like that! She can't! Not, not after everything…."

"Natsu! Look! I got my Fairy Tail mark!"

Watery sobs shook his shoulders, the Dragon Slayer unable to understand that his partner, his best friend, was gone. Stolen. Stuffed out like a candle. She was a star, a bright, ever lasting star. She never should have faded.

Desperately, he looked up at the remains of Team Natsu, begging one of them with his eyes to tell him he was wrong. To tell him Lucy was alive and safe and happy and waiting for him at her apartment. And when they didn't, the Dragon Slayer felt something inside him just… break.

xxxXXXxxxXXXxxxXXXxxx

The entirety of Team Natsu breathed a sigh of relief as they got off the train, especially the groups Fire Dragon Slayer, who started kissing the ground the second his feet touched it. Next to him, a beautiful blonde rolled her eyes at the display, though her lips were tilted up in a gentle smile as she looked at him.

Tearing her gaze away from the boy, she stretched her arms above her head. letting her back flex as her muscles popped. "Glad to be off the train, huh?"

"Ugh," Natsu turned green. "Don't even mention that damned thing."

Lucy laughed, the sound as clear and crisp as church bells. Her eyes danced thousands of shades of brown as she looked around the tiny town they had stopped in for their mission, small houses and shops lining a cobblestone street.

She turns to smile at him again, this time flashing a grin so bright the sun would have been jealous.

"This is such a cute town, huh?"

Natsu remembers that mission, it was one of those rare times when he saw Lucy for the girl she was, the girl she had once been before he knew her. The runaway heiress, the one with no family and no place to call home.

The job itself had been simple, and with the combined efforts of Team Natsu they ended up getting full pay. Still, he remembered how happy Lucy had been in that little town, how much she had smiled. God, how he wished he could see her smile again.

It was the final night in the village. The mission had gone smoothly and their employers had insisted that the team stay one more night before heading home in the morning. Natsu remembered that night because it was raining. Not necessarily a bad rain, or even a heavy rain, but enough rain to make anyone stay inside.

So, the team had played cards that evening, staying in and enjoying each others company. Well, at least they did until Natsu and Gray got into a fight and Natsu burned the cards to a crisp.

After recovering from Erza's wrath, Natsu found Lucy sitting by a window, looking out over the town with a blanket and a cup of hot chocolate. Happy was curled up in her lap, purring contently in his sleep. When he had found the two, Natsu had sat back for a while just to watch, something about the scene just seeming too perfect to disturb.

…at least for about five seconds. Then he got bored.

Walking up to his two partners, Natsu cocked his head to one side as he watched Lucy's facial expressions. Her brows were knit in a concerned expression as she stared out the rainy window, seeming to be staring at something outside.

"What'ca loookin at Luce?"

Apparently, she didn't see him coming, because when he spoke she jumped and almost dropped her drink on Happy.

"Natsu!" She flashed him a small smile. "Sorry I didn't see you there. Done hiding from Erza I take it?"

The boy shuddered. "Seems like it," He said as he had down across from the blonde, his feet knocking against Lucy's as he got comfortable.

Lucy glared at him for a minute, and he tensed, thinking she was gonna kick him, but after a few seconds her eyes softened and she returned her gaze to the window. As the evening wore on and they talked and joked and goofed off, Natsu couldn't help but notice that she kept looking out the window, those brown eyes filled with worry.

Later, long after Lucy had fallen asleep against the glass, did Natsu look to see what it was that had captured so much of her attention. However, as the pink-haired Dragon Slayer peered out the window, all he could see was a deserted road, puddles shining in the starlight.

The next day, Natsu found out just what it was that she was looking at, and he would continue to be amazed until the day he died.

It was still early when the group checked out of their hotel. As Team Natsu headed towards the train station, many of the shop owners and villagers waved good-bye to them, and the mages waved back, smiling and happy in the cool spring air.

When they walked past a small supermarket, Lucy stopped. The others, realizing their celestial mage was no longer with them, turned around.

"Hey," She said softly. "Do you mind if we stop in that shop over there, i need to pick up a few things."

"Of course Lucy," Erza smiled. "We aren't in much of a hurry, the train doesn't get here for another hour."

Lucy beamed at the red-head. "Thanks! You know, I heard some of the locals saying that they have really good cakes in there too."

This really got Erza's attention. Her eyes flashed. "Really? Well, than we must defiantly go. Come, we're wasting time."

Lucy chuckled quietly as the now very excited s-class mage dragged her away, the others following close behind, trying not to laugh.

Once inside, the two boys stayed by the entrance, bickering quietly between themselves. Wendy and Charla were looking at medical supplies, studying different ingredients. Erza was at the counter, looking over the many different flavors of cheesecake offered in the little shop and finally deciding on, surprise, surprise, strawberry cheesecake.

Raising his eyes, Natsu looked around for Lucy, finding her head of golden hair weaving in between isles, a basket full of food in her hands. She stopped to pick up a small dark blue back pack, inspecting the nylon fabric for a few moments before slinging it over her shoulder and heading to checkout.

Natsu watched in confusion. The food he could understand, maybe she wanted something to snack on for the way back. but why the back pack? He knew his partner, and he knew that she really liked things with flare and style, so why would she want that ugly, plain backpack that looked like it could withstand a hurricane?

Gray and Erza also seemed to catch on to Lucy's strange behavior. When she paid the clerk for everything, Natsu realized that all of that stuff cost most of her reward from the mission, and once again Natsu was puzzled. Didn't she need that for her rent?

Lucy smiled, thanking the girl behind the counter again before she headed back to them with her bag of goods. Ezra and Wendy joined them as well, Erza holding on to what seemed to be an entire cake in a large box.

Lucy looked over at that the requip warrior. "Mind if we make on more stop?"

Natsu was now thoroughly confused as he followed Lucy back towards their hotel, walking on the opposite side of the street. A few minutes earlier, Lucy had stopped to put everything she had just bought into the backpack. He watched as she put everything from first-aide supplies to food and water, a bar of soap, a few handfuls of jewel and a large sandwich in the bag, nodding to herself in satisfaction as she zipped it closed. Now the object of confusion was slung over her shoulder as they followed her down the cobblestone street, watching her stop every once in a while to look into alleys they passed.

When they were almost back at the hotel, Lucy looked into another back alley, and stopped abruptly. She tightened her grip on the strap of the backpack as her eyes narrowed. Turning, the celestial mage stepped into the alley, her team mates sharing a look of confusion before following her.

By the time they caught up to her again, she was standing next to some wooden crates, one hand on her hip, looking down at something they couldn't see.

"What are you doing out here?" She asked, and Natsu quickly caught the scent of another person, though it was mixed with dirt and grime. Walking a little faster, Natsu stopped when he saw who it was Lucy was addressing. Tucked in the back alleys of this tiny town was a young girl, probably only a few years older than Wendy. He could tell by looking at her that she wasn't a mage, but he could also tell that this girl had defiantly been through some tough times. Her clothes were tattered and torn, and she looked thin and frail against the brick wall she leaned against.

Big blue eyes looked up at Lucy, her dark brown hair greasy and caked with mud. "What do you want?" She hissed, coiling into a defensive stance.

Lucy didn't bat an eye. "I saw you last night, on the street corner." The girl blinked in surprise while Natsu looked to his partner. Was this girl what she was looking at? Lucy spoke again. "You're lucky you didn't get sick."

The girl seethed, her blue eyes flashing with anger. "So? Who are you to tell me what's good for me?!"

Lucy didn't flinch. "The voice of experience."

At this, the girl stilled. "What?"

Lucy kneeled down next to her, kindness making her eyes an even warmer brown than normal. "You may not believe this, looking at me now, but I used to be just like you. So, tell me, you a runaway or an orphan?"

Realization hit Natsu like one of Gray's punches. This girl reminded Lucy of herself. Looking at the blonde, Natsu shuddered. Was this the kind of life Lucy led before he met her? Living on the streets with little food? It didn't make much sense, after all when he found her she bought him lunch, and she didn't look anything like this frail girl before them. But did she once?

In front of them, the girl gulped. "Runaway." She finally muttered.

Lucy smiled. "Me too."

"Really?" The girl asked. "You? You don't look it."

Lucy smiled. "I know, but I used to. A few years ago, I was in the exact same position you're in now."

Fear flickered through her eyes, "So you know then?"

Lucy shook her head. "Yes, I know. I know it feels like there's a hole in your body and you're so hungry you can't see straight and it's so cold you think your fingers are gonna break off. There's no place for people like us, who are used to having doors slammed in our faces and rocks thrown from kids whose parents turn a blind eye. Sometimes. you wonder if it's best to just go back, but you keep going 'cause running is like a drug, and you don't know how to stop. This is a cruel world for people like us, darling, the only thing we have left is our pride, and even that seems to slip through our hands."

Erza sucked in a breath as Wendy covered her mouth. Gray grit his teeth, but Natsu could only look at his best friend with complete and utter surprise. Lucy never talked about her life before she joined Fairy Tail, it was difficult to get her to even talk about her mom. Never once had she ever told any of them what happened when she was on the run.

Was it true? Natsu wondered . It was hard to picture. Lucy was so confident and bold, the idea of her lying curled in an alley freezing and starving seemed impossible.

Lucy ignored the horrified looks from her teammates, stepping closer to the girl. "I know it's hard. You were probably like me when I left, bright eyed and bushy tailed, thinking you could take on the world. But then a week passes, and you run out of money, and it starts to get cold, and you have no where to go and no home to call your own. You start to wonder what would happen if you starved to death right here, right now, if the world would even bat an eye. You feel alone and lost and scared, and you're so desperate for something to eat you will do anything. And we both know I mean anything. And it sucks, but there's nothing we can do because we're too afraid to stay in one place long enough to get a job, and no one wants to hire a girl without a name." Lucy placed a delicate hand on the girl's shoulder just as tears began to leak from her eyes. Brown studied watery blue with careful curiosity, before she cracked a delicate, broken smile.

"Here."

She swung the blue backpack off her shoulder, dropping it down next to the girl. The runaway studied it carefully, before looking back up at Lucy, confusion in her face.

"Open it." Lucy prompted.

Warily, the girl unzipped the backpack. She peered inside, and let in a sharp intake of air as she began to cry. Reaching into the backpack, she pulled out the sandwich and the pouch of jewels, looking deeper inside to see the soap and packaged food and first-aide kit.

"Is.. is this for me? I c-can't except this… this is…" She whimpered, worrying her lip and looking up at Lucy with glimmering eyes. "No-no one has ever done any-anything like this for m-me and…"

"Shh," Lucy soothed. "I know, I know." Leaning down, she wrapped her arms around the girl's shaking frame. "But you're gonna be alright, you're gonna be okay. You're strong, you've made it this far, and you can make it to the finish line." The girl nodded as she hugged Lucy back, sniffling.

She whipped her eyes as Lucy pulled away, stroking her hair in an almost motherly way. "What's your name?"

The girl lowered her head. "Jane. Just Jane."

Lucy smiled. "It's nice to meet you Just Jane." The celestial mage stood back to her feet. "Alright, here's the deal. You can have that backpack and everything in it, but you have to promise me something."

Jane froze. "What?"

Taking a deep breath, Lucy grinned. "Never, ever, give up on life. You can make it on your own, girl, you showed that just by sitting here, because you got farther than most runaways ever will, but you can't give in now. Fight, fight with everything you have in you. You got it?"

Jane gave her a hesitant smile. "Deal."

Later, long after Team Natsu had left the village, they were sitting at a booth at the Guild together. Ezra savored her strawberry cake while Lucy sipped at a milkshake and Natsu devoured a plate of fire food. Wendy was talking quietly with Charla while Happy finished off yet another raw fish and Gray swirled his drink.

"Lucy?" Erza looked to the blonde, setting her fork down. "Is it true? What you said to that girl? You were once like that too?"

Lucy put her smoothie on the table, shame flickering across her face as she looked down. "Yeah. It was in winter, several months before I met Natsu. I was out of money and couldn't get a job and was so, so hungry…. I had no self worth, no reason to live… it was snowing and I just… I just wanted to die." She refused to meet their eyes. "One night I was sitting on a street corner, cold and bone thin, when this old lady walked up to me. She looked at me for a moment, and I knew that she knew exactly what I was and why I was out there in nothing torn jeans and a torn t-shirt." Lucy shook her head sadly.

Erza reached forward to place a hand on her friends shoulder. Gray was silent, though there was a stony look in his eyes as he hung his head, gritting his teeth. Natsu was furious, furious that Lucy was ever in such a position that she felt that way, that she thought that dying was her only option. He should have been there, he should have-

"Anyway, the next day I was still there, still cold, still starved. I was beginning to think I really would die there, when the old lady came back. She said nothing to me, but she handed me a sandwich and some hot tea. I hadn't eaten well in days, so you can imagine how thankful I was. Whenever people passed me they would only point and whisper, but this woman… she helped me, gave me the strength to survive another day. She left after I finished eating, and she still never said anything." As she told her tale her teammates watched her in pure astonishment, almost not believing their ears.

"I didn't see her again until about a week later. It was snowing heavily, and my skin was turning blue I was so cold. Then, all of a sudden there she is, standing over me with an umbrella and a wool scarf. She threw me the scarf and began to walk away, and I thought she would leave me again when she turned around. Are you coming? She asked, Or are you just gonna stay out here and freeze your cute little ass off?"

Lucy laughed, smiling fondly at the memory. "So, she opened her home to me. Gave me food and water, a warm place to sleep, nursed me back to health. But, even with all her kindness she knew I was a runaway, and she knew I couldn't stay in one place for long. So one day she brought home this little pink suitcase. Inside was plenty of food and water and soap and anything else I might need to make it on my own. She also handed me a small pouch of jewel, telling me to get myself some proper clothes. I left the next day, dragging a pink suitcase behind me. I began to travel again, working odd jobs for money, using my spirits to help me, slowly getting back my health. I never saw her again, and I never even learned her name, but I never forgot what she did for me."

Lucy looked up, smiling at them. "She saved me, without her help I would have died there. She took me in and showed me kindness I hadn't known since my mother died, she gave me a reason to live again. And though I never got to thank her, I like to think that it's now my job to look after those who can't look after themselves, too. That girl could in the alley, she could go places, she could find her freedom, she just needed a reason."

That day was a cherished memory in Natsu's heart. He had never seen Lucy speak so much of her past, and he was so, so happy she trusted them enough to talk about the times he knew she would rather forget. And though he was mad that she had to live that way, that path was the one that had taken her to Hargeon that fateful day, and thus brought her to Fairy Tail. It was the path that brought her to him.

But… did any of that matter now? As Natsu sobbed into Happy's fur, the ache in his chest told him it might not have. After all, what was the point of everything they had done, everything they had survived, if she died here and now, just as their lives had begun again? She was too young, too full of life. She was like the morning star that guided him, protected him, gave him a reason to keep fighting, and now she was gone. Just like that- gone. And he didn't know how to handle that.

Well? Whatcha think? Should I continue this?