A lot still has to happen. We've got a long way to go, guys.

Some things aren't meant to be. Lucy knew that. Still, a small and hidden part of her hadn't believed that, even as Natsu let go of her hands, even as he leaned away. They'd always felt meant to be. Lucy hadn't realized that, until Natsu looked away from her and her heart shattered.

"Thank you for telling me, Lucy," Natsu said quietly. Too quietly.

It wasn't enough, Lucy realized. She was tainted, darkened by others blood and too many sins to count. She'd lied and killed and she'd hurt him. It didn't matter – she could love him as much as she wanted, that didn't mean he could forgive her. Lucy had never felt smaller, sitting before someone.

"I'm sorry," Lucy whispered. He still wasn't looking at her. He stood. The scrape of his chair against the floor was too loud in the suddenly suffocating room.

"I…" Natsu sighed. "I have to go talk to gramps. Prepare, and all. I think…" Natsu bit his lip. "You should get out of town, Lucy. Things are going to get bad, soon."

Lucy's eyes widened. A vast emptiness opened in her chest, so vast that she knew even if she shouted, he wouldn't hear her as he walked out of the room and didn't look back. As he didn't stay.

Natsu was shaking. Each step that brought him closer to the castle was made with rage and fury and god he couldn't stop shaking. The magic in his chest, the fire that usually slumbered, roared in his chest, aching to get out and to burn. His mind flashed to Jark's torched corpse and he didn't feel a shred of remorse. Not when the image of Lucy's face was branded into his mind – terrified and yet so, so sad.

He didn't know how to process any of it. Lucy's story, the role they'd played in her misery, Leo and Aries' involvement, and worse, how Lucy suffered alone, shouldering it all.

It made him shake with rage, and also fear. Zeref was coming. Lucy's father was probably coming, too. She had to leave.

"No more secrets, right Natsu? I love you. I love you so much."

He'd kill them. After Zeref, he'd hunt down Jude Heartfilia and burn his life to the ground.

"Natsu!"

Natsu paused in his stomping to turn and see Erza, Gray, and Lyon hurrying to them. A part of him that was clenched in worry relaxed.

The three got halfway to him and paused, expressions blinking in shock.

"Natsu…" Erza said cautiously. "What's happened?"

Natsu blinked and shook his head. He needed to get grip and focus.

"Nothing. What happened with Delioria? Aren't you back too soon?" Erza frowned before deciding to let it go.

"Delioria has been taken care of – he was weak after years of being trapped. We hurried back as quickly as possible," Erza said.

"I'm heading to gramps now. Zeref will be here soon," Natsu said, turning and resuming his walk. The three joined behind him.

"Where's Lucy?" Gray asked. Natsu tensed.

"Far away, I hope," he grunted. He could feel their stares piercing him but he refused to acknowledge them. He didn't have the words to explain anything right now. Natsu was afraid he'd set himself on fire if he even tried. He could taste smoke in his mouth.

Jellal and Meredy were there. Natsu could faintly hear Erza let out a breath of relief at seeing the man standing in the throne room and whispering quietly with gramps and Gildarts.

Gramps turned to them and his eyes widened considerably.

"Erza?" he barked sharply. "What's happened?"

"Delioia is dead," Erza said calmly. "We hurried back as quickly as possible."

"I see…" gramps said, blinking slowly. He grinned, chuckling to himself. "I don't know why I was worried."

"And your mission?" Erza asked, turning to Jellal. Jellal's eyes lowered. Natsu felt his stomach clench.

"We investigated the Heartfilia Home in Bornsting and encountered two mages employed by Zeref. Jude Heartfilia hasn't seemed to fully join Zeref yet, but he's on the brink." Jellal's shoulders sunk. "We defeated them, but Ultear perished in the fight."

A low murmur of horror ran through the room. Natsu had only met her in passing but it only stoked the flames of his rage. As if reading his mind, Gildarts spoke up.

"Did something happen, Natsu?"

"Two of Jude's lackeys showed up in Magnolia – they're both dead now," he said quickly.

"What?" Erza snapped. "What's the meaning of this, Natsu?"

"They came to take Lucy. She's Jude Heartfilia's daughter." Gramps, to his surprise, didn't seem all that surprised. The rest of the room, though, acted as if they'd been dealt an alarming blow.

He ignored them as their voices clamored in alarm and confusion. His focus centered in on gramps, who stood solemnly and grim-faced. Gramps' eyes met Natsu's.

"You knew?" Natsu asked sharply. Gramps sighed wearily.

"I met Jude a long time ago, once. Lucy resembles him. I had an idea, though I was never sure." Natsu wanted to ask why he kept it to himself, didn't tell him, but there were more pressing things right now.

"So, Lucy…" Gray seemed at a loss for words. "Lucy is with the enemy?"

"No," Natsu growled, waving his hands in frustration. There wasn't time to explain it and it was Lucy's job, not his. "It's not like that. Anyway, it doesn't matter. Gramps, Zeref is coming. He will be here really soon."

"You think?" gramps asked, rubbing his chin. "His original plan was to have Delioria attack Magnolia, defeat him and then claim the kingdom. Delioria is dead, though."

"Do you think he has an army?" Erza asked.

"We'd have found out about it," Jellal said, shaking his head. "You can't hide an army."

"He probably has enough powerful mages to think he can take all of us and our army," gramps said darkly. "Thanks to you three the fight will be a great deal easier, but it will still be dangerous. We should evacuate the town."

Erza and Gray nodded.

"We'll prepare the notice and send it out," Erza said quickly. "Still, it will take time."

"I wish we could go out and meet Zeref before he reaches the town," Lyon muttered. "But we don't know where he's coming from."

"Ah," gramps said, blinking. He glanced at Gildarts. "The guard, Marvin, who came to warn us of the intruders. Maybe he remembers where he walked from?" Gildarts paused, scratching his neck.

"Maybe," he hesitated. "He was in pretty rough shape though, Master."

"I'll ask," Natsu said. "Where is he?"

"Resting, at the infirmary," gramps said.

Before he could say another word Natsu was off, running to Marvin. The fire burning in his chest roared at the possibility of finally facing Zeref. He was ready to end this.

Zeref may be right in his belief that magic-users should have been treated better, and Natsu should have done more for them. But he was not fit to be a king, endangering innocent people's lives for his own goals.

After Zeref was defeated, Natsu would finish Jude Heartfilia once and for all, and Lucy would finally be free.

Comments, suggestions, thoughts? Yes, no, maybe so?

I'm surprised at how many reviews this has been getting, despite how old it is. It really makes me happy. Especially since Father's day is a depressing and messy holiday for my family, so your reviews have made this weekend easier.

After last chapter I felt somehow full and empty. It really was a chapter I've waited five years to write, and yet that chapter isn't over. Not even close.