This is the extra chapter, I previously mentioned. I finally got round to writing it. I took a pause from writing Shadows, which is an upcoming stories mentioned on my profile. There are more upcoming stories if you want to check them out. Follow me if you want to find out on when they come out. Enjoy the final, final chapter of 'Holding onto the memories'

Holding onto the memories

Chapter 16: Moonlight Farewells

Cold chipped winds whistled through the small crack in the window. Warmth was welcomed by the soft pink sheets around him. Blonde hair spilled over the pink cushions. An arm laid over the hard muscles of his abs. Dark eyes rolled over the pale skin of Lucy's calm, sleeping face. A tranquil smile tweaked the edges of his gentle lips. A burning tingle still vibrated through his body, an image constantly striking his mind. Lucy, her soft lips against his in a flash of love, desire and relief.

It was all swept away with an intruding thought. The one that had troubled him every moment since they got back from the warehouses in the morning. Lucy had slept all day, and she probably wouldn't wake until tomorrow morning. Unfortunately, Natsu had found sleep hard to come by. It was all because he was still out there. Natsu didn't know his strength, nor where he was or if he was coming back again. The thought of losing Lucy again made him sick to the pit of his stomach.

Natsu wondered if it was vengeance he wanted, but right now he was too tired to think about everything. All he wanted to do was sleep with Lucy beside him. But he was scared. If he took his eyes off her for one second, would she disappear? The thought was troubling to his heart, and his health. There was nothing he could do to confirm it. Not yet.

A fading, almost unnoticeable smell drifted in with the damp chilling scent of a past storm. It smelt familiar. Something bugged him, he had smelt it before, weaker than before. Last time it had felt weakly synthetic, but now it smelled strongly of human. It took a few secondary before Natsu recognized it.

When he did, the dragon slayer lifted the like arm from across his stomach, slipping it comfortably under the warmth of the sheets. Tilting his body away from the edge of the sheets, Natsu slipped awkwardly towards the wall, narrowly walking along the bed posts. He was scared to be caught rolling over her. Normally, he'd be shot if he did. Something deep down wondered what she would do now. Kill him, was probably still the right answer. Still... Natsu departed his thoughts from it and lept up onto the window ledge, dodging the blue fur ball rolled up around Lucy's toes. Dark eyes turned back to look over the pair, sleeping soundly. Happy, curling tighter around Lucy's feet as she rolled to face upwards. Like an angel, Natsu thought sweaty. Even among her pure white wings, she held stained, dark feathers. Somethings get tarnished, Natsu thought sadly. From now on, Natsu devoted himself to protect those pure feathers, letting his angel stay as beautiful and pure as she always had been.

Dipping out the window, Natsu body propelled upwards, catching the edge of the roof. Arms slung him up, sailing him through the air.
Natsu landed with the grace of the cat, crouched on all fours.

Dark eyes winced at the intensity of the glowing moon hanging like a jewel over Magnolia. A dark silhouette cut a shape through the light, shining with its dimmer but own glowing light. Long brown hair clasped with loop of ashen ribbon, spilled down over the white fabric that flickered in the bitter winds that cut across Natsu's bare skin. Luckily he was a fire dragon slayer. Being topless at night didn't really phase him. "You're leaving?" Natsu asked, dropping comfortably onto the spine of the roof, raking a hand through his pink hair.

"Yes," It replied softly, almost sadly. It was strange not hear the echo in her voice. Its clarity was still crystal even as it sliced through the whipping. There was a long silence filled by the faint sound of life from deeper within the city. Natsu waited patiently, knowing she meant to say something. Finally, she spoke, her voice a softer tone than normal. "Protect Lucy." There was a fragility about her voice that Natsu couldn't help but notice.

"I will." Natsu replied. Strength, love and determination steeled his voice. They were words that were unshakable, and he spoke them like they were a second nature to him.

After a slow thought, she added. "I will give you future reference that any harm that comes to her, will be your responsibility."

"I know." Natsu replied, as solid as the rest. She didn't reply. The woman just stood there, looking softly out over the moon lit Magnolia. A far away distance radiated from her, like she was thinking deeply at something. "Who are you?" Natsu asked, his eyes a little sad but grateful. A small smile curved on her lips.

She spun to face him with a sly smile in the free light of her shadowed face. "I'll tell you, if you can catch me!" She laughed. A foot dropped of the edge of the wall and she was gone. Natsu vaulted from his position.

"Wait!" Natsu bellowed, staggering a sprint across the roof. "Will we ever see you again?" He yelled. Natsu almost flung his body over the edge of the roof, dark eyes dropping to the alley way. Empty. Natsu gave half of a disappointed grumble before a voice cut through his ears.

"Keep dreaming, dragon slayer!" It whispered in his ear. A thin smile pulled at the edges of Natsu's lips as he stood, turning to look over Magnolia's glowing night.

"I will." Natsu muttered, thinking back to girl laid soundlessly aslee-

"NATSU!" A familiar voice cut his thoughts. Every cell in the dragon slayer's body jumped, sending him tumbling over one side if the roof. The slayer rolled flat off the edge of the roof, missing his grip on the edge. Natsu was sent pummeling towards the concrete floor. "NATSU!" Lucy screamed again in surprise. Brown eyes followed after the blur falling past her eyes. As it shot past, her body almost flung itself out of the window after it. The street was empty? She expected to see a crushed, possibly splattered Natsu, crumpled on the floor. But there was nothing there. Not even any blood.

A long sigh of relief made Lucy let out a squeal of surprise. Brown eyes jumped to the window ledge. Eight fingers were hooked tightly to the wooden ledge. "Natsu!" Lucy exclaimed in relief. "What the hell are you doing?"

Natsu made a low grumble, and the veins in his fingers lifted to the surface. Slowly, Natsu's body began to lift into view. Pink hair, then tanned skin, and pink eyebrows. Then they dropped back down. Lucy's eyes slowly moved to peer over.

Suddenly, his whole body was crouched onto the window sill, towering over her small body. Lucy staggered back away from him in shock. As she came to her senses, she realized Natsu had swung up and through her window. "Natsu! You could have died!" She screamed in frustration. "You're so irresponsible." The relief crept into her voice as the smile crept onto Natsu's face. Dark eyes watched Lucy turn away from him, grumbling some kind of insult.

Warm arms wrapped around her waist, dragging her back against something hard. Heat simmered through the thin shirt of her pajamas, boiling from her head to her toes. "Don't worry Lucy! You can't get rid of me that easily." A husky deep voice purred in her ears. Heat burst against Lucy's cheeks as he body reflexively broke the circle around her.

"I don't want to get rid of you idiot." Lucy grumbled stalking back to bed. Natsu's smile widened as he flopped down next to her. She sent him a glare, implying he shocks get out. Underneath that, Natsu could see the plead that begged him to ignore her. So, he did. An arm slipped around her waist, as he curled around her. His face buried into the warmth of Lucy's neck. He felt her flinch in surprise, but he just pulled her tighter. All the muscles in Lucy's body tightened, her breath caught in the back of her throat.

Eventually, her muscles uncoiled and her body relaxed into him. As Natsu's feet wriggled towards her cool ones, he felt the lump of fur that had immediately clung back to her feet. Natsu wondered how he'd stayed asleep during all their noise. Over time he'd probably got to used to all of Lucy's shouting. Natsu's toes pushed their way in, brushing up besides Lucy's. Happy adjusted, curling around the two pairs off feet together.

"Natsu..." Lucy's voice mumbled in the darkness.

"Hmm?" Natsu replied, nuzzling into her neck making her breath a small giggle.

"Who were you talking to?" She asked, hesitantly. Natsu waited a moment, a sly smile curling the tips of his mouth.

"A friend." he decides finally. Lucy seemed to go to protest. She let it go, falling into sleep as the distant sound of the grand city, clock tower chimed, striking midnight.

Friend or foe? Who was that person in white? Natsu had a feeling he'd see her again.

The ear piece rang for less than one chime before the receiver on the other end was picked up. "Four?"

"It's the pizza delivery. Large with extra sarcasm and vitality on the side." She answered down the small device on her wrist. It's lace pattern around the edge of her ear glowed a vibrant blue.

"So it is you. You know, just because I'm old doesn't mean I can knock some sense into you, kiddo." The weary, aged voice grumbled back.

"I wouldn't think otherwise." She chirped.

"So, I suspect everything went well enough. You took your time in calling me back." A pop could be heard in the background. He was drinking. Then again, when didn't he hand his nose in a bottle.

"Disaster averted." She chimed happily, pushing back her white hood, her hair blowing loosely in the wind. "You gonna save me a glass?"

"Wine is my blood. You're young, stick to your juice." The voice remarked gruffly. A small giggle escaped her lips. "And what of the mastermind?" He added after a thought.

"Blue devil here, is having a great time." Shadowed eyes glanced down to the limp body dangling down from her arm, dangling over the small houses below the large drop from Magnolia's clock tower. The blue suit, now shredded and stained with dirt and blood, had seen better days. Somehow, he'd lost a shoe. That and his smile. That was a gruesome thought. She found it funny anyhow. That was just her sense of humor.

"Good." He replied after a pause. Drinking his wine most likely.

"Not quite." She interrupted.

"What do you mean not quite?" The old man answered wearily, his voice turning steely cold.

"An old friend of ours made an appearance." She added, scanning an ashen ribbon that had come loose from her hair blowing. It had blood on it. She'd have to wash it later.

"Four, I don't have the patience to play games." He snapped sharply. A zap of pain shot through he head like a dagger travelling through and through the sides of her head.

"Damn. Don't push too much into the ear piece, two." She grumbled back, rubbing her temples.

"Four." he growled again. This time, she could feel him holding back. Anymore and he head would have exploded. Literally.

"RaZar." She hissed. A silence aired on the other end of the ear piece.

"And what of him?" He asked slowly, his mind cold but relaxed.

"Don't worry. Dragon Slayer boy crushed him." Four chuckled. It was the first time she'd seen him defeated with such crafty techniques. And he claimed himself a genius. Pft!

"Dragon Sla- Natsu?" Two's voice questioned. He let out a gentle 'hmph' of surprise and satisfaction. "What did you decide on him?"

"I'll let them be. Lucy doesn't need to be sheltered yet." Four sighed softly, thinking about her talk with the dragon Slayer.

"That's rare of you -To trust." Two 'hmph''ed again.

"Well, he's his kid after all." She stated matter-of-factly, as if it answered everything. "You didn't choose wrong. That boy can give her a little more time having a normal life. He'll protect her."

"That's love for you." He chuckled in a softening tone. A cough caused static on the other end making her wince. "Anyway, drop Blue Devil at the facility. Then pursue RaZar. I want him capture if possible."

"Eh? Since when did I get orders from you, Old Fox?" She challenged in a mocking tone.

"Since I'm your superior." He stated.

"Just 'cause you second best." Four teased, lifting the limp body in her hand over her shoulder like a bag of feathers. "Don't worry, Hiro. I got this."

"You're not supposed to use my name, Hana." Hiro grumbled disapprovingly down the receiver.

"Sure I am. Hiro Nisaki." She chirped. It was fun to annoy him. Priest matters always wound him up. She wished she could wind him down like his drinking buddy, Six. Trying old pair of geezers.

"Four. Do your work." He sighed. With a faint ring, the receiver disappeared. Blue lines circling her eyes dissolved into fading dust, caught by the wind.

As the clock struck twelve, it bellowed a body shaking chime, reaching the depth of the city. She chuckled, letting her body fall. "Let's go."

Hiro Nisaki, If you want to find out who he is and what he does, read 'Endless Nightmare'( s/8913653/1/Endless-nightmare) -another one of my stories where Hiro's character was first introduced.

If you liked Holding onto the memories try checking out some of my other stories.

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-A-ccentric