There was blood, so much blood. Blood, blood, blood, blood, and… and… Lucy.

Natsu ran to her form and dropped to his knees in front of her. Her eyes tried to focus on his face and her breaths came in shallow gasps. "N-Natsu," She breathed. "I-I'm s-sorry."

Natsu shook his head to dismiss her apology before bracing himself to check her wounds. They were terrible. A large gash marred her chest, running from her left shoulder to her right hip. A dagger was plunged into her side and cuts ran along her arms and face. One eye was held closed by a gash that stemmed from her forehead to her jaw and was crossed by another that ran from her cheekbone to her chin.

"Don't speak, Lucy. Save your tears for when you're healed." He ran a thumb under her open eye to wipe away her tears. He was certain they didn't feel good against the cuts. She gasped at the contact and her breathing became more frantic and shallow.

"I don't… have much… time, Natsu. Please… let… me say this… while I can." She paused to breath before continuing and Natsu couldn't bring himself to stop her words after such a plea. "I want you… to… promise me that… you'll… move on. I don't want… you to waste your… time on… me. Let… me go." She grasped the pink-haired man's hand into her own shaky one and lifted it to her abdomen.

"I'm sorry… that I never told you." She whispered. Her voice was getting weak and her eyes had stopped focusing on his face.

"Lucy," Natsu cried desperately. "Please don't die. Please! I promise you'll be alright! I promise, just please stay with me!" His eyes were filled with warm tears. Lucy smiled ruefully, "My only regret… is that you never get to meet this wonderful person, and that I failed at protecting you." Her eyes faded out and her voice became so faint Natsu had trouble hearing her next words, "Like a mother should."

Before he could figure out what that meant, the blonde burst into crimson flames.

Despite himself Natsu flinched away, leaning back to crawl away. These flames looked different than any he'd seen before and he got the feeling he shouldn't eat it, despite how much he wanted to. Lucy didn't scream in pain nor make any indications that she was actually in pain.

Soon the flames were so think he couldn't see through them and when the flames died out, the blonde was gone.

Save for a pile of ash.

Natsu blamed himself. Everyone could tell. He had walked into the guild earlier that evening with shadows drawn over his face and blood stained across his body. His shoulders were slumped and his mouth was drawn tight.

He had sat himself down at a table near the back and never moved or spoken a word since. Whatever happened, he blamed himself, and the absence of one blonde celestial mage probably had something to do with it.

Erza had had enough and promptly stomped over to the depressed dragon slayer.

"Natsu," She said strictly. "What is the matter and where is Lucy?" The guild suddenly turned quiet as all ears turned to the pair in question. Natsu tensed.

"It's my fault." He exclaimed before promptly dropping his head. "She's gone and everything is my fault, Erza! I left her there, I didn't save her, and worst of all I," He paused to breathe before shakily continuing, "I s-set," he swallowed deeply and turned away to look beside him at the floor. "I set her on fire. And now, she's gone. Not even a body left." Tears were now freely flowing from his clouded obsidian eyes and he whispered the last part, "Nothing but ash that is."

Erza took a moment to collect her thought before saying anything. "Are you saying what I think you're saying, Natsu? This better not be a joke." There was darkness in her tone that made Natsu look up in outraged awe.

"You think I would make something like this up!?" He screamed. "Do you think I would just smile like an idiot and tell Lucy to jump out and scream something stupid like 'April Fools you should've seen your face'?" He looked around at the shocked guild members before continuing. "My best friend is gone and it's my fault. I burned her body to ashes and now all that's left of her is the blood on my clothes." He gestured to himself. "Do you think I would make that up?"

"Flame-brain has a point." Gray said solemnly. "I doubt he could think of something that elaborate even if he tried."

"And he reeks of death." Gajeel said. "What exactly happened to bunny girl?"

"We took a mission." He started. "Lucy needed rent money and the mission she chose was good pay for what it entailed. We were supposed to find a thief who was taking things from this village a few towns over. When we got there the town ws deserted and we realized all too late it was a trap. The town was a hide-out for a minor dark guild and before we knew it they were all around us. We got separated. I don't know what happened to Lucy but I know it must've been bad. When I got back to her she was about to be run through by a member in a cloak. He identified himself as the master and went through the whole cocky bastard spill."

"We fought. The dude was one tough cookie to crack and the fact that Lucy was still alive was enough to show she's not as weak as she believes - sorry, believed. Anyway, once I finally got the dude down I turned to get Lucy. She was bad - blood everywhere and a knife in her side, a large cut across her torso and many more along her body. I tried to save her but she kept talking and talking and eventually she just burst into flames. I'll bet it was my fault. My stupidity set her on fire and now there's nothing left." Natsu's tears had increased and his obsidian eyes were smoldering with guilt and regret.

"What were her last words, Natsu?" Levy spoke from her spot next to Gajeel. "Can you tell us?"

Natsu nodded. "She said, 'my only regret is that you never got to meet this wonderful person, and that I failed at protecting you, Like a mother should.' whatever that meant." His eyes widened further when it finally clicked and he brought his hands to his head to grip his hair.

"Holy shit." He said. "Damn, shit, damn, damn, damn, damn, damn, no. No. No, no, no, no, no, this can't be right, no. Please someone tell me I'm taking it wrong and I didn't," his words were cut short as Erza's fist came in contact with his gut.

"That's enough out of him." She said before throwing the unconscious boy over her shoulder and stomped up the stairs to the infirmary.

The guild was left in mournful silence.