Part two of chapter 8! Read and Review! Enjoy~

8. Information Part Two

The door slammed open with an almighty crash and everyone in the room swivelled around in their seats to stare at the dishevelled, injured and goopy figure of Gajeel.

"Gajeel!"

"Gajeel, what happened to you?"

"Jeez, what happened to your arm?"

"How come you stink so badly, metal head?"

"Why are you covered in white goop?"

Gajeel snarled as he strode into the room, one hand stuck to the still bleeding arm, trying to staunch the flow.

"Got attacked by those bloody clones. Damned monster tried to kill me, so I got to it first." He explained, exhaustion plain on his face. Lucy was about to jump from her chair and offer him it to sit down when he suddenly froze, his limbs locking down and his gaze sharpening when it landed on her.

"What the fuck are one of those things doing here!" He roared before charging towards her. She shrieked before Erza pulled her out of the way. She glanced back frantically to stare in shock as Gajeel tried to take a swipe at Lia.

"Gajeel!" Natsu and Gray lunged forward and grabbed both arms to stop him from hurting Lia while the Doppelganger took this opportunity to scramble away, wide eyed, to her surrogate father.

"Gajeel, calm down." Erza barked, moving towards them with a trembling Lucy behind her. "Lia is safe. She will not harm us."

"How the hell do you know? How the hell do we know she won't go all ballistic and kill us?" He snarled, red eyes blazing as they started accusingly at Lia. Brodsky then stepped forward, shielding Lia from view as he stalked towards Gajeel, Natsu and Gray.

"You're Gajeel Redfox of Phantom Lord."

"I'm Fairy Tail now, old man." Gajeel retorted to Brodsky's sneer, the muscles in his neck flexing as he gritted his teeth.

"Then as Fairy tail have some decency and act like a level headed adult rather than the wild, dangerous beast of your youth." Brodsky snapped. Gajeel blinked in surprise and bared his teeth. But he stopped struggling. "I don't know how you were able to figure it out but yes, my daughter Lia is a doppelganger. Now tell us exactly what happened." Brodsky demanded, his eyes holding Gajeel's, silently commanding every word and image that ran through Gajeel's brain to come out and be analysed.

"Like I said, I was attacked by one of those Doppelgangers. It got me in the arm and tried to kill me by ripping out my throat. I don't take kindly to anyone who tries to murder me so I gutted him. Then that thing exploded into this white goop and covered me. Which only pisses me off more so sorry if I display any homicidal tendencies towards your daughter." He sneered.

"So this stuff on you is a dead doppelganger?" Natsu asked. At Gajeel's glare he and Gray instantly let go of him and wiped their hands on their trousers, identical looks of distaste on their faces.

"Fascinating." Brodsky breathed suddenly, surprising them all when he grabbed an empty tea cup and Gajeel's hair with his other hand, proceeding to squeeze out some of the liquid into the cup amidst Gajeel's yelps. He disappeared into the kitchen with the sample and wouldn't be heard from again until the next morning.

Lia however, sent Gajeel a chilling glare. "You killed a doppelganger? You actually killed one of my people? How could you do that?" Lucy's eyes widened at the furious anger Lia was displaying, it just didn't fit the girls character to be angry. Or so she had thought.

"They aren't people! They're savages." Gajeel spat at her, moving towards her so he could use his height advantage and tower over Lia. "And just to let you know girl, I have done far worse as a Phantom Lord Guild member, just ask Blondie over there, I actually thought I was being merciful to the sod." Lucy winced slightly, shifting uncomfortably in her seat and touching her ribs hesitantly in a discreet move. No one missed it.

Natsu sent his fellow dragon slayer a heated glare, fire blazing within his veins at the memory of that day. He had gone to the hospital with Lucy afterwards, he had seen the extent of her bruising and fractured ribs Gajeel had dealt out. It wasn't exactly a redeeming thought.

Gajeel, however, didn't give a flying fuck, so angry was he that he couldn't care less about any feelings he was hurting or rubbing the wrong way. All he could see was this red head with her weird eyes that were the same as that doppelganger he'd killed. The enemy.

Lia's glare was fierce. But Gajeel had long mastered the death stare and in a matter of moments Lia was forced to back down "I don't want to deal with this pig headed... I-I will make us some apple tart." Lia said quickly, vanishing to the kitchen before Lucy could take a breath to call her back.

"I'm out of here. It's going to rain soon and I need to wash this filth off." Gajeel suddenly stated.

"What? What if you are attacked again?" Erza said. "At least come back soon so we can dress your wounds." Gajeel ignored it and waved a hand at them nonchalantly as farewell.

There was an uncomfortable silence as everyone exchanged varying looks or worry.

"So… who wants first dibs on the apple tart?" Natsu asked nervously.

Later that night

With a cooler head, Gajeel returned to the room they were all staying in at Brodsky's house at midnight, still feeling slightly twitchy of every shadow he had come across while outside during his rampage. He wasn't going to let himself be caught out by those things again.

Because of his hyperawareness of the taunting spectres beyond the window, he was unable to see the blankets on the floor and the figures sleeping in them until too late.

"GAH!" He cried out as he fell into an ungraceful heap onto the floor, the wood trembling from his weight. "What the hell?" Gajeel exclaimed loudly, hand reaching up to massage his head, the area that was still throbbing from the doppelganger attack.

"Shh! You'll wake them up." a voice that was distinctly Erza's whispered harshly from the gloom.

A light was struck and a flickering candle caused Gajeel to blink rapidly as his pupils adjusted.

He nearly shouted out loud in surprise when his eyes saw what he'd tripped over but Gray's hand clamped over his mouth before he could. Gray was lucky Gajeel was so surprised, otherwise the iron dragon slayer could have made mincemeat of the ice mages tongue.

"Do we really have to repeat ourselves?" He asked dryly. Gajeel snarled at him, blood red eyes meeting coal black ones. After a moment Gray retracted his hand. Red eyes staring at you at night, the candles flickering flames causing the irises to look like deadly glittering jewels, were rather disturbing to behold.

Erza stood by the window, wearing decent pyjamas with a yellow duck print. How she managed to look threatening with those pyjamas was a mystery to Gajeel. She was grabbing bandages and moving towards him to fix his arm. Gray was topless, wearing boxers yet his feet were in danger of becoming tangled with the blankets Gajeel had just tripped over.

Gajeel glanced back at the pile of blankets. Or rather, the pile of blankets and a sleeping Natsu and Lucy. They were curled around each other as they slept, looking like some kind of couple from those romantic poems. Lucy's hair and head were resting on the floor with a scrunched up blanket propping them up from the uncomfortable wooden floor. Her body was facing Natsu's and she was breathing calmly, an almost serene look on her face. He wouldn't be surprised if one of her legs was entangled with Natsu's. Natsu was on his back, but it was angled in a way that looked protective, as if snuggling around a favourite teddy bear, there was even an arm slung around her head to bring her closer and cuddle her, the hand threading into her hair. The other arm was stretched across his stomach, but the fingers were barely touching her waist. Despite the fact that Natsu was snoring with his mouth wide open, they looked sickeningly perfect to Gajeel.

"How long have they been sleeping like this?" Gajeel asked quietly, annoyed that he was unwilling to take his eyes away from the sleeping couple while Erza grabbed his arm and tended to the wound.

"Couple of months. They do this every time we go out on a mission that lasts for a week." Erza supplied nonchalantly. But at this Gajeel whirled around and gawked at her with a disbelieving look, wincing slightly as the bandages accidentally tightened.

"I meant tonight!"

"Oh that! Um about two hours now, Natsu ate about five apple tarts before coming up here, half asleep and collapsing next to Lucy."

"Never mind that!" Gajeel waved his hands around, receiving a slap from Erza. "What do you mean they've been sleeping together for months now?"

"They haven't been. We would have heard." Gray replied sarcastically. Happy's head popped up from some nest of blankets at the far corner of the room and look around with bleary eyes.

"Who's sleeping with who?" he asked innocently. Gajeel growled, slapping his free hand against his face.

"It's just something they do Gajeel." Erza spoke up, sending Gray a glare that forced him to sulk back into his own blankets, several metres away from Lucy and Natsu. "Every now and then they just fall asleep next to each other. Since Natsu's an active sleeper and kicks we were initially worried, but when Lucy sleeps next to him he just magically stays still. It comes in useful when we're on the train or in a small tent."

"Doesn't it get awkward when they wake up and find themselves like that?" He asked, then almost hit himself again for letting himself ask the question in the first place. It wasn't any of his business for god's sake!

"Not that we've seen. During the night they always seem to find some way of moving away from each other and it doesn't really become an issue. They know they sleep side by side but don't realise there's anything romantic involved." Erza shrugged. "There, you're all done. Try not to sleep on your arm."

"Mirajane is pulling her hair out because of this." Gray grinned evilly as Erza stepped away to return to her own bedding and fall asleep. "Plus we've taken lots of photos for black mail or for a rainy day when we can't stand all their tension."

Gajeel privately preferred the black mail.

"Whatever." He snorted, standing up again and grabbing some spare blankets that were on the floor. "Damn crazy those two. Although Natsu's really thick if he hasn't realised what sleeping together like that means."

"What do you mean?" Erza asked, causing Gajeel to flinch slightly. He hadn't realised he had been speaking out loud.

"It's a Dragon thing. We tend to want to sleep close to our mates." He replied dismissively. Dragon culture was too complicated to get into.

"So basically, Natsu and Lucy are together, they just don't know it?" Gray spoke up, sounding suspiciously devious about it.

"Natsu probably has an idea, or he's getting close to one. Look, I'm not getting involved. If you lot want to play matchmaker, don't include me." He growled, ignoring Gray and Erza's exchanged cunning glances and turning to settle into his blankets. And to desperately try to ignore any twinges of longing the fleeting memory of blue hair against his skin (while a certain bookworm had supported him after the fight against Laxus) brought him.

It seemed he wasn't the only dragon slayer who was ignoring the signs as well.

Damn Natsu for the fact he was making progress with his potential mate.

…Damn Natsu for falling in love with a potential doppelganger.

Shit, he was suppose to warn Erza about that when he got back but… with all the 'excitement' of the day it had slipped from his mind. And now that everyone was asleep it looked like he wasn't going to get the chance. And with two doppelgangers in the house he doubted he would ever be able to bring it up…

But now that he'd calmed down there were other things to think about…

It was going to be a long night.

Natsu's Dream

xxxx

But why now? Why was it now that I was able to open my eyes to your selfishness. Your pride. Your ambition. I saw everything. I never for one second thought I was so blind.

xxxx

I always love waking up. When I open my eyes I would always feel this heady rush of energy, my limbs would almost be vibrating in anticipation of the day ahead. But this time, this one and only time… Something feels wrong. I had never felt such an oppressing and ominous feeling as I feel in this moment between sleep and awareness. It was there, a huge weight that had settled on my chest. And it just won't go away.

It was almost suffocating me. And underneath my skin, I can feel my instincts crawling, a permanent itch that foretold warnings and disasters. Not something I could easily jump about and run away from, not something I can knock down with my Fire Dragon's Roar.

I crack my eyes open a bit, not letting this dark, draining feeling hold me down. Sight is the only sensation that isn't working properly, every image is a blur to my addled mind. I am lying flat on the ground, the hard floor causing aches along my arms and legs that I can brush off easily. The ground is smooth. Weird, the floors I have experienced always had something that make them rough to my sensitive skin, a stray patch of concrete, rough sanding on wood- you name it, I've experienced it. And by experience I mean Erza's fist knocking me unconscious, that one bet I had with Gray that involved whiskey and copious amounts of vodka (Which I won no matter what that ice bastard says!) and the many number of times I've had to catch Luce. My back has become really resilient over the years.

I stretch, sticking my tongue out for the hell of it as my joints pop and crack.

Then I sit up quickly, my eyes finally adjusting to the surroundings.

"Where the hell am I?"

xxxx

I hate you. I want to stick you in a box like you tried to do with my feelings. My glass heart never could survive this life we built together. And now it's broken, running out of tears I refused to weep.

xxxx

I'm sitting in a glass box. All four walls, ceiling and even the ground are glass panes, thick and rather solid looking. No wonder the ground feels so smooth. Everywhere else, the area outside of this bizarre box, is pitch black. And yet somehow there is this weird light that allows me to see everything, every single chip and crack where the panes meet. I scratch my head in confusion. What the hell was I even doing here? I remember how I was falling asleep, I remember because Lucy was already asleep and the last thing I saw was her face… And apple tart. Lia makes the best apple tart ever! Even better than Mirajane's, although I probably shouldn't mention that to her…

Something catches my eye. I stand and move towards one of the walls, placing my hand on the cold surface. The thing, it's blue, familiar almost. And gold. There was something blue and gold lying on the ground beyond this glass wall.

I knock. I don't know why but I do. I can't see what the thing is clearly but something makes my hand rap the glass twice, it's sound echoing within and out of the box. I knock again. Seriously, if this was a dream I'd like to wake up from it now so that I would stop doing such a crazy thing.

Suddenly, the darkness grows lighter. Now I can see that there is another box, another glass box that shares a wall with mine. Two glass boxes connected in a black space. This was definitely Gray's idea of a joke, though a bit too elaborate for him… he must have read one of Lucy's thriller books, now that is a creepy story. There's a weird sort of tap in both corners of the other glass box. Doesn't really seem important. Or maybe they had water or fire whisky, I can do with a drink now.

Another apple tart too would be nice.

The bundle on the ground in the other box twitches. I glance down and nearly gasp with shock, I know that shape. Blue clothes, gold hair that's splayed around like molten sunshine, short mini skirt, brown eyes that are blinking rapidly- It's Lucy!

"Luce!" I cry out happily, jumping on the balls of my feet and pounding at the glass, my chest feeling like it's about to explode with sheer happiness from just seeing her in this place.

I am not alone after all.

Lucy stirs, propping her upper body up with her elbow and looks around. She looks like she just crawled out of bed. Her hair is everywhere, like someone electrocuted her or something. I've never told her, but I prefer her hair that way. Like I have ran my fingers through it or something, just to annoy her.

She sees me and my eyes are suddenly locked with hers, sending bolts of warmth to the centre of my heart. I grin widely at her growing confusion, giving her a wave. Then she speaks but I can't hear the words, her mouth moving over letters and sentences. Too bad I can't lip read.

"What?" I ask, cupping my hand to my ear.

Her lips move again and it takes me a while to register that I still can't hear her. Why were her lips so red looking? It's oddly distracting.

"I can't hear! It must be the glass, it's stopping us from communicating!" I say slowly. I feel slightly proud that I used the word communicating. It's a long word and usually I don't have time for those things. Her eyes roll. As if I had just repeated something she said. She's being weird again.

She stands and comes to the wall where I am, touching the glass furtively, as if expecting it to shatter like dreams usually do. Then her head twists to look around, her hair falling against her long pale neck and I just can't stop looking at every tiny move she makes! Is there something wrong with me? Or is it because I can't talk because of this strange situation that I can't do anything but look at her?

She looks back and with her hands gesture all the walls, the shrug clearly asking Where are we?

I shrug Dunno

She gives me a look.

It's not my fault! I send back. Really it wasn't! I wouldn't think up something like this, if it was a dream of course. If it was my dream the walls would be apple tart. Then I could eat my way through to her.

She sighs and once more communicates her thoughts with pantomiming. It's so cool, I can't understand anyone else other than Happy and her when we play these games. Mirajane gets all excited when we do it though. Screams something about an old married couple. Lucy usually blushes when Mirajane says that. It's a nice blush, the only blush, of the people I know, that matches my hair colour.

Who would do this? she shrugs again, lips puckered with suspicion.

Gray. I send to her simply, imitating his ice make pose. She snorts and I'm mildly offended. Who else could it be to set up something like this?

We have to get out of here. She frowns. Can you punch your way through the glass. She adds by knocking on the glass wall, right were my hand is. I hear nothing but my eyes are glued to her hand for a moment, inches away from touching mine.

I send her a smirk. Leave it to me! She rolls her eyes but backs away quickly.

I suck in a breath and my fists explode into flame. "Fire Dragon's Fist!" I yell before punching the glass with all my strength. The whole structure trembles.

When the flames die I see I haven't made so much as a scratch. Also the dreadful premonition I had felt when I woke up had sprung back and is wrapping a tight hold around my throat. My skin itches again and there is this terrible need to get to Lucy.

"Damn!"

She was sighing in disappointment as she moves back to me, her eyes raking over the glass as I tremble. Just one touch, I just needed to touch her one more time…

She looks up. Her frown asks me if I'm alright. I don't know how to reply.

Something beyond her figure is moving. My eyes snap up to the back corner of her box where I saw something slither on the glass.

As I recognise just what it was, Lucy frowns again and turns around. I couldn't grab her arms to stop her.

Water is starting to trickle from the taps, clear but cold looking. I glance back to my box but I see that I don't have these tap things. The feeling of dread grows.

"What the hell?" The taps sputtered, the trickle becoming a stream of water. Lucy whirls back to me and something in her eyes instantly tells me that she has realized something I've missed. I look down on the ground and I can already see water was starting to pile up around the corners of her box, lapping against her shoes.

Then it hits me, a hard hammer on the nail. And my whole being shakes on impact. Our eyes lock again and my fear is reflected in her eyes.

"No." I moan slightly, hardly believing it. If her box was filling with water, a box that seems air tight since water doesn't seem to be seeping into my box, then that means… She could drown.

Something gives way and suddenly torrents of water is gushing out of both taps. The water level rises quickly and Lucy is still on the other side.

Lucy!

"Fire Dragon's Fist!" Lucy jumps at my sudden attack and splashed a bit in the water. But even with this effort, the glass hasn't given way.

"Fire Dragon's Fist!" I roar again. I'm starting to feel desperate, the water is now licking at her shins still rising quickly.

I glance at her face, her expression terrified and her eyes are fixed on the water. Her hands find the glass and she is starting to bang her fists against it, hesitant at first, then more frantic. She then looks up, her mouth forming the one word that I could probably understand in any situation.

Help.

"I'm coming! I'm gonna break us out of here, Luce, just move away from the wall!" I shout, taking several steps back. She scampers back, accidentally stepping into the waterfall. I see her shriek in shock, mouth falling open in pain and I nearly rush forward again. But I stay still and take a deep breath.

"Fire Dragon's Roar!"

Nothing.

"Fire Dragon's Roar!"

Still nothing. How resilient is this fucking glass!

"FIRE DRAGON'S ROAR!"

Flames once more hit the glass but still nothing.

"Lucy!" I shout, unable to accept that maybe I wasn't going to be able to save her… The water is at her waist now. She's wading through the water towards me again, staring in disbelief at the glass. There's a strange light in her eyes, a light I don't like the look of. The fear is still there but from her lack of frantic movements it was as if… as if she was starting to accept she was going to die.

"NO!" I howl, slamming into the glass. If fire wasn't going to work, maybe brute force will. "DON'T YOU DARE GIVE UP ON ME LUCY!" My shoulder impacts the glass again. God it hurt but I wasn't going to give up! She stares at me in shock, probably seeing my angry desperation, my dark glares directed at the thing that separates me from her. She is sopping wet and she has to use her arms to move in the water but she has never looked more 'Lucy' to me.

I smash my body against the glass again. Then her hand is pressed against the glass. The palm is flat against the surface, a clear sign telling me to stop, and she waits for me to raise my eyes to hers before she gives me a smile. It's weak but slightly reassuring, though why I need reassurance is beyond me.

Her other fingers touch the area where my fists had been previously.

And my heart almost breaks when she shakes her head. Telling me to stop, telling me to let this happen.

Asking me for the impossible.

"You'll die." I blurt out. She shrugs. Shrugs! As if it was a stupid little thing she could blow off!

"But not you." She mouths.

I feel anger. What the hell was she playing at? I punch the wall again, ignoring how my knuckles were starting to split and my blood was smearing the walls. Her eyes are drawn to the red smudges, looking sickened from the sight.

And in that moment I understand. If I break the wall then water would pour into my box. And fire wouldn't last long. I would die within seconds. And she didn't want that as much as I didn't want to lose her.

"So what?" I yell, banging the glass again "I'd rather die together with you than apart from you! I don't want to be without you when I know I can save you!" I snarl and hit the glass again, forcing tears back. I have to save her, I have to! Her hand knocks the glass again, grabbing my attention.

She shakes her head as she mouths "I can't let you. It's too late."

"FUCK THAT! This isn't your choice to make Lucy!" I roar. And I let the tears fall from my eyes, half hoping the pitiful amount could fill up my box and drown me at the same time as her.

It's awful, having to watch this. I feel pain. I feel simmering anger. I feel desperation and I have to wait for all of this, second by second, minute by minute I have to feel these crippling emotions linger within my heart, within my soul.

Her face twists, making a wrong sort of expression as if to stop herself from crying. I furiously wipe away my tears, not wanting her to feel pain for my sake.

I am failing her and she has to feel sorry for me? No. Not Lucy. I won't allow that!

"Natsu , please." She says and rests her head against the glass, condensation clouds forming from the last few breaths she has. The water is up at her neck.

And no matter how hard I try to convince myself she will live, I just cannot pull my thoughts away from the tick, tick, tock of the clock, of time running out.

xxxx

I begged you to not do this. I had begged and pleaded and yet you still didn't listen. You never listen when it comes to yourself. But I had allowed it. And because of that something precious was lost. Forever. And it's all your fault.

xxxx

"Lucy." I croak.

She pulls away suddenly and I instantly reach out in silent plea. She refuses to turn her gaze away from mine as she swims/moves back. I am flat against the cold glass, still trying to grasp at her hand. She stands on her toes as the water rises above her ears. There is a moment when she looks too scared to let herself drown, one wild, hopeful moment where she wants to live … until she blinks and the look is gone, replaced by fondness as she stares at me.

She mouths something but I don't understand because of the tears blurring my vision.

Elephant juice.

I really don't understand, was she making a joke or was she trying to do one last weird thing that I loved so much about her? But I didn't have time to ask her to repeat herself before she plunges her head below water. She was submerged, welcoming her inevitable fate.

"No!"

A stream of bubbles pushed out from her mouth.

"No, no LUCY!"

A moment of pain passes through her face as she fight between instinct and acceptance. She tries to hide it but it kills me none the less. "No." I sob, feeling sick and a building hatred at myself that I was just watching her thrash in minute movements as the water fills her lungs.

No. I'm not going to let this happen.

I run to the edge of my box. Then charge forward again, a bellow leaving my lips as I slam at the glass. The wall rocks.

But a crack appears unexpectedly and my heart surges in response.

"HOLD ON LUCY!" Her eyes flash open and stared at me through the water. I don't know if she can see me but she knows what I'm doing. She knows and I hope it's giving her purpose once more.

That ridiculous decision she has made to protect me has to be eradicated and I hope my glare will keep her fighting, she has to live! After some agonising moments of waiting she nods.

I nearly cry in joy as she kicks to the surface, emerging in the tiny air pocket that's left and coughs out the water from her lungs. I smash against the glass again. Water starts to spurt out and I almost cheer with happiness.

"Hold on." I whisper, moving away again. Just a few more hits.

But Lucy is struggling. She was getting tired from treading water and the level has completely covered her head again. She's running out of oxygen, so these next few strikes have to count.

I roar as I rush forward once more, putting all my strength into my shoulder.

Even my bones vibrate when I connect with the glass and I recoil from the force of my impact.

But there's only a tiny dent in the crack already made and I notice with some more horror that Lucy is becoming limp. Here eyes are closing and the bubbles escaping are slowing down, but she is smiling. A soft smile as she looks at me before her eyes become too heavy. A smile that sends pain throughout my body and as if I had become her in that split second, I too felt like I was drowning, my lungs feeling heavy and about to burst with water.

I have failed. But- Lucy… there was a crack, just one more, one more!

ONE MORE!

The glass shatters at the final impact of my fist and water explodes. I'm buffeted and find myself flung backwards, hitting the other side of my box's wall. My head hurts horribly but I ignore it and jump up to search frantically for Lucy. Lucy who had drowned, Lucy with her hair floating around the water like some sort of angel's halo, Lucy with the smile on her beautiful face. Lucy who may possibly be dead.

My dream finds her for me. And I howl in anguish.

She's lying on the floor as if asleep. I surged forwards towards her, falling to my knees and grabbing her sopping wet body, tugging her into my arms.

Her face is stone cold and her heart isn't beating.

That meant… My beloved nakama, my Lucy.

Dead.

I cry. I cried over her body like a wounded animal, I weep like I had when Igneel disappeared. This was a similar feeling, like she had been ripped from my heart and had left a huge aching hole. It was worse than when Lisanna had died- only because I had been right here with Lucy, close enough to touch her, but with Lisanna I hadn't been. I had the chance to save Luce. And I blew it. And now she can never smile at me again.

Then suddenly the shadows are creeping up on us, swallowing her glass cage whole and continuing it's decent.

And suddenly she's gone from my arms. Taking all of me with her.

"Lucy!" I cry out, stumbling to my shaking feet and casting around wildly for her, some life erupting within my aching heart as rage clouds my judgement. They have taken Lucy, no one was to take her body, I had to take her back to Fairy Tail, to her father and no one will stop me!

And then her voice brought me to life.

"Natsu?"

"Lucy!" It's definitely her voice. Speaking as if she's right here beside me, as if she… My head snapped up and I searched even more frantically than before. I- I have to find her, I need to see her! Where- please tell me she's alive!

"Natsu?" She shouts again. "Where are you?" My knees are trembling violently and my heart is pounding. I shout again, desperate for her to hear me!

Then a hand grabs my shoulder painfully and I'm forced to my knees. I'm too shocked to react, to even ignite my hands.

The fingers on my collar bone squeeze tightly, mercilessly, the flesh ice cold.

"It's so easy to fool you." A chilling voice tells me, cold air brushing the shell of my ear, where their mouth has reached. I can almost feel the sneer working on their face as the person with Lucy's voice bends over to better whisper at my neck. "When it comes to her, everything just stops for you. It's disgusting."

I feel as if everything inside me is tearing apart. I breath but I don't take in any air. How is that possible?

How is it possible that Lucy was speaking to me in that tone of voice, right in my ear, like that? Like she absolutely despises me.

It sounds, smells and feels like Lucy, but everything I know about Lucy seems frozen, if her fingers were nay indication or proof.

"What? No words? That's not like you, Natsu." Her voice purrs in my ear. "I would have expected some sort of reaction. Did the death of your Lucy really horrify you so much?"

xxxx

This is my anger. This is my rage. I hope it destroys you as much as it did me.

xxxx

"Lucy." I mumble. I have never felt so powerless. Lucy pulls away from my ear, stalking around me until I can finally see her. She's dressed differently, gone are the short skirts and tight t-shirts and vests - this Lucy is wearing a pale orange, flowing dress with blood red ribbons etched messily into the bodice and hem, rippling with every movement. Like burning flames. Or flowing blood. The dress ends at her knee, immodest around the breast. Her face draws my attention last and it's like a dark temptress is smirking at me, with dark make-up around her eyes and ruby red lips that only made her familiar warm brown eyes darker, more colder. As if I'm staring into eyes that could swallow the world whole in their black abyss.

She looked beautiful. I always knew Lucy was pretty in her own way, but this…

A predator.

Her hand reaches for my scarf and I am pulled closer to her face, so close our noses touch and I can smell the acrid scent of her unknown perfume. Her teeth are white and promise pain as this malicious version of Lucy tilts the corner of her lips up, flashing those pearly canines and incisors.

"What do you think? Don't I look lovely tonight?" She croons softly. "Don't be shy, you don't wish to disappoint me. And don't think of lying, I'll know immediately. I do know so much about you after all, Natsu." She tilts her head in what she must think is an alluring matter. All I can think of is how her movement only makes my head spin and pitch, the darkness seems to move like those blasted trains I've had to take.

"Aww, no answer? Now I'm really disappointed. I wonder how you would react if I said that I was…" She leans forward again and whispers in my ear. "Lucy's replacement."

Those words seemed to break whatever spell I was under and I instantly lurch away, my muscles finding relief at the fact I can suddenly move and stand on my own two feet. I scramble away from this version of Lucy, away from her words and her haunting eyes, her terrible lies. Replacement. The word echoes in my ears like chiming bells.

"No." my voice rasps, my heart clenching in pain and my stomach churning again. "You're wrong. Lucy can never be replaced." Fire erupts in my chest, hot and distressed as anger replaces my fear.

"What's going on? Where's Lucy? What have you done with Lucy?"

I glare up at her. I have decided that this Lucy must be the one who had taken my Lucy, who had stuck us both in those glass containers, who had caused the water to fill the tank and drown Lucy.

With my newfound strength, I grew to hate this impostor. To loath her, despise her completely, a feeling so potent that it eclipsed any past experiences of hatred that I have felt towards any other opponent I have ever faced. There is something wrong with this… thing. She isn't Lucy, although she says she is her replacement. She isn't Lucy with those darkening eyes that loathes light, the blonde hair that ripples sickeningly and reflects the colour of sulphur. She isn't my warm, funny and clever Lucy. She's just wrong.

Something dark passes over her eyes.

"That… doesn't matter, nor does it concern you." She snarls and before I know it she is stalking towards me and seizing my scarf again, sneering into my face. "I'm taking over. Soon, your Lucy will only be a distant memory."

I stare back, defiant. "Make me. Make me forget her. I will Never. Let. That. Happen." I growl, my hands itching to do something. Tear her head off with my bare hands, burn her alive with my flames, take her body and-

She kisses me.

Not a soft kiss like I would imagine coming from Lucy… but an angry, savage kiss, a dominant fight for my lips, controlling and a predators desire to take my soul and leave me dead in her wake. To turn me into her slave. It's messy and brutal but for some reason my heart finds it thrilling.

And I kiss her back.

She tastes of spices, desire and chemicals. It feels heady yet dangerous, and it takes all of my strength to not give into her assault.

And I'm almost horrified to realise that I'm as irrevocably drawn to this version of Lucy as I am to my Lucy. As I grab at her, I find myself wanting more. Wanting to burn away at this icy exterior and delve into the person I can feel stirring within. And then I think I'm crazy for even believing that.

She wrenches away, her red as ruby lips smirking at me again, almost satisfied with what I had just done. And I feel nausea building up again as somewhere in the dark corners of my mind… I think that I've somehow betrayed Lucy in a way.

"I am going to devour every inch of you." She, not Lucy, tells me darkly "And you are going to enjoy the screams I'm going to rip out from your heart!"

Brodsky's house

When I wake again I am drenched in sweat, sitting up in an erratic movement that almost causes whiplash. I am disorientated and trembling. And I desperately need to expel any food or fluid I have consumed in the past twenty four hours.

She is sleeping beside me, curled around me and breathing lightly onto my soaked arm. I almost weep at the sight, the sight of her safe and alive when I had feared the worst. And yet some part of me wants to recoil away from her, that part still caught in the tight clutches of my nightmare. With shaky limbs that just about hold my weight, I stand and move outside of the room and to the balcony.

I find I'm not alone.

Gray stands in the moon light, smoking from a cigarette caught between his teeth. He looks anxious as his eyes scan the darkened streets of Shirotsume. His fingers twitch as they reach up to pull a long drag, brow furrowed. When he notices me he takes in my heaving chest and sweat soaked body and doesn't acknowledge me. The bastard. I walk to stand beside him, trying to suppress the trembling in my own fingers. I fail.

"Sounded like a pretty intense dream you had there." He says casually, stubbing the cigarette into the balcony railings. I hadn't realised he was still on those foul smelling death sticks. Erza will probably smell the smoke in the morning and bash his head in. I should remind myself to supply popcorn.

"None of your business." I snap. No way he is going to know how I had failed Lucy in my dreams, only for this witch to appear, taunt and kill me.

"You're worried aren't you?" he asks me. I do nothing but nod, my head making a jerky movement that makes my neck ache. "This whole place doesn't feel right. No matter how many times I look at this town, or think of this mess we've found ourselves in, it feels twisted. Getting harder to tell what's truth and lies with these people."

"We can still trust each other." I say, shooting him a glance full of annoyance. Gray nods after a while.

"Yeah. But how long until one of them gets their claws into us and brainwash us into thinking we all hate each other?"

"That won't happen. We'll protect each other, I swear it. I… might even protect you too, if you're lucky and beg." I say, adding that last sentence in to keep up appearances. No need to get soppy with him now, not when he sees me so visibly shaken.

He laughs. "I don't need protection. More like I'll have to save your ass."

"As if!" I retort hotly. I feel glad that we can still act like this. I need something constant to reassure me that my dream isn't real.

"You just concentrate on Lucy and Happy. I'll keep an eye on Erza." Gray smirked.

I raise my eyebrow. "What makes you think Erza would want an icicle with no clothes on to protect her? Hell, she won't even let you get within ten feet of her." Gray snorts.

"Damn, you're right. Still, you're lucky that you can be the guy who can save the damsel in distress."

"Lucy won't need saving. I won't let her be taken in the first place." Although despite my words I shudder as the memories of that nightmare rise up.

Then something else knocks on my brain, wanting me to open the door I had unknowingly shoved it into, never to be considered or realised until the time came when I would be forced to.

I very nearly throw up again when I allow this door in my mind to open and the realisation that I loved Lucy came to the forefront. It's a happy… no exhilarating feeling, to finally comprehend why I act the way I do around her, the way my heart thumps in my chest, as if it wants to burst out and offer itself to her. The way I want to see her happiness and joy everyday. How I've wanted to tell her of how much she is appreciated, how strong and beautiful she is. How I've always wanted to touch her, hug her and learn to love her the way I could never love anyone else. She is my constant, my fire and my smart nakama. She's my Lucy.

And I have always wanted to kiss Lucy.

But the fact that my first kiss with her had to be with an evil copy (even if it was only in a dream) makes my stomach sick and my head hurt. My heart, however, feels conflicted. What did that dream mean? Was Lucy really in danger because of the Doppelgangers? Or was it something more…

So, because I have no one else to talk to that is actually awake, I tell Gray about my dream.

The moon is almost covered by the smoke from a distant coal mine's furnace.

The Guild

"Makarov."

The voice sounded eerie and echoed in the very early morning. The elderly Guild Master sat up in his bed, his night cap covering both eyes as he reached blindly for the cord that acted as a light switch for the lamp by his bed side. After missing a few times and falling off his bed, he managed to pull to cord and take off his night cap.

"Who's there?" He called out to the dark, his voice hoarse and movements groggy. He winced as several joints cracked. Old age was a bitch. There was no reply and Makarov was left to cast around his room to search for the noise. His ears pricked at the faint crackle coming from his shelf.

The hairs on his arms rose.

It couldn't be… After all this time.

He sighed. He shouldn't be so surprised, he had expected them to call sooner rather than later. But still, to see the long forgotten communication lacryma crystal flash and stir after thirty years was rather disconcerting. Especially if he was correct as to who the caller was.

He reached up on his bed and grasped the crystal, holding it with slightly trembling fingers up to his face. He activated it.

"Makarov." The woman's voice bleed through the crystal and he briefly caught the flickering image of her face.

"Karina. It's been a long time."

xxxx

Good-bye my love. I will see you sent to hell, if it's the last thing I do.

xxxx

A/N: I apologise for the bad language. Too ooc? Hope not. Still kicking myself for taking this long to write this chapter. Hopefully I won't take as long with the next chapter!

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