Well, my lovelies, I had no intention of actually starting another story. This was supposed to be a One-Shot, but the angst has driven me to make it a full length story. Now, I have the pleasure of informing you that Deathsembrace137 will be joining me on this one! So, look for her on the next chapter! I'm so excited!

The inspiration for this story came from a beautiful, heartbreaking picture drawn by Approvesport on Deviantart. Look in A/N at the bottom for more info on the pic.

Hiro Mashima owns Fairy Tail.

CHAPTER 1: STORY OF A BROKEN HEART

I awoke with a start, calling out his name, my hand reaching out for him, searching the space above me in vain. Of course he wouldn't there, but the dream had been so vivid that I couldn't help believing for that small fragment of a moment. I choked back a sob as reality set in, reminding me of what had happened.

It had been a week since everything went wrong. Seven days, since my life had changed forever. Seven days of living with an ache inside me that no amount of time could ever cure, no alcohol could ever dull, and no sleep could ever erase. I was broken, and I didn't know if I would ever feel whole again.

A week ago, the guild had been attacked, mages coming out from every direction, too many to count in the heat of battle. We'd had no warning, and more than half of the guild had been out on missions. Master had been away at the monthly guild master meetings. From my own team, Erza had been sent on an S-class assigned by Makarov, Gray had joined Juvia on a mission, and Lisanna had finally gotten her alone time with Natsu, the two of them out on a job several towns away.

Needless to say, when the attack came, we weren't ready, many falling, taken by surprise in the initial surge. We had rallied quickly, fighting back with all we had. Somehow, I had ended up fighting next to Laxus and the Raijinshuu, each of us against a corresponding dark mage from the other side. My nemesis had been some kind of plant mage, with a wide array of forms for his magic, and I'd called out Taurus, thinking his ax would work well against the spurred vines the man continuously shot out at me, and Virgo to take care of the ones the mage sent at me from beneath.

Things were going well, until another mage joined him, adding some sort of acid to the mix, and Taurus was sent violently back to the Spirit World. Before I could pull out another key, Virgo was taken out with a blast from the new mage, his attack eating away at her as she faded away. I cringed as the plant mage took that opportunity to launch multiple barbed vines in my direction. I knew this was the end. I knew it as sure as I knew my name was Lucy.

I braced myself, and in the next instant I was swept off my feet and slammed unceremoniously to the ground, a weight falling atop me a second later. I opened my eyes in enough time to see Laxus above me, before the vines hit us. Rather, they hit Laxus, as he had covered my entire body with his own.

I watched in horror as the pointed barbs pierced his body, pushing through his flesh like he'd been made of paper. "No!" I screeched, as his eyes closed in pain, the sky continuing to rain the cursed plants around us.

It was more horrible than anything I could have imagined, watching as he shook above me on weakened arms. He slumped against me, no longer able to hold his body up, and I cried, "Laxus, stay with me." I needed to get someone to help him, but I knew it was likely impossible with the battle still going strong. "Somebody help me!" I screamed out, as he continued to stare down at me.

He lifted his hands to cup my face, as if he was telling me it was okay, but it wasn't okay. He'd taken the hit that was meant for me. It should be me dying, not him. I shook my head at him, but I could find no words to say. I knew he wasn't likely to pull through this, but I fought against the belief. I watched as he opened his mouth, struggling to speak.

He seemed to realize his time was short, and he swallowed hard, gasping those last words, "I...love...you...Lucy." I felt like someone had punched me in the gut, as my mind finally caught up with his words. He loved me. This strong, brave, foolish man loved me. I didn't know what to say. I didn't love him, but he had saved me. He had sacrificed his life for mine. How could life be so cruel?

He leaned down, his unsteady eyes on my mouth, and I knew what was coming. I knew, but I didn't stop him. As much as I had never considered him for a place in my heart, I couldn't turn him away. His head stopped halfway down, his face grimacing in pain, as his body refused to move any further, and I bit back a sob and leaned up to meet him, pressing my lips to his in the most achingly heartfelt kiss I'd ever known.

He deserved all I could give him here in his last moments. If this was what he wanted most on his way out of this life, I'd make sure it was everything he'd ever dreamed it would be. I'd love him with my kiss, if nothing more. It was all I had to give him.

A tear slipped down his cheek, brushing my face as my lips trembled against his. I had been fighting a losing battle against my tears, but one touch of his sadness brought them forth with a vengeance. I broke from the kiss, my head dropping onto the ground in defeat, even as I prayed for a miracle. I looked up to see his eyes open and a small smile flit across his face, before everything went blank, and he was gone.

I sat up in my bed, hugging my knees, as the tears I kept trying to staunch made a steady track down my face. I couldn't handle this, this tightness in my chest, the almost constant lump in my throat. How could I possibly face life like this?

It was a strange sensation, pining for a man you never loved, aching for one more chance to hear his voice. How could my heart feel so broken? I'd never even considered the two of us together, yet I couldn't forget how he'd looked, hovering over me, his breathing stilted around the spikes littering his body. He fought for every breath he took, but his one thought was of me, loving me.

I knew logically that it made no sense for me to miss a man I barely knew, but something about him stuck with me, pushing and pulling at me in a way nothing but my mother's death had ever done. I felt like I had lost him, but how could I lose something I never had? My mind refused to see the truth of that, refused to acknowledge that this shouldn't be so devastating for me. So, here I was mourning him.

The sound of the rain swelled, the drops pounding down on my rooftop, and I sighed, looking up at the ceiling in anguish, for once feeling a sense of camaraderie with the weather. It understood me; it was like the sky ached with me, crying with me when I could tell no one else what was wrong.

My heart was screaming out for something I didn't understand. It wasn't like we had spent much time together, but it didn't seem to matter. I didn't want him to disappear from my life. I wanted him to stay, to be here so I wouldn't feel so empty, so cold. And how selfish was that?

Some part of me argued that this was ridiculous. I'd never felt his arms around me, but I'd tasted his kiss. I'd never held his hand, but I'd had him pressed tightly against me. I'd never heard him whisper goodnight, but I'd listened as he told me loved me. There were so many things I'd never done with him, and that should have made it easier to let go. But it didn't. The fact that I had missed out on all that only seemed to make it worse.

It was like there was a hole inside me now, some missing piece that I'd lost that day, and I didn't know how to get it back. I laid back down, pulling a pillow close, clutching it in my arms, wishing it was a giant blonde haired man with a cocky attitude and an embrace I knew would feel so safe. A broken cry slipped from my throat as my mind flashed backed to the way our lips felt pressed together.

Lightning crashed outside my window, the thunder rising in volume to match my wails as I poured out my soul to the empty room, praying for exhaustion to take me again to the one place I could hear him say he loved me. I wanted him back. I wanted it with everything I had inside me. I wanted to know what it felt like to snuggle against his massive chest, to have his arms around me, to tangle my hands in his hair and kiss him with every ounce of passion I could muster.

I wanted that. I wanted him back, and I wasn't even sure why. I hadn't known him well, but somehow, I felt like I knew him now. We hadn't had long conversations while gazing into each other's eyes. We'd had that one moment when our eyes met, and it felt like he had touched my soul.

It had taken losing him to realize...he was the one thing I never knew I always wanted.

A/N: Well, that just about tore my heart out. I know it was the same for all you other LaLu shippers. Stay tuned for the next chapter coming to you, courtesy of Deathsembrace137!

The site won't let me add the link itself, so go to Deviantart and check out Approvesport's pic titled, "Should've told you my feelings sooner"