Hey guys! I'm so sorry it took so long! Ive been having a few family emergencies so I hadn't had time to write. Also, Ive got writers block so this chapter took extra long. I offer my apologies again:(

Anyways, please read and review! I look forward to seeing your comments! Enjoy!

Everything was dark, dark, black and empty, it was cold, oh so very cold, and lonely. He had never before felt so cold, but now, for months now, the cold became something of a friend, something he could relate to. He felt as if there were a rock in his stomach, anchering him down and stirring the little contents around. His head throbbed with a searing pain straight through his skull.

His body felt heavy and numb. When his eyes opened slowly, they were met with darkness, as if he hadn't even opened them in the first place. He wanted to move but his body wasn't responding to his brains command. His joints felt stiff and the smell of rubbing alcohol was thick in the air around him, it mingled with a familiar scent he knew well but couldnt quite place in his state of confusion. He imagined he was in one of the infirmary rooms. They must have tended to his wounds while he was unconscious.

Unconscious.

When did he lose consciousness?

Natsu managed to push himself upright with a lot of effort and pain throughout his entire body. Each and every muscle ached, he tried his best to ignore it, this was something he was used to. He usually ended up in a bed in the infirmary after a battle.

After a battle.

He didn't remember fighting anyone.

He could see nothing farther than a foot from his face.

Natsu swept his feet over the cot to land on the cold tile ground. A jolt of pure pain shot up his legs and he bit his tongue, stopping himself from crying out. He didn't know why, but he had a strange feeling he needed to be quiet.

His face scrunched up in pain as he slowly lifted himself off the mat. He took a precautionary step, testing his strength. He didn't need another injury from falling over. His knees held his weight even though they shook. Another step. Natsu felt as if he was walking on pins and needles. Something that happened often when he stood from sitting too long.

Slowly, gently, Natsu made his way to the window. He could feel a slight temperature change, thus indicating the window. He already felt out of breath and his heart began to feel strange, though he didn't know why. He was worried. That must be it. But why did he feel worried? Surely it wasn't because he thought he may injury himself further.

Finally, Natsu reached the window. The heavy cotton curtains were drawn closed tightly, blocking out any light that may be out there. He lifted his arm, clutched the soft fabric between his finger and pulled. They moved easily and almost silently.

The full moon glowed brightly in the dark void that was sky. There was something so melancholy about the way the moon sat there every night so alone. The way it could only glow with the light of the sun reflecting on it, the moon could never shine alone. No matter what were to happen, without the sun, there wouldn't be a moon to light up the sky during the darkest times. It was forever dependant on the sun...

Natsu, he was the moon. And Lucy, Lucy was his sun.

The sound of shuffling behind him caught his attention. Natsu turned back to see a figure slumped over the table seemingly sleeping. That scent finally made sense now.

It was Gray.

But what was he doing there?

Natsu cautiously walked over to where Gray sat in a uncomfortable looking plastic chair with his arms over the table and his head resting on them. His face looked ghostly pale in the moonshine. Almost as if he were dead. The only indication of him breathing was the little puffs of air coming to and fro his mouth. But there was something else that he noticed above all else, it was the tear that glistened on his nose that was very out of place for Gray.

"Gray?" Natsu breathed out.

Gray stirred from his slumber and slowly his eyes fluttered open. They were darker than coals but held an emotion that he rarely, if ever saw. He couldn't quite classify it. They were solemn, yet happy...

Gray sat up and looked hard in the dim light. Natsu, adorned with a bandage on almost every part of his body, stood before him.

"Natsu... You're awake."

He stood from his place on the small plastic chair and did something Natsu never would have though he'd do. He hugged him and Natsu found he didn't hate it.

"You did it." Gray said, his voice cracking slightly, "You brought her home." Natsu felt something wet drop onto his shoulder and realized that Gray was crying. Really crying, like a normal person.

A normal person... Natsu only cried once since Lucy disappeared and it was when he found her, not the many months before. Did that mean Natsu wasn't normal?

Then Natsu did something that surprised himself. He began to hug Gray back. Gray was his best friend, he had no doubt about it, but Lucy, she was his life.

That's when Natsu realized just how much her disappearance affect everyone, not just him. Everyone felt it, and it made him feel not quite so alone.

They pulled away and Gray wiped his eyes with his forearm and a small chuckle left his lips. "I never thought I do that." he said, then grew serious, "You better not tell anyone about that."

Natsu snorted. It was the first time he laughed in months. "Whatever, stripper."

Gray grinned.

Then suddenly Natsu asked, "What happened Gray?"

Gray lost his smile, "You mean you don't remember?"

"I don't remember how I got here or before I lost consciousness..." Then a image of Lucy, bloodied and battered, foam seeping from her mouth past through his mind. "Lucy! Where is she? Is she okay?" he asked frantically.

"No one has been aloud to see her except for Gramps, Mira and Polyusica obviously. Not even Erza has been aloud in. Natsu... she was poisoned. When you burned those wounds closed, you also trapped it in."

Natsu's face paled and he felt sick. What had he done? He thought he was helping her, he thought he would give her more time to be helped... but he only furthered her injury.

"I know that look, Natsu. It wasn't your fault. You did the best you could, even Polyusica said you gave Lucy time, time she needed desperately to survive. It was just at a small price, if you didn't, Lucy wouldnt have made it as far as she did without you. Polyusica managed to flush out most of the toxic venom. It's up to Lucy now... She's strong, Natsu. She'll pull through, we just have to hope. She's in a coma right now, but the rest will help her heal and come back to us."

Natsu fisted his hands so tightly his knuckles began to turn white and pushed past Gray with the intention of seeing Lucy wherever she was. It was his fault she was in a coma now. If he hadn't been so stupid to close her wounds without another thought, while he was panicking, she wouldn't be comatose now.

"Didn't I just say no one is aloud to go in?!" Gray said incredulously as he spun around and took hold of Natsu's shoulder. Natsu turned around with unshed tears shinning in his sad eyes.

"I need to see her, Gray." Natsu's whispered, "I need to see if she's okay."

Gray sighed heavily, no matter how much he missed Lucy and wished to see her, Natsu would always miss her more, he did love her whether he realized it not. And he knew for a fact that if this happened to Juvia, Natsu wouldn't stop him, in fact, he would encourage it.

"I won't stop you, but dont say I didn't warn you. Erza was standing right outside the door last time I saw. She wouldn't let anyone in."

Natsu nodded and left without another word as if he thought Gray was going to change his mind. Lucy was in the farthest room in the hall. He began to hobble down the hall ignoring his screaming muscles. This was no where near the pain Lucy must be in, he knew it. She had given up hope, he saw it in her eyes when he found her, she never thought they were going to find her. It wasn't only physical pain, but emotional too.

Just like Gray said, Erza sat slumped against the wall beside the door, she too was asleep. The rims of her eyes were almost the same colour of her hair and he knew she had been crying. He was a fool. How could have he ever thought that he was the only one in pain from Lucy's disappearance? It was plain as plain, yet he never saw it.

Natsu stepped over Erza's legs and reached forward to grab the handle to let himself in.

"Thank you, Erza." he whispered, then stepped in.

He knew she had awoken as soon as he got a few feet outside his door, he heard the sound of her breathing change. She had been pretending to sleep and he was grateful she let him in when even she wasn't aloud.

Erza smiled softly. Natsu had brought Lucy home when no one else could. She couldn't deny him entry after that.

...

"Snow..." Freed said as he lifted a hand to catch one one the small flakes to admire it. He may see ice all the time, but snow was only once a year. He knew he should be more serious, but he was in a awe of the barrier. The amount of magic power used to create the barrier between this world and theirs must have been immense. "There is something I don't understand about this barrier and this time space." Freed stated as he glanced at Laxus. "Do you feel it?"

Laxus walked further in and let his surroundings seep in. Even in the dark, the moon was bright enough to light their surroundings. Well, the equalvilant to the moon. It shown through the thick treetops like nothing and cast scattered light on the ground causing the frozen snow to sparkle like broken diamonds.

"Yeah. I feel it." Laxus said. "My magic feels suppressed and time seems to pass quicker here. The whole cycle of nature is off too."

Laxus walked up to the nearest tree and broke off a branch. Almost immediately after a new branch began to sprout. It was small, but it happened eerily quick.

"What a strange world." Freed began as they walked through the hard snow. "I wonder how a wizard alone could have pulled this off alone... It feel like only a god could have created this."

"I know what you mean." Laxus said, "I can't imagine how someone could be powerful enough to create a new world inside a magic barrier... If time passes so quickly here, how long does Lucy think she was here?"

Both of the mens face hardened at the thought. Lucy felt time pass exponentially slower than those in their world did...

...

Gajeel frowned as he looked at the unconscious girl in his arms. Blood trailed down from her forehead to her chin where it dripped down into the crisp white snow leaving a trail if crimson in its wake. a black bandana was tied around her forehead to stop the bleeding, but it was only just starting to slow. Her injury was bad but not life threatening... yet.

Levy's face twisted in pain despite her lack of consciousness. Her breathed came out in short and laboured puffs. Everything about her appearance made Gajeel's blood boil. How could someone who was a friend for such a long time betray her like that? How could Lisanna do that to Levy after being her friend for years? Gajeel wasn't an expert on trust, but he knew only truly evil people would betray their friends the way Lisanna did. Such an act was unforgivable.

A pair of small frail arms tightened around his neck. They shook slightly as they held onto him. Wendy was already getting tired of holding onto him from his back and she couldnt walk with her broken ankle. "How are ya holding up?" Gajeel asked the bluenette with a small grunt. He wasn't tired holding the two girls and two sleeping exceeds, but her grip around his neck made his voice sound strained, but they were no where near choking him.

"I'm fine." Wendy coughed, "Just a little tired." Even though her arms trembled, she wouldn't let go. She would rather hold out until they got to the guild instead of rest and delay the journey. Wendy wanted to see how Lucy was doing now that she had help... or she hoped that Lucy now had help. It had been a day already since Natsu left and they were still quite a ways from the mouth of the forest. The moon glowed brightly above them lighting the way home, even through the treetops. Gajeel was walking pretty slow and she assumed he was still tired from the battle with Dan and the magic suppression only made it worse.

"You did great, kid." Gajeel said. It was vague, but he knew she understood. She had done a lot to protect Lucy until he and Natsu got there, even if Lucy got hurt, if Wendy hadn't protected her until that last moment, Lucy would have been hurt a lit earlier and may not have made it.

"Thanks, Gajeel." Wendy whispered. she didn't feel like she did a great job, but Gajeel wouldn't say so if he didn't mean it. She smiled a small smile and a lone tear streaked down her face as she rested her cheek on his shoulder. The nightmare was finally over... well almost. The only obstacle left was the journey out of the forest.

Panther Lily dragged an unconscious Dan by his legs behind Gajeel. He couldn't fly but Dan wasn't all that heavy.

"We're almost home... with Lucy." Wendy whispered.

Gajeel grinned, "You bet'cha! We'll be back in no time!" he roared as he began to run. A little magic suppression wouldn't stop him.

"Wait for me!" Lily called as he followed behind.

I hope you liked it! Please review! I hope to update more regularly from now on, but I can't promise I will have the time for it. Nevertheless I will update until the end, the conclusion is nearing... but the excitement isn't over!

~Star0Dragon0Slayer