Author's Note: Yuuki~desu! Hey guys! I'm giving you another chappie for being such sweethearts! Isn't that great? Actually, I have to confess I'm starting to get bored with this story, mainly because of the slow progress. I really have to start getting back to the main line, because even if this chapter is important, I crave ACTION. And I'm sure you do as well. *sigh* I'll just have to work twice as hard... Enjoy and don't forget to review!

Chapter 24: The Healing

For the life of her, Grandine couldn't figure out when it was that her sister started getting hurt like this. Probably when she came back with a broken wing that resembled more of a blanket than graceful combination of bone and thin dragon hide, after tracking down Acnologia during his rampage. Then, they found her floating in the ocean in her human form with missing right leg, open laceration on her left thigh, arms broken in several places and numerous little cuts caused by flying debris, which was, ironically, caused also by Acnologia. And now this.

Her dear little sister lay on the ground in a pool of her own quickly drying blood, unable to move an inch and surrounded by strangers that by all rights, shouldn't be there.

"I am a healer." she pronounced hurriedly and decided to ignore everything that wasn't now directly affecting Luciana's health. Questions could wait.

Checking on her queen's state with a cold professionalism, she turned to her apprentice for assistance for this case clearly asked for cooperation between them. "Wendy, prepare to perform the blood replenishing spell when I tell you."

The little bluenette bit her lip and nodded in determination, crouching beside her new patient's head and placing it in her lap carefully.

"Wh-what are you going to do?" stuttered the petite pink-haired female with sheep horns, diverting Grandine's attention away from her calculations minutely.

Seeing the concern and a little spark of hope in the spirit's eyes, the sky dragon couldn't help but answer truthfully.

"Wendy shall steadily restore her blood circulation to its previous state, while I completely heal the wound and ensure she does not suffer trauma or does not go into shock. Of course, first I'll have to make sure there is no lasting damage done to her brain and how much the blood loss has affected her internal organs."

At the last part, everyone seemed to gasp, hoping it would not come down to that.

Lowering her giant triangle-shaped head to the head of the barely conscious girl, the green-eyed dragon called forth upon its magic, gathering it to her snout and gently probing her whole body with the tendrils of her healing energy.

The spirits watched in mild fascination as the white-and-black-haired girl's body was gently lifted into air and glowed a very soft blue, giving her even more of ethereal look than before. And then, just as suddenly as she was up, she started descending down into the little dragon-slayer's lap again, ready to receive her treatment, whatever it would be.

Frowning, Grandine knew she could not wait any longer.

"Wendy, we will have to change the plan a little. You will have to heal the wound in my stead."

The little mage was eager to oblige, but her readying hands suddenly stopped mid-air, eyes widening with realization. "What is wrong?" she whispered.

"Her lungs are shutting down, Wendy. I'll have to sustain her with oxygen."

"B-But that means, you won't be able to do anything else!" she cried out, frantic at the thought of having to do everything alone.

Grandine's gaze softened, understanding clear in her impossibly green orbs. "I know you can do it, Wendy. You have progressed greatly even without me. Furthermore, I shall lead you step by step. It is only the practical part you'll have to do yourself. And I trust you, my child."

No matter how kind her adoptive mother's words sounded, to her it felt like the sky crashing down on her. Once she started this operation, Luciana's life would be in her hands. One screw-up and it would be the end. There would be no second chance.

And yet, as much as she knew she wasn't ready to shoulder this much responsibility, she knew she had to do this. There was only Grandine and her. And she couldn't help Luciana breathe like Grandine could.

Taking a deep, shaky breath, Wendy nodded at the dragon, placing her healing hands on the Queen's head and waiting for further instructions.

"Good." the dragon said approvingly. "First heal the open wound."

At the same time Wendy's hands lit up in the familiar healing magic, Grandine closed her eyes and concentrated on matching her breathing to Luciana's. Once she was sure she got it right, she opened her eyes and deeply breathed out, mingling her breath with her magic, making sure her sister inhaled it. Slowly, two blue bubbles appeared to surround both Luciana's and Grandine's rib cages and started growing outwards, until they connected into one, looking like an hourglass without its sand.

It had taken Wendy almost excruciatingly long to close the deep cut and even then, she knew the Blood Replenishing would take much longer than that.

"Very well," growled the dragon gently, careful not to disrupt her breathing pattern too much. "Now use the Blood incantation."

"Aloud?" squeaked the Fairy Tail member, wiping the sweat covering her forehead.

Grandine nodded affirmatively. "It has much better effect that way."

Wendy bit her lip again, remembering the exact wording and set out to it, hesitantly placing her hands over Luciana's heart.

The spirits, closely watching every single move the little mage did, gasped at the action, worried that her hands penetrating the hourglass bubble would affect Grandine's spell. But after nothing happened seconds after, even as the little healer began to speak in a foreign language, they breathed out in relief, Loki's being evidently more prominent than the others'.

Watching the girl's body drain of blood, her life, made something inside him twist and break. He felt incredibly guilty and stupid for having lashed out at the Dragon Queen. He himself had trouble comprehending exactly why he did it.

Part of the reason, he guessed, was from her aggravating words. Like she was playing him, hoping he would play along. And at the same time, her eyes spoke of her need for him to understand, pleading him to believe her.

It was then that his bottled up emotions exploded. Those eyes, those pleading, innocent eyes reminded him so much of her...

And he believed her. Yes, he found he believed her. It happened so suddenly his resolve broke and confusion went haywire. The rational part of him understood he shouldn't be mad at her. The irrational one told him she deserved to feel pain.

Just like he did when he thought he'd lost her.

And then, when the red curtain of rage disappeared along with the initial shock, he hated himself.

How could he not? He had lashed out at his master after recognizing her. His master, his savior... He'd almost killed her. He wasn't even worthy of staying in her presence, but here he was, standing over her feeble, hastily covered form.

Would she ever forgive him?

He frowned, his eyes narrowing. Would he ever forgive himself?

His fists clenched at his sides as he knew the answer.