Note: I had some problems with ToH and think Gray should have had a bigger part after they made such a big fuss about his childhood memories with Erza. I think it would've made more sense for him to be more involved than Natsu, but Natsu is the MC and whatever. This is not that fix-it, but I did just want to have Gray more involved and explore the relationship between Gray, Natsu, and Erza. They did do some growing up together and have a lot of history.

Gray stepped outside, but his eyes were fixed on the crumbling Tower. He craned his neck to stare up at the crystalline lacrima in all its jagged sheets. He didn't know exactly where Erza was within the Tower, but he assumed it was with Jellal and the latter's heavenly body magic was lighting up the sky at the very top. Gray was sure he would find Erza up there, where the stars were colliding.

"Juvia can make a bubble to keep everyone safe in the water so they don't drown," offered the strange blue-haired girl who had stalked him all the way from their fight with Phantom Lord.

"We should get away from here before it blows," Lucy said. "I just wish…"

"Go," Gray said shortly. His eyes hardened and he started forward again.

"Where are you going, Gray? We–"

"I'm not leaving here without her."

"It's too dangerous, and you're hurt! Don't be a hero when it's just going to get you killed. Natsu went up after her. He'll make sure they get out safely."

"And Simon!" Erza's friend Millianna added. "Simon will definitely bring her back."

Gray's lips tightened, but he didn't stop walking. "Get out of here. We'll catch up to you."

"But Gray–" Lucy tried.

"I'm not leaving here without them."

Gray darted back into the Tower. Lucy called after him, but he raced across the entry room, every muscle screaming in protest and every burn and scrape aching with the strain. He pushed himself as hard as he could, outrunning everyone who tried to call him back.

He reached the stairs and charged up. The entire Tower shook and jolted, and he cried out in pain as he slammed into the wall and crashed to his hands and knees. His knees cracked against the hard edge of the step and he slid down two stairs with painful jolts before his boot found traction.

The Tower was shaking itself apart. Whatever Jellal and Erza and Natsu were doing up there was going to destroy this place. If the obscene amount of power building up in the very walls didn't explode and blow them all to pieces first.

Gritting his teeth, he staggered back to his feet and lunged up the stairs. He was going to run all the way up to the top of this Tower and drag Erza and Natsu out to safety kicking and screaming if he had to.

He wasn't leaving here without them, no matter what anyone said. He didn't care if it was dangerous or if Natsu and Erza might be able to pull it off on their own or if this whole damn Tower came crashing down on his head.

No matter what Erza said, either. He didn't know how she could have stood there and told them to leave because it was her fight, to go because this was going to be the death of her. If she thought they would stand for that, she had another thing coming.

The floor rumbled and he gasped out a breathy curse as his shoulder hit the wall and the burns littering his skin scraped against the unyielding surface. This thing could collapse at any minute, but he sunk down to sit on the step. Squeezing his eyes shut, he gulped down a handful of ragged breaths and fought down the pain and exhaustion assaulting his body. He had to get up. Had to move. Had to make sure everyone got out alright.

But God, everything hurt. He was running on empty, had already been running on empty, and he was running out of strength to give. He couldn't leave them, but… Why was he so weak?

Erza was somewhere above him, and he could see her face in his mind. Crying alone by the river. Breaking up his fights with Natsu. Crying on his chest when they had to leave Makarov behind at Phantom Lord. Holding him at sword-point on Galuna. But even though there had been a sword drawn between them then, she had sheathed it and fought to give him the chance to make peace with his past.

What made her think that she could turn around and insist on facing hers alone, then? He refused to leave her behind, and she could deal with it.

And no way was he going to let Natsu die here after going through all that trouble to rescue him from Fukuro. That would be a waste.

He might have been a fool to come back in here, but he was a fighter and he'd be damned if he didn't fight.

He used the wall to lever himself back to his feet and then stumbled up the stairs once more. His face creased in determination and he started running, taking the steps two at a time.

A crack shot through the crystal wall beside him as the structure lurched again, but he kept going. Nothing was going to stop him now. All he cared about was finding his idiot friends and dragging them back out with him. He repeated the mantra in his head in time to his pounding footsteps to keep himself going: find them, get out, find them, get out.

He burst onto the roof with a gasp, stumbling to the side as the Tower shuddered. A greenish-blue chunk of lacrima broke off one of the Tower's jagged spikes and crashed to the ground right beside him, sending him scrambling out of the way. It shattered into a hail of crystal shards that peppered his skin like crushed glass. Another loud crack reverberated through the air, and Gray watched with wide eyes as the jagged points piercing the sky began tumbling down. The whole area was strewn with broken chunks of lacrima, and they were still falling.

He dodged around another falling projectile and ground his teeth together as it exploded on contact with the ground and a shard sliced across his cheek.

The sky was coming down and time was running out, but Gray was a fighter and a fool and he wasn't leaving here without his friends.

Natsu couldn't leave here without Erza, no matter how hard she tried to sacrifice herself for them. He wanted to strangle her for even trying something so stupid.

The waves of building magic that she was trying to control were distorting the structure of her lacrima prison, and Natsu plunged his hand into the vortex after her. His fingers wrapped around her wrist and he pulled as hard as he could, struggling to tug her limp body out of the crystal. He didn't care if the thing blew them all to bits—Erza was coming with him one way or another.

But there was so much resistance, and every inch he dragged her out was a monumental effort. He was covered in injuries from his fights and weak from eating the Etherion that now felt like it was attacking his insides.

He gulped down air with a shuddering wheeze and swayed on his feet. Chunks of lacrima crashed to the ground all around him, and he knew he had to get Erza out of here as quickly as possible before she was well and truly absorbed into the lacrima and this place came down on their heads. But it was so hard to fight against all the raw magic surrounding her and he was on his last legs.

For the first time, a niggling doubt tickled the back of his mind, warning him that he might not be strong enough after all. He could barely even stay upright with the foreign Etherion bouncing around his insides, and his arms trembled with strain.

For the first time in a long time, the darkness and hopelessness threatened to swallow him whole. He couldn't give up, but…

A booted foot slammed into the crystal wall beside him, and he started in surprise and jerked his head up. Gray braced one foot against the wall and fought his way through the lacrima to grab Erza's other arm. His face was hard with determination, his eyes cold and implacable.

"Gray?" Natsu asked. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm not leaving here without you," Gray said grimly as he slowly, ever so slowly, began dragging Erza through the magic-laden crystal.

"I thought you were too hurt? Unconscious or whatever?"

That was what Simon had said happened when Gray fought Fukuro. Natsu's eyes slid sideways to Simon's lifeless body for the briefest of seconds before focusing back. Gray was covered in burns and bruises and scratches and was trembling dangerously, but he was here.

"Like I'd trust you to do this on your own without messing it up," Gray grunted. "What kind of pathetic rescue attempt is this? Get your shit together and let's get her out, ash for brains."

Natsu's eyes hardened in determination and he redoubled his efforts, pulling with renewed vigor. Giving up wasn't an option, and that was that. Gray's presence spurred him onward, both in the guise of a rival and a friend. They always made sparks when they clashed, and it set Natsu's sputtering heart back on fire.

"This place is going to blow itself apart," he said through gritted teeth as he pulled. Erza's head broke the surface and flopped over lifelessly, crimson hair falling over her face in fiery curtains. They were so close now. "She tried to fuse with the lacrima to control the magic and it seems like it was working, but we're pulling her out before it's finished so there's still gonna be a shockwave."

"The others already got out. Or, that's what they were doing when I left. They're waiting out at sea. We just need to get ourselves out."

It was funny, but Natsu had always sort of considered himself and Lucy to be the heart of the team, the ones who kept going when everyone said it was impossible and inspired everyone else to keep going too. And Erza would lead them to victory even when they faltered. But when Gray stepped out of the background, he was solid and dependable enough to be the backbone of the team and had enough grit and fire to rekindle their hope and determination. Moments like this, when he resolved to do the impossible and threw himself into it wholeheartedly despite every challenge thrown his way and all the injuries that should bring him to his knees… In moments like this, he could inspire anyone to do anything.

And he didn't even seem to realize it. Dumbass.

Natsu threw his whole body into it and heaved, and he and Gray dragged the rest of Erza's body out of the lacrima. She fell against Natsu like deadweight, and he braced one hand against the crystal surface to catch his breath and summon up the strength to move.

Another hunk of falling crystal crashed to the ground, clipping Gray in the side before shattering. The ice mage doubled over with a guttural moan, and his entire body was trembling.

"You okay, ice block?" Natsu asked.

Gray straightened. "Grab Erza and let's get out of here," he said in a tone that brooked no argument.

Natsu nodded and scooped Erza's body into his arms. Time to go. He was going to get Erza and Gray out of here if it was the last thing he did.

Gray grabbed his arm, fingers digging tightly into his skin, and started running. Natsu stumbled after him as Gray dragged him along. The remaining magic that hadn't been dispelled by Erza's suicidal gesture was spilling over, and the Tower began crumbling in earnest. It rumbled and cracked under their feet, sending them sliding as it began to tilt.

Gray dragged Natsu on relentlessly, ducking and weaving around falling crystal shards. Natsu had a hard enough time keeping his footing when he was lugging Erza's unconscious body around, but Gray kept him going.

"Get ready to jump," Gray shouted over the deep rumbling that filled the air.

"Jump?"

Gray's boot hit the edge of the crystal platform sticking out over the sea and he pushed off without any hesitation, taking a flying leap into the air and pulling Natsu over the side with him. Natsu screamed as his stomach dropped out from under him, and the wind whistled in his ears as he tumbled through the sky. He clutched Erza as tightly as possible, afraid of what would happen if he lost his grip on her, and Gray's fingers dug into his arm like spikes until they hit the water.

The impact jarred through his entire body, like he'd jumped from twenty stories up and hit concrete. The chilly water closed over his head and his vision flickered black, but then he remembered how to kick his feet. He broke the surface with a gasp and dragged Erza up to hold her head above the water.

He looked automatically for Gray, but was distracted by the sight of the imploding Tower high above them. Chunks of greenish-blue crystal rained down like hail, as if the sky was falling down on top of them.

He opened his mouth to curse, but a dome of ice arced up high above their heads. The lacrima debris hit the ice with a resounding clatter, shattering or bouncing off elsewhere into the ocean.

Natsu breathed a sigh of relief, but the dome was cracking and already looking ragged. Gray must be really weak to create something so unstable. Natsu held his breath and prayed as he treaded water, and the shield held just long enough for the explosion to subside. It cracked and shattered into a crystal mist, but they were safe.

Sort of.

Erza was heavy, and Natsu's limbs flopped weakly. Eating that Etherion had seemed like such a good idea at the time, but…

Something floated up from underneath him and bumped into his legs, pushing him up to settle on the surface of the waves. A small, round sheet of ice glimmered faintly in the dying light, and Natsu slumped over in relief. Thank goodness, because he didn't know how long he could keep their heads above water without it.

"Hey, we did it, ice prin–!" He broke off as he spotted Gray curled up in a loose, unmoving ball nearby on the ice.

He set Erza down on the ice and slid over to poke at his friend, the little iceberg rocking under the shifting weight. Gray didn't move. His eyes were closed and his breathing was shallow.

Natsu frowned. Gray was clearly through. He had already pushed himself past his limits, and he'd finally hit the point where he couldn't go on. Judging by the honestly awful state of his body and magic, perhaps that wasn't surprising.

It looked like it was up to Natsu to get his unconscious friends out of here, then.

The ice bobbed gently in the waves, and Natsu's frown deepened as he realized that the edges of their raft were slowly melting into the sea. Gray wasn't in any state to maintain his magic, and they were fixing to plunge into the water if Natsu didn't figure something out quickly. And no way was he going to be able to keep both of his friends afloat.

"Shit, shit, shit." Natsu shook his head sharply. "This is no time to panic. Stop being so pathetic and get your shit together, ash for brains."

Right. Gray had said that the others had escaped out to sea, so maybe they were somewhere nearby? Natsu sure hoped so, because he couldn't see any other way out of this situation.

"Happy!" he yelled, his voice echoing off the waves. "Lucy! Happy! Can you hear me?"

He screamed until his throat was hoarse, and the ice continued slowly disintegrating around him. He dragged Erza and Gray to the very center and settled beside them, keen eyes searching the waves.

A blur of blue shot through the air.

"Natsu!" Happy cried, pulling up short and fluttering above them. "You made it! Are you okay?"

Crushing relief swept over Natsu. "Yeah. Yeah. But we need to get out of here and I can't swim with these guys being unconscious. You guys have a boat or something, right? Can you fly Erza over there and come back to get Gray?"

It might be smarter to have Happy take Gray first since he was heavier and Natsu would have a harder time keeping him afloat if their raft melted in the meantime, but he knew the ice block would not approve.

Happy's gaze flitted over the ragtag company and their failing raft, quickly assessing the situation. "Yeah. I'll be right back."

He swooped down and snatched Erza up into the air. His little wings beat furiously under the weight, but he zoomed off and disappeared from view.

Natsu sighed and wrapped an arm around Gray as the ice crumbled further. "You guys are going to be the death of me, you know," he muttered.

It was like they had a death wish or something. First Gray on Galuna, and now even Erza was pulling sacrificial stunts and leaving Natsu to find a way out of them.

"You guys are so dumb," he sighed. "Always pulling this shit like you really think I can leave you behind."

The small piece of remaining ice capsized, sending them back into the water. Natsu treaded water grimly and clutched Gray to his chest as he fought to keep both their heads above water. His legs felt like lead and Gray was heavy deadweight, but he kept going. He had already come too close to giving up once, and no way was he doing it again. He and all his friends were going to escape that damned Tower. He would make sure of it.

It felt like an eternity before Happy came zipping back and scooped Gray out of the water with a grunt. "I'll be right back for you," he said, zooming off without a second glance.

Natsu began swimming in the direction Happy had disappeared, but he felt weak and ill and didn't make it very far before the Exceed reappeared to snatch him up. Happy didn't speak, the strain evident in every labored beat of his wings as he fought to get Natsu to safety. He was stretching himself to his limits too, having to carry so many people.

A large bubble appeared over the crest of the waves. Lucy and Erza's friends were inside, as well as Gray and Erza's unconscious forms huddled at the bottom. Weird. Natsu didn't realize any of them could make water bubbles like that, but it was kind of cool.

Happy carried Natsu through the shimmering barrier, and cool water passed over the dragon slayer's skin before he hit pure air again. Happy dropped him and collapsed in a boneless heap, panting.

"You made it!" Lucy cried, dropping to her knees to fuss over Natsu. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah," Natsu mumbled. "M'fine."

"You don't look so good."

"Yeah… I ate some Etherion, and it got me into dragon force but I think it's making me sick."

"You did what?" Happy asked, exasperation overcoming his exhaustion. "You can't just eat everything you come across…"

"Whatever," Natsu muttered. He sat up and peered at Erza and Gray.

"They're fine," Lucy said. She smiled, relief shining bright in her eyes. "You did it, Natsu."

"Yeah… But it's a good thing that Gray showed up when he did."

Lucy shook her head in something like fond exasperation. "He was supposed to come with us, but he just said that he refused to leave without you guys and took off."

"Well, I guess it worked out."

"Gray-sama is very strong," a blue-haired girl said smugly.

Natsu blinked at her blankly. "Who are you, again?"

The girl's mouth worked soundlessly, and Lucy rolled her eyes.

"Let's just get to shore," the blonde said with a shake of her head. "Get some rest, Natsu."

Natsu slumped back against the side of the weird water bubble thing, his injuries and the perhaps unwise Etherion ingestion catching up to him all at once. He felt thoroughly miserable. But he kept his eyes open, watching Lucy and Happy and Erza and Gray. They were the people he would never leave behind, and he was grateful that they were all leaving together.

Erza woke with a gasp, her throat choked with unshed tears. The vision of her own funeral, with everyone crying and grieving around her tombstone, had shaken her to the core. That wasn't the future she had wanted. She wanted her friends to be safe, wanted to save her family even if it meant that she had to leave them behind, but she didn't want them to fall apart because of her.

"You're awake."

She tilted her face up to blink at Natsu blearily, and it took a long moment to get her bearings and shake herself out of the horrible dream. Natsu's face was hard, his mouth pressed in a firm line, and he wasn't looking at her. Motion jostled her with his step and his arms were wrapped under her legs and behind her back, and she realized that he was carrying her.

"Natsu…? How…?"

She had been fusing with the lacrima to stop it from regurgitating all the magic power it had collected from Etherion. So how…?

Had Natsu really waded into that magical maelstrom and somehow gotten her out?

"We're the same," Natsu said, his hair shading his eyes. His body trembled. "Never do that again."

He stumbled and crashed to his knees in the water, before slowly pulling himself back up again. Erza closed her eyes and let out a breath. Of course he was. She should have known better. Fairy Tail was her family and she would do anything to protect it, and Natsu was the same. She should have expected him to come after her.

"I won't," she agreed softly.

Natsu was quiet for a moment before saying, "You guys are taking years off my life. I actually believe that you'll learn your lesson and stop pulling sacrificial shit, but then again, it looks like Gray isn't learning anything."

"Gray?"

"He refused to leave the Tower without us and came charging up to help me pull you out of that damn lacrima. And it's a good thing he did, but he really shouldn't have when he was already so messed up."

Erza's eyes widened. Gray had been foolish enough to follow after her too?

But then again, he was the same too, wasn't he? Maybe she had been the foolish one, for assuming that she could make her friends leave her behind.

"Is he alright?" she rasped.

Natsu shrugged and jerked his chin forward. "Dunno. He's been unconscious since we jumped off the Tower."

Erza turned her head and spotted her friends gathered on the beach, watching her and Natsu come ashore. Lucy and Happy and their new tagalong, Juvia, along with her friends from the Tower—minus Simon, but that was a grief she would have to deal with later.

And Gray, spread out across the sand with the girls hovering overhead. Erza's heart stuttered to a stop, and she struggled out of Natsu's grip to stand beside him. She stumbled as all her wounds flared up at once, but Natsu steadied her. Which almost sent them both tumbling into the surf since it seemed like they were both one step away from collapse, but they managed to hold it together.

Her friends called out to her as she stumbled through the waves and up onto the beach, every voice and face laced with relief and celebration. She smiled at them but went straight to Gray and dropped to her knees beside him. She had to make sure he was alright before dealing with the rest of it. If he had gotten seriously hurt running after her, she would never forgive herself.

His eyes were closed, but his breathing was steady even if it was a little shallow. There were wounds and bruises crisscrossing his body and several large burns marring his pale skin. He had taken a real beating from something.

"He thought it was a good idea to come after me like this?" she asked, aghast. "He's all burned up!"

"Yeah," Happy said. "Natsu got eaten by an owl guy and Gray got burned a lot while he was saving him."

Erza tore her gaze away from Gray to stare at Happy blankly. What was that supposed to mean? Happy stared right back like he had just said something totally normal and not utterly bizarre.

Gray groaned and shifted, and Erza forgot about Happy's ridiculous story.

"Gray?" she asked anxiously, cupping his face with one hand.

His eyes opened and he peered up at her blearily. "Erza…?" His eyes widened and he shot up to a sitting position, already searching the faces gathered around them even as his expression screwed up in pain at the movement. "Did Natsu…?"

"Over here," Natsu grunted. "No thanks to you trying to drown me."

Gray relaxed and gave him a funny look before sweeping his gaze over everyone else and returning it to Erza. His eyes hardened.

"What were you thinking?" he demanded. "What were you thinking, telling us to leave you behind? That is not how it works. This is Fairy Tail, and no man gets left behind."

Erza swallowed hard and her eyes clouded over. She looked between him and Natsu, who was nodding grimly. They had refused to leave her behind despite everything. And there were Lucy and Happy and all her old friends. They had fought for her no matter how firmly she had told them to leave her to her fate. Because they were her family, and that was how family worked.

"I'm not a man," she said, clearing her throat. "I'm a woman."

Gray groaned, the hardness of his gaze cracking a little. "Oh, come on. It's just an expression."

Erza laughed and ruffled his hair despite his protests. Pulling herself to her feet, she reached down and tugged Gray up with her before winding her other arm around Natsu. The three staggered unsteadily over their laughter, and Lucy and the others rushed to support them and help them stumble off to shelter to get some rest.

Erza's mind flitted over her funerary vision and her eyes roamed over the faces of all her friends. Her arms tightened around Gray and Natsu, and her eyes hardened with determination.

Yes, they were the same. And she would never dream of leaving her family behind again, no matter what might stand in their way.

Note: I did use some imagery from "No Matter What They Say" by SVRCINA because it matched the idea I was going for.

emmahoshi: Yeah, I've been busy lately too x.x Ha ha, yeah. "Heat Stroke". Creative title is creative. To be fair, Gray's injuries are canon in this one and not something I just made a hundred times worse :3 I'm sure there are a lot of things I've forgotten over time too. Rereading things would probably remind me of a lot of details I've forgotten...but it would also make me angry all over again about how terribly it was all handled, so I'd better not lol